Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-21

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| hereby acknowledged, the important work
of saving the sites of landmarks and points
| OF survey can be readily done, replacing
| them by permanent marks in new grano-
| lithic sidewalks, etc. For several years a
scrap book has been kept up, into which
are placed newspaper clippings of every
subject in any way Of interest to the office.
| including also articles of historical value,
regarding the city and District. care
full index of all these is kept on cards.
| The constantly increasing value Of such a
collection is obvious: The progressive steps
| In all proceedings for opening streets and
kindred subjects are thus kept close at
hand for public information as well as for
the current work of the Office"
New Index System.
| 1t is stated that as the result Of the
adoption of a new care index system, and
| the employment of large force Of type
writer's for the past few months, that in
few days a complete index of all subdiTi-
| sions made in Washington and Georgetown
| since their establishment. over century
| ago, will be complete. A general index Is
also being compiled for office information,
| which embraces maps, deeds, etc. The
| surveyor has also given his personal atten-
| ton during the evenings Of several months
| to indeXing the papers transferred to his
| office at the time Of the extinction Of
Georgetown as a separate municipality.
| Among these papers are all the old grade
| sheets, showing the time and manner Of
nally.
The Brewer Collection.
"In March last, through the appropria-
| ton made by the last Congress, the entire
Brewer collection of maps and notes came
| into possession of the Office, and is found
we'll worth the cost. Nearly all of the
| three or four hundred maps Of this col
| lection have been cross-indexed. numbered,
| stamped and located in the card index. AS
tO the field and office notes their dfStribJl-
| ton by squares was accomplished by the
| personal work of the surveyor at home,
the time occupied therein being from to
| II or II pm. at least four nights of each
week for nearly two months and half.
| This immense collection Of papers, thou
sands in number, and covering practically
least twenty-five years. had no arrange
ment except that made partially in accord
with "old Georgetown and the various
subdivisions and additions" The task
of arrangement into something like rea-
sonable readiness for use seemed at the
| outset almost interminable. and the pres
ent arrangement will require considerable
revision, though the office can now reach
essential data without too long search.
This work done at the Office would have
been finished In about four years. assum-
ing a continuance of the present demands
| upon the time and energies of the surveyor
during office hours.
Recommendation Renewed.
81 renew my recommendation Of previous
annual reports for $4,000 for a resurvey of
Beatty & Hawkins addition to George
town on the basis Of the holdings.
II also renew my recommendation for an
appropriation Of $1,000 for a complete re-
location of the boundary line Of the Dis
trict monuments to be placed at all road
crossings and at other salient points.
Congress having appropriated $1,000 for
a resurvey Of Barry Farm, the work will
begin In September and will be pushed to
completion far as the funds will permit.
During the year a series of five old
| maps showing the original surface profiles
on centers of most of the streets Of the
center and southern parts Of the city, and
also a scheme Of grades. apparently made
by Nicholas King in 1897, have been traced
and thus essentially preserved, the orig
inals being in the last stages Of dilapida-
ton. Several other important old maps of
the original design Of the city should be
photo-lithographed to preserve them from
utter loss. 1 recommend that $500 be ap-
propriated for this purpose.
More Room Needed.
1.-THE attempt to crowd into the very lin
tied fireproof vault Of the office the volum-
inous Brewer collection impels me to ask
for 5000 for the enlargement Of the metal
map and file case plant, all of which will
be available in a new municipal building.
Scores Of valuable maps cannot now be
kept in the fireproof vault for lack of room.
The space now occupied by this Office in
the old city hall has now become, by in
crease In every division Of the work. so
crowded. even for the employees alone, that
public business is retarded, and the in
creasing number Of citizens who wish to
examine the records have often not even
space to spread out books for examination.
There is no space whatever for those who
wish to copy and trace from the records.
The crying need for a decent municipal
building is shown as plainly in this o.lce
as in any other. BY the courtesy of the
clerk of the Supreme Court this Office has
been loaned the temporary use OIL q room
In the basement, which has been of great
help, though but one man can work there
in with natural Hight. AS this office Is in
the city hall by suHerance merely, and Is
liable to be forced out altogether by the
needs for space for the courts, the sur
veyor is thankful that he is allowed to re-
main at all. as the rooms are good and con-
venient, but in aggregate space not half
large enough.
II wish to place on record my earnest
recommendation that the appropriation for
this Office be made ample for the mainte-
nance of just as many field parties as the
work demands. In this day Of rapid con-
| summation of deals In real estate time Is a
vital factor, and the general public should,
in my judgment, be able to secure a report
from this Office in all ordinary cases inside
| Of forty-eight hours as to surveys of loca-
ton of walls. ETC., and no delay whatever
should be permitted due to insufficient
IL he ovo Inn of