The Washington times., 1901-09-27
AFFAIRS OF The DISTRICT.
Questions Raised Relative to AP-
proaChes to Bank Site.

A Proposed Improvement Near the
New Public Lihrary-WideninE of
n Sidewalk on T. Strcct-Plumbing ng
in the Birney school Building.
! The Commissioners have received Il let
ter from Hamilton & Colbert in which
! several questions are raised with refer
ence to building which the Home Saw
| ings Bank proposes to erect on lot 4. in
| the square west of square sSi. The site
! is at the intersection of Massachusetts
| Avenue and X Street northwest, just east
| of Seventh Street. 1t fronts on TRAN
! gular public space from which it is sep
| arated by a cement sidewalk twelve feet
| wide
| After calling attention to these facts
| the attorneys say that the building to be
erected will front on Seventh Street; or,
more strictly speaking. upon the space
above described By reason OF the dis
tance of the building from Seventh Street
the attorneys think that the approach is
an impraCticable one. They therefore ask
whether the walk may not be widened to
| twenty feet and whether a thirty-two-
foot driving way may not be maintained
west of and adjoining this sidewalk an
arrangement they say similar to that Gre
| ated in front of the Central National
| Bank
| The attorneys further state that It Is
| the wish of the bank to have two towers
| upon it's building with the usual projec-
tions. They also call attention to the
! wagon stand now maintained on the right
| of the public space referred to, denomi-
| mating II nuisance to all the contiguous
! property. and the attorneys desire to
know whether this wagon stand cannot be
1 vow N-.aI Ii.
| Hamilton & Colbert call attention to the
| peculiar surroundings of this lot, which
! make 1t impracticable of Improvement ex-
| cept in some such way as suggested and
they are of the opinion that the present
conditions will continue unless the bank
i improves the lot. They state that IL will
be unfortunate for these conditions to
/ continue after the completion Of the new
| Public Library.
The attorneys state that their purpose
| in ADDRESSING the Commissioners is to
| obtain an expression of opinion upon the
points raised before making formal ap-
| plication for permits. The letter has been
4 referred to the Inspector of Buildings for
| consideration and report.
Several weeks ago Charles B. Ball, the
| Inspector Of Plumbing. forwarded to the
| Commissioners a schedule of the propo-
sails received for the installation of the
fixtures in the Birney School building.
Mr.. Ball recommended that the contract
be awarded to NJ. B. Casey, except the
closet fixtures for which he recommended
| that the proposal of ]. w. Swanson be
accepted
In passing upon these recommendations
the Inspector of Buildings offered n state
ment that the sum of 81. .5SS was available
| for the purpose, and that as the cost as
represented In the Casey bid would exceed
s1.0G, he was obliged to submit the mat
| ter a second time to the Commissioners
I for instructions.
| The Inspector of Plumbing, after con-
| sidering the matter a second time, re-
| iterated his recommendations that the
| supplemental bid required an expenditure
| of only $3.50. which he also asked to have
authorized.
| The Engineer Commissioner yesterday
| forwarded the papers to his associates ap-
proved and recommended that the con-
| tractors be informed that the placing of
| name plates upon the plumbing. to in
| dicate the person who had done the work,
| could not be allowed.
| DIR. w. W. Baker, of 1871 North Capitol
Street, recently addressed the Commits
| sioners complaining OF the delay in laying
the pavement on North Capitol Street be-
tween r and 7 Streets. He also regis
| tered complaint against the present con-
dition of the roadway and of the cutters
caused by the water from the fire plug at
the corner of 7 Street and Lincoln Ave
nue.. The matters complained Of were re-
ferred to the Surface Division of the En-
gineer Department. and c. B. Hunt, the
Computing Engineer, has now reported:
The writer refers to the paving of the
roadway Of North Capitol Street, between
r and I Streets, which work would have
to be the subject of special appropria-
v,v,1a $t,a nf
roads, and should be seriously considered
In the preparation Of estimates for the
ensuing fiscal year i recommend that the
complainant be advised to this affect, and
further that orders have been given that
every practicable care shall be taken to
minimize the amount of water escaping
into the cutters from the watering cart
when taking water at the corner of 7
Street and Lincoln Avenue The season
of the year would lead to the expectation
that this cause of complaint will not exist
after very early date"
The above report has been favorably
considered by the board and Mr.. Baker
will be so informed.
Kelley &. Chamberlain. of 9lI Louisiana
| Avenue northwest, recently wrote to the
| Commissioners, requesting that steps be
| taken Immediately to secure the removal
| of the street railway tracks on Louis
! Jana Avenue, between Ninth and Tenth
Streets northwest. The writer's state that
| the tracks in question have long been
abandoned, and that they do not see
what advantage accrues from their being
allowed to remain to disfgure the street
and TO impede traffic.
c. B. Hunt, the Computing Engineer.
to whom the matter was referred. has
reported that efforts are being made to
have the tracks in question removed, and
tn have the street properly paved He
is of the opinion that something may be
done in the matter in the near future.
Mr.. Hunt recommends that the complain
ants be so informed.
Some weeks ago the Commissioners re-
ceived from Herman f. Blau a protest
against the laying of a cement sidewalk
on the north side of G Street northwest,
at the corner OF Fourteenth Street Mr..