Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

- 40L1ky1lE-y ASA1Sg
under the authority OF this act. they have
/ arranged for an exchange OF land with the
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The Union
1 Station plans required a Gil OF approx
nateiy 40 feet at the plaza, and this neces-
/ STATED changes in the grade OF adjoining
streets These changes are now In prog
rcss-
/ Grade Damages.
| The act approved April %. 1904. provided
| for the appointment OF commission to
pass upon damages to private property. due
| to changes in grade made necessary by the
| establishment of the Union Station. A COM
mission has recently been appointed by the
! supreme court of the District of Columbia
| to ascertain these damages.
District Building.
The foundation OF the building has been
| completed. under contract with Ambrose
B. Stannard, OF New York City. A contract
| was let to B. A. & G. N Williams. of New
/ York. for furnishing the stone which was
! to be of South Dover marble with a base
of Blue Hill granite. The contract for
| erecting the building was awarded to James
| l.. Parsons, of this city. and the work OF
| erection is now in progress. The limit OF
| cost of the building was increased by Con-
! gress to $2500000, and contracts have been
let for the building within that sum. The
| contract for the erection of the building
| requires that it be completed by November
| !, 1907. Satisfactory progress is being
! made. The building is being constructed
under the supervision of Capt. Chester
Harding. Corps of Engineers, U. s. Army.
VINO was appointed by the President for
that duty in accordance with the terms OF
the act providing for the building.
Roadway Pavements.
Ihe price paid for sheet asphalt pave
ment during the fiscal year 1903 was s1.57
per square yard, and for asphalt block
pavement sl.U per square yard on a gravel
pase. For the fiscal year 1905 the price of
sheet asphalt pavement is s1.44, and for
| asphalt block S1.64 per square yard the lat
| yer pavement ON a gravel base. The stand
ard specifications for laying sheet asphalt
and asphalt block pavements in the
| District of Columbia will be found
as appendices 10 this report. AS will
De seen by these specifications, the
any particular brand of asphalt but
specifies the qualities which such asphalt
must nave. and any asphalt which con-
Terms r,I TO these specifications is acceptable.
ihese two classes of pavements> are prac-
| ucailv the only types of modern payements
Which are used in the District of Column
pa. Ihere is small amount Of vitrified
! piick pavement laid, but being noisier than
| either the asphalt or the asphalt block
pavement the latter are preferred Cutters
on sheet asphalt pavements are laid Of
Vtrined brick, as it has been found that
| the Halds which reach the gutter are apt
| 10 rot the asphalt pavements, but not to
| aHect the brick. While some granite block
pavements still exist in the business por-
| ton of the city, it is the belief of the Com
missioners that they should be removed
| and replaced by asphalt pavement 1t has
been the policy of the Commissioners to do
TINS IN former years, but the practice was
| abandoned by direction of Congress
Other classes of pavement laid are mac
adam and gravel These are only used,
| however, generally, in the suburban sec
uons or In the less improved portions of
| the city,. The District gets a very excel
lent quality Of macadam from a quarry
| owned by 1t at Dickerson Md, and this is
| District
| Attention is invited to the necessity for
| larger appropriations for the resurfacing of
| paved streets. The pavements in large
| portion of the city are from 10 to 80 years
| ola, ana are In such condition that it is not
only not economical to keep them patched,
but 1T is impossible to keep them In fair
| shape. AS consequence many of the most
| important thoroughfares are at present
| rough and uneven, holding much water in
the depressions. and are disagreeable to
| drive or haul over. They are moreover
| hard to clean except by unsatisfactory and
| expensive methods.
| From 1888 to 1892 about $3.50 600 a wear
| was spent on new asphalt pavements. Most
| of this is worn out, and should be replaced
| The pavement was originally good but Is
| to Is years Is the average extreme life of
| asphalt, and in most cities it is less than
| this. These pavements are generally in the
| most travelled and conspicuous parts of the
| city.
Pennsylvania avenue between Seventh and
| Fifteenth streets is an example. This most
| conspicuous thoroughfare in the District
needs resurfacng and regarding, there is
| so little crown on 1t that ii is not prac-
| ticable to properly drain it.
| Attention is especially invited to the de-
| tailed appended report Of Capt. j. J. Nor
row, Corps of Engineers, Z. S. Army as
sfstant to the Engineer Commissioner, on
| the subject.
County Roads.
An increase in the appropriation for the
repair of county roads from $50 500 to $780,
600 is requested The number of miles of
improved county roads and suburban
streets is increa sing yearly resulting in an
| increased cost of maintenance. The appro-
| priations have not kept up with this an
nual increase. There are in the District of
! Columbia 215 miles of these country roads
and suburban streets. The old boundary
of the city of Washington, Florida avenue.
| is now boundary in name only, as the
! city extends north of this to a considerable
extent. Under the method of making ap-
preparations, however, the only fund avail
able for maintaining and keeping in repair
/ all roads and streets north of Florida ave-
| nue., as well as the entire District outsids
| of the city of Washington proper is the
| appropriation known as repairs to county
| roads" This must be used in keeping In
| repair all county roads and suburban
| streets. including such important thorough
fares as Connecticut avenue extended.
| Brightwood avenue, Bladensburg road,
| Benning road, Pennsylvania avenue extend
/ ed, and Nichols avenue, the travel upon
| which is increasing greatly. which also in
! creases the cost of maintenance With the
| current yearly appropria lions it is difficult
| to keep In repair these main thoroughfares.
and consequence the Commissioners
| are compelled to refuse the reasonable re-
quests of owners of property in this section
| for repairs to roads and streets
Bridges.
Under the contract for the construction
| of the Connecticut avenue bridge across
| Rock creek about $4,000 has been ex-
pended. and the balance Of the appropria-
| ton available for this work. amounting to
about $4,000 will be expended within the
| fiscal year 1906. The work is we'll under
1 way, and 1t is believed the bridge can be
completed within the time fixed by law,
July /. 1907.
| Contract has been let for the reconstruc-
| ton of the Anacostia bridge The con-
I tractor Is the Penn Bridge Comnapv a1d