The evening times., 1901-08-21

Henry T. LOCKER. the Surveyor OF the
District today forwarded To tho Commis-
sion,rs his annual report, covering the
operations of his office for the fiscal year
ended June 81. 1901. MI. LOCKER also sub
mits the estimates for the conduct Of his
ONCE for the fiscal year ending June go.
1893. IT,, Surveyor states that the salient
feature of the past years work I'm his
Office has been an extraordinary Increase
in th, demands of private citizens and the
District officials for surveys. suhdiyis-
ions. and detail Information.
Nor, than ever before" he says, "is
this office depended ON for every service
within its scope 10y heads of other Dis
trict departments. a cousummation which
tn, Surveyor has invited whenever oppor-
tuuity presented. the result being to large
Iy diminish duplication Of surveys. and To
transfer directly To the individual needing
it, information att,sted by the Surveyor
officially. an nd therefore available for use
in court or as the nnai statment of the
Commissioners In any case dependent
upon survey. This very proper use OF the
office has ..ad great effect In the increase
Of work done. As to work for private par
ties the office has been taxed beyond its
physical ability during the entire fiscal
year and win be i'm arrears for a month
yet. even with the third field party just
organized
Taking Up ia detail the various prinCi-
pal divisions OF the work OF the office.
and tho percentages of increase over last
year. IT is found that the number Of in
dividual recorded lots surveyed for pri-
vatc parties is S3e. an increase of 36 per
cent. Tweuty-four unsubdivided parcels
of land were surveyed Three hundred
and tweuty-sevcn subdivisions were made
in duplicate ard recorded. an increase Of
nearly 40 per cent. OF suburban tracts.
six were suhGivided into blocks and lots.
One thousand and nineteen estimates OF
cost were made out. in tripHcates. the re-
sultiUg orders being entered on the order
book. which shows a total Of l,Ulg orders
for private parties for survey OF sUbdi-
vision. or both or for pIats of all sorts,
. an increase Of 2S per cent. In prepara-
tion for surveys and subdivisions. 1913
plats of whole or parts of squares were
made up, an increase Of 2S per cent Six
hundred and eighty survey certificate
plats were issued, and the sarly number
Of duplicates entered on the books. an in
. crease Of 40 per cent At least 800 sketch
pIats Of subdivisions were made on re-
quest Of the Inspector Of Buildings, pre-
liminary to issuance OF building permits
Eighty-two large pIats were prepared, Of
which thirty were recorded for the Dis
trict. covering dedications. etc.
Endorse meuts were made on 5T En-
gineer Department communications. and
ffty-One pIats were forwarded Herewith.
. an increase Of 81 per cent.
For the District. surveys were made
in seyeuty-fve localities. scattered all
over the District. in city and county, fix
ing lines OF all kinds Of municipal real
estate and 70 obtain data for reports.
Ninety reports were made 10 the Engineer
/ Commissioner tUther than those by en-
/ dorss meutD. Of which fourteen included
pIats Two hundred and nifty Of the 81
. endorse emeuts were upon as many differ
/ eut subjects relating 10 the Engineer De-
i partmeut.
During the year the two neld parties
. expended Ge2 hours in surveys for the Dis
/ triCt. and three times as much. or 1888
I hours for private partles-total 2i2 days
I Of hours. or 50 days Of extra time-ls per
. cent over and above the ordinary office
hours and the office force worked at least
. per cent overtime The relative
amounts of time expended for the District
. and private parties by the Office force are
very difficult 10 diTerentiate. but it is
. certain that at least one-third Of the office
. time is expended in answering questions
and assisting those interested IN real es-
/ tate in the examination Of the records.
/ which is as it should be.
/ In addition 20 tho pIats above noted,
many others Of a temporary character,
/ probably aU0. were made. bringing the to-
/ tai up TO about 4.2rI. an Increase Of SO per
/ cent. Letters To tho number OF gf1 were
1 written and cCpien. and at least I'D other
/ letters were written OF less important ma
/ ture. and not requiring copying total G53.
/ Probably F5oJ telephone calls were made
| or answered.
! The growth Of the subdivision work is
/ shown by the following table:
! July 1895 10 July 1885. 50; July 1896 70 Ju-
/ ly 1897, lbs; July lsj7 10 July 1896. -; July
/ $50, TO July 1899. l72. July 1853 to July 1900
| 20; July 1880 to July 1901. 81
/ During the entire fiscal year the field
work was behind. and until May 15. when
| the deficiency appropriation was first util-
/ lied, the office work had also accumulated
! so heavily that the increased force then
| put on barely succeeded In bringing inside
/ work UP 20 date. a most vital thing. in
view OF the fact that the copying Of tho
/ new records into the permanent books
] should not be delayed any longer than the
| reasonable time which must De allowed
In any office OF record Recently tue -f-
| fort has been to check off and sign the
/ pages of1he record books each month. the
] original papers being retired az once after
| copies aye signed, and filed iu the fire
| proof vault. Plans ar, or foot to make
! the series Of records Of surveys in the
/ near future very much more valuable
| than now, 20 all landed interests
insufficient field force has made it
practically useless 10 attempt the exceed
ingly important work Of refsreucfug val
liable points Of survey destroyed bv street
| improvements.
| turning 20 matters not purely statis-
| ucal, the fact Is noted that an interest
] Ing old landmark the initial point or tho
/ corner Of several original tracts west Of
Georgetown, known for many years AS
! the Dolly Barber Tree huge poDIar on
the south side or the New Cut Road west
| Of Foundry Branch. has rcceutIv fallen
and In order 90 preserve it's exact site
this Office has placed permanent rnonu-
ment IN the centre Of the space once Gov
| cred by the trunk, this monument care
| Iully referring To auxiliary points recorded
| IA lne once notes 70 secure the main
point against possible vandalism KV{fh
sufficient field force. and the constant and
| hearty cooperation Of the Sewer and SrI--
lace departments. which is hereby ac
| kuOwledEod, the importa.. work az ssy-
ing the sites Of landmarks and points Of
! survey can be readily done reuIacf,a
insh oy permanent marks I'm new gralo-
J Nthic sidewalks. etc.
/ For several years n bo,l, his
| Dten kept up, into which are placed news
| paper clippings Of every subject ir sry,
! way or interest 70 the office. including