of the founding of Port Royal and other events associated with Champlain, who first entered the Bay of Fundy in June, 1604. The memorial and festival features of this tercentenary celebration, so happily carried out by the people of New Brunswick, awakened very general interest.

The events of 1608, which the Dominion of Canada proposes to celebrate in 1908, stimulate and extend this popular interest, and direct attention in a marked degree to the historical importance of those events of 1609 which we recommend for distinguished observance by New York State in 1909.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF 1909.

Your commission respectfully submit the foregoing report to the consideration of the legislature of New York. The anniversary which we desire shall be suitably observed has great significance. Important as it is to the student of history, it makes a wider and stronger appeal to that large body of our citizens whose forefathers fought in the wars of the Champlain region, or were among the pioneers who transformed it from the wilderness.

But chief of all the considerations which we urge upon your attention is the international character of the proposed celebration. The history of the Champlain Valley belongs to the history of three great nations, whose cordial relations we believe will be promoted by the suitable observance of this significant date.

RECOMMENDATION.

To that end your commission, after careful investigation, reaches the conclusion that the three hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Lake Champlain should be suitably celebrated by New York State: and to that end we respectfully recommend the enactment of the following bill:

AN ACT To provide for the celebration of the tercentenary of the discovery of Lake Champlain, the appointment of a commission, prescribing its powers and duties and making an appropriation therefor.

The people of the State of New York, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The governor shall appoint five citizens of this State, the president pro tempore of the senate shall appoint three members of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly shall appoint three members of the assembly, who shall constitute and be known as the commission for the public celebration of the tercentenary of the discovery of Lake Champlain. The members of such commission shall serve without pay, but shall receive their necessary traveling and other expenses.

SEC. 2. The object of such commission shall be to plan and conduct a public celebration of the tercentenary of the discovery of Lake Champlain by Samuel Champlain in the month of July, 1609, and such other historical events following such discovery as such commission may deem of general public interest or worthy of commemoration.

SEC. 3. Such commission shall organize by electing a chairman, secretary, treasurer, and such other officers as it may deem necessary, and may adopt such rules and regulations as it may deem proper for carrying into effect the purposes for which it is created, and shall have power to enter into negotiations and cooperate with the State of Vermont, the Government of the United States, the Dominion of Canada, and the Province of Quebec, or either or any of them, and with the various patriotic and historical societies of the State and Nation, in such celebration and may appoint committees of citizens from the various municipalities of the State. Such commission shall also have the power, either by itself or in cooperation with the State of Vermont, the Government of the United States, the Dominion of Canada, and the Province of Quebec, or any or either of them, to erect a suitable permanent memorial to the said Samuel Champlain in the valley of Lake Champlain. Such commission may also appoint committees from its members and may employ such assistants as it may deem necessary, fix their compensation, and define their powers and duties within the provisions of this act.

SEC. 4. Such commission shall audit and pay all bills and expenses incurred under this act and file the vouchers therefor with the comptroller of the State; keep an accurate record of all its proceedings and transactions, and shall submit to the legislature of 1910 a full and complete report thereof. It shall have ⚫

no power or authority to contract for the expenditure of any sum in excess of the amount herein appropriated, except such funds as have actually been paid into its treasury by public or private contribution for the erection of a memorial as herein provided, and it shall keep an accurate account of the receipt and disbursement of such contributions, if any, and include the same in its report to the legislature.

SEC. 5. The sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated, for the purposes of this act, and payments shall be made by the State treasurer to the treasurer of such commission on the warrant of the State comptroller on the requisition of the chairman of such commission. In addition to the sum herein appropriated, the commission is authorized and empowered to receive and expend public and private contributions for any of the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

SEC. 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
The foregoing is respectfully submitted.

CHARLES E. HUGHES.

LEWIS STUYVESANT CHANLEE.
HENRY W. HILL.
JOHN C. R. TAYLOR,
J. W. WADSWORTH, Jr.
ALONSON T. DOMINY.
JAMES A. FOLEY.

FRANK S. WITHERBEE
JOHN H. Воотн.

1st Session.

No. 458.

REPORT UPON IMPROVEMENT OF VALLEY OF ROCK CREEK, FROM MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE TO MOUTH OF THE CREEK.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, SUBMITTING, PURSUANT TO LAW, A REPORT UPON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE VALLEY OF ROCK CREEK, FROM MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE TO THE MOUTH OF THE CREEK.

MAY 2, 1908.-Referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia and ordered to be printed.

MAY 21, 1908.-Ordered reprinted with maps and illustrations.

OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, April 30, 1908. SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit the following report upon the improvement of the Valley of Rock Creek, from Massachusetts avenue to the mouth of the creek, in pursuance of the following provision contained in the act providing appropriations for the District of Columbia, for the fiscal year 1908:

For preparation of plans and estimates for the treatment of the Valley of Rock Creek from Massachusetts avenue to the mouth of the creek, both by open-valley method and by conduit, including necessary surveys, borings, test pits, plan, and estimates of cost, four thousand dollars.

Very respectfully,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND,

President Board of Commissioners, District of Columbia.

Hon. CHARLES W. FAIRBANKS,

President of the Senate, Washington, D. C.

OFFICE ENGINEER COMMISSIONER
OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington, April 25, 1908.

Respectfully forwarded to the Board of Commissioners. The inclosed report is submitted in pursuance of an item contained in the District appropriation act for the fiscal year 1908, as follows:

For preparation of plans and estimates for the treatment of the Valley of Rock Creek from Massachusetts avenue to the mouth of the creek, both by the open-valley method and by conduit, including necessary surveys, borings, test pits, plan, and estimates of cost, four thousand dollars.

S D-60-1-Vol 32-33

The work of this survey and the preparation of plans have been carried out in this office under the direction of the assistant to the engineer commissioner in charge of the surface division, by the engineer of bridges, has been very exhaustive and is fully covered in the report of the engineer of bridges and the supplemental report thereon by Capt. E. M. Markham, all herewith.

Studies have been made looking to four possible solutions in which all variations occur between L street and the Massachusetts avenue crossing of Rock Creek.

The first solution studied provides for filling Rock Creek valley from Massachusetts avenue to L street by the construction of a conduit for the waters of Rock Creek and the subsequent construction. on the fill over this conduit of a boulevard 160 feet in width.

The second solution involves the same treatment of the valley, excepting the subsequent construction of the boulevard 400 feet in width.

The third solution involves the construction of the conduit from L street to O street with a 160-foot boulevard subsequently overlying it, and the open treatment of the valley from O street to Massachusetts avenue.

The fourth solution involves treating the entire valley from Massachusetts avenue to L street, preserving it as a valley, with the proper arrangement of high-level and low-level roads and paths throughout the entire distance.

Below L street all solutions involve the same treatment, namely, an elevated boulevard to the connection with Potomac Park. Above Massachusetts avenue the same treatment is proposed in all solutions, namely, the acquisition of a portion of Rock Creek valley for park purposes, and its preservation in its present natural condition. The estimates of cost are as follows:

For the treatment between L street and Potomac Park under all projects, $1,100,000.

For the treatment between L street and Massachusetts avenue under the various plans considered, as follows:

For the closed treatment throughout, with a boulevard 160 feet in width, $7,350,000, and as against this cost a credit for 1,247,000 square feet of land to be resold, which would reduce the cost to an aggregate of $5,900,000.

For the closed treatment throughout, with a boulevard 400 feet in width, $7,850,000, against which a credit for 526.349 square feet of land to be resold, which would reduce the cost to an aggregate of $7,230,000.

For the closed treatment with a 160-foot boulevard between L and O streets and open treatment between O street and Massachusetts avenue, $5,100,000.

For the open treatment throughout, $1,750,000.

After this study, I would recommend that the open-valley method be adopted, and that appropriations be asked for in the near future. looking to the gradual carrying out of this project.

Briefly outlined this project involves the following work:

A main road to be constructed in the valley of the park extending from Massachusetts avenue to the river. A main path extending the same distance, in a general way paralled to the main road-all in the valley of the creek; and wherever possible additional driveways and

paths are provided. It is planned to develop the entire area as a city park, with the exception of the section between L street and Potomac Park, which will be treated as a more or less formal parkway and park connection. The section north of O street could easily be developed into a beautiful informal city park having a maximum width of 600 feet and a minimum width of 400 feet. At Massachusetts avenue the main drive is planned to be carried through the embankment now crossing the valley at that point, a subway being provided with a width of 35 feet and a height of 24 feet, having the form of a single arch.

In addition to the main drive in the bottom of the valley, bordering roadways are contemplated on both sides, with a view to having the park almost entirely surrounded by streets, so that the backs of buildings could not be presented to view from the park. Main driveway entrances to the park are provided from Massachusetts avenue just south of the valley by the road now known as Waterside drive, and from Q street by the same road; also from Twentyfifth street just north of N street and from Twenty-sixth and L streets, and from the formal driveway which leads from Potomac Park along the banks of the Potomac River and Rock Creek to this last-mentioned entrance. Entrances from the west are provided at a point near Twenty-sixth and P streets and from a point near Twenty-sixth and Q streets and by way of the old Lovers Lane valley, and from T street as far as that street will ultimately be completed. In addition to these carriageway entrances, pathway entrances are provided at nearly every point where the bounding streets are intersected by lateral streets.

Crossings are provided as follows:

A bridge is proposed from the intersection of Twenty-eighth and R streets to the intersection of Massachusetts avenue and S street. A bridge is provided at Q street, a new bridge at P street, a bridge at N street, a new bridge at M street, and a new bridge at Pennsylvania avenue. The K street bridge, proposed to be maintained at its present grade, will be crossed above grade by the elevated driveway along the quay. The low driveway crosses the creek at four points, by small bridges, namely, just south of Pennsylvania avenue, just south of P street, also at a point near the old Lyon's Mill, and at a point near the pumping station south of Massachusetts avenue.

The plan involves the condemnation of about 3,750,000 square feet. of land, including improvements, and involves a considerable amount of grading in the section between M and O streets and from the point of the hill near the present P street bridge.

It is believed that authority to purchase or condemn this land, which it is estimated will, with the improvements, cost about $1,920,000, should be granted by Congress at as early a date as possible, for the double reason of making the ultimate development of this park connection an assured fact, and also to prevent the perpetuation of the dumping nuisance, which has already assumed such large proportions, and which is largely beyond the control of the District officials as the dumping is not on public space. The passage of time and the continuance of these conditions necessarily adds to the cost and difficulty of the construction work. It is believed that the purchase of this land will be of sufficient local benefit to justify assessments for benefits, but it is not believed advisable to suggest any definite