Evening star., 1912-09-06
REPAIR WORK BEHIND RESPECT HIS WISHES
School Buildings Not Ready for Friends Plan Simple Service
Opening of Term. for Macarthur Funeral.
BLAME RESTS ON CONGRESS CIVIL WAR VETERAN DEAD
Municipal Architect Cites Delay Stricken While Delivering
Passing Appropriation Bill. at Regiments
MATERIAL SLOW IN ARRIVING WAS RETIRED LIEUT. GENERAL
Year-Addiional OF When of
emen Recon- mmended Improves.
BLAME RESTS ON CONGRESS
Municipal Architect Cites Delay in
Passing Appropriation Bill.
MATERIAL SLOW IN ARRIVING
Report Gives Record in Construction
Last Year-AdditionalF Force of
Foremen Recommended.

repairs 10 PUBIC Scnool buildings IN
the District of Columbia have been Sc
riously delayed and will not be com
pleted by the opening of the school sea-
son. September 23. according to the an
nual report of Municipal Architect Snow
den Ashford, which was submitted to the
District Commissioners today.
The delay is charged to the fact that
Congress did not pass the District ap-
preparation act until June 26. 1t is set
forth. in this connection. that last year
the appropriation for repairs became
available much earlier. 1t is stated that
materials for repairs were this year
ordered about July /, but that they were
not received until six weeks later.
This appears to be an unreasonable de-
lay, and will no doubt result in criticism
if repairs are behind this fall" states the
report. TT seems to me that this matter
is of enough importance to call for the
adoption of some means for obtaining
these materials within a reasonable time.
as the delays affect the whole organiza-
ton of the repair shop
Report of Supt. Story.
Accompanying the municipal architects
report is a report by Henry Story, super
intendent of repairs. containing the state
ment that last years appropriation of
$4,000 for repairs and improvements to
school buildings and grounds. heating ap-
paratus and other items was not sufficient
to properly preserve the school build
ings.
The superintendent of repairs points out
that on present estimated values about
S11 600, 600 is invested in school property
in the District and that at least per
cent of this amount should be allowed for
repair work. He recommends that Con-
gress be requested to increase the item Tor
repairs in the future
1.-The demands for repairs are con-
stantly growing as the number OF build
ings increase. yet the amount appropriat-
ed for the work is practically the same
each year." states Mr.. Story.
During the past year about IL per
cent of the appropriation for repairs to
school buildings was spent on heating ap.
paratus alone. During the coming fiscal
year 1t will be necessary to use larger
amount to replace broken and worn-out
parts of furnaces and furniture. In addi-
ton to this, several of the larger heating
plants must be completely renovated and
some of the older ones will have to be re.
placed. To do this would require an ex.
penditure of approximately 70 per cent OF
the total repair fund. 1t can readily be
seen that this greatly depletes the funds
out of which other very important work
must be paid for.
Some of the plants now in use have
already deteriorated SO much from age
thorough repairs that. in my opinion, II
would be considerably cheaper II they
were replaced yet this is an impossi-
bility. owing to the fact that the ap-
propriations are already entirely too
small to meet the demands
Buildings Completed.
According to Mr. Ashford's report.
twenty-eight buildings and additions were
under construction last year. The fol-
lowing school buildings were completed
during the year:
Chemical engine house No. .. Penn
sylvania avenue southeast. Mckinley
Manual Training School, No. 13O, third
extension. Rhode Island avenue and 1th
street northwest. Playground shelter.
Rosedale. 14th and D streets southwest.
street and Volta place northwest. Joseph
Rodman West School, No. 16s, Farragut
street between 18th and 14th streets
northwest. Wisconsin Avenue Manual
Training School. No. 164. Wisconsin ave-
nue. and 33d street northwest. Grover
T streets northwest. Randle High
lands School. No. 1885, Both and r
streets southeast. Central heating plant
for NJ Street High. Douglass and
Simmons schools. Armstrong Manual
Training School addition, street
between 1st and Sd streets northwest.
Alexander Crummell School. No. 167, Gal
laudet street. opposite Central avenue.
Ivy City. Cardozo Manual Training
School. No. 16S. 1st and l street south
west. Engine house No. "a, Georgia ave-
nue. northwest. Takoma Park branch
library, 9Th and Cedar streets, Takoma
Park. D. c. Western High School ad-
dition, No. III, 35th and r streets north
west. Mortuary building. at Tubercu-
losis Hospital. Garage and lodge. at
Fort Reno Addition to District cement
warehouse, 14th and D streets southeast
Burrvile School, No. 10. Division ave-
nue. and Hayes street northeast. Mill
tary Road School, No. III. Military road
between 18th and 14th streets extended
northwest. Alterations and cell work in
police station l. 4, 6 and 8. Addition to
engine house No 20, Wisconsin avenue,
4Oth and Warren streets northwest.
Northwest wing, Western High School.
3Jth and r streets northwest