Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-04
APPROPRIATE NOW
FOR UNMET NEEDS
Accumulation of D. c. Needs
Shown in Commissioners
Past Estimates, But Neg
lected.
CARE FOR D. C. IN PEACE
THEODORE w. MOVES.


Analysis of the Commissioners estf-
mates for the last four or five years.
and study of the items of approprta-
tion urged by them and refused OF
postponed by Congress throw hsht
upon the creation of the so-caiied
District surpluses and suggest the
wisest method of eliminating them.
If only the wise projects OF muhici-
nal development urged in the recent
past by the Commissioners, and put
aside by Congress on account "i
worId-war conditions, or for other
reasons, were now in peace ti"e
taken up and appropriated for, our
SURPRISES would vanish.
The District Commissioners in their
estimates for 1914-15 proposed an ex-
penditure of the District revenues
under the act of 1878, which profloeu
maximum of maintenance anu a
minimum of permanent deVelopneh.
Great plans of public Improvement
like the Great Falls water power prof.
ect. were postponed because the reVe-
nue. was not Immediately avaitapie-
The characteristic feature or the toii-
missioners proposals was the Iostea
ing of projects for the bettermenl OF
conditions affecting the people OF uie
community along the lines OF neaith'
education, mental and moral upllft.
THE House cut down the Commis-
s,opers' estimates by S3,00O.ooO omit
ting or reducing such items as the
following: ,+;,,+,a.
Physical valuation of public ut.ii,ies
(which was carried elsewherel slio,-
600: municipal hospital. $4,000; ine-
hriate hospital. 5000: central store
house. sfss,o00; municipal market
(plans). $4,000: new bathing beacnes'
SS7.396: Patterson tract park. sS.o'-
600; reconstruction of WharFes, sou, oo.
900: fish wharf and market. sl2S,soo'
Eenning road viaduct, $4,000; repaV-
ing part of 7th street. s3o,Geo; re-
surfacing approaches to Hignway
bridge. $50, 900: alteration of Penn
sylvania Avenue bridge. Seo'ooo,
Fairgrounds (reduction Oh. so2'oooo
public convenience stations, s3l ,oo5
teachers longevity pay treduction),
s62,955; altering and remodeling pup
lie school buildings and grounds. ssV:
900. new school buildings (reductlon),
s4o2,O 900; police increase. $2s,595; per
manent improvements hre P oePar.-
ment, $4,000; improvement OF East
ern branch fats, 100000.
Proposed improvements Necessary.
We're not these items all wise and
economical expenditures for the cap
itaI? If any of them were not ap-
proved by Congress was there not a
long list of crying needs of the DIS
trict along other lines which Con,
eress might in part have substituted
for the Commissioners proposals If
its best judgment dictated this
course?
The same queries may well be put
in respect to the cuts from the COM :
missioners' estimates in 1861 House
appropriation bill:
Municipal Hospital tfor beginning
work., $150.000; Dean tract for park
(omitted), $625. 900; Patterson tract
for park (omitted). 100000; new
schools (reduction). .s495.00o; mu-
nicipal refuse disposal plant (omit-
ted, $500. 600: construction of sub
urban roads (reduction). $1o9,5oo;
police department Geduction). S74.-
ito; fire department (reduction). S71.-
600; three new public convenience
stations (omittedD, $4,000; school
janitors' pay (reduction), s56;gI2
900; school repairs and improvements
(reduction). $4,000; teachers longev-
ity pay (reduction). $4,000; site and
construction, central District of CO.
lumbia garage (omitted). $4,000;
street cleaning .(reduction). $4,000;
(omitted), $4,000: main pipe sewer
and receiving basins treduction). }.
$4,000; street lighting (reduction),
$14,600; night schools (reduction). J.
$4,000: disposal of refuse (reduction).
sI1,675 plans for new Calvert Street
bridge (omitted), $4,000; parking
commission (reduction), $4,000: va
cation schools and Fairgrounds Gre
duction), $1,000; total. $2,757.516.
D. C. 1918 Appropriations.
During the fiscal year ending June 80.
1918, the appropriations fell short
Inmates. This difference is princi-
pally composed of the following
items:
Appropriation for health department:
Elimination of item of SIS, 10000 for
the prevention of infantile paralysis.
AUTHORIZATION for fire department: