Evening star., 1901-09-20
WORK OF SURFACE DIVISION
REPORT MADE BY COMPUTING EN-
GINEER C. b. HUNT.
Amounts Expended In the District for
improvements and Repairs
to Streets.

| Late this afternoon C. B. Hunt, the COM
putting engineer. submitted his annual re-
port to the District Commissioners. The
statement covers the work Of the surface
| division of the engineer department. 1t
shows the total amounts expended in the
| District for improvements and repairs to
| streets as follows:
| Asphalt, $40, ,S32. so: vitrified block, ST.
| 640.17 asphalt block, SIT 1858. .63; macadam,
| 2,SO6; cobble cutters, 25557.54: ordinary
| grading, s300,257: macadam grading. So
| $40: old cobble removed. 81, 1856: old curb
removed, s11 ,O2O.62; curb set, s4T,S13.2T; !;
curb reset. 81, ,652. 06.
Mr. Hunt gives a list of the streets I'M
proved, and says
LAS an incident to the expenditure. by
contract, of the bulk Of the appropriation
for Improvement and repairs, repairs to
concrete paVementS' and construction OIL
county roads, and on account of other ap-
preparations not under the control of the
surface division, there were executed mis-
cellaneous items of work by day labor dur
ing the year. shown In detail in table
submitted This work amounted to S59,-
1884"
The reports of the superintendent of
streets, superintendent of roads and the
| engineer of bridges were transmitted with
the report.
The District Quarry.
Under a special authorization contained
in the current appropriation bill bids were
received for operating the District quarry
at Dickerson, Md, for terms of one, two,
three and five years, and a contract for
five-year term was executed with the
Standard Lime and Stone Company of Bal
timore, Md, Mr.. Daniel Baker, president,
at very adva ntageous rates. Under TINS
contract the quarry was operated during
the past year with a largely increased out
put over the preceding year, due in q large
part to the peculiar circumstance that un-
der the operation of the schedule for i'm
provement and repairs large amount OIL
macadam had to be supplied on streets pro-
vided to be graded and regulated. For the
ensuing and succeeding years the number
of graded and regulated streets on the
schedule is relatively small. and the de-
nlands on the quarry from this source Will
be very greatly reduced. On the other
hand 1t is hoped that appropriations for
repairs to streets and repairs to roads will
be of such proportions as will enable full
advantage to be taken of this large supply
of frst-class construction material at a
practically constant rate.
Streets, Alleys and Roads.
The operations of grading streets, alleys
and roads by the labor of the inmates OF
the Washington Asylum, although econom-
ically conducted, were of necessity sus-
pended for lack of funds before the expira-
of authorized but unfinished work. AS
this work is at present administered so
many advantageous improvements can be
accomplished.
The appropriation for repairs to streets
was expended on the general lines followed
during the preceding years, and the re-
surfaced streets are among the best in the
District The other asphalt and coal-tar
paVements were maintained by minor
pairs in excellent condition, no reasonable
expense being spared. The cost of such
minor repair work during the year was
SO, ,4I 80
Work Country Roads.
After recapitulating the work done
county roads, Mr.. Hunt refers to the sum
of 5000 for the improvement of Adams
Mill road, which re-appropriated by
Congress. 1t was expended during the
year. he says. in bringing this road to the
approved grade, including in these opera
tions the area of the original road and
such additional area as could be secured
with the appropriation of 5000. similarly
reappropriated, for the purchase and con-
demnation of land necessary to widen the
road In accordance with the plans for street
extensions.
The appropriation act for 1901 contained
an item for $4,000 for paving roadways
under the permit system. Such a provis-
ion has been made in previous years. but
| had been interrupted for several successive
years, and it's renewal was marked by an
| Immediate pressure for the allotments
| that could be made within the limits of the
| appropriation to such an extent that a
| much larger sum could have been advan-
! ticipated in the near future
The detailed plans prepared in accord
ance with the public act of February II,
! 1901, for the elimination of grade crossings
| on the lines OF the Pennsylvania railroad.
! were approved by the Commissioners of
| the District on June IL. 1901. Active con-
! struction operations on this work are an
| tisipated In the near future.
Difficulties Encountered.
I'm the execution of assessment work Sc
| rious embarrassment has resulted from the
| judicial decision that property exempted
| by law from general taxes Is likewise ex-
| empt from special assessments. This Of
| flee has not understood that the appropria-
! ton for assessment work could properly
| be expended in front of such property in
| view of this decision, and the result has
| been that when such a frontage is encoun-
| tered arrangements have had to be made
| with the owners of such property for the
execution of the work In their fronta ees
| under the permit system by the deposit of
| the half cost in advance, else the work
| on these frontages has had to be omitted
| causing more or less and frequently quite
/ serious public Inconvenience"