National Republican., 1875-07-26

has been placed under improvement from the Ar
ricultursl Department to the river. Sewerage
also being put IN on street southwest, between
Thirtsenth and Fourteenth streets.and on Twelfth
street from Maryland avsnus 70 the river mont.
REPAIRs AT THE CONTRACTORS EXPENSE.
In addition 10 the extensive work Of complet-
ing 30 many unfinished streets, the Commissioners
have acted promptly under the provisions Of ex-
isting contracts, and are putting In thorough re-
pair, at contractors cost, numerous streets which
had begun to yield to the pressure Of travel
thereon, so as to render them inconvenIent both
for transit and cleanliness. An extra coating OF
concrete about three inches thick has been there
fore added TO such streets and this has been thor
oughly rolled and hardened BY mammoth steam
rollers used for that purpose. Among the streets
thus repaired are Massachusetts avenue, from
Fourteenth street TO Connecticut avenue; NJ street
northwest, from Sixteenth street 10 Connecticut
avenue; Seventeenth street, from street south.
west to H street; Connecticut avenue, from the
P.street circle southwark TO street; Nineteenth
street northwest, from the Circle to r street;
Rhode Island avenue, from Sixteenth street TO
Connecticut avenue; Twenty first street, south OF
Pennsylvanis avenue to = street. This work is
being Done by contract, but under the immediate
inspection and superintendence Of ~ employee Of
the Commissioners. II is understood that these
repairs will be made In general where found
needed.
LABoRING FoRCE EMPL0YED.
Among the many gratifying results Of compile
tion Of the Improvements Of the city, the general
employment Of the laboring classes is not the least
important for honest labor forms Of the surest
projections against vice and relieves the public Of
the canker which indulgence and penury, the legit-
innate results Of idleness, beget. There are at
present employed, and have been SO employed
since the opening Of the working season, not less
than four thousand laboring men. These are not
all to be seen upon the streets, but are In large
numbers employed along the line Of the Potomac
river and Rock Greek, ,quarrying and breaking the
millions Of tons Of stone required for the beds OF
psvements and roadwsys which are being built
From the foregoing It may be readily deter.
mined by the people that the Commissioners OF the
District are gentlemen Of enterprise and energy,
and share largely the spirit Of public pride for
our city In which the system Of improvements un-
dertaken years ago originated. That they pro.
ceed with care, only undertaking what they have
means at command to pay for, is to be most highly
commended. It may be safely estimated that
not less than two million dollars will be required
to pay for the work already authorised.
THE ONE THING LACKING
is the much-talked-of and much more needed new
carrisgeWay for our centre of centres, Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Its ruts, holes and cobblestone
ridge begin to give 1t SO decidedly irregular ap-
pearance that It will soon be forsaken, except by
carts and business-wsgons, for the more uniform
and pleasant drives of the other streets. Why
can't we have at least one mile-frOm the Treas
ury Department to the Capitol gste-of such con-
crete carriageway as has proved among the hun.
dTed and one patents tried in this city the most
satisfactory? There is yet an abundance Of time,
during the interim Of business incident to the
heated term, to remove the decayed woodwork
and substitute this much.needed improvement.
1t will do much to keep up our good appearance
to visitors, and will help the District appropria-
tions next winter, and more than all, the people
favor it,