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geant at Arms, rooms of the Secretary, press gallery, Official Reporter's room, the rooms of the Committees on Appropriations, Private Land Claims, Library, Pensions, Pacific Railroads, Territories, Census, Corporations, District of Columbia, Geological Survey, Finance, Military Affairs, Education and Labor, Indian Affairs, Printing, Patents, Expenditures in Navy Department, Manufactures, Minority, Privileges and Elections, Post Offices and Post Roads, Philippines, Foreign Relations, Contingent Expenses, Agriculture, and Judiciary. Also the document room, restaurant, toilet rooms, and corridors and elevator inclosures and shafts.

Four 2-light and twelve 1-light crystal electric-lighting fixtures have been placed in the Senate cloak rooms.

Changes in plumbing have been made in the room of the Senate Committee on Finance and in the Senate library and adjoining rooms. In the private toilet room of the Senate Chamber new flush tanks have been installed.

In the Senate restaurant, steam tables have been removed from the kitchen floor and installed in the main rooms above.

HOUSE WING OF THE CAPITOL.

The Hall of the House of Representatives and the adjacent cloakrooms, lobbies, and corridors have been thoroughly cleaned and the Hall and lobby retouched by painting. The painting and retouching was carried further in the rooms of the House Committees on Labor, Enrolled Bills, Accounts, Ways and Means, Invalid Pensions, Indian Affairs, Printing, to the Speaker's private room, Official Reporters' rooms, index room, room used by the House pages, rooms of the House press gallery, House restaurant and kitchen, and Members' barber shop. Toilet rooms and elevator shafts were also painted.

The following electric lighting fixtures have been installed: One 4-light basin bowl electrolier in the minority room of the House, one 12-light electric chandelier in the Committee on Accounts of the House, four 12-light electric chandeliers in the Committee on Indian Affairs of the House.

The Members' toilet room has been overhauled and new seats, flushing tanks, and piping put in. Three new fixtures have been installed. New fixtures were placed in the toilet room connected with the press gallery, and new washstands erected in the office of the enrolling clerk. The Members' toilet room in the old library space has been remodeled by furnishing a new water supply and installing eight new fixtures. In the public toilet room eight new flushing tanks with all necessary connections have replaced the old and similar fixtures. Six new toilet fixtures have been installed in the sub-basement.

GENERAL.

Incidental to the annual overhauling and repair of the heating, lighting, and ventilating apparatus throughout the building, and which has, during the past fiscal year, together with its operatives, rendered excellent and efficient service under sometimes trying conditions, I desire to mention the extension of the steam-heating systems, particularly in the Senate wing; the renewal of cables and machinery parts connected with the elevator service; the care and

repair of the power motors, of which there are a large number; and the multitude of minor repairs. All of these have been attended to by the department employees, and, in large measure, repair parts have been made in our own shops.

CAPITOL POWER PLANT.

This plant has continued in successful and efficient operation and without interruption during the past fiscal year. The advantage of a trained operating force has been shown by the economy in repairs made. The so-called depreciation factor is smaller than normally expected. Unobtrusive in one sense, it is in another the very vitals of the domestic occupation of the Capitol, the Senate and House Office Buildings, and in considerable degree the Congressional Library Building.

CAPITOL GROUNDS.

Under this head the lawns-outside and court-of the Senate and House Office Buildings are included. The general upkeep, condition, and growth of trees and shrubs during the past year may be stated as satisfactory. Work on decaying trees has in some measure been continued, as well as necessary seeding and sodding. The trees have been successfully sprayed, preventing the propagation of destructive insects. The walks have been kept in repair and the edge curbing kept free of overhanging grass. Considerable planting has been done and special attention given to the clumps of shrubbery adjacent to the terrace walls. The appearance of these latter shows marked improvement during the past year.

Many ornamental iron fenders at the intersection of walks and roadways have been repaired, reset, and painted. The structure known as the grotto has been supplied with new arrangements for drinking purposes.

The work of waterproofing the terraces included the plant cases thereon. After that work was completed the cases were replanted. At the same time the large ornamental bronze fountains at the east of the building were waterproofed. Later on these will be filled. with suitable shrubs for the winter months.

ENGINE HOUSE, SENATE AND HOUSE STABLES.

Engine house No. 3 has received new floors for the stalls. The interior has been overhauled and painted where necessary. Repairs to the roof of the engine house and stables have been made. In the stable proper, the old stalls, no longer in use, were removed and a new floor of concrete laid making that portion suitable for use as a garage. A new steam-heating system-boiler and piping of sufficient capacity to take care of all buildings--was installed.

The floor of the House stable has been renewed in concrete, the stalls and roof repaired, new doors, new locks, and gas fixtures put in and the interior of building and sheds whitewashed.

COURTHOUSE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

A large number of the usual and ordinary repairs to this building have been made, including repairs to window frames and sash,

glazing and painting same, installation and glazing of new sash frames, etc., in eight instances, repairs to concrete floors, extension of gas and electric service, the latter through third floor to attic space; fitting up of new shelves and cases and general repairs to roof.

New radiators were installed in the offices of the register of wills and recorder of deeds, in which latter office a new lavatory was placed in room No. 23. Repairs were made to the heating apparatus and whitewashing done in the basement rooms and corridors.

A partition has been placed across a portion of the west attic space, south section, and the room thus formed opened into the third-floor corridor. A concrete floor, replacing a wooden one, was put down in the main office, recorder of deeds. The bailiffs' room received four new lockers. Painting has been done in circuit courts Nos. 1 and 2 and in equity court No. 2. The rooms occupied as chambers by three of the justices, including anterooms, were painted. Similar work was done in the rooms occupied by the marshal and in one of the rooms occupied by the assistant district attorney and those occupied by the probation officers.

COURT OF CLAIMS BUILDING.

The general repairs made to this building included a new roof and the erection of a new iron stairway. Important was the electric rewiring of the building, the installation of a new switchboard and a new distributing board. Indirect illumination for six rooms was provided and 30 portable lights installed.

UNITED STATES BOTANIC GARDEN.

Mr. George W. Hess, superintendent, reports as follows:

The fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, was a very busy one for the Botanic Garden. The annual distribution of plants under the authority of Congress has been steadily increasing for the past few years, and has now reached great proportions. A total of over 4,000 requests were complied with, representing approximately 300,000 plants, trees, shrubs, etc. Since the inauguration of the Sunday opening feature the garden has been a rendezvous for the flower-loving public, giving those who can not spare the time during the week a chance to see the most complete collection of plants in the United States.

The Bartholdi Fountain, one of the main attractions of the Botanic Garden, has been overhauled and put in first-class condition, after having been idle for several years. The old gas-lighting system has been discarded and replaced by electricity. The entire structure and illuminating standards were given two coats of bronze-green paint. Numerous fancy sprays were spaced in the basin. This fountain in full play presents a beautiful effect, especially when reflecting the rays of the sun.

The trees and shrubs were given their usual spring and fall spraying and the necessary pruning.

During the winter one of the boilers in the main conservatory sprung a leak. This boiler having been in continuous service for over 15 years and being beyond repair was replaced by a new and more modern one.

All necessary glazing, painting, and repairing has been carried on from time to time under the various appropriations allotted by Congress. The usual financial statements follow.

Respectfully,

ELLIOTT WOODS,

Superintendent U. S. Capitol Building and Grounds.

The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

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Amount appropriated sundry civil act Mar. 3, 1915_.

Amount appropriated urgency deficiency bill Feb. 28, 1916_.

Pay rolls___.
Removing snow
Plants and seeds.
Fertilizers__-

Tools and machinery.

Brushes, brooms, etc_
Soil and sod..

Motor and hand mowers

Cement, lime, etc.

Plumbing materials_.

Paving and repairs

Improving Capitol Grounds.

$20, 383. 10 670.47

807.55

937. 19

1, 395. 26 168. 60 3, 152. 18 233.00 221. 21 341.84 1, 342. 79 16. 67 4,330.03 418. 93 290.69 1, 201. 41

42.40

88.06

182.93

146.96

102.78

25.95

36, 500.00

30, 000, 00 6,500.00

36, 500.00

$23, 892. 24 216. 00

734. 76

2, 683. 41

483.38

321.84

351.26

876.66

10. 62 14.91 175.28 6. 03

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10. 10

Lumber

20.74

Reserved for unpaid bills_

55.47

Trees

147.30

Total__.

Amount appropriated by sundry civil bill approved Mar. 3, 1915--

30,000.00 30,000.00

Engine house, Senate and House stables, 1916.

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Amount appropriated by sundry civil bill approved Mar. 3, 1915___

1,500.00

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Amount appropriated sundry civil bill approved Mar. 3, 1915__

172, 924. 00

172, 924.00

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Amount appropriated sundry civil bill approved Mar. 3, 1915--

5,000.00 5,000.00

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