Evening star., 1933-05-22
D. c. BUILDING AID
IN PUBLIC WORKS
MEASURE STUDIED
Some Local Projects Be-
Iieved Eligible for Financing
Through Bond Issue.
GRANTS ARE ALLOWED
UP TO 800 OF COST
Municipal Center Is Among Items
Listed by Gotwals Which May
Receive Help of U. S.

District officials today began a study
of the possibilities of financing urgent
ly-needed local projects through the
Federal public works measure now be-
fore the House Ways and Means Com
mittee, under which So, 800, ,0o0,O0 would
be made available through bond is
sue
1t appeared rather certain to local
officials who have made cursory study
OF the pending measure, that certain
local projects could be financed through
the huge public works bond issue, sub
ject to approval of the agency to be
vested with authority over ALLEGATION
Of the funds, if such procedure is found
to be desirable.
The District of Columbia is specific
ally mentioned in one section Of the
bill dealing with public works of q
character designed to increase employ
ment quickly. Under this section, the
Federal Government would be empow-
cred to make grants up to as much as
80 per cent of the total cost of such
projects.
ID. C. Could Benefit.
Since the administrator of the pub
lie works program also would be en-
powered to make loans for public build
ing projects, low-coSt housing and slum
clearance projects and other works of
interest to the general public, it ap-
peared to officials here that the Dis
trict could benefit from the general pub
lie works objectives of the measure
The District government has reached
no definite decision in the matter, but
1t was revealed today that Maj. John
G. Gotwals, Engineer Commissioner, has
S. Grant, director of the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission, re-
garding local projects possibly subject
to such financing.
Maj. Gotwals listed informally a
number of outstanding projects which
might be recommended for financing
through the public works program.
Among those mentioned are the Mu-
nicipal Center, for which he listed
possible appropriation of s5,000,000 to
start construction Of the huge new
home for the District government.
This project has been halted by the
straitened financial condition of the
District. Virtually all the site, between
Third and Sixth streets, and between
Pennsylvania and Indiana and Louis
lana avenues, has been acquired for this
project.
Other Items Listed.
Other items tentatively listed includ-
ed the proposed new AnacoStia Junior
High School, to cost about S400 900;
the contagious ward building for Gal
linger Municipal Hospital, $540, 900; the
Georgetown branch library, $50, 900;
q small mammal house at the Zoo,
$3.50, 900; the new Calvert Street Bridge.
about 81 100000, and the new P Street
Bridge, about $250,000.
The possibility of proceeding with
elimination of alley dwellings here un-
der the Federal public works financing
program also was raised by Col. Grant
at a recent hearing on that matter
before a Senate committee.
Mai. Gotwals also mentions posi-
bility of financing proposed District
sewage disposal plant under the public
works program bond issues, but ex-
planned that this was unlikely, since the
preliminary studies as yet have not
been made. Also, he pointed out last
week, the disposal plant matter does not
appear to be Of urgent character and
probably would not be for a number of
years.
The other items mentioned by the
Engineer Commissioner already have
reached the planning stage.