Evening star., 1898-08-03
White House improvements.

June 30 last.
White House improvements.
The Executive Mansion has received the
usual care and such repairs and improve
ments as the funds available would admit.
Necessary painting has been done and new
furniture, carpets, mating, curtains, ETC..
nave been supplied from time to time as
needed. An automatic telephone exchange
system has been introduced, the hydraulic
machinery for elevator replaced with the
electric motor and apparatus, and the floor
at the east end OF the second-Story corr1-
dor leveled and thoroughly strengthened.
Repairs of various kinds have been made
to the greenhouses connected with the
mansion, and the old superstructure Of the
west wing of the conservatory replaced
with a new superstructure with iron frame.
THE necessity of strengthening the
floors," says Col Bingham, "only accentu-
ates the fact that the time has come when
something is imperatively needed to relieve
the actual physical strain now made on the
mansion by overcrowding."
Attention is again invited to the bad con-
dition of the conservatory adjoining the
Executive Mansion, the frame of which is
of wood, rapidly decaying and almost in a
dangerous condition. new iron super
structure is considered necessary and an
estimate of $4,000 is made for that pur-
pose.
New Roadway Needed.
The clay and granite road west of the
Executive Mansion Col Bingham says,
should be paved for the preservation of the
east side of the State, War and Navy De-
partments building. Every one COM
ments,' he says, ION the dirty appearance
of the east side of the building, which is
due to the clouds of dust raised by wind
on the roadway referred to. Attempts to
remove this dust have proved unavailing.
The clay is impregnated with iron and is
producing an apparently permanent dis
ngurement of the handsome granite Struc-
ture. All this can be corrected by as
phalt pavement. for which an estimate of
$14 800 is made.
Visitors to the Monument.
Every effort has been made to maintain
the Washington monument and its machin-
cry in good condition. The boilers and ma
chinery have been carefully examined and
cleaned and the work of repainting the IRON
work in the interior of the shaft has been
completed. The elevator receives the most
careful attention, being constantly inspect
ed by experts. and is believed to be as safe
as it is in the lower of man to make it..
There were 13S.S14 visitors to the top of
the shaft during the year, making a total
of 1.54S,696 persons who have made the
ascent since the monument was opened to
the public October 8, 1883.
1t Is mentioned as a noteworthy fact that
no one has been killed or fatally injured
either during the erection of the monu-
ment or its administration since compile
ton.
The damage done by storm in Fehru-
ary, 1897, to the iron pile wharf at Bridge
Creek Landing. Va, near Wakefield, the
birthplace of Washington. has not yet been
repaired, there being no funds available
for the wcrk.
Inspections have been made from time
to time of the various buildings occupied
by the War Department, except the State,
War and Navy building. in connection with
tfeir care, repair and safety.
Parks and Their AdOrnments.
At the propagating gardens and nursery
repairs were made to the greenhouses and
other buildings, about 5OO,o9O plants propa
gated for use in the public parks and a new
greenhouse constructed.
The area of asphalt pavements in the
parks has been extended by the construc-
ton of 425 square yards of asphalt road
way and ! ,62 square yards of asphalt foot
walk. and SGO11 square yards of asphalt
roadway and 1,O141a square yards of asphalt
footwalks have been repaired and resur-
faced.
Three Of the small unimproved triangular
reservations in the northeastern section of
the city have been partially improved and
twenty-one of the small, unimproved res
ervationS in the same section have been
marked with granite blocks set in the
gre und at their corners, to show that they
are the property of the United States
The bronze pedestal for the statue of
General John A. Logan and the polished
granite base of the same have been erected
in Iowa Circle.
Attention has been given to the telegraph
line connecting the Capitol with the de-
partments and the government printing
office, repairs having been made from time
to time as needed. The desirability of re-
placing the present overhead system with
underground conduts and cables is again
submitted for the action of Congress.
Under an allotment of $1,000 made April
3, 1888, from the appropriation for ma
tional Defense" act of March 8, 1898, teie-
phone circuits have been constructed and
completed between the Executive Mansion
and all the executive departments
1t Is earnestly hoped by Col. Bingham
that the system of lighting the public
grounds with electricity will be extended
to the Smithsonian grounds and the vari-
Gus improH ed parks throughout the city.
The Lincoln House.
An estimate of $4,000 is made as neces-
sary to put the house on 10th street be-
tween E and F streets, where President
Lincoln, died, in good condition.
1t is recommended that the designation
of Mr.. George H. Brown, the public gar
deIe er," be changed to Landscape garden
er," as more properly expressing the duties
required of the incumbent of the position.
The total estimates for the care and
pr eservation of public buildings and
gre unds for the fiscal year ending June So
1900, are $1S4,S46.
HEALTH OF THE ARMY.