Evening star., 1895-08-07
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Col Wilson's Report Of Work Done During
the Month of July.
Repairs Made In the Execu-
tive MansfOn-ImprOvem to
the Parks and Reservations.

COL j. M. Wilson has made q report to
Gen. Craighill, chief of engineers, of opera
tions on public buildings and grounds dur
Ing the month Of July. Various repairs and
improvements were made to the Executive
Mansion. The library ceiling has been re-
papered and the frescoed ceilings in the
cabinet room and the Presidents office have
been touched up where dfngy or damaged.
The ceiling Of the little reception room on
the parlor floor has been replastered and
papered and the room repafnted. The fur
niture in the blue parlor has been reup-
holstered. A new door has been placed be-
tween the blue and red parlors and the
wall decorations repaired and renewed
where necessary. All the portraits in the
main corridor and red parlor have been
overhauled. cleaned and vanished and the
frames backed. The elevator has been
overhauled and put in complete order. A
new bookcase has been placed in one of the
Office rooms. The entire heating apparatus
has been cleaned and overhauled, and re-
pairs made to the various rooms on the
basement floor.
The Prcsidents once.
The Presidents office, the library, the
cabinet room, the telegraph office and
rooms in the private part of the house have
been repainted, and the remainder Of the
woodwork touched up and painted or var
nished where necessary. The same was
done in the east room. On the north front.
the window sills, brackets, water table
around building, the lower portion of the
columns, etc., and all the brownstone work
have been repainted. The stables were
overhauled and their lighting facilities ex-
tended. Extensive repairs were made to
the conservatory. the woodwork of which
is in a weak and decayed condition.
The Washington Monument.
Tbara 1,ara TX oA1 x,isitora fo tho ion of
the Washington monument during the
month, of which number 1882 made the
ascent by the elevator. and 4.409 by the
stairway, making a total Of 1,113.36I per-
sens who have visited the top since the
shaft was opened to the public October 8.
1888 Col. Wilson reports that vandals have
again been at work, and not only defaced
one of the mural tablets by breaking on a
piece, but they have also Clipped small
piece from the outside of the monument.
The man who committed the !ast-naned
offense was caught in the act. and when
arrested had the piece of stone in his
pocket, but when the case was brought to
trial it was dismissed.
War Department Omces.
All the buildings occupied as offices by
the War Department are reported to be in
good and safe condition for the purposes
for which they are being used. except the
War Department printing Office. on F
street between 18th and 18th streets. While
that building is not in a dangerous condi-
tion, Col Wilson is of opinion that 1t
should be thoroughly oyerhauled and re-
paired where necessary. The building was
originally erected and used for q private
dwelling, and Col Wilson says it should
have been thoroughly overhauled and rear
ranged before heavy printing presses were
placed in 1t.
New Green Houses.
The construction of the large District
sewer through the grounds south Of the
Executive Mansion Is reported to have
greatly marred the beauty of the park and
temporarily spoiled the drive around the
ellipse. Extensive repairs Of green houses
on South B strset were commenced. The
decayed superstructure of houses Nos.
ard was removed and the skeleton Of a
Few superstructure erected, tine two houses
being turned into one. Material was pre-
pared for a new superstructure for house
No 6. Repairs were made to green houses
8 and IL. An excavation was also made
for a new propagating house, to be 120 feet
long by feet wide. with stoke hole
14x1Ox5k.
In the Parks.
In the Smithsonian grounds S75 square
yards Of asphalt pavement were repaired
and resurfaced. mostly on the main road
leading from the National Museum to 18th
street and on the road between the museum
and the Smithsonian. In Henry Park the
grading Of the large mound just west of
the Pennsylvania railroad depot was con-
tinued. This entire mound will be COM
pleted this season and sown with grass seed
and planted with trees and shrubs. The
pedestais of the statues of Washington,
Dupont, FarraSut and Mcpherson have
been repointed and repaired. Arrangements
have been made for cleaning the statues
in all the reservations. The Improvement
of the reservation at the southeast corner
Of 14th street and Pennsylvania avenue
has been continued. A granite curbing has
been placed around 1t. water and sewer
pipes introduced and worthless and decay
ing trees removed. 1t is intended to further
improve this reservation by laying asphalt
" alks, constructing fountain and plant
Ing ornamental trees and shrub.
The Capitol Spring.
The Capitol spring pipe line has been
opened from the reservoir to v street north
west a distance Of about 1000 feet, and the
entire pipe encased in concrete. Several de-
fective lengths Of pipe were replaced This
work was rendered necessary from the fact
that the line passed through low ground
which is being brought to grade and built
over. Col. Wilson says that in time 1t
would have been inaccessible. The work
will be continued this month, and the direc-
ton Of the line will be changed, SO as to
avoid buildings. The entire pipe els to be
uncovered and examined all the way to the
Capitol.