Evening star., 1896-08-06
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Arrangements Made for Caring for Them
During the Present Fiscal Year.
Repairs Made to the Executive MAN.
sion-Franklin Park Spring Clean
ed Out Other Matters.


cutting the provisions Of the acts of Con-
gress for the maintenance and improve
ment Of these public places during the
present fiscal year. He says that minor re-
pairs and improvements were made during
the past month at the Executive Mansion.
The entire exterior of the mansion was
thoroughly washed. q steam engine being
used for that purpose. The large table. the
small tables and the sideboards in the state
dining room were scraped and refinished
and forty dining room chains were repaired
and regimped. The silver drawers in the
private dining room were partitioned and
lined. The electric light plant was over
hauied and all the wires and fixtures were
put IN good condition. The usual care was
extended to the large collection of plants,
ana many OF them were repOtted for winter
use. The propagation of foliage and decora-
1--WE plants was continued.
Washington Monument
There were 1882 visitors to the top of
the monument during the past month, of
which number 2.63O ascended by the ele-
vator and 4.1s2 by the stairway, making
total Of 1.2S1. .0S9 persons who have visit
ed the top of the monument since 1t was
hrst opened to the public. October 0. 1888.
certain works Of improvement are in
progress at the Ford's Theater building on
10th street for the purpose of providing a
room for an electric storage battery This
work consists of cutting several openings
Tor ventilating purposes. the construction
OF a brick retaining wall and the laying of
brick pavement in the basement. The
work is nearly completed.
At the War Department printing office,
ITO F street. work has been begun for the
reconstruction of the annex, painting the
building, laying new floors and Introducing
new heating apparatus. The work is con-
quoted by days labor. Openings have been
maue TO permit the transfer Of the heavy
printing presses to the main building while
the reconstruction Of the annex is under
way.
ton OF Washington Monument Park was
commenced last month. and two roads
We're laid out and partially constructed.
ieadlng from near 18th and B streets to
the monument. These roads were excavat
ed to width Of thirty feet for a length OF
ool 1eet. All storage piles on the grounds
VIII be removed to the flats west of the
month. thus compiling the grading of
these grounds.
The Smithsonian Grounda
In the Smithsonian grounds the work n,
improvement around the pedestal for the
Gross statue has been nearly completed.
walk south Of the pedestal, one hum
been prepared for asphaIting. The asphalt
roads in the Smithsonian grounds will he
repaired this month. Lines have been laid
out for asphalt walks in Lincoln and STAN
ton parks. and they will be laid this month
Inc main road near the south balcony of
the Executive Mansion has been graded for
asphalting over an area of two hundred
yards. and the gravel removed for use In
otner localities. One OF the largest trees
IN the south grounds. which has been slow
iy dying for the PAST fifteen years, was cut
down few days ago. and the greater nor
ton of the roots found to he dead dma
probably to the presence of an underground
electric wire placed there in 1881
Col; wilson says that the grounds occu-
pied by the Christian Endeavor convention
were cut up by wagons and horsemen and
trampled by thousands Of people. doing con-
siderable damage. At the close of the
charge promptly removed the tents and
poles. cleared up all refuse and restored
the grounds as nearly as possible to their
former condition without expense to the
United States.
The Propagatfng Gardens.
The propagation Of ferns and geraniums
was continued at the greenhouses and
nurseries, and about 1900 plants-smthx.
violets. allysium and carnations-were set
out for winter use. About LOO plants
were sent out for use In the parks to re-
place those stolen or destroyed About 200
gold fish have been placed in the various
fountain basins in the parks. The new
fountain basin in the reservation at the
corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 14th
street has been lined with Portland cement
and the water turned on.
The asphalt roadway in Judiciary Park
has been extended, and the asphalt walks
repaired. The asphalt walks in LAFAYETTE
and, Farragut parks have also been repaired
New asphalt walks have been laid in Mt
Vernon Park, and the improved reservations
at New York avenue and 10th street and at
Massachusetts, avenue and 5th street Col
Wilson says that this class of work will be
continued in several of the other improved
and west of the Capitol during the present
month.
Two fountain Jets which had been stolen
were replaced. TT seems almost incred-
be persons SO mean and contemplate that
they would willfully destroy or steal parts
of these fountains. which give so much
pleasure to their fellow-beings."
Franklin Park Spring.
The spring In Franklin Park was cleaned
out last month. Six inches of mud were
removed and replaced with clean gravel
The supply feeding the spring is SO small
says Col. Wilson. that the water no longer
runs to the Executive Mansion. The entire
pipe line was flushed with Potomac water
and an abundant supply delivered at the
mansion. showing. Col Wilson says, that
the fault was not in the pipes.
Proposals were invited during the
month";" says Col Wilson, ''for lighting
with electricity Lafayette, Franklin. Judi
ciary and Lincoln parks. No action will be
taken pending the investigation by the
Commissioners of the District as to their
authority to grant permits for laying con-
duts. and SO forth, in the streets and
avenues of the city,"
An arrangement has been made for the
erection of new long poles for the tele-
graph lines connecting the Capitol with the
various executive departments to replace
the short poles now in position, many Of
which, Col. Wilson says, are in dangerous
condition. The new poles will be delivered
by August 81, and erected during the month
of September.
HORRIBLE SCENE.