National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-10-14
SPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS.
Money Used in Repairing and Light
ing the Streets.
Annual Reports OF the superintendents OF
Repairs and Lamps-ENpendituresf for
Mcnding Sewers and Cleaning Al
Ieys--Only One Way to Reduce
the Public Gas Bill
Estimates Submitted.
The superintendent of LAMPS.

The report Of W. II. Bailey, Superintendent
OF Lamps was submitted TO the Commissioners
yesterday. Tho regular report for the year
ending June 30, 1879, states that the lamps
during the past year have been lighted the full
number of hours required by law-2 200. A
considerable saving has been effected by re.
quring the gas company to make all repairs A
remedy has been found to prevent the freezing
of lamps during the winter months, by cnlarg.
ing the service pipe and extending IL one foot
above the pavement line with oueinch pipe.
A smaller number of lamps have been erected
than for five years previous because greater
caution has been used in recommending none
unless they were an actual necessity. There
are some portions Of the city which will soon
require lamps rs tho suburbs of the north
and northwest are being rapidly built up.
The lamps will also be valuable adiuncts 10
the police in the suppression of crime. A
largo number of lamps on streets and
avenues erected and formerly lighted by the
General Government have been extinguished,
owing to the excess of numbers usually al.
lowed to squares. The posts and lamps have
been removed from and erected on squares
where needed, lie Droit Park has also been
lighted the lamps and posts were erected and
paid for by tho proporty.hodcrs Lamps
have also been erected in Uniontown. New
ornamental lamps have been purchased, and
are now ready to be placed on the
reservations. The report calls attention to the
bad practice of allowing the lamps to be GOV.
cred by awnings on some business thorough.
fares, entirely obscuring the light. He recon-
mends that no more permits be granted to
| churches or societies to place transparencies
over the lamps during fairs or festivals, us the
glass and often the lamps are broken, He
thinks that the recommendation of the Super.
intendent of Police regarding the light
ing of allies merits careful considera-
ton. The present method of plac.
ing street signs on top of the lamps
appears to be more satisfactory than the old
plan, as it does not Interfere with the light.
lie recommends that at the expiration of the
six months during which the contractor is re-
quired to keep the signs in repair, the gas.
light company be required TO keep them in
repair. lie recommends that the attention OF
the Superintendent of Public Buildings and
Grounds be called to the large number OF
lamps around Government reservations
which the city is now lighting, but
which properly belongs to his department
The superintendent says that he sees 10 Other
| way of reducing the cost of lighting the city
except by the reduction in the price of gas Al
though using larger burner than is used in q
number of our larger cities, he does not think
that the burner eau be reduced with economy,
as the distance between the lamps is great er
| than in cities using smaller burners, and for
eight months in the year are covered with q
dense foliage, owing to the closeness
of the trees, which no city has to
obstruct the light to the extent of ours in
Washington. In Georgetown u small number
Of lamps have been erected and small mum
Der will be required in the future. Owing to
continued misunderstanding with this company
and with tho authority of the Commissioners,
the burners in the street lamps in the entire
city were changed the burners were cut and
tested to conform to the heavy pressure
in that city. This change will be a
saving of Mt least $4,000 per annum.
The expenditures for lamps and gas in
Washington for the year, amounted to Sll9,-
1886, and the total for the District includ.
ing salaries Of lamp-lighters, S133, 0l754
There are 355l lamps in Washington, and
| $40 in Georgetown.
A supplemental report until September 3Otl,
states the expenditures for gas and lamps for
both cities during that period to have been
S3l ,712 10; estimate for fiscal year ending juno
80, 1881, gas for street lamps, $4,000 with
gas at Sl.75 per thousand); erection of same,
| 81 500 repairs 81 800; matches $50; salaries
OF lamp'lighters $2,4OO superintendent $500
| Total, Sl2i560.