Evening star., 1901-07-20

lighting the public grounds by electricity
will be extended to the Smithsonian
grounds and to the various improved parks
throughout the city.
Court of Honor Fire.
Col. Bingham refers to the controversy
between his office and the citizens inaug-
raj committee as follows:
by act approved January %, 1901 Con-
gress gave the citizens inaugural commit
tee (Mr. j. j. Edison, chairman) permission
to erect stands for spectators and make
other arrangements for the festivities con-
nected with the inauguration of President
Mckinley, March i, 1901. The committee at
tempted to surpass the efforts of past
years and adopted plans for a So-called
court of honor on Pennsylvania avenue in
front of the Executive Mansion. The
plans involved large stands in the north
east and northwest corners of the grounds
of the Executive Mansion. 1t was with
hesitation that this Office permitted the
erection of the said stands. But the COM
mittee We're so positive in their promises
to permit no damages and to repair such
slight damage as 1T could be seen was I'M
avoidable that this Office finally consented
Ihe committee were very slow in removing
their stands after the inauguration and
on the night of March 10 a fire occurred
at the stand on the northwest corner of
the Executive Mansion grounds, due to
the carelessness of the watchman in light
ing his lanterns for the night. The fire
was soon extinguished, but three of the
handsome and expensive granite posts, and
about fifty feet of granite fence-coping
were ruined at the gateway of Executive
avenue, between the Executive Mansion
and the State, War and Navy Department
building. The iron fencing in that locality
was also severely burned. and a handsome
elm In the grounds of the mansion was
ruined
After the expenses Of the Inauguration
were settled by the committee there was
81 said to be an unexpended surplus of some
S2oo0 to $500. Urgent representations
were made to this citizens committee to
repair the damage above referred to- as
we'll as that to two large park flower vases
In public park on Pennsylvania avenue.
The committee, however, showed no dispo-
sition to pay this just obligation Even
a strong representation of the case from
the honorable Secretary of War produced
no results. and the said surplus was, it is
understood, turned over to some charity
fund of the District.
mission.
ut is respectfully recommended that in
the future:
Il. Permission be refused by Congress
to future citizens inaugural committees to
erect any stands or other structures what
ever on the grounds Of the Executive Man
sion.
90 That said inaugural committees be
required by law to give personal bonds
WIN guaranty deposits, to each department
of the government with which they may
have to do for the complete repair of all
damages to government property caused,
directly or indirectly, by their preparation
for inaugural festivities.
The question is submitted as to whether
the charity fund above referred to is not
subject to legal process for the recovery of
damages to United States property above
described.
Failing this method, an estimate for
500, or so much thereof as may be neces-
sary, is submitted for the repair of the
damages described"
Estimates for Next Fiscal Year.
The estimates for public buildings and
grounds for the fiscal year 1903 aggregate
1925, 5,529.30, made up of the following items:
Improvements and care of public buildings
and grounds s145 ,7s9 80; salaries of en-
ployes public buildings and grounds, $685.
$40; repair and care of departmental tele-
graph line, $500; contingent expenses
public buildings and grounds, 5000: care
and maintenance Washington monument
s11, ,O2O.
In concluding his report Colonel Bing-
ham expresses his sincere appreciation of
the faithful services rendered during the
past year by the entire force in the en-
plCyment of the office, and particularly to
renew his sincere appreciation of the eff
cient and voluminous work done by the
landscape gardener. Mr.. George H. Brown
and Mr.. E. F. Concklin, chief clerk.