New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-02


on it 1t is disgrace TO the history OF the avenue,
known as IL is throughout the country and abroad
Pennsylvania-ave. ia by far the most important
street Of the capital-it is indeed the Via Sacra OF
the United States Before the year 1870 the Gen.
eral Government had paid for the permanent i'm
provement of this avenue nearly as can be ascer-
tanned, about 1925 000 for which there was to show
when the last paving job was begun nothing but
some curbstones and lot of cobble-stones, which
sold for about 81, 400 Then the Ring took the
street in hand. At late meeting of those who now
desire new pavement according to Ring report,
1.-THE fact was made prominent that the late Board
of Public Works had had nothing whatever to do
with the laying of the last pavement" While
it is technically true that Pennsylvania
ave. was paved before the creation OF
the Board of Public Works, it was none
the less Ring Job. Members of the Ring lobbed
through Congress the act authorizing the pavement.
The bill was approved July 8, 1870. Gin the 18th
of January, 1870 about six months before, Hallett
Kilboune, man who has since been well known as
Of the most successful members of the Ring and
the trustee of the famous real estate pool, said,
in public meeting: II have been before Congress
with several committees of citizens, asking for
authority to have Pennsylvania-ave. paved, but
never have we been able to get a measure for that
purpose through both houses" The Ring had its
blocks cost $24s, 0OO OF which Lewis Clephane
(the Metropolis Paving Company received $4,000,
John o. Evans Evans & Linville) $4,000, and W.
E. Shaw $40, 000 The first two of these contractors
among the most prominent members OF the
Ring until it was finally depOsed.
pavement which is similar to that placed on
Pennsylvana-ave, and which is now, only four years
after il completed dangerous to life and limb"
was subsequently laid on many streets by the same
contractors and By the authority of the Board OF
Public Works. Much of il is now in almost as bad
condition that which it is now thought necessary
to renew, and all of it will have to be taken up
within two or three years if the streets are to be
kent in a passable condition. The cost OF paving
Pennsylvania-ave. in 1870 and 1871 was about
1903 900. OF this sum about $4,000 was assessed
against the United States Government, and about
$1i2 900 against the Corporation of Washington.
The share of the expense which the law directed to
be assessed against the street railroad never was
assessed. This corporation paved the space between
it's tracks with cobblestOnes, but never paid any
thing for the wood pavement. As the United States
Government afterward assumed the share which was
to be paid by the Corporation of Washington, the
amount actually charged against the General Gov
eminent was more than one-hah of the total cost
although the petitioners assert that the work was
done at the expense wholly of the property front
ing on it,"
To pay the $4,000 first assessed against the
United States, an appropriation of $25, 1873 was made
March g. 1871, and on March 20, 1878, General
Babcock made a measurement which showed Sl5G,-
G2j ii as due to the Corporation of Washington as
the share forwhch il responsible and for which
il therefore ought TO be reimbursed wide TdE TRB-
UNE's article on the famous missing voucher, al
though the whole outlay assessed against the Dis
trct WAS only about Sl42, coo. II may be asserted
that this money placed to the credit of the sink
ing fund of the District. and that, therefore, the
Ring got no benefit from il, and that if the United
States Overpaid the only result was TO reduce the
debt of the District In reply to this it may be said
that it is we'll known that the most enient cOnstTuc
ton placed upon the management of the late
District government was, that all the appro-
priatiOns made by Congress were considered
without regard to law, thrown into a pool of
which the sinking fund, by the cooperation of its
active member was a constituent part. The repairs
of this wood pavement rs miles in length, cost
in 1873, according to official records including the
relaying of half square, $21 900. l don't know
what authority the District Commissioners have to
order the requirement. of Pennsy lvania-ave or what
funds they have which legally be used for that
purpose. That the work ought to be done there is
doubt, but after past experience IN expensive eX-
periments and illegal Jobs the Commissioners Will
be wise if they make haste slowly, for there is no
city in the world, believe which can afford to re-
new the pavements of its streets once IN four years
at the rate of $2JO, 900 a mile.