The Washington times., 1925-02-28
7 Y GIVEN
TIME AND
FUNDS
Great Building Program Heads
List of Multitudinous Bene-
fits Conferred

The Sixty-eighth Congress will
60 into history Wednesday as the
greatest benefactor Of the District
of Columbia in the entire process
sion of Congresses.
More major pieces of legisla-
ton affecting the District have
been enacted during this Congress
than in any like period during
the past century, according to
officials on Capitol Hin.
Record for Buildings.
This year witnesses the start OF
the greatest single building pro-
gram in local history-the Airing
ton Memorial bridge project, which
calls for a magnificent park bou)e-
ward from the Capitol to the Lee
Mansion in Arlington National
Cemetery and a boulevard south
from Washington Circle, at Penn
sylvania avenue and Twenty-third
street northwest to the Lincoln
Memorial.
The bridge itself will be one Of
the most magnificent structures OF
its kind in the world.
Completion OF the west end OF the
Mall, conversion Of Columbia Is
land into one OF the most beautiful
parks in America, and construction
OF q splendid park boulevard from
the Virginia shore to Arlington
where great memorial arch and
plaza will be located, are all parts
Of the project.
$19,OO0,OOO for Schools.
Work win be started this sum-
mer on the five-year public school
building program, which win cost
&19, ,000,00 and will wipe out all
portable schools, obsolete buildings,
part-time classes and oversize
classes and house all pupils in
beautiful modern buildings. This
LEGISLATION was the goal Of a fight
which lasted for two decades. Under
an appropriation Of $2,6S1 800, au-
thorized in the second deficiency
appropriation bill, substantial
start will be made on the work
this summer.
The Sixty-eighth Congress has
framed the two greatest District ap-
preparation bills in history. The
bin for the current year totaled
more than $27, ,00O, 900 and was aug
mented to nearly 100000 by sup
Elemental and deficiency items. The
basic appropriation bill for 1875,
now pending in conference. totals
nearly $32 .000,0 in its present
form. Supplemental and deficiency
bills totaling $3,5 900, bringing the
total for the year to more than
SIS, ZOO, 900, are to be enacted.
Gas Tax for Streets.
The gasoline tax law, providing
q perpetual and ever-increasing fund
Tor street construction and repair,
and wiping out the long-standing
motor-vehicie war between the Dis.
trict and Maryland, was passed dur
ing the first session and has now
been in effect nearly a year.
The National CAPITAL Park Com
mission was created and authorized
to receive annual funds totaling
more than $1,000, 900 for the pur-
chase of park lands in the District
and nearby Maryland and Virginia.
While the appropriation for the
coming fiscal year has been limited
TO 100000, it is expected that sub
gtantial work can be done.
The Rock Creek-Potomac parkway
will practically be completed by
purchase Of additional lands and
improvement during the coming
year. as a result OF action by this
Congress.
Salary Increases.
Substantial salary increases were
granted public school teachers and
officials and members of the police
and fire departments. One day off
each week has been granted police
men and firemen and the two
forces increased by one-seventh to
permit the change. A further in
crease of 185 policemen has been
authorized in the pending appropria-
ton bill, and still another 100 are
provided in the traffic bill, now in
conference.
The bitterly contested Surplus"
bill, restoring to the District funds
totahng $4,43S 900, with possibility
of an increase to more than $5,-
600, 900, has been enacted, with a
provision that all the funds lie ex-
pended for school construction and
park purchase.
Death Trap to Go.
A bill providing for elimination
of the Lamond death trap by carry
ing Van Buren, street northwest
through viaduct under the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad tracks was
today sent to the President and
undoubtedly will be signed. This
is one of the most dangerous grade
crossings in the District.
The $15O,000,000 public buildings
bill, one-third Of which will be for
the District still is pending in the
Senate, having been passed by the
House. The measure has the ap-
proval of the President and there
Is a strong probability that 1t will
be passed this session. Under an
amendment to be offered by Sen
ator Reed Smoot of Utah, immedi-
ate construction of $6,250, 900
building for the Bureau of Internal
Revenue would be started, with an
initial appropriation of $1,000, 900.
A huge hall Of records, or archives
building, and new buildings for the
Department of Agriculture would
follow In close order.
Traffic Code Likely.
There is still pending in confer.
ence, also with strong probability
Of passage, a model traffic code