Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-07
COL. WILSON'S REPORT.
Over Eight Hundred Thousand People
Have Asoended the Monument

Col. J. NJ. Wilson, u. 8. A., commissioner
Of public buildings and grounds. has SUBJ
mitted his report Of operations during the
month Of September. In regard to the Ex-
scutive Mansion he says the renovation of
the red parlor has been practically COM
pleted and minor repairs have been made
In various parts Of the mansion and to the
plumbing and lighting arrangements. The
usual care was extended to the large and
valuable collection Of plants A number
were removed from the grounds and placed
In the green house.
Ihe usual attention was bestowed on the
washington monument and but one arrest
was made-that OF person who was drunk
anu oisoroerly 1t will be necessary to close
tne elevator to make certain necessary re.
pairs. but the work will be postnonea 90 !.
iater GATE when the number of visitors Is
not so great as at present Tbo,o -,
e,siI visitors TO the top Of the monuynen,
20. us september. making q total of sal :
..s since october 8. 1883. when the monu.
ment @ was opened to the public.
The work of STRENGTHENING fb. .,, a.
WLnoers building has been satisfactor,iv
accomplished. The stairs IN the h,,i,d,n.
,r o.o itn street. have been strengthened bv
i. non Deams set into the walls The csnac,
NY or the NTH and sixth floors of the I1pion
puiiolng on @ street has been defsrn,tn "a
ana the strength Of the columns check ed
ohnna W Iouhuation and found to be
oouuoantly strong.
FOrd's Theater Repair..
Plans and estimates for renair q, ro,..
Theater building have been prenaraa a,a
approved and work on the building NO.
commenced September 21 The debris left
af'er the collapse has been cleared away-
considerable excavating has been done
ana all unstable parts Of the building have
oeen shored up. The cracked portion of the
wall around the main stairway has been
torn down and the scaffoldinR is being
erected against the west wall for the pur.
pose OF tearing out and replacing the dam
aged portions.
1t, 1t has been necessary to proceed rather
slowly on account of the fact that many
places required careful snoring before it wa 3
deemed safe to proceed with the repairs
proper. On Monday, October 2, the brick
masons commenced work on the under
pinning Of the piers and walls, where the
contractor was at work when the accident
occur ed. All dangerous parts have now
been made secure, and the work of tearing
out and rebuilding damaged and defective
brick work will be pushed forward as rapid
ly as Is consistent with the best quality of
work. Bids have been accepted for hest
structural steel beams for / 3-4 cents a
pound and for satisfactory quality Of
prlcK at $6.5O per thousand delivered.
Other Work.
All the public parks and reserya tions were
maintained in good order. Lawns were
mown. gravel roads and walks repaired and
rolled, flower beds were trimmed and water
ed. trees and shrubbery were pruned. gut
ters and traps were cleaned and all tropical
plants were transferred to the propaga ting
gardens and green houses
In the monument reservation the base
ball grounds have been removed from the
south side to the north side of the monu-
ment. Owing to an electric light wire COM
ing In contact with one Of the telegraph
wires connected with the Capitol. the re-
lays In the State Justice, Agricultural and
Post once Departments were burnt out
The relays have been removed and replaced
with others.