Evening star., 1938-08-14
P,W,A, EXPED|TES
SEVERAL DISTRICT
NDCONTRACTS
Papers on Applications to
Be Forwarded Soon to
Commissioners.
GLENN DALE'S 100000
EXPECTED AMONG FIRST
Studies Also Are Progressing on
Jail, Municipal Center and One
Of Library Branches.
BY NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.
Contracts covering several pending
applications for P. W. A. funds may
be forwarded to the Commissioners
soon as a result of the speeding up
process at the Public Works Admins
tration, which has accounted for 3.02s
approved non-Federal projects to date,
1t was learned last night.
A loan and grant of $780, 900 for a
200-bed addition and other improve
ments at the Glenn Dale tuberculosis
Sanitorium was expected to be among
the first approved of the remaining
local projects.
Engineering and financing studies
also are progressing satisfactorily, 1t
was learned. on pending projects as
follows: New Jail construction to cost
81 100000. the first unit of the pro-
posed Municipal Center. for which
$2,520,0O0 has been requested and one
of the three branches for the Public
Library
Engineer descriptions of these items
have been drawn up. indicating, Off
cials said. there will be something DO
ing" before long There has been no
ofhcial statement. however, on the
exact progress in the planning and
negotiations.
Gray Acting Administrator.
Definite action on one or more of
these items may be taken before Sec
retary of the Interior 1ckes returns
from / his Alaskan trip about Labor
Day. In his absence, Howard A.
Gray is acting administrator of the
p. w. A., clothed with full authority
to pass on all pending projects.
It was believed. however, that de-
cision on most of the Districts re-
naming applications will be postponed
until after Mr. 1ckes' return to WASH
ington. In some of these he has a
personal interest.
The last item for the District, pro-
viding q 100000 allotment for sew
age work for the penal institutions
at Lorton and occoquan. was approved
by Mr.. Gray shortly after the admin
istrator left the city.
The District has Jared we'll under
the P. w. A. program. Loans and
grants totalings $e.231 ,625 on a basis
Of Is per cent grants and s. per cent
loans have been approved to date
Contracts have been signed for
$2,800,000 worth Of construction work
involving the Municipal and Juvenile
Court. Buildings and an addition to
Gallinger Hospital. Other contracts
are nearing the point where they will
be signed.
D. C. Progress Swift.
Considering the fact that 3,028
projects requiring detailed examina-
ton and correspondence have been
passed on favorably within less than
40 working days since the 1888 P. w.
A. Act became law. the progress of
the Districts program has been amaz-
ingly swift. Formerly, officials said,
1t took from two to six months to
carry through the detailed studies and
examinations and to execute the legal
documents. Under the new proce-
dure. this period has been reduced.
The P. w. A. organization, benefiting
from former experiences, has been
geared up and procedure has been
simplined
The District Health Department.
IN making its recommendations for
the 1910 fiscal year yesterday. in
cluded a number of estimates for work
at the Glenn Dale tuberculosis
Hospital. Some of these items, in
cluded in the list Of applications made
for P. w. A. funds, were said to have
been approved" Mr.. Gray said last
night this seemed to be a mistake,
as no official approval has been
given them as yet. He explained.
however, that the Glenn Dale items
were now under consideration.
Their breakdown includes a 200-bed
addition, nurses home. apartment
house for 10 medical officers, six cot
tages for the families of personnel, and
improved roads. walks and grading.
Oficials said 1,300-bed capacity is
the ultimate aim at Glenn Dale, but
1t is not proposed to reach that maxi
mum now
Silent on Guard Arinory.
No information was obtainable at
the P. w. A. regarding the status Of
the Commissioners application of $2,-
100000 for a new National Guard
Armory. The project is regarded as
one OF the most important on the
list in view of the shabby quarters
of the Guard in the old National
Hotel, now owned by the District.
1t was learned yesterday that the
original proposed site for the new
armory has been changed. 1t is plan
ned in connection with the municipal
stadium at the extreme eastern end
OF East Capitol street. Plans origi-
nally called for an armory on the
north side of East Capitol street. It
has been changed to the south s;Ge.
If these plans are ever executed 1or
the development of the stadium prof.
ect, a sports building would be erected
on the north side.
The library program. which is said
to be under consideration, involved
100000 for construction of branches
on Conduit road; in Tenley. replac-
AiS du dUdIluOIlcO pOllCe StdJlOfl, ana
Anacostia. 1t was not known which
one of these three branches is involved
in present studies.
The municipal center project, nat
urally, is the most important on the
local list. 1t has been discussed for
years and the land already has been
acquired. This will certainly be cne
Of the local projects on which final
decision will rest with Secretary Ickes,
1t was believed The allotment re-
quested is to start the center, which
eventually will cost more. The work,
It was understood can be undertaken
In sections and the decisions respect
ing these. If the whole amount of the
allotment is not to be made, necessarily
will require much study.
The P. w. A. yesterday made grants
(see p. W. A., Page B-3.)