Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05
ENGINEER DEPARTMENT..
Review of the Operations for the Past
Fiscal Year.

The engineer department of the District
OF Columbia was during the fiscal wear nm
der the charge OF Capt. Lansing H Beach,
Corps of Engineers, L. s. A Capt. William
Z. Craighill. Corps Of Engineers, [. S. A.,
reported for duty as assistant to the En-
g!neer Commissioner on March /. and con-
tnued on duty during the remainder Of
the fiscal year.
Sheet asphalt and asphalt block were
the only materials Used for street pave
ments during the year Vitrified block was
used manly in the alleys. a few however
being paved with asphalt block
'Fifty-four thousand eight hundred and
eighteen and seVenty-f0ur one-hundredths
square yards Of new sheet asphalt pave
ment were laid, which makes the total area
of asphalt and coal tar in the District
1857 ,s31 square yards, with a street mile
age of 117.67.
"TWenty-One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-five and five e-hundredths square
yards Of asphalt block We're laid. making
the total yardage ,79S. The number Of
miles of this pavement in the city now
amounts to 1865.
'Forty-one thousand seven hundred and
Lhirty-thres and seVenty-three one-hun-
dredths square yards Of old pavements
were resurfaced. all resurfacing having
been with sheet asphalt, and the work hav-
ing been confined almost entirely to the
old coal tar or coal-tar distiIlate pave
ments.
The prices paid for pavements during
the year Were: Sheet asphalt sl7G per
square yard; asphalt block, 81 II per square
yard. For the coming year the prices will
be: Sheet asphalt, s1.7S and 81 80 per square
yard; asphalt block. Sl.T7 per square yard"
The Commissioners here introduce an ex-
tract from history of pavements laid in
the District. as prepared by Mr.. George
II. Bailey, who was formerly In charge Of
the street department.
Objections to Granite Block
The objection throughout the city to the
granite-block pavement is apparently
greater than ever, and the office is con-
stanty in receipt of petitions and individual
requests to have such pavement removed
from streets upon which 1t exists and
the streets provided with a smoother and
less noisy pavement. Congress has recog
n1Zed the objections to the Eranite-block
pavement by causing Its removal from yari-
Gus streets adjacent to government build
ings. The annoyance and disadvantages
to the people occupying stores and build
ings adjacent to this class of pavement are
great, and the money loss Is larger than 1t
was to the government or It's employees
along those streets adjacent to government
buildings from which the block has been
removed. 1t Is hoped that Congress. hav-
ing recognized the claims Of the govern
ment for relief in this respect, will rot be
less slow to see that equal justice demands
that the property owner be relieved from
the same condition or AFFAIRS at early a
date as possible.
The use Of brick cutters for sheet asphalt
pavements has been continued and the ex-
perience of the office leads to the conclusion
that this form of construction Is decidedly
better than laying asphalt 10 the curb
The first cutters of this material were laid
with the brick tcothed into the asphalt.
This practice however, was discontinued
and the cutters have been laid since with
continuous joints. The latter construction
has been found to be much better than the
toothed method, as it has been demonstrate
ed by several years experience that 1t is
impossible to sufficiently compact the as
phalt between the teeth to prevent water
entering, thus producing early decay or
breaking up OF the asphalt. With contin-
uous joints it Is possible to run the roller
up to and along the very edge of the brick
producing as much compaction al this point
as on other portions of the street. 1t has
been observed in the cases of cutters of the
two classes laid about the same time that
in the toothed gutter the asphalt between
the teeth and Immediately adjacent thereto
is. in number of instances, already be-
ginning to show signs of breaking up
while the asphalt adjacent to the contin-
joint gutter is apparently as good as
ever.
Cement Sidewalks,
THE amount of cement sidewalks laid
during the fiscal year was ST 53S SQUARE
yards. The price-9S cents a square ward
was so favorable for doing this work that
many citizens awaited themselves of the
opportunity to have walks constructed in
front of their premises. Most of the brick
walks throughout the city are in a lament
ably poor condition and it Is doubtful if
there are many cities in the country of tba
size of Washington, which are not better
provided than the capital city in this re-
spect. The work of replacing these bad
walks has progressed as rapidly possible /
with the amount of money available for
the purpose. and the demand for new walks
in the various sections of the city was So
great that the office was unable to do as
pIl
1t desired, they being replaced, as a ruls
only in cases where the work was especial.
ly requested by the property owners.
Several instances have occurred during
the year where cerfent walks have faile.i
along the Joints, due to expansion This
has occurred only in the longer walks. and