Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-26
Discussed at the Municipal Improve
ment Society's Convention.
COMMISSIONER WIGHT'S ADDRESS
Response by President Van Duyne
of the Association.
THE MEMBERS PRESENT

| opened this morning shortly after 10
| o'cio>k in the banquet hall of the Airing
| ton Hotel. The convention will last three
| days, during which time Il large number of
| interesting papers on sanitation and kim
| dred topics will be read.
| The society was called to order by Presi-
| dent Harrison Van Duyne of Newark, n.
j., who introduced District Commissioner
| Wight, who delivered an address of well
! come to the society.
| ut is always a pleasure said Mr.. Wight.
| Ito welcome to Washington those who care
to make this meeting place for their con-
ventions, but 1t is especially pleasant to
| welcome those who are making STUDY of,
and giving their time ana attention to, the
| subject of municipal Improvement. 1t is
| quite fitting that these VINO are inter ested
| in the general subject of municipal im-
| pIovement throughout the land should meet
| at the nations $ capital, and learn what is
| being done, and consider what is yet to be
| done IN the Improvement OF this beautiful
| city, because they not only have in
| terest in it, but they have also an owner
I ship in it.
I'm return fer the great benefits which
| it was believed that the establishment Of
The nation capital would bring to the To-
| cality, the generous original owners DO
| mated in effect about iive-siXths of all the
| territory TO the UniteQ States government,
| ana lilS people WnO4 you represent own
| more tnan % per cent of Washington real
| estate, including parks and reservations,
| but excluding streets and avenues, OF which
| the nation owns IT, Fer cent.
| Commissioner Wishts Address.
| You have duty. then, as well as an in
| terest in. the matter, for it needs all the
| help and all the brain that can be pro
| cured to properly develop the nations cap
| ital, SO as not to perpctuate errors of judS
| ment IN the aging out of highways parks
| and breathing spaces, as well as the more
Somber questions of sewage and other san
itary measures.
We are just the eve of celebrating
the first century of the citys history, but
| 1t should not be thought that Washing ton
has been growing for one hundred years..
| For three-quarters of a century there was
| almost no growth at all, and the evidence
| that you see about you in the improve
mentS of streets, sewers and electric rail-
roads have been the products of the last
| three decades. 1t is the earnest desire of
| those who are administering the municipal
affairs of this beautiful capital, with
| superb suburbs, that II should in every way
| be worthy of the great nation which CEN
| ters all its political interests here, and
where,- too, there are fast gathering the
| educational, social and literary interests
which go to make up all that is best in Il
community.
Mr.. Wight referred to Washington as
distinctly i residential city. but said it
would probably surprise the society to
know that the last census showed that this
city is fourteenth in proportion to the pop
ulatlon in the list OF manufacturing cities
of the country. He spoke of the great
power at the Great Falls that might be
utilized for manufacturing purposes. Mr.
Wight explained the fiscal system of the
District of Columbia, and also of the man.
ner in which 1t is governed Speaking of
the improvements of the city he said:
Plans are now perfected by which the
steam railroads will remove their tracks
from the streets and do away with the OBJ
Jectionable and deadly grade crossings;
I the. unsightly and unhealthy Eastern
branch flats, which are such a menace TO
health, are soon to be reclaimed: a recent
law of Congress will enable us, within a
very short time. to compel every house to
be connected with running water and sup
piled with the latest sanitary conditions;
a careful study is being made of the SUBJ
Ject, with the expectation that soon Iegis-
iaton will be passed enabling US to take
down every overhead wire that now exists,
and put under ground"
The Response.
Commissioner Wights address of well
come was responded to by President Van
Duyne in appropriate words. He referred
to previous annual meetings of the society.
Speaking of the practical work that had
been accomplished by the society Mr. Van
Duyne said:
AT the convention held last year our
committee on street paving recommended,
among other things, that where a contract
or was required 10 guarantee his work for
term OF years, especially in asphalt pave
ment' the condition of the pavement at the
end of the term should be specifically
stated. The city of Newark this year part
ly adopted these suggestions. and instead
OF paving with asphalt under Specfica-
tons calling for Gve-year guarantee
with indefinite requirements now re-
CURES ten-year guarantee under
bonds given by a responsible trust com
pany, and the exact condition in which
me pavement is to be at the end of that
term in order to be accepted is stated.
Under the Old specifica tions for several
years only Trinidad lake asphalt was used.
Last year the bidders were limited to four
di1erent Kinds and this year, under the
more severe and definite specifications, the
door was thrown wide open to all asphalts
any responsible company or individual
giving approved bonds is given the contract
provided the bid is the lowest
The first asphalt laid in Newark was i'm
the year $780, and from that time until
1894 IT cost about $2.S5 per yard This was
laid by the Barber Asphalt Company and
the price got down to S225 per ward and
this year, with the ten-year guarantee
but open to all, the price has been about
sloo per yard. The city, however, agrees
10 pay IN addition to that amount 25 cents
per yard for the second term of five years
for maintenance and repairs.
I'VE have also required this year a five
year guarantee on oblong granite block
has been reduced from about $3.50 per
yard in 1893 and 1894 to $50 per yard this
year when laid on sand, and in like pro-
portion when laid In concrete Perhaps l
should add that New York city only nine
miles away, stopped almost entirely its
paving work this year, and that may have
helped to reduce the price to the neighbor-
ing cities.
Progress in the Cities.
In all our progressive cities. and we all
want to be considered progressive, the con-
ditions are now entirely different from ff
teen years ago. Even Washington at that
time, or a little earlier, had an unenyiable
reputation for the condition of its streets.
and a number of other cities gloried in
their cobblestone pavements.
But the great advance made during the
last few years in city development has
taken a large amount of money the an
Lual outlay for expenses has been greatly
increased, municipal bonds are becoming
a burden, and as a natural result there is
such an increase in the tax rate as to cause
alarm to many citizens.
During this same time in all our cities