Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-22
PRESIDENT SIGNS
DEFICIENCY BILL
$500, 900 Included for Pur-
chase of Arboretum Site
in Capital.

President Coolidge signed the de-
ficiency bill today authorizing expendi-
ture Of 100000 for purchase Of APP
proximately 400 acres on the Mount
Hamilton and Hickey Hill tracts as
site for the national arboretum.
Maintenance cost of the arboretum
this year will be nothing, although an
item of 1000 is to be asked for sur
vey and development work on the SITE
in the first year after 1t is actually
acquired.
DR.. William A. Taylor, chief OF the
Bureau of Plant Industry OF the De
partment of Agriculture, estimated
TODAY that several months" and pos
siblv a year would elapse before title
70 the proposed arboretum site Is ac-
tuallv obtained by the Government.
The tract. living between Bladensburg
y-os6 on the west, the Anacostia River
on the east. the Pennsylvania KALI
road tracks on the north and running
north from a few blocks north OF Ben
ninps road. was declared by DIR. Tay-
lor well suited for arboretum pur-
noses. Immediately after the site IS
scouired, DR.. Taylor said, development
work will begin. The property Is now
split among some 80 owners, some OF
whom are reported to be holding their
land for more than $4,000 an acre.
100000 Held Insufficient.
Nearly two years ago Secretary OF
Agriculture Jardine wrote Congress
that $500, 600 would prove insufficient
for the purchase of the necessary land.
"While it is probable that this land
could have been purchased within the
limitation OF 100000 in 1920, when
the project of a National Arboretum
was first formally considered, MI;
rqrdine wrote, recent paving ana
other improvements, including puiio-
ing operations in the adjacent iocahty'
have increased real estate values so
that at the present time as much as
$500 900 possibly might be required
for the purchase of this tract.
Chairman Moore of the Commission
of Fine Arts, one of the organizations
which has been consistently behind
establishment of the arboretum, was
s.yery much gratified" today that the
initial step toward such establishment
has gotten under way. He hoped Tor
an early start on development opera
lions. to establish a plant refuge COM
Elementary to the National Geological
Park in the northwestern section or
the city.
$7O3,224 for District.
The District of Columbia was es-
pecially interested in the passage or
the deficiency bill, inasmuch as $685.
224 of the total of $200,000,00O con-
tanned in it is for disbursement by the
District Government. Among some
of the more important items in the
Districts share Of the deficiency APP
propriation are: 100000 to be paid
to the police and firemen's pension, as
well as pensions for widows and or
phan children Of the police and fire.
men; $214,OO0 to be paid by the local
government to the st. Elizabeth 8
Hospital for the insane; $4,000 for
the board and care of children COM
nnitted to the guardianship Of the
Board Of Welfare for the District! $4O,-
600 for the reconstruction OF the
abutrnent on the Virginia side OF the
Chain Bridge; 100000 for the main
tenance and repair Of suburban
streets; SIS, 900 for the District work
house; $4,000 for the Jail; $4,000 to
rent a home for the House of De-
tention and for the Health Depart
ment; $12,5O0 to meet the increases In
the salaries for the justices of the
District Supreme Court, and $4,000