Evening star., 1925-08-15
School Items Slated for Big
Cuts in Pruning of Dis
trict Total.
ESTIMATE SUPPLEMENT
WILL GO TO CONGRESS
Water Supply Project and Park
Area Purchase Plans Are
Thought Necessities.

When the District Commissioners
set themselves to the task Monday
morning OF cutting more than $4,000
900 from their tentative estimates they
will strive to spread the reduction over
as many items as possible In order to
avoid making any one class Of mu'
nicipal work suffer an unreasonable
curtailment.
This was indicated today by Com
missioner Cuno II. Rudolph, who re-
turned to his desk from a vacation
which he spent in New England.
Although the Commissioners are
anxious to distribute the pruning pro-
cess over as many departments as pos
sible, 1t seemed probable today thatthe
school building program, which is one
Of the large items in the budget. would
bear a substantial part OF the reduc-
tion. On the other hand the school
items which may fall under the blue
pencil next week undoubtedly will be
submitted to the Bureau of the Budget
In the list of supplemental estimates.
Big School Estimate.
While the details of the estimates
have not been made public, 1t Is re-
ported that the school building rec.
concentrations totaled somewhere In
the vicinity OF 100000. Congress by
special legislation has authorized a
program to give the District an ade.
Quate public school system involving
an expenditure of more than $l9 ,o0o,.
900 within a fye-year period.
II the list of school building projects
for the next fiscal year Is curtailed, II
would necessitate a larger appropria.
ton In one OF the succeeding years in
order TO keep pace with the fiye.year
building program.
Another substantial item in the
budget Is for the purchase of new
Park Commission. II Is understood
the recomme ndation for this purpose
In the tentative budget is about the
same amount that was appropriated
for that purpose by the last Congress,
and officials regard this as a most i'm.
portant class of work for the proper
development of the National Capital.
Whether they will find II necessary
TO reduce this item will depend upon
the comparative study of all the
projects which will be made at the
forthcoming Congress.
Another large sum Is for completion
of the additional water supply system
to go with the new conduit. and this
likewise Is regarded by the municipal
authorities as a most essential prof.
ect In view of the possibility of a
water shortage, which the city has
been facing for a number OF years.
The new conduit is nearing compile
ton. but the plans call for a new fl
tration plant at the west end Of the
city and two new reservoirs to make
the new conduit fully operative.
Some provision has been made in
the estimates for continuing the build.
ing program at the Gallinger Munici.
pal Hospital. and while more space is
an urgent need at that institution this
item may have to stand part of the
pruning.
In directing the Commissioners to
reduce their tentative estimates from
SIS, ,479 1855 to $36, ,250, 900, Budget Di.
rector Lord gave the Commissioners
authority to submit In the form of sup.
plementals any urgent items which
will have TO be stricken from the
regular estimates in making the re.
duction.
First Estimate Conservative.
1t has already been indicated at the
District Building that the Commits
sioners regard the total of more than
SIS, 900 900 as a conservative estimate
of the amount the city should have
In the fiscal year 1927. and that they
will, more than likely. submit a list
of supplemental estimates totalfng
very close to the 100000 that must
be subtracted from the original total.
Commissioners Rudolph and Bell
will meet daily next week in revising
their tentative estimates and in for
mulating the list Of supplementals In
order to submit their revised figures
to the Budget Bureau on September
1. Later in September they will go
before the budget officials to explain
the needs for the additional amounts
they are expected to ask for in sup
Elemental lists.