Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-11

lite block are In better shape than might
be expected by those who are acquainted
with tie management Of that corporation.
Grass I'm the Streets.
Here and there along the Belt route can
be found green GASES in the desert of hum
mocky pavement: nice little crops of green
grass. and generally located between the
tracks. Up to this time the grass has not
been lor enough to obstruct the passage
of vehicles, but it would undoubtedly have
teen much longer than 1t is had the Belt
horses been sufficiently fed in their stables.
Any one who has ever enjoyed full view
of two Belt line hide-bound motors pushing
each other around in their endeavors to
get mouthful or two of 18th street grass,
while the semi-oecasional passenger was
getting On or OF the car, to wait for an
other car, is not likely soon to forget the
impression made by the hunger of the ami
mais and the emerald hue Of the fodder
But the agricultural palm-the prize for
urban grass-growing-must be awarded to
the Capital Traction Company. 1t might
reasonably be supposed that the Belt Eek
ington or Anacostia companies would have
cable company possibly could but 1t can
essily be established by the testimony of
unbiased witnesses that in the area the
quantity, the length of the grass and the
quality Of the crop all the honors must be
awarded to the Capital Traction Company
The traction company's principal meadow
Is southeast OF the Capitol, en- street
/ There the yerdrre is positively .luxuria nt
swaying-to and fro in the breezes and bend
lEg low. in. response to the movements of
the car lenders AS yet no car has been
grass bound, but it ISL My question of
Tune when the tough stalks and the gran
ue-bedded roots must hinder traffic con-
s'derably and perhaps tie Up the road
Along Pennsylvania aver ue east the grass
&C mes up in places, generally between the
rail- and the asphalt. but the quantity Is
rot very great. The green streak is how
ever, quite conspicuous and Philadelphia
like.
Bad Paving in the Southeast.
There is goodly grass crop within the
jurisdiction oe the Anacostia company.
Some Of it is to be found on street
southeast between 1st and I'd streets; the
remainder is scattered along the route If
the grass could only be properly placed
the reputation of the Anacostia road for
scenic attractiveness would be considerably
enhanced, for there are several stretches
where the presence of grass would conceal
some OF the worst paving in the District.
mere are better trails in the klondike
through which the Anacostia morse and the
equally deliberate Ana costa car wend their
lcgubrious way. The paving between the
tracks at 4th and G streets southeast fer
example is vile. but 1t is no worse than
the paving for which the railroad company
Is rot responsible; it is all about as bad as
IL be.
In the matter of paving the Metropolitan
company is not so very much of sinner.
1t is, however, given to deliberation in re-
pairing the cuts made alongside the rails
to permit the Tightening uD Of rail joints.
Inc practice is to cut oJt the asphalt in as
neg rly as possible a solid block and then
after the joint has been adjusted. to put
the loose asphalt back in the hole and
let it stay there without further treatment
for as lengthy period the authorities
VIII permit. Within week the COM
pany has been attending to some of the
neglected places, so that the corpany's
pavement is, as whole, in good condition.
1t might be trif1e better on IL street,
where Belgian block is used, and il prob
ably will he IL the District authorities con-
tinue to stir up the officials of the read
with real sharp stick.
Too Much Patchwork.
1.-The asphalt pavement between and adj
jacent to the tracks of the Capital Trac-
ticn Company on its Pennsylvania avenue
and 14th street lines is, as a rule, defect
i've. 1t was good once but the wear and
-tear consequent upon heavy traffic has di-
yoroed the asphalt from the rail and has
spoiled the street surface within the strip
Of railroad territory. More CT less of re-
pairing is always going on-mainly at the
joints-and the result is a thing of ''shreds
and patches" Here and there are holes
large enough to attract attention; certainly
rye enough to be dangerous TO some kinds
of traffic.
The Columbia Company's crossings need
locking after in several places, notably
along II street between ith street north
west ard North Capitol streets. Elsewhere
the Columbia'S share of the street surface
is in fairly good shape.
The suburban roads are apparently I'M
interested in the paving proposition; they
run just about as they please ard either Fay
attention to the paving between their
tracks or do not, as they think best for
their own interests. When grass and weeds
spring up between the rails the situation
is accepted gracefully; when, for some
reason or other, for which the companies
are in no sense responsible, there is no
Nerdure, the deprivation is borne without
grumbling.
The Remedy Proposed.
3. Capt Lansing W. Beach, the engineer
officer in charge of street paving and street
railway matters, has plan which he be-
lieves would work admirably. What the
railway companies will think of it is some
thing to guess at. Captain Beach wants
Congress to require the companies to pay
in to the District treasury a small but
specified percentage of their receipts, the
whole to form fund from which the Dis
trict may draw such moneys as may be
peeced to keep the railroads share of the
paving in good condition. Whenever, the
amount contributed by any company should
so above certain altitude the taxation for
paving would cease and would not be re-
Eewed until the minimum-to be agreed
upon-should be reached. With such an
arrangement as that in operation the re-
pairing Of railway pavements could be
promptly and economically attended to-
There need not be any delay, nor would
there be any such exhibitions of red tape
as are now tee common. And there would
be no grass between the tracks.
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Atlantic City vim II. and O.