Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1872.djvu/26

22 south of the Capitol. The curve which connects Pennsylvania avenue with B street north is about to be paved on one side of the railway with the "Parisen" concrete pavement, and on the other with Belgian blocks. In compliance with instructions from this Department the architect entered into contract with Mr. Albert Brisbane for the construction of a pneumatic tube to connect the Capitol with the Government Printing-Office building. Mr. Brisbane represents that he has all the machinery ready to put in place, and that the tube is nearly ready for delivery, so that its completion will not be delayed beyond the 1st of July, 1873.

In conformity with the act of Congress approved May 15, 1872, relating to the Reform School of the District of Columbia, plans for the main building and one family-building for said school have been prepared by the architect, and the same were approved by this Department.

The extension of the Government Printing-Office, the north front of the Patent-Office building, and the paving of G street, between Seventh and Ninth streets, N. W., have been completed. The architect further reports that, at the request of the Joint Committee on the Library, he has made various plans for, and directed the work in the enlargement of the conservatory and forcing-houses in the Botanical Garden, and, at the request of the directors of the Women's Hospital for the District of Columbia, he has taken charge of the enlargement of the same, the title to which is now vested in the United States.

In compliance with the requirements of the act of Congress, approved May 8, 1872, (making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the current fiscal year,) proper steps have been taken for the purchase of the property embraced in squares numbered 687 and 688 in this city, which squares are to be included in the extension of the Capitol grounds, as contemplated by section 6 of said act. Pursuant to the provisions of section 7, the owners of said property were duly informed of the desire of the Government to purchase the same at prices "not exceeding the appraisal made by the commission of nine in their report to Robert Ould, United States district attorney for the District of Columbia, on the 21st day of January,1861."

In every instance, where answer was made, the price of such property, as fixed by said appraisal, was refused. The eighth section of the act apparently provided for such a contingency, and under the authority conferred by said section, this Department made application to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia," to make a just and equitable appraisement of the cash value of the several interests of each and every owner of the real estate and improvements thereon necessary to be taken for the public use in accordance with the provisions" of the act. A board of these commissioners, to make such appraisement, was