The Washington times., 1908-12-10
Mr.. Wright Asks That Power
of Army Engineers in
Work Be Enlarged.
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS
CALL FOR $3.50
Total Estimates of Department for
Next Fiscal Year Total
$l89,755,O3

Laying stress upon the necessity of
securing the washington water supply
from pollution, Secretary of War Wright,
IN his annual report TO the President
and Congress, recommends that the En-
gineer Department of the army be given
an increased scope Of operation. to Sc
cure protection The present statutory
regulations. he says. are inadequate.
The Secretary treats this subject at
some length in his report and asks re-
lief In the following terms:
The question Of maintaining the
purify OF the Potomac river. as a source
of the water supply Of the Capital, is
one OF considerable Importance; as the
towns situated upon its upper waters
become more numerous and populous,
the danger Of pollution from sewage
and from the waste products of manu-
featuring establishments may be en-
pected to increase. The prevention Of
pollution Of the water contained in the
sQueduct itself is somewhat inadeQuately
provided for in section 1906 OF the Re-
vised Statutes.
AS the existing statutory reglIa-
tons on the subject seem to be hardly
adequate to secure the water supply of
tho Capital from pollution, attention Is
drawn to the matter with a view L.
such extension OF their scope or opera-
ton as may be deemed warranted by the
present and future condition Of the Po-
tomac river and its tributaries as
sources Of the water supply OF the
District of Columbia -
Estimates Greater.
Tb. FOfo1
for tho next fiscal year amount to 49,
fo5,O39. an increase Of about S52.GO.OOO
over the appropriations for the last fis-
cal year The increase is largely for
river and harbor improvements. and
other public works. for which S24.o0O.OOO
IS asked. Ten million five hundred thou
sand OF the increase IS an additional
estimate for the support Of the army
AlnLaTy Academy, and militia, and the
remaining SlIooO.0OO for military works
posts, etc
The Secretary asks for S2,Ol4.74S. the
identical amount appropriated for the
kresent hscal year. for the civil estab-
llshments OF the War Department. Ten
thousand dollars are asked for the Army
War College, 100000 for the washing
lon-Alaska telegraph and cable system,
S50,00 for wireless telephone apparatus,
$1,000 for the maintenance OF the Army
War College. $4,000 for the Army Medi-
cal Museum In this city, total of $500
200 Tor the Engineer School here, $4,000
for aeronautics, $31S,290 for the maiHIe-
nance Of public buildings and grounds in
washington, $4,000 for the Arlington
National Cemetery, $500 for the road
10 Arlington from the Aqueduct bridge
Artificial Limbs.
Among the most striking estimates is
one for S132.0OO for artificial limbs.
Secretary Wright especially recon-
mends an addition Of 612 officers TO the
army, and approves a policy Of elm
ination from the service OF all officers
who fail TO maintain the requisite
standard Of efficiency. He comments on
the failure TO eliminate officers who
Just squeeze by the examinations for
promotion. The Increase in the number
Of officers is recommended because Of
the large number on detached duty and
absent from their commands. The ad-
ditional cost for 612 officers would
amount TO from s.. OO0. 600 TO 10000.
Owing to increased enlistment the
actual strength Of the army has in
creased substantially, although it Is not
yet up 20 the authorized strength. In
comparison, the number OF deSertiOns
fell of substantially, due. the Secretary
says, TO the re-establishment Of military
prisons.
Mr. Wright submits an estimate OF
$500, 900 to enable the Signal Corps to
take up aerOnautics in a more sub
stantial way, and 10 keep pace with
the competing powers. He further rec
ommends that the general scheme Of
national defense shall provide an or
ganized militia force OF $4,000 men.