Evening star., 1921-01-16
Building Appropriation Is
Again Criticised-0p-
posed by Curtis.
FINAL ACTION EXPECTED
TO BE TAKEN TOMORROW
Senators Persist. However. in
Pointing to Low Cost of Con-
struction in Denver.

The Senate will be called upon TO
decide tomorrow whether appropria-
tions for the construction of new
school buildings, proposed by Senator
Pat Harrison of Mississippi shall be
included in the District appropriation
bill.
Following a debate in the Senate
Harrison vigorously defended his pro-
posal for appropriations for additional
school buildings while Senator Curtis
of Kansas and other members of the
appropriations committee opposed such
a fund until contractors agree to erect
now proposed. the Senate adjourned
until tomorrow without taking final
action on the bill.
The Senate agreed to practically all
the committee amendments to the
House bill. however. including the
restoration of the half-and-half plan
Of appropriating for the District. with
authority to use the surplus revenues
of the District. The proposal of the
committee to expend $2.c76.500 for
sites for school buildings. Fairgrounds.
parks and other improvements. one
half out Of the surplus revenues of the
District and one-half out of the federal
Treasury. was agreed to.
One Amendment Goes Over.
The only committee amendment un-
acted upon at the time of adjourn
conducting community forums in the
pcblic schools. At the request Of Sem
ator Kenyon of Iowa. this was passed
over and remained pending when the
Senate adjourned.
Senator Harrison's demand for a
quorum late in the afternoon. when
only thirty-six senator's answered the
Senator Curtis to adjourn.
Senator Harrison's amendment pro-
posing new school buildings follows:
For beginning the erection Of
junior high school upon a site owned
by the District of Columbia north Of
Taylor street and east of 14th street.
$160,000, and the Commissioners are
tract or contracts for said building at
a cost not to exceed 100000.
For beginning the erection of a
junior high school in the vicinity of
Gage, Emery and lexington schools,
not to exceed 100000.
For beginning the erection Of a
sixteen-room building north of and
900, and the Commissioners are
hereby authorized to enter into
contract or contracts for the build
ing at a cost not to exceed 100000.
For the erection Of an eight-room
extensible building adjoining the
Buchanan School. $160.000.
For the construction of an eight
school. $1eo.ooo.
For the erection Of an eight-room
extensible building in the immediate
vicinity of the Mott School. $160.000.
For the erection of an eight-room
addition to the John Eaton School.
$4,000.
For the erection of a four-room
building to replace the Smothers
School. $4,000.
For the erection of an eight-room
addition to the Lovejoy School,
$16O.000.
For the erection of a four-room
addition to the Monroe School.
$4,000"
ouote Denver Prices Again.
Senator Curtis, in charge OF the
hill and chairman of the appropria-
tions subcommittee which handled
the measure, insisted that he and
all the other members OF the COM
mittee were in hearty sympathy
with the proposal to erect additional
school buildings for the pupils here.
But the committee is opposed to
erecting these buildings until it can
be assured that they will be erected
at reasonable rates." said Senator
Curtis. He added that the commit.
tee had obtained information from
Denver through Senator Phipps Of
Colorado, a member of the subcom-
mittee, showing that four-room
school buildings were being erected
in that city for $4,000. while the
estimates for such buildings here
were 100000.
"Your committee is just as anxious
to have these buildings as you are"
Senator Curtis said to Senator Har-
rison. He said that when the COM
mittee had obtained the information
it was seeking as to the cost of
school buildings in other cities it
would Immediately and unanimously re-
mort a measure for the construction Of
the needed buildings.
Harrison Presses for Action.
Senator Harrison wanted to know
=, the committee had put In items for
,.rks and sites for municipal stables.
because It left out the appropriations
o. the school. He was assured this
no. not the case. but that all would
y va been included in the bill IL the
estimates for the school buildings
had been reasonable.
Senator Harrison said that he had
framed his amendmenta 90 e. to pro-
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