Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-13
PARKS OF THE CITY.
Col. Wilson's Report on the Work
he Will Do.
THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
Appropriations Inadequate to the Work to
Be Done--The Grounds Around the White
House to BE Made ut the
Monument and Elsewhere.

Col. ]. NJ. Wilson, commissioner Of public
buildings and grounds. has made the following
report to Gen. Casey, chief Of engineers. in re-
gard to the operations of his Office for the fiscal
year beginning July 1 next:
IMPROVEMENT OF EXECUTIVE MANSION GROUNDS.
Owing to reduced appropriations it will not
be possible to undertake any important new
work this season. The grounds north and
south Of the Executive Mansion, in
Guiding flag, asphalt and gravel roads
and walks, surface and underground
drains, trees, shrubs, lawns and other park i'm
provements, will be maintained in good order
and such additions be made as funds will
admit
This includes all grounds between 18th and
18th streets and between Pennsylvania avenue
and the road just north Of the fish commission
ponds.
LAFAYETTE AND FRANKLIN SQUARES.
The asphalt and gravel paths will be re-
paired; crowded planting will be judiciously
thinned out, lawns maintained in order, flower
beds planted and cared for, &c.
MONUMENT GROUNDS
The gravel roads covering area Of over
six acres viii. be repaired and improved, the
extensive lawns maintained in good condition,
the improvement of the north section OF
the grounds continued and about 800 liuesi
feet Of board walks, three feet wide, will be
constructed on lines Of pedestrian travel lead
Ing to the monument; the unsightly trespass
paths will be properly sodded or seeded down.
GARFIELD PARK, RESERVATION NO. II.
The appropriation for this park this year has
haa 49, holR xlcx
vious seasons. The reservation covers an area
Of about twenty-four acres, and with the
amount available it is proposed to maintain in
good condition the roads, paths, lawns,
cutters. traps, trees, shrubs and flower beds.
Any small sum available after reserving what
may be necessary for this work will be applied
to continuing the construction Of new cutters,
drains, lodges, &C., bordering the roads and in
extending the planting Of ornamental trees and
Towering shrubs in the western section Of the
grounds.
POST AND CHAIN FENCES, STONE COPING, ETC.
It is proposed to inclose with post and chain
fences the recently improved reservations on
New Hampshire avenue, between 8 and 7
streets, and to provide terminal pier posts for
the granite coping at Mcpherson Park at en-
frances to walks, and to repair such fences as
from time to time need repairs.
PAINTING LODGES, FENCES, VASES, LAMPS, ETC.
1t is proposed to repaint the various lodges
now sadly needing repainting; the appropria-
ton, $500, is SO small, so much less than here
tofore, that q large amount of necessary work
must remain undone.
PURCHASE AND REPAIR OF SEATS.
There are now about 900 park benches in the
public grounds; Of these about $50 are in ex-
cellent condition, $50 need repainting and $40
need both repairs and painting; the small
appropriation available will be used for repairs
and painting.
PURCHASE AND REPAIR OF TOOLS.
In addition to the purchase Of ordinary tools
and maintaining those on hand in good repair
it is proposed to purchase one large and two
small road sprinkling wagons to keep down the
dust during the summer and also to obtain
new horse lawn mower and several new hand
lawn mowers.
TREES, TREE STAKES AND STOCK FOR NURsERY
1t is intended to expend the appropriate
for the purchase OF trees and shrubs for plant
ing and OF new varieties Of plants &C., Of spe-
cial merit not in the grounds for propagation.
REMOVING SNOW AND ICE.
The usual totally inadequate appropriation
will be expended, SO far as it will admit, in re-
moving snow and ice from the miles of side
walks and paths around and through the various
reservations
CARE, CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF FoUN-
TAINs.
/. is proposed to maintain in good condition
the various fountains in the public grounds, to
purchase new Jets for tie fountains in Folger
Park and Iowa Circle and to construct an orna-
mental fountain and lily pond basin in the
reservation at intersection of PENNSYLVANIA
avenue and It'll street.
IMPROVEMENT AND CARE OF VARIOUS REsERvA-
The appropriation for various reservations
this year is less than usual, being only $40, OOO
and it will therefore be only sufficient to MAIN
tain in good order the reser-
vations already improved; there are
a large number Of unimproved reservations in
various portions of the city that demand imme-
diate attention, and 1t is greatly to be regretted
that funds are not available with which the
work could be done.
SMITHSONIAN GROUNDS.
The appropriation this year for the improve
ment and care Of this park covering an area
of nearly sixty acres). and for construction of
asphalt roads and walks, is only S2,500
1t is intended to maintain in good condition
the large area Of asphalt and gravel roads and
walks, the cutters, drains, lawns, trees and
shrubs, to set out ornamental plants and to ex-
tend. 50 far as means will admit. the asphalt
roads and paths, by constructing about 200
square yards of asphalt road on the prolouga-
ton of the main roadway leading from the
building 10 the entrance at It'll street
near B northwest, and by constructing
an asphalt walk about 200 feet long
by six feet wide leading from the 10th
street walk through the grounds to the main
lat nf wall ha