Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07


nue. and Florida avenue. has practically all
been acquired. Most Of the buildings that
occupied this land have been removed, and
the work Of removing the remainder OF
them is progressing rapidly. The Commits
sioners have been informed that the work
VIII be pushed with all dispatch. and 1t is
expected that the structures will be sufi-
GENTLY advanced by the spring Of 1905 to
permit trains to run in on the new tracks.
thus obviating the usual necessity of put
ing down temporary tracks to accommo-
date Inauguration traffic.
The District Building.
The Secretary Of the Treasury and the
commissioners OF the District of Columbia
acting jointly, are authorized by the mu-
nicapal building act approved June 9, 1902.
20 contract for the erection and completion
OF nreproof building for the accommoda-
uon OF the municipal offices OF the District
OF OF. Columbia. the cost Of such building. In
ciudlng site, not to exceed So, 600 600. The
site FOR the building (the old power-house
square, Fourteenth and D streets) was pur-
CHASED at cost of S5j0.00 The Engineer
commissioned Is executive officer Of the
commission. and Capt. Chester Harding.
Corps OF Engineers, IT, s. Army, was APP
pointed by the President supervisor of con-
struct1on. having charge OF the supervision
or plans, construction etc Reasonable pro-
gress has been made in the preparation Of
plans and specifications which must neces-
sarly take several months for a building OF
TINS size and character. It Is expected that
work upon the foundations Of the building
Will be commenced at the beginning OF the
next calendar year. and that q contract for
the building proper will be- let sometime
during the summer.
Roadway Pavements.
During the year the prices paid for sheet
asphalt were $1.56 to $1.64 per square yard.
according to character OF base; and for
asphalt block $1.68 per square yard on a
gravel base and 81 per square yard on
natural cement base. For the present year
the prices are. for sheet asphalt, $1.51 to
SLIT per square yard, and $3.50 per square
yard for asphalt block on natural cement
base.
Every year the Commissioners receive
petitions from residents and property own
ers on streets paved with granite block,
requesting that this class Of pavement be
replaced with asphalt or asphalt block. 1t
was the practice formerly to gradually do
TINS where public interest was benefited.
AT the last session of Congress a clause was
included In the District appropriation act
providing that streets and avenues named
IN the schedules. already paved with Bel
gran block or granite. shall not be paved
or otherwise improved under the current
appropriation. During the past working
season some granite block pavements have
been replaced with asphalt, but this work
was done under the appropriation for the
previous year, and was already under con-
tract before the prohibiting clause referred
to above was inserted.
Sidewalks.
During the year the prices paid for ce-
ment walks were $1.04 and 81. IL per square
yard. the latter price on streets in the
county not provided with roadway pave
ments. The prices this year will De 81
I'd fx-olv
Complaints are made from time to time
Of the failure to replace old brick sidewalks
with improved cement walks. Under the
law half the cost Of sidewalk work is paid
by the owners of the abutting property.
either by permit work or assessment. When
petition is received from owners express
ing their willingness to pay half the cost.
1t has been the rule Of the Office to order
the work when public policy authorized.
A sufficient number of such requests are
usually received to use up the annual ap-
preparation for the purpose. Under this
system number Of old walks have not
been replaced, since their improvement was
rot requested by representative number
or owners of abutting property; in fact, In
many cases the work has been positively
opposed by them.
AS the voluntary requests for work of
TINS character are, as a rule, sufficient to
use up the appropriation, and as the work
was in each case desirable, the Commits
sicners have complied with these requests
rather than use the money in forcing walks
On owners who objected to paying the half
cost. Many of these old walks, however,
are in such shape that it is important that
they should be renewed, whether owners
OF abutting property are willing or not
and during the year a number have been
replaced with cement. 1t is hoped to carry
the work forward until all the principal
tforoughfares are provided with modern
walks of cement.
Bridges in District.
The current appropriation act carries an
item of $4,000 for continuing work on the
Connecticut Avenue Bridge over Rock
Creek, with authority to enter into contra ct
for the completion of the bridge at a cost.
exclusive of appropriations already made,
of $6OOOO0. the work to be completed within
four years from July /, 1903. The general
design of this bridge was determined by a
competition held several years ago, which
resulted in the selection of the plans of
MI George s. Morrison of New York. who
was also appointed consulting engineer on
the work. Mr.. Morrison died during the
PAST summer, and the Commissioners have
not considered 1t necessary to appoint
successor Mr.. Edward Pearce Casey of
New York was engaged as consulting
architect. The specifications and working
drawings are under preparation by Mr..
w. j. Douglass, engineer of bridges and
that proposals for the construction of the
bridge will be invited within a month or
two.
1t is very necessary that means be nro
vided for rebuilding the Anacostia bridge
| This bridge is too narrow to accommodate
traffic, and is structurally weak The enei-
| neer of bridges reports that the stresses are
| row far in excess of good practice and thai
the hanger posts in many cases are strained
to within a few per cent of their ultimate
strength. An item of 100000 Is included in
the estimates to begin the recons truction
of the bridge. 1t Is believed that it would
be unsafe and dangerous to defer this work
much longer.
The Commissioners have also included in
the estimates an item of $4,000 for con-
structing bridge across Piney Branch on
the line of Sixteenth street extended This
bridge is necessary on account of the grade
of Sixteenth street, which will cross Piney
Branch at an elevation of about 90 feet.
which will require the construction of a
viaduct about 300 feet in length 1t is in
tended that one or two streets and one Of
the avenues of the highway-extension plans
shall be. carried under this viaduct the
grade of Sixteenth street making this neces-
sary. The necessity of keeping up the grade
OF Sixteenth street Is because of the high
ground to the north and south of Piney