Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-17
THE EVENING STAR.
FRIDAY. October IL, 1879.
QUE STREETS IND ROADS,
The Work of Improving. Repairing.
Sweeping and Lighting Them.

ANNUAL REPORT OF LIEUT.. F. Y. GREENE.
The report of Lieut.. F. V. Greene for the year
ending June Soth last, states that on the 18th
OF May, 1879, he reported for duty as assistant
engineer Of the District Of Columbia, and was
assigned to the charge OF that portion of the
work relating to pavements, street improve
ments, county roads, sweeping and repairs to
streets and alleys, lighting streets and gener-
ally all surface work relating to the improve
ment and care of the streets and roads.
HOW OUR THoRoUGHFAREs ARE PAVED.
He submits map and tabular statement
showing the condition of carriage ways on the
list Of July last as follows: % 6 miles, contain
Ing $685. square yards of wood pavement;
So miles paved, with 93S, 700 yards concrete
and asphaltum 1872 miles, with 332,651 yards
stone block pavement; III miles, with 40S, 800
yards blue stone, cobble and rough stone pave
melt; l.3 miles, with 1S7,105 macadam pave
ment; 1916 miles Nl9117 square YARDS gravel
utimproyed streets, making total of lis miles,
containing 2s69, 400 square yards Of improved
carriage ways
THE WOOD PAYMENTS
a'e what remain Of those laid between 1871 and
1874, which aggregated 1905, 231 square yards.
They are OF various patents and laid in various
ways, but with few exceptions they are now
so rotten and broken as to make the streets I'm
pasSable for ordinary carriages. Under the con
tracts made In 1S,S-9, 1864 square yards
rotten wood pavement have been replaced by
asphalt or stone. There remain, however.
55?,951 square yards. The amount approprla-
ted for replacement of pavements is $50, 700,
and at present prices this VIII replace only
hand at the beginning of next year, and at this
rate the wooden pavements cannot be replaced
in seven years. The Importance of providing
some means II possible to replace these pave
mentS at the rate Of not less than 200, 900 yards
per year, so as to dispose of them In two or three
years at most, is so well appreciated as to call
for no special emphasis here.
THE NUMEROUS VARIETIES OF so-CAILEp CON-
CRETE PAvEMENTS,
lad cetWeen II and rs, on various patents, of
which the essential features were a base of
broken stone, border Of fine stone and coal
tar, and wearing surface OF fine gravel or
sand, are as general rule In fair state OF pre-
servation, especially those lad or resurfaced In
rs and &c. There were 100000 yards OF these
paVements laid at the end OF the last fiscal year.
The appropriation for repair Of concrete pave
ments for the current year Is SlO9,06a
about sufficient to repair about so many square
yards.
THE TRAP BLOCK PAYMENTS
laid by the board OF public works are In very
fair o,der, give durable roadways for heavy
traffic, but are not comfortable for carriage
driving.
The rough stone pavements, of granite,
rubo.e, &C., laid principally by the old corpora
ton, Of which there are over 100000 SQUARE
these streets are perfectly passable at all sea-
sons, are not injurious TO health, and should
remain until the wooden pavement5 are dis
posed OF.
occur as a rule In the suburbs just within the
city limits, and if slight increase could be
made In the appropriation for ordinary repairs
to streets and roads, so that these roadways
could receive more attention, they would
answer all the demands CT the localities In
which they are situated for several years to
come.
The MacAdam pavements on Boundary, I
and 18th streets are In very good order; that on
* street, from Maryland avenue to the Arsenal
gate, is in very bad order. This was laid in 1872
and relaid in "a 5, and experience has proved
that 1t is not equal to the traffic which passes
over it, and 1t should be relaid with stone
mains under charge OF the Commissioners,
under whose direction 1t was laid the term of
the contractors guarantee not having expired.
NEW PAYMENTS LAID DURING THE YEAR
During the last fiscal year considerable
amount OF new pavement has been laid, prlncl-
pally In place OF rotten wood pavement. Two
classes were used, asphalt and granite block,
the first In localities where the travel is COM
paratively light.
During the year al $50 yards were contracted
for at 81 Al to $204 per square yards, including
removal OF old pavement and grading. The
total expenditure has been S209, 49, IS for these
pavement. The granite block pavementS are
next described, and the report states that St 94t
square yards were laid atsl.95 to S2.15 on gravel
foundation and s2.61 on concrete foundation, the
total dncluding extra work) amounting to
SIPS, 43444.
He notices that small piece Of pavement of
compressed asphaltum blocks has been laid as
an experiment, but 1t is yet too soon to report
thereon. All pavements have been laid with
guarantee On the part OF the contractor to keep
hem In repair for five years. and ten per cent.
ct all pay ments due has been retained 10 insure
compliance with the guarantee.
IMPROVEMENT OF STREETS,
Under this head the report notices that the
following streets have been brought to grade,
rootwalks paved and carriage-ways gravelei,
viz: F, from I'd to 18th northwest, costing
1888 03; n from 1st to Sd northwest, ST, 59i. 49,
northeast, 5000 49, The appropriation for i'm
proving various streets was 100000, about one
half Of which is under contract for the improve
uent Of South Capitol, Nor tn Capitol, North NJ,
New Hampshire avenue, Dunbarton, South C,
and West 10th StreetS-the Improvements In
each case being the grading, setting and laying
OF curbs, cutters, sidewalks and gravel road
way.
THE SIS MILES OF STREETS WHOLLY uN1MPRovED,
are not on grade, have no curbS, &C., and are
generally impossible and large portion Will
not need attention for years. Others however,
proved at once. Among these are Canal street,
Virginia avenue, Delaware avenue and street
on the south side of the Capitol, and L stree
on the north side. Many streets in the SOUTH
eastern section were partly improved by the
board OF public works, but were not finished,
and are left almost impossible by change of
grade, and with intersecting streets are from
TO feet apart. In other sections a portion of
the streets have So foot carriageWay, and
others 35. The improvement Of these streets is
total OF over 100000. How much of this work
can be taken in hand depends on the resources
Of the District and the appropriations. but
their improvement Is OF secondary import
ance compared TO the necessity OF replacing the
rotten wooden pavements at the earliest posi-
Bile date.
COUNTY ROADS.
Under this head he states that these roads
aggregate a length of 102 miles, exclusive of
TunlaW road, constructed during the past year.
They are kept in repair By days labor, under
three supervisors. Specific repairs in one local
ity costing over $1,000 are let by contract. 1t
will not be possible to devote more than $780, 900
to county roads, which will be sufficient for
ordinary repairs. On It'll street road not less
than $4,000 will be required to repair the
macadam. Attention is called to the Tennally-
town road, the only toll road in the District
all the others having become free in 1871. 1t Is
now, and has been for years, In bad condition,
ard is never kept in proper repair; and he
recommends that Congress be asked for author
tty to condemn this as free public road. The
opening OF the Tunlaw Rad from Back street,
Georgetown, about 4 miles, he states. effects
q saving in distance, to those residing near the
terminus, OF two miles, and it is now nearly
completed. He refers to the necessity of prop
erly marking the boundaries OF roads and re-
cording the plats, and calls attention "to the
necessity Of imposing some legal restriction on
the
BUILDING OF VILLAGES WITH STREETS RUNNING
AT RANDOM
just outside Of the City limits. Legislation is