Evening star., 1946-09-22
D. T.. Asks Funds
To Provide 500
NewFireA|arrns
S3,042,S00 Program
Of Public Works
Submitted for '48
By Henry A. Muslin

boxes and purchase of 300 addi.
tional new ones as first step to.
ward undermining the District s
"obsolete" fire alarm system art
contemplated under a S3,042 800
Public Works improvement program
for which 1948 budget estimates
were submitted yesterday.
The electrical division asked fol
S690,300 to buy and install the fire
boxes in line with request from
Fire Chief Clement Murphy, who
pointed out that a total of zoe
boxes now in use will not perform
and take full advantage Of alarm
transmission facilities. He added
that replacements of all the ole
boxes was planned in the near
future.
The electrical divisions overall
request for Sl,276,000 was the larg-
est budget estimate among seven
turned in by the different Offices
engaged in public works projects
At the same time, the District Ma
tional Guard asked for S266,000 to
finance redevelopment during the
fiscal year beginning next July /
while total of S474,700 was re-
quested for administrative func-
tions of the District government.
Three New Clerks Sought.
The administrative estimates in
cluded s229,800 to pay salaries of
the Commissioners and their secre-
tary and aides as we'll as expenses
of the Budget Office and the Divi-
sion of Printing and Publication.
Three new clerks were asked at a
combined cost of S6,956. These and
promotions and other wage increases
accounted for the increase of S34,-
500 over current appropriations.
The balance of the requests for
administrative functions was made
up Of a S224,300 estimate from the
Corporation CounSel's Office and a
S20,600 request from the Board of
Tax Appeals, currently operating on
ALLEGATIONS of s174.200 and $4,000,
respectively. The 1947 appropria-
ton to pay the city heads and re-
lated expenses was 1887 300.
The Electrical Divisions plans for
improving fire fighting equipment
included an item of $4,000 for 70
two-way ultra high frequency ra-
dios for trucks and hose wagons.
Another $4,000 was asked to add
or replace street lights and posts
throughout the city.
To operate radio transmitters and
help on the fire alarm and emer-
gency ambulance service telephone
switchboards, the division requested
three more radio-telephone opera
tors at total of $6,505. An addi-
tional S15,803 was asked for two line
men and six Iaborers
Large Staff Asked.
More than $1,000 of the big in
crease sought by the Corporation
Counsel's Office was earmarked for
the salaries of three new assistant
corporation counsels, one each for
legislative tax and contract matters.
The National Guard sought SOL
243 to pay for 26 employees to run
East Capitol street armory, which is
to be vacated by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation. The Guard also
asked for $o1 ,809 to buy armory
equipment.
To repair the city's three fish
wharves on Maine avenue, which
have deteriorated to the point where
two downstream ones will probably
have to be closed, before the money
is available, the Office of the Chief
Clerks, Public Works, asked S115 500
Failure to provide funds for this
work during the current fiscal year
allowed the concrete footings and
beam undersurfaces to reach a dan
gerous stage, it was said.
The item for wharf repairs ac-
counted for most of the increase
from $4,000 to s175,O00 sought by
the Chief Clerks Office, which also
asked for safety engineer at 50, ,l5(
to head its safety section.
S636,900 Revamp Program.
District Building facilities woulc
be revamped under a request fol-
S636,900 from the Building Super.
intendents Office, which asked fol
S34, BOT to convert its electric gener-
ators from steam to electricity anc
for $4,000 to connect the building
with Federal Works Agency's cen.
trail heating plant with a steam line
for heat and hot water purposes.
The Office also sought S18,18O Il
provide nine additional guards il
order to give Municipal and Juve.
nile Courts 24-hour a day protec.
ton. Its current appropriation 1!
S548 200
Anticipating the END of relaxed
war emergency controls, the De-
partment of Inspection asked for
Sl03,51l to hire 80 new inspectors
engineers and clerks in an overall
request for s600500. It's 1947 alloca.
ton was $421 100
The Central Garage, asking fol
S136, TOO as against current OUTLAY
of 100000, would buy two new auto.
mobiles for the Sewer Department
and one for the Health Depart.
ment's Dental Clinic.
Replacement of old instruments
highlghted request for S129 ,20(
from the Surveyors Office, while the
ONCE of the Municipal Architect
asked for s88,400. Their respective
current appropriations were s1O8,-
Qc0 and San nm