Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
DISTRICT LIBRARY
ASKS 60 PER CENT
INCREASE IN FUNDS
$4,000 Bridge Over Kiln
gle Valley on Conn. Avenue
Also Is. Sought.
SPAN, WITH ROADWAY
OF so FEET IS URGED
Estimates of Two Departments Cite
Needs for Additional Money
in 1881.
SPAN. WITH ROADWAY

A new 100000 bridge over Klingle
Valley on Connecticut avenue and a
so per cent increase over the 1880 ap-
preparation for the District Public Lii
brary are called for in the estimates
of the Highway and Library depart
rnents for the fiscal year of 1881, sub
mitted yesterday to Maj. D. j. Donovan,
District budget officer.
The bridge plans call for a hand
some concrete arch structure, similar
to the bridge on Sixteenth street, across
Piney Branch. The original estimate
for this bridge, made some years ago,
called for $35o,000 for a span with
creased travel over Connecticut avenue
recently, however, caused a revision
of the estimates, which now call for
a bridge with a 60-foot roadway and
two footways eight feet wide.
The total estimates call for expendi-
lures totaling S4,416.1 100, as against
s3,906,690 appropriated for the 1880
fiscal year This will be divided as
follows: Alleys and sidewalks, 100000;
general repairs and maintenance. ST.
675, 900; sidewalks and curbs. $4,000.
Gas Tax Fund Uses Cited.
Under the gasoline tax fund: New
paving, S1,12o,000; curbs and cutters,
$3.50, 900 "a decrease Of $1,000; minor
changes in roads and sidewalks, $4,000
ca decrease of $4,000; gradings,
$4,000.
The estimates also call for $S7 $50
for reconstruction of the flooring Of
Ar1acostia Bridge over Eastern Branch.
The appropriation asked for salaries
and personnel is $228,420, compared
with $216,690 appropriated for the 1890
fiscal year. The estimates do not state
the specific section Of roadway to be
paved, repaired, opened or replaced with
the money asked for.
One of the omissions from the list
Is that of street widening projects. 1t
is expected that street widening work
will be held down to minimum in
the future. The appropriation act for
1880 was the first in several years not
to contain any street widening projects.
In nearly all the branches of library
work DIR. George 2. Bowerman. District
librarian In his request for more funds,
reported that the library is being Grip
pied because of lack of appropriations.
In speaking of request for an in
crease of his appropriation for pur-
chase of books and periodicals, Dr..
Bowerman wrote:
SAYS Cannot Answer Calls.
"The present fund does not admit of
purchasing hundreds of new titles on
subjects for which the library has many
calls, nor a reasonably sufficient num-
Der of copies of important books. 1t was
reported that at one branch a reader
was surprised to learn that the library
purchased new books, as she had seen
so few of them. Other agencies re-
port that readers have discontinued
coming to the library for the reason
that they are unable to secure the de-
sired books. 1t also Is not an uncom-
mon complaint that at the Public Lii
brary the book wanted is practically
unobtainable
THE collection of books required for
supplementary reading in the high
schools is inadequate throughout the
entire system. The stock of the schools
division is in desperate condition"
To remedy these conditions, Dr. Bow
erman asked for an increase in the
fund for purchase of books and periodi-
Gals from $50 900, as appropriated for
the 1921 fiscal year. to 500 $50 In ad-
dition, he asked an increase in the
allotment for binding from $4,000 to
$4,000. On account of the small ap-
preparation, he said, the binding work
is tagging behind the demand and many
popular books are being kept out of
service for long periods while waiting
to be bound.
Total Sought Is S6I9.II6.
DR.. Bowerman asked for a total sp-
preparation of S6I9.116. as against
1890, 900 for the 1880 fiscal year. In
Guided in the new items asked for are
2 site for a branch library In George
town. $4,000, and building for the
Northeast branch. $4,000. An item
for purchase of site for the North
east branch is carried in the 1920 ap-
preparation act.
For establishing new positions at the
main and branch libraries S34,355 is
asked. This would create is new full
time and six half-time positions at the
main library and II new positions in
the branch libraries. An increase in
the maintenance fund from sci $50 to
$35,111 is also asked.