Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
BY JAMES E. CHINN,
STAGGERING list of accumu-
lated needed public improve


been placed before the District
Commissioners by Daniel j. Donovan
auditor and budget officer OF the num-
cipal government.
Donovan prepared the list after
painStaking study of the projects rec
commended by the department. heaos
over a period of years, checking tnoSe
that have been provided against those
cast aside to await brighter DAY III
the nlunicipality's wealth that never
came. .-.-...
Considering the size of the Districts
annual budget in past years, SS3,O00,ooo
Is IA Stupen6ous sum. The budget Tor
the lea9-i93o fiscal wear has been
limited oy the Commissioners TO S4o,-
100000 in order TO retain the current
tax rate through that period. This S4o,-
Nn0. 900 budget, however. fails 10 make
provision fer any of the improvements
listed by the auditor. and. in fact. II
contemplateS very little in the way OF
progress III the next fiscal year.
The $50. 600 900 list of needed i'm
nrovernents reached such proportions
as a result of the long parsimonous
policy Of Congress toward the opera
ton and maintenance of the local gov
eminent. Donovan has divided it into.
two separate and distinct groups, One
rruDp he labeled necessary improve
mcnts." the other desirable improve
rents." The necessary group he esti-
mated would cost s5S.9o2 900 and the
desirable, S29,2i0 600.
Airport and Market,
The proposed municipal airport, over
which there vas great agitation about
this time last Summer, and the Farmers
Produce Market. which likewise was
collspicuolIs topic Of public discussion
about that period and many months
afterward. head the list of necessary
improvements. The other items prin-
cipaliy are fer additional water and
sewer service the improvements OF
bridges and the opening and extension
OF streets. although there is one
amounting to Sii .000. 900 TO cover the
arrears in the tagging five-year public
school building program.
Originally, the Commissioners had
planned to include the airport and the
Farmers Market project in the budget
for the io29-l930 fiscal year. which
they recently completed in tentative
form and submitted to the Bureau OF
the Budget However, the amount
necessary to carry them out would
have raised the estimates above Sac
600 600 and resulted in an increased
tax levy. and to avoid this these two
items were consigned TO the waiting
list.
Airport s1,5oo.0ao.
The estimated cost of the airport
alone was placed at 81 SOC, 900. This Is
the maximum figure and excludes say
snRs which may be expected by the
dumping Of dfedge material from the
Potomac River and the dumping Of
ashes and other refuse from the city in
the vicinity of Grayelly Point. where II
is proposed to build landing field on
foundation that Is now partly under
water.
The amount needed for a new Farm
eYs' Market has been variousiy placed at
from $500 600 to 81 900 600. the fgure
depending on the location chosen.
Another important item in the list OF
necessary improvements is Sls2l2,o00 Tor
the extension Of the northeast boundary
trunk sewer from Twenty-first and A
streets northeast to the Anacostia River
3uet south OF the south lock OF Lake
Kingman. This sewer is one OF the
LARGEST IN the world and carries the
combined drainage from an enormous
area extending west Of Fourteenth street
northwest. north to Park road and Rock
Greek Church road and south TO Florida
avenue. discl1arging In times Of storm
ut Twenty-Eecond and A streets north
east. The discharge from this sewer Is
carried into the recently created Lake
Kinga1an. oulescent inland lake, where
the diluted sewage has produced de-
cided nuisance.
To remedy this evil the Commission
eTS have made studies at the behest OF
the War Department, resulting IN pro-
posaI TO extend the northeast boundary
sewer to discharge at a point below the
7nS of V.~zy
into the Anacostia River. 1t has been
recognized that the extension must be
undertaken before Lake Ktngman or
this section Of Aracostia Park can func-
ton as recreation centerg.
Water and Sewers.
Still another major project listed as
necessary. which would cost 100000
10 carry ont. calls for the installation
Of water mains and service sewers in
BuTrvilie. Deauwood, Wentworth, Barry
Farm and contiguous communities, in
which the nla iority Of the 3.45k box
pFiyies In the District exist. These priv
les are considered a source of possible
disease, and their number is steadily In
creasing rather than decreasing. as is
evidenced by count which indicates
that the number has increased 682 In
the past FIVE years
The necessary list also makes provi-
sion for beginning the proposed munich
pal center for the location Of municipal
Offices forced cut OF the Pennsylvania
avenue triangle by the Federal Govern
ment's gigantic building program. Al
though the total cost Of such a project
has been estimated at $50. 600 900. the
list indicates that SIS, 600 900 would be
sufficient 70 acquire the property and
begin the construction Of several Of the
buildings,
The site, which the Commissioners be-
lieve car be acquired for $4,000 900, is
In the area bounded by Pennsylvania
avenue on the south: Louisiana avenue,
D street and Indiana avenue on the
rl0rtta. Seventh street on the west. and
Third street on the east,
Oflelals Of the municipal govern
ment deem 1t highly desirable that the
purchase Of this site should be made
~ one time IN order that the part TO
be Improved oy the construction Of
rev buildings will not enhance the
value Of the property not acquired. BY
purchasing the whole site at one time
a material saving 1t is believed. can
be made over piecemeal purchase.
Streets and Avenues.
The opening and extension u streets
sn9 avenues, estimated at g cost OF
81 900 600 also Is important. the Com
fnissionerS feel, in that they gili pro-
vide better traffic conditions ~ their
~espectlsfe locations, and the longer
they are delayed the greater viii be
che cost Of their acquisition. The
streets listed are Nebraska avenue,
Psxhali road. Potomac avenue. Colo
Mnd0 avenue and Maryland avenue
northeast.
Nebraska avenue is the only street
on the highway plan In the area west
III Rock Greek Park, except Western
syenue, which extends directly rom
tfe Potomac River 10 Rock Greek Park
This street is approximately mile
east Of Western avenue and crosses
Massachusetts. Wisconsin and Con-
necticilt avenues and connects up