The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-20

/ Z
J ent Of Public Buildings and Grounds to-
day submitted to the Chief Of Engineers
his annual report Of the work of his de
partmeut for the fiscal year ended June
/ 20 1901 Tho Inaugural Committee is crit
/ icised for failing TO make good the dam
age to the fence at the Executive Man
/ sion caused by the burning OF Il reviewing
( stand and legal action to recover the
/ amount is suggested
Upon This subject the report SAYS
1t was with hesitation that this office
/ permitted the ergCtigl Of said stands But
! the committee was so positive in its
promises 10 permit no damage and to
/ repair such slight damage as it could be
seen was unas oidabIe that this Office
! finally consented. The committee was
very slow in removing their stands after
! the Inauguration. and on the night of
March Is fire occurred at the stand on
I the northwest corner Of the Executive
Mansion grounds. due 10 the carIessness
! Of the watchman in lighting his lanterns.
The fire was soon extinguished but
three Of the handsome and expensive
| granite posts and about fifty feet Of gran
| ite fence coping were ruined at the gate
way Of Executive Avenue The iron fenc-
ing in that locality was also severely
burned and a handsome elm in the
grounds was ruined
After the expenses OF Inauguration
were settled by the committee there was
said to be an unexpeuded surplus of some
S2,o0o or 22,5ol. Urgent representations
were made to the Citizens Committee to
repair the damage.
The committee. however. showed no
disposition to paw this just obligation
Even d strong representation Of the case
from the honorable Secretary Of W@r
produced no results and :he said surplus
WAS. it IS understood. turned over to some
charity fund Of the District
These facts considered, Colonel Bfug-
ham recommends that in future Congress
refuse permission for the erection of
stands on the grounds of Executive Man
sion, and that the Inaugural Committee
ne required by law to give personal bond
with guaranty deposits for complete re
pair Of all damage to Government proper
ty caused directly or indirectly by their
preparations for inaugural festivities. The
question is submitted as 70 whether the
charity fund referred to is not subject to
legal process for the recovery CT dan
ages. Failing in this. $3.50 is thought
to be necessary to repair the damage
The report outlines the work done under
the supervision Of Colonel Bingham as
follows.
In addition to the public buildings and
grounds. this office has also been charged
win the care and repair of the Govern
ment telegraph lines connecting the Cap
itoI with the various departments and
the Government Printing Office. the re-
pair Of the building on Tenth Street |
where Abraham Lincoln died; of the con-
strUction Of the statue of Gen John !
a Logan. and Of the ceremonies |
incident TO its unseiIiug on April 6. 1871;
Of such matters connected with the ercc- /
tion Of . statue To- General sherman as |
may properly devolvc upo- the War De
parJment; Of the monument at Wakefield. I
Va, the birthplace of Washington. and /
the iron pile dock erected under the su- !
pervision Of this office in 1894. under the /
direction Of the Department Of State at /
the mouth of Bridge Creek, Va; % the /
erection in the National Military
Park at Gettysburg. Pa. of a tab /
let to Abraham Lincoln Of TIE !
care, preservation and safety of /
buildings occupied by the War De-
partment in the District of Columbia. !
except the State, War and Navy Build /
ing; Of the banks Of the Potomac River |
from the north line OF the Arsenal /
grounds 10 the southern curb line of y /
Street; OF the work Of continuing plans
for extending the Executive Mansion, of |
the work Of making an examination and |
reporting plans for the treatment Of that
section Of the District of Columbia stu !
ated south of Pennsylvania Avenue and /
north of B Street southwest. and for a |
suitable connection between the Potomac |
and Geological Parks since March s. 1901
executive and disbursing officer of the /
Grant Statue or Memorial Commission;
and since May (. 1901. executive and dis
Of
Commission.
The report first takes up the matter of |
the care. repair. and refurnishine, of the
" hite House and tells Of what has been
done in this direction In connection with |
the carrying out of the law appropriatine-
$500 for continuing plans fer the extend
ing of the Executive Mansion the report |
says.
"On December y. 1900 in connection
with ceremonies arranged for celebrating
the centennial Of the occupation Of Wash
ington as the Capital City. n model Of |
the proposed extension was exhibited in
the East Room OF the Executive Mansion |
before the President Cabinet. members of
Congress, Governors. and other diStin-
guished citizens The model was accom- |
panied by a number of exhibition draw
inss and all were explained in an address
by the officer iu charge of public build |
ings and grounds The drawings, num-
berinE foTty-seVCn. were completed IN
March. 1901 traced and blue printed, and
with the accompanying specifications
were ready for use April, 1901, and await |
further action by Congress
Colonel Bingham has made the following !
careful estimate of tn" cost Of the pro- |
posed ezteusion Of the Mansion: Excava-
tion. $1,000, concrete. S5,0oo; steel, $780,
500: floor system, 81, 600; wooden floor. |
$4,000; walls, S352, ,0d0; windows. etc ga
Eau. marble columns Slba. .UIU- mechanical
equipment SS001H. painting and pIaSteriug. |
81. .6ng, contingencies, 10 per cent, $l03, 800;
total, Sl,I"6g50.
The report reviews at some length the |
work done on the Washington Monument !
especially the installation Of q new eIee-
trio elevator.
During the fiscal year S41S0 persons as
cended to the top of the shaft. and of
these 2S,lS1 walked up the stairs. During |
the first six month OF this year 10 eleva-
tor was running in the Monument and |
during the months of February. March.
April and MAY the Monument was closed
altogether to visitors
During the month Of January, ISIS per
sons walked up. and IL June 54si. The
largest number of visitors was in August
when I6g56 persons went to the top of
the SHIFT Of whom 4IsS walked. The |
total number Of persons who have visited I
the Monument since October 9, Is5>. is
I946I2 During the fiscal year there were
315 arrests made by the park watchInen
resulting in 81 convictions 1f6 prisoners
forfeited collateral and & were intoxicat-
eJ and released wnen sober Only were
made prisoners and dismissed.
Under the head of chidreu's plsv-