Evening star., 1939-02-12
.Hazen Lists DC.
Needs for New
P.W.A.Grants
Ready to Press for
$4,000, 900 Projects
In Proposed Program
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

today enumerated future public
works needs for the District and
said he was strongly in favor OF
getting in on the ground floor of
any future program" in the event
Congress authorizes further aid for
municipal construction.
The District benefited to the eX-
tent of $18,150,000 worth of author
lied construction in the 1888 P. w. A.
program, but Mr.. Hazens immedl-
ate interest was directed toward ap-
proximately sl0,000,000 worth of
left over" projects, some Of which
he said are highly desirable and
essential He was aware, he said.
of the probability that Congress
might vote another P. w. A. program
to start after June 30, 1910, or
establish permanent policy for
public works as recommended by the
Byrnes Unemployment Committee.
The list of District projects on file
at P. w. A. were included among
5,807 applications for projects cost
ing Sits ,510,286, which Administra-
tor Ickes forwarded recently to the
Senate in response to resolution.
The Senate desired information as
to pending applications which might
be eligible for allotment If an ad-
ditional appropriation was provided.
Municipal Center Tops List.
Topping the list of District appli-
cations is one for a S5,700,000 loan
and grant to complete the munich
pal center, which was started under
the 1888 program. This sum would
be very desirable" Mr.. Hazen said,
but I feel that the sale of the eX-
isting District Building, valued at
about s5,000,000, should be involved
before We obligate ourselves to fin
ish the municipal center" The Fed
eral Government should be able to
find use for the District Building,
he said. or perhaps a reasonable
trade in could be arranged.
Any future P. w. A. program in
the District, Mr. Hazen said, should
give priority to the three public
health centers which we're omitted
from the former program because
of the $4,000 900 authorized for sew
age works in connection with anti
pollution measures. One health CEN
ter is authorized in the regular ap-
preparation bill and the "lefr over"
P. w. A. application calls for loan
and grant of s240,0OO for the others.
Guard Armory Backed.
The S1,500000 National Guard
Armory project, also omitted from
the program now under construc-
ton. would be reapproved with the
backing of the Commissioners. The
proposed s1,054 900 loan and grant
for extension of the Fort Drive en-
circling the city is another must
project on any future local program.
District officials realize P. W. A.
funds for the drive extension would
cut the time in which it could be
completed through the ordinary
channels by number of years.
The local list of projects also con-
tains an item of $4,000 for the
branch public libraries which have
long been sought. Other items in
clude s55,455 for highway depart
ment garage and s120,000 for i'm
provements at the Glenn Dale Tu-
berculosis Hospital.
Next in importance to the pro-
posed health centers. Mr. Hazen said,
is the need for central warehouse
and garage. This is not provided for
in the regular District appropriation
bill, but the need for it is so urgent.
Mr.. Hazen said, that it certainly
should be included in any future
P. w. A. program.
The warehouse has been under
study for a long time and recently
was made the subject of a report.
Mr.. Hazen said he was looking for
ward to the time when the District
would have to vacate the Ford
Building on Pennsylvania avenue.
Two floors and half of another floor
in this building are being used now
for warehouse purposes. The Elec-
trical Department, which supervises
the traffic lights, also occupies the
top floor.
| Storage Space Now Scattered.
Existing facilities for warehouse
purposes are not only inadequate,
Mr.. Hazen said, but are also scat
tered over the city. Any central
warehouse recognized also should
provide ample space for municipal
garage.
P. w. A. officials, it Is known,
would welcome the opportunity to
assist the District in building a CEN
trail warehouse for very obvious
reason. During the last year or
two the suggestion frequently has
been made that the old slaughter
house site at the east end of the
Benning Bridge would be an ideal
location for a warehouse and one
of the few good uses to which the
site could be put. The suggestion
was first made when the former
P. w. A. Housing Division and Ad-
ministrator Ickes were bringing
pressure to bear on the Commits
sioners to deny permit to the Adolf
Gobel Co., which had planned to re-
build a slaughter house there. For
the last year the company has made
no further attempt to build.
All public works authorized in the
1900 pIOSidIll dlc chpcSICu w Uc
completed by June 80, 1910, the dead
line which Congress set. Pressure
already is being brought to bear on
Congress to provide for perma-
nent public works policy; a policy
which Mr.. Ickes advocated vigor-
ously in addressing the National
Radio Forum last Monday.
The 5,807 applications in the list
forwarded recently to the Senate
represent construction work fol
which municipalities in every State
have indicated they are willing tc
pay IS per cent Of the construction
cost. They represent 5807 "disap-
pointments" and for this reason
constitute persuasive argument fol
cleanup" program of Federal as
sistance
The presidential election in No.
vember, 1910, a few months after
the present P. w. A. program is sup.
| u - Ill