Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-06-10

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WASHINGTON, April q, 1876. :
To the Honorable the Commissioners Of The DIS
tI'ict Of Colombia:
Gentlemen: The Senate resolution of the
10Th instant relative to the repair of concrete
pavement, is herewith returned.
The estimate for repairs contained in my
last annual report is Iaade up as follows:
or the concrete pavements there remain
l6S,S2. square yards not repaired during the
past season. A life was assigned to these
UPON the basis explained In the text of my
last annual report, making Necessary ex-
pendlture up To the end of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1877, OF 20 cents per square
This was divided between the fiscal years
ending June Both, 1876, and June 3Oth, 1S77 in
the ratio of about three eighths and We
elghths respectively, making $4,000 for the
fiscal year ending June 30tb, 1876, and s64, 900
for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1871. 1t
is not practic able to indicate in advance the
points where the repairs will be required, SO
that no apportionment of the expense can
be made at present. If the work be not too
long deferred, a part of the expense will un-
doubleday be collectible from the contractors
upon whose work the limit OF time within
which the contractor must keep 1t In repair
has not expired. All repairs for which con-
Factors are not responsible have heretofore
OF repairs both OF concrete and wood pave
ments made during the past season is almost
entirely collecttble from the contractors or
their sureties, the limit OF time for which
their pavements were guaranteed, not hav-
Ing yet expired when the pavements required
renewal.
The repairs which concrete paveneuts re-
quire are of two classes:
LIST. Minute repairs, which should be kept
up from day to day whenever any serious
abrasion OF the surface appears; and
"a. A renewal of the top coat or wearing
surface of the pavement called resurfacing
which will be required at intervals depend
ing unon the quality and thickness of the
original pavements. Unless decided i'm
prOvement should be made In the coal tar
pavements, this period will rarely exceed
nve years. The cost OF the minor repairs
should be paid from the general fund, and the
cost OF resurfaciDg being In fact periodical
renewal OF the pavement, may be treated as
such and assessed as a new improvement;
one third against the adJ aceut property and
tWo-thlrds TO the general fund, or in such
ether proportions as may be deemed equi-
table.
III the general government be located liz
every respect as any other property owner N
he apportionmeLt OF The cost OF all rapai rs
tCefLite adjustment of this matter cou'd
q reached, and one which appears TO me to
be strictly equitable. BY this method the
general COVER nment would pay for all re
pairs in proportion TO the value of its real
property In the District, and for the perIo Ii
cal renewal of the payment adjacent tn any
OF this property an additional proportion in
common with other property owners SINH
larry situa tied.
Not less than s75. 600 should be made avail
able FOR the work OF repairing concrete pave
ments during the present season.
In this connection desire to invite your
attention TO the necessity for continuing
he work of replacing the decayed wood
pavements In Washington anu Georgetown.
purpose during the present season.
Very respectfully,
Lieut.. Eng, u. 8. A, Engineer of ID. c.