Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-08-11
1HE PUBLIC BUILDINGS AID
GROUNDS.
Animal RepOrt Of General BabcOck.

LrOuptS in the Iistrlct OF toinmDia. mas
been sent to the Secretary of War. 1t COW
ers the operations on the works under his
charge for the hscal year ending June 50th,
1875.
THE PUBLIc SQUARES.
The first topic Of the report IL with refer
cree TO our numerous public squares, in
nearly all of which some improvement has
been made during the year.
Ia the KOFt1neTf Square the most innn0rtsnt
improvements made have been the follow
ing The four-inch wate- pipe, laid last year
to supply the lake was tapped 100 feet from
18th street, and a line Of pipe run north 70
within 100 feet OF b street. and west along Il
street to within leo feet of Meridian avenue
the roadway that enters these grounds from
the Executive mansion grounds.) TIE pipe
was brought 10 the surface of the ground
along the line at intervals of 100 feet. for the
purpose of attaching valves to supply irrt-
CATION when needed. a row of deciduouS
trees was planted along b street to 18th
street, and from 18th street TO street south,
and also on both sides of the roadway that
enters these grounds from i4th street, and
extending to r street north.
IN JIt'iciCoy Square in addition 10 placing
the walks in proper condition, placing the
lamp posts In position and rolling the grav-
elled rOadways, nine sewer lodges were built
in lower portions OF the ground and connect
cd with the drains, for the purpose of collect
ing surface water after heavy rains. The
grounds were covered with good soil, and
Kentucky bluegrass seed SOwn over the en-
tire grounds. which has done very well. \
Tow Of dec iduOuS trees, eirnS AMI tulip pod
lars were set around the entire square.
The ReSCrTGfiO8 on 2ISt street ami PernSyl-
rania avenue has been drained and supplied
with fountain howl; also. surrounded with
seats. drinking fouu taiu- introduced AMI tue
sCa6vayS gTaveied AM roll Il.
T'3s 18th HVrst CjTrlS has been imnrOvaI
with a thirty-fOO' fountain bowl, with an sr-
. tiic.al center Of rock work.
In the SEft hSDG,Tl gTolTa'S The work has
been quite extensive; sewer pipes have been
laid. music stand erected additional lamp
posts iLtTptuced. and other needed improve
uentS made. which have here+ofore been
. fully desert bed in THE STAR.
IaIraory SIuTe the Improvements have
Ia Lircoln Spar fifteen lamp posts have
been placed in position. and the trees re
placed in different positions
IN EIIJgEiu S6rfT-@ 2 coming Of rel granite
rom Aberdeen, SEQ tlanI. has been placed ON
I the fountain bowl.
TIE STATUE OF TFFFERsON
The statue. which for MANY years stood in
the grounds in front OF the Executive Man
sion. was accepted by Congress At the first
session of the FOrty-scCOud Congress. The
vGI Emaushlp being defective. an apIrOpTi4-
lion WAS made 70 repair IL, and Congress
directed tnat il ShOUld b plaCei in the
StatUary Han old House Of representatives.
~ Ire capitol. Tire appropriation being
placed under the charge Of This Office, the
statue was sent tn the foundry of NeSsrS.
Robert Wood 4 Co, Philadelphia. for re-
pairs. II was returned i'm good time thorough
y repaired. and was placed in the hall on n
pedestal composed Of New York ard Ear-
mont marble and Virginia aiabaSter. The
4
! The casting when originally made being very
defective and fuil Of holes which were filed
win lead and putty. The back, fingers and
face were more particularly damaged. II
required over one thousand rivets and seven
ty-tnTce pieces of metal 10 make the repair.
L was then dipped in a bath and given
uniform appearance.
THE ASACosTrA BRIDGE
AFTER quoting the acts OF Congress author
IZln- tHe erection Of the bridge, the report
states that bids for its construction were
he l.. ID nor md "a 0r,r7-
tract wa awarded 10 NesSrS. Clark. Reeves
& Co, Of PhOeIfXyllis. Pa. who commenced
work at once. BY the 1St Of December the
bottom o the river for each pier AMI abUt
IneLt was dTedged, and the piles and timber
required fOT foundations were delivered, to-
getfer with all the granite required for the
qUCITS and bridge seats. Driving of piles ana
bvl!ding ofmaSOnry was commenced in De-
cenbCr. BY the LIST Of March all the iron
work was completed al PhnnixviIle. ana
really Tor shipment. The masonry of the
piers and abutments was finished. the iron
work was delivered at the site II the bridge
and erected IL place by the f~t of June. The
floor was then laid, the entire bridge was
painted. and opened 10 public travel by the
contractors on June Il.
On the 2Jth Of June each and every span of
. the bridge was submitted TO test of q >,
pounds. The DETECTION produced by this
Load was not peTCeptihle. The britge, as
constructed, consists of = spans OF lJ2 feet
each, and one dTaw-Span Of 30 feet, with
clear opening OF 80 feet. that being the width
OF the draw opening IL the OLD br. ygc.) There
are also 40 feet of caUseway. making total
IerSth OF bridge and cauSey6y or 100 feet.
The width of roadway i - feet between
guaTd-timterS, and there are two sidewalks
each feet wide The iron work Of the bridge
i o. hTSt-claSS throughout. and is 50 proper
tOGed IN all It's parts that II The roadway
should be loaded with one hundred pounds
Tor each aud every square foot of surface, or
one ton per liDeai foot. the bridge would be
str%lned to only one-fifIh OF its ultimat-
strength. Tie piers ard abUtmentS are built
upon timber Platforms, which rest upon
b. ffHE p 70 a N..H-. E1-
low tie mud bottom Of tne river. The ma
scury = composed OF granite, gueiSS and
lime stone. laid il regular courses Ia cement
mortar. The QuOlnS ana BTiIge-ScatS Of each
pier are made of large blocks OF dressed gran
lite, the coping OF dressed limestone
TREFS AND EVERG REENS
nave been placed in the following reSorva-
lions IN addition TO those hereto fore mem
uOucd: TlTee Triangular reservations on
PchnsyI ania avenue, between 18th and Z1st
streets, Mount Vernon Place, formerly Occu-
pied by the Northern Liberty market: the
enclosed grounds south OF the Executive
Mansion and along the south line of the
White Lot rom 10th 10 litI streets. Rawlins'
square: ali reservations on Pennsylvania
avenue east o. the Caption; on Massachusetts
avenue. httNeen 9Th and rtn streets. ana in
circle If Massachusetts, aud New Jersey ave
Iues.
PEDESTAL FOR THF FAwLrNs STATUE.
IrCpOsa- s foT the erection Of PEDESTAL Tor
The statue OF Gen. John \. Rawiins were in
Eited from several granite and marble coru-
Ianles, and the contract awarded to The
Westham Granite company, Of Richmond.
Va who fun, shed the same promptly. This
granite Is % the same quality as used i'm the
construction 9. the new binding fOr the
state, war ana Navy departments. Il was
placed In position IL RawliaS' square. on
New York avenue. between 18th and 10Th
streets The bronze statue OF RayCl!ns was
= actd ON this pedestal il November This
Work vas examined ny the commission au-
.hpTlZeu by Congress, composed Of Hon r
clarke Architect Of the Capitol. EOn. 4 k
-poffCrd, Librarian Of Congress ana Col o
r BahcOck. and approved by them. II was
SiGo viewed ~ t}le Pre- dent, Secretary OF
war and others, an was highly approved
by them
NISCFILANE0T-S MATTERS.
Jue report then Spe@3 Ks OF the IIa p-pvcmen;S
south Oi the Executive mansion. the usual
annual renovation Of the White House, care
81 me greenhouses, the grounds. &c.
The Chain bridge hes had rlace,i upon il
hitecI hundred feet ~ l.aUd-rall and four SIX
teeH-.lch railroad refiectOrs
FINANCIAL.
The appropriations for the fiscal year lust
Closed nave al been eXf--rref- except for the
DT.Gge across tie Eastern branch, and no de-
dC-enCieS exist. The amount required for
Inc service OF the Office for the fiscal year
eiIu-lS Ju ue 80. 49,. amt fDr which estimates
nave been submitted, aggregate ~4f- .ia5.J9.
The 20 owing is
THE E-TIHf TT - r,rTAFT