Evening star., 1923-09-18

the desire of the President for the
utmost economy, the Commissioners
feel that certain facts should be called
to your attention and that you should
also be Informed that the estimates
proper, together with the supple
mental estimates, represent the mini
mum amount that should be spent
during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1925, IL the people of the District are
to be adequately served, IL reasonable
conditions as to comfort and SANTA
ton are to exist, and IL the progress
and growth OF the city are not to be
retarded.
In order to bring the estimates
within the limit of s25.144,ss2, it has
figures presented by the heads of the
various branches of the District gov
ernment, which, in accordance with
instructions previously given to them.
had been prepared to cover merely
those items that were regarded as in
dispensable In the proper adrninistra-
ton OF this large and rapidly growing
community. The limited total which
the Commissioners are permitted to
submit is not adequate for the health
and comfort of the people, who under
these estimates would continue to
suffer from crowded schools unpaved
streets, inadequate water and sewer
service and insufficient standard of
public lighting and other remediable
evils and inconvenienees
ut is not possible within the amount
of the limited estimates to ask for
increased appropriations for street
and suburban road maintenance;
street lighting, maintenance and cors
struction OF sewers. maintenance and
extension of our city tree system. and
for cleaning streets; nor is It possibie
to ask for any appropriations for the
purchase of additional sites for the
public schools or the erection Of new
buildings.
at is not possible within the amount
OF the limited estimates to ask any
increase in personnel OF the police
force and the fire department.; to in
clude any provision for such import
ant items as the acquisition of the
Klingle valley, Piney Branch and Pat.
acquire additional land for play.
grounds: nor initial funds for the
development of the present unsightly
water front; to include any sum for
continuing construction OF tho Home
for the Feeble Minded; nor any
department; nor an initial appropria-
tion for commencing the erection of q
building to house the offices of the
recorded of deeds and the Municipal
and Juvenile Courts.
Paving Item Reduced.
Because OF the limited amount of
the estimates 1t has been necessary to
reduce the item for school building
construction to nearly S500,0e0 less
than the current years appropriation,
the sum asked for this purpose being
only sufficient to complete four build.
ings now under contract; to reduce
the item for street paving to less
than one.third of the appropriation
for the work for 1924; to reduce the
item for increasing the water supply
to slightly over one-half Of the ap.
preparation for 1924; to eliminate en-.
tirely. from the estimates any .provi-
sion for continuing the noterlsatien
OF the fire department., as well as
provision for the acquisition OF land
for the Rock Creek and Potomac
parkway.
an those cases where the Commits
sieners were unable, within the total
of the estimates they are permitted to-
submit, to include adequate or any
provision for the several municipal
and other activities such provision is
carried in the amounts recommended
in the suppleme estimates"