Evening star., 1907-10-20


the next Congress to appropriate
$1,000, ,266.35 for the support OF
the local government and to make
certain improvements and for
other purposes. This amount is
an increase OF S3.337,o5S over the
amount that Congress approprl-
ated for the present fiscal year,
which ends June 80 next, and ST.
880, ,3o3.72 more than was asked
for last year.
OF the total amount which the Commits
sioners will ask Congress for this year
So, ,291,;;I is for what are known as ex-
traordinary expenditures in the form of
urgent improve ments; s975,4Os will go
toward the District sinking fund and In
terest on the Shepherd bonded debt and
81, 400, sos will be devoted to the current
The estimates as prepared by the Com
missioners are S544, 900 less than the Of
fetal estimates submitted to them by the
heads of the various departments of the
traordinary improvements the Commits
sioners place this year the large amount
of 81 s1,936,CO0 recommended by the board
of education as a beginning Of project
to place the local schools In a proper
condition and to bring them up to the
standard obtaining in other cities.
BesidJ 8 this item they have included
s75O,OO0 for the high-pressure fire pro-
lection system for the heart of the city,
s355.350 for suburban and trunk sewers.
$4,000 for railway terminal plaza work,
100000 for a chronic diseases hospital,
all of which the Commissioners look upon
as absolutely necessary. The Anacostia
basin Improvement is provided for by an
estimate of s1O,O 900 for the examination of
the title question. which the Commission
ers say must be settled before Congre SIS
Will appropriate any money for the work
of Improvement; and $1,000 is recon-
me nded for the survey for an additional
water conduit from the Great Falls.
Support of Park Projects.
Commissioner Macfarland said, when
IL,
when plan for the treatment of Rock
Creek valley has been adopted by the
Commissioners, they will ask Congress
for an appropriation for that work. He
said the Commissioners will support all
the park projects that they recommends d
last session, but they do not go into the
estimates Under the current expendi-
lures the Commissions RS have asked for
larger appropriations for street lighting,
street and road repair and street clean
ing. An increase of 100 men is asked
for the police force, and there is an item
calling for three new companies for the
fire department. $1S6,0OO for additional
Fairgrounds. an item for the enlargement
of the health apartment and its facili-
lies, including recommendations of the
milk conference of experts, SO that it
may be able to cope with all the tasks
imposed upon il. The sum of 5000 is
recommended for the driving of deep wells
for public use; an additional conve nience
station is asked for, and there is a pro-
vision for two public bathhouses one in
the northeast and one in the southeast,
to be used by the neighboring play
grounds as we'll as by adults
The Commissioners approve the in
creases asked by the Public Library trus-
tees; ask for an additional probation of
fcer for the Juvenile Court; an assistant
corporation counsel, to render legal serV-
Ices to the board of education; continued
appropriations for the widening of alleys
into minor streets: the Improvement of
the bathing beach; tablets to mark his
torical places; additional trees for the
streets; the removal of weeds from pri-
vate property, and other matters deemed
important.
An important new Office is recommend
ed-that OF municipal architect under the
Engineer Commissioner, to give his whole
time to the supervision of the planning,
construction and repair of school and all
other municipal buildings at salary of
S,tOo a year. This seemed to the Com
missoners better than the re ecommenda-
tion of the board of education that there
should be created the office of school
architect, at salary of $1,000. to look
after school buildings alone. A number
Of large cities have city architects, who
do what the proposed municipal architect
would do and the Commissioners believe
that the time has come TO have such an
officer here.