The broad street called Connecticut Avenue, being adapted to the movement of the main volume of travel between the central parts of Washington as now built and all parts of the extensive suburban region of much higher elevation, through which it passes beyond the great bridge over Rock Creek, you have asked our opinion upon a question of the laying out of such streets as would be tributary and distributing branches of this main channel of travel.

The line of Connecticut Avenue varies little, on an average, from that which defines the divide of streams flowing eastwardly to Rock Creek and westwardly to the Potomac. The gradual washing away of the ground bordering these streams has resulted in a succession of rounded ridges separated from one another by deep winding valleys varying greatly in breadth and in the degree of the declivities of their sides. The natural surface of the region to be considered is consequently for the most part extremely irregular and undulating; much more so, on an average, than the natural surface of so much of the city south of the Rock Creek bridge as has already been provided with streets.

Two methods may be had in view for laying out the streets in question. In the first, rigidly straight courses would be pursued, as in those parts of Washington already laid out, regardless of the great irregularities of the surface. In the other, deviations from straight courses would be made with such degree of accommodation to these irregularities as would be consistent with convenience in the use of the streets, with efficiency and economy of drain and sewer arrangements, and with a division of the lands between the streets into suitable building sites.

Each of these systems would have distinctive advantages and distinctive disadvantages. Our judgment is asked upon the question with which, having regard to the lasting interests of the public, would the balance of advantage be found?

After examining the ground and considering the question of suitable connections with bordering regions, we are of the opinion that a system of streets could be devised with courses winding to a considerable extent fittingly to the larger undulations of the ground, which would have decided advantages over any system of streets laid in rigid straight lines over the same ground.

Yours Respectfully

We had a pleasant visit of some days from Mr. Pinchot, week before last, and took counsel with him as far as practicable under the circumstances, as to forest management at Biltmore, and also as to his personal plans and availabilities. I had thought it probable when he left that I should be able to see you very soon, and advise with you on the subject, but I have not been able to do so, and am now obliged to go to Chicago and other places, so that I think I would better communicate with you by letter.

If you are to have the benefit of Mr. Pinchot’s service in any way, it would undoubtedly be desirable with respect to the forest proper that nothing should be done except under his advice. I say this the more confidently because I am satisfied that he would be glad to be identified with the undertaking, look to make his reputation upon it, and serve you with a degree of zeal that you could not expect to obtain from any one else. Of course it would be desirable that he should feel the full weight of the responsibility and that nothing should be done in advance that would interfere with this.

He has, as I presume you have learned, two engagements offered him. One is as Assistant to the Forestry Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, with a salary of sixteen hundred dollars a-year. It would seem to have been expected that he would while holding this position give all his time to the Government, except perhaps for a short annual vacation; but he has thought that it would be practicable to obtain some concession in this respect so that he would be able to give a month or two every year to other duties.

The second engagement offered him is that of an instructor in the [427]new University in Chicago. He apparently thinks that under this engagement he would only be required to give a series of lectures, which he would be allowed to do, because, perhaps, it would be serving the purposes of his appointment at Washington.

Supposing Mr. Pinchot to accept those engagements, and that he should also make some arrangement for serving you, the course of proceeding to be anticipated would be something like this:

He would wish first to make a study of your ground, to the end of blocking out a scheme, or permanent plan, of operations. This might occupy him a month on the ground, either before he entered upon his duties at Washington, or during a vacation of his first year’s service there. Having made this study on the ground, he would be able after returning to Washington, in hours when not required to be at the Government office, with the advantage of maps and plans which would by that time be available, to give proper form to his scheme, and present it to you in a report, with drawings. If approved and adopted by you, he could then in a month of the following year organize and put in movement systematic operations for carrying on the work. Thereafter he could make an annual visit to the ground, watch the course of operations, and give such instructions as might be necessary. He could also in any emergency obtain leave of absence for a day or two to visit the ground, and he could be in correspondence with his superintendent there. In short, he would be your Consulting Forester.

I have tried to state what he seemed to think would be the most desirable arrangement for the purpose in view; and I think that with this understanding of what he is ready for, it would be now practicable and desirable for you to have an interview with him. Quite probably, in such an interview some improvement of the plan stated would occur to you and be acceptable to him. Even if it does not appear to you that the whole of his scheme would be satisfactory, I think that you could with great advantage make an immediate engagement with him to study and report to you a general plan. What would be desirable subsequently would perhaps depend on the manner in which he would think it feasible to organize the work, and more especially upon the degree of confidence that you would feel in such a resident Superintendent as he would recommend.

Mr. Pinchot understands that at certain points and in certain districts, landscape and other considerations would take the lead of considerations of forest economy. He would expect a certain degree of respect to be paid to picturesque effect in planting along the borders of the principal roads. He would not think it desirable to lay out these roads, as is often done in European forestry, as nearly as practicable on straight lines, and solely with view to commercial considerations. He is quite ready to adopt your views in this respect.

I am sure that Mr. Pinchot would be glad to make an engagement with you and I judge that his views of compensation would seem to you moderate.

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As you have spoken to us upon this matter, and as Mr. Pinchot invited our confidence about it, I have thought best to communicate these views to you.

Yours Truly