National Republican., 1883-08-01
GOVERNMENT GROUNDS.
improvements Made Thereon and on the Public
Buildings During Past Fiscal Year.
Annual Report OF Col. A. II. Rockwell, in
Charge of the Work

The annual report Of Col. A. F. Rockwell,
in charge of public buildings and grounds,
just submitted to Gen. II. G. Wright, chief of
engineers United States army, gives de-
tailed statement of the work performed dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 30 1888
In reference to the grounds south of the
executive mansion the report notes the COM
plction of the roadway in the southeastern
corner of the grounds, early in the working
season of 1882 by being heavily surfaced with
3i6 cubic yards of gravel. The lawn surface
bordering the road was coated with so cubic
yards of good soil. and the margins sodded.
Tho drive across tho sidewalk was also eX-
cavated, curbcd and paved with hard brick
set OH edge, the earth and soil removed
thcrcfrom being used in grading low portions
of the grounds bordering on b street. The
roadway approach from the corner of Seven
tconth and b streets was outlined, cXcavated.
and filled in with broken stone and coarse
gravel one foot in depth, and fine gravel ten
inches in depth. A continuous stone gutter
30s4 feet in length and 3 feet in width, was
laid with marble and granite spalls entirely
around the central ellipse on the inner mar
gin of the roadway, and 2,100 lincal feet of
similar guttering were laid in the western
section of the grounds on the outer margin of
the same roadway; 376 lineal feet Of cobbe-
stone guttering were constructed on the mar
gins of the new roadway from Seventeenth
and B Streets fifteen additional brick sewer
traps were constructed on margins of road
ways, and 2, 100 feet of terra Gotta drain pipe
was laid, connecting with the main sewer
running through the grounds and with the
Seventeenth street sewer in order to increase
h. t,,,, .h. ,tare
from the grounds. Most satisfactory progress
was made in the planting Of the grounds dur
ing tho year, some 1000 trees and shrubs hav-
ing been removed from the nursery during
the last autumn and present spring and
planted, the maj jor portion in the eastern part
of the grounds. The grading of low portions
of the grounds bordering street was con-
tinued at intervals, 5S7 cubic yards of soil
being used for the purpose. The main road
ways and walks were extensively repaired.
MONUMENT GROUNDS, GREENHOUSES, AND
NURSERIES.
The monument grounds are in about the
same condition they were last year. Not
much improvement could be made, owing to
the presence of the stone sheds aud work
shops. The drains have been kept clear, the
weed growth cut the grass mown and the
wide carriage roadway in the northern por-
ton of the grounds heavily coated with
gravel and rolled, besides repairs to the
other roadways. In the greenhouses the
requisite care has been extended to the col
lection of exotic plants and the propagation
of desirable varieties for bedding out in the
public grounds. The collection of subtIopi-
cal plants, which are removed from the
greenhouses in the spring and planted in the
parks and then repotted in the autumn,
amount to about 100000 plants, There
were also propagated 10000 plants for winter
. Towering. A new tropical panthouse was
completed in November, 1882. 1t is 100 feet
long. 20 feet wide, and IL feet in height, and
affords much needed space for storage of or
namcntal foliage. The old palmhouse has
also been reconstructed and much improved
One of the carpenter shops, formerly used in
connection with the construction of the War,
Navy, and State departments, was turned
over to this Office and converted into an oilice
for the public gardener and Toulouse. In
the nursery grounds much attention was paid
during the year, The general stock was in
creased by the purchase of 1,5J2 trees 1904
shrubs, and 1,GJO plants. A majority of this
stock was transplanted in the public parks
immediately after being received
SMITHSONIAN GROUNDS.
Extensive and much needed improvements
in the surface drainage of these grounds and
repairs to the graveled roadways and walks
have been made during the year. One thou
sand eight hundred and twenty-siX feet Of
new brick guttcrng and 526 feet of cObblc-
stone guttering were laid 1926 feet of old
brick guttering were relaid Ia additional
brick traps were constructed, and OO2 feet of
terra Gotta drain pipe were laid The ground
around the base of the pedestal of the statue
of the late Prof Henry, unveiled April 10
last. was rearranged and rcsodded.
The small triangular reservation at Vir-
ginia avenue, Twelfth and b streets, has been
improved seeded and sOdded and suitable
trees planted, and the whole inclosed with
chain fence.
ARMoRY SQUARE.
The lawn surfaces were mown, and worn
out places repaired and resodded, in Armory
square and the adjoining grounds extending
east to the botanical gardens. For this pur-
pose 800 yards of new gravel was hauled
from reservation II. The trees, shrubs, and
plants were watered, trimmed, and wired.
Work was commenced in June last by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railway company ON the
construction of the bridge proposed to be
erected across Sixth street, on the mall, F"
under the act of congress, the plan of the
company having been approved by the secre-
tary of war This bridge, when completed
will connect the ArmOry square with the
reservation Immediately east Of IL, and is
designed to provide n safe passageway for
vehicles and pedestrians desiring to cross
from one reservation to the other across the
railroad tracks.
OTHER RESERVATIONS AND PARKS.
In Lafayette square an additional asphal
tum foot walk, five feet in width, was laid
from the northwest to the southeast entrance
gates. A much needed improvement was
made in the retiring room for the public
forty eight feet of new drain pipe laid and
the drain traps repaired. All deprossions in
the gravclcd walks were repaired, caterpillar
cocoons removed flower beds coated with a
top dressing of mari, and spring flower bulbs
planted in season. The park was also deco
rated during tho summer months with valua-
bic tropical plants and the lawn surfaces
coated with n surface of prepared compost.
In Franklin square l,6i2 lineal feet of ad-
dtional brick guttering were constructed, re-
quiring the uso Of 1900 paving brick and four
new and additional brick drain traps to
carry surface water during heavy storms
Needed improvements were made in the retir-
ing closet in the watchman's lodge. Worn
out roadways were improved the lawns
mown, plants attended to and ornamental
and tropical plants added during the summer
months
In Mount Vernon square the lawns were
mOwn, tho gravelled walks Takcd and the
payements kept in good repair, Temporary
wooden footwalks were laid in the winter, on
account of tho action of the frost, and removed
in the spring.
In Judiciary square l,530 lineal feet of ad-
ditional brick guttcring and $50 additional
feet of cobblcstOne Euttcring were laid on the
lines of + and streets, l26O0 paving brick
ana siXty-two carloads of cobblestones being
used in their construction.
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