Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-26
BILL TOBUYLAND
FOR D. c. BUILDINGS
SENT TO PRESIDENT
Property Sought to Develop
Municipal Center for Dis
triCt Government.
SITE OF JUDICIARY PART
WILL COST s6,4OO,OOO
Indiana and Pennsylvania Avenues
and Third and Sixth Streets
Bound Land.

Congress today completed action on
the bill authorizing purchase of all the
property lying between Indiana avenue,
Pennsylvania avenue, Third and Sixth
streets in which to develop a municipal
center of buildings to house various &C
tivities Of the District government.
Final action came when the Senate
passed the House bill without amend
ment, thereby sending the measure di-
rect to the President for signature.
The Senate also passed the bill au-
thorizing 100000 for the establish
ment of a tubercular sanitarium for
children, but one slight amendment will
make 1T necessary for this bill to go
back to the House before it is sent TO
the President.
Another bill favorably acted on by
the Senate amends the workman's COM
pensation law to relieve fraternal and
social organizations from the necessity
of taking out insurance for part-tlme
employees. This measure has not yet
been acted on by the House.
A fourth bill to change the law re-
lating to rates of interest and usury in
the District was considered. but post
poned to enable Senator Robinson OF
Arkansas further time to study it.
Cost Put at S6,400,0 900.
The property to be acquired under
the municipal center bill is expected
to cost approximately s6,400,000. AS
submitted to Congress, the bill only
provided for purchase of two squares
fronting on Judiciary Park. but the
committees of House and Senate took
the position it would be a short-sighted
policy to acquire only half Of the area
at this time.
Action also was completed this aft
ernoon on the bill authorizing the
Park and Planning Commission TO es-
tablish six additional bathing pools
in various parts of the city. when the
Senate passed the House bill without
amendment.
In presenting the municipal center
bill to the Senate committee, local
clTicials pointed out that the northern
Two squares would be sufficient to meet
the needs of the District for some time.
,Aha committee decided, however. that
the entire area should be taken at
Cnce
The first building contemplated to be
placed in the municipal center area is
ID house the police, municipal and Ju-
venile courts and the recorder Of deeds:
This building is tentatively estimated
to cost s4,700,000. The next structure
probably will be an administrative
DuuQl1R 10 IlOuSG lllOoc nCtlFiuiCo az
present located in the District Building
at Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, which must eventually be given
I'D as the Federal building program In
the triangle south of Pennsylvania ave-
rue is carried out.
An attractive architectural layout OF
these municipal structures is contem-
plated, with John Marshall place as
a central approach to the buildings
grouped on each side of it.
The sanitarium bill authorizes the
Commissioners to acquire site and
construct thereon suitable buildings for
use as children's tuberculosis hospital,
with 100000 as the limit of cost.
The Senate also passed and sent to
the House measure authorizing the
Commissioners to award gold and sill
yer medals annually to heroes in the
Police and Fire Departments. The bill
further provides that. other condi-
tons being equal, the holder OF one OF
these medals would have preference
when promotions are to be made.
Another measures passed by the Sen
ate was the joint resolution Of Senator
Tess of Ohio authorizing the American
Red Cross to erect a new Office build
ing on a part of the area it already
occupies, between Seventeenth and
Eighteenth streets, to take the place
Of temporary war structure now used
by the Red Cross.
The bill to provide for free text books
throughout the public school system
was taken up in the Senate, but when
1t appeared that the measure would
lead to debate, several Senators in
sisted that it be postponed for later
consideration.
Senator Hefiin stated when the bill
was taken up today that unless his
amendments were considered he would
ask that the bill be postponed. because
he wanted to have a vote on those
amendments. Several other Senators
then joined in requesting that the bill
be postponed if it was going to lead to
discussion.
The Senate also gave its approval to
the bill authorizing the Commissioners
to erect at a cost of S850,000 two high
temperature incinerators for the dis
posal Of city refuse. This bill has not
yet been acted on by the House.