The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-08-21
ANNUAL REPORT OF
DISTRICT SURVEYOR
New Building Regulations
Increase Work of Office,
PLAT FOR EVERY STRUCTURE
Plan Works Well and Has Resulted in
Detecting Many Errors in Party
Walls Recommends Marking and
Identification of District Boundary.

Mr.. Henry B. LOCKER, the District Sur
veyor. today submitted TO the Commits
sioners his annual report OF the opera
tf5ns of his Office for the fiscal year
ended June 80. last. To the report is
appended schedule CT estimates for
I the next fiscal year.
The year, says the Surveyor. has
/ been a very busy one especially during
/ the months Of March, Apr and May.
the recent changes in the building regu-
| Iations being responsible for consider
able part of the work The requirement
+ OF an official plat Of each lot to be used
as the site of building has caused the
making OF 749 pIats CT single lots CIR
/ groups Of lots. The requirement of
survey in all cases to verify the location
/ Of new walls in process Of erection has
caused the maxine OF 2S2 surveys.
+ AS the new regulations went into ef-
! feet March / complete annual figures
! are not attainabIe as to the effect in the
number of pIats and surveys. but enough
/ is Known to amply justify the adoption
Of these two requirements Already
/ PROBABLY fifteen cases of errors Of
/ builders in location Of party walls were
! discovered before II became diff
( 6-uB to correct the error. The effect
I IS excellent; It is TO see that the permit
| granted is adhered to perfectly in the
matter Of location and that the adjoin-
ing land, including public streets. etc.
IS protected from encroachment In ad-
dicion, the system provides very con
siderable protection to this Office. whief
has now an opportunity to correctly re-
! set points of survey which. during
buiIdin operations. may be jammed OF
OF tr.le position, with the natural re-
suit as to walls built thereupon.
Plats to Show Subdivisions.
in connection with the plan submit
ted some months ago by this Office to
assist the Assessor in the definite desig-
nation Of all parcels of suburban land,
It is deemed proper in this report 20
show the constantly increasing neeessi-
" for a series OF plats. showing con
stantIy up TO date the subdivisionaI con
dition Of each block Of the city. These
can be made Up from the original pa
pers CT subdivision. as they come IN day
I by day, in pencil on q basis Of the con
/ ditton at any one time drawn in ink
] This viii, OF course, not include parcels
/ cut out by metes and bounds by deeds,
/ but II viii be a step in the proper di-
! Tection, and as far as now possible to
so, in the absence Of legislation reQuir-
ing the registration IN the Surveyor
cut out By deed, before the recording of
said deed
7 regard this, under our system. as
the only means Of supplying The Asses
scr's ONCE with the designations ne
/ needs, and the plan should include the
{ whole District. I do not believe there IS
any real difficulty in carrying out suca
/ a plan once having the piats prepared
as suggested At present, IN the city
al least, il is impossible TO get On one
sheet the subdivisionaI condition OF any
square several record books having TO
/ contribute 10 the result Tie need 3f
this reform is felt chiefly by tie various
departments Of the municipal admins
tration, whenever the opening or con
demnation Of an alley is desired, and III
any case where The true relation of q lot
OF group Of lots is desired. in reference
10 other lots OF an alley, etc
Work Net Yet Begun.
The incessant demand upon the office
/ force for the most imperative current
work has prevented any beginning on
this comprehensive plating so far. but
it viii be undertaken whenever oppor-
tunity is afforded.
In this connection I think it would
be conducive TO the public interest TO
permit the preparation, without cost 10
owners, OF plats OF subdivision IN all
cases Of part lots which are carried
on the Assessors books as such, or
which appear therein accordll-g to the
+ description by metes and bounds. I re
Ter at this time specifically 10 property
in the city proper or IN recorded sub
divisions Of suburban land. The loss Of
revenue il fees, which would result,
ought not to weigh against the benefit
resulting TO the various District Offices
in the simpIihcaton Of records and ac-
counts At present, except in the ordi-
nary course Of business in preparation
for building, but little is done toward
Riding the records OF these indefinite
designations.
The action Of the recent Congress
lin providing for the year 1903 nearly the
amount OF money asked for by this Of
fee is most encouraging. Fs=- the first
time for four years an urgent deficiency
appropriation viii not be needed to carry
on the work and prevent the paralysis
to ali building operations, which would
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