the cellar, the construction of the central arch, the underpinning of cellar walls and piers, and to arrange for a large cellar window on the west side for light and ventilation.

The preliminary operations consisted in tearing down dangerous brickwork, shoring places where necessary, and cleaning away débris; the underpinning of walls completed previous to June 9, wherever defective, was torn out and rebuilt; the two piers on the east side of the cellar excavation were rebuilt upon concrete foundations, brick walls placed on each side of cellar extension, arches properly turned, large cellar window constructed, loosened portions of west wall torn out and carefully patched, and wall around stairway from third story up torn down and rebuilt.

Upon the completion of basement and side walls brickwork the iron columns and beams were reset, additional steel beams having been purchased to replace those bent and twisted by the collapse; all arches were turned and covered with concrete, Georgia pine floors laid in the new portion of cellar and on first and second floors, and the tiling relaid on third floor.

Windows and doors were reset, gas and steam pipes placed in position and tested, walls plastered, the rebuilt portion painted, and a portion of the cellar dug out for a storage room for refuse. Operations were practically completed December 31, 1893, and the building, which was restored to the condition existing previous to its collapse, with some additional improvements, was ready for occupation, and in my opinion was in as safe condition as it had been since its original construction.

For complete details of this work between September 20 and December 31, I invite attention to the interesting and elaborate report of Second Lieut. John S. Sewell, Corps of Engineers, my assistant, who has exhibited in the discharge of his duty connected with the repair of this building the utmost energy, skill, industry, and ability.

In accordance with the terms of the act approved September 7, 1893, a board of engineers was convened in November, 1893, to examine Ford's Theater building and to report whether its condition was such that it could be safely occupied by clerks.

This board, under date of December 30, 1893, recommended that the floors should be strengthened with iron columns and girders, the east wall taken down and rebuilt, the lighting and ventilation of building improved, and fire escapes constructed; the estimated cost of the proposed work was placed at $11,958.

By the act of Congress approved March 12, 1894, an appropriation of $11,958 was made for the improvements recommended by the Board of Engineers, and under date of March 24, 1894, by direction of the Chief of Engineers, the work was placed in my charge.

Operations were commenced on March 31, the work to be done being as follows:

1. To strengthen the second and third floors by additional lines of girders and columns placed running north and south along middle lines of existing panels; the columns under the third floor to be supported by. columns under the second floor, resting on brick piers in the basement; the girders under both floors were to be 10-inch I-beams (doubled); the columns under the third floor were to be of 3-inch metal and 6 inches in diameter, and those under the second floor of 1-inch metal, 7 inches in diameter; the brick piers were to be 2 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 6 inches, resting on concrete bases 4 by 4 feet by 1 foot 6 inches.

The result of this work will be to strengthen the building so that in addition to their dead weights the second and third floors will sustain a live load 1224 pounds and 71 pounds respectively.

2. To tear down and rebuild the east wall, containing about 140,000 brick, the new wall to be 24 inches thick up to level of third floor and 18 inches thick from thence to the top of wall.

3. To improve the lighting facilities by enlarging the windows of the building, except those in the west front, first story, and to add two new windows in the south wall of third story.

4. To improve the system of ventilation by arrangements for admitting fresh air and carrying off vitiated air.

5. To construct two fire escapes on the rear of the building. Operations were rapidly pushed forward and by the close of the fiscal year the work of strengthening the second and third floors had been completed, the east wall had been torn down to the ground, the old worthless foundation torn out and replaced with a bed of concrete 41 feet wide by 2 feet thick, and the entire wall rebuilt, the lighting facil ities improved by enlarging the eight front windows on second and third floors and adding two new windows to the third floor, the method of improved heating and ventilating nearly finished, and the fire escapes constructed in position.

The entire work laid out was nearly completed and the building in such condition as to be available for use by the War Department, if required.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC GROUNDS IN THE DISTRICT OF

COLUMBIA.

VARIOUS RESERVATIONS.

The area covered by the parks and park spaces in the District of Columbia, under charge of this office, is about 405 acres, within which there are 13.4 miles of gravel and asphalt walks, covering an area of 16.9 acres, and 7.6 miles of gravel and asphalt roads, covering an area of 33.03 acres.

There are in all 301 reservations, varying in size from a few hundred square feet to 82 acres. These reservations are classified as follows:

Of these, 66 are inclosed with post-and-chain or other low iron fences. In my annual report for the last fiscal year I gave a sketch of the general plan proposed for the completion of the park improvements.

Each year an effort is made to add to the list of improved reservations, but owing to lack of necessary funds the progress is very slow. It is not generally realized how much beauty the smaller spaces are capable of exhibiting, should they be brought to their highest condition of improvement. It is, in a measure, true that the outlay in this development is considerable, but the subsequent maintenance of these spots of beauty in their highly improved condition is comparatively

light and not much more than the expense now incurred in mowing their grass surface.

With this report I submit a map and description of the various reservations, and plans and estimates for the improvement of the following: 1. Reservation No. 19 (immediately north of navy-yard).-At the request of a committee of citizens of the District of Columbia, a plan of improvement for this reservation at an estimated cost of $12,000 has been prepared. The reservation covers an area of about 3 acres. It is located in a section of the city which has not yet been highly improved, and is bounded on the north by the tracks of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company; a side track extends through it to the navy-yard; the adjoining streets are unpaved; no sidewalks have been laid, and the streets bounding the reservation are not curbed on the reservation side. In the western section a narrow stream meanders through a small ravine and finds its outlet in an improvised opening in a street sewer. It will require about 3,000 cubic yards of earth to fill this ravine and bring the reservation to proper grade.

It is proposed to lay sidewalks on the east, west, and south boundaries; to construct gravel walks, lay out lawn plots, and sow with grass seed; to introduce water, construct necessary drains, drain lodges and gutters; to plant with suitable trees, shrubs, and flowers, and to place eight park lamps in position.

2. Reservation No. 20, Howard University Park.-This reservation covers an area of nearly 12 acres; it is located south of the Howard University, between Fourth and Sixth streets. Its improvement has been urged from time to time by prominent citizens, and a plan for its ornamentation is submitted, at an estimated cost of $25,000.

The reservation is covered with a native forest growth of large oak trees. The major portion of the ground is a little below the grade of the surrounding streets, but is not wet except at the southeast corner of the park, where apparently there are springs. The ground generally slopes toward the south and east, and admits of easy surface drainage.

The reservation is admirably located for a public park, for pleasure grounds, games, picnics, etc., and for other assemblages of our people, being within a few squares of the terminal stations of four of our city and suburban street railroad lines, by which any part of Washington and its chief outlying suburban, villages can be reached from the park in a comparatively short period of time.

It is believed that if the improvements projected were made, this park would soon become a popular place of resort and relieve the city parks proper, which should receive a higher grade of improvement.

With this object in view, it is designed to preserve as fully as may be practicable the present native forest growth of oaks, which furnish an abundant shade, and to form additional plantings of other varieties of ornamental trees and shrubs, bounding the park on all sides, so that there may be many shaded walks and drives in the summer and autumn, opening out into sunny glades in the more central portions of the grounds. It is proposed to construct gravel walks and roads only; to make but few changes in the present surface grades, terracing the northwest section where the greatest difference of level exists between the street and park grades; to introduce water for drinking fountains, closets, and irrigation, and to construct such drains to street sewers as are necessary to properly drain the lower portions of the grounds, and to request the District government, which claims control of all streets from building line to building line, to construct sidewalks around the reservation.

To accompany the annual report upon the Improvement and care of Public Buildings and grounds in the District of Columbia for the fiscal apar ending June 30th 1894.

Eng 53 3

ALLEY 60H WIDE.

L.ST

SOUTH.