Evening star., 1933-08-23
Believed S1,75s,50O Could
Be SaddIed on Capital if
Congress Desired.
ICKES' PROPOSITION
MAY BE PROTESTED
District Officials Await Formal
Word Before Commenting on
Reported "Conditions.'

ALLEGATION of 81 ,759, 500 to the District
from public works funds for sewer con-
struction has created a serious problem
for District officials as to whether they
can accept the ALLEGATION on the con-
dition attached to it by the Public
Works Administration.
In making public the ALLEGATION yes
terday. Secretary of Interior IckeS said
it would be left to Congress to deter
nina the division of the funds as be-
tween the District and the Federal Gov
ernmSnt.
If It should turn out that Congress
the District of Columbia, it is regarded
as a certainty that the District could
not Spefld the money.
District officials would not speak for
publication on the subject today because
they hate not received any word from
the Public Works Administration that
the allotment has been made.
No Authority to Borrow.
Should the administration insist on
leaving the division of the funds up
to Congress, however. it is believed
this would put the Commissioners in
the position of borrowing Federal
money which they have no authority
to do. Independently of this point,
however, the state of the Districts
finances would not allow the inclusion
of such q large sum for sewer con-
struction IN any one year.
It is expected that after the Com
missioners are officially notified of the
ALLEGATION they will take the matter
up with the Public Works Administra-
ton and see if they can straighten 1t
out.
The items approved by the Public
Works Administration are all projects
of some years standing. one of them
going back to wartime days. This one
is the northeast boundary sewer extern
sion for which the Public Works Ad-
ministration approved an expenditure
of s853,000. This project was inau-
gurated by Newto:l D. Baker when he
was Secretary of War in the Wilson ad-
ministration. He objected to the flow
of sewage into Lake Kingman. then
being developed by Army engineers
working on the Anacostia Flats recla-
nation project. He recommended con-
struction of a sewer which would divert
storm water overflow into the Ana
costa River at point south of King
man Lake. This project calls for the
construction of 1880 feet Of 22-inch
span sewer and 2.o35 feet Of triple sec
ton sewers with 10 by 18 inch sections.
TldIlS CUulu dIlO tllC "Oih
undertaken within six months and the
sewer completed within l8 months after
that.
Piney Branch Project.
The Piney Branch relief sewer, for
which the Public Works Administration
approved an expenditure of S400, 900, is
intended to relieve the oft recurring
nuisance at the intersections of Fifth
and Ingraham streets, Seventh and
Hamilton streets and Arkansas avenue
and Delafleld place, which flood in
heavy transforms. The floods besides
wrecking a good deal of the sewer de-
partment's property invade the base
ments of homes in these sections and
add considerable damage to private
property. There have been five severe
floods in recent years, the worst occur
ring June %, 1929
The project designed to relieve this
situation takes the form of a sewer 9
feet inches in diameter, 1900 feet long
from Iowa and Arkansas avenues 20
Fifth and Ingraham streets by way OF
Arkansas avenue. Galatin street. Ninth
street and Ingraham street All of the
sewer would be in public property with
the exception of one small part cross
ing section owned by the Chesapeake
g. Potomac Telephone Co. 1t is esti-
mated that this job could be started in
about there months and that it would
taken year after that to complete.
The SAC, 900 item approved for study
of sewage disposal plant for the District
results from a recommendation recently
made by the United States Public Health
Service after a careful survey of pollu-
tion of the Potomac River. The Public
Health Service reported that with the
normal increase in sewage TO be expect
ed from an increase in pop$ation in the
city, nuisances now existing near sewers
which empty into the river will be great
ly intensified. not only prohibiting fish
life in several parts of the river, buG
making it impossible to bathe in, the
river with safety during the Summer
months.
Sewage Treatment Plant.
The cost of a sewage treatment plant,
together with the cost of the necessary
connection with sewer lines, has been
estimated at between S8,000,000 and
1925 000 and in view of the necessity
for careful planning for such an enor
nous expense the Public Health Serv-
ice recommended that an advisory board
be set up with authority to obtain the
best expert advice in the study of prepa-
ration of plans for such plant before
any work be undertaken on it.
The smallest of the items, $4,000 for
the Upper Potomac Park interceptor. Is
one Which probably will find its way
into the 1885 estimates even if no
public works money is allotted for it.
This would complete the last link of
sewer located along the north shore
OF the Potomac between Rock Creek and
the District line, designed to intercept
sewage discharging directly into the
Upper Potomac River. The section
which would be built is in the line of
Newark street between the chesapeake
& Ohio Canal and Conduit road.
This is the job which could be
got under way soonest. 1t is expected
that construction could be started
about September l and finished six
months thereafter.
Anacostia Undertaking.
The Anacostia main intercepter eX-
tension, for which the Public Works Ad-
ministration approved expenditure OF
S23I.OOO, has the double purpose of
fntercepting crude sewage which now
discharges into the Anacostia River.
and by diverting this to the outfall
eliminating a nuisance now in that
river. It will also provide an outlet
for Maryland sewage originating in
the vicinity of Bladensburg.
This sum includes $4,000 for the
construction of a pumping station nee
essary for operation of the sewer.
The outfall sewer extension from
Boiling Field to the site of the proposed
sewage treatment works for which the
Public Works Administration approved
S220,500 is project which will not be
put Immediately into operation, but
which must be built in connection with
the establishment of a sewage treat
ment plant It could be started in six
x.,oaald fako q Y1a0YafhS 70