REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



37 



the people, and thus becomes a fitting object for the care of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



In my Report for last year the preliminary steps for the establish- 

 ment of a Zoological Park in the District of Columbia were detailed. 

 The District of Columbia bill, which received the approval of the Presi- 

 dent on INIstrch 2, 1889, contained an appropriation of $200,000 for the 

 purchase of the land and established a Commission, composed of the 

 S'^cretary of the Interior, the President of the Board of Commissioners 

 of the District of Columbia, and the Secretary of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, for the purpose of selecting and acq^uiriug a suitable site upon 

 Rock Creek. 



The utmost care was exercised to keep within the limits of this appro- 

 priation, and the Commission is even able to turn into the Treasury a 

 small balance upon the completion of its work. To accomplish this, 

 however, it was necessary to leave out a strip of land of about 8 acres 

 on tlie east side of the creek, which it seemed to the Commission very 

 desirable to secure, and I venture to express the hope that Congress 

 will see fit to make special provision for the purchase of the property at 

 an early day. 



From a commercial point of view the enterprise has already proved 

 a most successful one, the land having risen in value since its condem- 

 nation from 200 to 300 percent. 



At the beginning of the fiscal year the ground had yet to be acquired. 

 A careful consideration of the property in the neighborhood of Rock 

 Creek, described in the act of March 2, 1889, had been made and an 

 area of 166.48 acres selected.* The dififlculty of establishing the bound- 

 aries of certain tracts described in the older deeds caused a long delay, 

 but the survey was finally completed on the 2 1st of November, 1889. 



* The following list shows the tracts in detail and the amount eventaally to be 

 paid for each : 



Land for the National Zoological Park. 



Owner. 



Miss A.E.J. Evans 



H. D. Walbiklgo 



Woodloy Park Syndicate 



Henry C.Holt 



Mrs. M. Caney 



Mrs. E. L. Dunn c« aJ 



Pacificus Ord 



J.P.Klingle 



Union Benevolent As.sociation . . . 



E. E. Hayden 



McPberson & Finley 



James Kervand 



United Stiitcs (part Quarry road) 



Total 



How obtained. 



By agreement. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 By condemnation. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



