Evening star., 1937-09-22
Warns Commissioner Hazen
in Letter After Engineers
Make Sewage Survey.
SUM EXCEEDS REVENUES
FROM FIRM TEN TIMES
Secretary Reminds Officials of Ef-
fort to Reduce School and
Public Service Costs.


Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen that
sewage from the proposed Benning
plant would entail minimum annual
operating cost to the District of $55, 900
at the new disposal plant, or about 10
times the amount Of taxes possibly
collected from Adolf Gobel, Inc.
He reminded the Commissioners that
this wide margin in costs and taxes
would come at time when the Dis
trict was reducing school and public
service costs in trying to work out, as
they claim, a scientific or equitable
method OF overhauling the local tax
burden"
The Secretary's letter to Hazen
said:
Following up suggestions made at
the conference you recently called to
investigate the effect of the proposed
Benning slaughter house on the Dis
trict's new sewage disposal plant, the
Engineering Division of the Public
Works Administration has made a
study of the costs taxpayers OF the
District would be called upon to bear
In order to handle the industrial waste
to be discharged by this slaughter
house into the city sewer system.
Il have been informed by the engi-
neers who made this study that if the
proposed slaughter house should oper-
ate at half of its capacity, the sewage
from this plant alone would entail an
annual operating cost to the District
OF approximately $55,O00 at the new
disposal plant. In addition it would
mean that the pollution in the Poto-
mac River. which the Public Works
Administration sought to diminish
through providing funds for the dis
posal plant, would be stepped up
equivalent to an increased population
OF the District of 10000 people.
In order to stay within absolutely
incontrovertible limits, this engineer
ing study was based on half of the
capacity Of the proposed slaughter
house as shown by the plans filed at
the District Building. II the full ca
pacity of the plant were to be fig
ured it would mean doubling these
estimates. In any event it now ap-
pears that II this plant goes into
operation the District can expect a
cost ranging anywhere from $4,000
to $4,000 annually for the treat
ment OF its sewage. In addition, there
would be the matter of properly cov-
erlng Piney Run to overcome excess
sive pollution problems, ny and mos
quito infestation.
Il am informed that the District
could expect the plant to pay ap-
proximately $4,000 year in taxes. In
otner words, 1t would cost the Dis
trlct annually at least 10 times the
amount 1t would receive in taxes IN
take care OF ordinary sewer services
Tor the plant. For the privilege of
having a noxious nuisance at a gate
way 70 the city, the people of the
DHtrlct OF Columbia would be called
upon to pay at least $50.0O0 a YEAR
and possibly 100000 for the treat
ment OF sewage alone.
The engineering study in addition
indicates that the requirement TO,
secondary treatment of sewage at the
Blue Plains plant would be advanced
from three to five years. Secondary
treatment installed is estimated tn
cost at least $3,oo0.o 900, which the peo-
pie OF the District would be called upon
to pay.
You Will recall that at the time the
Dlstrlct Commissioners originally e.
quested the Public Works Administra-
tlons assistance in sewer construction
thls secondary treatment was included
subsequently the Commissioners re-
quested that on the basis of economy
Such secondary treatment not be IN,
oertaken at this time. acceded to the
request OF the Commissioners. I have
not been informed that budget condi-
lions nave changed. In fact. am in
formed that the District Commission.
ers found 1t necessary to cut from sis .
ooo'ooo to $18,000,000 from the budget
estimate Of the District for 1889. and
tnat estimates for District schools and
Tor the Board of Public Welfare must
be heavily curtailed."
I was also interested in your state.
ment that the Commissioners have
oroered an overhauling If the Dis
trlct's tax structure with a view to
working out a more scientific and
equitable program for the Congress-
to consider in this connection. It oc-
ours to me that any action bv the
District Commissioners which would
permit one corporation to impose upon
the District burden of $55.OO0 for
the treatment Of its industrial waste
alone, while at the same time it con-
tributes only $4,000 or $4,000 in Dis
trlct revenues, could hardly be termed
scientific or equitable. It seems to
me that the children of the District
schools could benefit from such 4
sum with more profit to the COM
munity than could the pigs on a stick
ing rail In slaughter house.
Il think that it Is only fair that the
people Of the District of Columbia
should realize what is in store for
them in the way Of footing q bill to
care Tor sewage disposal for a slaughter
house corporation.
Il am therefore calling to your
attention the bill introduced in the
last Congress by Representative Col
Inns Of Mississippi, providing for
sewage taxation on the basis OF use
OF the District sewer facilities. Per-
haps such q measure would be Of ma
tertal aid in meeting this situation. +"
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