The Washington times., 1901-11-09
THE ENGINEERS REPORT.
A Resume of Municipal Work for
Last Fiscal Year.

The Pavement of Streets and ESten-
sion of SidewaIks-Sewnge Dis
posaI Project-BuildinE Inspection
and the Planting of shade Trees.
The annual report of the Engineer De-
partment, which was prepared by Capt.
Lansing II. Beach before he retired from
office, for the fiscal year ended June 30
1901, was yesterday submitted to the Board
and approved by them. Captain Beach,
after referring to the changes in the per
sonnel of the department by the retire
ment of Captain Gaillard last March, dis
cusses the plans for the elimination OF
the grade crossings on the steam rail-
roads and the progress made for the
building of the new Long Bridge across
the Potomac River.
He then treats of street and alley i'm
provement, and shows in brief the addi-
tions made to the paved streets. alleys.
and sidewalks during the year. The work
on the bridges across Rock Creek and in
other parts of the District are reviewed.
The sewage disposal project for carrying
the sewage of the city across the Ana
costa River is referred to. and the gen.
eraT progress of the extension of sewers
is spoken of.
Considerable space is given to comment
upon the municipal buildings and the in
spection of buildings during the year, ref
erence being made to the revision of the
regulations. The report closes with a lis
cussion of the subject of trees and the
general work of the Parking Commission
in beautifying the city.
Reviewing the work of street and alley
paving. Captain Beach says:
1.-The materials used for street pave
ments during the year were asphalt, as
phalt block. and macadam; 40,S32 square
yards of sheet asphalt, 1888 square yards
of asphalt block. and 81, ,S06 square yards
of macadam being laid. This was all new
work upon streets heretofore unprovided
with improved pavement. In connection
and addition to the above, 306.000 cubic
yards of grading was accomplished The
prices paid were: For sheet asphalt on
Glitch concrete base, SI.7g12 per square
yard, and for asphalt block on gravel
base, S1-77 per square yard or the com
ing year the prices viii be Sli2 Tor sheet
asphalt. and Sl.7 for asphalt block.
''Vitrihed brick and asphalt block We're
used for paving alleys, about l2.9gO square
yards of the former and l5,gg square
yards of the latter being laid. This work
was done by day labor.
The Recommendation is renewed that
all granite block pavements in the city
be replaced as rapidly as possible with
sheet asThalt or asphalt block. Ob1ec-
tfons to the rough ana noisy granite DIock
pavements are being continually received
and under the conditions preNalnng IN
Washington. where smooth pavements are
the rule, it is believed that relief should
be Afforded
During the year 81. 7.176 square yards Of
cement sidewalk were laid. and 4035
square yards of brick sidewalk. The
prices for cement sidewalk were Sl-O51z
and sLl5@. per square yard, the latter price
prevailing upon streets in the county not
provided with roadway pavements. For
the coming year the prices will be 50
cents and sl.0T per square yard, respect
lively.
''The office has been embarrassed in a
number of cases during the year by a
judicial decision to the effect that real es-
tate exempted by law from the payment
of general taxes is, by the same law, al
SO exempt from special assessments. AS
the office has no means at its command
to pay for laying walk in front of such
property. the result has been that when
such a frontage was enc0unt cred arrange
ments have had to be made with the prop
erty owners for the execution OF the work
upon deposit by them of one-half the
estimated cost. in advance. as otherwise
the pavement in front Of such premises
would have to be omitted. This has, in
several cases. caused serious ETcOnven-
fence TO the public. and badly needed
work has had to be left undOne- 1t is
believed that no exemptions whatever
from assessment for work of improvement