Evening star., 1902-08-21
SURVEYORS REPORT
Suggests Marking Of District
Boundary Lines.
PROJECTED SURVEYS
QUESTION WHICH HAS GIVEN
TROUBLE SINCE 1859.
Boundaries Which Have Been Obscur-
ed for Centuries - Estimates
for Fiscal Year.


Commissioners today Henry B. LOCKER, the
District surveyor, makes a recommenda-
ton that the entire boundary line of the
District of Columbia be cleared out and
marked by additional stone monuments.
The surveyor first speaks of the large
projects in which the Office is at present
engaged, and then alIudes to the survey
of the District line as one which still re-
mains and should be appropriated for. In
regard to the several projects he says:
THE resurvey of the Barry farm is not
yet completed because of interruption, the
work of current surveys of suburban lots
for immediate building purposes and the
surveys of large tracts being considered
improper to delay. 1t is hoped, however,
to complete the entire subject in the i'm
mediate future
The action Of the recent Congress in
providing for the year 1903 nearly the
amount of money asked by this office is
| most encouraging. For the first time for
four years an urgent deficiency appropria-
tion will not be needed to carry on the
work and prevent the paralysis to all
building operations, which would result
from the closing down of the office early
in the spring.
Old Question to Be Settled.
The appropriation of $1,000 for the re-
survey of the Beatty & Hawkins addition
pended in obtaining, first, very accurate
map of all existing holdings and physical
conditions in the tract, and second in
deavoring to secure the largest possible
concurrence in existing conditions of boun-
darieS by the owners involved. confirmed
by the exchange of quit-claim deeds,
to make the new map the sole basis of ref
erence hereafter. 1t is believed that this
annoying question. which has made all
sorts of trouble since 1869 will thus be
rll rod fn he. a ont thar1 &c
nowhere correct Typographical map of
the tract or any part of it, and as to
record the less said about it the better.
When an owner SUOdivides plats and con-
veys to others 100 feet more frontage in
three separate tiers of lots than really
exists the ground. it is not surprising
that some confusion should result.
Two projects still remain, wherein spe-
cial surveys are necessary to secure good
results The first of these is complete
clearing out OF the entire boundary line
of the District much of which has been
oversrown with heavy timber and obscured
in various ways for a century. An apprO-
priatiOn of $3.50 is needed for this, which
should include the placing of monuments
on each side of all roads intersected by the
District line, and also at all salient points
of hill and valley, to enable this important
line to be easily picked up at any time,
and followed from point TO point. This
matter is important in the capture of fugi-
tive criminals, etc.
The other project is the restoration of
the original monuments at the corners of
the blocks of the extreme eastern section
of the city. these points having been large
ly destroyed during the civil war. This
would cost about $1,000. One or both of
these matters should be provided for at the
coming session of Congress-
Eastern Branch Water Front.
II renew my urgent appeal for action de-
termining the true status of the Eastern
branch water front. l do not know to
what extent the matter of property rights
in this locality will be taken up in connec-
ton with the survey authorized by the last
Congress, to be made by the War Depart
ment. but presume that this survey will re-
late chiefly to the question of deepening Of
adjacent thereto
The year has been a very busy one" con-
tinues the surveyor, especially during the
months Of March April and May, the recent
changes in the building regulations being
responsible for a considerable part Of the
work The requirement of an official pla.
of each lot to be used the site of
! building has caused the making of 749 plats
of single lots or groups of lots. The re-
quirement of a survey in all cases to verify
the location of new walls in process of
erection has caused the making of 2S2 sur
NtyS. AS the new regulations went into
effect March l, complete annual figures are
not attainable to the effect in the num-
Der of piats and surveys. but enough is
I
these two requirements. Already probably
hfteen cases of errors of builders in loca-
tloD of party walls have been discovered
before it became difficult to correct the err
ror The effect is excellent; it is to see
that the permit granted is adhered 10 per-
fectly in the matter of location, and that
the adjoining land including pubic streets,
| etc, is protected from encroachment In
addition the system provides very consider
able protection To this office, which has now
| an opportunity to correctly reset points of
survey, which, during building operations.
may be jammed out of true position viii
| the natural result as TO walls built there
upon.
Oenn1te Designations in Suburbs.
In connection with the plan submitted
some months ago by this office to assist
the assessor in the definite designation of
all parcels of suburban land it is deemed
proper in this report to show the constant
ly increasing necessity for series of plats
showing constantly up to date the subdi-
vlsioual condition of each block of the city
| These can be made up from the original
| papers OF subdivision, they come in day
| by DAY, IN pencil on basis of the condi-
| uon at any one time, drawn in ink This
| Will, OF course, not include parcels cut ont
| by metes and bounds by deeds but it will be
| a step IN the proper direction, and as far
| as now possible to go, in the absence of
| legislation requiring the registration in the
! surveyors office of a number for each par
| eel so cut out by deed, before the record
| ing of said deed. l regard this under our
! system, as the only means of supplying
| the assessors office with the designa ations
! he needs. and the plan should include the
| whole District. l do not believe there is
| any real difficulty in carrying out such a
plan. once having the plats prepared as sug-
| geSted.'
Estimates fer 1904
| Mr.. LOCKER has also submitted his esti-
| mates for the year 1904. He asks for a
! general increase in the salaries of himself
| and his assistants and clerks. He also re-
| quests an additional draughtsman and an
| additional comPuter. A total of S23 ,6S5 is
| asked for. In regard to this the surveyor
| says:
| The appropriation for the current year
! for the general work of the oIfice is $l7,S00.
| To this can be added the s., 900 for piats of
| subdivisions, making Sl9S00 The s., 900
for resurvey of Beatty and Hawkins addi-
| tiol brings the total up to S21 800 but this
| latter amount is. of course for Il special
| matter. 1t is obvious, therefore, that the
| general appropriation is not vet sufficient