Evening star., 1941-09-18
bIadensburq
Site Possible
For Aged Home
Building Of Modern
Institution Studied
By Commissioners

The Commissioners will investigate
the possibility Of obtaining from the
Federal Government the property
of the National Training School for
Boys on Bladensburg road NE. as
q site for a new Home for the Aged
and Inf1rm.
This was disclosed yesterday after
the city heads paid visit to the
present institution at Blue Plains
and returned with the outspoken
comment that something must be
done to improve conditions for the
inmates.
For some time now the Federal
penal authorities have planned to
cease operation Of the Bladensburg
road training school and absorb its
population in other institutions.
Overtures were made to the District
government to see If it wanted to
assume operation of the school, but
these were turned down. The Dis
trict pays for District inmates there
at per diem rate.
The city heads felt the Bladens-
burg road tract is an ideal location
for a new 100000, or $500 900
Home for the Aged, but there is some
doubt whether the deal could be ar
ranged if the proprty is not con-
tinued in operation as a training
school.
Rebuilding Considered.
Plans have not yet been aban-
doned, however. for rebuilding the
plant on part of its present site
and an engineering survey Is being
made. A difficulty Is said to be the
fact that extension of the proposed
Fort Dupont parkway would cut
through the Blue Plains tract almost
in front of the present institution
The survey may show, though. that
the buildings could be placed farther
back, 1t was stated.
The Home for the Aged was one
OF the institutions which would have
been moved to the proposed welfare
center outside the District which
was asked in the 1912 budget hear
ings The $4,000 item for a site
for the center was clipped from the
estimates and it Is now understood
the welfare center plan has been
abandoned.
Some thought was given to use of
The present National Training
School for Girls on Conduit road
for the site. but this was discarded
as too small. The present popula-
ton Of the training school is about
80 against more than 600 ct the
Home for the Aged.
Land May Be Too Costly.
Discussions on the use of the
Bladensburg tract by the District
were very informal, 1t was said, but
the opinion was expressed that the
land was too valuable there now for
institutional use if abandoned by
the Federal Government.
Asked his opinion on the site,
Conrad Hyning. director Of public
welfare, said he thought it was a
good one, although he has never
been in the buildings on the prop
erty. He declared selection Of a
site sought to consider the factors
of health for the inmates, many of
whom are rheumatic, and accessible
iry to visitors
The Commissioners found condi-
tions at Blue Plains had improved
from the time they were denounced
by Mrs. Roosevelt and investigat-
ing members of the House. due most
ly to w. P. A. help, but that they
still were rather "appalling." They
promised to seek early action"
Suggests Tapping Surplus.
Commissioner Young suggested the
Commissioners might dip into the
surplus left over from the President
Benjamin Harrison centennial in
augural of 1889 to buy at once some
Of the lower cost utensils and facil-
tiles deemed urgently needed He
asked Auditor Arthur r. Pilkerton
to see how far this surplus could
be used.
Mr.. Pilkerton said the fund, which
came to light during the past year,
amounted to $42,750, and that the
principal could not be touched under
the terms of the centennial trust.
but that the present interest ac-
count on the invested sum, amount
ing to s5,342, could be spent for
fuel and clothing for the poor" Of
the District. He said he believed
this sum could be used for fuel and
clothing for the poor at the home,
relieving similar sum for purchase
Of necessary institutional facilities.
Considerable attention was de-
voted to the old power plant We'll
fare officials have asked an appro-
priation of .sl50000 to replace it
next year. if the institution is to be
operated there. They said it would
be a waste of money to repair the
present plant. The city heads were
told the plant has one new boiler,
but that the other two were OBJ
tanned secondhand from the United
States Capitol in 1914 and that they
were 20 years old then.
Gen. Kutz said the present build
ings could be rebuilt, but that this
might take 10 years and would prove
costly and when the work was done
the District still would have an out
of-date plan Commissioner Young
wants a new plant with one-story
buildings, except as to administra-
tive offices, and having a number OF
cottages for married couples living
at the home.
Considerable credit was given the
w. P. A. for a variety of improve
ments to the buildings, including a
screened porch and construction of
a number of bedside tables, and for
food preparation and service, but Of
ficials are wondering what will hap
pen if the w. P. A. program, already
reduced, is abandoned.
Lack of proper toilet facilities,
plumbing, good flooring and domes-