First street, at the foot of the Capitol, from Pennsylvania to Maryland avenues, has been paved with cypress-wood pavement, and the curve at the south, from Maryland to New Jersey avenues, is now being paved with granite blocks. Over one hundred thousand loads of earth have been deposited on the grounds at the south of the Capitol and on South B street this season.
Not having any practice or pretensions to skill as landscape gardener, I earnestly recommend that a first-class artist in this line may be employed to plan, plant, and lay out these grounds.
Attention is called to the eastern grounds, with the hope that authority may be given to grade them, to suit the requirements of the streets surrounding them, which have been cut down to the Government grades. In the event of cutting down the Eastern Park, I feel confident, and have the opinion of experts, that most of the trees necessary to preserve can be lowered into place without great risk of loss. My opinion is that these grounds should be treated as a lawn, and none but the best trees retained. The great number of trees in them, when in foliage, effectually screen the eastern (principal) front of the building from view from Capitol Hill. There are no vistas through which it can be seen entirely, nor is there any point of view from which this front can be seen to advantage, on account of the disposition of the trees in this park. Trees may be planted at the north and south of the wings, as they are now at the western grounds, where they are required to screen the rustic terraces, as well as for shade; but, in my judgment, the grandeur and extent of the main front will be revealed by takingout a large number of trees in the eastern grounds.
The plateau at the eastern front should be paved, and the side-walks around the grounds flagged next season. The funds on hand not being sufficient to pay the expense of a proper flag-pavement around these grounds, a narrow foot-walk of bricks has been laid for the season.
PNEUMATIC TUBE.
The attempt to lay the pneumatic tube from the Capitol to the Printing-Office building has been unsuccessful, owing in part to the unexpected difficulties met in getting the tube under the track of the Washington and Baltimore Railroad. To accomplish this the trench had to be sunk in some places fifteen feet, thus loading the tube with so great a weight of earth, that it was so forced out of shape that the sphere would not pass through. Mr. Brisbane expected, when he undertook this work, that North Capitol street, along which the tube was to be laid, would be filled and graded, so that the tube would be placed about three feet below the surface. If this could have been done, I have no reason to believe that the tube would not have worked successfully. Mr. Brisbane is now anxious to renew this work, at his own expense; but as he will have the same difficulties to overcome, I have.doubts of his success, unless the tube is made much smaller than stipulated for in his contract. I am so convinced of the practicability of this mode of transportation, that I recommend, for the sake of durability, that the tube be made of iron.
REFORM SCHOOL.
The buildings at the Reform School are near completion. The main building is so far advanced as to be partly used by the boys as workshops. It is expected that it will be entirely finished, ready for occupancy, by the meeting of Congress. The family building has been occupied ever since the middle of last winter.
