The Washington critic., 1888-07-06
BUILDINGS AND GRouNps.
An Outline OF Colonel Wilson's AD
nuni Report.

nuni Report.
The annual report Of Colonel John N.
Wilson, Commissioner Of public build.
ings and grounds, has been submitted 20
Major Post, Acting Chief Of Engineers.
The report is mostly taken up with a
synopsis of operations, heretofore re.
ported in THE Critic.
Colonel Wilson states that the trouble
in protecting flower beds in Lincoln and
Stanton parks still continues. These
reservations were planted with 1000 GRO.
Cuses, 1000 tulips and $50 hyacinths dur.
ing the year, and, in one night, over one
hundred and fifty plants were stolen.
At the nursery grounds the old con
demned material, the collection of several
years, were sold at public auction and the
proceeds of the sale, 82,0O5.5O, turned into
the treasury. As soon as these old ma
terials were removed the ground was
powed and surface soiled ard q portion
OF II planted with young trees and
shrubs.
During the winter and spring months
about $4,000 ornamental foliage and
Towering plants and about forty varieties
were grown, nearly all Of which were set
out in the parks during the months of
May and June.
ne OoHhnlSslOner makes Jne lOllOWlnB
estimates:
One public gardener at 5000. (Mr.
George Brown, who now holds this posi-
ton, is highly recommended, and Colonel
Wilson thinks his salary should be in
creased to the amount named.) One clerk
in charge of old records of Washington
city, $500. This work has taken up
half the time of a draughtsman in Colonel
Wilson's Office
One telegraph operator, 900. Over.
seers, liremen, draughtSmen, mechanics
and laborers, $4,000. THE grounds un.
der Colonel Wilson's supervision cover
an area of 49, acres, divided into 33l
reservations.) Day watchman for Marion
and Folger squares, $500 day watchmun
at Lafayette and franklin squares, S720.
For improvement of grounds north of the
Executive Mansion, $500. (It is pro-
posed to remove the broken asphalt walks
and to replace them with new materially
Improving, grading and maintaining
grounds south of Executive Mansion,
$4,000. Grading and improving Monu-
ment grounds, $1,000. Laying asphalt
walks in various reservations, $1,000. For
Improvement and maintenance of parks,
$4,000. Improvement, grading aud
maintenance of the Smithsonian grounds,
$4,000. Ut is proposed TO lay 1900 square
yards of roadway and 1000 square
yhluo vi pains lulOuBu Nllc DhTk,l lul-
provement and grading of Henry
and Seaton Parks improvement of Ju-
dietary Square, $1,000 for lodges for
park watchmen IN Stanton, Mount Yer
non, Iowa, Dupont, Thomas, Mcpherson,
and Folger reservations, $500 each; for
the supply of flower vases in the Pension
building, 81 600; for the painting and re-
pair and refurnishing of the Executive
Mansion, $4,000. Colonel Wilson states
that the building needs much renovation,
the furniture is old, and new carpets are
needed. The appropriation for thlsspur-
pose in 1882 was $50, 900. q Colonel Wilson
is somewhat prondg of what he ac-
complished with appropriations never
more than ,Sl6,0O0.J For grading and
necessary repairs TO greenhouse, 5000;
fos- seven lamp.posts in the ellipse in
{ mont of the Executive Mansion, 81 200;
for seven electric lights for 365 nights,
S1,7S5.50i for replacing the overhead
wires between the Capitol and the De-
partments with duplicate underground
six.wire cable, $500. In conclusion,
Colonel Wilson highly compliments his
two pnnapal assistants, Messrs. Brown
and Concklin.