the public grounds were kept in good repair, and purchases of new tools were made from time to time as required.

During the winter the snow and ice were removed from the walks through the various parks and the pavements surrounding them after each storm, excepting the last storm of the season in March, when the balance of the appropriation remaining on hand was not sufficient to do all of the work required. On that occasion only one-half the width of the pavements and walks of the more prominent parks could be cleaned (excepting those in front of the Executive Mansion, which were entirely cleaned), and the pavements of Rawlins Square, Reservation No. 101, three circles and twenty-one triangular reservations could not be cleaned at all. In January this office recommended that an additional appropriation of $1,000 be made for use during the remainder of the season, and an estimate for that purpose was duly submitted to Congress. The funds, however, were not provided.

CONSTRUCTING, REPAIRING, AND PAINTING IRON FENCES, CONSTRUCTING STONE COPING ABOUT RESERVATIONS, PAINTING VASES, ETC.

Iron post-and-chain fences were erected around Reservation No. 20, at Pennsylvania avenue, Twenty-eighth, and M streets NW., and Reservation No. 74, at Massachusetts and New Jersey avenues, First and G streets NW., and granite coping was placed around McPherson Square and Reservation 34, on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue, between Seventh and Eighth streets NW. Necessary repairs were made to the iron post-and-rail fence around the triangular reservation on Massachusetts avenue, between Third and Fourth streets NW.

The high iron fence of the grounds at the north front of the Executive Mansion, the lamp-posts and lamps in Smithsonian grounds, Henry and Seaton parks, Franklin, Lafayette, Lincoln, Stanton, Folger, and Marion parks, and the inclosed grounds south of Executive Mansion, the iron post-and-chain fence inclosing Judiciary Square, and the lampposts and lamps therein, were repainted, as were also the iron post-andchain fences inclosing the reservations at Massachusetts and New Jersey avenues, First and G streets NW.; New York avenue, First and M streets NW.; Pennsylvania avenue, Twenty-eighth and M streets NW.; and a portion of that inclosing Farragut Square. Ten iron vases in different parks were painted, and those in McPherson Square were varnished. The walls of the watchmen's lodges in Franklin, Judiciary, and Lincoln squares were cleaned, pointed up, and calcimined, the new caps on the iron fence posts of reservations on Pennsylvania avenue, between Fourth and Ninth streets east, were painted, and a number of sign boards for use on park lawns and roads and some small signs for designating trees and shrubs were painted and lettered.

WATER PIPES, FOUNTAINS, AND GAS LAMPS.

Attention was paid to the water pipes in the public grounds during the year and such repairs made as were required. In the autumn the water was shut off from the pipes, the hose valves removed therefrom and stored in the nursery shops, and during the winter the valves were examined and those requiring it repaired; in the spring they were replaced upon the pipes and the water turned on. Additional lines of water pipe were laid, as follows: In the Executive Mansion grounds 360 feet of 13-inch pipe, with two hose valves and two street washers; in Reservation No. 158, at New York avenue, First and M streets, NW., 168

feet of 2-inch pipe, 3 feet of 14-inch pipe, one 2-inch shut-off valve, and one 14-inch hose valve; in Reservation No. 74, at Massachusetts and New Jersey avenues, First and G streets, NW., 53 feet of 2-inch pipe, 6 feet of 14-inch pipe, two 2-inch shut-off valves, and one 14-inch hose valve; in the Monument grounds, 170 feet of 2-inch pipe, 3 feet of 14-inch pipe, and one 14-inch hose valve; in the Nursery grounds, 80 feet of 14-inch pipe and two 14-inch hose valves. The standpipe for the hose valve and the stopcock box in the reservation on north side of Pennsylvania avenue, between Seventh and Eighth streets, were raised to conform to the new grade of the grounds, four of the old shutoff valves in as many different reservations were removed and replaced by new valves, and a fish trap was placed upon one of the mains in the Monument grounds to prevent fish getting into the pipe supplying water to the engine room and boiler house of the Washington Monument. That portion of the pipe line which supplies the Executive Mansion with water from the Franklin Square spring which lies on New York avenue, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, was changed from the middle of the avenue to the south side, and at Fif teenth street it was lowered and a blow-off pipe placed upon it, in order to get the line out of the way of the construction of the new cable road, the work being done by the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company without cost to the United States. Breaks in other parts of this pipe line were repaired by this office. Complaint having been made of a disagreeable and nauseating taste to the spring water supplied to the Capitol, a sample of the water was analyzed by Acting Assistant Surgeon W. M. Mew, U. S. Army, through the courtesy of the Surgeon-General of the Army. The analysis showed the water to be of exceptional purity. Old and unserviceable hose valves were replaced by new valves as needed, and 3,600 feet of new rubber hose was purchased to replace old hose no longer serviceable.

Necessary attention was paid to the fountains. The bottom of the basin of large fountain north of Executive Mansion was recoated with cement, the joints of the stone coping grouted, and the large jet repainted; eight additional brick receptacles for holding soil for water lilies were built in the basin of fountain south of the Mansion, necessary repairs made to the basin and to the 4-inch valve controlling the water supply of the fountain west of the Mansion. The basins of the fountains in Franklin Square and Iowa Circle were repaired, obstructions removed from waste pipe of the latter, new overflow pipes placed in the basins of fountains at Pennsylvania avenue and Ninth street, NW. and New York avenue and Tenth street NW., and a new shut-off valve placed on the pipe supplying the latter. The old waste pipe of the fountain in Sherman Park was taken up and replaced by new pipe and repairs made to the jets, overflow pipes, and strainers of various fountains as required. Two drinking fountains in Seaton Park were taken down and reërected in McPherson Square, and one in the latter square was removed therefrom and placed in Seaton Park. New shut-off valves were placed in position for the drinking fountains in Judiciary, Rawlins, and Mount Vernon squares, Washington Circle, and the two reservations at Massachusetts avenue and Eleventh street NW., and obstructions were removed from the waste pipes of those in the two reservations last mentioned and of one in the Smithsonian Grounds. Repairs were made to the drinking fountain in Washington Circle and those in the Smithsonian grounds, Henry and Seaton parks, Judiciary, Franklin, Lafayette, Lincoln, Farragut, and

McPherson squares were repainted, and the two in the latter park were varnished.

Two additional lamp-posts and lamps were erected in Judiciary Square upon the line of the F street roadway and the positions of four lampposts on the E street roadway were changed. A new top and lamp were placed upon one of the lamp-posts in the Smithsonian grounds. The gas lamps in the various parks were maintained in good condition during the year, broken glass in the lanterns being replaced by new as required. The average number of single burners lighted nightly during the year was 309.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, GREENHOUSES, AND GROUNDS.

In the basement corridor and small pump room the old wooden base boards and old stone flagging were removed, new floors and base boards of Portland cement constructed, floors of similar material laid in the elevator pump and tank room and in the old storeroom, and the walls of all these apartments scraped and calcimined. Two new partitions, each 24 feet long and 10 feet high, were erected to separate the elevator pump and tank room and the old storeroom from the hallway between, and a new wooden floor was laid in the tank room. The large water filter was removed from the basement corridor and placed in a small room opposite the tank room, and necessary connections made with the system of pipes. A new storage closet was constructed in the basement, repairs made to the windows and doors and to the kitchen ranges, larger pipes introduced for furnishing the bath rooms with an increased supply of rain water, and necessary pipe run and connected for supplying hot water to the executive offices. In the laundry the old floor was removed, a tile floor upon a concrete foundation laid, the walls tiled to a height of 5 feet from the floor, a new iron sink and new soapstone washtubs placed in position, and new galvanized hoods placed over the latter, a dry closet for drying clothes, a new steam boiler for operating it, and a new soapstone clothes boiler, also to be operated by steam, placed in position. The old floors of the two small rooms adjoining the laundry were.taken up, concrete foundations laid and new wooden floors placed upon them, and the walls and ceilings of the rooms scraped and calcimined. In the servants' bathroom in basement the floor and lower part of walls were laid in tiles, a new bathtub put in, the walls and ceilings scraped and calcimined, and the woodwork repainted. On the first floor the walls and ceiling of the hall between east room and entrance vestibule, and of the hall on second floor above and the stairways and landing between, were painted and decorated, the cornices tinted, and the woodwork varnished. walls and ceilings of the green parlor, the state dining room, and the entrance vestibule were redecorated and the woodwork repainted, new window shades, curtains, and laces hung, and new carpets laid in the two former rooms; new carpet laid in the east room, and the furniture of that room reupholstered and recovered. A new service of glassware and some new decorated china tableware for the state dining room were purchased. The ceilings of the elevator landings on first and second floors were papered and the walls painted, the walls of the elevator shaft caleimined, the pipes in shaft painted, repairs made to the elevator, the car cleaned and refinished in hard oil, and the network on elevator landings rebronzed. On the second floor the walls and ceilings of the southwest bedchamber were repapered, the cornices tinted and the woodwork painted, and a new portable grate was placed

The

in the fireplace of one bedroom. In the southwest bath room the old bath tub and closet were replaced by new ones, a new tile floor laid, the wooden partition faced with marble slabs, two large marble slabs set in place back of the bath tub, and the walls and ceiling and woodwork painted. In the large bath room at north front the closets, old bath tubs and plumbing were taken out, new pipes introduced, the floor and lower part of walls tiled and marble door jambs and sills put in, the closets replaced, two new bath tubs, one foot tub and two marble-top washbasins set in place, and the walls scraped and painted. The walls and ceilings of the closet adjoining the elevator landing were also painted. New carpet was laid in the upper corridor and on the elevator hall. In the autumn all carpets were relaid and curtains rehung, and in the spring the carpets were removed from the floors, the curtains taken down and the rooms arranged for the summer. Repairs were made to the tin roof of the mansion and to the copper leaders therefrom, and improvements were made in the running of the overflow pipe from large water tank in garret. The chandeliers were overhauled and cleaned, repairs made to gas fixtures and plumbing arrangements, and necessary attention paid to the electric-lighting fixtures. The exit bridge, storm house, and cloak boxes used at official receptions were repaired and painted, or stained, as required, and the boxes renumbered. Repairs were made to some of the furniture and some new floor linen was purchased. New sash chains were placed to those windows requiring them and minor carpentry repairs made as required. The bases of columns and the lamps on the north portico were repainted. A severe storm which visited this city on November 23 last did considerable damage to the mansion. About 30 linear feet of the stone balustrade above the cornice on the east end of the building was blown down, and in its fall crushed a portion of the east porch. The porch was restored so far as the condition of the stones would permit, but its completion and the restoration of the balustrade will have to be deferred until additional funds are provided by Congress. The telegraph, telephone, and fire-alarm wires, which were also thrown down, were replaced.

The work of introducing wires and fixtures for electric lights, which was not quite finished at the close of the fiscal year 1891, was completed during the early part of the present fiscal year. Chandeliers were hung in the pantry and in bedrooms not hitherto provided with them. An additional fixture was placed on the ceiling of Red Room, wall brackets put up in State dining room and switch wires run, and glass placed upon some of the chandeliers. Wires were run and lamps placed in the laundry, and in the propagating and camelia greenhouses, and the conservatory was completed. Two chandeliers in one of the rooms on second floor were taken down, rehung in other rooms, and two new chandeliers were placed in the former room. A storeroom in the basement was wired and two additional brackets were placed in lower corridor, at entrance to conservatory. A meter for recording the quantity of electric current furnished the Mansion from the dynamos in the State, War and Navy Departments building was purchased and placed in position. The lead covering of one of the three cables conveying the current to the Mansion having become corroded in places, it was taken out of the conduit, cleaned, encased in rubber hose and replaced. A new cable was also placed in the conduit for use in place of another of the original cables that was not working satisfactorily.

At the stable of the Mansion an addition, 36 feet deep and 38 feet wide, to the shed between the carriage houses was constructed and

closed in at the end with a wood and glass partition with sliding doors. A new tin roof was placed upon the old part of the shed and a new slat walk laid over a portion of it. Some minor carpentry and glazing repairs were made in the stable and slight repairs made to its slate roof. About 35 square yards of the asphalt pavement at the west front of the stable was repaired and 32 square yards of the pavement adjoining the doors of the shed between the carriage houses was taken up and relaid in such manner as to prevent the water from running under the doors.

Necessary repairs were made to the greenhouses. In the large rose house a new bench, 82 feet long and 4 feet wide, consisting of an iron frame with slate slabs was erected, 3 new doors, 4 new posts, 12 new rafters, 70 feet of new sill, 60 feet of 8-inch facia, and some new scroll ridge plate and eaves plate put in, and the east end of house and 46 sash repaired. In the small rose house 2 new posts and 24 feet of 8-inch facia were put in and the east end of the house repaired. In the camelia house, 10 new posts, 42 feet of new sill, 9 new sash, 100 feet of new beading, 70 feet of new plate, 63 feet of facia, and 22 feet of eaves board put in, and 3 sashes repaired. The old boiler of this house was replaced by a new one, which was walled in, the flues, pipe, and smokestack cleaned, and about 30 feet of new pipes put in. In the conservatory, 9 new rafters with facia and moldings, 1 new girder, 1 new center post, 160 feet of new plate, and 225 feet of new facia put in, 5 large roof sash repaired, 104 ventilating sash taken down, eased and rehung, the interior of the building repainted, and 2 new breastplates put in the large steam boiler which heats the house. Some new tin gutters and down spouts were also placed upon the conservatory and camelia house. Two large doors were hung at the entrances to potting room, and in the water-closet under conservatory the old wood floor and wainscot was removed and replaced by a floor of Portland cement, and a slate wall plate set back of and a slate sill set under the urinals. Repairs were made to two cold frames, the old smokestack on propagating house replaced by a new stack of galvanized iron, and a new boiler purchased and placed in position for heating the grapery in place of the old one that had become unserviceable. A flagstone walk 374 feet long was laid south of large rose house, east and south of camelia house, and south and west of grapery. Necessary attention was bestowed upon the large collection of plants, and desirable varieties for decorating the grounds were propagated; 17,575 bulbs of different varieties were purchased for winter forcing and for planting the flower beds for early spring bloom. The storm of November 23, already referred to, did some slight damage to the greenhouses, 215 lights of glass having been broken, and 4 sashes blown from the cold frames. The damage was promptly repaired.

The grounds were maintained in good order during the year, necessary attention being paid to the lawns, walks, gutters, trees, and shrubs. In the autumn nearly 43,000 hyacinth, tulip, and crocus bulbs were planted in the flower beds for early spring bloom. In the spring these were removed and replaced by about 35,000 bedding plants for summer decoration.

TELEGRAPH TO CONNECT THE CAPITOL WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

The entire line was overhauled, all slack wire pulled up and cut out, new cross arms placed on poles where needed and the wires well insulated; fourteen new poles were erected at different points along the line