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


ticlilar pavement. When the bids were
opened however. besides q bid of the War
rem Brothers Company there were bids
from the Barber Asphalt Paving Company
and from the Crawford Paving Company for
pavements which they called ''bitumfnous
macadam" and .'bituminous pavement" re-
spectively. The prices bid were as follows:
Warren Brothers '.bitulithic pavement" 81
per square yara: Barber Asphalt Paving
Company, "bitumnous macadam," 81 So per
square yard. and the Crawford Paving
Company, "bituminous pavement" $1.S7
and $191 per square yard.
No action was taken In the matter for
the reason that the bidders other than
Warren Brothers, made statements to the
Commissioners as to alleged poor results
which bad been obtained in various local
tiles with "bituiithic pavements. These
statements were carefully investigated but
on account of the lateness of the sea son no
held for further consideration An exam
nation made by the Commissioners of sew
eral pieces of pavement laid by Warren
Brothers, however, showed that very good
pavement could be laid by them, and the
question under consideration by the Com
missioners Is simply one of price, the price
bid for bitulithic pavement being higher
than the present contract price for asphalt
pavement.
Bridges.
Work on the Massachusetts avenue via
duct over Rock Creek was completed dur
important avenue has now an excellent
thoroughfare across the Rock Creek Valley.
The widening of the Aqueduct Bridge over
the Potomac River and the construction OF
the single-track electric road thereon has
been substantially completed. The cost Of
this work was paid from funds deposited
by the Great Falls and Old Dominion Rail-
road Company in accordance with an act
of Congress. A new floor was laid on the
,afd fynvS fla hrid
priations.
The contract for the completion OF the
Connecticut Avenue Bridge across Rock
Creek was executed and operations there
under have begun. The contractor has in
stalled complete plant for mixing concrete
and for manufacturing the concrete blocks,
of which the bridge is to be constructed.
This bridge is required by law to be COM
pleted within four years from July /, 1903.
In the District of Columbia appropriation
act for 1905 the reconstruction of the An
acostia bridge was authorized at cost not
to exceed S250.00O. Since the estimate upon
which this appropriation was based was
made the Secretary of War has changed
the bulkhead lines, making additional
length of 100 feet of bridge; required "A
draw Of 100 feet, and increased the harbor
depth at the bridge. making necessary
deeper foundations for the piers. None of
these changes were anticipated when the
appropriation for the reconstruction OF the
bridge was asked for, and on account of
them the Commissioners have requested in
their estimates for the next fiscal year an
increase in the limit of cost for the bridge
of $4,000, making the authorized amount
$4,000.
Cement Sidewalks.
During the year the prices paid for laying
cement sidewalks were 81 and s1.15 per
square yard. the latter price being for side
walks On streets in the county not provided
with roadway pavements. For the present
fiscal year the prices are 90 cents and s1.O6
the former price for large jobs and the lat
ter for small ones. This work Is done under
the appropriation for assessment and per-
NIT work, which requires that one-half OF
the cost Of the work shall be borne by the
abutting property. There are two methods
of laying walks under this appropriation.
First, under the permit system by which a
property owner desiring walk laid de-
posits one-half the estimated cost with the
collector of taxes In advance of the work
being done; second, under the assessment
system, by which the work Is done and half
the cost assessed against the abutting
property. Under the latter system the law
requires the Commissioners to advertise
their intention to lay the walk twice q
week for two successive weeks In daily
newspaper published In Washington. and to
give hearing to parties interested In order
that they may present objections TO the
work II they SO desire. These ob)ections
ordered. After the work ia done the prop
erty owners are given two years in which
to pay their assessments. interest being
charged after sixty days from the date OF
notice Of the assessment.
1t is the practice of the Commissioners
not to lay walks under the assessment sys-
tenn, unless usually majority OF the prop
erty owners to be assessed petition for the
walk, the only exception being where the
condition Of the walk to be replaced is such
that it is source Of danger to pedestrians.
This accounts for the fact that there are
still many rough and uneven brick walks
in the older portions of the city, the prop
erty owners not desiring to share the ex-
pense of new walk. These brick Sidewalks
are gradually being replaced, about II miles
Of cement in place OF brick being iald our
ing the fiscal year. In the newer portions
of the city, where much building Is In
progress, the modern cement walk Is more
frequently found, and the reason OF this
Is that property owners, Improving their
property find 1t to their advantage to have
a first-class walk In front of 1t. With the
amount Of money appropriated for this
work the Commissioners can barely Keep up
with the requests made for walks, ana
they have not the funds. even IL they SO
desired, to force property owners In the
older portions of the city to have cement
walks laid in front Of their property.
Surveyors Office.
AS will be seen by the report of the sur
yeyor. there has been a large increase in
the work done by him over the amount done
during the preceding fiscal year. The work
Of the surveyor Is divided into two classes
that done for private parties and that done
by order of the Commissioners OF the Dis
trict of Columbia. l.. is believed to be the
intention Of Congress that the cost Of the
work done for private parties. which is for
their private benefit, should be borne by
the parties themselves. In order that this
might be accomplished the Commissioners
in accordance with law, established a
schedule of fees which are required to be
paid in advance to the collector Of taxes to
cover the cost OF this work. A recent in
vestigation, however, shows that these fees
are not large enough to cover the cost of
this private work. and 1t Is the intention of
the Commissioners to establish, January 1,
a new schedule Of fees, which will make
fees cover the cost of work and increase.
by several thousand dollars, the amount
paid into the treasury.
On account of the large increase In the
work to be done. the Commissioners IN
their estimates to Congress for the ensuing
fiscal year have recommended an increase
in the appropriation for the surveyors Of
fice
The Importance of having a sufficient
force to do survey work promptly can be
readily appreciated. as private individuals
paying for this work are entitled to have Il
done promptly and accurately There have
been numerous complaints, justified by the
but which the Commission