Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-29
DISTRICT ESTIMATES
ALL NOT RECEIVED BY COMMITS
sIoNERS.
Not Expected Before First of October
To Early to Forecast
Action.

The estimates OF the different depart
| ments of the District government Will not
| be all before the Commissioners until about
| the first of October when the Commission
| ers will take them up. together with the
recommendations from citizens assoc atoms
and individuals. and prepare the estimates
for the District budget for the next fiscal
year.
Commissioner Mcfarland in answer to a
| question today. said that he thought IL was
| too early to forecast the action of the Com
missioners on the estimates In detail. but
| that they would. as usual, serutinIze them
| carefully and reduce them within the limits
| or available funds and with due regard for
| all interests and all sections of the District
In view of the warnings that on account OF
| the deficiency of national revenues the ma
tional government would at the coming
| session, at the last session keen down
| its contribution TO the District expenses and
| thereby reduce the District appropriation.
1t would be difficult to get all that the Dis
| trict needed.
| The task would be easier II Congress
| should fully adopt the Commissioners plan
| of definitely distinguishing between appro-
| priations for extraordinary improvements
and current expenditures by providing
treasury advances for the former, 10 be re-
paid gradually. The District revenues
ample. Mr.. mcfarland said. for such re-
payment and for all current needs but Con-
| gress has kept down the appropriat lions for
current expenditures in order to make the
District pay currently for the great inn
provements. Now that the filtration plant
and sewage disposal system TO be COM
peted in this fiscal year the railway ter
minal work. the District building and the
bridge work are the only other projects I'M
der way to be finished, but the Commits
stoners have recommended the reclama ton
Of the Anacostia fats, high-pressure fire
protection service the tuberculosis wards
as a beginning of the municipal hospital,
Of n
ton and Georgetown and prepared to
recommend preparations for a new water
conduit from Great Falls.
Various Municipal Services.
Besides these extraordinary improve
ments. growth of population and the spread
of it over the District demand increases in
all the municipal services, to say not hing
of such things parks and Fairgrounds.
While Justice to faithful and efficient pub
lie servants requires Mr.. Mcfarland said,
increases of salaries as well as increases
of force. the circumstances will proba bly,
prevent many such increases from being
made. He did not think that the desired
increases in the salaries of teachers, firemen
and policemen would be made In the appro-
prlaton bill. He had arranged with the
chairmen of the District committees to have
ready when Congress meets bills proposing
schedules of salaries for teachers, firemen
and policemen, which would be considered
Congress would put on the statute books
permanent schedules giving increased pay,
which the appropriations committees would
follow in future.
In the estimates for the ensuing fiscal
year received by the Commissioners up to
the present date an aggregate of about
1857 900 is asked for the new year more than
is appropriated for the present twelve
months. OF this amount more than two
thirds is included in the estimates of Chief
Engineer Belt of the fire department, who
asks not only for larger salaries for every
member of mis- department. but for more
fire engines and other apparatus and for new
fire stations To conduct the police de-
partment for another year Maj. Sylvester
asks $1SS. 100 more than Congress allowed
him to spend this year. Heads of other de-
partments whose estimates for 1907 are in
the hands of the Commissioners at the
present time, namely, the water depart
ment assessors office. the District veteri-
marian, corporation counsel, collector OF
taxes, auditor and the examiner of steam
engineers, request either very little or no
increase in the salaries of their subordi-
mates.