Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-28
THE DISTRICT BUDGET
Commissioners Ask Congress
for Nearly Sl3,oo0,o0o.
DETAILED ESTIMATES
EXTRAORDINARY PROJECTS OF
IMPROVEMENT DISCUSSED.
Asked for Legislation te
Enable District to Satisfactorily
Handle Its Share.

! / next were today completed by the DIS
| trict Commissioners The total amount
asked for by the Commissioners is s12,SSo-
| S25 a reduction of $1.111.95T in the est1m-
! ates submitted to the Commissioners by
| officials of the various departments OF the
District government. For the current nscai
year the authorities requested the sum Oh
80, S75652 but this sum was cut down 10
S. 49, $50 which constitutes the totai ap-
preparation for the present fiscal year. Inc
estimates are to be forwarded by the CON-
missioners to the Secretary of the treasury
and by him transmitted to Congress with
such recommendations as he may see III
to make.
In accordance with the directions or con-
srass the Commissioners submit IN thelr
cstimates this wear a new schedule OF
streets for Improvement based upon pc
sonal inspection of the list suohllt,to ny tite
Engineer Commissioner as most iteIus
They repeat their recommendation ol iaS
wear for the consolidation of the oHlces VI
property clerk and superintendent Oh Pl"P
erty of the engineer department tHe ne"
office to be under the head or supel , III
emf of property of the DISTRICT Oh Soiuiiio
,rbey rercat also their recommendation iol
the transfer of the harbormaSter once "
the police department. Ihey re co.llInent
the statutory salaries OF the supei III s -
Of insurance and of the Justices OIL .lis
Desca and not the reduced amount ai'o"e"
by the appropriations of Congress
Transfers to Annual Roll.
Tho Commissioners provide for the trans
fa of . number of per diem employees 10
,he annual roll without an increase OF cost
hao.nsa IT is stated general approprla-
,ions ont of which the per diem employees
arc maid. can be reduced proportionateis.
rbe Increased salaries recommended are
,riucinaIly in the schools and ponce anu
fire departments, and IN every udH Va.
reea rded as necessary to MAKE tnrhl g.
Gufrte to the service required ne NE
sjoners have been able to secure of'is Isl
ri the forty additional policemen authol
lied by Congress from the lst OF july last
he cause it is thought, the pay, 49, p
aun,1m is too small to attract sui'apie
r,en In the fire department the range ol
nov is lower than in the police department
provision is made for the extension OF tiie
District services generally
BESIDES the District building. the Commits
sioners recommend beginning the munclpal
hospital. tie building of a new police court
Il new almshouse. continuing the i'uSi'less
High School and erecting other school ana
fire department buildings, with one for the
police department in Anacostla.
Mr.. Macfarland's Statement.
Commissioner Mcfarland in giving out
the estimates today made statement
which summarizes the situation. He said:
THE Commissioners have prepared the
District estimates for the next fiscal year,
as in recent years, upon the principle OF
recommending what is necessary in view
of the growth Of the District, taking all its
needs into account and Distinguishing
sharply between extraordinary projects OF
Improvement and current expenditures
Congress has made temporary provision
until the LIST of July next for the deficiency
In District revenues caused. notwithstand-
ms, increased taxation, first, by departures
from the half and half principle of appro-
priation; second. by requiring the Districts
share of the cost Of extraordinary projects
of Improvement to be paid out of current
revenues.
AT the coming session Congress will be
asked once more by the Commissioners to
make a permanent provision for enabling
the District satisfactorily to handle its
share of the extraordinary expenditures AS
Congress will not authorize issue of
bonds such as would be made everywhere
else for such a purpose. the only way is to
authorize advances from the Treasury. to
be repaid with interest in a sufficient term
of years by means of sinking fund. This is
the business-like method of dealing with
this matter. The Districts revenues are
ample FOR the current expenditures includ-
ing the payment of its bonded debt, and for
gradual repayment of advances from the
Treasury. The only alternative is either to
check the extraordinary improvements or
to- cripple the different branches of the
District government
THE Commissioners cannot recommend
either that the railway terminal improve
nent. the filtration plant. the sewage dis
posal system and the other extraordinary
improvements approaching completion shall
he suspended. that the support of the
public schools the health. fire. police, chari-
ties and other departments shall be cut
down to the lasting detriment of the entire
District. OF course. the Commissioners
would make no such recommendation On
No they recommend = ba &c
necessary 10 complete the fltra ton plant
and the sewage disposal system, and to
continue other works and at the same time
recommend what is most necessary to meet
the current expanding needs. Under the
latter head come extensions of the public
services of all kinds and increases of sal
aries for underpaid employees. notably in
the schools and in the polio and fire de-
pariments.
Necessarily Deferred.
The Commissioners have not been able
to accept all of the estimates submitted to
them. Some meritorious things have to be
deferred each year. But they have chosen
so that no District interest will suffer. The
total amount of estimates coming to the
Commissioners through official channels for
extraordinary improvements and current
expenditures was $l3.3971s -. Besides this
requests came from citizens for a consider
able additional amount. The total amount
recommended by the Commissioners is
Si2.tS5.S2.,. reduction of Sl.I1I.oJ7 in the
official estimates The water department
which is self-sustaining and kept in a SEN
arIte account. is not Included in any of
these amounts. OF tho amount recommend
ed bN the Commissioners namely
Si2 Ss1.S:,3. the sum OF st.311 49, l., for ey-
eranrtlin1rY projects of Improvement. rs
follows;
s.w"'s "rd s,.w"sr disposal system 81 ..07 900
/ i!trJtion plant .,..... ...... SIS ~
i'>'ii'l ~ iliG- 700 0bD
t"i'Er tin 1rrnar bridge. ............. 23p 90
hn@"'>iin l'ti,!Ec. -.................. "a, ..fo
M''niciI;l Hospital .............. 1.u 900
Estimated Revenues.
'rh" estimated revenues taxciusive of
the w1tr; Department. for the nc01 fiscal
yoar 'momt 10 S.1:o.9:J.I. From CHS
n'tft be deducted Interest on treasury
adv 3nces which this year amounted to
81 is4.,:', and "a payment on The Districts
baltimore and Ohio railroad contribution
and presumably $500 ~. Assuming tnat
The = TWO amounts do not next year cx-
| coed $i:s'ttD J payment OF $tU},r.J on
| thu treasury advances WHICH - July |
| next may amount to $2tG1,te repay IDie
| ulder the act Of Congress in i've Years.
| would still leave avai;shl2 FOR current ap-
| prop iations s4.l4o,g"5 which, with The
! equal amount TO be contributed by h.
| Unite. states. would make TIE appropria-