Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-30
HOUSE RECEIVES
DISTRICT BUDGET
FOR COMING YEAR
Cut of Over Four Millions in
Commissioners Figures.
S9,436,289.35 THE TOTAL
Big PAIRING in Estimates for Educa-
tional System.
S9,436,28 THE TOTAL
THE IMPORTANT LIMITATIONS
Provisions for Better Fire Protection
in the Public Schools-Con-
tracts for Gas and Electricity.

lIdCLS lOT 0dS ana 6leCIr1ClCy.
The District of Columbia appropriation
bill for 1909 was reported to the House
of Representatives today from the ap-
propriations committee by Representa-
tive Gardner of Michigan chairman of
the subcommittee. consisting of Messrs
Gardner. Madden, Vreeland, Burleson
and Bowers.
The total amount recommended for ap-
preparation by the subcommittee is So
s36. $50 81. which is 81 go. 977 less than the
estimates submitted by the Commissioners
and 1913, 3,043 2s less than the total appro-
priations for the District for the current
fiscal year.
Water Department.
For the water department-the total
amount being payable from the water
revenues-the sum of $125, 100. a reduction
Of $S.103, is recommended. It is estimated
that the water revenues available for the
fiscal year 1903 will amount to $3.50, 600
but It is provided in this bill, as in the
last seventeen appropriation bills. that
the surplus Of these revenues over the
appropriations shall be applied to the
work of extending the high-service water
distribution system. The estimated ulti
mate cost Of this system is about $780,
900. which includes $1.2OOOO0 for the
complete installation of meters in private
premises. Up to date So, 500. .956 has been
expended in extending the high-service
system.
According to the subcommittee report
the total general revenues of the District
for the fiscal year 1909 will amount to
about $5.911. .O3O. while the Districts
share OF the appropriations recommended
In hiS n will TO I
the total amount recommended by the
committee being 50. .436, 2S9.35. exclusive
Of the water department. Including some
additional amounts carried In other bills,
the total charge against the District
revenues in 1909 will. not exceed $4.9O0.-
2a3.46. or s1O1O. 1854 less than the es-
timated revenues. Under the law this
surplus must be used to reimburse the
general government for sums advanced
10 the District, it having been provided
that the repayments should extend for
Eve years, beginning July 1. 1905.
Legislative Limitations.
In the District bill are a number of i'm
portant and interesting legislative limita-
lions on appropriations. They will be
referred to in detail in their proper place in
the general discussion of the bill. Several
are of particular interest. One provides
tnat all per diem employees of the District
government may Dt RTdIteu ledNe WIN
pay on Labor day. Another authorizes
the Commissioners to install fire ap-
paratus in the suburbs Of the District fol-
the use of volunteer organizations.
The limitation of most Importance pro-
vides that all school buildings in the Dis
trict shall have all exits with doors open
ing outward, and further that all exits in
all school buildings shall be unlocked
each school day from one-half hour be-
fore until one-half hour after school
sion are to be summarily removed.
Another significant limitation forbids
the Commissioners to enter into contracts
for lighting streets by gas or electricity
for period of more than one year.
Cut Estimate in Half.
The comparative statement showing the
appropriations for 1903, the estimates for
1903 and the amounts recommended by
the committee gives an excellent idea of
the manner in which the bill was pared
to the core. For instance, the appropria-
tion for the executive office last year was
$1O4.519: for this year $111.S2S was asked
and only $1OO.I64 recommended. or the
$50. S2'5 asked for the care of the District
building 31 .240 Is recommended
An apparently astonishing and incom-
prehensible drop in the contingent and
miscellaneous appropriation from $67S $50
TO $11.662 is explained in part by the
OMISSION OF a item fOr the COM
pletion Of the District building. which is
OF course not needed this year.
OF the Sol, 700 asked for work on
certain specified streets only $33. 700 is al
lowed, and the appropriation for county
roads construction is cut from 3147 400 in
the present law and s1JoOOO asked to
$50, 900 Tie committee turned down alb
solutely the request for the sum of 50 600
for replacing the sidewalks around the
Treasury building. and cut the item Of re-
rIc@
current law and 1928 asked to 800 600
The request for an appropriation of
$4,000 with which to employ special coun-
sci TO determine ownership OF land on the
Anacostia river Is also refused. Under
fhe heading improvements and repairs -
embracing the foregoing items, the com
1nittee recommends s3s5. 500 although
81 239. 900 was asked and 81 146 400 Is in
the present law.
Sewer Requests Hacked.
The sewer estimates are cut to the bone.
Eequests for $4,000 for sewage disposa
dkes, $4,000 for the Rock creek sewer
s.. 900 for the Stickfoot branch sewer,
$29.475 for the North Carolina Heights
truck sewer and $31.S75 for the 4th street
southeast relief sewer were all refused
by the committee. The cut in this de-
partment was from 1906. .925 in the current
law and So15,o0s asked TO s271 900 recon-
mended.
The committee also got very busy under
the heading streets" The recommended
ton of the Commissioners for an appro-
priation OF S1S6OO for the purchase of
playground sites is absolutely ignored as
are requests for appropria tions OF $1,000
for drilling and maintaining wells 5000
for grading and improving Rosedale site
and S94.500 for the construction OF bath
houses and purchase OF sites. The cut
under streets is from S543 $40 in the
current law and s9o4.o9O asked to s491 1906
recommended.
Washington Aqueduct
The electrical department Jared not Sc
badly. The sum of s4JO. .9a5 is carried in
the current bill. and the Commissioners
asked for $46S, ,045 while $446.647 is recon-
mended.
Under the washington Aqueduct." the
committee refused requests OF the