Evening star., 1937-08-26
MARKHAM AWAITS
CHANNEL PAR[EY
Ready to Confer With D. C.
or Budget Officials on
Funds for Project.

Maj Gen. Edward M. Markham,
chief of Army Engineers, today re-
vsaled he stands ready to hold con-
ference with the District Commits
sioners or the Bureau of the Budget
or both-regarding the ALLEGATION of
funds for the improvement Of the
Washington Channel water front. The
project is marking time for lack of
funds.
.e IF officials feel that unusual cir
cumstances might warrant a change
In the Interpretation of the law, l
shall be glad to sit down around a
table and discuss the proposition with
them" Gen. Markham said II have
an open mind on the problem"
Gen. Markham returned to the city
yesterday following an inspection trip
that took him to New England to look
over number of food-control prof.
ects. His aides denied reports that
he had conferred with the Bud
get Bureau and that an agree
ment had been entered into un-
der which the Districts contribution
toward the $1,65O,0OO Washington
Channel water front improvement
program might be expedited. through
the municipality arranging to pay in
the immediate future only $4,000 of
Its share of s389,0o0 for the project.
Must Put Up Share.
Ordinary practice in the Corps Of
Engineers requires that a town, city,
county CT State must put up its share
Of financing a project first, under
"local cooperation" before the Fed
eral Government will disburse funds
for an improvement. This general
ruling has been laid down by Gen.
Markham in the case of the District
Government S share of $4,000 toward
the Washington Channel water front
program.
Some authorities here feel the Dis
trlct, however, is in different cate
CORY, inasmuch as Congress appro-
PIRATES funds for the municipality to
spend. Congress already has adopted
the Washington Channel improvement
project as an approved program after
the district engineer for the War De-
partment for the Washington area:
the division engineer at Richmond,
Va; the River and Harbor Board and
the chief of Army Engineers had in
dorsed the plans. Further, the Fine
Arts Commission and the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
eiNN, oIIoI Goio
lures to the plans
Commissioner HaZen was quoted
earlier in the week as saying an agree
ment had been worked out whereby
the Army engineers would accept pay
ment in annual installments as work
progresses, instead of requiring the
District government to put up $780,
900 Immediately, before the Federal
Government opens it's Golfers, as far
as the Washington Channel is con-
cerned
$285,000 Expenditure.
Maj. Walter D. Luplow, district en-
gineer for the War Department for
the Washington area, has said the
program calls for the expenditure OF
e285,000 for the first years work
That part Of the project relating to
the District government would come
In the third year, under the eight
year program. The reason that length
Of time has been mapped out for the
project is SO that the present occu-
pants along the Washington Channe
might be tnconvenienced as little q.
possible.
At present, Gen. Markham has $128,.
000, 900 authorized by Congress fol
expenditure for river and harbor i'm.
provements throughout the Nation
This money has been appropriated
in a lump sum and the War Depart
ment can distribute the funds as /,
sees fit and already great number
Of allocations has been made. It il
considered probable, however. that
funds would be available for ALLEGATION
to enable a start on the Washington
Channel water front to be made, il
Gen. Markham is convinced this
should be done Immediately.
The Secretary of War has to ap-
prove the ALLEGATION Of funds before
they become official, Army engineers
explained. Under the plan as worked
out by Maj. Luplow and his prede-
cessors, four yacht basins, commercial
wharves and other improvements
would be constructed along the Wash
1ngton Channel.