Evening star., 1933-02-23
LAND CONDEMN|NG
CHANGE IS URGED.
Senators Favor New Method
for District at Hearing
on Bill.
Continued From First Page.)


The Children's Sanatorium is sched-
uled to be ready for occupancy before
the end of the fiscal year 1894 and re-
quest was made to raise from $25, 900
to $4,000 the amount for beginning
its operation. While DR.. Edgar A. Bocock,
superintendent of Gallinger Hospital,
was testifying as to the need for re-
placing items for that hospital cut out
in the House, Senators Copeland and
Bingham inquired about the status of
the new contagious disease building for
which Congress made an initial appro-
priation of approximately 100000 at
the last session. 1t developed that the
budget as submitted this year did not
carry the $290900 more needed to
complete the building, which is ex-
pected to be started during the COM
ing fiscal year.
There were indications this might be
inserted. Senator Copeland called at
tention to the need also for more space
for the maternity wards and Commis-
sioner Reichelderfer said that would be
included in the hospitals next building
project.
Request was made to restore the
budget recommendation of $48,330 for
operation of child hygiene stations. The
committee was told the House reduc-
tion to $45, ZOO would mean the closing
of two of the IL stations. Another
request was to restore the original
allowance tor dairy farm inspectors.
Officials Explain Needs.
All day yesterday District officials
explained in detail the need for nu-
merous items throughout the District
service that had been allowed by the
Budget Bureau but reduced by the
House, with the result that if the
measure should become law in its pres
ent form there would be a large sur
plus of District tax money in the
Treasury at the end Of the next fiscal
year.
While the subcommittee will not de-
eide how much it will restore to the
bill until the hearings end. members
displayed sympathetic interest toward
the testimony, particularly on items
that would keep working men employed
If restored to the bill.
The condition Of the gasoline Tx
fund for street paving furnished a
notable example of this interest on the
part of Senate members. 1t was
brought out during the testimony that
there would still be a large balance in
the gas tax fund at the close Of the
fiscal year 1884 even If the Senate re-
stores the amount slashed from this
paving fund by the House. This
prompted Chairman Bingham to re-
quest Auditor Donovan to confer with
the Budget Bureau with view to sub
mitting an additional list of residential
streets that could be paved during the
coming year, If the Senate Committee
should determine to include them. This
list would be in addition to few paw
ing items the Commissioners recon-
mended for inclusion in the bill yes
terday.
Gas Tax Paving Item.
As passed by the House the bill car
ried only $1,741 $50 for gas tax paving
The Commissioners asked the Senate
to restore this to the Budget Bureau
recommendation of s2,321 $50, an in
crease of S580,000. Questioned by COM
mittee members, Donovan said the gas
tax fund would have balance OF
$700,O at the end of next year, under
the budget figure. and a balance OF
81 ,280 900, under the House bill. Wher
1t was brought out by questions that
there are no strictly residential street
paving jobs proposed, but only few
arterial highways and streets near the
southeast inciuerator Senator Bingham
inquired why no residential streets were
recommended in view of the anticipated
surplus in the gas tax fund. Auditor
Donovan and Highway Engineer White
hurst explained that when the pending
estimates were being prepared it was
not known that gas tax collections would
be as large as developed later. 1t was
at this point that Bingham requested
the auditor to arrange for the prepara-
ton of supplemental list of other
paving jobs.
Earlier in the day Senator Copeland
urged that gas tax money be not allowed
Ito rust in the treasury" pointing out
it could not be used for any other
purpose.
Engineer Commissioner Gotwals ap-
pealed to the committee to restore the
limit of cost for the new Calvert Street
Bridge to $1,250,000, which the House
cut to $750,000. He also asked that
the portion of this total to be spent the
first year be put back to $685. 900, in
stead of $500000. He said the plans
are completed, but that there is little
prospect of being able to enter into a
contract on the reduced limit of cost
and that the present bridge Is badly in
need of replacement.
Several Senators expressed a desire
to include also new P street bridge
over Rock Creek and the discussion of
a possible gas tax surplus led them 10
suggest that it might be done from that
fund. Senator Copeland said that 1t
would spread the traffic load on othe"
arteries. Capt. Whitehurst said a P
street bridge would cost $3.50, 900, and
that an additional sum would be needed
to complete proposed park highways
under this bridge.
Gas Rate Importance.
Senator Capper asked Donovan how
District officials regarded the
bill pending in the Senate which seeks
to raise the gasoline tax rate from to
3 cents a gallon. Donovan explained
the purpose of that bill is to transfer
certain general expenses of the city to
the gas tax fund. When a member of
the committee suggested that if this
bill were enacted it would be possible
to build the P street bridge and the
park roads under it, Senator Bingham
replied: I'VE could do that even if it
did not pass" Senator Bingham in
dicated at yesterdays hearing he
thought the gas tax money already be-
lIlS Illl&Cl Il1C RlSSSllI IdJG
should be appropriated for the benefit
of those who pay the tax.
While DR.. Frank Ballou, superintend-
ent of schools, was explaining the
school estimates. Senator Glass of Vir-
ginia attacked the provision written
into the House bill which seeks to set
aside the laws under which non-resi-
dent pupils are admitted to District
schools without tuition. The House
ban would not apply to pupils enrolled
in the local schools on the date of the
of this appropriation bill, but
would prevent new admissions Sec
tions of the District Code provide for
the admission without charge of chill
dren whose parents are in the Army or
Navy, or employed in the District. Sen
ator Glass said it is argued by advo-
Gates of this restriction in the House
bill that this question involves an esti-
mated cost of $240,000 in addition to
what would otherwise be needed, and
he asked DR.. Ballou: Are you willing
to subtract $240000 from your total il
this is done?" DR.. Ballou said he was