Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-27
THE AVENUE PAVEMENT.

THE AVENUE PAVEMENT.
The Commissioners Take Steps to
Hasten the Work.
HE THINKS THE RAILROAD coMPANY's WORK rs IN
ANYTHING BUT sArIsFAcroRr srArK-wHAr
PRxsrDxxr HuRF sAYs ABOUT TzE COMPLAINTS
AGAINST Hn ooMPANY.
A stated in yesterdays STAR. Capt Symons
made . tour Of inspection over the WASH
ington and Georgetown railroad with q
view Of determining the progress made
in resetting the rails Of the road on
Pennsylvania avenue. This morning he
made another trip, and when he re-
turned to the Office wrote two letters to Maj.
Raymond One Of these letters, it is UNDER
stood, called attention to unnecessary delay by
the company and suggested that if they did not
make more rapid strides the District step in
and do the work. The other, it is understood,
called attention to an alleged violation of the
order Of April 10, 1889, which prohibited the
use Of cobble stones or other material not in
accordance with the specifications for street
paving, at the District buildings. The letter
claims, II 10 understood. that in paving between
the tracks blue stone and granite blocks much
the worse for wear and smaller than the speci-
that something be done Immediately to correct
Capt symons this morning told STAR re-
porter that it was true that he had made
an inspection Of the road and found things
in anything but satisfactory state.
He also acknowledged that he had
recommended certain things to the board
at the suggestion Of Major RAYMOND, but would
not tell the nature Of them. He said, however,
that the company continued the work at the
mr. aonf 10 H., L.. ~
parade in October before the avenue would be
finished. He thought the company should
keep men working day and night. 1t is UNDER
stood that the Commissioners, in board ses-
sion this afternoon. will issue an order relative
to the work which Is being done on the road.
LETTER TO THE RAILROAD COMPANY.
The following letter was addressed to Presi-
railroad company this afternoon by DR.. Tin
dali, secretary to the District Commissioners:
SIR: am directed by the Commissioners Of
the District Of Columbia to call your atten-
ton TO the very slow progress being
made In the reconstruction of the tracks
Of the Georgetown railroad on Pennsylvania
avenue from LIST to 18th streets.
In order that the Restricting Of the avenue
may be completed not later than October g. ii
will be necessary that your company should lay
at least .260 feet per day of double track,
complete. The Commissioners instruct me to
say that they desire the company to do this
and in case OF failure the work will be done by
the District and charged to the company.
Your attention Is also invited to an order of
the Commissioners dated April 10, 1889, which
requires the laying Of Belgian block
pavement between the rails and tracks in &C.
cordance with District specifications Some of
the pavement laid by your company does not
conform to this order. All such work will be
removed and replaced at the ex-
pense OF the company. An inspector
will be placed upon the work to see that it is
properly done hereafter"
WHAT PRESIDENT HURT SAYS.
am aware" said President Hurt Of the
Washington and Georgetown railroad company
to STAR reporter today, ''of the charges
against the Washington and Georgetown rail-
road company as to dereliction in doing the
work OF reconstructing the road way of the
company on Pennsylvania avenue, but these
charges are made without foundation or cause.
all delayed. but, on the other
hand. think that. since the hour it was
begun, rapid progress has been made each
day. Work was begun on the 5th of August.
and not day has been lost, with the exception
Of the intervening Sundays. Some one seems
to desire to belittle our efforts" continued Mr.
Hurt, "but have on file official letters show
ing my willingness to begin operations in re-
constructing the road from LIST street to 18th
street long before We were furnished the data
US to 60 to work."
WAITING FOR THE GRADES"
Mr.. Hurt replied to a communication from
Capt Symons, dated March Is, in which that
official stated that Pennsylvania avenue was to
be resurfaced and in all probability the grade
Of the street would be changed. Mr.. Hurt in
his letter expressed a willingness to begin the
work then and asked for grade sheets. Capt
Symons stated that the grade sheets could not
ha uiy inn md
not avallable until after July the company
could not begin the work until after that time,
as 1t would hardly do to have the track raised
above the existing pavement during all the in
tervening time. so you see" remarked Presi-
dent Hurt, ''had been allowed to do as de-
sired the entire section could have easily have
been completed by October and without much
inconvenience to travel, for the grade Of the
street was not changed"
THE SMALL FORCE OF PAYERS.
"Why is it," asked the reporter, chat 90
small force Of PAYERS il at work?"
"Simply because Of the scarcity Of PAYERS"
replied Mr.. Hurt. "Could a greater number
be employed the company would be only too
glad to secure them. We would be glad il the
services OF forty PAYERS could be had"
Mr.. Hurt also spoke of the inability of the
present force OF PAYERS and other laborers to
keep apace with the forces Of two of the largest
contractors in the country. Yet he expressed
ready for travel by the LIST Of October, though
there was no law compelling the company to do
so. He said there we're about 1000 yards of
stone paving to be laid between the tracks and
the utmoss man canpave with the inter-
ferences necessary when the cars are running
is about 80 yards day.
II was told by the boss PAYER" remarked
Mr.. Hurt ''that on Monday he would have at
work force of ten experienced PAYERS"
THE SITUATION TODAY.
There was less dust floating around than
there was yesterday, but the quantity of dis
satisfaction was somewhat greater 1t was
very evident that the Washington and George
town railroad company was in the
way Of the contractor, or Major Gran
ford's force would be at work. The
Barber asphalt company. which has the con-
tract from 9Th street up to the capitol grounds,
is also waiting for the railroad company. The
men and materials are ready to be put into
active operation at any time, but unless the
railroad companys contractor increases his
force the Barber contract will not be COM
menced for q month or more.
AT ST. ELlZABETH,S.
Annual Report Of the Board Of Visitors
to the Asylum.