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1 attendant on floor, at $60 per month
1 attendant on top floor, at $60 per month
3 night and day watchmen, at $60 per month
For fuel, lights, oil, waste, packing, tools, matches, paints, brushes,
brooms, lanterns, rope, nails, screws, lead, electric lights, heating appa-
ratus, oil stoves for elevator car and upper and lower floors, repairs to
engines, boilers, dynamos, elevator, and repairs of all kinds connected
with the Monument and machinery, and purchase of all necessary arti-
cles for keeping the Monument, machinery, elevator, and electric-light
plant in good order

Total..

$720.00

720.00 2, 160.00

3,000.00

12,060.00

As some of the foregoing estimates are larger than the amounts heretofore appropriated, and as others are for new work, it is deemed advisable to submit the following brief explanation in reference thereto : First. One public gardener, $2,500. I have asked for an increase in the salary of the public gardener, a position now so satisfactorily filled by Mr. George H. Brown. The duties of the office require that the gentleman who fills it shall be thoroughly skilled in the culture of trees, shrubs, and plants, and shall have a practical knowledge of civil engineering as applied to landscape gardening. Mr. Brown combines these attributes, to which he adds taste, industry, and integrity. His duties take him from one end of the city to the other. He is directly responsible for the care of the valuable collection of plants in the propagating gardens, and superintends the propagation of plants that are annually raised for the public grounds, which this year numbered about 500,000.

Second. One clerk in charge of old public records of Washington City, $1,500. These records include maps, deeds, records, books, letters, etc., from the organization of the original Board of Commissioners, near the close of the last century, up to 1867, when the duties were turned over to the Chief of Engineers. They are constantly examined by attorneys and others interested in lands in Washington, and the person in charge of them is frequently required to produce them in court. To index them properly, to be able to turn at once to the details of any question raised, requires familiarity with every paper. This work has for the last few years been intrusted to the only draftsman allowed this office, and during the past year at least onefourth of his time has been actually employed on this duty. It is desirable that this appropriation be made in order that the draftsman may be permitted to attend to the necessary and legitimate duties of his office.

Third. For one telegraph lineman, $1,080. The telegraph system under charge of this office includes about 8 miles of overhead wire. There are eighteen offices connected with these lines, the main battery being at this office. The lineman is constantly engaged in the care of the main and local batteries and such necessary repairs and extensions as a system of wires of this kind requires. He is industrious, efficient, and capable, and has won the confidence of all with whom he has come in contact by faithful attention to his duties.

Fourth. An increase in the appropriation for overseers, foremen, etc., is urgently requested. As the city of Washington is spreading to the north, east, and west, the area of improved reservations must be increased to keep pace with private enterprise, and the small increase requested will be of the utmost advantage in continuing the ornamentation of spaces now entirely unimproved.

Fifth. For the care and improvement of the Monument Grounds, $6,000. It is desirable that this important improvement should proENG 97-255

gress more rapidly than heretofore. The amount ($3,000) appropriated for 1897 was sufficient merely to maintain the park in its present condition, and hardly admitted any improvements in the unfinished portions of the grounds.

Sixth. For manure and hauling the same, $5,000 is asked, instead of $4,000. The increase is requested in order that the additional quantity of this material required for the park lawns may be purchased.

Seventh. For painting watchmen's lodges, iron fences, vases, lamps, and lamp-posts, $1,500 is requested. There are 11 watchmen's lodges, a number of post-and-chain fences, 21 vases, over 400 lamp-posts, and the iron fence around the Executive Mansion, all of which should be painted in 1898-99.

Eighth. For trees, tree and plant stakes, etc., and stock for nursery, $3,000 is asked, in place of $2,000, last granted. The larger sum is the amount appropriated annually for more than twelve years ending June 30, 1892.

Ninth. For removing snow and ice, the sum of $1,500 is asked. The sum usually granted, viz, $1,200, is generally sufficient, but sometimes

is not.

Tenth. Twenty thousand dollars is asked for improvement, care, and maintenance of various reservations, in place of the $10,000 granted this year. It is proposed to improve as many as possible of the unimproved reservations. Each year from one to three are added to the list of improved reservations, and if the funds now requested become available six or eight can be added during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1899. As reservations are thus improved the expense of the care of the whole is slightly increased, for the improvements must be maintained.

Eleventh. For the Smithsonian Grounds $8,000 is asked, and for Judiciary Park $8,000, in place of $2,500, granted last year. The increased amounts can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1899, in the improvement of those parks.

Twelfth. Five thousand dollars is asked for a granite curbing around Franklin Park, and $6,000 for a curbing of same style around Lincoln Park. The beauty of these handsome parks will be greatly enhanced by placing around them granite curbings similar to those used around the parks of the same character in the larger cities elsewhere.

Thirteenth. An estimate of $10,500 is submitted for an asphalt walk around the ellipse south of the Executive Mansion for reasons given in this report.

Fourteenth. For improvement, care, and maintenance of Henry (Armory) and Seaton parks, $3,000. These reservations, extending from Seventh street to the Botanic Gardens, cover an area of 34 acres, with road and walk surfaces of over 10,000 square yards. They are in an advanced state of improvement. Their beauty has been marred by the depot and tracks of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad. A mound has been constructed around the depot, upon which it is intended to plant trees and shrubs, so that in time the depot will be hidden from view. The materials for this mound have been obtained free of expense to the United States, and now it is proposed to plant it. The funds requested are needed for this purpose and for the care of roads, lawns, gutters, etc., and laying out additional paths.

Fifteenth. Estimates are submitted for the improvement of Howard University Park, for Reservation No. 140, at the intersection of New Hampshire avenue and M street, and for Reservation No. 19, near the navy-yard. The necessity for all these improvements is fully set forth in the preceding pages of this report.

Sixteenth. For lodges for park watchmen in Stanton, Thomas, and McPherson reservations, at $500 each, $1,500. The watchmen in these reservations are exposed to the inclemency of the weather at all seasons of the year. Rain or shine, hot or cold, night or day, year in and year out they must be at their stations, and take shelter, when necessary, either under a tree or in such a dwelling or store as will offer its hospitality. The dictates of humanity call for this appropriation.

Seventeenth. For care, repair, and refurnishing of Executive Mansion, etc., $30,000. Ten thousand dollars has to be set aside at the beginning of each fiscal year for care and maintenance of the Mansion, including salaries of employees of all kinds. This has left in past years practically but $10,000 for refurnishing and repairs of all kinds. The Executive Mansion is not at all luxuriously furnished, and in fact lacks many of the comforts of a modern home, and economy has been so strictly observed for the past few years that new and extensive repairs are now absolutely needed. The present plumbing system is not in excellence beyond what in these days would be expected in a $12,000 house and should be renewed throughout. This work consists of two parts-first, the building of a proper accessible conduit for all underground pipes and wires and the placing of them in the conduit; second, the renewal and installation of all plumbing apparatus above ground in a systematic, safe, and modern way. Each of the above parts of this work will cost not less than $5,000 if properly done.

Eighteenth. The sum of $150 is asked for repairing pedestals and cleaning statues. Several of the pedestals need repointing, and the statues are from time to time disfigured by birdlime, which must be removed.

Nineteenth. The appropriation requested for lighting the Executive Mansion and public grounds, and which is in excess of that made last year, is deemed very necessary in order to change the system in the Executive Mansion Grounds and Monument Park from gas to electric lights. Should this use of electricity in the grounds mentioned be authorized, the expense for gas would be reduced about $600 per annum. There are no lights in the Monument Grounds.

Twentieth. I recommend that the salaries of the two steam engineers at the Washington Monument be increased from $80 and $60 to $90 and $70 per month, respectively. The duties of these two men are of great importance. Upon their efficiency and intelligence depend, to a great extent, the lives of those who use the elevator. The increase asked is small and the men deserve it. I also recommend that the pay of the two firemen be placed at $60 per month each. That is the rate allowed firemen in the Executive Departments, and there appears to be no reason why the firemen at the Monument should receive less.

In submitting these estimates, I earnestly recommend that the various items under the heading of "Improvement and care of public grounds" be aggregated under one head, and while each item of work shall be named, the whole shall be covered by a general sum, not a specific sum for each item. This is done in other departments of the Government, particularly the Quartermaster's Department of the Army. It saves quite an amount of clerical labor by permitting the preparation of accounts under one heading, rather than under about thirty. Moreover, it permits small balances which might be saved from one item to be used in some other equally necessary and important work.

This recommendation is based strictly upon business principles and is for the purpose of reducing clerical labor and expediting the progress of the work.

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A special appeal is made to the liberality of Congress for the following urgently needed funds in excess of last year's appropriations: For the employment of a clerk for the care of the old records of the city of Washington, as explained under the heading of "Old records" Increase in the salary of the public gardener to $2,500, for reasons given above, and because it is more nearly what is paid for such services elsewhere throughout the United States...

$1,500

700

For the item "Salaries of overseers, foremen, gardeners, laborers," etc...... 7,000 Our funds are now so limited, that in May and June, when men are most needed for the care of the parks (that being the most favorable season), we have to begin discharging, and in this way lose men trained in our work and have to train green hands later, which is not economical, but expensive.

In conclusion, I desire to express my sincere appreciation of the faithful and efficient manner in which Mr. George H. Brown, the skillful and accomplished public gardener, and Mr. E. F. Concklin, overseer and chief clerk, have performed the various and important duties committed to their charge.

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THEO. A. BINGHAM,

Colonel, U. S. Army, Captain Corps of Engineers.

Brig. Gen. JOHN M. WILSON,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

APPENDIX C C C.

NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKES-SURVEYS-CORRECTING ENGRAVED PLATES-PRINTING AND ISSUING OF CHARTS.

REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. G. J. LYDECKER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1897.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

Detroit, Mich., July 23, 1897.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith my annual report, in duplicate, on the "Issue of the published charts of the Northern and Northwestern Lakes, and surveys made for the purpose of keeping these charts up to date," for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. J. LYDECKER,

Brig. Gen. JOHN M. WILSON,

Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers.

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

CCC I.

NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKES-SURVEYS-CORRECTING ENGRAVED PLATES-PRINTING AND ISSUING OF CHARTS.

The sundry civil acts of August 18, 1894, March 2, 1895, June 11, 1896, and June 4, 1897, have each contained appropriations as follows:

Survey of Northern and Northwestern Lakes.-For printing and issuing of charts for use of navigators and electrotyping plates for chart printing, two thousand dollars. For surveys, additions to, and correcting engraved plates, to be available until expended, twenty-five thousand dollars.

Under the first item the issuing of charts has been done from the United States Engineer Office, at Detroit, Mich., the rest of the work required by that item being attended to in the office of the Chief of Engineers, in Washington, D. C. During the fiscal year ending June

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