Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-08
A SUBSTANTIAL ROADWAY
Regarded as Finest Piece of Work in the
District.
ih"roushfare Known n. H~artaa
Road Rebuilt From City Limit.
to Eastern Brancb.


| What is regarded as the greatest amount
OF work ever done in the District in one
season-that OF rebuilding the 8enning road
| from the city limits to the bridge across
| the Eastern branch--has been practically
completed, and today there exists in place
OF The miserable thoroushfare which for
| merry existed one that is considered the
! hhest piece of county roadway In the Dis
! plct This new roadway runs from 18th
! street east 10 the bridge over the Eastern
"t''i''" Instance of about mile. and
II Is the intention ~ capt. Beach. The En-
si"eer commissioner. to continue the i'm
] proNenent of the road eastward, from The
bridge just so far as funds asked OF Con-
gress will permit
The Benning road between tn. city lin,
| ns anu the bridge is one IF the most e.-
| tenslFely used la the District and for wears
| ~ mas bcen practically impasSa BILE In has
| weather, teams being frequently stalled
| tlerein resulting not only IN great damage
| 70 vehicIes. but also not infrequently in the
dealh OF The animals dravfng them Added
70 thls feature of the road was the very
| steep hill encountered. To successfully .limb
whlch even few good bicycle riders we're
capable. To-day this hill no longer remains
| i,s sraae OF 4lR per cent having been re-
Iuceu 10 ~ per cent, and an uncertain and
dangerous foundation having given way 10
| b,Ia Ln' anu SAFE one OF macadam. granite
block and sheet asphalt
Mhen the appropriation Of sITapo for
making this Improvement became available
the Isl OF last July. Capt. Beach directed
MAJ me work be commenced at once That
was done, and the work was prosecuted nm
ceaSlhgIy until about week ago when Il
vas completed to all practical purposes
the little work remaining TO be done hetns
| tSat of placing over the macadam he
dressing OF fine stuff used To proyide "a
smopth surface. This is now being dome
out IN such a manner as not to iutarfer. I'm
ne shshtest degree with the travel over
the road, which travel is one of The heay-
| lest in the District
Reducing the Grade
Inc cutting down of the steep hill was
done by the Columbia Railway Company-
1t being allowed by Capt Beach TO use the
earth removed in cutting down the hill for
Milling IN the roadway required by the conn
pahy extension of its line alongside the
Benning road to the Eastern branch In
| this way the District was saved ms .y-
pense of grading the hill which wound
nave amounted to quite a considerable fig
1Ie- ~ course. II became necessary for
the District to make a large I'LL and nv an
agreement made by Capt Beach with The
owners OF the Douglass property abutting
me me road on the north the District obtained
.ile required earth by removing il from
TINS property. The fill made by the District
amounted TO 5000 cubic wards and the
larger part of tins work was done by the
chain gang, ii being necessary 10 erpploy
the work house prisoners there because Of
The limited amount of the appropriation.
winch would not have permitted the MS
trlct to employ outside labor The deenast
NIL is fifteen feet, and in no instance &c re
level OF the new roadway less than sly
Feet above that of the marsh grounds on
either side. This height is believed 10 be
ample to prevent the roadway from being
oEerfiowed at any time.
FROM 10Th street east 20 the Cool Spring
ROAD the new roadway is paved with sheet
asphalt and granite block the asphaIt oc-
curying the center Of the roadway and the
granite blocks being laid on either side OF
II. The middle strip Of asphalt is ten feet
wide, while the space occupied nv The
granite block is 1T2 feet wide on either side
From the Cool Spring road To the bridge
across the Eastern branch the roadway rs
twenty-five feet wide, and the asphalt and
granite blocks give way to macadam. A
much wider roadway is, In fact available
along this latter distance owing to the
TACT that the new roadway connects with
that of the Columbia Railway Company
This additional width Of the roadway will,
however only be passable in good weather,
as 1t is simply filed ground.
Other improvements in View.
As he has improved the Benning road so
it is the intention of Captain Beach to
improve other main and extensively used
county roads, and upon his recommended
ton the Commissioners have asked in their
estimates for the coming fiscal year for
authority to remove the granite-block pave
ments on certain streets In the city. such
pavements to be repa ced with asphalt
and the granite blocks to be utilized in inn
proving the 18th street and Tenleytown
roads. 1t has been found that II costs
about cents square yard to keep mac
adam roadways in repair year. while a
road composed Of middle strip Of asphalt
with side strips OF granite blocks can be
kept in good condition for about l cent a
square yard annually. Therefore, II will
be the policy of Captain Beach to remove
the granite blocks within the city limits
and use them for improving the county
roads. Congress has approved the policy
of removing granite block pavements fl the
city limits to certain extent, having a
year or so ago authorized the Commission
erS to replace the block pavement on It'll
street between E and with asphalt, its
action being based on complaints made by
the Interior and Post Office Departments
of the annoyance caused the employees in
those departments by the noise resulting
from vehicles travelling on the block pave
ment on 9TH street.
Substitution of Asphalt.
Captain Beach believes the granite block
pavement on 18th street from Pennsylvania
avenue northward should be replaced by
an asphalt pavement. He also believes that
the block pavement should be removed
from street between Rock creek and
Goth street, as we'll as from street be-
tween LIST and Stanton Square northeast,
the same of course to be replaced with
asphalt. To do this the Commissioners
have upon his recommendation, asked au-
thority and funds OF Congress, and IL Con-
gress acts favorably in the matter. the
blocks will, as above stated, be utilized
in improving the 18th street and Tenley-
town roads. In time, he hopes to be able
to receive authority TO remove all granite
block pavements from the city wherever
they are not absolutely necessary, replace
them with asphalt. and use the blocks in
the main and most extensively
county roads in the same man.
ne. as he has improved the Benning road.