Evening star., 1864-12-24

the conservatory, and tue contiguous out
houses and green houses, that workmen have
been almost constantly employed In repairing
them. and there must be u general and thor.
ough renovation TO render Them at all credit.
able to the government V ho owns them, and
TO make the President and his family comfort
able. The Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds Of the House OF Representatives ac-
compBnied him over the entire premises two or
three times during The last session, and agreed
unanimously that no private gentleman would
suffer his house and grounds to remain in sue b
dilapidated condition as was the house ap-
propriated by the United States to their Pres.
ldert A detailed estimate was made for tn an,
amounting TO between S11,000 and $4,000, 10
place it in tolerabie conditions; and the chair
man Of the committee offersd an amendment
proposing to appropriate $1,000 for the pur-
pose, which was not agreed to.
The Commissioner presunaes, In accordau
with the usual custom, considerable special
appropriation will be made to fit up the house
at the incoming Administration, apd will not,
therefore, ask for any other tn an this ual ap-
preparation in his estimates. He calls attenti On
to the facts which he repeatedly alluded to in
his correspondence with committees OF the
House in relation 10 depredations upon the fix.
lures and furniture Of the house, which can be
avoided in no other way that he can advise
but by having a day watchman to accompany
all visitors through the Aolic rooms The
rich and expensive curtains have been cut, and
large pieces carried away. One entire lace
windows. The handsome and expensive
gilded shields which support the curtains
have, many of them, been wrenched of and
stolen Nearly all the heavy cords and tas.
sells which were used to loop up the curtains
OF the East Room have been stolen. The paper
has been torn from the wall OF the same room
and carried away. Indeed, there seems to be
no possible petty depreciation that can be made
been, and the Commissioner earnestly recon-.
mends that a day watchman be authorized by
Congress, whose duty 1t shall be to prevent
such vandalism for the future.
PRNNSYIVANIA AvpGr-p
All has been done to this great thoroughfare
OF the city that IL was posi- Bile to do with the
meagre sum OF $4,000 expended In the most eco
noHical manner. This avenue was paved with
ordinary paving stone, from the Capitol to
Georgetown, many years ago. That pavemsnt
was broken mp by the constan, running over
1t OF omnibuses before the street railroad was
laid down, and since that time the constant
running of heavy army wagons has completed
It's demolition in many places Commissioner
French says he has commenced repairing it at
the western terminus-the aqueduct bridge
across Rock Creek-and have succeeded in
placing the worst portions OF It in toierable
order, but it will require very much larger
annual appropriation than SO, 600 to place it in
good repair. He has asked in his regular es.
Inmates for $4,000, which is a small sum to do
the repairing required. He has heretofore
recommended the removal of the present pave
mens, and the adoption Of one OF a more per-
manent Dature-say the Belgian or the Mich
olson wooden pavement, which is very highly
recommended-and would most respectfully
ject He has ne official estimate at this me,
but from the best Information he can OBTAIN he
has NO doubt that the Nicholson pavement can
be laid for $40 ier square of ten feet He will
correspond with Mr. Nicholson, the inventor,
and ascertain the exact cost, aud submit an
estimate to the committee early in the next
session. = ,.
THE EASTERN BRANCH BRIDGES
The bridge across the Eastern Branch, at
the navy yard has become one Of the great
across 1t Is immense, having been greatly In.
creased during the past year by the oc eupation
OF Geisboro' Point as cavalry station and
depot bv the War, Department
The bridge was found last winter, to be in q
very dangerous condition. The commissioners
attention was especially called to II, and lost
time in addressing TO the Committee of
Ways and Means of the House representation
OF The facts, and an estimate of the expense OF
placing that structure in good repairs, at the
same time informing the committee that the
necessity OF The repairs would com pei him 70
proceed at once with them in anticipation of
the appropriation, to save the bridge from fall
ing. He accordingly proceeded at once TO pur-
chase TIMBER and placing the repairs under
the super vision of the bridge keeper, Mr. John
Webster. practical bridge builder, and most
competent man, the work was commenced,
and stesdy progressed to this time. Congress
appropriated S25,OOO for the repairs. The
bridge has been put in complete and thorough
repairs, except the draw. Although the money
has been as carefully and economically ex-
pended as possible. it has taken the entire sum
OF S25, ,OO0 TO do it. The work has been about
equal to rebuilding of the whole strncture
! he old draw remains as il was. 1t should be
replaced by anew one. With view 10 the erec.
ton OF the new draw, the Secretary Of the
Interior, detailed Col. Silas Seymour, engineer
o. the Washington Aqueduct, to examine the
old draw and furnish dra wings for, and esi.
mate of the expense of new draw. Thus he
did, his plan being for very elaborate and
expensive draw; such an one as would be
admir- able for the Potomac bridge, but is, In
the opinion Of the Commissioner unnecessary
Tor the one IL question, where the draw is not
opened more than three times q year The
draw estimated for by him is 10 cost, a, the
lowest SLIGO.
The commissioner submitted Mr. Ssynour's
plan and estimates to the Secretary In Septsnl-
Der last, and at that time supposed that the
S25,GG0 would be sufficient TO repair the bridges
and erect cheap draw that wonid ans wer all
the purposes needed. He finds that an aDpro-
p1iai1On OF about + ,UD0 will be nect ssary to
make the rev draw, as new piles Will be nee
essary for its foundation, and ne has estimated
for that sum.
The upper bridge kpo wn az Bsnnine' s Bridge
needed considerable repairs, which have been
IN ade from the ordinary current appropria lion,
and it is now in good condition.
PAUPER PATIENTS.
The appropriation for the care aud medical
treatment OF panrer patients Las, as in former
years, been great blessing to many. In ac-
coroance with the provision Of the act making
the appropriation, the comm issioner selected
the Providence Hospital in February, 1861 in
lieu of the Douglass Hospital, as the place
where the patients were to be treated, and en-
tered INTO contract with that institution ny
" hich they are bound to receive all taat he may
send mp TO the average number OF 10 at all
times; and, when they have spare beds, thew
agree that As may be in the hospital at one time
The number ha been full during the yesr, and
be has been uDder the necessity of declining to
send many who have applied and were nm.
donbtedly proper objects OF the charity, had
there been room Tor them in the hospital
From Septemb Der ], 1863 to September I, 1854,
3i2 patients received the benefit of the appro.
priation.
SEWER THROUGH THE BOTANIC GARDEN.
The Commiss iOner, i'll referring TO an act OF
Congress appropriatiDg S1O,l50 to change Tiber
Greek, where 1t runs through the Botanic Gar.
den. into sewer, says the work is now pro.
gresstG satisfactorily, but that the sum already
appropriated Will complete only about one
third OF the contem plated work.
PRESIDENTS STABLE
Commissioner French refers to the destruc.
tion Of the Pres idents stable by fire, an 10 the
act OF Congress authorizing the Commissioner
to rebuild the structure, an 1 appropriating
SI2, ,0C0 for that purpose. He says the estimates
for this appropriation was made uncer the
supposition that the stable would be rebuilt on
the old site, and that portion OF the old
structure, which was uninjured, would not