102 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1923 



year the yards and shelters were practically completed ; the principal 

 work remaining undone includes sidewalks, parking space, tree 

 boxes, guard rails, and other minor accessories. 



ALTERATIONS OF BOUNDARIES 



With the approval on January 23, 1923, of the second deficiency 

 bill, there was available $8,000 for the purchase of the strip of land 

 between the park and Adams Mill Road between Ontario Road and 

 Clydesdale Place. The completion of this purchase adds about 8,000 

 feet of land to the area of the park and protects the entrance at 

 Adams Mill Road from unsightly development on one side. A new 

 danger that threatens the beauty of this entrance way to the park 

 has, however, most unexpectedly arisen. On March 4, 1923, an act 

 of Congress was passed and approved dissolving the cemetery asso- 

 ciation controlling the burial ground bordering the Zoological Park 

 on the south between Adams Mill Road and Rock Creek. The 

 trustees named in the bill are authorized to transfer the bodies in- 

 terred in this old cemetery and to sell the land. The permanent 

 highways plan of the District of Columbia shows a proposed road 

 across this property from Adams Mill Road to Calvert Street Bridge. 

 It will be necessary in order to protect this section of the park, 

 especially the beautiful roadway leading down from the Adams 

 Mill Road entrance, to acquire that portion of the cemetery lying 

 between this proposed roadway and the park boundary. It has been 

 suggested that the permanent highways plan be modified, and that 

 the proposed road across the old cemetery be made from Adams Mill 

 Road at the corner of the Zoological Park to join Waterside Drive 

 at Calvert Street Bridge. This would greatly reduce the area to be 

 purchased for park purposes and amply protect the interests of the 



public. 



IMPORTANT NEEDS 



Restaurant. — As pointed out in recent reports, a suitable restau- 

 rant building remains the most urgent need of the park. The old 

 refreshment stand was constructed many years ago of the cheapest 

 materials. At the present time it is in a bad condition and is wholly 

 inadequate to serve the needs of the public. The refreshment booth 

 at Connecticut Avenue, on land recently transferred to the Govern- 

 ment, should also be replaced by a new and more sightly structure. 

 The increased income from rental of these two concessions will well 

 repay for the construction of buildings adequate for the service of 

 the constantly increasing number of visitors. 



Bird house. — The valuable collection of rare and interesting birds 

 now the property of the Government remains poorly housed for ex- 

 hibition purposes. Because of the great interest taken in this divi- 



