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


Ing to about $500, 900 and submitted for such
action as may be thought proper. The greater
part of this work is wholly secondary in import
! ance to the necessity for replacing the wood
fstence Is not only nuisance to the people re-
siding along them. but also detrtment to the
city at large by impeding travel. 1t should be
remembered that Washington Is one OF the
most thinly built up cities 10 existence for the
length Of its streets ald the area within It's
limits. 1t has 1854 miles OF streets improved or
miles and for population Of 160, 900, whose total
revenues, including that contributed by the
general e aea AL government, amount only to
SLOWS the per reaVe area "A aa6s M
OF principal cities as follows: london, with a
population OF 100000, having $4,000 acres and
lisa miles OF paved streets. averaging 1l5
street Paris, with 1,9ss. $685. 1920 acres, 551
miles paved streets, averaging 103 per acre and
$3.50 per mile and revenue Ss4 per each tnhab-
liant or 1921 1854 As per mile Of street. New
York. 900, $4,000 acres, $50 miles, averaging
So per acre, 3,4s5 per mile, $500 per inhabtanU
or $50, 10000 per mile Washington, 16O, 000
per mile s2O.5O per inha6itant $780, 1866 per
mile.l From this 1t Is evident that Washington
mas comparatively very small population and
be kept up. While this lack OF density has
great advantages for sanitary reasons, and In a
measure adds to the beauty OF the city, yet It
renders the proper care OF the streets extremely
difficult under any reasonable rate OF taxation.
With the current revenues, on the present
basis. and without special assessments for
improvements, It will therefore be many years
before the outlying streets can be paved or even
improved with graveled roadways.
STREET SWEEPING.
The streets are swept By contract, according
to schedule prepared In the engineers Office.
During the past year the contract was held by
L. P. Wright, at the rate Of $50, 600 per annum,
for an amount not less than ninety. two millions
of yards. The work was satisfactorily performed
with machines. In May last proposals were In
vited for doing this work for the period Of three
years from July 1st, 1850, subject to annual ap-
preparations by Congress. T1e specifications re-
quired the work to be done according to sched-
ule furnished by the Engineer commissioner,
and to be paid for at liked rate for each thou
sand yards actually swept, the total amount to
be about one hundred and ten millions OF yards
per annum. The lowest bidder was 81. L. Gran
ford, at 1884 cents per thousand yards, and the
contract was awarded to him at that rate. For
one hundred and ten millions OF yards per an
mum, the cost Will be $26,015. The new contrac-
tor, therefore, performs 20 per cent more work
and saves the District about s. 900 year. The
rev contractor was required to execute an in
demnity bond holding the District harmless
from any suits growing out OF any patent rights
10 street sweeping machines. The work under
the new contractor Is progressing favorably and
peDds on the amount OF traffic on the street.
Under the present schedule the two million and
half square yards OF paved streets are swept
4
week, 6 per cent; once per week. SO per cent;
and once In two weeks, 40 per cent It Is found
by experience, that bad weather prevents sweep
Ing on about forty days In the year. AS preVi.
ously stated, the contractor is paid only for the
amount actually swept
ALLEY CLEANING.
The alleys are cleaned also by contract. The
number OF paved alleys Is 3O3, and OF graded,
but not paved, about 200. They are Of very dit.
ftrent sizes, but average about 200 square
yards. These alleys are all swept and cleaned
once IN every week during the eight months
from April to November, and once In two weeks
during the four months from December to
March. owing to the small width OF the ma
chimes, and the sweeping is all done by hand.
The alleys are thoroughly sprinkled however,
before sweeping, in order to avoid creating a
dust during the operation. The lowest bidder
for the current year was r. Carns at s., 275 per
annum, to whom the work was awarded. Dur
Ing the past year the alleys were swept once in
weeks during the remaining six months. The
cost OF the work was s., 100 43 for the year.
STREET LIGHTING.
There are at present on the streets Of Wash
tDgton 1851 street lamps, and In Georgetown
3s7 lamps lighted at the expense OF the District
The contract with the Washington company is
$3.50 per annum, and with the Georgetown
company 1872 per annum for each lamp 10 burn
2.tG0 hours per annum with six foot burner
These companies also light, eXtinguish clean
and repair the lamps, as part Of their contract,
without extra expense. During the past year
50 new lamps were erected. On Pennsylvania
avenue the lamps are placed at intervals OF
every 100 feet OF curb; on other streets the IN
tervalS vary up TO $50 feet. About ii We mile, OF
Improved streets have no lamps at AL During
the past year the street signs OF the new pattern
were placed on the corner lamps throughout the
city. These consist of light iron frame rec
tangular In shape, resting on the frame OF the
lamps, anG enclosing on each side a piece OF
glass 16 inches long and 81 inches high. On
these glasses the names and numbers Of the
streets were cut by the sand blast. The advan-
tage OF this arrangement lies in the fact that
the signs are Independent OF the lam % proper
and are not liable to be broken In cleaning the
panes. ], 22S signs were placed on the lamps at
q cost OF 81, 140.25.
CURRENT WORK OF REPAIRS OF STREETS AND
ALLEYS.
In addition to the 102 miles of paved streets
there are So miles of gravelled streets In the
city, the cleaning and repair OF which Is con-
Quoted by days labor, as well as the miscelIan-
eous repairs on the streets, alleys and sewers OF
every character not specifically provided for.
All OF this work Is placed under the immediate
charge OF the very efficient superintendent OF
direction force Of overseers and worKm sn
which varies according to the amount of work
to be done, but averages during the summer
months 10 oyerseers so laborers Of various
Ter of this work done during the past year is
shown in detail. 1t includes 10000 yards Of cob
Die stone pavement laid or relaid on roadTay5,
cutters ana alleys; 1000 feet of gutter stone
relaid; over 5000 feet Of curling; Is large sewer
basins constructed and 1875 repaired; - small
Crop basins constructed under hydrants 900
feet OF sewer laid; about 10000 yards OF road.
ways gravelled; 900 yards OF new brick pave
ment laid and 10000 relaid, &C.. &C., besides
cleaning sewers, traps, cutters and unpaved
streets. In the estimates for next year the re-
pairs to streets and sewers are separately eSti-
mated In order that the appropriations may
provide more specifically for this class OF work
COUNTY. ROADS.
The county roads within the District aggre.
gate length OF about 1O4 miles. of which
about miles are of macadam and nearly all
the rest OF gravel About eight or ten miles of
road, which are but little frequented and are
remote from any proper road material have no
covering except the loamy earth through which
they are built. The Tunlaw road, OF which
mention was made In the last annual report,
was completed In February, at total cost OF
20 bll.03 It's length is 6,615 feat. or 1.26 miles.
NO new roads were commenced during the last
year me 7th street road, which forms the
main inlet to the city from the north is com
posed OF central strip of macadam and two
slde strips OF gravel, each strip being 16 feet
Wlde. The crown OF the road was rather too
nat, ana from lack Of repairs for several years
Ine surface had worn into holes and
Iats OF very serious Character
iDuIlng the summer OF 1879 the CUTTERS Y,era
lowered, IN order to give the ROAD a nr,nar
crown, and under the appropriation of si5 OOo
made Tor that purpose at the last session NJ
Congress, thorough and systematic repairs Sgere