Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-26
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES
Number of Improvements
Recommended.
ESTIMATES FURNISHED
NEEDS FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS
AND GROUNDS.
Col. Cromwell, Superintendent, Makes
His Annual Report-Work
Deemed Necessary.
ESTIMATES FURNISHED

In supplement to his annual report of OPP
eratious on public buildings and grounds.
Col. Charles s. Bromwell, the engineer Of
ficer in charge. has submitted estimates of
necessary expenses of the next fiscal year
to the War Department. These include
$50. $50 for salaries: $175,21O for improve
ment and care of public grounds; $4,000 for
care. fuel etc, of executive mansion; S21,-
co for lighting executive mansion and
grounds; S4,J05 for lighting other public
grounds; $500 for repairs to water pipes
and fire plugs; $1,000 for care of Depart
mental telegraph lines; s1cO for contingent
expenses; S11,520 for Washington Monu-
ment. and $4,000 for rebuilding sea wall on
the Potomac river
Col. Bromwell has asked for 500 for the
care and maintenance of Sherman plaza.
the site of the statue of Gen Sherman, at
the northeast corner of the Presidents
Park, south of the Treasury Department
building. He says that these grounds were
highly improved during the past fiscal year
and the improvements should be main
tanned
An estimate of $1,000 is submitted for the
care and maintenance of the part of Po
tomac Park lying between the causeway of
the Pennsylvania railroad bridge, the PO-
tomac river and the tidal reservoir In
sundry civil act approved March 3. 1875, an
appropriation of $50 Gc0 made for the
Improvement of this ground. and the work
will be completed by June 20, 1906 After
that date. Col. Cromwell says, funds should
be provided annually for maintaining the
improvements, and the estimate referred to
is submitted for the service of tie fiscal
year ending June 20. 1907.
An estimate of 81 Ito is submitted for the
employment of day Waterman and
three night watchmen for West Potomac
Park. This ground contains fifty acres, and
after it is improved should not be left UNI
protected. 1t is too remote from the Monu-
ment grounds for the watchmen in those
grounds TO look after it.
For a Roadway.
An estimate of $4,000 is submitted for
the construction of a macadam roadway on
the north and west sides of the tidal reser-
voir in Potomac Park. That part of the
park has never been accessible in pleas
ant way for the people of Washington. and
Col. Cromwell says this roadway is intend
ed to make ii So
An item is submitted for the preparation
of preliminary plans, with estimates of cost,
for the erection of a building for supplying
heat. steam and electric power to the prop
agatinS gardens, the Washington Monu-
ment. the White House and the buildings
in its vicinity. The necessity for a central
heating plant for the propagating gardens,
to take the place of the twenty separate
furnaces and boilers now there. Col. Brom-
well says is apparent. but it is thought it
will be more desirable to erect a building
10 also supply the wants OF the NdSnlTS-
ton Monument, the White House and the
buildings in the vicinity of the latter; and
it is recommended that the amount re-
quested for the preparation of preliminary
plans be provided.
The road surrounding the Monument is a
gravel road The hill on which the Monu-
ment stands is very windy spot and dur
ing dry and windy weather the air around
the Monument is filled with flying sand and
gravel. which is painful and annoying to
all within. Col. Bromwell says this an
noyance can be remedied by paving the
roadway with asphalt. and an appropriation
of $500 for the purpose is recommended
Public Library Grounds.
An appropriation of $4,000 is requested
for completing the improvement of the
grounds of Mount Vernon Square. around
the new public library building. The esti-
mate submitted in October, 1901, for the
work amounted to $4,000 while the APP
preparation made by Congress for the fiscal
year 1903 but $4,000. which was suffi-
cient to provide for only d portion of the
work. A careful estimate of the cost of
the work which should be done to complete
the improvement gives the sum of $4,000.
which if appropriated, will make the total
cost of the Improvement $1,000 less than
the original estimate. 1t Is earnestly rec
or1mended that the sum requested be
granted.
Colonel Cromwell submits an estimate for
rebuilding the sea wall along that part of
the Potomac river front between the
seEal wall and the southern curb line of
street south. The entire length of the
fl ont is $50 feet and 1t is estimated that
to rebuild the wall of roughly squared
stone laid in Portland cement mortar will
cost approximately $50 per linear foot of
wall twelve feet high. or say $4,000 The
naval reserve of the District of Columbia
and the lighthouse board each occupy
part of this front, and in case it should
be desired TO rebuild the wall only in front
of the reservations OcCtpied nv those
eminent departments a separate estimate
is made for each reservation, except that
the estimate for the length of wall along
the lighthouse reservation 90 feet in
cludes also the front from the south side
of that reservation to the arsenal wall Co.'S
feel a total length of 35S