Evening star., 1923-07-10
Executive Committee Orders
Subordinate Bodies to Give
Matter Attention.
WANTS FUND INCLUDED
IN DISTRICT ESTIMATES
Commissioners and Congress Will
Be Petitioned by Two I'm
portant Committees.

Inclusion of a request in the Dis
trict estimate for funds with which
to begin the installation of high
water pressure for fighting fires in
the business area will be made the
principal fight of the Washington
Board of Trade. it was announced to-
day, and all efforts of the board will
be centered toward bringing about
this improvement as the elimination
of a movement started just twenty
years ago.
Each years delay has added to the
cost. and If the work is put off again
the cost may become prohibitive, 1t
was pointed out. Almost every
year since the movement was first
started, it was said, District officials
and others. have approved II, only
to see it sidestepped each time.
The executive committee of the
Washington Board of Trade has dI-
rected the two bodies most interested,
the fire and insurance committee and
the water supply committee, to i'm
medtately focus their attention on
this project, with the view of con-
vincing the District Commissioners
that II must go in the estimates this
year and convincing the budget bu-
reau and Congress that 1t should stay
in.
Ready for Real Fight.
During the meeting of the execu-
tive committee, which was presided
over by ]. Harry Cunningham in the
absence of the chairman. it was
made clear that the board does not
want TO appear antagonistic to the
aIthnriffad m In I1Ee
matter, but 1t was asserted that
real fight will be waged, IL necessary,
to obtain provision for high water
pressure at the next session of Con-
gress.
When the movement was first start
ed in 1903. 1t was pointed out in the
course of the meeting, 1t was esti-
| mated that the installation Of the
project would have cost approximate
| ly 100000. Now 1t Is expected that
the cost will be nearly 81, Soc, 900. with
q possibility that the Installation cost
VIII continue to go up as the years
pass.
| Business and civic organizations are
| to be mobilized with the Board of
| Trade in it's movement, as 1t was
pointed out this is one thing on
| which all organizations are practi-
cally agreed. It is expected, too. that
izations will be thrown behind the
movement, which, when accomplished,
will provide further protection for
the residential sections by releasing
fire apparatus now used in the down
| town section.
Ask for Figures.
When the committees go before con-
| gressional committees they hope to
! be armed with figures to show the
| great need Of a high pressure system
| downtown which will assure enough
water for fighting any confiagration
which might occur Telephone re-
| quest was made on the assessors Of
flee OF the District today for figures
showing the value of property in the
! section bounded by 1st and 18th
| streets and * street and the Mall.
| The figures were not available, but
today David NJ. Lea, chairman of the
| committee on insurance and fire
| fighting. sent formal request to the
| assessor for this information. as
/ 1t is expected that this is one of the
questions the congressional commit
| tees will ask when the matter comes
| up.
Presentation of the matter to the
! Commissioners, when the committees
go there to seek to have the city off,
! cials include the high pressure sys-
tenn in the estimates, will be accom-
| panied by mass of data now being
i collected by the Washington Board of
| Trade, under the direction of Richard
! Connor assistant secretary.
! This data will show what cities of
| the country have high pressure sys-
| TENS. and will contain information as
to the cost, size of mains, miles OF
pipe lines. area covered, kind of
| pumps used and pressure maintained
| for fire fighting. One questionable
! brought the information that Roches-
| ter, n. Y, has had a high pressure
! F@, De-
! has a high-pressure system, as also
have Toledo. Ohio; Philadelphia and
Baltimore. The latter city profited by
| it's great conflagration in the busi-
ness district and installed the system
| following that disastrous fire.