The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-07

transferred 10 the permanent roll. Wisn
to express my very hearty appreciation OF
the services OF each and all, without which
/ should be unable to report, as l now do,
that so far as the funds available permit,
the office is now thoroughly organized to
deal with the ineessant demands made upon
it and to do so in a prompt and business
like manner. The very nature OF the work,
intimately associated as it is with the
landed interests of the District. demar Is
mobile force and one sufficient to obtain
results desired within a day or two. For
every reason, l am compelled 10 ask that
every effort be made to secure a sufficient
appropriation to run two complete fed
parties, of four men each the entire year,
and four men in the office for the same
time.
This is the least number that can cope
with the work now coming in. The present
appropriation is but 1880 more than five
years ago. and the work has more than
doubled in that time.
- should also have an extra drafts
man whose duty should be to keep con-
stantly up to date plats showing the exact
condition of subdivisions of each ty
square and important suburban sub
divisions. This is possible to obtain row
from the card index, so far as suburban
su5-d.yisiCrs are concerned, though not, of
course, in graphic form.
Under the operation of q recent law
this Office has row on file twenty-five plats
OF cemeteries within the District which
have heen filed within the year.
met less than one third of the time of
the office force is taken up in answering
questions on every imaginable mater
germane to the records and to surveys and
subdivisions. This is as it should be, as
this office is maintained in part, by the
taxpayers, who should find here every pos
fac ~ for hn OFT NE 81
estate business.
The number of estimates of cost, made
up in triplicate, was 1871 an increase of 81
per cent over last year, and the entries
of all kinds IN the order book as to various
branches of the work of the office were
922, or % per cent more than last year.
All things considered, l estimate the total
volume of business at 20 per cent greater
than last year.
Estimates for Next Year.
I'm my estimates for the money desired
for the conduct of the office for the next
fiscal year, l have set forth in detail the
urgent need of appropriations to enable
this Office to make re-surveys of Barry
iaIm, of Beatty & Hawkins addition to
Georgetown. and to mark the entire boun-
dairy line between Maryland and the Dis
trict with intermediate stone monuments
at all road intersections and salient points,
and to replace such as are lost of the
or ginal monuments placed at each mile of
the boundary. Also 10 provide for the re-
location Of all the corner-stones of the ex-
IRENE eastern blocks of the city. In all,
$500 is asked for for these four items,
which ale impossible TO reach with he
present force.
THE recent death of Mr. Henry w.
Brewer, a surveyor of wide experience,
WI Csc work has been done chiefly in
Georgetown and the western part of the
District. and who was for a very long
period the official surveyor Of Georgetown,
wis re his dictum as to boundaries WAS
final, has left the property owners OF that
section in an unfortunate situation as to
locations. Doubtless al Of his city work,
and much OF his county work will now
be thrown into this Office, where alone a
bonded guarantee can be obtained fol the
of building lines.
This Office is. however, without reliable
data on so many of the squares OF George
town, that, although the surveyor is re-
qIired by law TO make any survey called
fer. it is not fair to him to fail to provide
him with all the data possible. To this
end l most urgently request that an APP
be obtained at the coming ses-
: on of Congress for the purchase Of all
Of MIR. Brewers valuable survey notes that
are found to be of use within the District
They should be temporarily rented by he
District and stored In the vault OF this Of
fee at once if arrangements can be SO
made.
Mr.. Tn1cott Commended.
Where all have worked SO faithfully in |
the Office force it seems hardly in order |
to single out any individuals for special |
and yet think that the as
sistant surveyor, Mr. E. NJ. Talcott, to 4
whom is now entrusted the most RESPONSE /
Bile division of the work of the office, the |
location of all city lots. should be com
pensated in accord with the extremely |
conscientious work he is doing, and the |
risks of serious error he is constantly TAX
ng. His work is of a permanent charac-
ter, building up. square by square, COM
9lete network of the most accurate sur
feys all over the city, fixing for the entire
lifetime of the Capital City las l hope
-igid and definite basis OF action. / think
his salary should be fixed by law at 800,
instead of 81, 500. The long and valuable
services OF Mr.. ]. H. Forsyth, the chief
clerk, are well known 10 the community.
md he has, in his untiring zeal to lIee,.
he clerical work up to date. given VI a.; {
lis annual leave for the last two years
The record clerk has his division well IN [
hand, ana the facilities now afforded the ,
,wners and examiners of real estate are
1ery largely due to his intelligent system.
order, a standard style having been adopt
ID for the record page, producing neat and
yery legibie results"