National Republican., 1877-10-11
Col, Casey's Report,

Owing to the crowded state of our columns
yesterday morning we were unable to present the
report Of Col. 7. l.. Casey, Commissioner of Public
Buildings to the readers Of the NATIONAL REPrBLI.
CAN. The document Is prepared with care, and Is
somewhat elaborate, and we shall now have TO
content ourselves with hnsty resume Of lis con.
tents. II represents In detail the operations and
expenditures on the public buildings, grounds, Gc
under his charge for that portion OF the fiscal year
commencing March last and ending June N
1877, accompanied by estimates for the improve.
men ment and care 9f public buildings and grounds
pnyecs on same, contingent expenses repairs fuel
&c. OF Executive Mansion; lighting &C.. repairs
Of water-pipes and hrc'plugs, repairs of navy yard
and upper bridges. care Of telegraph to connect the
Capitol with the departments &C. for the fiscal wear
ending June 90, 1879 and also financial statement
OF the expenditures of the appropriation for the
fiscal year endn: June 20, 1877 Col. Casey confines
his report OF operations only 10 that portion Of the
fiscal year ending June 3Olast.
Col. Casey represents Lafayette square as the
most irequcncd OF oil the public par ks In the city
and the improvements made therein the past few
years and the choice varieties Of evergreen and de.
ciduous trees planted within t. many Of them per.
feet specimens Of their kind make Il all the more
attractive such care as was practicable has been
bestowed upon II; flower beds have been planted
pipes repaired the approaches 10 the lodge secured
by trelis work intended TO support trailing vines:
rereatedly and the walks kept clear Of rubbish.
The surfaces Of the laEns have In several places
been exhausted, and the finer grasses have suffered
stances by varieties of coarser grass weeds &c He
refers tn the damages done by trespassers invading
the grass pats and says the remedy Is to u,e some
wall and some kind Of park curb To define them
and preserve their uniformity. Wherever these
trespasses nave become Marked measures have
been taken to obyiatc them and prevent their re.
currcnce, but as long as roadways present harsh,
uneven surfaces, as almost all made Of gravel do,
II Will require considerable outlay to keen the
turf bordering them in satisfactory condition,
He refers TO the drainage and recommends terra
cotta pipe for that purpose and adds that The an,
M Ia ,.ls
Is not suhcient TO carry out even the most neccs.
sary OF the repairs above indicated but attention
be recognized.
franklin square has been much improved and
the commissioner suggests the following improve.
ments III this reservation ~ tending To have good
elect The margin of the walks, now much in.
Jurcd BY trcspasscrs. heavy fNins and washing OF
gravel from the sOping surfaces, to he re-outlncd
from the original plan and supplied with a coating
OF asphalt or concrete. guttCrcd, curbed, &C.. and
traps placed at all low points for surface drainage:
sown with good grasses. The granite coping 10 the
springs which supply the Executive Mansion tIc
are u present above the surface of the lawns and
should be lowered to the grade. The granite cop
ing TO the fountain Is constantly Spreading and
should be reset and reelampcd so as to prevent
leaks In the future.
The Commissioner reports the condition Of judi.
cinry square the Executive mansion grounds thc
Wash.nEt ~ circle, the MCPHERSON park, the Farra.
gut park, Kawlins' park and Mount Vernon place
with suggestions rs to their Improvement
The circle at the intersection Of Vermont and
Mhssscnuclh avenues mas been selected as the
site Of the statue of Gen. George H. Thomas and he
intimatcs that the grounds will have to be remod.
eled.
The Nlneteenth-street and the Thirteenth street
circles; the Armory square the Smithsonian
grounds and the Monument grounds, together with
the several reservations are all referred to with
much particularly and their respective condl.
tions and capacities are set forth In very intelli.
gent manner. He represents the area Of public
grounds In his charge as covering over 200 acres
which require constant attention force of INV
men should be constantly employed therein from
March TO November. He estimates for the wear
ending June 30 ls7D, for salaries, &c, s27sS54.