Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05

1RS. OF ;!
| LISA ITO acres, situated at Occoquan.
Fairfax county, Va.
| Practically all Of the tract. which at
| the time Of its purchase was in timber
and underbrush, will in the next few
years be brought up to high state OF
cultivation with the fertilizer taken from
| the District barns and streets. 1.U04 tons
| Of which have been delivered to the tnst1-
| tuition during the year. Timber has been
taken from $50 acres of this land within
the year, and the ground which II COW
| cred Is now being made ready for cult
walton.
| Great progress has been made In the
/ asst year in the development OF this new
heat electric light. water and necessary
sewerage. providing for the care of COO
prisoners. are completed. Much OF the
| lumber in the buildings was derived from
| the timber on the farm and prepared by
a sawmill erected for that purpose.
| Roads and walks have been surveyed
and constructed during the year wheI e
the buildings are located, and q road
built from Occoquan river, mile and a
! half away.
The physical condition and health of
the institution IS excellent. The outdoor
| treatment, coupled with wholesome. sub
stantial. well cooked food, with each in
| mate being compelled to give to the Dis
trict an honest days work. is proving
/ beneficial to the health of the inmates,
| and Is a step In making this class Of
&Qeople self-supporting.
stone-crushing plant with q capacity
Of $50 yards per day Is located on the
farm, where there is plenty Of stone and
| the institution will be able to furnish to
! the District q great amount OF this ma
terial. to be used in the construction Of
streets and other public improvements.
The brick plant. consisting Of boilers
and engines. with two kilns, Is neai ing
completion. This plant will be eat
factor In giving employment to II any of
the prisoners. the product Of which will;
be used in the construction OF public
buildings and other public work in the
District.
The numbers Of prisoners received INTO
and discharged from the workhouse ON
| July 1, 1910, to June 30. 1911, were as fol-
! lows:
Received ,.............'........- 222s
Dscnafged 1887
Recaptured ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 90
Remaining in institution July i. ieii. a5s
We would especially call the attention
of Congress to the fact that with the
establishment Of the District OF Columbia
| suits are to be obtained. the renal cod e
of the District should be revised. The
short sentences Of fifteen days should be
eliminated by a law giving the courts
period. With this change society would
| receive far greater protection and the
inmates be benefited more by their stay
at the institution.
Elimination of Grade CROSSINGS.
The Commissioners have included in
their estimates for the fiscal year 1913
an item of $4,000 to provide for con-
structing a suitable viaduct and bridge
-, to carry Benning road over the tracks of
the Philadelphia. Baltimore and Was..-
ington and the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road companies.
While all railroad crossings have been
eliminated within the limits of the city
or Washington, under the acts Of Con-
gress approved February II. 1901, and
February %, 1903, there exist In the
District Of Columbia .other grade cross
ings on much-traveled highways. In the
District appropriation act for the present
fiscal year provision has been made for
eliminating grade crossing at Cedar
street In Takofna Park by the construc-
ton. OF subway and bridge over the
tracks OF the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road Company, and arrangements have
been made with the railroad company
to carry out this work. The grade
crossing at Benning is another danger
GUS one, and the Commissioners believe
an appropriation should be made to carry
Benning road over the railroad tracks at
this point during the next fiscal year
Grade Damages.
The work of ascertaining the damages
to private property caused by changes
in the grade Of streets and alleys due
to the elimination of grade crossings
along the lines of steam railroads and
to the location of the Union railroad
station is still in progress.
There were eighty-four claims for .am-
ages heard and determined by the grade
damage claims commission during the
year, involving 1T pieces Of realty. This
was a decrease of forty-six over the
number of claims heard during the previ-
GUS year. In thirty-one Of these cases.
involving forty-five pieces Of property.
damages were awarded the owners OF
property in the amount Of $19.045,
against a similar allowance during the
cases, involving 1872 pieces of real estate,
the commission awarded no damages.
finding that whatever damages had been
caused we're offset by benefits six cases
s., 575 over the amounts awarded by the
commission. In these cases the District
was entitled to jury trials, but the cases
were compromised by agreement to
avoid the expense Of such trials.
During the year there were six Pc
titions for damages filed. against sixty
seven for the previous year. The total
number of cases filed since the COM
mission was organized Is $50
The total amount paid out by the Dis
trict in settlement of these grade dam
ages UP to the close Of the fiscal year
was $439. 49s 10. There are but two
cases remaining for the consideration OF
the grade damage claims commission
and twenty-five cases to be heard by
juries on appeal from decision of the
commission. The services of the special
counsel employed on this work have been
dispensed with, and the work will here
after be conducted under the direction
of the corporation counsel. It Is ex-
pected that it Will be completed during
the current fiscal year.
Roadway Pavements.
The sum of $466. 500 was appropriated
for paving new roadways and for re-
pairing and repaving old roadway pave
ments. OF this amount $4OO,OOO was for
resurfacing and repairing old asphalt
and coal-tar pavements. In this paving
work sheet asphalt and asphalt block
were used. The prices paid tor con-
structing new sheet-asphalt pavement
and asphalt-block pavement were as fol-
lows:
Per square yard.
LAYING sheet asphalt pavement. ........... SLIT
Laying vitrifed block cutters ............. 40
Laying asphalt-block pavement ........... 1.65
The prices for the current fiscal year