Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-06
District Surveyors Suggestion Con-
corning Southeast Water Front.
EXACT STATUS SHOULD Be DEFINED
Makes Recommendation for Two
Complete Field Equipments.
OFFICERS ANNUAL REPORT

ers his report for the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1900.
During this period, states Mr.. LOCKER, COL
lots were surveyed. in city and county. in
volving the making Of 4T4 certificate plats
of survey, in duplicate. total Of 8Io plats
including a small number Of extra dupli-
Gates. To prepare for these surveys 2Oo
plats Of entire squares were made and al
terations made on existing plats. Total
plats under this head. 1,449.
Two hundred and thirty-six subdivisions
were recorded. involving 472 separate sub
division certificates and 236 plats as pages
of record books. Total plats under this
head, including about forty not adopted.
74S.
For private parties there were in all %
large plats signed and issued. involving an
average of two working plats in each case
Total, 60 plats.
For the District of Columbia, or the
United States. there were numerous sur
veys made. all Of which the surveyor refers
to in detail.
Status of Water Front.
After relating further the work of his
office, the surveyor says:
1.-The sooner the question of the exact
status of the southeastern water front OF the
city is taken up the better 1t will be for all
departments of the District government.
This ought not to be such vast under
taking. now that the main questions of law
and fact have been determined by the court
of last resort in the Potomac flats case
At present it is entirely impracticable for
definite reports to be made as to the status
of certain lands in that section which have
come into existence by accretton. changing
the original water line"
Mr.. LOCKER refers to the fact that early
in the fiscal year the fire-proof vault and
metallic furniture for the handling of the
records cOnnleta1 They have hpen
found to be of inestimable advantage to the
office and the public. and he Is satisfied that
all the records will be perfectly secure
against fire. water and felonious interfer-
ence until a proper municipal building is
provided He has maintained a definite
policy to concentrate in the office, SO far
as practicable, all papers relating to the
ownership by the District of real estate and
easements therein. But in the absence of
increase of draughtng force all except the
current work of this character. he says,
will have to await opportunity to reach it
for recording. The subdivisions of lots In
Georgetown are now recorded with subdi
visions in the city proper. thus eliminating,
since January l. 1900. the use of special
Georgetown book and simplifying search of
records.
Notification of Records.
At the close of the fiscal year. states the
surveyor. practically all current work was
up to date, and, he says. the library bureau
tdIu iHucA SYSTEM has plUNtu " Dt 4uile
a success. No progress whatever was made
during the year on what Mr. LOCKER terms
the most important work of verifying the
already existing copies of the older record
books of the office. He expresses the hope
that in the future a slackness of work will
allow their completion. Complete copies
have been made of all the old corporation
alley platS,' which are in condition of di-
lapidatiou from long use, and placed in
book form. The verification even Of this
81 boo,
been possible from lack Of time. Excellent
copies have been made of the most dilapi-
dated pages of .'Coyle's Grades.
Il would again. says the surveyor. in
vite your attention to the urgent need of
providing interchangeable tracing
copies of many of the extremely valuable
maps relating to the early planning of the
city now stored in this office Though
guarded with extreme care they are fall
ing to pieces from age. 1t would seem to
me that the Library of Congress would
be the most proper place of custody for
the originals of such maps now in this
office. copies being retained here of those
liable to be needed In current work.
Need of Two Field Parties.
Mr.. LOCKER says his office force is a most
faithful and Industrious one. and he ex-
presses his appreciation Of it's efforts. The
very nature of the work. he states de-
mands a mobile force and one sufficient
to obtain results desired within a day or
two. For every reason he asks that an
effort be made to secure a sufficient appro-
priation to run two complete field parties
of four men each the entire year and four
men in the office for the same time.
This is the least number. he thinks that
can cope with the work now coming in
The present appropriation is but $500
more than five years ago, and the work
has more than doubled in that time the
total volume of business being estimated
at 20 per cent greater than last year.
Estimate of Expenses.
In his estimate OF expenses during fiscal
year 1902 Mr.. LOCKER sets forth the urgent
need for appropriations to enable his office to
make resurveys of Barry Farm of Beatty
& Hawkins addition to Georgetown, and
to mark the entire boundary line between
Maryland and the District with interme-
diate stone monuments a all road intersec-
lions and salient points. and to replace
such as are lost of the original monuments
placed at each mile Of the boundary. Also
to provide for the relocation of all the cor
ner stones of the extreme eastern blocks
of the city. In ALL $500 Is asked for for
these four items, which are impossible to
reach with the present force.
1.-The recent death of Mr.. Henry w. Brew
err" says Mr.. LOCKER, "a surveyor of wide
experience whose 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 George
town. where his dictum as to boundaries
was final-has left the property owners of
that section in an unfortunate situation as
to locations. Doubtless all of his city work.
and much of his county work, will now be
thrown into this office. where alone bond
ed guarantee can be obtained for the
curity of building lines.
Data Badly Needed.
This office is, however without reliable
data on so many of the squares of George
town, that, although the surveyor is re-
quired by law to make any survey called
for, 1t is not fair to him to fail to provide
him with all the data possible. To this
end I most urgently request that ap-
preparation be obtained at the coming ses-
sion Of Congress for the purchase of all of
Mr.. Brewers valuable survey notes that
are found to be of use within the District
They should be temporarily rented by the
District and stored In the vault of this of
fee at once, If arrangements be so
made
The work of the assistant surveyor. Mr..
E. M. Talcott, is highly praised by Mr.
LOCKER. who recommended that his salary
be increased from 81 500 to s., 500 per an
mum. The surveyor also highly compii-