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

llo.3O miles or improved CarrlaSe-"ay pave
mcnts. assuming the same as 81 feet
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
at an early day. There is one good feature,
however. All contractors are required to
give bonds to keep their pavements in order
for three years. The Macadam road has
been rejected for city use, owing to the dust
arising from it, but it is well adapted to the
roads Of the county, where it has been ex-
tensively used.
In addition to the street pavements, there
have been laid ninety miles Of brick and three
miles of concrete foot-pavements.
But we are extending this article beyond
the limits we designed, or can well devote to
it. But the subject is one of such vast inn
portance to every citizen of Washington, as
it ought to be to every American citizen, that
we think it worth the space we have given
it, and, indeed, to much more. But we must
content ourselves with simple statement of
the financial condition of the board and the
cost of the work done. The board have eX-
pended for this work, or incurred liabilities
for it amounting to g. ,0S6,2l2, and have re-
sources amounting to s7,24S, 465, leaving a
balance uncxpended of 3lG2, 25S. Ofthe sum
expended the board claim that Congress
should pay 81 ,240, 900, as its proportion of
the expense. AS to the cost of the work the
Washington correspondent Of the New York
Times says:
1t is the remark of every one who becomes
cognizant of the amount of work performed
that it seems impossible that it should have
been done for the sum it has actually cost.
And it is fact that the Board of Public
Works of the District of Columbia have sue
ceeded in getting the work done for from fif-
teen to thirty per cent. less than in other
cities, and fully fifty per cent. less than the
same work is done for in the cities of New
York and Brooklyn. The Identical pave
ments which have cost New York five dollars
per square yard are being laid here for three
dollars and three dollars and fifty cents.
This is one Of the points which will espe-
cially bear scrutiny. This result has been
achieved by determination on the part of
the board at the outset, that it would be bet
ter to establish scale of prices at which work
should be done, and to award contracts at
tiucS piAScS W IoSPouSloAC
The plan has worked exceedingly we'll.
Money has been paid only for work actually
done the persons employed have no interest
in defrauding the board, and have secured
fair equivalent for services rendered. The
report says:
.sThe board point with pride to the work
done and the prices paid, and are satisfied
that no one investigating the subject hon.
estly and impartially will fail to acknowledge
that in no instance on record has so much
been accomplished in so short period of
time and at cost SO reasonable"
And this is another evidence Of the fact
that the present form of government of the
District, even if it be not the best that can
be devised, has, at least so far as the Board
Of Public Works are concerned, demonstrated
that it Is possible to prosecute great public
enterprises without the faint Of corruption.
No single charge of this character brought
against the board has effected a Judgment,
even after nearly five months Of searching
investigation. There are many who think
that the local Legislature Is machine both
unnecessary and extravagant, and their OBJ
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