The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-07-08
WHERE SOME OF THE SMALL
MONEY GOES

Senator Byru Oh virginia has Ueeh VII
covering some Gust few, as matter OF
fact) of the schemes used by the federal
government to scatter the taximoney of the
people of the United States. These schemes
are little ones, costing only millions; such
as "slum clearance" schemes and "'reset-
Element, but they are impressive object
lessons in scheming, dreaming, expert
menting and spending. In one of his public
statements Senator Byrd supplies this high
ly illuminating information:
"The general accounting office of the United
States government has just furnished me with the
official figures of cost of Tugwelltown, or Green
Belt, near Washington. This project comprises $50
units The cost per unit will be $l6,lS2, and per-
haps more This is not farming project 1t is for
city workers, yet the government purchased 12,S45
acres of land for ,119,957.79, a cost of $9O.72
per acre, an average of more than ID acres per
home. At Tugwelltown $456,60S.50 was spent for
landscaping; $120,s19.s1 for surveys and $685.
S5O17 for land preparation.
Every congressman and senator in Washington
should visit Tugwetown and see where more than
$4,000, 900 of public money has been spent.
"The Tugwelltown acreage might be compared
with other resettlement projects for farmers in
a,spby Virginia where the occupant must make his
. : = by farming. He too has from 10 to 20 acres
i'd
ffcial figures arc available also for the Jersey
.omestead project at Hightstown, n ]. The cost
there is $2O,16S per unit for each of 200 units, a
total of more than $4,OO0,0O0. The administrative
or overhead cost of this project reported by the
general accounting office was about $l,500,O00, or
nearly 40 per cent Of the total expenditures. 1t
should be added that the cost of the Jersey home
steads includes a garment factory on which has
been expended $t27, 1886 and concrete slab plant,
for construction of the buildings, which cost $685.
900. But even after these items are deducted the
average per unit cost in the Jersey hOmeseads will
exceed $4,000.
"In Virginia at Newport News, the Newport
News homesteads, for occupancy by colored peo-
pie, general accounting office figures show per
unit cost of $9,2S3 for 1853 units.
"Who will pay rental based on such excessive
costs as these when the actual value of the prop
critics is no more than a third Of the cost?
"Much money has been wasted in the name of
the emergency. What emergency exists neeessitat-
ing construction at government expense of homes
at 100000? The average value, by government
statistics, of all the homes in American cities is
$4,000.
more than 200 projects are being directed now
by the resettement administration, in all the states.
Much money can be saved yet by suspending the
program where construction has not actually been
started. This scheme as administered is without a
particle of common sense and it takes first prize in
wanton waste even in this era when the lavishneSs
of public spending has duled our consciousness to
ordinary extravaganza"
In the Green Belt resettlement project, to pro-
vide rural homes for workers in Washington more
than twice much spent for landscaping as for
water supply system and almost as much was
spent for sewerage system. 49,.
The figures, official as of May Is and made pub
lie yesterday, are: For landscaping, S456,6OS.5O;
water supply, $22S,ss4.77, and sewerage, $685.,
262.31. "Land preparation" cost S19S,s50.17 and
streets and roads, $23S,276s9.
Out of a total $10 446,0 S5.44 for land improve
mont and construction, SCOT S88.91 was for bust.
ness center and s2SSS67.oS for community Gen.
ter The ovearhead expenses of the Washington Of
fee charged against the project times called
Tuywelltown up to May 15,. totaied S116,0l3.72