Evening star., 1923-07-11
START PROPERTY VALUATION
Trade Board Members to Get Data
on High Pressure Area.

Compilation of statistics on the
value Of property in the area to
which 1t is hoped TO have installed a
high pressure system for fire fight
created bureau of statistics in the
Board of Trade has been ass gned
the duty of getting the figures on
the value OF the property which it
Is hoped to protect, with a view to
fcrtffying the board with complete
data in conferences before the Com
missioners.
Request was made on the asses
sors Office of the District for infor-
nation as to the value of the prop
erty in the area bounded by 1st street
and 18th street and K street and
the Mall northwest. However, the
information is not available, the
board was Informed in letter today.
and probably would not be for three
or four months.
Get OmciaI Estimates.
The collection of this information
is considered important in connection
with the program to convince the
Commissioners and Congress that a
high-pressure system should be in
stalled So. in order to have it, the
board itself instituted the compila-
tion, which is being taken from the
official plat books in the assessor S
office.
Efforts are being made to find out
the exact reason why the request for
the high-pressure system has not
gone in the estimates before. If
necessary, it was pointed out, the
Board of Trade committees will seek
a public hearing to convince the
Commissioners that there is a real
general demand for the installation
of the high-pressure service in the
high property value area.
While the committees of the trade
board which are working up the pro-
gram to bring about the high pres
sure installation have passed aside
the matter Of lower insurance rates
as an argument for or against the
installation of the proposed system
nevertheless it was pointed out thai
| in Philadelphia and Baltimore there
| was a noticeable drop in the insur.
ance rates Immediately following the
placing of high-pressure systems into
| service as firefighting element.
Prevent Business LOSS.
1t was pointed out today that the
matter of insurance should not enter
in any way into the arguments The
high pressure is a matter of protect.
| ing the property from serious con
fiagration, with its resultant closing
down of businesses affected and the
throwing out of work of employees.
Insurance can never cover matters
of this kind, il was asserted, but g
high pressure system undoubtedly
would be the means many times OF
preventing a confiagration which would
wipe out businesses and destroy much
property.
Pressure already is being felt from
various angles for the water system
and there is a hope now that the
Commissioners will feel this to the
point of putting the provision for tbs
fire. fighting system in the estimates
this year. and at least give Congress
the OppOrtunity of passing on il
There is a feeling that if the Com
missioners recommend it Congress
will give its approval. first because
there seems to be unity of opinion
that the system is needed. and sec.
ondly that it will provide a grea
source of protection for the valuable
government records which have beer
a concern to Congress for some time
as annually there come up demand:
for the construction of freproo'
buildings in which to store these
records which have been growing
with the republic.