New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-12-12

this point which will sustain us III the COURSE
we have decided to take, and justify the
statement we made at the beginning that
there is no city in the world that has done SO
much in single year to improve its streets,
parks, squares, reservations, fountains, "c''
and at so small relative cost.
Within the last year the Board OF PUBIC
Works have laid seventy miles of sewerage,
eight Of which belong to the main SYSTEM
and consist of brick sewers of from four 10
thirty feet in the span. The great 1loer
sewer, which drains the northeastern portion |
of the city, is 2,473 feet long and thirty ieet
span; the Slash-Run sewer, which drains the
northwestern portion of the city, is 1900 feet
long, and wide enough to drive horse and
buggy through, while the great B-street IN
tercepting sewer, which drains the central
portion of the city, and takes the place OF the
old canal, is twelve feet wide and one mile
long. The old canal, so long the standing
disgrace of the city, is no longer in existence.
Its banks are full of good solid earth, and the
ground reclaimed BY it is worth half million
of dollars, which is coolly appropriated by the
general Government because Congress appro-
priated SOS, 900 toward filling up the ditch.
A pretty good speculation. The two first
named sewersare not yet complete, and will
be extended to about twice their present
length.
As every citizen of Washington has the
best reason to know, the plan of the city, as
laid out by its founders, is on the most mag
nificent scale, contemplating very large
population. The avenues, streets, and allies
Of the city occupy or take up more than half
the area Of the city; that is, there is more
ground in our avenues, streets, and allies
than there is devoted to public grounds and
public and private buildings. AS to the best
plan to improve the wide thoroughfares, in
terspersed with numerous reservations and
public squares, without bankrupting the peo-
pie, was difficult question to solve. In re-
gard to it the board say in their report:
"The most feasible plan suggested was so
to narrow the carriage-ways as to render the
use ofimproved pavements practicable. This
would place the surplus width inside the foot
walks, where it could be parked and other
wise beautifed at slight expense to the pub
lie, and in many instances at the expense of
liz dIoh ~ shS Va
which for the privilege of the use of the
ground would gladly beautify and adorn it,
By this plan, that which was a barren and
unsightly waste has been made beautiful
feature in the contour of the streets and ave-
nues. The cost has thus been very largely
reduced, while the capacity Of the streets, as
a means of intercourse, has not been in the
least abridged"
Next to this question, so wisely solved by
the board, as well in expense as annoyance,
was that Of grades. The system they adopt
ed guaranteed the most determined opposi-
ton. at first as west of the War and Navy
Departments where several of the streets were
cut from four to eight feet. But the board
went straight on, and finally secured the APP
prevail of the very men at first most bitterly
opposed to these radical measures. All adj
NIT that the new grade has greatly improved
and beautifed the streets in those portions OF
the city where they have been completed.
The following statement, showing seventy
miles Of pavement and forty-seven miles Of
other carriage-way constructed by the board
since they commenced operations, will exhibit
at glance the vast extent Of their work, and
give the reader at distance an idea Of the
wonderful changes it must have made in the
character and appearance of our streets:
1926 miles of treated wood pavements.
sos miles of round block pavements.
{ O.S7 miles Of compound wood and concrete
pavement.
1880 miles of concrete pavement.
4.0l miles of Belgian and granite pave
ments.
sos miles of Macadamized street.
G.7G miles of cobblestone pavement.
% miles of graveled streets and roads
mostly in county.
1855 miles of improved carriage-way pave
mcnts, assuming the same as 81 fee,
wide.
Most Of these pavements are Of the latest
and most improved patents, while few may
; be worthless and have to be relaid or repaired
= 4 g.