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


ed by the Commissioners to revise on
building regulations is still working on
the revision. The scope of the matter is
so large that much arduous labor is In
volved, and as the members of this COM
mittee serve without compensation 1t also
involves a great sacrifice of their time. 1t
| Is hoped, however. that before another
year the regulations will be revised and
printed.
The amount expended in repair work on
school buildings and grounds, engine
houses and police stations was So. $50
The greater part of this work was done
by day labor under the supervision of the
superintendent Of repairs and ITO work
men were employed. Most of the work
was done during the months of July, Au-
gust and September. at which time the
public schools are not in session., and 1t Is
| more convenient to do the work without
interfering with the work of the schools
The day-labor work included carpentering
painting, thinning. grading, paving. white
washing, plastering. etc. Calcimining.
steam fitting, mill and iron work were
done under contract.
The board reports that it held fifty
eight meetings and examined 241 applf-
cants. of whom no were found competent
and were granted licenses.
Fifty-three examinations were given by
the plumbing board to applicants for IL
cense as master plumber and gas filter.
This board consists Of three members,
one Of whom Is required to be a master
plumber, one journeyman plumber and
one an employe Of the District of Column
bia. No person can practice the business
of plumbing and CAST fitting in the Dis
trict of Columbia until he has passed an
| examination given by this board
Plumbing and Plumbing Inspection.
During the year the plumbing Office
made 81, 100 inspections. an increase of
91o over the inspections for the preceding
year. This increase was smaller t.an that
in preceding years. and was due in part
| to unsettled conditions in the labor situa-
ton. An important part of the work of
this o..ice is the preparation Of plans and
the installation of new plumbing in the
Older school buildings. For this purpose
$4,000 was expended and the plumbing
in eight school buildings completely re-
modelled. There is much of this work yet
to be done. and an additional appropria-
ton of $4,000 will be asked to carry on
the work. The Office also requires the in
stallation of plumbing in private resi-
dences under the compulsory drainage
act and in cases of failure to install the
plumbing after notice the work Is done
under the direction Of the Office and the
| cost assessed against the property.
The construction and operation Of the
two public convenience. stations Is also
under this office.
Public Convenience Stations.
Two public convenience stations for
which appropriations were made have
been completed and opened to the public
One Is located above ground, at 7th street
and Pennsylvania avenue northwest. and
the other below ground at 18th street
and Pennsylvanta avenue northwest
These stations have been used by an
average of 10000 people per month, which
proves the wisdom Of their construction.
stations. and the Commissioners have rec
commended the construction of one near
9TH and X streets northwest, on a public
reservation, the chief Of engineers, United
States Army. asserting to that occupa-
ton.
In connection with the matter of public
convenience stations the Commissioners
also suggest the advisability Of the con-
struction of public baths. Such public
baths exist in number of cities in the
United States, and there is the same de-
| mand for them in Washington as else
where. There is large class of people
who have not the faci tiles for bathing
at their homes, and to this class a public
bath would be blessing. There is no
greater necessity in elevating the social
conditions than the establishment of such
baths.
During the last Congress twenty-five
street-eXtensiOn measures were passed
and condemnation proceedings have been
begun in all of them. Some have been
entirely completed and others are still
pending.
| The .street-extension Office also has
charge of negotiations for the purchase
Of all sites for municipal buildings. and
condemnation proceedings In these cases
were necessary. and also in the case of
opening alleys and minor streets. This
Office prepares plats and descriptions nee
essary for instituting condemnation pro-
ceedings.
portion OF the District of Columbia lying
south of the Eastern branch of the PO-
tomac river is about to be placed on rec
| ord. When this is done. tine entire sys-
| tenn of new street names for the District
| of Columbia outside of the city of Wash
ington. adopted under act of Congress ap-
proved February 16, 1904, will be matter
| of record.
Street Railways.
No new. street railway measures were
| enacted by the last Congress. Additional
| street-railway facilities are needed on ac-
count of the construction of the new
| Union railroad station. Bill providing for
| such extension were introduced at the hast
| session of Congress, but were not passed
AS consequence no street-railway COM
munication to this station exists within
distance of two blocks in any direction
| from the station. This. of course, causes
great Inconvenience to the travelling pub
! lie. and the. Commissioners earnestly hope
that. Congress, at its next session, will
pass without delay the necessary meas
ures to extend the existing street-railway
lines to the station.
The Commissioners also favor an extern
sion of the Capital Traction lines from
| Florida avenue and 9TH street northwest
to Pennsylvania avenue and Sth street
southeast by way of Florida avenue and
9Th street, this extension being urgently
demanded by the people of the eastern
section of the city to give them some
| north and south means of public traffic
The Commissioners expect to submit
to Congress at its next session a spe-
cial report On the Improvement of the
water front, in accordance with the, di-
rections contained In an appropriation
for plans and surveys for such i'm
provemept In the District appropriation
act for the fiscal year 1906. The river
traffic Is growing In Importance and
adequate facilities should be provided
for taking care of 1t. The present con-
/ dition of the water front reflects no
credit on the city, and the available