Evening star., 1925-11-04
ADVOCATES BETTER
LIBRARY FACILITIES
Fenning Tells Citizens He Will
Support More Adequate
Appropriations.

District Commissioner Frederick A. !
Fenning declared the public library
facilities of the District were out
grown and inadequate last night in
addressing the Columbia Heights Citi- !
ZenS' Association in St. Stephens Hall. |
He indicated that he would throw his |
support with the movement to pro !
vide more adequate appropriations for |
the operation of the library and its
branches. The library, he said, is an
excellent institution, which is being |
handicapped because the city has out !
grown it.
Commissioner Jennings address |
was followed by an appeal by DR.. |
George +. Bowerman. public librarian, !
for larger appropriations for the Ii |
brary, and for amendments to the pres |
ent library laws which would provide |
for more liberal treatment. There is |
virtually no illiteracy in the District, |
and the Capital can. claim honestly |
TO have the most intelligent citiZenry
Of any place in the Nation, he de- |
clared, and yet Washington is tail |
ender" in any comparison of public |
library facilities. This city stands |
twenty-eighth in the list showing per |
capita maintenance. the annual ex-
penditure here being but 4612 cents per
capita, whereas in many cities the |
he said
Urge Library Item.
At the conclusion of his remarks |
the association adopted resolutions
petitioning the Commissioners to in
clude in their deficiency estimates an
Item of S5,400 to provide personnel |
for the operation of the children's de-
partment of the Mount Pleasant |
Era nch ,ihrarV also iS 6aSirad |
that this appropriation be made an
nuaIy. Another resolution adopted |
urges the passage by Congress of the |
amendments suggested by the library
trustees, which, among other things,
will permit the acceptance of parcels
of land and other gifts for library pur-
poses. DR. BoWerman announced that |
besides the IL citizens associations
and several civic clubs. the library
movement has been indorsed by the
Central Labor Union.
Commissioner Fenning also deplored |
in his address the lack of adequate
shower bath facilities for use of the
District tremen. With but compar-
atively little expense, shower rooms |
could be fitted out in each of the fire |
stations, which would enable the fire
men to take a quick cleanup after
returning from fighting fires. With |
present accommodations, he said. |
which are but one bathtub to each |
station house, it sometimes takes two |
hours for all the men to get the smoke |
and CRIME off after returning from a |
confiagratfon. An appropriation of |
less than $4,000 would remedy the |
situation. he said.
Ask Change i'm Law.
Resolutions suggesting amendment
to the Borland law to eliminate the |
assessment for resurfacing of road |
ways and to apply only to original |
surfacing was approved. 1t was said
that while there may be some argu-
ment for the policy of charging one
half the cost of opening a new street
to the abutting property owners. the
cost of rebuilding to replace surfaces
worn out by general use can hardly
be fully charged to abutting property
owners.
Congress will be petitioned to amend
the District taxation statutes to pro-
vide sufficient assistance and equip
ment to enable the assessors to make
assessments annually instead of BIZ
enn1ally and to require that hereafter
annual assessments be made.
Having in mind encouragement for
the building of small homes, a resolu-
ton was presented, action on which
was deferred until the next meeting,
recommending that Congress pass a
,aW, TO be effective for five years, to
.slleVe small homes from taxation
the basis of $500 a room, not to
hXceed $4,000 on a house, such exemp-
ion to be effective for period of Is
vearS on houses erected or commenced
before the expiration of the fiVe-year
reriod.
Capt. Lord Praised.
The report of the public safety COM
IL ,ia1o i
ID Capt. g. p. NJ. Lord of the tenth
Drecinct for the manner IN which he
and his force of policemen maintained
public order on the occasion of the re-
cent carnival in Columbia Heights.
The thanks of the association also
We're extended to Col. E. L. Mattice
and Scout Master Thomas w. King
for the assistance in handling the
crowds a the carnival by the Boy
ScoIs Aer their command. Fire
Chiel George S. Watson was praised
for his action in recommending to the
Public Utilities Commission the es-
adjustment of a number of fire stops
at certain streets of the city where
the fire department runs are establish
ed across street railway tracks
j. Clinton Hiatt. chairman of the
membership committee, reported Al
applications for membership, which
O'Connor, Robert B. Smythe, F. l..
Simon, L. A. Gertman, John W. Tiff |
fany. Mrs. G. R. Smith, r. G.. G. |
Onyon Mrs. Marion B. Ridgate, !
Charles o. Stevens, F. Z. Daron, G. |
J. Fink, Clarence j. Peck. Mrs. w. F. !
Dismer, Gustave Lauten, Col. Z. L. |
Mattice, Mrs. Millie l.. Hays, Albert |
Haas, Horace NJ. Baxter, DR.. Joseph |
B. Began, DR.. F. c. Day, John K. |
Faust. Brenton K. Fisk, Jesse J. |
Haas, John G. Hoyt. Murray S. Ken !
worthy, Eugene Leger, ]. B. Stein, ]. |
NJ. Stein. DIR. Chase Taylor, E. Col
Totten, George Oakley Totten, c. c. |
Tudor, p. A. Vezi, Rev. Cove G. John. |
son, DR.. Thomas Linville, Rev. Har- |
vey Baker Smith, Max Dex, Rev. r. |
l.. Fultz, Thomas Geraci, S. E. Bias |
singham and N. c. Grover Capt |
Lord was elected an honorary mem |
ber. President w. /. Swanton pre- |
sided.