Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-22
Capt. Fiebeger's Report Touches on
Several Important Points.
MORE SHADE TREES WANTED
Overhead Wires and the Complica-
ton of Poles.
ASPHALT EXP ERIN ENTS

amount of work done on streets. During
the year the total amount of asphalt laid
was $500 square yards, of which 1900
yards was with Trinidad Lake asphalt, and
the remainder, 10, 100 yards, with Bermudez
asphalt.
In connection with the discussion on as
phalt. he says:
LAS stated in my last report, about 10000
square yards of asphalt paving was award
ed to Mr.. Thomas H. Thomas, which was
to be laid with Bermudez asphalt AS 1t
was the first use of this material In the
District, the progress Of the work under
this contract and it's results were watched
with considerable interest. The contract
was faithfully executed. and the results
have been thoroughly satisfactory. would
recommend that this asphalt be placed on
an equality with Trinidad Lake in all fu-
ture bids for street work. A material re-
duction in the cost of these pavements Will
no doubt result from the competition thus
introduced. A factory for making asphalt
block was started in this city during the
year, and now all blocks used in this city
are supplied by this factory. There has
resulted very considerable decrease In
the cost of these blocks as furnished to the
city. The composition has also been
changed, and those now used consist of
thirteen per cent of asphalt, ten per cent
of limestone dust and seventy-seven per
cent of crushed gneiss. These blocks are
Water Connections.
The report touches on many interesting
points of local work, as follows:
"A very important provision was passed
at the last session of Congress, directing
that all sewer and water connections should
be made before a street was paved. This
will prevent the useless cutting of new
pavements and increase their life A SIM
liar provision should be made with respect
to underground conduits for electric wires
especially for District use. III well digest
ed plan were adopted and the conduits con-
structed as the streets were paved, II
would prevent an enormous outlay Tor re-
pairs to pavements when Ii Is finally decid-
ed to put the fire alarm wires underground.
1T is to be regretted that the appropfla-
ton for street pavements has been mate
rally reduced during the last five years.
At present II is less than at any time since
the formation of the present government.
There should be a considerable increase IN
these appropriations at once, TO Keep pace
with the building operations In the city.
County Roads and Suburban Streets.
cit seems hardly necessary to call ntten-
ton % the necessity Of securing larger ap-
preparations for the improvement OF SUBJ
urban streets. In the entire region just
north Of the city there are few Improved
streets; the greater number of them are
not even graded and are almost impass-
able.
Grading Streets and Roads.
This appropriation is for the hire of
carts. purchase of tools, ETC., for use OF
the chain garg, which is employed in grad
ing the unimproved streets in the easteSn
section of the city. The amount of the
appropriation should be slightly increased
to allow of this work being prosecuted
during the entire year; at present IT is only
sufficient for the hire of carts, etc. during
a period Of six months. Much valuable
work can thus be secured at very slight
cost, without considering the advantage Of
keeping the prisoners employed in the open
air instead of Combining them in the work
house.
Permit System.
about s10S,OOO was expended under the
permit system, for the paving of alleys and
the repair of sidewalks. AS heretofore. the
alleys were paved with asphalt block or
vitrified brick. and the sidewalks with
granoiithc, asphalt tile and ordinary paw
ing brick.
Repairs to County Roads.
1.-The work consisted in making general
repairs on all the county roads and subur-
ban streets in the District, viz, macadam-
izing and graveling, repairing washouts,
cleaning cutters, repairing culverts, sprink-
ling, etc.
THE opening of new streets in the suburbs
has diverted large portion of this appro-
priation from the ordinary county roads,
" hich are the main thoroughfares from the
country around the District to the capital.
The mileage of these streets and roads,
as now recorded. is 800 miles, divided equal
ly between county roads and suburban
streets. In view of the fact that very few
of the suburban streets are paved, an in
crease in the appropriation is required, if
the streets are to be kept in a passable
condition.
Care of bridges.
"The total number Of bridges in the
District under the supervision of the Com
missioners is sixty-fve. Their aggregate
length Is about "a miles. Many of them
are old wooden structures, which require
constant repair, and should be replaced
with more modern structures of metal or
masonry. The principal work of the year
was the rebuilding of the p street bridge
over Rock creek, at total cost of S115lO
which was borne entirely by the Metropoli-
tan Street Railway Company. The plans
were made with a view of replacing the
present wooden floor with an asphalt floor
whenever Congress sees fit to add this i'm
provement and also to widen the bridge
from it's present width of SO to 30 feet.
Under the regular appropriation the AQue-
duct bridge over the Potomac river was
refioored at a cost of 81 49,. 20. In addition
to this amount there was expended 81, 49, 10
in temporarily Strengthening pier No 4,
which had been undermined and reported
d Ia
expended on the Navy Yard bridge, in re-
pairing the floor and the mechanism for
operating the draw. $1,6O3.47 was expend-
ed in the purchase of the material for a
new steel bridge at N street over the
James Creek canal. This bridge will be
erected during the present fiscal year. The
remainder Of the appropriation was ex-
pended in making the necessary repairs
to various bridges throughout the District,
and replacing small wooden bridges with
masonry culverts.
There are several new bridges needed in
the District, notably at Massachusetts
avenue, over Rock creek; over the Eastern
branch, and at K street, over Rock creek
AS they will probably be provided for by
special legislation no estimate for their
construction has been submitted in this
report.
Subdivisions of Land.
During the fiscal year the following
subdivisions have been put Oil record: West
Takoma, Ingleside. Cleveland Park, Scheut-
zen Park. Connecticut Avenue Heights,
part Of Youngsborough. American Uni
versity Heights and East Deanwood. The
total areas Of the subdivisions thus put on
record amounted to 1883 acres, of which
about 40 per cent were public streets.
Parking Commission.
Attention has been repeatedly called to
the fact that there has been no increase in