Evening star., 1924-06-07
Bill Carrying s26,455,105,
Record Appropriation, Is
Sent to President.
$1.60 RATE ESTIMATED
UNDER LUMP SUM PLAN
Schools Get $7,110,535 and
$2,476,650 Is Allotted for
Road Work.

Carrying s26,455.1o5, and increasing
taxes on personal tangible property
and real estate by an estimated 33h
per cent, the District appropriation
bill is before the President for his
signature today, having been ap-
proved by both houses of Congress
last night
Appropriation Is Record.
While the bill makes available the
largest sum ever appropriated for the
city in one year, it sounds the death
knen Of the principle that the federal
government should bear a definite
percen tage of the cost of maintaining
the federal city. After recognizing
such principle for more than forty
five years, Congress this year voted
to abolish the percentage ratio and
substituted a lump sum of $4,000. 900
as the United States share of running
the city.
A tax rate of s1.6O per 500 on per
sonal tangible property and real
estate is substituted for the existing
tax rate of s1.20. This increase
figures about SO Il per cent, according
Donovan today, after he had gone
over the bill. He made it plain that
this was nothing more than an esti-
mate, but the final figure probably
will be very close to the sum he
names.
Senate Yields to House.
The Senate, as in previous years.
took preliminary stand in favor of
the contention of the people Of the
District, but, finding the House de
termined to hold out for the lump
sum. the Senate conferees had to
yield or allow the appropriation bill
to die with the session tonight.
The Senate conferees, headed by
Senator Phipps of Colorado, and the
residents of Washington, urged that
an investigation be made to deter
mine what would be a fair lump sum
in view of Uncle Sans property hold
ings in the city, before adopting :.
new fiscal policy. The House, how
ever was unwilling.
While the Senate conferees lost out
on fiscal relations, they succeeded in
having S1,802,40S added to the total
allowed by the House. The Senate in
turn receded on several of it's large
amendments, including purchase OF
three parks, a building for the re
corder of deeds and part of the sum
sought for the new water conduit.
These Senate concessions amounted 10
$2,7Q0,000.
Schools Get s7,I1O,535.
The bill provides s7,110.535 for the
public schools, of which S1,242,50o is
for the building program.
Disappointment over the upsetting
of the fiscal relations is Offset to some
extent by the liberal allowances for
street and road improvements, which
are designed to improve greatly the
highway system. The total sum for
the highway department is S2,476,650.
made up as follows.
For new paving on specified streets,
S6O5, $50; for new paving out of the
gasoline tax collections, $3.50 600; the
balance represents the regular annual
allotments for repairs to streets and
suburban roads and for grading.
s1-5OO.OOe for Conduit.
AS finally passed the bill allows
s1,500,0o for continuing work on the
badly needed new water conduit from
Great Falls. he House granted only
100000 for this project, but the Sen
ate insisted on raising it.
The Senate had voted amendments
of S735,000 for a recorder of deeds
building and s762, 900 for purchase OF
the Piney Branch, Klingle Valley and
Patterson Park sites, both of which
items were knocked out in confer
ence.
The House a2rced to the Senate
amendment creating a business man
ager for the public schools at $3.50
a year.
The House also concurred in the
following Senate amendments for the
school building program:
Plans for New High.
For preparation of plans for a new
Mckinley High School. $1,000.
For preparation of plans for jun
ior high school in the vicinity Of
cath and N streets, $4,000.
Purchase of site in the neighbor-
hood Of Sd and Rittenhouse streets,
$4,000.
Purchase of a site at Burrville,
northeast, $500.
Purchase of site in the vicinity
of 5th and Buchanan streets, $4,000.
Western Obtains $125.OOO Field.
Purchase of an athletic field at
Western High School, $125.ooo.
The Senate gave way to the House
in eliminating purchase of a site
near South Dakota and Rhode Island
avenues northeast.
Other school building items that
were originally allowed by the House
and not changed in conference are:
Completing construction of addi-
tion to the Armstrong Manual Train
ing School, 100000.
Completing construction of addition
to Western High School, $450,000.
Completing construction of third
story to Thomson School, $4,000.
Completing the building to replace
John F. Cook School. S150,000.
For grading and making sewer and
water connections in school site on
Calvert street near Connecticut ave-
nue., $4,000.
Tubercular Fight Ends.
The House finally agreed to the
Senate amendment giving the Com
missioners specific authority to erect
the long delayed tubercular school on
the District owned land at 14th and
Upshur streets.
This school was authorized several
years ago, but the citizens of the
northwest fought vigorously against
placing it on the Upshur street tract
The city heads contended they had
no other suitable site and purchase
of land was not authorized.
When the appropriation bill was
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