Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-02-05


Board or UBLIc WoaKa,)
DlsTnIGr oI LoLUAnIA,
vs.. b, ohaadisT. ~. coan..i Jor az Disiri u
full statement Of the improvement and repairs
upon the roads and bridges Of the District
submit the following On the nth day Of May,
1871, was appointed by Board Of Public Works
seoOnd assistant engineer and placed In charge
Of the roads and bridges Of the District outside
Of the corporate limits Of the cities Of Washing.
ton and GeorgetOWn, and was Instructed 10 eN.
anime into their construction and prepare for
putting them In good order. l made examina.
TONS, surveys and proilles tor the Improvement
Of several OF tho roads In the District, including
Fourteenth street extended, Howard avenue,
Bladensburg turnpike road, and Seventh street
Tuaf. The Seventh street road, former q turn.
pike, had been the subject OF controversy and
litigation, and had Mt last been purchased by
the city and county, under an act Of Congress
approved March 3 1871, establishing certain
free public highways In the District. Although
the must important nad leading from Washing.
ton into the country, i Ound Il In the worst
possible eondition-the owners Of the turnpike
having been indicted for not keeping Il 10 re.
pair.
grade, recommended by mo, and es mates OF
grading, and advised that the work be done by
days labor Instead Of BY contract, as the coun.
made and to participate In the work, as they had
been In the habit Of doing.
August II, 1871, a committee Of the board, with
myself, examined the road and adopted the
grade, and was directed 10 proceed In accord.
anco with my recommendation; commenced
work On the 10Th OF August, and virtually
stopped on the 22i Of December.
The improvement begins at boundary street,
and extends i've miles to the District line In.
stead Of q billy, uneven road, badly out Of re.
pair, with ehRsms on each side and 10 some cases
In the roadway, there will be a road with grades
10 no place exceeding four feet 10 the hundred,
nlled out to the full width Of slHty-slK feet.
The earrlagoway Is maeadamiIed In the centre,
grayelsd out each side fifteen feet wide, with
CUTTERS four feet wide, paved with o0bble stone,
and sidewalks SIX feet Wide, gTaveled,
The improvement also includes six stone
Aruhed culyeTts Of hrst-class masonry and seven
sewer pipe eulverts; also, one barrel brick oul-
vert with traps.
The accompanying ofieiaI report, made by me
December the l2th, 1871, shows all the work
done by me on all the roads up to November
W, and makes the expenditures to that date
on the Seyenth.street road for labor, tol, lg271,
and for material, ts,O0lO6, The additional eN.
penses up to January 81 were t6,o1o.90, all for
lahnTi making total expenditures sT4, 900, So Of
which two thirds (s49 va, ssl arc ohRTgeable to
ne District, and one third 81, Oso.Ot) IL charge
The work Is now about three fourths done;
| much OF The excavation was hard and In paTtio.
nlAr one hill Of potters' clay was very dilneult
Considering the character Of the work, II has
| been performed economically and at about the
expense Of contract work
| The value Of this Improvement TO the city Of
I d.
Judged except by personal examination.
| Ihe highway OF Maryland connecting with
thls road AZ the District line is good mAoad.
AmiIed road, bat by reason o. the impossible
aud dangerous condition Of the Seventh street
road, country people living from TO % miles
from Washington have been 10 tho habit Of car
| Tylng their produce to her markets in Mary.
land even as far az Baltimore.
Much popular feeling has existed on this sub.
IToi Snd LhS.S hA ,S been many pubic meetings
ter road. Very respectfully,
| II, u, CARPENTER,
Second Assistant Engineer u. p. W.
Mr.. Riddle referred 10 the schedule, and
said that for the improvement on the Sew,
enth-street road e. 500 was set down.
Mr. Chandler. That Is a mlsphnt; II should
be SOS, 900.
Mr. Riddle. know nothing about that.
Mr.. Chandler II Is 90; but more than thai
| has been expended.
! Mr. Riddle. | suppose so. | am told the
amount expended will reach Sl5O, 900.
Mr.. Riddle, having previous engagements,
| withdrew, aud g. p Culver and ]. II. Crane