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

| gstory by acts OF Congress. The private
&c IN the Treasury. but the amount appro,
priated has not been sufficient to do all
! work promptly and accurately.
Numbering Squares In the County.
1t Is believed that the question OF secur-
| ing uniform system OF squares through
| out the District Of Columbia should be
/ taken up. The present parcels of subdivid-
| ed property in the county are now desig
| mated by the name of the subdivision in
addition to the number of the square and
| lot. requiring the writing OF the name OF
the subdivision on all tax bills and puo!c
records whenever 1t becomes necessary 10
| describe such piece OF property. BY hav-
| ing system OF square numbers the neces-
| s.ty for writing the name of the supds-
| highway-extension plans which cover the
| entire District Of Columbia have already
| divided the District into squares, so that
1t is now possible to devise a system OF
consecutive for the entire District. By the
| adoption of such a system the proper num-
! fers of the squares In agricultural tracts
could be determined and applied whenever
| a subdivision is made, even though it be
| distant or detached from other subdivided
property. OF course, this would Involve
the application Of new numbers to the
! squares in county subdivisions
Objection may be raised to this on the
| ground of the confusion that might ensue
! 1t Is believed. however. that 1t is entirely
practicable to make the change. In the
| first transfer OF q piece of property after
| the new numbers have been applied both
the old and the new number would be given
After that 1t would be known by the new
| number. The squares Of Georgetown were
| all remembered in this manner when it was
| made part of the city of Washington
| some years ago. Such system of square
numbers would be very valuable for many
municipal munich purposes pu particularly for the
| offices OF the assessor and surveyor.
The Tree Service.
| The trees upon streets in the District Of
Columbia now number 7,4O7. For several
| years the annual appropriation for the
parking commission has been the same.
| namely, $4,000. although the number of
| trees to be cared for has been increasing
| at the rate of about $500 year. This ap-
preparation also has to be used for i'm
| proving reservations under the care of the
Commissioners and moving weeds on park
ings There is probably no other single
feature that adds so much to the beauty,
health and comfort Of the city as its trees,
and it Is highly desirable that they be prop
erly cared for and the tree service extend
ed as fast as practicable to streets not al
ready SO provided. In the estimates for
the coming year an additional amount is
asked for to provide better care for the
trees already planted and also to permit
| needed planting on streets not now sup
plied; otherwise the number of new trees
that can be planted will be very limited
as the appropriation Is hardly more than
sufficient to maintain the trees already in
existence
Details of the work Of the parking COM
MISSION are given In the report of Mr.. True
man Lanham. superintendent of parking.
Rock Creek Park.
The appropriation for the care and i'm
provement Of the park for the year was
only $500. This was one of the smallest
yearly appropriations in the history of the
park, and consequently very little could be
accomplished: the money was used to make
needed repairs at various points on the
| roads. The chain gang has been utilized as
| far as possible and has been of considerable
service During the year Ross road was
| graded by them for a distance of 1900 feet
| and viaduct constructed to carry the road
| over deep ravine This viaduct was con-
structed entirely by the chain gang. 1t is
10 feet In length and is As feet high in the
| center. 1t is a creditable example of what
| the gang is capable Of doing and of the ex-
cellent way in which the foreman has ham
| dled MS men. Unless means are provided
| in the north half of the park this beautiful
| section will be cut off to the driving and
| riding public. The temporary bridges
which have been thrown across the stream
are becoming diiapidated and dangerous,
| and the roads are getting In such a condi-
| ton that they will have to be closed unless
means are provided to improve them.
The creek banks need protection. all
| roads need repairs and constant watering
| during dry weather, so that the cost of
| keeping the park in its present condition is
| quite considerable. The popularity of the
| park is steadily growing, and it Is hoped
! that all of this beautiful section Of country
can soon be provided with good roads and
| footpaths SO as to open it up still further
| to the public.
| Retent on Contracts.
The law now requires that 10 per cent of
| the cost Of all new works shall be retained
! as an additual security and guaranty
fund to keep the same in repair for the
| term of five years. It is not believed that
| this requirement is a uniform advantage to
| the District Of Columbia. Experience seems
| to indicate that In a number of cases the
system increases the cost and has ten
| dency to decrease the number of bidders
On proposals involving a retent some bid
| ders add a substantial amount on account
| of this provision, so that a large proper
| ton Of the retent Is so much added profit
| for them. 1t is also believed that more bids
would be received and keener competition
| obtained by leaving out the retent proviso.
| since a number of contractors, especially
| out-of-town ones, do not care to have a
| part of their capital tied up for five years
| in this manner. AS the public works are
| carried on under rigid inspection, the
| necessity for a retent is not so important
| and the experience of the office is that in
| the great majority of cases this retent is
not touched by the government at all, and
| in the few cases that is made of it the
amount is small
Buildings and Building inspection.
The past year has been marked by great
| activity in building operations The esti-
mated value Of buildings constructed dur
ing the fiscal year is Sill ,5s4. COS, an increase
| of So. 274.363 over the preceding year. One
| thousand one hundred and ten new dwell
! ing houses and 40 apartments have been
| added to the buildings of the city. The
| city has steadily pushed out beyond its
| original boundaries. The value of buildings
erected in the county during the past year
is about $3.500,000. as against s., 500, 900 for
| the year previous.
The growth Of building operations and the