Evening star., 1939-08-07


at after marking off $559,0O0 for
land transferred to the Agriculture
Departments research center, $780,
900 for surplus supplies sold or trans
ferred and miscellaneous relatively
small items. At times Treasury
debts against Greenbelt have ap-
proximated SIS 100000, and that is
how that general figure gained wide
acceptance. although it was never
given as an official cost total.
At the moment complete amortiza-
ton of the 1894 ,4O6 appears re-
mote, to say the least Current oper-
ating expenses of Greenbelt IMAM
agement, maintenance, taxes and
insurance. from the time the initial
families moved in two years ago,
come late September, to July /, 1899,
exceeded collections by $7l .699. The
totals were s563,910 and S492 ,699 re-
spectively.
Greenbelt officials will point out
Immediately that during the last
fiscal year, with near-full occupancy
throughout, rent collections of s376,-
750 topped current operating costs
by $49,646. But this paper profit
makes no allowance for deprecia-
ton, amortization or even payment
of interest on investment. One per
cent interest alone would come to
$133, ,944.
Labor jor Item.
The major building expense item,
of course, was for salaries and labor
-s8, 8,3O5, 1888. F. S. A. authorities say
that fully half this amount may be
marked off to inefficiencies and
added costs involving employment
and transportation of relief workers
from nearby counties. Other larger
items are $3,926,915 for land i'm
provement and construction costs,
exclusive of labor and salaries, and
$500 900 for planning.
Several additional years of main
tenence will be required before the
soundness of the Resettlement Ad-
ministration's theory of 60-year, one
third depreciation on Greenbelt's
houses can be determined. Briefly,
the theory was that the individual
units (Which cost an average of from
$1,000 to $4,000, depending on the
method of calculation and the atti-
tude of the calculator toward the
projecO would last three times as
long as ordinary houses because of
the excellence of materials and con-
struction. Thus, assuming that
Greenbelt's houses cost an average
of $1,000, according to the theory, at
the end of go years they would still
be in good condition with only about
$4,000 being allowed on each unit
for maintenance and repairs In the
entire time; the actual building cost
supposedly totaling only $4,000.
On the other hand, the theory con-
tinued, ordinary city dwellings must
be almost completely rebuilt every
20 years, so $1,000 house would
actually cost $21 900 or so over a 60
year period.
Some engineers are skeptical of
this theory and predict that Green
belts houses will last no longer than
Is to Is years.
In any accounting of the expenses
of building Greenbelt and its early
operations, it should be remembered
that its basic utilities were planned
for a community more than three
times its present size. Expansion,
therefore, should be much cheaper.
The dwelling and community facili-
ties of Greenbelt occupy only PIT
acres of the $500 acres set aside for
the "encircling greenbelt" Of farm
and forest land which was acquired
to shut off encroachments Of all
kinds and provide small garden and
farm tracts for residents.
Braden Leading Citizen.
The most powerful and the most
influential citizen in Greenbelt is
Roy S. Braden, community manager
at $500 a year for the Farm Sc
curity Administration and town
manager at $1,000 a year for the
Town Council. In his F. H. A. capacity
he is landlord In chief. AS town
manager he is administrative head
of the municipal government, which
includes the departments of public
safety, health, public orks and