Evening star., 1943-07-11
Commissioners Plan
To,Ask U. s. 10 Pay
For Zoo S Upkeep

A proposal that the Federal Gov
eminent assume the costs Of the Ma
tional Geological Park, except for
half of maintenance and operation
expenses, which would be charged
to the District, was advanced yes
terday by the Commissioners.
The proposal was offered on the
ground the ZOO is predominately ma
tional in character and use.
The plan, conceived by Walter l..
Fowler, District budget officer, is
to be presented to members Of the
Senate and House District Commit
tees after Congress reconvenes. The
draft of bill to provide for such
fiscal changes will be prepared.
While the United States shared
largely In the cost of the land pur-
chaSes and in recent years has
made public works grants for pro-
jects costing $982 800, development
and operation have been generally
dependant on Ditrict financing, Mr..
Fowler explained. He suggested this
constitutes limitation on the ex-
pansion of the ZOO.
Under Smithsonian.
The zoo Is under the control and
administration of the Smithsonian
Institution and there is no sugges-
ton that this be changed, although
Mr.. Fowler recommends that title
to the ZOO be transferred from the
District to the United States.
In a lengthy report to the Com
missioners, Mr.. Fowler brought out
that that approximately go per
cent of the Zoos estimated annual
attendance of 2,500,000 persons are
visitors to Washington. He said
the percentage figures were based
on sample checking of persons and
automobile registrations.
The size and cost of the ZOO are
out of proportion to the Washington
population, he said, offering COM
parative data on 10 other cities.
Largest Free Zoo.
Washington, Mr.. Fowler found,
has the highest annual cost per
5000 of population, as to both
total cost and net cost. the latter
being derived by deducting gifts, ad-
mission fees. concessions. endow-
ments and other income from total
cost.
He found also that among the
free ZOOS. Washington has the larg-
est number of specimens per 100000
population; and that considering all
10 of the ZOOS used in the compar-
ison Washingtons collection was ex-
ceeded only by that OF San Diego,
Calf, due PRIMARILY to an un-
usually large bird collection there.
The Washington ZOO, the budget
officer added, has the largest num-
Der of employees.
The greater size Of the Washing
ton ZOO incomparison with the other
cities, Mr.. Fowler said. is justified
by reason of its location in the
National Capital and the attendance
of visitors from the States and for
eign countries.
High Rate Of Attendance.
Using 1910 census figures, the
Fowler study indicated:
That Boston, with a population OF
770,816, had an estimated attend
ance of 100000 at its ZOO. Detroit,
with a population of 100000, had
an estimated attendance of 1000 900.
Buffalo, with a population of 600, 900,
had an estimated attendance of
1900 900. st. Louis, with popula-
ton OF 100000 GO per cent greater
than the 1910 Washington 663, ,09D
had an estimated attendance of
2,750,000. Panda bears, the first
brought to the United States, were
given large credit for the large St.
Louis ZOO patronage.
Not counting visitors here from
the States, Mr.. Fowler found the
Washington annual attendance was
1000, 900 and on the basis of this
city's 1910 population he said this
represented the highest ratio of at
tendance to population among the
IN rites