Evening star., 1930-06-22
FUND BILL FAILURE
! DAN|GERNCREASES
Major Loss to Capital Would
Be $14,41o,0o0 for
Buildings.

1dE ulOES S6IlOuS Ifltln At
11rst anticipated win confront the Dis
ginning July /, II Congress fails to pass
i. the 1891 appropriations bill, officials of
the municipal government realized yes
terday after q more thorough study Of
the effect Of q substitute continuing
resolution.
The major loss viii be $14,410, 900
which the 1881 bill carries for build
ing projects and Improvements, and its
effect viii extend into virtually every
department of the District government.
Some win be harder hit than others,
but all Of them win suffer in some de-
gree.
Per Diem Pay Raise May Fail.
One OF the outgrowths of the study
was the discovery that the ONCE Of
the municipal architect virtually viii be
distntegrated. Another was the pos
sible postponement Of the salary in
crease promised to nearly 1900 per diem
workers, effective July /.
4 Since the municipal architects Of
flee Is financed largely on revenues ap-
propriated for construction work, the
loss OF appropriations for new building
projects will reduce its income and
probably result, 1t was said, IN the fur
Tough of about 40 of its employees, in
Guiding the highly trained and special
15ed drafting force. Three per cent
of appropriations up to $4,000, 900 for
new buildings Is collected by the munic-
ipal architects Office as a fee for prepa-
ration Of the plans. Appropriations in
excess Of 100000 produce fee Of
AZ per cent.
A continuing resolution, it was pointed
out, would provide but SOS 900 for
salaries for the personnel of the munic-
ipal architects eflce, permitting only
. skeleton force.
Blocks School Building Plans.
Tying up of the 1891 public school
building program alone, it was said, will
deprive the municipal architects of1ce
Of $46,50O in fees. Ten new school
buildings are provided in the 1891 bill,
the cost OF which would amount to ST.
550,000. OF this the municipal archi-
tect's ONCE would collect per cent.
The numerous other building projects
which would have to be delayed through
failure OF the appropriation bill to pass
would increase this sum materially.
whether the per diem employees could
be given their promised per cent in
crease on July / has not yet been def
nttely determined. The increase would
amount to 16 cents a day for some of
them and "a cents . day for others.
Omcials of the engineering depart
ment to which major portion of the
per diem workers are attached, feel
that since nearly all Of them are paid
cut Of the maintenance appropriation
tnere Is possibility that the increase
could be put into effect regardless OF
the outcome of the appropriation bill.
Maj. Daniel J. Donovan, auditor and
budget of1cer, VIII be asked to clear
up this question.
Highway Department Affected.
The highway department is another
that VIII suffer seriously under a con-
tinuing appropriation, and the result
VIII be reflected by the curtailment of
Al new paving work, for which the 1891
Dill carries more than 100000 Al
continuing appropriation would provide
only Tor street repair work, enabling
the highway department to keep in con-
dltlon existing street surfaces and road
ways.
water and sewer extensions would be
neld IN abeyance. The water depart
ment, hgweveF, sfe~was explained, prob
ably would be more seriously retarded in
Its work than the sewer department
since 1t has made plans to begin in
1sal q comprehensive five-year expan-
sion program designed TO modernize the
existing water system. The water de-
R@AtAA 0ACaOy 70 ia SERIOUS trouble
1or the lack OF funds. It exhausted its
Aoan appropriation for construction
wexk nearly two months ago and the
construction force of nearly 200 men
has been idle ever since. The mairte-
nance force Is working on a five-day
week schedule, the budgeted appro-
prtation for its operation having reached
. low ebb.
Refuse Service would Be Normal.
The department., it was said. prob-
ably could maintain normal service un-
DER the appropriation that a contin-
uing resolution would carry, since the
continuing resolution as introduced in
the House provides for the construction
OF the two h-temperature incinera-
tors. which constituted the refuse de-
partmsnts major items for new work in
If the bill fails OF passage. indica-
tions are that the Commissioners will
make strenuous efforts to have an item
inserted In the continuing appropriation
Tor $1,000. 600 to continue the acolIiSi-
ton OF property IN the Municipal Center
area The 1881 bill carries this sum
Tor the purchase Of additional property
10 the center, IN addition to an item
of $65.0o0 for the preparation of plans
and designs for the buildings to be
erected there. The inclusion of these
Items IN the continuing resolution also
would alleviate the condition that con-
fronts the municipal architects ONCE.
Failure Means Loss of Library.
Aside from the new school buildings
the failure of the appropriation bill
would mean the loss of the new North
eastern Branch Public Library for which
the 1881 measure carries $50 600 the
proposed new $500, 900 Connecticut ave
nue. bridge over Klingle Valley, the
children's tuberculosis sanitariun. the
new health school for colored children,
the farmers market and other smaller
projects.
The Traffic Bureau would lose the
$53,000 carried in the bill for the ex-
tension Of electric traffic signals. and
the police department the 25 additional
men provided in the bill as well as 18
new automobiles for the patrol force in
the outlying precincts. The police de-
partment also would be unable to carry
out the plans of Mai. Henry G. Pratt,
superintendent, TO promote I6 sergeants
70 heutenantss which would lead to the
promotion Of 80 other officers Of lower
rank.
The delay In building projects, street
paving, sewer and water service con-
StFucttous. II Is estimated, will throw
more than 1000 persons out Of work,
in addition to those alpeady on furlough
in various District agencies Nearly
one-half of these. it was said viii be
lahorers In the paving industry who
would ordinarily be employed on new
paving work. Another large group will
be idle because 81 600, 900 worth Of new
sewers carried in the budget will not
be constructed.
$50 New Places Would Be Empty.
More than $50 new positions created
in the appropriation bill also could not