Evening star., 1921-12-03
OVERSIGHT IN BILL
|. MENACES WORK At
| ANACOSTIA FLATS
Provision for Reclamation in
New Measure Copied, From
Current Act.
INADVERTENTLY LIMITED
TO SOUTH OF BRIDGE
D. C. Appropriation Draft, Which
Goes to Congress Monday,
Cause of Situation.

Through an oversight in the prep
aration of the District appropriation
bill for the fiscal year beginning next
July that measure will be submitted
to Congress. Monday. with a recon-
mendation for estoppage of the work
of recla aiming the Anacostia flats at
Bennng bridge.
This is just the reverse of what
the Commissioners want and of what
they will recommend when explain
ing the bill to the appropriations sub
committees having ii in charge. II
is contrary 10 what the War Depart
ment wants.
The unusual situation grows out of
the fact that Congress, on its own
initiative, inserted in the present
District appropriation act a provis-
ion that all funds made available Tor
Anacostia flats development work
should be expended only south OF
Benning bridge, and the Commission
ers in framing next years bill, mad
vertently used this phraseoiogy with
out removing the restriction.
Statement Of Situation.
Unless Congress comes TO the rescue
i at this session. War Department Of
ficiais said today this situation viii
come about:
First Work south of the bridge will
be completed in two years or before
another appropriation act is passed.
Second. The development project will
be halted at the bridge tor an in
definite period, since no provision VIII
have been made for acquiring land
beyond that point for continuing OPP
erations.
Third. A 100000 construction plant,
owned by the government, viii be
thrown out of commission.
1t was indicated today that both the
board of District Commissioners and
Maj. Tyler, head of the District engf-
neer office of the War Department,
who is directing the Anacostia work,
will make strong pleas to the con-
gressional appropriation committees
/, to permit continuation of the work
north of the bridge to the point laid
down in the original plans approved
| by Congress.
Discussion Of Restriction.
| Why Congress inserted the restric-
| tion referred to in the current appro-
priation act has never been explained.
If it was for the purpose of permitting
the Army to catch up with the work
south of the bridge before proceeding
further, its object will soon have been
! accomplished, it is pointed out, and no
valid reason will exist for continuing
/ the restriction, unless Congress wants
to stop the development of the flats at
Anacostia bridge. 1t is not believed III
| federal and local government circles that
| Congress has any intention of this sort.
Army engineers say the work Of ac-
uuiring land in connection with the
/ Anacostia project should precede actual
F.; dredging and other physical operations
J by at least two years. South OF the
bridge this margin was maintained Most
i of the land acquired was obtained
i through direct purchase, condemnation
: proceedings having been resorted to in
| only one or two cases.
Provision for Draws.
| Not only is there the necessity of
acquiring land north of Benning
I bridge, but the problem of cutting
draws through this bridge and the
| Washington Railway and Electric Com
J pany bridge, paralleling il. confronts the
/ engineers. as this must be done before
the dredgeS can proceed to the upper
reaches of the fats.
! plans for constructing these draws.
! acquiring land and taking other pre-
| liminary steps for the prosecution OF
| the work beyond Benning bridge
| should be in progress at present, ac-
cording to officials of the War De-
| partment.
At the earliest. however, they can
! not be begun before July ], the be-
| ginning OF the HeSt anu
1 then only in the event that Congress
| in the next appropriation act lifts the
barrier holding expenditures to the
area south of the bridge.
| Should this restriction, it is pointed
| out, be continued another year. or
until July /, 1928, the construction
| plant would be tied up at least year
before operations could be resumed,
and in that time the plant not only
| would deteriorate at considerable
| loss to the government. but an eff
cient working organization will have
been broken up.
Exact Amount Not Disclosed.
! How large a sum is asked for the
Anacostia work during the coming
| fiscal year will not be disclosed un-
til the appropriation bill is made pub
lie by Congress Monday. 1t is known
| the War Department submitted an
estimate of 100000 for the work. The
District Commissioners are under
stood to have cut the amount to $780,
900. To what extent. if any, Budget
| Director Dawes has pruned the item
| is not. known. The amount appro-
priated for the current year is
s175,000.
Operating under modest annual ap-
preparations, the District engineer Of
fee has made rapid progress with this
big development enterprise. which has
| contributed on an enormous scale to
| the health and esthetic development
| of the capital. Approximately 4,500.-
900 cubic yards Of material have been
| dredged from the Anacostia channel.
| at a cost of cents a yard. which is
said to be an extremely moderate
| cost.
| South of the bridge about $4,000
lineal feet of foundations for sea
walls have been constructed, and
| about 10000 feet of sea walls have
! been completed.
The development Immediately south
of Benning bridge calls for the con-
struction of large artificial lake.
| the rough outlines of which may now
| be seen. This eventually will be I'M
: proved with public bathing hea"h
.S. s.ier facilities for aquatic -o.ss'