Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01

questionable feasibility from an engineer
ing standpoint. Col. Allen suggested the
whole bridge and superstructure in case it
is proposed to subject it to any additional
weight or strain. The matter is still under
consideration by Congress.
According to the District Commissioners
the appropriation for the ordinary care
and repair of bridges has been for some
years too small to permit any but the most
necessary repairs to be made, and these
in the most economical manner possible.
! They say that limit has now been reach
ed which cannot be passed with safety,
as several of the bridges are in danger
Gus condition, requiring repairs beyond the
means of the Commissioners.
In the last appropriation act the Com
missioners were directed to obtain by
competition plans for bridge across Rock
creek on the line of Connecticut avenue
extended. These plans have been prepared
and will be submitted to Congress with de-
tailed estimates in a few days. The work
of widening street bridge over Rock
| creek, as provided for in the last appropria-
ton act, is now practically finished.
Under the act of Congress approved May
IS. 1896 the Capital Railway Company
was authorized to run its lines operated
by electricity across the Navy Yard bridge
The District Commissioners thought the
bridge was not sufficiently strong for such
a use. and Capt. Black. the Engineer Com
missioner, recommended that the bridge be
replaced by more modern structure. The
railroad company contend that 1t will be
impossible for them to operate their cars
on the bridge by the underground system
of electricity, and is endeavoring to Sc
cure the passage of an act of Congress
which will enable them to use over
head trolley system on the bridge
The dilapidated Long bridge continues
to disgrace the national capital, and 1t is
a source Of regret that at the end of the
year 1t was even in worse condition than
it was at the beginning. Luckily the wear
passed without a freshet and the city
rod yvh hat mig ha rrn q
rious disaster through the dammng up
of the river by the Long bridge. The brick
makers and others who have occasion to
make frequent of the Long bridge
in their business have again pettioned
the authorities to compel the railroad COM
pany in control to put the approaches and
Causeways of the bridge in at least pass
able condition. The matter is now in the
hands of Col Allen of the Corps OF Engi-
neers, who will endeavor to compel the
railroad company to live up to it's charter
and KEEP the bridge in good condition.
The Public Schools.
The year was marked by commendable
activity in the public schools and excellent
results were accomplished. 1t has been
truly said that our people have just pride
in the high standard of efficiency which
has teen maintained in every department or
their system of public instruction. new
feature which has received their special
CONNIE ndation has been that of manual
training. and the board of school trustees
is receiving general support In It's e1orts
to secure the establishment of manual
training high school as necessary ADJUNCT
to the present system
The daily enrolment of pupils during the
year averaged about $3.50, being an in
crease of about 500 as compared with the
previous year. OF this number $1,000 were
white 1850 colored u 900 males and D.
800 females. There are now 11o1 teachers,
an increase of thirty-six over the preceding
.I,, mi 70 inl
of the board of trustees occurred during
the year. Mrs. NJ b. Tulloch succeeded
Mrs. l.. r. Stowell as trustee for the sixth
division: Mr. Ellis Spear succeeded DR.. A:
H. Wilmer as trustee in the seventh and
eighth divisions; Rev. S. N. Brown sue
ceeded DIR. f. ]. Shadd in the seventh and
eighth divisions DIR. G. Fl. Richardson sue
cceded Mr.. l.. A Cornish in the eleventh
division and MIR. Thos II. Wright sue
ceeded Mr.. B. X. Bruce as trustee for the
9th division. The hold-over trustees are
Messrs Barnard. Harries. Whelpley, Hazen.
Wilson and Mrs. Terrell.
The appointment of Messrs. Brown and
Richardson trustees of the colored
schools provoked considerable discussion
among the colored people, and a strong
appeal was made to the District Commits
sioners to reconsider their action in this
matter. The agitation finally died out. how
ever. and the appointments were allowed
to stand.
In January last Dr. F.. r. Lane was ap-
PORTED principal of the high schools. and
has faithfully discharged the duties of that
Office ever since. Miss Eva May Pitts.
teacher in the Central High School, was
dropped from the rolls for insubordina-
ton in June last. Before the opening of
the present school term the board of trus-
tees merged the two branches of the Nor
NAL School into one and established 1t in
the Franklin building. Up to that time
one branch of the school was located in
the Franklin building and the other in the
De nnison building. proposition to locate
1,ta al, II tha
building was defeated by the school trus-
tees at their meeting in May. At later
meeting the board decided in favor of foot
ball playing in the public schools under
certain restrictions in the line of safety
to the players.
Fair progress was made during the year
in the movement for additional school ia
cilities to meet the growing demands of the
District The Walfach building, on D
street between 18th and Sth streets. the old
est of the modern school buildings. was
tir"ly reconstructed and reOpened for
school purposes, with additional accommo-
dations The original building was first
occupied in 1864. The Anthony Bowen
school for colored children, corner 9th and
+ streets, was also rebuilt and enlarged.
and is once more in use for educational
purposes. An effort was made to secure
the removal of this school to another To-
cation in South Washington. but 1t failed.
The only new school building in the city
opened during the year is the Hayes
school, at the corner of 9TH and K streets
northeast. 1t is an eight-room building of
approved design and construction. Other
buildings in the county opened during the
year are the Langdon, a four-room build
ing at Langdon the Reservoir school, a
four-room building on the Conduit road,
and the Chevy Chase school, a four-room
building near Chevy Chase just inside the
District limits The brick building at Con-
gress Heights was remodeled from a four
room to an eight-room building by the adj
dition of another story. The increased ia
cilities gained by these new and recon-
structed buildings resulted in material re-
duction in the number of halliday schools
and consequently in better school accom-
modations for the pupils. The construc-
ton OF the Western High School building
at the corner of Both and T streets is well
under way. 1t is now under roof and will
be completed and ready for occupancy
early this year.
At recent meeting of the school trus-
tees II was decided to create the office
OF musical director of the colored schools
and Mrs. Alice Strange Davis was APP
pointed to the place as the result Of a
competitive examination, conducted by a
disintereated board of musical experts. An
other new office created in the colored
schools was that of director of primary
schools, to which Miss f. F.. G. Merritt
was appointed. with Miss n. T. Jackson