The Washington times., 1937-01-01
VITAL CHANGES
IN D. {. STAFF
MADE IN 80

Marked Dy numDeT OF iii
portant changes in personnel az
irksome problem of financing the
municipality and settlement of
several important utilities mat
terS, the year 1885 will not be for
gotten soon by the District govern.
ment.
The year was but two months
old when venerable William P.
Richards. who had been in the
District service for more than 40
years and was its best beloved en-
ploye, retired from the office Of
Tax Assessor, a post which he
held for more than 20 years.
Fighting off political pressure,
the Commissioners filled this po-
Sition by the promotion of Fred
Allen, who had been in the mu-
nicipal employ for more than IS
years and was deputy assessor IN
charge of real property.
Insurance Post Filled
On the same day that Allen was
promoted, the city heads named
j. Balch Moor, possessor of strong
political backing from the Texas
delegation, to he superintendent
of insurance to succeed John A.
Marshall, who took over the reins
as executive director Of the District
Unemployment Compen a tt o n
Board.
In March, E. Barrett Prettyman
rendered his resignation as Cor
poration Counsel and entered pri-
vate practice of law. This was fol
lowed by months Of campaigning
by aspirants for the position, each
possessing strong political pull"
The race narrowed down to Assist
ant Corporation Counsel Edwood
H. Seal, backed by Virginia's
Senator Carter Glass and Peoples
Counsel William A. Roberts.
Commissioner George E. Allen,
whose duty it was to nominate
Prettyman's successor, favored the
appointment of Public Utilities
Commissioner Richmond B. Keech,
but was forced to bow to the wishes
of Democratic party powers and
Seal got the job in August.
Roberts Quits Job
Two months after Seal took Of
flee, Roberts resigned as Peoples
Counsel and this position since
has remained vacant.
The most trying of all municipal
problems which confronted the
city fathers was that Of financing.
Several committees were named
to improve on collection of back
taxes and to devise new avenues
to obtain revenue. Auditor Daniel
]. Donovan predicted that at the
end of this fiscal year-next June
30-the city will be $3,000,000 ''in
the red" Increased taxation to
make up the deficit appeared i'm
minent while the city heads
pledged themselves to fight for
a larger Federal contribution than
the present $5,000,000 lump sum.
President Roosevelt appointed
special committee to work out a
more equitable Federal-District
governments fiscal relationship.
Headed by J. L. Jacobs, Chicago
tax and efficiency expert, the COM
mittee conducted public hearings
and made studies of muniipal prob
lens during the last three months.
all in preparation for report to
be made at the coming session of
Congress.
Utility Rates Cut
The Public Utilities Commission
started off the year by gaining
favor with the public through re-
ductions in gas, electric and tele-
phone rates. The commission
held a hearing on mass transpor-
tation problems, ordered a tenta-
tive street car rerouting program
involving a number of track re-
placement work in the downtown
section and also ordered improve
ment in bus ventilation and pas
senger load limits on busses.