Evening star., 1901-11-16

Repairs to Surface Being Made BY
District Authorities.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE

The repair OF the asphalt pavement OF
11th street between Hennsyfvania avenue
and p street northwest which Is being
made by order 6f fha District coumis-
ssioners at an expense Of saoos IL erausht
with q good deal OF interest," to the District
authorities and 60 the of1cis1s Of the WASH
inetcn Gas Light Company. Tho District
Commissioners Il Is stated; ers under the
impression that the disintesration of the
old paving Was the result of 3 heavy leak
age In the gas main beneath the thor
oughfare. II their surn1zse Is found to be
correct and can be legally established, It Is
said to be probable that some action against
the gas company win result. The ques-
tion involved in the repaving. therefore. is
one OF wide-reaching Importance, because.
it is alleged, 1t may be made applicable to
other sections of the District where such
condition may be found to exist.
The District also claims, It is understood,
that in number of instances leaky gas
mains have destroyed young shade trees
which have been planted at great deal
of expense. The superintendent OF park
ing, Mr.. Trueman Lanham, has In num-
her of cases advised against the placing OF
trees in certain localities because of the
quantity of coal gas found in making the
necessary excavatings for planting.
Alleged had Condition.
1t is alleged that 11th street just solth
of e street has been In very bad shape for
| more than a year past. The asphalt had
given away in some instances and dis
solved, and in other places it had become
elevated in ridges of some proportions In
riding over the street in carriage or on a
wheel the sensation has been the same as
might be expected in driving over a choppy
sea. Complaint has been made to the Com
missioners concerning the matter a num-
Der OF times by the merchants along the
fy1sr1I % 1nrtci aCn
complaints against the paving came others
of escaping gas in the neighborhood. 1t
was claimed that in one building quite
volume of gas entered the basement
through the electric conduit ways.
Capt. Lansing H. Beach, the former En-
gfneer Commissioner, directed an investiga-
ton Of the matter to be made, and from
the reports he received he became conf
dent, it is stated, that the wearing out of
the pavement might be directly charged to
the presence of a quantity of coal gas be-
meath the asphalt. 1t is stated that the
gas has very deleterious effect on as
phalt and disintegrates it rapidly. Capt.
Beach called the matter to the attention of
the gas company, and received visit from
Mr.. r. Ross Perry, the attorney of the cor
p0ration, who asked that action be post
poned until he could look into the case
more thoroughly and have a conference
With the District officials. The request was
granted. Soon afterward Capt. Beach was
ordered to prepare for change of station,
and in winding up old engineering matters
of the District the question of gas in 11th
street was dropped
Meantime the gas company was invesu-
eating the matter on its own account and
squads of men were sent to locate a pos
sible leak. These men drove long steel
drills through the asphalt and into the
street. Upon removing these match was
applied to the holes and quite a fame of
gas shot forth. These tests were witnessed
by a number of merchants and others in
the vicinity.
The Work Begun.
A few weeks ago the Commissioners de-
cided to delay the badly needed repairs no
longer and so ordered the work to be done
at once. It is progressing rapidly. The
Commissioners also ordered Mr.. A. w.
Dow, the District inspector of asphalts and
cements. to be present during the excava-
tions for the new paving and to analyze
samples of the old asphalt for the presence
of gas. The gas company was also notified
to have Representatives present. The au-
thorities thus laid a foundation for any
possible action against the company in the
future. Mr.. Dow has analyzed a number
of samples already, Capt H. c. Newcomer,
assistant to the Engineer Commissioner,
stated today, and has found large guam
titles of gas therein. The gas company
made an excavation down to the main day
before yesterday and it was stated did
not locate the supposed leak. No action