Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-01
The District Estimates.


mates delivered TO Congress today are
framed along wise lines of liberality
for those local needs which directly
affect the public welfare The heaviest
increases over the current bill lie in
the department of public education. for
which a total budget of s3,1S1.245 is
asked. this including a recommends
ton of $4,000 for site for a pro-
posed new eastern high school and an
allowance of s45O,000 toward the con-
struction of new central high school.
Numerous additions to the school equip
ment are proposed which. if granted
will bring the school equipment up to
the mark of requirements. The total
of the estimates. s14491 61449 repre-
senting the total amount of prospective
revenues on the half-and- half basis. is
$S.o99. 375.49 more than the present
appropriation. The Commissioners re-
port. to be published later. will with
out doubt point to the grounds upon
which this large increase is recon-
nended. chiefly. it is to be anticipated
based on the wiping out of the float
ing debt as a result of extraordinarily
heavy appropriations for this purpose
In the current bill
One Of the most important advances
proposed by the Commissioners is that
for a new municipal hospital. to take
the place of the present Washington
Asylum Hospital on the Eastern
branch. which is inadequate to the
point of being a disgrace to Washing
ton. The Capital city should have had
a large free hospital institution long
ago, and there should be no question
now of the assent of Congress with
respect to this item The proposed
special hospital for inebriates also rec
commended is urgently needed. together
with a new municipal lodging house.
In both of these respects Washington
has been lamentably deficient.
The proposed municipal fish market
FITS into a general plan for improving
the water front The present requisi-
ton is for only $1,000 to draw plans
and take the first steps toward erect
ing such a market If the estimates
Of the Commissioners are approved
an appropriation of s1s6.000 will be
granted for a municipal warehouse, and
this is to be expected, as the project
Is in accordance with recommendations
heretofore made by a House committee
Especially gratifying are the esti-
mates with reference to public recrea-
ton. Provision is proposed for the
purchase of the Patterson tract, west
of the Columbia deaf mute institution.
which is ideal park material, with a
large forest area supplying the needs
of a section thus far unequipped with
park facilities. The Commissioners
recommendation that the playground
expenses be maintained strictly on the
half-and-half principle is TO be well
coined as pointing to Congress the
proper means of financing this impor-
tant branch of the municipality work
for the welfare of the people. In this
same line of recreation Is the proposal
OF ssT.3s6 for two new bathing beaches.
which experience proves to be urgently
needed One of these is TO be in
Potomac Park on the banks of the tidal
basin and the other on the Anacostla
river.
In general the estimates are framed
along lines of the greatest possible ad-
vantage to the public in all directions
affecting the physical protection and
the educational development of the
people. Ii is obvious that with the
limited sums al their disposal the Com
ufissioners cannot undertake a COM
prehensive program of permanent i'm
provements embracing all the present
needs But with the discharge of the
coating indebtedness. incurred through
already accomplished large projects
which Congress insisted upon financing
practically on the cash payment basis.
there is released for present uses con-
siderable amount of money which
matched with federal dollars on the
half-and half basis. will give the Dis
trict a chance 10 catch up somewhat in
hts arrears oi current maintenance
and development The estimates COM
mend themselves AS reasonable and
carefully balanced and. should result
In an appropriation bill of equitable
proportions.