Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-15


about i've miles OF roads, or $4,000 per mile. Our
appropriation Is only $500 per mile.
OF the city are used SO largely for pleasure driving
| and as this class OF suburban property pays the
| same rates OF taxation as city property without
having the benefits gas, sewerage or the fire de-
partment, 1t would seem proper that these roads
should be put in better condition, and in order TO
accomplish this larger appropriation Is necessary.
The estimate submitted is S40,O0O, and it is to be
hoped that IL will not be cut down. II this amount
finally complete the 7th street road to carry on the
work on the TenRllytown road for another mile, to
macadamze the Good Hope road and to greatly i'm
prove the drives near the city. II the District has
the money next year to make the improvement it
is believed that the land secured free or cost
| p street bridge TO Pierces mill. Written agree
ments to this effect for large portion Of the dis
ian nave srea S been made by the owners OF
celebrated Wssahickon drive, near Philadelphia, in
the beauty OF its surroundings, and would In itself
Witch SO al
the citizens II, Of Washington With an appropria-
| construction OF this road.
| SURVEY OF THE DISTRICT.
In connection with the roads, the typographical
survey OF the District has been carried on during
the past year under the direction OF Mr. J.W Dorn
| assistant in the Coast and Geodedic survey. At
| the present time the progress OF the work Is as
| follows:
| Triangulation completed, 6 primary points and
90 secondary points determined. and all OF these
Eighteen square miles surveyed with plane table
and level, the contours being run with five feet
! sheets
Five sheets covering square miles in the hands
The nam object OF this survey is to afford the
data for laying out new and extending old roads,
ana Ior properly subdlvdfng county property as it
Is laid out In suburban streets and lots. But its
minute accuracy will make 1t useful for all time in
| planning public works Of every description. It
Saved the necessity for the preliminary Surveys in
connection with the extension Of the water works
now In progress, and 1t will accomplish the same
| purpose when the city sewerage has to be
into the county From the maps of this sur
vey, so far as completed, and from such other data
as was available, compiled during the last year
new map Of the entire District on scale of miles
to the inch l32O, to take the place OF the Boschke
map OF 1855, OF which the edition was exhausted,
| and which, In spite CT many errors, was the only
typographical map of the District in existence.
The new map was handsomely autographed and
printed in four colors by Bien & Co.. o. New York
In connection with this survey, during the past
| season the four corner monuments of the District
as established by Elicott in l7s were Identified
| not exactly ten-nile square, the length OF the
four sides being as follows:
| g. w. 50 03l3 feet, OR 2313 feet too long.
| s E. 52,6l 8 feet or 71.3 feet too long.
n. w. 81, 1856 feet, or $3.50 feet too long.
n. Z. 50, 063.S feet, or 263.S feet too long.
The total area OF the original District was 1905
square miles. The north point is 1865 feet west OF
the meridian OF the south point, and the east point
| Is 1886 feet south OF the west point Considering
the character OF The instruments with which ELI
cott made his survey, and the nature Of the coun-
try, then practically Wilderness through which
he ran his fines one cannot but be surprised at the
| accuracy OF hts results.
From the data already furnished by this survey
preliminary plans have been Sketched out for the
| extension OF the following avenues and streets
| through portion OF the county, viz: Massachu-
avenues, 18th street. and T Street Other demands
upon the DISTRICT revenues make 1t impossible to
attempt to carry these plans into effect at the
nizing the importance OF having suburban property
systematically laid out, and snow Willingness to
follow these plans in the subdivision Of ther prop
erty BY so doing the city will be saved the expense
In the future OF rectify1ng irregular street lines in
the suburban district at a cost far exceeding the
expenditures for this survey, which are only IS 600
| year.
| STEAM RAILROADS.
The question OF steam railroad routes within the
city limits is still unsettled In fact it seems to
| be no nearer settlement than it was four years
| ago, when the Commissioners were first directed
by resolution Of the Senate to investigate and re-
port upon it. In every succeeding annual report
every session 1t has been considered by the CON-
mittees Of Congress, but no action has yet been
taken. The views which have been constantly
| advocated by the Commissioners require the re.
| moval OF the Pennsylvania railroad depot to
point south Of the mall; the removal OF the Bati-
| tlmOre and Ohio railroad depot to point which
would not obstruct North Capitol street: and the
uniting OF the two branches of the latter road at
| they should enter the city on the proper grade.
The bill embodyfng these views met The approval
| OF the Senate COMMITTEES, and it was reported
close OF the session, but 1t was not acted upon.
Al the beginning OF the last session the matter
ysnia Tsiroad, WHICH desires no fe Change
In he s5sn Of things It
modification was also desired by the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, in order that it might be ena-
ern connection. Numerous plans We're proposed
and debated, but the session closed without any
action Meantime the central park OF the city con-
tinues to be cut in TWO by road the streets
OF the northeastern section rendered impossible by
the other. The most feasible solution OF the mat
ter would stu seem to be the one proposed In the
bill OF 1888, which fixed the route of the PennsyIya-
mia road on Virginia and Maryland avenues with a
depot near 7th street, and the route of the Balt-
| depot near street. These avenues are selected
because they are 100 feet wide, and by restricting
the roads to 60 feet in the middle, still left
| for rOadways and sidewalks on each side With
the streets or the narrower avenues this would be
Impossible; the entire space would have to be given
up TO the railroad and The street abandoned for
binary travel.
The other point for which the Commissioners
at last been accomplished without the aid of legis
| lation. The Pennsylvania track is now fenced in
contnuouslyfrom 9Th east TO 9th street west
and it is Intended to complete the feNcing OF the
entire line at an early day. The Baltimore and
ONO track is fenced In from to streets These
II
gates at nterSecting streets.
| TELEGRAPH WIRES.
During the past year permits were issued for e36
new poles, "a OF which were on the streets, 12O ON
the alleys and l42 on the county roads All permits
for new poles within the city limits were for the
| telephone company. The number of poles removed
was 79, leaving net Increase within city limits of
IS poles The total number OF poles on the streets
and alleys on July l. 1884, $685. with about 800
miles OF wire attached to them. Substantial prJ.
| gress was made during the past year in the drec-
| ton OF underground wires, the amount laid being
| as follows:
| Miles OF LINE. Miles OF Wire
| Standard Cable Co., for
the United States and
| District governments. .aA SLIGO
| Postal Telegraph o.......19l asa
Baltimore and Ohio Tele-
| graph Co............:... is 400
Bankers and Merchants
Telegraph Co.. ........... .21 800
| Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Co. 80 p2l70
| Total. ss5a
| The Standard cables have been in constant use
WITHOUT fault, for telephone telegraph and fire.
| alarm purposes, for nearly year. The telephone
wires, using the Western Electric cables have also
been In constant use for about six months and are
| entnently successful. The Bankers and Mer-
chants and Postal wires are also in daily and sue
| cessful use.
The Western Union company which has one
hall OF all the mileage OF overhead wire within the
city limits, Is alone In refusing at least in neg
| lectng, TO take any steps towards burying its
/ era All applications for new poles Tor the tele-
| grAOQ COmDan1eSL RENEWING hot ,,olo Itno