Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-06
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Col Wilson's Report Of Operations During
the Month of February.
Minor Repairs and Refurnfshins Mt
the White HOuse-Why the Snow
Could Not Be Removed.

Col ]. NJ Wilson has made report of
operations on public buildings and grounds
during the month of February to Gen.
Casey, chief Of engineers He says that
minor repairs have been made to the heat
ing, lighting and plumbing arrangements
of the Executive Mansion. The storm
houses, otherwise known as sentry boxes,
have been taken down and stored for the
summer. The same has been done with the
storm canopies that were used during the
winter receptions A new set of furniture
has been placed in the lower corridor of
the White House. The old set had been
there for many years and was in bad con-
dition. The large mirrors in the main cor
ridor have been rehung and the brackets
upon which they rested have been replaced.
The brackets previously used had been
pulled from the wall by persons standing
or sitting upon them during the evening
receptions. Some of the large paintings
have also been rehung. The portrait Of
Mrs. Dollie Madison, painted by Andrews.
has been removed to the Corcoran Gallery
of Art 1t had been loaned to the WHITE
House with view to its purchase by the
government. 1t hung in the east room for
several months.
The Washington Monument.
Col Wilson says that the Washington
monument has been maintained in very
good condition and that the elevator has
been regularly inspected and reported per-
fectiy SAFE During the month 1888 per-
sons visited the top of the monument, 6,4Ol
ascending by the elevator and / ,5S2 by the
stairway, making a total Of 1,052.992 per-
sons who have assembled the shaft since 1t
was first opened to the public. October
8, 1883.
Parks and Reservations.
All the parks and reservations received
their usual care and attention during the
month and are reported in good condition.
Owing to the violent and heavy snow
storms the appropriation for the removal
of snow and ice from the public reserva-
lions was exhausted early in the month.
Application was made to the controller Of
the treasury for permission to use the ap-
preparation for ''abating nuisances' for
clearing away the snow. The controller
decided that 1t could not be done. There
fore it was not possible, according to Col
Wilson, to keep the sidewalks as clean AS
their Importance demanded. The storms
also rendered many of the roads and paths
in the principal reservations almost fla-
passable. Every effort was made, however,
to clear away the snow, but, owing to the
early exhaustion of the appropriation, 1t
was found impossible to accomplish all
that was necessary rapidly as was de-
sired. Nearly $50 panes of glass in the
green houses were broken by the violence
of the storm. but. luckily, the damage to
the stock was trivial. Travel was tenn
porarily impeded by snow in the monu-
ment grounds. the Smithsonian, Henry
and Stanton Parks, Garfield. Lincoln, Fol-
ger and Marion Parks, but at the close of
the month all were in their usual con Ii
ton, roads, paths. cutters and traps being
in good order.
Plant Propagation.
The propagation of subtropical and bed
ding plants for use in the parks was con-
unued. and a large number of young
plants were shifted to larger pots for open
decorative purposes. The plank walks in
the monument grounds were repaired, and
800 linear feet of board walk were pre-
pared for putting In position at an early
day.
During the month the draughtsman has
been engaged in exhibiting old records Of
the District to parties interested in land
titles; in preparing blue prints of plans
for an extension of the government print
ing office, and in preparing list showing
all the lots originally the property of the
United States. which have been sold dur
ing the past 100 years.