Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-23


to a sum equal to 5000 per mile of road <he
company should be again required to de-
posit per cent of its gross income until
the amount Of $500 per mile had been
reached In case the company failed ut
any time to deposit this per cent, when
required authority Should deSolve Upon
the Commissioners to enforce its collection.
Where track is used by more than one
company, the amount of six hundred dol
lars per mile to be deposited for this por-
ticn should be divided pIoportionaliy
among the companies using it.
1t is believed that this system, or one
similar to it, would enable the District
authorities to keep the pavement between
ard adjacent to street railway tracks in
proper condition, while the present method
is so ineffective that some If the streets
rear the center of the city have become
grass grown. owing to the traffic having
been diverted from them on account of the
bad condition of the pavement along the
car tracks.
The law is needed as much for the COM
panies occupying the county roads as for
tnoSe running through paved streets for
the necessity of keeping in good condition
the driveway between and adjacent to the
tracks is as important upon these roads as
upon the city streets. and in many cases
even more so, as there is no adjacent par
allel street or road free from tracks that
can be used. Upon nearly all of the main
highways occupied by street cars or trolley
lines the rails project above the surface of
across the tracks is impossible, and the
condition of affairs amounts to a practical
confiscation Of that portion of the road by
the company.
Pnvements and Alleys.
All pavements laid in alleys during the
year were of vitriied brick or asphalt
block, generally upon gravel base,
though where the traffic was exceptionally
heavy a concrete base was used. The
brick appears to make the better pave
ment for this use, as 1t resists the strong
liquids and other deeterious matter which
find their way to alley, better than
the asphalt of the blocks, which do not
wear so we'll here as in the streets. Where.
however. a majority of the property own
ers interested have requested that the
alley be paved with asphalt block, that
material has been used.
The Sidewalks.
Cement and brick walks were the only
kinds laid during the year. A number of
plank walks upon the outlying streets and
roads We're removed owing to their dam
gerous condition, and orders were given
not to put down any more of this material;
experiments are now being made with diff
ferent kinds Of cheap walks and 1t Is be-
ieved that something satisfactory for use
at small cost among the more important
outlying roads will be in use before the
season is over.
The county roads Of the District were
kept in as good repair during the year as
the funds In the possession Of the depart
ment would permit. but tho amount usually
appropriated is not sufficient to keep all
the roads in good condition and also put
in proper shape some of the longer and
more heavily Travelled thoroughfares which
have been gradually worn out so that a
renewal of their surface throughout their
whole length is needed. An instance of
this Is the Canal road running from M
n "a olo fho r;u
to the Chain bridge; 1t was macadamized
some years ago and still has good base
but the surface has entirely worn Off leav-
ing the roadway very uneven and also
very rough from projecting stones.
To put proper surface upon this road
will cost about $12.OOO. an amount tnat
cannot be spared to do this work, when
only $4,000 Is the total sum APPROPRIATED
for all the roads and streets not paved
with asphalt outside Of Florida avenue. and
1t Is already impossible to keep them in
proper shape with that sum- Hamilton
road Is In the same condition. and it. the
Canal road, 18th street road ami RiAdcIs-
burg road, Wisconsin avenue, or renley-
town road. Benning road and Connecticut
avenue extended, are also in a most dfiapi-
dated condition and a source Of constant
complaint; In short the main thoroughfares
are, without exception in an extremely bad
condition, and the minor roads are rapidly
approaching the same condition in spite of
an that can be done to prevent it with, the
preparations. and would recommend that
they be procured, if possible. -. ...y3a
Work ON Bridges. Fs
An increased appropriation is greatly
needed for this purpose. Formerly the
amount allowed for the bridges of the Dis,
tr1ct was $4,000 a year. The recent appNo-
priations have not been sufficient to Keep
the bridges in proper repair, and they are
rapidly deteriorating
The Navy Yard bridge across the East
ern branch has been recognized for sew
eral years to be in a weak condition and
totally inadequate for the travel put upon
IL, ana at present chartered railway
company is unable to operate it's cars with
Safety across it. Estimates have been sab
nitted Tor several years past for Il new
structure near the site of the present
bridge, at an estimated cost of $3.50, 900.
and l would urgently recommend that an
appropriation for this purpose be secured
II possible, and authority granted the
Commissioners to sell, to use at other To-
calities or to dispose Of the old bridge in
manner considered most advantageous
to the District
The plan for the new bridge contem-
plates steel girder bridge, with spans of
approximately fifty feet and a clearance of
twenty feet at low tide, which will readily
pc rmit tugs and barges to pass. Several
Of the spans of the old bridge should b.,
very advantageously used in bridging Rock
creek upon proposed roads and driveways
in Rock Creek Park; the length of span is
believed to be just about what could be
used.
During the year 2O,s62 feet, or 3.95 miles,
of main sewer were built and 71,JI5 feet.
Or 1885 miles, of new pipe sewers were
laid while 12,053 feet, or 2.2S miles, of .Je-
fective pipe sewers laid under the old
board of public works were replaced. This
made the total length Of main sewers in
the District on June 30 to be 429,369 feet.
or 81.3 miles, and of pipe sewers de-, sew
ers "a inches in diameter or smaller) to be
1,499,S11 feet, or 2S4.O6 miles.
During the year considerable progress
was made upon the Rock Creek intercept
ing sewer. When these two interceptors
are finished, which will be early during
the present working season, all will have
been accomplished for the sewage disposal
of the city that is possible prior to the
completion of the sewage disposal system,
with the exception of the building of the
east side intercepting sewer. The James
creek canal and the street canal must
remain the polluted ponds they now are,
and the insanitary condition along the
Anacostia and the entire eastern front
of the city must continue until the sewage
disposal system is completed. No further
relief will be possible
Mr.. McCOYnh sim iii of saxuaro