The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-03

proved failure it soon wears smooth and becomes
slippery that horses in travelling upon it frequently fall
and in wet weather they scarcely be kept upon their
feet with every possible The Russ pavement is
laid upon concrete bottom, which prevents any drain
except such conveyed off by the gutters and the
consequence is the evaporation from the surface equent
y occasions very offensive efuvia Another great obec
ton TO the Russ pavement is the difficulty of removing
it, when necessary open for laying pipe other pun
poses and the still greater difficulty Of replacing it in
anything like the condition in which 1t was before dis
| tuTbed.i 'lFf4 ssg ytitR s4 h Etss ~ asil 4ttR 2
Iron payements represented TO be very injurious to
the feet Of horses They dusty in dry and dirty IN
weather owing to the space between the prongs be-
ing filled with earth understand that il s necessary
/ to file them frequently 49, st s,.ls t e.a :,
None Of the objections that exist against the Russ and
iron pavemens can be urged against the Belgian pave
ment The rock of which it is constructed is broken in
size adapted to the feet OF horses which affords them
firm foot-hold without injury and does not smooth
1t is laid in nd easily be removed and rsdjuste
when 70 open the steet Is thoroughly drained
free from everything offensive, and perfectly clean SO
far information extends believe II Is much cheap
er than either the Russ iron payements it should
be determined 10 repavc fennsylvania avenue do not
think good pavement could be selected for the pur
| pose the Belgian Il - i,l,,.t sfstH - 49, s.,.
The tagging Of the main entrance to the Congressional
Buryng Ground has been finished far as the govern
menti vault. The estimate made for tagging the
whole avenue but by inadvertence in wording the
appropriation it made to stop at the vault Doubt
less Congress will recty the mistake by authorizing the
balance Of the appropriation to be applied in extending
the tagging the whole length Of the avenue orig
inally intended. OK fhA~A AA ~
The appropriation erecting bridge the canal
in line with Maine avenue, has not been used the
language of the appropriation requires double track to
be made which would indicate that it bridge
intended to be for the accommodation of carriages and
other vehicles The canal forms the eastern terminus of
Maine avenue and Canal street is only forty feet wide
sufficient elevation could not be given to the bridge to
allow of the passage OF boats under aud of vehicles
it, The appropriation might be useully applied to the
of "a fOot and To
opinion that Congress intended it for that purpose the
slightest examination of the location will render it obv
that other description of bridge Is prasticabe
The central in the botanic garden and the walks
leading from it to Maine and Missouri avenues, will be
paved with tagging, provided for by appropriation
of the last session of Congress- before the first of
next month"; unless prevented by unfavorabe weather
some disappointment not now anticipated. N sH
The injury sustained by the Potomac bridge from the
tremendous and unusual flood OF ice at the breaking up
of the last winter we'll nigh putting end to that
means of communication between the two shores Sew
cr sections were swept away entirely and most of what
was left much damaged that it was matter OF
surprise the whole had not been carried off. The inter
rpton of this medium Of intercourse between the Dis
rict and Virginia shores immediately felt in the
kets of the city by dminuton of supplies and
of prices The difficulty and expense of reach
ing the city through other channels Of communication
only deprived the producers who have to cross the
river of the benefit of the increased price of products
but actually reduced the profits the products of their
labor low scarcely to make it object for them to
come to market This state of things regarded by the
citizens of Washington and Alexandria county great
grievance and they earnestly appealed to you to remedy
it, by directing to such might be appli-
cable the object for the immediate rccsabshment of
travel across the bridge In view of the action of Con-
gre the last session. which fully appsed of the
condition of the bridge and failed to make approIa-
ton for the reconstruction of the portion that had been
carried away, and of the doubt that was entertained
the suciency of the usual appropriation for casual
pairs place it in anything like safe and permanent
travelling condition, you decided that it would not be
advisable to attempt to repair it in its then condi
ton. 8faE
The corporation of Washington, finding that the gov
ernment would not undertake to repair the BRIDGE and
Welding to the demands of public sentiment made ap
preparation reconstruct it, at least far to eestab
sh communication between the shores, to be expended
under the direction of mayor and committee of
member from each board of the city councils The
breaches the bridge accordingly closed and other
portions of the structure strengthened so as to allow of
the usual travel it, did not consider it my duty
to nterpose any obstacle to the of the
object the corporation had in view and therefore made
no attempt to arrest the work but the bridge
thrown open public travel, and notified by
the mayor that he had withdrawn his workmen it then
became necessary for charge of it, and to
make such additional repairs deemed important
to render it perfectly safe. Bass }if5sa sa8 t}
Congress at the last session refused to make the usual
appropriation for paying the drawkeepers of the BRIDGE
which imposed upon me the necessity Of assuming the
responsibility of employing them otherwise ihe navi-
CATION of the river above the bridge would have becn
closed 70 vessels ueStneO UeOrgeOWn
that portion of the canal that passes through the city
The great enience and loss which the public snf
cred from the interruption of trav the bridge dem
ostaes the Importance of keeping mp the present sruc
ture until new bridge shall have been erected.
The Navy-Yard bridge was also very much injured by
ice which has been repaired in substantial manner
it would admit Of having been originally built of bad
materials and in very slight manner. The bridge
quires piles from end to the other, there is
scarcely sound in the whole fabric. There two
short roads connected with this bridge which made
by the company from which the government purchased
it, and they part of the appurtenances of the
bridge For several years after the purchase they were
kept in repair by the Commissioner of Public Buildings
and the expense paid out of the appropriation for
the repairs Of bridges 1t WIS, however, few years
since decided that part of the appropriation could be
applied for that purpose and that it must be confined TO
objects within the plain meaning of Its language. The
levy court county declined exercising jurisdiction
over the roads, they belong to the government and
the consequence has been, they in such bad con-
dition that it is with the utmost difficulty they can be
travelled 1t is due to the public who travel across the
bridge that these roads should be repaired by some
authority or other Ny opinion is that they should
be placed under the control of the levy court which has
jurisdiction over all the other highways Of the county It
would not be just though to saddle the county with
them in their present condition and would thcrefore
respectfully recommend that appropriation be made
sufficient put them in first rate order, which shall be
paid the levy court condition that the court agree
take charge of them and forever keep them in repair
The Anacosta bridge is in good condition. The usual
annual repairs WILL without accident preserve it sound
for many years. ~
The grading of Judiciary square has progressed far
contemplated by the appropriation for that pur
before the grading