Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-03-23
ADDITIONAL FUNDS
FOR D. c. PROJECTS
URGED BY CITIZENS
Civic and Business Leaders
Present Appeals Before
House Subcommittee.
BOARD OF TRADE ASKS
CHAIN BRIDGE SURVEY
Anacostia Span, School, Library
and Street Improvements
Listed.

or more public Improvements not pro-
vidcd in the 1885 District budget eSti-
mates were made by WashingtCn's
civic and business leaders today during
an executive hearing before the House
subcommittee on appropriations.
The requests covered chiefly new
school, bridge playground library and
street projects.
The Washington Board of Trade,
represented by George C.. Shinn and
DR.. Llewellyn Jordan of the Bridge
Committee, urged appropriations for
engineering studies for replacement Of
Chain Bridge and the Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge across the Anacostia
River, in addition to $4,000 for re-
placing the viaduct across the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad tracks in
the line of Eastern avenue northeast,
between Rhode Island avenue and
Bladensburg road.
Endorse Survey.
A. w Lee and Vernis Absher of the
Randle Highlands Citizens Associa-
ton supported the proposed Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge project and
George L. Lee of the Rhode Island
Avenue Citizens Association Endorsed
the Eastern Avenue Bridge survey.
The appeal of the trade body for
funds for an engineering study for the
proposed Chain Bridge replacement
was supported by E. R. King Of the
Conduit Road Citizens Association,
who submitted an eight-page brief to
the subcommittee citing various rea-
sons why the antiquated structure
should be replaced
The subcommittee was told the en-
gineering survey for replacement of
Chain Bridge could be made for
$4,000, while the survey for replacing
the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge
would cost about $4,000.
Hazard Accentuated.
The brief of the Conduit Road
tCtizens Association pointed out that
the steel and iron construction of
Chain Bridge has been subjected to
the ruinous effects of the elements
for so years and that the full amount
of depreciation which has been caused
by rust and decay is incapable OF
precise determination because of the
impossibility Of making necessary
inspection. This circumstance. the
report declared, tends to accentuate
the hazard Of continued use of the
bridge"
In connection with the Chain Bridge
request. it was disclosed by E. A.
Schmidt of the United States Engi-
neer's Office for the District. that in
removing the old Aqueduct Bridge it
was discovered that steel in the spans
was in a crystalized condition and
would snap like cast iron. Simply as
an experiment. he said. some of tie
steel girders were dropped from
height of about 10 ieet, and instead
of buckling, as steel should do, they
cracked or broke Tie ACueduct
Bridge was erected in 1889 and Chain
Bridge in 1874 Schmidt questioned
whether the steel in Chain Bridge.
which has been exposed to the ele-
ments much longer, would react SINH
larly under a test.
Capt H. C. Whitehurst, director of
highways in the District. was queS-
the condition of Chain Bridge. He
testified that recent engineering in
vestigationS showed the span to be
structurally safe under the present
6-ton load limitation He ridiculed
reports that the bridge might collapse
Unexpectedly.
Urge School Items.
Delegations urging additional school
items we're headed by Mrs. Julia
Robertson of the Eliot Junior High
School Parent-Teacher Association.
She appealed for an addition to the
Eliot School. Mrs. Leslie B. Wright
and w A. Jump requested funds for
an addition to the Alice Deal Junior
High School, and Mrs. Richard Hogue
of the American Association of Uni
versity Women and Mrs. Edward
Chaplin requested funds for needed
improvements at the DenniSon School.
Erection of a field house at Palisades
Park was asked by Mrs. Joseph R.
Lyddane and Mrs. c. E. Robb. Mrs.
Mabel Hubbel of the Kenilworth
Community Council told of necessary
improvements in the playground SyS-
ing of M street and also stressed the
need of a traffic light at the inter-
section of Nineteenth and M streets.
Funds for the education of war
orphans were requested by Maj. Gen.
P. c. Harris, U. S. A, retired.
other Witnesses to Appear.
The afternoon session of the sub
group of other witnesses. These in
clude Dorsey w. Hyde. jr.. chairman
of the Georgetown Public Library
Association, who will request funds for
construction of the proposed George
town Branch Public Library; E.
Claude Babcock, president of the
American Federation of Government
Employees, who will discuss salaries
paid emergency relief workers; j. M
Schaffer, president of the Southwest
Citizens Association. who will seek
funds for completion of the purchase
of site for the new Jefferson Junior
High School; c. M. Charest, president
of the Foxhall Village Citizens Asso-
citation, who will appeal for funds to
widen Foxhall road from Reservoir to
Conduit roads; Mrs. Hugh C. Wallace.
who will appeal for funds for the
Home for Incurables; Mrs. Belle Cut
Ter Parker of the West End Citizens
Association, who will stress the need
of new elementary school in that
section; James G. Yaden, president of
the Federation of CitiZeCs' Associa-
tons. who will ask for increased ap-
preparations for the Community
Center Department of the public
schools, and DR.. George l.. johnson
of the Southwest Civic Association,
who will recommend establishment of
an additional fire company in the