Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-31
District Officials Nev Past Year One of Continued Progress andA
6O-4O CAMPAIGN MARKS
PIN CITY GOVERNMENT
Drive for Restoration of Basis, Begun
Months Ago, Well Under Way-Other
Achievements of Year.

side of Pennsylvania avenue between
Third and Seventh streets.
| The Commission of Fine Arts. sub.
sequently placed its stamp of ap.
prevail on this project, which the Com
missioners prefer to call municipal
center. and the draft of a bill now Is
in process Of formation for introduc.
| ton in Congress which would author.
ize an appropriation for the acquisi.
ton of the property. and preparation
| of plans for the first of the buildings
to be erected in the area.
The relocation of the Farmers
Produce Market. another victim of
the Federal building program. like
wise confronted the Commissioners
with a perpleXing problem. partic.
ularly in view of the action of Con-
gress in directing them to recon-.
mend a new site by December Is,
not to exceed 5000 900 in cost. After
months of investigation and study.
the Commissioners on the designated
date recommended the location of the
market temporarily on site in the
rear of the Victory Memorial Build
ing foundations on 3 street, between
Sixth and Seventh streets. The Pub
lie Buildings Commission. however.
disapproved of this location because
1t would encroach upon the Mall, and
suggested that the market be placed
along the south side of B street be-
tween Seventh and Ninth streets,
directly opposite the Center Market.
The Commissioners registered no OBJ.
lection to the proposed change. and
the market undoubtedly will be trans.
ferred to this location within the next
six weeks when work is started on
the new Internal Revenue Building.
Another major problem disposed of
by the Commissioners was the selec.
ton of permanent site for munich
pal airport at Gravelly Point. De.
velopment of this site has been indefi.
nitely delayed, however. by the action
of the Bureau of the Budget in remov-
ing from the estimates OF the Com
missioners an item of $150.000 for
starting the work. This item was
eliminated. i: Is understood. because
the latest estimate for building the
airport. placed at $500. 900, exceeded
by $4,000 the original estimate of
District officials.
Making Own Tags Now.
One of the outstanding innovations
in municipal government activities in
1927 was the production of automobile
license tags at the District Reform.
atory at Lorton. Va. This came as
the direct result of the 1927 tag
flasco. which delayed the final distri- |
button until the early Spring. The |
entire supply OF 1928 tags has been |
made and delivered to the District |
Building, a record unrivaled while the |
tags were being made under private |
contract.
The year brought about a COM
few changes in the admin. |
personnel OF the municipal |
service. The most important was the /
return to military service of Lieut.. |
Col. ]. Franklin Bell. one Of the most |
popular Engineer Commissioners who |
ever served the District. Col. William |
B. Ladue succeeded him at the direc. |
ton of President Coolidge and, |
although he has been the Engineer
for less than six
he has familiarized himself
with every function OF the intricate
Of the municipal govern.
nent and has esta blished a reputation
among his colleagues as a master of
ietail.
The only department of the munich.
pal government TO be affected by a
drastic reorganization was the cor
ooration counsel's Office. At the be-
ginning OF the new fiscal year, July /,
William w. Bride. an internationally |
known lawyer, took over the corpora.
ion counsel's chair. replacing Francis
H. Stephens, who was given the post
If second assistant corporation coun-
gel. Ringgold Hart became the princi.
pal assistant.