Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
Report on the Bridges in the District
and the Repairs Necessary.
PHYSICIANS TO The POOR,
A Doctor Claims That a Number
Are Not in Good Standing.
MISCELLANEOUS VS..

NJ . " T. LII A n b - u > n h w > q.
e. b. Hunt engineer Of bridges in the
District today made his report to the En-
gineer Commissioner for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1893. The report also in
cludes the estimates for the year lS9i-95.
The report says that one of the most i'm
portant items of work done under the APP
preparation was the reconstruction of a
number of small wooden bridges in the
county as arch culverts. The removal of
of these structures from the list of those
needing constant repairs will, Mr.. Hunt
thinks, prove a relief to the cost of MAIN
tenance The amount appropriated for the
construction and repair of bridges during
the year was $4,000. All of this sum " as
expended with the exception of ss.A.
OF the appropriation for the ordinary
pay OF bridgekeepers. and incidental ex-
penses, $498l.1I was expended. leaving BAL
ance of $l2.23. The report also gives an
account of the repairs to the Washington
and Georgetown street car bridge and the
street bridge over Rock creek.
Mr.. Hunt then goes on to make the fol-
lowing recommendations and estimates
it would be an advantage and would sim
plify the work of this division IL the two
for the repair and construction. were con-
solidated into single one, 'for bridges"
AS each appropriation Is sure to be ex-
pended. there seems to be no fair reason for
maintaining them separately. The CONSOLE
dalton Is recommended that this division
as well as the accounting officers may be
relieved Of a needless work.
l would recommend that such action as
Is necessary be taken to extend to the
public bridges the operation of the rule
that street railroad companies shall main
tain the roadway between lines two feet
exterior to their tracks. II such MAIN
tenance Is proper charge in the case of
a m is mob tv, ctr rxar
degree in the case Of bridge floor. The
railroads occupation Of the structure is a
valuable privilege, and its practical result
Is positive harm to the floor,
The estimate submitted in my last annual
report for an asphalt roadway on the AQue-
duct bridge is not here renewed. since the
at once undertaken, and the opportunity for
substituting a paved construction post
year in respect to the reconstruction of
K street bridge over Rock creek and the
Navy Yard bridge are here repeated as Of
unchanged urgency. The X street bridge
is neither suitable nor in every way safe
1t Is too light and too low. The Navy Yard
bridge has carried very heavy travel for
The construction OF new bridge over
Rock creek on the line of Massachusetts ave.
has been mentioned heretofore and is here
again recommended. The two adjacent pub
lie bridges to the point Of crossing are n
mile apart. The right Of way for this great
and fine thoroughfare have been dedicated
already been made in grading It.
For the annual appropriation for 1895 the
sum Of $4,000 for bridges is recommend
1t is understood that the War Department
has secured a large amount Of valuable de-
tailed information with respect to the con-
dition of the submarine portions of the
piers of the Aqueduct bridge over the Poto-
mac. The action called for by the condi-
t lions found to exist cannot be stated here
1t is proper to express the hope that the
value of the Investigation shall not be lost,
but that suitable effective action based
thereon shall result.
The District appropriations for bridge
work have not permitted the necessary ex-
less are they able to stand the expense Of
any remedial measures. which. from their
nature. are certainly costly.
Statement Of estimates:
For bridges. 1895. Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
Reconstruction Of navy yard
Rec c H Of X street bridge. 3SooS
New bridge, Massa chusetts avenue,
over ROCK creek. lIo,OOO
Protest From Brishtwood Avenue.
dozen property owners along Bright
wood avenue, who recently received notice
to make certain removal of fences. houses
&C., from their property, have protested
to the Commissioners against any contem-
plated taking of such property, and they
urge upon the Commissioners the intus-
tice and damage that would result X the
District continues its present attitude in
relation to the widening Of the avenue.
A Medical Letter.
Charles Milton Buchanan, NJ. D., Of this
city, has written q letter to the Commits
sioners relative to the status of the ply
sicians to the poor, the police surgeons and
the resident physicians at the Washing ton
Asylum. He claims that one-third Of the
physicians to the poor are illegal practi-
TONERS.
OF the four police surgeons In the Dis
o er,e' While the resident physician to- the he
Washington Asylum he puts down squarely
as not licentiate.
Buchanan says that seven are unlicensed.
and hence Illegal practitioners eight are not
members of the Medical Association of the
District. ana hence In poor professional
society, and hence not in the best profess
Eional standing. He concludes his letter by
claims. that One-third of the physicians to
the poor In the District are illegal prac-
titioners. The inference, he says. to be
drawn from such state of affairs is oO-
vious.
short Paragraphs.
Mr.. w. F. Morsell. who lives on Irving
street in Cooke Park, West Washington
has written to the Commissioners to ask
that shade trees be placed on the north
side Of that street, and that at least one
moro gas lamp be placed there as there
is but one now at the west end Of the
street which by no means suffices to iiiu-
inmate it's whole length.
Health officer Hammett has reported to
the Commissioners that there is stagnant
water in alley rear of Kreamer street, be-
tween 18th and 18th streets, and that a.
sewer or drain is needed there. He also
reports offensive odors from perforated
cover on vent of main sewer, in alley at
the side Of Moses storage building, 122S-32
I'D street.
Station Clerk Joseph p. Smith, eighth
police precinct, has been granted thirty
days leave on account of sickness
A number of property holders on B street
north of the Capitol grounds have petition
ed the Commissioners that the street from
1st street west to Delaware avenue east be
repaved with asphalt, and that the crown
or transverse arch of the rOadbed be re-
duced from the present excessively high
ridge so as to make a practicable roadway
United States Treasurer Morgan has in
formed the Commissioners that there is
available for the sinking fund for the water
stock bonds for the fiscal year 1894 the sum
of $19,060.
The Commissioners have appointed B. p.
Babson a private on the police forge, in
place Of f. w. Mendenhall, who was re-
Gently dismissed.
Health Officer Hammett has called the
attention of the Commissioners to the con-
dition of the sewer at the northwest cor
ner of 9Th and N streets, which is obstruct-
ed and has been in this condition for the
past month.
The attention of the Commissioners has
been called to the unsanitary condition Of
the vacant lot bounded by H and and I'd
and Sd streets southwest.