Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-30

REPORT OF LIEUT.. CIR ENE,
An Interesting Exhibit.

Lieut. F. V. Greene, U. s. Engineer Corps.
Assistant Engineer OF the ID strict in charge Of
surface work,-street- paving &C.,, &C., as dis
tinguIshed from drainage and sewerage, In
charge of Lieut.. Hoxie,-has submitted his
annual report to Engineer commissioner Tw-
ming, as follows:
ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
WASHINGTON, october 90 1850, }
MAJ. ". J. T'cfntRg, Corps OF Engineers, U.S.A.,
Engineer Commissioner, Dc:
MAORI have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing annual report concerning the streets
and roads OF the District Of Columbia for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1850. The work con-
Quoted under my direction Is shown In the fol-
lowing statement OF operations and estimates:
There follows table showing the expendi-
lures under each one OF fifteen different aporo-
pr1ations, 4 e., paving, improvements. lighting,
cleaning, current repairs, etc., etc. The sum.
mary Is as fOllOws:l
Total expenses, 1sIs 50. $685.. 500 81; approprl-
ated, 1S0u-ol, s6,3,32O estimates. 1S31'S3,
ss66,5OO.
PAYMENTS.
The conditions Of the streets on the 1st OF July
asst was as follows: Asphalt and concrete (cJal
taI), ssl,34S square yards, 1906 miles; stone
Dlock. 411.ii4 square yards, il 81 miles; rough
stone, 45s,O5l square yards, 1904 miles; Ma
dam, 2l5.330 square yards, 7.4o miles; gravel
a, ss3 square yards, al.31 miles; wool. 500 4Sl
quare yards, 22. 10 miles; unimpr0vet. l. I99, 5i1
square yards, 30 81 miles. Total, s. 12t 49S So are
yards, 230.05 miles. The principal WORK exc
cuted on the streets during the past ytac las
during the year preceding) was the replacem5nt
OF portion Of the rotten wood pAvemeDtS. A
careful examination OF the records of the old
corporation and board OF public works shows
that there were laid In all ,lSS, o9I.4i square
yards OF wooden pavement aggregating a
length OF nearly so miles and costing 5000
144.09. When the present Commissioners came
Into Office In 1873 there were then on the streets
exclusive OF paving between railway tracks, "a
miles G9O,eG0 square yards of wooden pave
ments.
There table In the report shows that on the
partially replaced with III 9s5 43 square yards
OF asphalt, at cost Of 1905 0ia. 35; 102, so
square yards OF granite at cost OF 2lI,O41.'4
4,30143 square yards asphalt block at cost OF
S9,0l1l2 Total square yards, 2sS,3I0.3S; cost,
S531, 102.21J
These 27S, O0o square yards reduced the total
mileage OF wood 10 22 miles; since the first OF
July there has been executed or placed under
contract $4,000 square yards OF repairing. As a
temporary expedient during the last few months
ON some streets the wood has been taken up In
the center and replaced with gravel Well rolled,
the amount OF this being about IS 900 square
yards After all these deductions have been
made there viii remain on the 1St OF January
LeXt, IL niles, containing 3S5,000 square yards
Of wood pavement. This pavement has been
gradually becoming more and more intOlerabe
with each month, until now in the whole II
m les there Is hardly a single square on which
carriage can be driven with safety at q speed
greater than Slow walk; the wooden streets
are far less paSSable than those marked as un-
improved.
The appropriations for replacing pavements
for the 9ear 1880 was $4,000 and for In
provemelt or streets 500, 900. But the contracts
made on the 30th OF June, 1879, which it was ex-
ptcted TO pay out OF the funds or 1SI5-79 were
CHARGED TO the year OF 1879 so.
The amount of these contracts was $50 9S3 81
leaving but s66,036.46. The balance OF the ap-
preparation for improving new streets was how.
ever, made available for pavements and the
total amount expended during the year was
s2Oo,3l5.44 Including inspection, advertising,
&c.)
For the current year the appropriation IA
S5eO,O00. OF which about s1Sj,OOO has been put
under contract already, leaving the balance till
next spring. There can hardly be any duty
more important for city government than to
keep Its streets In passable and healthy COZ
dttiOn- The streets now covered with wood are
not In such condition; and they should be dis
posed OF within another fiscal year Il. e. by
June, 1882 at the latest Many of these are In
outlying sections OF the city where there Is but
little travel. These could, with little expense
their purpose perfectly well until the streets are
more built up. About 10000 square yards
could thus be disposed OF. The remaining
or his nT en Iitn 'aT 0sacs
tien OF $40 600 for next year. Ii this amount is
appropriated the wood can all be removed IN
eignteen months Ircm TINS date Ii less
amount IS appropriated some OF the wooden
streets Will have 10 remain Ia the same -aIser-
able condition that they are now until Iuni are
provided fer repavtng them.
In this connection, / beg leave to invite your
SPECIAL attention 10 the condition OF the spac :
In front or and adjacent to the old City Hall
now used Ior the courts of justice. the por
lions OF louisiana ana Indiana avenues be- waen
1st ard 9Th streets have width Of 100 feet or
carTiageToy, With sIill wider space at the inter
sections OF Sd aid 9th streets.
There Is Lot, and cannot be. any necessity for
caTrlageWayS OF any such width. and no others
eAlst Ia tne CITY The space which they cover
amounts TO 1000 square yards, between eigh,
eGd nine acres, TO repave which Will cost abou
$4,000, besides the expense OF repairs to the
paYementS In the future. III these carrfageWay
were reduced to width OF so feet, which would
De amply sufficient TO accommodate all the travel
me amount OF pavement would be reduced to
20 go square yards, and q saving OF $50 900 be
snected, even after paying the cost of relaying
cCrbs, sidewalks, &C. The appearance OF the
whole space would also be Immensely improved,
City.
Such change however, Ia not possible with
cut special legislation by Congress for the act
OF April 9Th, 1sI0, which Is sim In force pro-
vices as fol.oTs Or. S: Dist Col, sec. 225) 1.-The
proper authorities OF the District are authorized
10 set apart from time to time, as parks TO be
adoTne0 With shade trees, walks. and enclosed
WIN curpstoIes. not exceeding One-1aI the
width or any and all avenues and streets OF said
City OF washington, erceDt Pennsylvania. louis
aGnd ana indiana GrPTlteS and FOltT-d7ll-,-
nay street, 6et'ree1l ne City Han AMI Pt'ansg-
rama orenue, leaving roadway of not less
than 50 feet la width In the center OF said ave-
Dues and streets. or two such roadxays on each
side OF the pa!k in The center or the same: but
such Enclosure shall not be used for private pur-
poses"
To carry out this law in replacing the wooden
payements, now In an 1mpas5abe condition. In
mont or the City Hail. VIII require an unnece5-
sary expense. ana VIII prevent the appearance
or the street from being improved. therefore
recommend that Congress be asked to repeal so
much or this act as accepts Louisiana and I1iI-
ana avenues and Four-a and a-nalf street from the
benefit Ct its provisions
In replacing the wood the two standard
klHdS or paveTneDtS. asphalt and grauite
block, have been strictly adhered to. except
at The Intersection OF eth street and Louisi-
ana avenue, where a second piece or COM
pressed asphalt blocks was laid as an eXperI.
menL This class or pavement looks reasonably
We'll after the traffic " ich 1t has had zone year
aLd TWO years respectively; but IL is 100 soon
Yet 10 give any positive opinion as 10 It's merits
and II would not be well TO lay any large ql an
titles Until IL has had five years test, and then
Only In case Its cost can be brought down To
compete with the standard pavenents.
TEE GRANITE BLOCK PAVEMENT
lad on foundation OF gravel AID sand and
filled IN the joints With cement OF coal tar
gives great satisfaction in business streets
where the travel is heavy. The experience 10
Paris and London puts the life OF this character
or pavement (when laid without cement Ia the
joints at about 80 years With an annual ey-
a rd for ainfa. pa ,a