Evening star., 1911-08-15
Electric Bill Unpaid.

during the fiscal year 1911, after investi-
cation and recommendation by the officer
in charge.
Electric Bill Unpaid.
A question having arisen last December
as to whether the candepower Of the arc
lamps met the requirements Of the con-
tract specifications. pending its decision
payments under the contract were Sus-
pended and no payments have been made
since the one for the October service.
The number OF gas lamps in the public
grounds, not connected with meters
lighted during the year was 226 in July
January ~ and 227 from January ~ to
June 80. Five were taken down during
the year and six were erected.
At the request OF this office the bureau
of standards in March made series of
tests to determine the actual candle-pow-
er of the incandescent gas lamps in the
parks. The result of the test showed the
lamps to be fulfilling the requirements OF
the specifications. April 20 the contract
ing company executed a supplemental
contract, in which 1t was agreed that
they would make a reduction to this
Office in the contract price for the lamps
equal to any reduction they might make
the District government on account or
any reduction that might be made to the
contractors by the gas company which
supplied them with gas for the lamps.
This reduction amounted to 5S cents per
lamp per annum, and dated from January
l. 1911, so that this Office paid during the
last half of the fiscal year only $20.22 per
lamp per annum instead of the $DSo
called for in the original contract.
White House Cost.
Col Cosby says the work required to
maintain the White House in good con-
dition was carried on In systematic
manner throughout the year. The hard
wood floors in particular require muc.i
attention in the way Of cleaning, waxing,
etc, and this was done with regularity
The tile floors In the entrance vestibule
and in the main corridor on the frst
floor were also given constant attention
Minor repairs were mace 10 doors, VIII
doWs and floors.
The roofs OF the east and west terraces
were repaired. One room in the west
terrace was fitted up for the use OF IT,
extra clerks in the executive omces.
A new marble mantei was placed in the
southeast corner of the east room TO re-
place a badly cracked one that was taken
out The electric dumb waiter was re-
raired. All fire alarm boxes were testeo.
4 new system Of lightning protection has
been installed on the mansion. The old
zinc and lead rods were removed from the
house and new copper cable, connected
20 large copper earthquakes, put IN place.
These cables were connected TO lcO points
on the roof of the house The rods and
points are mechanically and electrically
connected to the house.
A silver closet, with double steel dooIs
and q complete set OF shelves and cup-
boa rds was built in one end CT the store
room on the ground floor.
4 new house telephone system was IN
stalled 4 new telephone arnunciator was
placed i'm the ushers' room. and the head
usher's desk was connected with all the
house telephones.
Caterpillars Bothersome.
The work of exterminating the cat
erpillars continued throughout the
year. During the fall and winter all
cocoons within reach on the trees were
burned with a painters torch. During
May band of tree tanglefoot was
put around each large tree, about six
feet from the ground; this enectually
prevented caterpillars from crawling
up the trees to make their nests The
of the trees below the tanglefoot as
fast as they appeared.
All elm trees that were infected by
the leaf beetle were sprayed with a
solution of arsenate of lead during
the month of May.
There are now 80 statues In the pub
lice grounds in course of construction
(that Of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant,. and 3
in Observation-Disclosures of Barry. Co.
lumbus and John Paul Jones.
An estimate of $4,000 is submitted
Montrose Park in Georgetown, just
added to the public park system, and
for its care and maintenance next year.