Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-10-27
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
THE REPORT or CEN. uyrRLER.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
THE REPORT oF CEN. VIrRLER.
River Imprevrments-rhe Lon. Bridge
Public Recommendations Sark-
Avenues and Spepts-The washinstau
Canal-The Washington Aeuednct, exc.
The annual report OF General n. Michler.
United States Engineer, IN charge Of pubuc
buildings and grounds, has been prepares.
and. as usual, contains great deal OF matter
OF interest 10 our citizens.
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
In opening his report Gen. Miehler alludes
10 the special report lately made In ne ard 10
river improvements, winch As yet has not been
acted upon. During tie past year me corpo-
Iae authorities OF Gtorgetown have caused
the oar OF the Virginia channel % hs dredged
TO depth OF l3 feet at mean low tide. and 10 q
width OF about 50 feet thus removing about
SS,OO cubic yards OF mud at a cost o. less than
SlO,0oD. No steps ha We yet been taken by the
Government In executing plan Of perrnsnent
Improvement, as was suggested IN Gen. Mich
tion having been made. Estimates are suo-
mitted for the cost OF the work. and il Is stared
the entire amount can be profitably expended
during the present fiscal year.
THK LONG BRIDGE
In referring 10 tue report already made by
MIN IN regard to a permanent bridge across
the Potomac, General Michler remarks: "rhe
importance or q permanent and substantial
bridge al or near The point Indicated has been
sufficiently well established. II Is TO b. hoped
that the necessary action will be taken TO ac-
complIsh an object which is SO much desired,
and which will tend SO much towards sdvan-
cling the interests of the capital" In respect
70 the Long Bridge General Michler states that
the remarks made in his lastreport remain snll
IN force, and prove the necessity Of erecting q
more substantial, suitable, and architectural
structure. IL is 10 be regretted that the riyer
approaches % the city should present sach an
unseemly appearance. This bridge no been
Tor 40 many years the means of intercourse be-
tween Washington and the opposite shore ma;
II would be very difficult to direct attention
from the old, well beaten track. Such being
the case, General MIchler strongly urges per-
manent structure. alike ornamen tai and useful,
which should b. so planned rs ID remove
very serious distractions created oy the ex-
listing bridge. which have 4 tendency 70 per-
manently iniure the channel OF the river
The present bridge Is old, and is now held to-
gether more by extra bracing, strainlng rods
and other appliances than by the um sers en-
ployed In the original plan OF constr uctIop. IL
is recommended that some necessary statutes
be enacted to prevent the frequent occurrence
OF accidents by vessels running againt the
bridge while pas sing through the draws. These
accidents in many cases are caused by careless.
ness in steering. Several plans for new and
more architectural bridges have already been
prepared. but 40 action has been taken IN re-
gard TO them. The Aqurduct bridge, leased
by the ALEXANDRIA Canal Company, has been
opened, IN addition 10 canal purposes, 10 ordi-
nary travel since General NiCnIer's last report
great amount Of work has been required TO
repair the Chain bridge during The Year, go
spans being required TO he built new. More
woIk remains TO 0e done, and the importance
OF keeping this bridge open TO travel Is eXpatI-
ated upon At leDgth. This bridge is largely
used by The farmers OF Virginia, and is OF vast
benefit in supplying the people OF u Georgetown
with market commodities.
TRAVEL OvkR THE BRIDGES.
liable OF the travel over the bridges fur
the travel over the Long Bridge was a. fol-
lows: Foot passengers 3W,3a5, horses and
riders 2s,loe, horses and wagons IOl, ,iOi. teams
ana wagons sO.oS0. cattle i.0li, hogs 2-I9o,
sheep l,i6O. Navy Yard Bridge: Foot passen
gers 3'5,sSJ, horses and riders lI,3I5, horses
and wagons lU1,}70. teams aud wagons II ,3I5
Chain Bridge: Passengers sl,39l horses and
and wagons G5,525. BeAnings Bridge: Pas
seneers II, l65, teams ana wagons ~ 300
PUBLIC SQUARES AND RESERVATIONS.
In making suggestions respecting the pres
eryahon and improvement Of the public
squares and reservations, and IN again calling
park. General Mtchler refers to his last two
annual reports, wherein the suoJectswas thor
ougnly discussed. Their important relation
10 tne hygiene OF the capital, the improved
appearance offered TO the streets and avenues,
ana the greatly enhanced value of property
not 70 dwell upon the means thereby furnished
oy the cultivation OF q tas te for the beautiful,
are strong and sufficient arg guments TO continue
the bestowal upon them Of the care and ex-
pense required for their adornment. Owing
10 the very limited appropriations for the pur.
nscal year than 10 endeayor 10 Keep them IN
passable order.
Lincoln Square has undergone greater i'm.
proyement during The year than any other. IL
mas been filled up and graded and several hun
dred choice trees select ted and planted. As soon
as means are furnished IL will be laid out IN
beds and walks, according to the design pre-
pared for their arrangement. 1t is recon.
mended that suitable monument be erected
within the Enclosure.
The Capitol grounds have changed but very
lrtrl n
priauon the extension OF these grounds pro-
grrss but slowly. The oulvert through the
Botanical Garden has been completed and mas
i 1es IA found 70 De fully capable Of carving OF
the grest amount of w6ter at Tunes brought
down by Tiber Creek. A new walk OF Seneca
stone now being laid Will present a beautiful
appearances in connection with the ne W eonser.
vatory which u being constructed. The inter-
mediate reservation between the Botanical
Gardens and the Smithsonian grounds remap
In the same condition as at the last report.
Inc S1nithsonian grounds require a great
deal of attention, and many aad tional i'm.
provements are needed 10 make the arrapge-
ment complete, and in accordance with the
original design IL Is to be hoped thai no fur
ther cause may arise from the want of funds
and that The work may progress rapidly to-
wards completion. The grounds OF the Azri.
cultural Department are being handsomely ar
ranged and embeiiisted. Tha Monumental
reservation remains unchanged. L. is snscep.
uble OF very great adornment, particularly as
IL is located an such close pr OxImIty to the
The proposed plan Tor ,he wing ont of the
grounds Immediately soutn OF The White House:
~ &etn9 2 executed 10 the very most limit tnat
Ne appropriation wiil adruit 81 4, IS yeE-y
much 20 be regretted tnat an improvement,
which adds SO mnch I.eauiy 10 the surrouad-
IBgs ipf the buildings occupied by the CnIef
Mag OF the natlen, and ome which viii
prove or so great convenience CT, ca1 only be par
TALLY completed for the present by reason OF a
want Of funds. The consideration of the plans
alre ady submitted for the establishment and
adorn ment OF the different reservations known
as the .'mall," with a lev OF unitIag them
IN one grand drive, extending from the Exec
utiye Mansion 10 the Capitof, is respectfully
asked. La Fayette. Franklin, Judiciary and
Scott squares have been kept ia as good con-
dition as the very limited appropriation will
admit. new sscircle" has been enclosed az
the intersection of Massachusetts avenue Con.
necticut avenue and New Hampshire avenue
An additional square correepopd ding TO Scott
So uare has also been laid ont near the iuuction
OF Connecticut avenue and X street. Several
Triangular reservations at the crossings of
avenue by some OF the lateral
streets have also been inclosed soon as the
Government had ceased 70 OCCUPY them with
buildings for Official purposes. Many OF them
have already been plated with trees, whllst
others still remain untmpreveh. The great
drought OF the past summer has not onlv
biiled many OF ne plants and treee, bot has
ipoeY1efed materially with asy other embeHihh-
ment Of the different groande. Fountains IN
the RESERVATIONS are theIefoEs suggested.
ID az. ~ uATIOHAL PARK. .t aF
1t ID again earnestly nrgsd that the attention
Of Oongress be called TO the subject Of Grand