The snow and ice were removed as soon as possible after storms from the walks around and through the various parks and park places. The snow fall of last winter was not heavy and the sum allotted for removing it was sufficient for the purpose.

PAINTING WATCHMEN'S LODGES, IRON FENCES, VASES, LAMPS, AND

LAMP-POSTS.

Three of the watchmen's lodges, the roofs of three others, the iron post-and-chain fences, and the iron post-and-bar fences inclosing three of the larger parks, one circle, and forty-five of the small triangular reservations, being a total of 2,725 posts, 583 bars, and 2,142 lengths of chain, the iron railing inclosing the Jackson statue in Lafayette Park, 77 lamp-posts, 59 lamps, and 7 flower vases were painted.

WATER PIPES AND FOUNTAINS.

Repairs have been made to water pipes and valves from time to time where necessary, new valves put on, and new iron extension boxes placed over valves to replace old boxes. In the autumn the water was shut off the various parks, the hose valves removed, stored in the shops at the nursery, and repaired and repacked during the winter. In the spring the valves were replaced in the parks. During the year water pipe was introduced into 26 reservations hitherto unprovided with irrigating facilities, requiring the laying of 675 feet of 1-inch lead pipe, 517 feet of 14-inch galvanized iron pipe, the placing of twenty-six 13-inch shut-off valves with iron extension boxes over them, and twenty 14-inch hose valves. Additional water pipe was also laid in the following parks: Franklin Park, 145 feet of 4-inch cast iron pressure pipe for a better supply; Garfield Park, 215 feet of 2-inch galvanized iron pipe and 195 feet of 14-inch galvanized iron pipe; Lafayette Park, 211 feet of 13-inch galvanized iron pipe. The total length of pipe of all sizes laid during the year was 1,959 feet.

There are 22 fountains, with basins, in charge of this office. Repairs were made to the cement basins of these fountains wherever needed, and they were cleaned out, stone copings repointed, stains removed from them, and the supply and waste pipes and valves maintained in order. The jets, which, with a few exceptions, are of very simple character, were removed from the fountains in the autumn, the water turned off, jets requiring it repaired, and all replaced in the spring. Two of the large iron fountains were repainted.

There are 24 drinking fountains in the various parks, and they have been maintained in good order and repairs made when necessary. At the approach of winter the water was shut off and the dippers removed. In the spring the dippers were replaced and the water turned on. Sixteen of the fountains were repainted.

LIGHTING THE PUBLIC GROUNDS.

The following parks are lighted with arc electric lights:

The number of gas lamps not connected with meters lighted nightly during the year was 234.

In addition to the gas lamps mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, there are 71 burners in the Executive Mansion grounds connected with the meters in the mansion.

All of the gas lamps in the public grounds have been maintained in good condition, minor repairs made, and old lanterns replaced with new boulevard lamps as the old ones became unserviceable.

It is earnestly hoped that the system of lighting the public grounds by electricity will be extended to the Smithsonian grounds and to the various improved parks throughout the city.

CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF ASPHALT PAVEMENTS.

The following tabulated statement shows the area of asphalt roadway and foot-walk pavements constructed and repaired during the

The telegraph lines now under control of this office are as follows: The line of overhead wires consisting of 82 poles, covering a distance of about 3 miles, with a length of about 16 miles of wire. This line, starting from the State, War, and Navy Department building, runs to the Executive Mansion, thence to the Treasury Department, thence to G street, thence to Eighth street, thence to H street, thence to North Capitol street, and thence to the Capitol. Connected with it is one running from the Treasury Department along Fourteenth street to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Agricultual Department, one down Fifth street to the Pension building, and one from the Treasury Department building, up Fifteenth street to I street, to Fifteen-and-a-half street, to K street, near Vermont avenue, connecting with the_building_temporarily occupied by the offices of the Department of Justice. There are about 500 feet of 13-conductor

Patterson cable running from the cable pole in the Capitol grounds into the basement of the Senate and 250 feet of 20-conductor cable running from the cable pole on the corner of Seventeenth and G streets into the State, War, and Navy building.

During the year the main and local batteries received necessary attention and were maintained in good working order. All crosses and other obstructions on the wires of the line were removed as soon as possible, instruments maintained in good condition, necessary repairs made to line wires and wires pulled taut, and slack cut out where required. The large cable pole at the northwest corner of Seventeenth and G streets was moved back from the old curb line during the early part of the year to permit of the narrowing of the sidewalk at that corner. In June, 1902, owing to the erection of a new building at that corner, it became necessary to take down that pole and use in its place the pole nearest to the southwest corner of Seventeenth and G streets. In order to make this change a new conduit was laid across Seventeenth street from the northwest corner of the basement of the State, War, and Navy Department building, the cable removed from the old conduit to the new and all necessary connections made. The cost of the change was paid by the owner of the new building. The electric storage battery which was installed in June, 1901, to replace the old-style gravity battery has been in operation continuously during the year and has given entire satisfaction, and at a less cost for maintenance. An additional set of this battery was purchased in June, 1902. The telegrapn office in the State Department and that in the Department of Justice were removed into another room in each of the respective buildings and all necessary changes in wires and connections made.

The removal of the Executive offices in June, 1902, from the White House temporarily to the building No. 22 Jackson place, on the west side of Lafayette Park, necessitated the removal of the telegraph office to the latter building, requiring the running of a cable of bunched wires from the top of the State, War, and Navy Departments building to the new offices. All of the necessary table and instrument connections were made with but little interruption to business.

The necessity for replacing the poles and overhead wires with a system of underground cables has been urged in previous annual reports, and is so apparent that argument in its favor is unnecessary. Estimates have been prepared and submitted in previous years. The cost of the underground system will be about $30,000, and the matter is presented for such action as Congress may deem best.

OLD RECORDS OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.

The act of Congress approved March 3, 1899, provided:

SEC. 2. That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to correct the records of the War Department in respect of any of the lots mentioned in Senate Document Numbered Two hundred and seventy-seven, Fifty-fifth Congress, second session (being a letter from the Secretary of War transmitting, in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of January twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, a letter from the Chief of Engineers, together with list of lots in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, the title to which the records of his office show to be in the United States, and list of lots in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, which are shown by the records of his office to have been donated by the United States), upon the filing by an actual occupant of any of the lots mentioned in said document sufficient proof that the said occupant or the party under

whom he claims has been in actual possession of the said lot or lots for an uninterrupted period of twenty years, so that said records shall show the title to said lots to be in the said occupant.

Between the date of that act and June 30, 1902, the required proof has been furnished by the occupant and the records corrected in the cases of twenty-one of the lots, so far as this office is informed, the title to which was shown to be in the United States. Of these, ten were corrected in 1900, nine in 1901, and two in 1902.

EXTENSIONS OF BUILDINGS BEYOND THE BUILDING LINES IN THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.

The act of Congress approved March 3, 1891 (vol. 26, Stat. L., p. 868), provides that no permits shall hereafter be granted for the extension of buildings beyond the building line except with the concurrent approval of the Secretary of War.

This office, by direction of the Secretary of War, is charged with investigation and report on these cases. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902, 515 applications for these permits have been referred from the War Department and reported on by this office.

RESERVATIONS WHICH ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES OCCUPIED, IT IS BELIEVED, IN VIOLATION OF LAW.

[See map in annual report for 1894.]

The following reservations, claimed as the property of the United States, are now occupied, it is believed, without authority of law: Reservation No. 125, by the Central Union Mission, as a place of worship.

Reservation No. 186, by the Bethany Chapel of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Congregation.

Reservation No. 249 is occupied as a lumber yard by a man who claims to rent it from a man in Port Deposit, Md.

Reservations Nos. 137, 138, 141, 152, 164, and 169 have been inclosed with iron or wire fences and partially improved by the owners of adjacent property.

The following also are improved and utilized by adjacent property owners: Nos. 61, 65, 67, 139, 141, 143, 161, 162, 167, 168, 175, 208, and 284.

MONUMENT AND WHARF AT WAKEFIELD, VA., THE BIRTHPLACE OF WASHINGTON.

No work has been done during the year beyond the usual care extended by the United States watchman in charge.

As heretofore reported, the wharf was damaged by high tide and wind on Tuesday, October 18, 1898. There are no funds available for repairing the wharf, and nothing can be done until an appropriation is provided for the purpose by Congress.

UNITED STATES WHARF PROPERTY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

By act of Congress approved March 3, 1899, entitled "An act relative to the control of wharf property and certain public spaces in the District of Columbia," the following described property is placed

under the immediate jurisdiction and control of the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army:

The banks of the Potomac River from the north line of the Arsenal grounds to the southern curb line of N street south.

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By letter of March 11, 1899, from the office of the Chief of Engineers, I was directed, as representative of the Chief of Engineers, to assume control of the said wharf line, and since that date it has been in charge of this office. No work has been done during the year, as there are no funds available for either the improvement or care of the property.

SUMMARY OF WORK DONE DURING THE YEAR.

For convenience of reference a brief summary of the more important items of work accomplished during the the year is given as follows:

Executive Mansion.-A pair of oak storm doors made and placed at front main entrance. The exterior of Mansion painted, except north and south porticos, the walls under them and the roof which were painted in previous year. The woodwork in three rooms and part of the side walls in one room repainted and the ceiling in one room refrescoed. Two rooms for servants constructed in the attic. New carpets purchased for three rooms; new linen floor crash for one room, and new straw matting for three rooms. The furniture in the east room and the red parlor reupholstered and re-covered with silk damask, and the frames of that in the red parlor regilded. Work commenced for remodeling the Mansion and for building a separate office building for the President. The wooden superstructure of conservatory repaired and the building rewired for electric lights. Repairs made in the stable.

Washington Monument. The work of painting the iron work in the shaft, running new electric-light wires, and replacing the 70-volt lamps with lamps of 110 volts completed. Some painting done in the boiler room, dynamo room, and motor room, and an air pump and jet condenser purchased and connected with boilers.

Public grounds, etc.-Twenty of the small unimproved reservations at intersections of streets with avenues, containing 2.08 acres, brought to their first stage of improvement. Iron post-and-chain fences erected around seven reservations, and iron posts for similar fences erected around nine others. The iron fences around two reservations and the iron fence around part of another taken down. One hundred and forty-five linear feet of the Fifteenth street roadway (34 feet wide) between the propagating gardens and the grounds of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing graded, and 470 linear feet of sidewalk graded and surfaced with cinders. The ground on the north, east, and south sides of the boiler house of the Washington Monument improved. A new plant house constructed at the propagating gardens, and one of the houses remodeled and reconstructed. The main roadway in the gardens widened and improved. The new roadways planned for the development of these gardens marked out and trees planted along their borders; 783,588 plants for stock and planting in the parks propagated. A large quantity of old material sold at auction. The work of filling in low portions of the addition to nursery grounds continued, 21,628 cubic yards of good earth filling having been