Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-13
ing to regulate traffic. as vehicles nat.


Some steps have been taken during the
year to improve the method Of marking the
names of the streets at street corners. The
existing method is not altogether satisfac-
tory the glass signs used are con-
stantly getting broken, are expensive to
replace. and with the small number of in
spectors in the street lighting department
are liable to remain broken for weeks be-
fore they are discovered and replaced.
On streets lighted by electricity lamp
posts are maintained at street corners for
the sole purpose of carrying the street
designations forming unnecessary obstruc-
tions on the sidewalks and detracting
from the beauty of the streets. The best
marked city of which / have knowledge
at home or abroad is Paris. where the
streets are all marked with absolute uni
formity by means of a blue enameled
sign placed on corner houses at the level
of the second floor, and bearing the name
OF the streets in white block letters. In
Paris all corner houses bear these signs,
be they palaces or shantes. A specimen
of these signs has recently been obtained
from Paris arrangements have been made
Tor duplicating them, and signatures or
the owners of a number of corner houses
have been obtained permitting the placing
CT these signs on their property.
very advantageous contract has been
entered into for the substitution of gaso-
line for the old oil lamps heretofore used
where gas mains have not been laid. The
lamps are to be lighted from forty minutes
after sunset until forty minutes before
sunrise every night of the year for SIT
Per lamp per annum.
Estimates for Next Year.
The following estimates are respectfully
submitted for the next fiscal year:
One superintendent of lamps
$500 submitted). ................... H,SOO.OO
Three inspectors of gas and cleo
trio lighting, $500 each........... 2,1OO.OO
For operating and extending the
street lighting system $129.S56
Submitted) NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. u,So6.OO
The reasons for the proposed increase in
the salary of the superintendent Of lamps
are given in the report of that official,
herewith; l heartily concur with him. 1
am able to add also, that L am absolutely
certain that no man competent TO fill the
position of superintendent of lamps can
be found who would hold it for any length
of time at the salary of $1,000 per annum.
The position Is a difficult one to fill, and
frequent changes In it are most disad-
YantageouS to the work.
A marked increase is asked in the APP
preparation for street lighting, because 1t
Is not believed that the existing service is
satisfactory. or in keeping with the high
standard set in the other branches of the
city government Nearly all of the streets
are but dimfy lighted, many of them are
not lighted at all; there are many thickly
inhabited alleys entirely without lights,
and II is very generally believed that 1t
Is high time the city ceased to depend
upon the moon for any portion of it's street
lighting.
Permit Office.
This Office issues all permits to plumbers
and others for all connections with water
mains, sewers, gas plains, electric conduits,
and for all exca vations in the streets for
repairs or other purposes. A fee ri 81 is
collected for each of these permits, and
heretofore the amounts SO collected haze
beer credited to the revenues Of the Dis
trict.
Under the aci of April %, 1892, however,
the fees authorized are Ito be paid to the
collector of taxes OF the District OF Column
ba. and by him deposited in the treasury I
of the United states one-half TO the credit
of the United States and one-haif to the
credit Of the District of Columbia
There appears to be no reason why one
half of these revenues should be paid to
the United States; no more reason than
that the District should pay the United
States one-half OF It's other revenues. 1t is
particularly inequitable i'll this case, as the
water fund, which is managed separate
fl ON the other revenues of the District.
now loses its entire share OF the revenue or
the permit office in spite of the fact that
most of the fees collected are for water
department permits. 1t IS believed that
this provision of the act of April 23, 1892,
was inserted through some misunderstood
ing of the facts, and 1 would recommend
that the necessary legislation be secured
to permit the crediting of the revenue OF
the District of Columbia, and TO the water
fund, heretofore. The revenue of the Of
flee for the last fiscal year amounted TO ST.
Oh
Estimates for 1S36.
Salary of one permit clerk $500
submitteO. .-.......................N, 900
For two assistant permit clerks conc
Submltted)..-....... .................... l,oco
For contingent expenses. .......... $40
no 10 Ian a
permit clerk ard the addition OF one as
sistant are made necessary for reasons set
forth below.
During the last fiscal year the work OF
the permit office has been greatly incredS-
ed. New branches OF work have been added
to the office, and ii is believed That III the
in me date future still further additions
must Ue made TO the duties ana RESPONSE
bilItIes of the Ierml clerk.
The greatest difficulty that the assistant
in charge OF the SuDSJ Race department
has to contend with in trying 10 secure
prompt, thorough and eillcient work IN All
branches OF his department. lies III The I'm
possibility OF finding time 10 attend 10 the
legitimate administrative duties OF his po-
silIon, To give the proper amount OF
thought and study to the technical ques-
tions always before the Office, and at the
Sd me time to receive ana attend 10 the
steady stream OF persons VINO come IN 10
ask simple questions that could as well he
answered by any weii-lh1ormed cierh' 10
complain that something Is wrong dDOut d
sewer or water main, OF TO advocate I'M
proVementS that really require no arSu-
ment beyond the mere statement or the ap-
plicant that he would like the Improvement
made.
No case of this kind should by rights
ever go above the ground Hoor CT the DIS
trict building except on appeal; whereas IL
is OF almost daily occurrence that dppll-
cants OF this class reach the Office OF the
subsurface department only after having
consume the time of enc or more OF tie
Commissioners, and then only TO be re-
ferred to some head OF d division, or told
that their signatures to an application was
all that was necessary TO secure the re-
suit desired. Some more direct method OF
tranSacting TINS class OF business would
not only make it possible for heads OF de-
partmentS to devote their time to more
difficult work, but would also be Il great
convenience to the public.
To meet this difficulty as far as possible
IL has been made the duty of the permit
clerk TO receive ana forward to the proper
division all complaints with regard to
sewers, water service. street lamps, pave
ments or any other work under the En-
gineer Commissioners. A suitable system of
checks makes 1t easy for the assistant N
charge to satisfy himself that every such
complaint has reached the proper office and
received prompt attention. With view to
making ii possible for the permit clerk to