Evening star., 1922-09-20
BUDGET OFFICIALS
+. STUDY CITY NEEDS
inspection Tour With D. c.
Heads to Be Made of Dis
trict Streets.
SCHOOL RELIEF PLANNED
Trunk Sewers and Drainage Basins
Also Among Problems to Be
Faced in Next Few Days.

Looking toward adjustment of the
District budget, officials of the Dis
trict and Of the bureau Of the budget
today were to begin inspection OF the
proposed improvements throughout
the city, for which funds have been
asked.
Redmond D. Stephens, assistant to
tho director of the budget. and the
Commissioners of the District, or their
representatives, 1t was announced to-
day, were to start their tours Of in
spection this afternoon, probably be-
ginning on streets, and continue for
several days going over the projects,
including streets, school sites, trunk
sewers and drainage basins.
Already, Mr.. Stephens stated this
morning at his Office in the Treasury
building. a mass of data has been OBJ
tained by the budget bureau from
showing the street and transportation
problems of other cities for compari-
son with Washington.
Problem Peculiar to d. c.
'This city has a problem peculiarly
different from other large cities OF
its size," said Mr.. Stephens. "The
principal difference is that Washing
ton has fewer parallel streets run
ming any considerable distance tc
carry traffic. Most Of the cities the
size of Washington have a number
Of thoroughfares parallel, over which
the traffic may be spread out. But in
Washington, running north and south
for instance, you have only 14th and
18th streets. and 14th does not run
very far out. The other streets tc
the west are cut off by the ravine.'
Connecticut avenue is heavily bur.
dened, Mr.. Stephens said. The COM
parisons drawn between other cities
Of its size and the nations capital
were being studied, Mr.. Stephens as.
serted. even before the tours Of in.
matter in hand from a broad poinl
of view. No conclusions had beer
reached by the budget officers, he in
dicated, but they are anxious to gel
all the information possible from
every angle before proceeding.
Street Inspection First.
At the District building it was in.
timated that inspection of street:
would probably be the first matter tc
be taken up in the combined studies
between District and budget officials
Mr.. Stephens will follow. he said, the
lead of the District officials in the
progress of the inspection, and will
be glad to go over with them all the
various projects under consideration
Mai. F. S. Besson. 1t was thought
might be one of the officials desig'
mated to accompany Mr.. Stephens or
some of the trips. Maj. Besson Is ir
charge Of the engineer and highway
department for the District.
No Date for Hearing.
The contention of District officials
has been that the principal streets o.
the city, and those new streets OF
which houses have been erected OF
both sides should first be improved
The main arteries, upkeep Of which l.
considered important by District OF
ficials, and which will in all prob
ability be inspected shortly, include
Connecticut avenue, Georgia avenue
WISCONSIN avenue and Rhode Islant
avenue northeast.
Considerable work has already beer
done by officials Of the budget bureau
on the District budget, it was an
nounced today. No definite date ha!
as vet been determined, however, fol
the beginning Of hearings before tht
hoard Of estimates, At these hearing.
the District will formally present it:
contentious for q budget approximat
inR nearer $30.000,000 than the $24,
600. 900. which limit, the budget officeri
have up to this time held, should bt
kept.