Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-16
orce of skilled laborers employed for their
jy16-th& tn, I'm

! force of skilled laborers employed for their
| proper maintenance
Much work is stu required i'm this beau
| tiful section of the city. The parks should
| all be surrounded by granite curbings; all
walks and roads should be of asphalt, the
| roads should have curbings and be proper
| ly drained. This is particularly true of !u-
| dietary Park. which covers an area Of about
twenty acres. and the gravel roads of
which are almost as much travelled as are
the adjacent streets. and equally subject to
! wear from heavily loaded teams. rendering
! 1t very difficult to maintain them in good
| condition for travel during the winter. The
| first cost of asphalt roads and granite curb
| ings would, Of course, be approximately
| large. but the subsequent saving in the
cost of their maintenance would In the
course of few years more than compen-
| safe for the original outlay.
I'm all the parks the lawn, tree and shrub
paintings should be well cared for and
| maintained In the highest degree Of excel
| lence. This will necessitate from time to
| time not only considerable trimming. but
the removal of occasional trees and shrubs
| where too thicSly planted. to secure future
| benefits not apparent to the casual OBJ
| server.
| Reservations East md South of the
| Capitol.
This division Of the city includes within
its limits the highly improved reservations
| known as Lincoln. Garfield, Folger, STAN
| ten and Marion Parks.
| ''lhe nnal improvements projected lOf
| Garfield Park, covering an area of about
| twenty-four acres, are nearing completion.
The main gravel road through this park.
! leading to Virginia avenue, is used as
| thoroughfare for heavy teams, which rem
ders it difficult to maintain it in good CON-
| dition during the winter season
| 1T is regretted that the reduced appTo-
! priationS will prevent the continuance of
| any extensive improvements. the amount
available being not more than sufficient to
maintain in good order the roads, walks,
| cutters, drains lawn surfaces, trees, shrubs
| and other improvements.
| stanton. Folger and Marion parks are
| highly improved, planted with choice speci-
| mems of trees and shrubs. and laid out with
| gravel paths. There are fountains in Stan
| ton and Folger parks. and Stanton Park
| contains the bronze equestrian statue of
| General Greene. The gravel walks in these
| reservations should be covered with as
| phalt.
I'm addition to these parks there are
| twenty-eight small public spaces. which
| have been partly improved and planted, and
| about 100 similar spaces at the intersection
of streets and avenues yet unimproved.
| THE increased prosperity of this section
| Of our city and the large number of private
Improvements in progress demand that still
more attention be given to beautifying the
| public spaces and increased appropra lions
are earnestly recommended for this rur-
| pose.
Lighting the Public Grounds.
| The grounds Immediately south of the
| Executive Mansion are Illuminated 10y cleo
trio lights. and during the coming year it
is anticipated that similar lights will be in
troduced into Lafayette. Franklin Judi
| ciary and Lincoln parks.
| 1T is earnestly hoped that this system
| will be extended to the Executive Mansion
| grounds, the monument and Smithsonian
| grounds. and to the various improved parks
| throughout thu city.
LAS soon the electro lights. for whic h
| provision has been made, are ready for SER
| vice. the gas lamps in Franklin, Lafayette
| Judiciary and Lincoln parks will pe dis
| continued.
| Seventy new boulevard lanterns and
| eighteen new lamp posts have been placed
in position during the year in the more inn
portant parks, and the old-fashioned lam
| terms removed"
| In regard to the telegraph line connecting
| the Capitol with the executive departments,
| Colonel Wilson says:
| The attention of Congress having been
invited to the great difficulty in operating
| the overhead telegraph system. owing to
| the growth of trees along the line which
| interrupts the electric currents, especially
| during wet and windy weather. an ;4ppro-
priation of sl,D0 has been made for
| improving the system, and during the fiscal
| and new wires run; ii is believed that this
| will temporarily overcome the existing diff
| ficulties, but 1t will not protect the lines
| from damage during gales.
THE necessity for replacing the poles