The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-18
PRUNING DOWN
THE ESTIMATES.
District Officials Arranging
Revised List.
SUBURBAN IMPROVEMENT HALTED
To Meet Wishes of Congress Only
Barest Necessity Can Be In
Guided Hope Felt For Sep
arate Legislation Later.

at the request of the subcommittee
Of the House Committee on Appropria-
tons, the District Commissioners have
addressed themselves in earnest to the
scaling down of estimates so as to bring
them within The aggregate sum OF 81
soc, Geo To this end each Commissioner
has addressed TO the heads Of the depart
ments over which he has supervision
letter requesting such reductions in the
original estimates submitted as in their
judgment the needs Of the service will
permit.
When these replies shall have been re
ceived. about the first CT next week. it
is understood that the Commissioners will
assemble the revised estimates and in
board session so over them in detail SO
as to bring the aggregate down TO the
required figure
To Postpone Suburban Work
1t is well understood that If the estf-
mates shall be Invested Of all items in
vclvinga dditionaI improvements 70 streets
sewers. and the water service. the rev
enues of the District will be sufficient.
1t IS the advance OF improvements into
the suburban section more than the main
tenanee OF public work N The city itself
that for several years past has increased
the cost Of running the municipality.
Therefore. if the Commissioners call
halt On the extras in the several depart
ments, the problem CT scaling down the
estimates viii be quite simple
Fer example, If it should be decided to
drop the 81, GG0. 000 estimate fer the Ultra
ton plant, and the $5G0-0 for the ex-
tension of the high water service, very
coed beginning would be made il reach
ing the end suggested BY Secretary Gage
and Auditor Tinme in his letter on the
subject After that the additional esti-
mates in the several departments could be
cut off. and the remainder of the amount
easily covered
Eject of Framing Process.
Reductions Of this character would, of
course. call q halt on the progress Of
public improvement It would leave the
Police and Fire Departments as they are.
inadequate for the service required. Il
would not permit Of any advance over
the present fiscal year il the matter Of
laying sewers, and repairing streets. The
street schedule would be left in June.
1903, practically where it is now.
These results the Commissioners think
would be found exasperating TO the people
OF the District, but there seems to. be no
help for II if the appropriations are to be
kept down to the s. 500 coo limit
The Reductions to Ee Made.
Considerable progress has been made in
the several departments, 1t Is understood.
toward reducing the estimates The En-
gineer Commissioner in conference with
his two assistants has practically fin
ished, and It is said viii shortly report,
reductions amounting to something more
than one-haIf of the 81, 500, 0GG to be sealed
of. The Police and Fire Departments are
expected to report back reductions OF
about S50G 0C0-
The Board Of Charities and me Board
OF Education VIII be called upon to add
something over $3.50, 060 &c the cut. and
the balance viii be taken out of the other
Departments in smaller amounts This
Is the programme laid down tentatively.
and It is expected that the reductions VIII
not differ much from the figures given.
District May Gain in the End.
A suggestion has been offered that while
the Commissioners viii report to the
House committee q schedule of estimates
within the limit. and while the House AP-
preparation bill vii be framed and -passed
upon that basis. that the final District
appropriations viii be much enlarged
when the matter is taken up in the Sen
ate This suggestion is based upon tie
superstition that special legislation VIII
be enacted locking to the relief OF the
District finances
Whether this viii be in the line Of the
act of last year which authorized the
Treasurer Of the United States 10 ad-
vance sums 10 the District equal 10 the
income due during the fiscal year for
street extension assessments or whether
a loan will De authorized to meet certain
payments for the larger improvements
such as The Filtration plant and the ex-
tension 81 the water service. cannot now
be stated
1t is. however, predicted that such Iegis-
Iation VIII be forthcoming, and that the
District appropriations viii then be larger
than the limit set by Secretary Gage
Patent Record of Day
PfgE+s we're granted Yesterday for J66