Improvement and care of public grounds: For improvement of grounds north of the Executive Man sion $2,500.00 For improvement and maintenance of grounds south of the 4,000,00 For laying asphalt walks in various reservations For construction and repair of post and chain fences and constructing stone coping around reservations 1,500,00 5,000.00 For purchase and repair of seats...... For painting watchmen's lodges, iron fences, vases, lamps, and lamp-posts 5,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 For purchase and repair of tools.. For removing snow and ice. For trees, tree and plant stakes, labels, lime, whitewashing, and stock for nursery For flower-pots, twine, baskets, wire, splints, moss, and lycopodium.... 1,000.00 For care, construction, and repair of fountains. 1,500.00 500.00 For improvement, care, and maintenance of various reservations 20,000.00 For improvement, care, and maintenance of Smithsonian Grounds, including construction of asphalt roads and paths.... 8,000.00 For improvement and care of Henry and Seaton Parks, east to Botanical Gardens 2,500.00 7,000.00 For improvement, care, and maintenance of Judiciary Square, including grounds around new Pension Building, and asphalt roads and walks leading to Pension Building. For lodges for park watchmen in Stanton, Mount Vernou, Iowa, DuPont, Thomas, McPherson, and Folger reservations, at $500 each.. For supplying and keeping supplied the 76 vases in the New Pension Building with suitable plants and shrubs and caring for same, in accordance with the joint resolution of Congress approved March 29, 1886 Care of, repairs, fuel, etc., Executive Mansion: For care, repair, and refurnishing the Executive Mansion, to be expended by contract or otherwise, as the President may determine. For fuel for Executive Mansion, greenhouses, and stable.. For care and necessary repair of greenhouses.. Lighting the Executive Mansion and the public grounds: For erecting 7 iron posts each 25 feet high, and connecting them with underground wires for electric lights..... For electric lights for 365 nights, from 7 posts, at 70 cents per light per night, $4.90 per night.... For gas, pay of lamp-lighters, gas-fitters, and laborers, purchase, erection, and repair of lamps and lamp-posts, purchase of matches and repairs of all kinds; fuel and lights for office and office stable, for watchmen's lodges, and for green-houses at the nursery: Provided, That for each 6-foot burner not connected with a meter in the lamps on the public grounds no more than twenty dollars shall be paid per lamp for gas, including lighting, cleaning, and keeping in repair the lamps, under any expenditure provided for in this act; and said lamps shall burn not less than two thousand six hundred hours per annum; and authority is hereby given to substitute other illumninating material for the same or less price, and to use so much of the sum hereby appropriated as may be necessary for that purpose... $3,500.00 1,000.00 $90,500.00 16,000.00 3,000,00 24,000.00 1,000.00 1,788.50 14,000.00 16,788.50 Repairs to water-pipes: For repairing and extending water-pipes, purchase of apparatus for cleaning them, purchase of hose, and for cleaning the springs aud repairing and renewing pipes of same that supply the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, and the building for the State, War and Navy Departments Telegraph to connect the Capitol with the Departments and the Government Printing Office: For replacing the entire overhead system of wires with duplicate six conductor underground cable, being a total distance of about 10,500 linear feet: Ditching, boxing, etc., 10,500 feet, at 22 cents.. 110,000 feet of conductor, at 44 cents per foot.. Supervising, expert joiners, electricians, etc., for 110,000 feet of conductor, at one-half cent per foot. Contingencies, including taking cables into buildings.......... For care and repair of existing lines... Total.... 195,388.50 In submitting these estimates, some of which are larger than heretofore appropriated and some for new work, the following explanation is presented: First.-One public gardener, $2,000. 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 garden, and superintends the propagation of plants that are annually raised for the public grounds, which this year numbered about 350,000. Second.-One clerk in charge of old public records of Washington City, 1,500. These records include maps, deeds, record-books, letters, etc., from the organization of the original board of commissioners, near the close of the last century, up to 1887, when the duties were turned over to the Chief of Engineers; they are constantly examined by attorneys and others interested in lauds in Washington and the person in charge of them is frequently required to produce them in courts; 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 draughtsman allowed this office, and during the last six months more than half of his time has been actually employed on this duty. I earnestly recommend that this appropriation be made in order that the draughtsman may be permitted to attend to the necessary and legitimate duties of his office. Third. For one telegraph lineman, $1,000. Under the head of "telegraph connecting the Capitol with Departments" will be found a full description of the telegraph system under charge of this office; it includes about 8 miles of overhead wire and 2.6 miles of underground cable; there are 17 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. For overseers, foremen, draughtsmen, gardeners, mechanics, and laborers, $30,000. I have submitted the same estimate as presented last year. The grounds under charge of this office cover an area of 4131 acres, divided into 331 reservations scattered over various sections of the city. Of these reservations 57 are highly improved, 47 partially improved, and 227, covering an area of about 71 acres, remain entirely unimproved. Each year we improve from three to five of those heretofore untouched, thus adding to the beauty of the city and the welfare of the neighborhoods in which the reservations are situated. These new improvements are distributed throughout different sections of the city, and are only made where private enterprise has improved property in the vicinity. Each improved reservation adds that much to the expense of the care of the public grounds, the mowing of grass, care and construction of paths, care of trees and shrubs, etc. It is earnestly recommended that this appropriation may be made in order that the beauty of these numerous parks, so ornamental to the nation's capital, may be maintained. Fifth.-One day watchman at Lafayette Square, $720; one day watchman at Franklin Square, $720. These men are earnest, faithful, and efficient; they have charge of the two handsomest parks in the city; they are busy every day of the year, and during the season of active operations are on duty from 8 a. m. till 8 p. m. Sixth.-One day watchman for Marion Square, Folger Square, and adjacent reservations, $660. These two reservations are highly improved, the one containing an area of about 1 acre, the other about 2 acres; in addition to these there are several smaller improved reservations in the vicinity; a watchman is very necessary in this locality, the nearest one being at Lincoln Square, a distance of half a mile, where his entire time is required. Seventh.-For improvement of grounds north of the Executive Mansion, $2,500. It is proposed to remove the old broken asphalt walks now in very bad condition and to replace them with new materials and to resurface the old roadway leading from the main road to the greenhouses; the work will consist of constructing about 900 square yards of paths and resurfacing about 1,000 square yards of roadway. Eighth. For improvement, care, and maintenance of grounds south of the Executive Mansion, $4,000. These funds will be devoted to completing necessary drainage due to raising Potomac Flats, to continuing the improvement of the northwest section of the reservation, covering an area of about 2 acres, recently occupied as a storage ground in connection with the construction of the War, State, and Navy Building, to resurfacing roads and paths and constructing additional walks, and to care of lawns, planting trees and shrubs, etc. Ninth. For care and improvement of Monument Grounds, $5,000. In view of the work of filling around the monument and of the raising of the Potomac Flats, it will be necessary to continue improvements in the drainage system, the roads, paths, lawns, etc., in this reservation; the amount requested will be applied to these purposes. 1 Tenth. For laying asphalt walks in various reservations, $5,000. It is proposed to replace with first-class asphalt walks the gravel paths in Washington Circle, Mount Vernon Square, Executive Mansion Grounds (south side), Lincoln Square, Stanton Square, Folger Square, Marion Square, Henry and Seaton parks, and to renew those in Farragut Square and Iowa Circle. In the late fall, winter, and early spring these walks are muddy, and pedestrians seek the lawns, which are thus destroyed by trespassers. The amount of these paths which it is proposed to lay this year, is about 3,500 square yards. Each autumn it becomes necessary to put down plank walks, which must again be removed in the spring. If asphalt walks are laid the annual expense incident to plank walks will be avoided. Eleventh. For improvement, care, and maintenance of various reservations, $20,000. The funds required under this head are for the purchase of materials for, and the care of, the improved parks and for the improvement of as many as possible of the 227 unimproved reservations; each year from three to five are added to the list of improved reservations, and if the funds now requested become available eight or ten can be added during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890; as reservations are thus improved the expense of the care of the whole is slightly increased, for the improvements must be maintained. Twelfth. For the improvement, care, and maintenance of Smithsonian Grounds, including the construction of asphalt roads and paths, $8,000. This reservation, covering an area of over 58 acres, is the largest and one of the handsomest in the city, and has within its limits the Smithsonian Building, the National Museum, and the new Army Medical Museum. The roads and paths, with one or two exceptions, are of gravel, and become dusty in summer and muddy in winter; a first-class asphalt road pavement is now in course of construction in front of the Smithsonian Building, running from Seventh to Twelfth street, a distance of about 1,700 feet and covering an area of about 7,500 square yards; 5,400 square yards has been laid, and it is hoped that a sufficient appropriation will be made to complete the whole road during the season of 1888. With the appropriation now requested it is proposed to lay about 1,500 square yards of roadway pavement, about 1,000 square yards of asphalt paths leading through the park to the Museum, and to maintain in good condition the gravel roads and paths, gutters, lawns, trees, shrubs, and drainage of this handsome park. Thirteenth.-For improvement, care, and maintenance of Henry (Armory) and Seaton parks, $2,500. These reservations, extending from Seventh street to the Botanical 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 partially from view. The materials for this mound have thus far been obtained free of expense to the United States, and it is now proposed to grade the mound and to seed and plant it. The funds requested are needed for this purpose, and for the care of roads, lawns, gutters, etc., and laying out additional paths. Fourteenth. For improvement, care, and maintenance of Judiciary Square, including grounds around the new Pension Building, $7,000. This square contains an area of 20 acres, and includes within its limits the court-house and the new Pension Building. It is crowded daily with persons having business in these buildings. The appropriation now requested will be used, if granted, for completing the improvements around the Pension Building, including asphalt roads and paths leading thereto, and in the general care of this large reservation. Fifteenth.-For lodges for park watchmen in Stanton, Mount Vernon, Iowa, Du Pont, Thomas, McPherson, and Folger reservations, at $500 each, $3,500. 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 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. Sixteenth. For supplying and keeping supplied the vases in the new Pension Building with suitable plants and shrubs, $1,000. The joint resolution of Congress approved March 29, 1886, requires that the seventy-six large vases on the upper corridor of the new Pension Building shall be filled and kept filled with suitable plants and shrubs. This estimate is submitted in order that I may be able to comply with the terms of the law. Seventeenth. For care, repair, and refurnishing the Executive Mansion, $16,000. . This old building needs continual repairs and repainting to maintain it in a neat and habitable condition. Much of the furniture is old and needs renewing, while new carpets are required in many of the rooms. During the past eleven years the appropriations for this purpose have been as follows: 1878, $20,000; 1879, $25,000; 1880, $25,000; 1881, $20,000; 1882, $50,000; 1883, $40,000; 1884, $28,000; 1885, $22,500; 1886, $16,000, including $4,000 for new roof; 1887, $16,000; 1888, $16,000; 1889, $16,000. It will be observed that since July 1, 1885, the appropriations have been much less than previous to that time. It is earnestly recommended that this appropriation be made, as it is absolutely necessary in order to maintain in a neat and habitable condition the mansion provided for the office and the residence of the Chief Executive of the nation. Eighteenth. For care and necessary repair of greenhouses, $5,000. The sum appropriated for this purpose during the past five years has been annually only $4,000, while in previous years it was $5,500. The greenhouses were constructed previous to 1885 under appropriations made by Congress, and need continual repair; they require the constaut supervision of three experienced gardeners, while the assistance of laborers from time to time is necessary; at this time the wood-work of the superstructure of the main conservatory is in very bad condition and requires immediate and extensive repairs. Nineteenth. For erecting seven lamp posts in the ellipse south of the Executive Mansion, from the top of which shall be shown electric lights, $1,000. For electric lights for three hundred and sixty-five nights from seven lamps, at 70 cents per night each, $1,785.50. The grounds south of the Executive Mansion, now highly improved, are without lights. It is believed that the electric lights mentioned above will shed a soft, mellow light over the entire reservation. Twentieth. For replacing the overhead wires between the Capitol and the Departments with a duplicate underground six-wire cable, $8,500. |