Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15

of the office up to that time. the percent
ages of increase this year over last year.
noted above in almost every item, sno"
that the steady increase shown Tor many
wears is fully maintained. and closely fol-
lows the great growth of the city. in build
ing matters. population and real estate
values.
"The facilities afforded by the office are
now so generally awaited Of that hardly any
case of transfer of title. new building or
readjustment Of lines is undertaken without
first having the matter begun in TINS once.
Although the labor Of the entire once aorce
(the number Of men not being kept at all
times commensurate with the need), the
policy Of the Office Is always to encourage
the fullest possible use of these facli1ties-
It is a matter Of satisfaction that the year
ly appropriations for the office show
gradual but decided approximation TO the
needs The chief trouble Is the lack Of
elasticity In the means upon which the OF
fee depends, 1t having been hitherto out OF
the question to hold any money IN reserve
for the sudden demands of large surveys
and subdivisions made often at time "nen
the simple current work absorbs all the
time of every one in the office. Again. such
special demand cannot be met by taking on
new men, inexperienced in the methods of
work found essential. SO that the lack or
money is by no means the sole d1fnculty.
Comparison of Figures.
"a brief comparison of the volume OF
business this year with that of the year
ending June 80, 1893. is Of some interest.
1.-The number Of lots and parcels surveyed
for the public and the District was about
600 in 1898. and ,27O in 1903. The subdi-
visions were 40 in 1898. and 465 In 1893
The plats made were about 1,6OO IN 1885
and 5, 431 in 1908.
During the latter part Of this fiscal year
there was completed all Of the field work
and nearly all Of the office work OF the spe-
cial resurvey of the Beatty and Hawkins
addition to Georgetown, authorized by Con-
gress. and contract has been made for
the photo-lithographing of the resulting
map. The full utilization of this work.
which 1t is hoped can be made, will have
to be dealt with later on. the result now
In hand being simply the very accurate
Typographical map. which must be the first
step in the matter. In this connection
wish to acknowledge the courtesy of Miss
Westcott, the principal Of the Western
High School. who granted us for several
months the use of a room In her building,
which Is close to the Beatty and Hawkins
addition.
Lack Of Office Space.
There was no space whatever in this
office, nor could any be obtained In tins
building, for the making Of the very large
map in this case, which was carried along
concurrently with the field work. This spe-
cial survey work has been most efficiently
pushed to completion by Mr.. Talcott. the
assistant surveyor. in spite Of constant in
terruptions caused by the current city sur
veys, which frequently could not be kept
up by the remaining force, which had
enough to do in the suburbs alone.
During the year very accurate outline
survey was made Of the National Zoologi-
cal Park, and a map was made. showing
the relation Of the park to the neighbor1ng
streets and roads.
Il wish to make most hearty acknow-
ledgment of the good work done by the
Office force, done quite often under adverse
conditions, continuous and connected at
tention to one thing at time being often
impracticable by reason of the multiplicity
of orders. requiring at least partial exc
cut1On to enable builders to retain the sery-
ices of mechanics"