Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06

the Jurisdiction of the chief of engineers
under an act of Congress authorizing such
transfer.
The appropriation of the parking commits
sion. which is practically all expended In the
planting and care o. trees, was $4,000 For
the present fiscal year $4,000 wis appro-
priated While the Commissioners wero
much gratffled at the Increase. they believe
that larger amount should be appropri-
ated for this purpose. The number Of trees
Is increasing each year. and the cost of
maintaining them increases corresponding
ly. while the demand for new trees is
greater than the possibility OF supply ex-
cept by considerable increase In the appro-
priation. The trees of Washington are one
OF Its principal attractions. and It is highly
desirable that they be well cared for and
the tree system extended as fast as practi-
cable through the streets where trees are
not already provided The trees planted
during the year included elms ginckos
Hndens. Norway naples, soft and sugar
naples. pin and red oaks and sycamores.
The District has its own nursery and all
trees that are set out in the streets are
from seedlings planted In this nursery
Sewer Construction.
During the year ga miles of sewers were
constructed. of which 2s m les were main
sewers. The total length of the existing
sewers Is about Al miles. and the total cost
OF the system is about sl2a0o.OO0 Work
on the sewage-disposal project has progress
ed at satisfactory rate. The substructure
or the sewage pumping station is in an ad-
yanced stage toward completion.
The superintendent of sewers suggests
that the provision of the organic act VIII CHI
In effect limits the expenditure by day labor
to jobs. the estimated cost of which is less
than 1900, be modified so that the limit be
raised to 5000 or 5000 An instance
which would show the economy of such a
course is that in the repair of section OF
the Rock Creek sewer near Twenty-third
street. where bids were invited for work
which seemed to be not exceptionally diff
cult and where the lowest bid was $1,000
This bid being In the opinion of the Office
excessive. all bids were rejected and the
work was done by day labor at n cost OF
$2.112, about one-thrd of the lowest price
bid.
Buildings and Building Inspection
The estimated value of the buildings con-
structed during the year is si3,017 5I5 (this
includes the Union railroad station. which
is estimated to cost $500. 0OD, which is an
increase of s1.432.972 over the proceed ng
year and "a. 7O7. 335 over the fiscal year 1902
The number of permits issued for buildings
and building appurtenances was 1888. being
a decrease over the preceding year of I55.
The number of dwelling houses constructed
during the year was Liza and of apart
ment houses q. being an Increase OF "a
dwellings over last year and of ~ apart
ment houses. The distribution Of these i'm
provements is as follows:
Northeast section Uncluding
100000 for the Union sta
tion) ~, G6G360OO
Northwest section. 3, 1874 62SO0
Southeast section. 33S $4,000
Southwest section. ................. 500
County NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 2,t63.915.OO
Ten school buildings and additions,
police stations. a truck house. and a morgue
were constructed for the District of Column
.bia under the supervision of the building
ff3oA ID ftan
There are at present In the District OF
Columbia 4646S brick buildings. 20.96l
frame buildings, and IL. 361 sheds.
The building office now has regular In
spectors and temporary inspectors during
the height Of the building season, who cover
GO square miles of building area. and some
of these inspectors have nearly 700 build
ings under his inspection annually. Two
additional inspectors are detailed on eleva-
tors, fire escapes, boilers, heating appara-
tus, etc.
The building inspector recommends legis-
latfon toward providing board OF examin-
ers to examine and license builders and ar
chitects. He also recommends that the
present fire-escape law be amended. 1t Is
the intention OF the Commissioners to rec
ommend this latter legislation to Congress.
The cost of erecting buildings foi the
District Of Columbia has increased from Q
cents per cubic foot In 1897 to about 13
cents per cubic foot during the present
year, e., nearly twice much. This in
crease is accounted for by the advance in
building materials, increased cost of labor,
use of more complete plumbing and heat
ing systems, and better architectural treat
ment of exteriors. An eight-room school
building designed in 1898 cost about $780,
O0O while at present 1t costs $4,000. This
greater cost Is due partly to increase In
the price of labor and materials. and more
especially in the improved heating, ventf-
lating and plumbing facilities now provided
for. The cost per capital of an eight-room
school building with capacity of 800 pu-
pills is S125.
Repair Work.
The amount expended during the year by
the superintendent of repairs was about
1900. This amount was expended re-
pairs to school buildings, police statioas. en-
CINE houses. police court. etc. These re-
pairs included carpentering, painting, tin
ming, steam fitting, erection Of fences, Inn
proving school yards, ETC. In May, 1903. the
Garrison School building was badly dam
aged by fire, and the building was practi-
cally rebuilt.
This work is growing each year as the
number of buildings owned by the District
increases and the buildings get old.
The superintendent of repairs submits an
estimate of 5000 for the purchase of a
site for and the construction Of a repair
shop. The present repair shop is rented by
the District at a rate of $50 a month, and
Is entirely inadequate 1t Is located just
outside the area of the terminal improve
mentS, and Will have to be torn down TO
make way for the fill made necessary by
the plans of these Improvements. SO that
another location must be obtained for II.
1t is believed to be preferable to build a
shop than to pay rent.
Street Extension.
Nine street-extension measures were en-
acted during the last session of Congress,
and legal proceedings are now in progress
to accomplish these extensions. The Com
missioners. while they were in favor Of the
extension of these streets, recommended
in each instance that one-half Of the cost
should be borne by the United States AS
the laws were passed. howeer. the entire
cost was charged to the District of Column
bia, one-half being assessed against the
abutting property. the assessments oeing
payable in five equal annual installmen.s.
Street Names
The Commissioners were authorized by
act of Congress approved February 49, 1904,
to name and rename streets, avenues, al
leys, highways. and reservations lying out
side the city of Washington upon sys-
tenn to be adopted by them. This work