Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-10
PUBLIC BUILDINGS


e'Shuo vi HehS tuouiu De removed
and give place to a more substantial and
more ornamental structure more in keep
ing with Its prominent location and sur
roundings; for many years il kept COM
pany with an old. uneven. small hagstone pave
ment which. IN the march Of progress. has
been removed and replaced by smooth grano-
lithic pavement
The sidewalk approaches for pedestrians to
the mansion, bordering the main roadway,
which are surfaced with uneven, worn down.
old flag pavement. should be removed and re-
placed with granolithic pavement
The old WORKOUT hurdle wire fence between
the Executive Mansion and the steps leading
down to the fountain opposite the Treasury De-
partment building. should be removed and re-
placed with more suitable and more orna-
mental iron fence
GROUNDS SOUTH OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
These grounds include not only those at
tached to the Executive Mansion. but the en-
tire reservation south Of the White House, the
treasury and the State War and Navy building.
north OF street between 18th and 18th streets
During the year the main roads have been
repaired, raked and rolled compactly. using for
lnis purpose about 332 cubic Yards of gravel
These roads were well watered during the sum-
mer season in order to keep down the dust
All paths. cutters, drain traps &C. were kept
| clean and in good repair. All lawns covering
| an area OF about forty acres. were mown several
"uAes anu "aihtaiheo IN good order. 1hose
portlons OF the lawn surfaces pom which the
grass was destroyed during the occupation Of
| this reservation by the Grand Army Of the He
public in September. 1892. were spaded and
narrowed, covered with compost, seeded down
and eventually restored to their original beauty.
All trees and shrubs were pruned, mulched and
maintained In good order. In the Executive
Mansion grounds additions were made to the
trees and shrubbery and handsome ornamental
flower beds were laid out and planted. The
display of fireworks near the monument on the
night of March and the children's annual
Easter festival in the White House grounds on
Easter Monday. while not causing any great
damage. necessitated more or less extra labor in
restoring the grounds to their original beauty.
The south grounds of the mansion should be
| highly improved; the high mounds should be
graded and shaped, the gravel walks removed
and replaced with artificial stone or Rrarolithic
pavements, curbed and provided with ample
drainage 90 as to be in good condition Tor
travel at all seasons; the northern portion OF
the grounds outside the iron fence fronting the
State, War and Navy building and the Treasury
Department should be highly improved; the
Treasury Department photograph gallery and
green houses should be removed; bedding
could be provided at the propagating gardens
II deemed necessary.
The White House stable should be moved
from the grounds fronting the State Depart
ment where il is manifestly out of place. and
the park generally should receive such further
improvement as is needed by the construction
OF asphalt walks TO replace the gravel walks
now in plece; additional walks are required for
public travel through these grounds, increased
water. supply for irrigation and increased
drainage facilities
WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT.
Every effort has been made during the year
to maintain the monument and its machinery
In good condition. vapdals continue to give
annoyance by occasionally chipping pieces
either from the outside or from the memorial
stones in the inner walls, while some insist
upon writing their names upon the
white marble. Whenever detected these
thoughtless persons are arrested and pun
ished. The elevator and all the machinery con-
nected Herewith has been carefully and critically
inspected monthly by an expert from the Otis
Elevator Conn any and pronounced in excellent
condition. Weekly inspections are made by the
principal steam engineer and machinist at the
ances OF the elevator car are made by the en-
ployes before starting to convey passengers to
the top
Ii is believed that the elevator is as safe as il
is possible for man to make il. and every effort
is made to prevent accidents Should an acct
dent ever occur il will result from something
which il was impossible to foresee
All the iron work in the elevator drum pit
has been painted with red lead. the drum given
a coat Of plumbago aud oil. the outside hand
rope of the elevator given a coat OF red lead
and a portion OF the iron work between the
top and bottom of the shaft repainted. new
leather belt has been placed upon the elevator
engine. all old oil cups replaced with new lu-
bricating cups, a new set of governor brasses
put on and other minor repairs made.
The boilers were thoroughly cleaned. SUBJ
jected to cold water test OF lbs pounds. and
all tubes, seams and rivets found tight: all
steam valves were repacked: new tubes were
placed in the feed-water heater in boiler house
and the heater connected; the fronts of the
boilers were given a coat of asphaltum and the
interior of the boiler house was whitewsshed
new joints were made from time to time as re-
quired on the main steam pipe in the tunnel be-
tween the boiler and engine houses, and the
brick saddles supporting this pine were reset
The exhaust pipe through the tunnel was re-
painted. the main steam pipe in the vertical
tunnel near the engine room recovered with
felt and canvas, aud the small engine which
runs the dynamo wa overhauled and repaired
several times. This little engine is in very bad
condition. is liable at any time to become use
less and should be replaced by a new one ar
soon as practicable.
The monument was open to visitors daily
during the year. except on Sundays and hoii-
days and with exception of one day in August
1892, three DAYS in November. 1892. and two
days in Nav. 1893. when repairs and improve
ments were in progress. The elevator was Id
operation whenever the monument Was open
There were lS6. 327 visitors TO the top of the
monument during the year. of which number
l0S.2Si made the ascent in the elevator and
7S0i6 by the stairway, making 1893 500 persons
who have visited the top since the shaft was
opened to the public. October 3, 1885,
There were a greater number of visitors &c
the monument during the mouth of September
1892. than during any month since the shaft
was opened to the public. During the week OF
the q. A. r.. encampment, Sept 10 to "a. there
were more than &c, 600 visitors to the top and
the custodian estimates that at least 20 DOC
more entered the shaft and passed out without
ascending.
WASHINGTON MONUMENT GROUNDS.
In this extensive park, covering an area Of
about seyenty-eight acres, is located the Wash.
ington monument, one of the chief attraction,
of the city. Ii is destined to be the Mecca O,
| many visitors from all sections Of the country
| in the future. Already nearly l.000. 900 peopl,
| have visited the monument since it was opened
| to the public five years ago. During the wear
every effort has been made to maintain the i'm
proved portion of the grounds In as good order
as possible and to continue the improvement oi
other portions so far the limited funds
available would admit. Lawns have been fire.
quently mown and about eight tons of hay Sc
cured for use Of the public animals belong
ing to this Office. The main roads
have been repaired. raked and rolled
using for this purpose about go cubic yards OF
gravel: all cutters and drain traps have been