Improvement and care of public grounds-Continued. Construction and repair of post-and-chain fences; repair of high iron fences; constructing stone coping about reservations; painting watchmen's lodges, iron fences, vases, lamps, and lamp-posts; manure and hauling the same and removing snow and ice; purchase and repair of seats and tools; trees, tree and plant stakes, labels, lime, whitewashing, and stock for nursery; flowerpots, twine, baskets, wire, splints, moss, and lycopodium, to be purchased by contract or otherwise, as the Secretary of War may determine; care, construction, and repair of fountains; abating nuisances, cleaning statues, and repairing pedestals.... ......$15, 850.00 For improvement, care, and maintenance of various reservations For improvement, maintenance, and care of Smithsonian grounds 20,000.00 2.500.00 2,000.00 For improvement, care, and maintenance of Judiciary Park 2,500.00 Care, repairs, fuel, etc., Executive Mansion: For care, repair, and refurnishing Executive Mansion, to Fuel for Executive Mansion, greenhouses, and stable. 2,800.00 $69, 150.00 20,000.00 3,000.00 5,000.00 2,000.00 30,000.00 Lighting the Executive Mansion and the public grounds: Lighting public grounds, District of Columbia: For lighting 7 arc electric lights in grounds south of the Executive Mansion 365 nights, at 20 cents per light per night For lighting 32 arc electric lights in Lafayette, Franklin, Judiciary, and Lincoln parks 365 nights, at 25 cents per light per night.......... For lighting 14 are electric lights in grounds south of the Executive Mansion and Monument Park 365 nights, at not exceeding 25 cents per light per night..... Repairs to water pipes and fire plugs: Repairing and extending water pipes, purchase of apparatus for cleaning them, purchase of hose, and for cleaning the springs and repairing and renewing the pipes of the same that supply the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, and the buildings for the State, War, and Navy Depart ments Telegraph to connect the Capitol with the departments and the For care and repair of existing lines Total 547.50 511.00 2,920.00 13, 047.50 1,277.50 4, 708.50 2,500.00 1,500.00 187, 406.00 Washington Monument, elevator, electric lights, and machinery connected therewith. The following estimate for operating the elevator, the electric lights, and the machinery connected therewith for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, is submitted: 1 custodian, at $100 per month 1 steam engineer, at $80 per month 1 assistant steam engineer, at $60 per month. 1 fireman, at $50 per month.. 1 assistant fireman, at $45 per month 1 conductor of elevator car, at $75 per month 1 attendant on floor, at $60 per month 1 attendant on top floor, at $60 per month. For fuel, lights, oil, waste, packing, tools, matches, paints, brushes, brooms, Total...... $1,200.00 960.00 720.00 600.00 540.00 900.00 720.00 720.00 2, 160.00 3,000.00 11, 520.00 As some of the foregoing estimates are larger than the amounts heretofore appropriated, it is deemed advisable to submit the following brief explanation in reference thereto : First. The sum of $6,500 is asked for an iron and brick storehouse at the nursery. The necessity is pressing and is explained in full in another part of this report. Second. One sergeant of park watchmen at $900, and six additional park watchmen at $720 each, are asked for, the necessity for which is explained at length in preceding pages of this report under the heading "The pressing needs of this department." Third. One office clerk (of fourth class) $1,800. The work of the office has increased so largely in recent years that the one clerk allowed is unable to perform it unaided, and help has had to be borrowed, from time to time, from other sources. This is a tax on other branches of the Government and it seems only proper that sufficient clerical force should be provided to properly and expeditiously perform the office work and keep it up to date, which is now impossible. During the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1899, this office will have appropriations to expend amounting in round numbers to $285,000. Fourth. I have asked for $700 for contingent expenses, in place of the $500 usually granted. The increase of $200 is required, first, to purchase a new typewriter, of which the office is greatly in need. The one now in use was purchased twelve years ago and is now in bad condition; and, second, to pay the increased amount which will be charged for telephone service should the rate fixed by the act of Congress approved June 30, 1898, be declared by the courts to be invalid and inadequate. Fifth. The sum of $2,800 has been asked for "improvement, care, and maintenance of grounds of seven Executive Departments." The reasons for requesting this sum are given herein, under the head of "Propagating gardens." In conclusion, I desire to renew the expression of my sincere appre ciation of the faithful and efficient manner in which Mr. George H. Brown, the skillful and accomplished landscape gardener, and Mr. E. F. Concklin, overseer, have performed the various and important duties committed to their charge. Acknowledgment is also due Mr. John I. King, foreman, for the ability and energy displayed in the often difficult and vitally important work which was under his immediate supervision. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, THEO. A. BINGHAM, Colonel, United States Army, Major, Corps of Engineers. Brig. Gen. JOHN M. WILSON, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. APPENDIX D D D. NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKES-CORRECTING AND ISSUING CHARTS-SURVEYS-WATER LEVELS. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. G. J. LYDECKER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1899. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Detroit, Mich., July 29, 1899. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith my annual report on survey of the Northern and Northwestern Lakes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1899. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. J. LYDECKER, Brig. Gen. JOHN M. WILSON, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. DDDI. NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKES-CORRECTING AND ISSUING CHARTS SURVEYS-WATER LEVELS, The project of operations under the limited appropriations made for this work in recent years has provided (1) for preparing and issuing charts for the use of navigators; (2) for correcting old charts and projecting new ones, including local surveys or examinations required for such corrections or additions. This project was somewhat extended during the last year to include some measurements of discharge and slope of the lake connecting rivers as an initial step in the investigation of lake levels, the ultimate object of which is to ascertain the best method of regulating these levels and maintaining the depths of improved commercial channels in these waters. 3851 Operations during the year ending June 30, 1899, as related to these several objects were as follows: Charts. The following statement shows the number of charts received and disposed of at this office: The sum of $947.42, received from sale of charts, was turned into the United States Treasury. The total number of charts disposed of to date has been 224,010. Corrections and additions were made in this office to charts named below, after which they were sent to the office of the Chief of Engineers, where the engraved plates were correspondingly amended, viz: Lake Erie. Coast Chart No. 6, Lake Erie. Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie. Lake St. Clair. St. Clair River. Lake Huron. Straits of Mackinac. North end of Lake Michigan. South end of Green Bay. St. Marys River, No. 1 (old series). Lake Superior (1899). NOTE.-Lake Superior (1899) revised, corrected, and printed in colors conforming to the new system as adopted for the new chart of Lake Michigan. In addition to the foregoing, changes were made by hand in this office to a great number of charts lithographed in color. All correc tions were predicated on special surveys made under the direction of this office and information from engineer officers in charge of lakeharbor improvements or from other reliable official sources. New charts. In addition to correcting old charts, two new ones of the upper and middle sections of the St. Marys River were completed and published during the last fiscal year. These charts are known as (new) Charts Nos. 2 and 3, St. Marys River, and are printed in colors so distributed that the water areas which may be safely navigated, as well as all lights, buoys, and other aids to navigation, are conspicuously indicated. Chart No. 1, of St. Marys River, covering the lower section of the river and adjoining shores of Lake Huron, is nearing its completion. The new chart of Lake Michigan, projected to scale of 1 : 400,000 and published to scale of 1:500,000, representing the entire lake on a single sheet, was also completed, photolithographed, and printed in colors. |