Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02

q l.
means at their disposal would permit. 1t Is
contemplated to make additional improve
ments as rapidly as the revenues from the
market. or appropriations for the purpose,
will allow.
Excise Board.
The important and delicate duties OF the
excise board have been performed with in
telligence and due regard to the public in
terests.
The knowledge as to the locations of bar
rccms and their surroundings gained by
this board in the discharge of their duties
as assessors peculiarly fit them to act as
an excise board.
of the board to prevent the sale of adulter-
ated and poisonous liquors, and to reduce
the number of bar rooms, and invite atten-
ton to their report hereto appended, con-
tanning valuable Information and recon-
| mendations. which are also approved.
Hnrbor Master.
There was used of the 5000 appropriated
for cleaning the river of ice last winter
when an ice gorge was imminent the sum
of s.. 1890. leaving an unexpended balance
| of $1.517.31.
This necessary expenditure calls forcible
attention to the urgent necessity for a new
Earbor boat. large enough to serve as an
ice boat and fire boat, as well as for polio
ing the harbor. Such boat is considered
Indispensable to the proper preservation of
| life and property in all harbors At pres
ent we are limited to the use of small
trgboat. which, in addition to being old. is
almost wholly unsuited to the duty re-
quired of 1t. The Commissioners have In
cluded in their estimates $4,000 for new
boat.
Street and Alley improvements.
Nearly $1,000 square yards of sheet or
block asphalt were laid on roadways prin-
| cipally in Washington. The area of asphalt
at the beginning of the fiscal year, inciud-
| ing somo remaining coal-tar payements.
| vas about 100000 yards. About 90
| 600 square yards of vitriied block or asphalt
block were laid on alleys.
The prices for standard sheet asphalt. due
| to active competition. were the smallest
yet obtained being $153 and S1.6S per
square yard on four-inch and six-inch con-
| crete, respectively, exclusive of grading.
| I he prices for asphalt block were SITS and
| S.25 per square yard. on gravel and con-
| crete. respectively. The contract prices for
| 1886 are $1.94 and s219 for sheet asphalt
/ SQUARE yard. From each of these prices i've
| cents should be deducted for comparison
with previous years prices. since wages of
| inspectors proportionate to that amount
/ are. by the last specifications, charged
| against the contract cost About 5000
square yards of sheet asphalt were laid
upon eobbie old stone or macadam base.
1t Is contemplated to make more extended
| use of existing cobble and old stone pave
ments by covering them with asphalt.
The street mileage on July l. 1895. of
| smooth pavementS was 1l64; of standard
| granite block or vitrified brick. 29.6; ma
cadam. Is. and cobble or old stone, IA
On alleys the mileage of smooth pave
ments was pa. and of granite block or
| cobble, 3l.5.
The mileage of unimproved streets In
| Washington was 7S.2. Owners Of property on
many OF these streets are urgently demand
| ing pavements OF, at least grading and
| regulating. The annual appropriations for
| street improvements for the last four years,
| inclusive of 1896. averages $4,000; the
| average for the preceding four years was
| $6OU.OO0. Now that the laying of water
| mains and sewers in Washington is well
| advanced. and since a late law secures the
| making of service connections with premises
when the street is about to be paved there
| Is additional reason for more rapidly extend
ing the paving than done in the past few
| years
| Nearly 10000 square yards of concrete
| walk were laid during the year. or more than
| the whole amount for the five years preced-
ing. The mileage has increased in a little
| greater proportion than the area on account
of the later policy of leaving nearly contin-
| uouS tree spaces on residential streets. The
| contract price for this pavement was S1.ii
| per square yard; the contract price for 1876
| Is 81 S} per square yard About $1,000 square
yards have been laid since July /. 1895.
| About 10000 square yards of brick side
| walk were laid, at an average cost of sew
| enty cents per square yard and generally
/ upon new or partly improved streets The
assessment and permit law OF 1891. under
| which sidewalks are laid and alley improve
| ments made. and a half cost to owners of
| abuttins property, has generally proved sat
isfactory.
The repair of Observation-Disclosures, alley
| and brick sidewalks-is an extensive work
although effort is made to curtail cuts In
| paVements to secure excellence of work in
| first construction.
Street Trees and District Parks,
The trees along the curbs number about
1900; these were partly cared for, the ap-
preparation having been too limited for full
service. Six hundred and forty new trees
| were planted. and $50 dead or obstructins
| trees removed.
| Special care is taken in selecting spacing,
| planting and protecting the trees. The i'm
| peryiouS pavements are becoming so extern
| sive that they retard the growth of the
| trees. 1t is considered desirable to give
| ample tree spaces, cultivate them around
| young trees and improve the spaces between
| trees: these betterments We're made as far
as practicable with available funds.
Operations of this service are under the
| advice of commission of three experienced
aruoriculturists. who serve voluntarily, and
| without compensation. and to whom the
| public are much indebted for their aid in
establishing and preserving the street trees;
| beauty, comfort and even healthfuness OF
| Washington.
The District has thirty-six small parks, a
| very few of which have been partly i'm
| proved. 1t is desired to replan and improve
| the District park north of the Center Mar
| ket. for doing which an amount is included
| in the estimates for 1897.
Water Service.
| Nearly twenty-five miles of water mains
were laid, exclusive of replaced mains along
| street railway conduits and of connections
to fire hydrants and premises. More than
one-half of the mains were laid in Washing.
| ten.
A 0,OO0-g gallon high-duty pumping en-
| CINE. with two boilers was furnished and
| Partly erected at the street pumping sta
| ton. under contract by the Nordberg Man
| ufacturing Company of Milwaukee The
| erection of the engine has since been COM
| pleted, the engine and boilers tested. accept
| cd and put in service.
| New plans and specifications for the high
| service reservoir at Fort Reno were drawn.
| The masonry construction of the reservoir
| has been commenced since the end of the
| fiscal year, and is now nearing completion
| Additional land was purchased at the Z
| street station for storage ground and future