Evening star., 1934-06-28
Ickes Urges States to Join
to Eliminate River
Menace.
WORK ON BLUE PLAINS
SET.UP LAST4YEARS
80 Per Cent of Sum Is Outright
Grant-Project Long
Agitated.

Pubic WORKS Administrator lcKeS
today allotted s8,0O0,OOO in loan and
grant to the District of Columbia for
construction of its much needed
sewage disposal plant at Blue Plains.
The Secretary also called upon
Maryland and Virginia to make a
study of pollution of the Potomac
River. in an effort to meet the Dis
trict of Columbia half way in the
general program to end the menace.
Il sincerely hope the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission and
the City of Alexandria, Va. will in
terest themselves in this project, "
Secretary Ickes said as he made the
allotment. He then warned that "un-
satisfactory conditions in the river and
the Chesapeake Bay will not be recti-
fed" without such cooperation.
The allotment was made under the
new legislation permitting such
financing by the District which Presi-
dent Roosevelt signed yesterday after
noon. The legislation empowers the
Commissioners to borrow up to Sl0.-
100000 on a general P. w. A. pro-
gram, but there were no indications
that the remaining items on this
program will be approved at an early
date. The door however, is not closed
on them.
Grant Is s2.160, 900.
The P. w. A. grant to the District
under this allotment will amount to
approximately S2.16o 900 or 80 per
cent of the cost Of labor and ma
terial, which engineers have estimated
at s7,200.O00 The grant does not
have to be repaid, but the balance
Of the allotment will be repaid
through a provision which requires
that 10 cents of the regular tax rate
be set aside for such purposes.
Four years will be required to build
this huge sewerage disposal project
1t is estimated by the Public Works
Administration that the construction
will provide 100000 man-hours of
work or a daily average Of $40 work.
men on the site
Secretary Ickes' insistence that
Maryland and Virginia do something
on their part to prevent pollution con-
ditions in the Potomac draws atten-
ton to the situation effecting public
works ahotments to Arlington County
and the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission An allotment of
s2,500,000 to Arlington County for a
county sewer system was awarded
some time ago, but owing to county
politics and many differences Of opin-
ion, practically nothing has been done
in this respect. At the same time the
Public Works Administration called
attention to the fact that a $3.50, 900
allotment made to the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission for
the extension of primary water mains
and extensions to existing trunk line
sewers was rescinded at the applicants
own request.
Would Consider New Funds.
Secretary Ickes' statement today in
dicated that he would consider new
allotments to Arlington County and
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission if they could get together
with P. w. A. officials and agree to
terms. 1t was believed. however, that
the city of Alexandria is not in posi-
ton financially to do much in this
line.
In announcing the allotment to the
District, Secretary Ickes said that
construction of the sewage disposal
plant will be along lines recommended
by a special board of sanitary engi-
neers set up last September under a
$4,000 public works allotment. This
board made a study concerning the
treatment of the Districts sewage
THE District Commissioners have
informed me they regard the sewage
disposal plant as the most important
on their last of proposed projects. II
Mr.. Ickes said. Il concur in this
opinion and have asked the Commits
sioners to submit to the Public Works
Administration at the earliest possible
date their detailed plans for the plant
This project will go a long way
toward purifying the Potomac River
which is being ruined by pollution
Unsatisfactory conditions in the river
and on the Chesapeake Bay will not
be rectif1ed, however, until Maryland
and Virginia take steps to meet the
District half way l sincerely hope
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission and the city of Alex
andria. Va, will interest themselves
in this project"
The 100000 sewerage disposal
Continued on Page 2, Column 81