Evening star., 1898-10-25

to support the ends of the two spans rest
ing on the pier, was repaired The Golfer
dam was also repaired and pumped out.
The trestle towers of the false work which
rest upon the crib work Of the cofferdam,
were blocked up by means of square piles
driven to the rock and capped and secured
to the crib. and by blocking between the
crib timbers On account Of the war be.
tween the United States and Spain, and the
probability that the Aqueduct bridge might
need to be kept fully open for the maxi
mum traffic of which it was capable, it was
considered advisable to Temporarily sus-
pend the work Of removal ofupier No. T.
The contractors said they considered them
selves absolved from performing any fur
ther work, and withdrew their employees
from the care and maintenance of the cof-
ferdam and false work Of the bridge. The
contract was annu1led by authority of the
department, May p, 1893.
In May the ends of the bridge spans were
substantially and securely blocked I'D with
rubble masonry laid in Portland cement
mortar and the granite bridge seats and
the shoes replaced. After the masonry had
substantially set the ends OF the spans
were lowered into position. This work of
blocking up, ETC., was done by hired labor,
The balance available is $57 ,2S5.1 r.
Defenses of WashinRton.
In regard to the defenses of Washington,
d. c., Gen. Wilson saysi
"At the close of the previous fiscal year
disappearing carriages had been completed
and the guns mounted, and operations were
in progress upon an additional emplace-
ment for a ten-inch gun on disappea ring
carriage, and for three emplacements for
eght-inch guns on disappearing carriages,
the latter by contract under the provisions
of the act of June 6, 1885, At the close of
the fiscal year all the foregoing emplace-
ments were completed and the guns
mounted ready for service.
Two sections of experimental parapets
" ere constructed, cne of sand with a re-
tanning wall Of steel rails; the other of
the type form, with view to testing their
relative efficiency under the fire of a ten
inch gun.
"A concrete cable tank was built during
the year and torpedo storehouse nearly
completed for the storage of cable and
other material required for the submarine
mir e defenSeS.
"Emplacements for two ten-inch guns on
disappearing carriages were authorized. At
the close Of the fiscal year the ten-inch
emplacements were well advanced and
ready for their armament. The emplacs-
ments for two fuur-inch rapid-fre guns
were nearing completion and their arma-
ment was being put in position.
Submarine mines were planted in the
channel, and the mine fields patrolled and
kept in effective condition"
White House and Parks
care and such repairs and improvements as
the funds available would admit Every eff
fort has been made to maintain the Wash
ington Monument and its machinery in
good condition
AT the propagating gardens and nursery
repairs We're made to the greenhouses and
other buildings, about SOC, 900 plants propa-
gated for use in the public parks and
new greenhouse constructed.
The area of asphalt pavements in the
parks has been extended by the construc-
ton of 40 square yards of asphalt roadway
and 1,622 square yards of asphalt footwalk
and S6D12 square yards of asphalt roadway
and 10l41a square yards of asphalt foot
walks have been repaired and resurfaced.
Three of the small unimproved triangular
reservations in northeastern section of the
city have been partially improved
Attention is invited to the detailed report
of the officer in charge and to his estimates
and recommendations for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1900. These estimates ag-
gregate S1Si S46.
The AnacOstfa Flats.
Regarding the project for the improve
ment OF Anacostia river and the recIama-
ton of its flats, the necessary SURVEYS and
examinations of the ground and inspection
of maps and records are in progress and a
report and project will be rendered early in
the coming fiscal year. a. =