Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03

some places Is forty feet in depth. will
undergo considerable settlement, and no
permanent roadway surface can be con-
structed upon It until after subsistence.
1t is the intention to place macadam
there temporarily and eventually to pave
with asphalt. Preparations are also being
made to place the fountain, lamps, trees
and other constructions called for in the
design for the plaza in front of the sta
ton
Grade Damages
Proceedings to ascertain the damages to
private property due to change of grade in
connection with the location of the Union
station and the elimination of grade cross
ings are still in progress. During the year
164 claims for damages were heard and
determined by the grade damage commits
sion. In Ill of these cases damages were
awarded aggregating SSS.o6a. while In Of
of the cases no damages were awarded TO
the Claimants. upon the ground that the
benefits offset the damages.
When this grade damage commission
was appointed the law contemplated that
only damages due to changes in grade In
connection with the construction OF the
Union station were to be heard by 1T. but
by a subsequent act of Congress the scope
of the commission and the area within
which damages for change Of grade were
to be considered were extended so as to
cover changes In grade on the line of the
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington
Railroad in the southeast and southwest
sections of the city. Ninety-seven petl-
lions. for allowance of damages in the
southeastern section have been filed. The
work not having been entirely completed
in the southwest section, no claims have
yet been filed for damages there.
District Building.
Work on the new District building Is
nearing completion. and the Commission
ers expect to occupy the building July j,
1908. This work was started under the
direction Of Mai. Chester Harding. Corps
of Engineers, U.S.A., who was appointed
by the President for that duty. During
the year Maj Harding was ordered to the
isthmus of Panama to assist in the con-
StructiOn of the Panama canal and re-
lieved from the duty of supervisor of con-
struction. his place being taken by Capt
William Kelly. Corps of Engineers,
U.S.A., assistant to the Engineer Commits
sioner. This building is one of the hand
soonest architectural structures ever con-
structed In the city of Washington and
when it is occupied by the offices of the
District of Columbia 1t will be the first
time in the history OF the municipal gov.
eminent Of the District of Columbia that
it has ever occupied building which 1t
owned. All of the various offices connect
ed with the executive administration of
the District of Columbia will be housed In
the building, and the convenience to the
public will be much greater than it is at
present. The building is thoroughly mod
ern in every respect and contains every
device to promote the rapid administra-
ton of public business. An appropriation
has been asked for new furniture and
equipment
The Commissioners have submitted in
their estimates for the next fiscal year a
list OF such employees as will be required
to take care of the building and its equip
ment This list of employees and their
salaries has been given careful cons1dera-
ton, and the salaries were fixed by COM
pairing them with those OF similar EN-
ployes in buildings of the same character
occupied by the offices of the United
Statas government.
Roadway Pavements.
About 1890 900 was spent during the year
for paving new streets and repairing and
repavins old ones within the city limits.
and about $4,000 was expended in the
construction and repair of county reads
and suburban streets. The prices paid
for asphalt block pavement during the
year were 81 Is per square yard paved on
edge, and 81 go per square yard paved fiat.
The prices for the current fiscal year are
s1.6S and S1-69 per square yard Ctwo con-
tracts for sheet asphalt pavement: S1So
per square yard on edge, and $1:6s per
square yard paved fiat for asphalt block
pavement. The limitation on the price
to be paid for laying sheet asphalt pave
per square yard. was increased by Con-
gress to $3.50 per square yard In the ap-
preparations for the fiscal year 1903. This
was done as the District was unable to
secure a contract within the former limi-
tation.
The Commissioners are In receipt of Pc
titions from business men and property
owners on streets paved with granite
block asking that the granite block be re-
placed with sheet asphalt. The reasons
given are that the rough granite block
pavements are noisy and interfere with
business and the quiet of residents. The
Comni ssioners believe that most Of these
pavements should be replaced with
asphalt pavements. but Congress has pro-
hibited the Commissioners from including
such work in their estimates. The streets
Of Washinst ton are not subjected to very
heavy traff1c, as Washington Is not
manufacturing city. and the Commission
ers believe that all streets should be paved
with a smooth pavement. except In few
trafic is heavy. such as adjacent to rail-
road freight stations and in the whole
sale market district.
The appropriation Of &300.OIJ for re-
pairing and resurfacing the older asphalt
pavements has resulted in improving the
condition of the streets on which these old
pavements existed. The most important
work of this character is that OF Penn
sylvania avenue from 6th TO ioIn street
which is nearing completion. This ave-
nue., which had very bad transverse
grade. was raised in the center and the
entire roadway resurfaced at a cost of
about S125O 900. The work involved the
raising of the street car tracks on the
avenue which was paid for. as well as
the space within two feet Of the tracks on
either side, by the Capital Traction Com
pany The Commissioners are asking for
the sum of $4,000 for the repair to
streets for the coming fiscal year, in or
der that more work of resurfacing may
be done. The greatest era of asphalt
paving in the history Of the District was
from 1855 to 1892, inclusive. These pave
ments have had more than the average
life of asphalt pavements, but are now
calling urgently for replacement Some
asphalt block pavements have been in use
for twenty years and are also re-
quiring renewal.
Bridges.
The Connecticut Avenue bridge has prac-
tically been completed. and, it is expected,
will be thrown open to travel about De-
cenrber l. In order to preserve the ap-
proaches to this bridge and permit of
their better architectural treatment ad-
ditional land should be acquired on either
end of the bridge. The purchase of this
land is of vital Importance to the appear
ance of the structure; ii it is not bought
private building operations will practically
extend to the bridge itself.
Th.. AUncoStja bridge EaStaru