Evening star., 1898-12-05

meter. and the amount of water wasted in
the few instances mentioned. The case can
not be better stated than has already been
done by Captain Burr in his report of last
year, and by Mr.. Mcfarland in his report
for this year. Attention is respectfully in
Tited to them, and the statements therein
are fully approved by the Commissioners.
Street Lighting.
The details of street lighting are stated
in the accompanying report of Mr.. w. c..
Allen, inspector of electric lighting.
The streets of Washington are extremely
difficult to light satisfactorily during
months when the trees are in leaf on ac-
count OF the dense foliage, which prevents
the hght being thrown to any considerable
distance The electric lights are all pro-
vided with long arms reaching out into the
street as far as consistent with safety, but
even this is not satisfactory. The lights
are OF a thousand candlepower, which give
strong illumination, so strong in fact that
1t is the cause of constant complaint from
the occupants of houses in close proximity,
while at points between lamps the light is
frequently so intercepted by the foliage as
to render the lighting of the entire street
very unsatisfactory.! While the require
ment OF lamps of a thousand candlepower
mas heretofore been insisted on by Con-
gress, II Is believed that lights of less
power placed closer together would give q
much more satisfactory service and as tie
cost OF each individual light would be less
than that of those now maintain I'd, it is be-
ileVed that no. greater cost to the District
would cnSue. u
The presents law fdoes not require the
lamps to be lighted until forty-five minutes
after sunset. >, This lis believed to be TOO
great an interval. Electric lights have been,
until recently, used almost entirely upon
the business streets, and the lights from
stores have provided some illumination IN
III the street lamps were lighted. With the
increase in the number of electric lights
ana their establishment upon residence
|
has been found that this service is entirely
inadequate. The streets become inconven-
lentiy dark long before forty-five minutes
aIter sunset, and upon cloudy evenings
many of them well provided with shade
trees become almost dangerous from the
dense darkness. A schedule causing the
lights to be started at fifteen minutes after
sunset could, it Is believed, be adopted
without increased expense and to che great
advantage of the public
congress has made an appropriation for
experimental lighting. and experiments in
TINS line will be conducted during the COM
ing year to see whether it will be possible
TO provide a light between the gas lamp
and the intensity of the electric light which
VIII DO away with many of the inconyen-
fences now existil e.
Building and Building Inspection.
Details of the work done in the 1ffice of
the inspector of buildings will be found in
the report Of Mr. John B. Brady. In this
connection it should be stated that a
marked improvement in the appearance OF
District buildings has been obtained by
the employment of private architects 10
prepare the plans and specifca tons instead
OF having them drawn in the office of the
inspector of buildings. That official and
MS assistants have been and are so over
crowded with work that it is absolutely i'm
possible for them to give the necessary
time and attention to the preparation of
detail plans to secure the best architectural
features.
The Commissioners would renew their
recommendation that appropriations be
made for definite number of school houses
engine houses, or other municipal buildings
in an aggregate sum, leaving the amount to
be allotted for each site and building to
the discretion of the Commissioners. 1t is
believed that in this way more favorable
results can be secured.
Surveyor.
The work of this office is detailed in the
appended report of Mr.. W. p. Richards
surveyor. The office was until May IS
1898, under the charge of Mr. Fl. B. LOCKER
who resigned his position to enter the
army, commanding a company III the 1st
District of Columbia Volunteers
Parking Commission.
The work done by the parking commits.
; sion is shpWn in the report, appended here
to, of Mr.. Trueman Lanhaniii, superintend-
till VI pdl
The appropriations for several years past
have been insufficient to keep in proper
condition the trees in the various sections
of the city, and which form one of the prn-
cipal beauties of the national capital. The
use of shade trees to the extent developed
here, and the judicous care and control
over them is believed not to be equaled in
any other city of the country, and the re-
suits are most gratifying. Many Of the
places of the 1.4u0 trees destroyed in the
storm of September %, 1876, still remain
vacant leaving ugly gaps in the rows,
which should be filed a as early date as
possible in order to secure good results. 1t
is earnestly hoped that an increased appro-
priation for this purpose can be obtained al
the next session of Congress.
Highway Extension Plans.
The work done IN this department is
stated in detail in the appehded report of
Mr.. w P. Richards, engineer in charge.
The highway act Of 1893 has recently been
amended by Congress so as to authorize
change in the plan of streets in the section
between Rock Creek and the Soldiers
of the original act which We're the cause
of complaint of so many citizens of the
District 1t il believed that street exten-
sions under the amended act will be gener
ally satisfactory. u
In conclusion, it Is deemed only fitting to
acknowledge the good work of the assist
ants and of the clerical force of the various
spared themselves in carrying out their
duties to t le best of their ability.
Very respectfully,
JOHN B. WIGHT,
JOHN w. ROSS,
LANSING II. BEACH,