The Washington times., 1925-04-22
ms AN9ES
Of POOR
WORK
CITED
SIipshod and Unecononnical
Jobs on Highways Alleged
by q. G. Residents

Specific instances Of improper
" repaired streets, as we'll as
hole-filled highways that have
thus far escaped attention Of the
District highway departments re-
pair gangs, were set forth today
by Washington automobilists, fol
lowing The Washington Times
expose Of street conditions yester-
day.
81 should like to know what
they District officialsl are doing
with all the money they are col
Iecting from the gasoline tax,
writes one indignant nnotorist to
the American Automobile Assoc
citation.
"Why do we not see some evil
dence of the proceeds in better
streets in and about the city 2!
$67,435 Collected in March.
Commissioners Cuno H. Rudolph
lected in March as the Districts
gasoline tax for the month The
gasoline fund is available as soon
as collected, District officials point
ed out, and within a few days
after the money is in the hands
of the tax collector it is paid out
for street improvements.
A letter from a prominent pro
fessionaI man of Washington cites
instances where. he says, streets
have been repaired" but in a
slipshod and uneconomical manner.
This letter is typical of commnni-
cations of protest received. He
says:
IT think every motoEiet will agree
that it cannot be remembered when
the streets OF Washington were
ever in a worse condition than they
are at the present time.
Severe Winter Blamed.
"Of course, this is due to an un-
| usually severe winter. Neverthe-
less, it is undoubtedly fact that
the efforts Of the District authori-
ties to repair the streets are woe
fully inadequate. At the rate re-
pairs are being made at present /
should Judge the streets will not be
in decent condition for many months
to come. I have in mind many
bad holes which / pass over daily
in my regular prescribed route OF
travel between home and office
Although some Of these places
have existed for months, and are
exceedingly dangerous, no effort
has been made to give them any
attention whatsoever. Such efforts
to repair the streets as ] have OBJ
served are entirely feeble.
The writer cited Ordway street
as an example og slipshod repair
work A caYe-in appeared on chs
thoroughfare, he said. and Tor more
than a week only stick stuck up
light in the hole warned motorists.
Finally, he said, wheelbarroW load
OF loose stone was dumped into the
hole, but nothing was done TO bind
it. Consequently, it was pointed
out much of the loose stone has
been scattered along the street and
tile hole remains.
Poor Repair Work.
"Then, too" the writer continues,
II noticed where they are repairing
the asphalt pavement they do not
tar the sides of the hole they cut.
but merely dump in the asphalt and
Idil To get SOOu OOlIu All AhO ANPAhN
job. There are, without question.
thousands of places on our asphalt
streets where the repaired cuts
have sunken in, leaving a bad bump
to go over. which, if properly re
paired at the beginning, would net
now be noticeable.
1t was pointed out that motorists
are given the pumps in great
style" in Thirty-fifth street, George
town, from r street northward to
its junction with Wisconsin avenue
When plumbers break the asphalt
paving to connect house pipes with
the sewers. it was said, the work
of repairing the breaks is, usually
inadequately done, and rapidly sinks
into another hole.
Highway department officials to-
day replied to their critics that
they are doing everything within
their power to patch the rut-filled
streets as speedily as possible and
so far as their funds are available.
Contracts have been awarded for
resurfacing eighteen streets, Off
cials said, and bids for resurfaciilg
twenty-one additional streets will lie
opened tomorrow This work will
cost in the neighborhood of $3.50, 900.