Evening star., 1935-09-08
IS MORE WORKERS
FOR UTILITIES UNIT
ASKED IN BUDGET.
Increase Held Essential for
Proper Regulation in
1887 Estimates.
COMMISSION REQUESTS
$113,200, $4,000 RAISE
Accounting Staff Enlargement Il
Held Essential to Restore
Book Checks
The addition of l6 employees to the

The addition Of 16 employees to the
staff of the Public Utilities Commits
sion Is essential to permit proper
utility regulation. the Commissioner:
are told in the 1887 estimates for thu
body, released yesterday by Budget
Oflcer Daniel j. Donovan.
The commission proposes first the
restoration Of 10 employees wiped out
by the wave Of economy In the fisca
year 1885 and was continued last
year. The addition Of six more il
needed II the commission Is to cope
successfully with its work, it de.
clared.
For all purposes the commission re-
quested appropriations totaling $ll3,'
200 as against $4,000 for this year
In justification for the $4,000 In.
gross revenues OF District utility ftrms
have increased from $11, 100000 ir
1918 to $43 900, 900 In 1894. The com.
mission staff of II Is now Of the size
it was in 1918. The commission
would raise 1t to 81.
New Employees Desired.
New employees would be two engi-
neers, two electrical inspectors, onA
valuation accountant, five accountants
one general investigator, two assistant
accountants, two clerks and one mes
Senger.
Enlargement of the accounting stafl
is vital since the commission has
been unable to make an annual check
of the books of the utility firms since
the economy salary cuts were levied
two years ago. it argues. II has had
to depend on statements submitted by
the companies.
Appointment OF the additional en-
gineers and inspectors would permit
the commission to re-establish regular
investigation of electrical and gas
meters, which now can be done only
in special instances with the present
staff.
The commission last year sought
but failed to get approval for the
general investigator. This employe
Is needed, the body states, to permit
the commission TO keep abreast Of
utility regulation methods and prin-
ciples and to make constant search
for progressive methods Of control.
Maj. Donovan also released esti-
mates for the ONCE Of National Cap
ital Parks, for reclamation of the
Anacostia River fats and for the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
Hearings Begin Tomorrow.
The District Commissioners tornor-
row will start hearings for depart
ment heads, In preparation for their
action on q proposed 1887 budget to
go to the Budget Bureau later this
month. The grand total of requests
Is $54,971,35l, an increase Of $l2..
764,736 over appropriations for this
year. Heavy slashes will be made in
many brackets to bring the expenses
down closer to expected revenues.
Maj. Donovan now is preparing q
financial review to show the present
condition and the anticipated reve.
nues In the next year. This will serve
partly as a guide to commission ac-
ton on the budget requests.
For National Capital Parks total
Of $1,127,320 is asked for next year
an increase of $22s, 800 over this year
The addition Of "a employees is sought
in salary requests, totaling $3.50, 900
an increase Of s11o,920. This would
permit employment Of Is more labor
ers, rs gardeners. % mechanics and
1 assistant foremen.
In Justification officials declare the
park acreage has increased SO per
cent in the past 10 years without any
commensurate increase In working
force.
Twelve additional park police are
urged. The present force Is unable
to cope with great amount Of petty
thefts and traffic problems, 1t was
said. For park police $197, 7,190 was
asked, as compared with $175,000 for
this year.
Appropriation Of $454,210 was
sought for general expenses, mainte-
nance and improvements, an increase
of $87,210. This would cover an in
crease from $4,000 to $42,600 in
sums for preparations for open-air
sports and band concerts, for which
demands have been increasing.
$4,000 Asked for Flats.
Completion of the Anacostia River
fats development in four years was
proposed in request for an appropri-
alton of $4,000 for 1887, three more
grants of equal amount to be approved
in the following three years.
The 1887 proposal would permit
completion of the northern section,
between Benning road and the Dis
trict line, officials said. This would
make the whole project 81 per cent
completed. The District already has
invested $3,500,00o in the program.
Citizens spokesmen have urged re-
yival Of work to hasten completion 30
the park can be turned over to public
use.
For the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission a total appro-
priation of $352,790 was asked. The
current appropriation Is 1887. 500.
The principal increase is for full
time city planner. OF the. grand total
s300,000 would be for the District
payment for park land extension
under the Capper -Cramton act.