Evening star., 1947-09-26
New $4,000
Building Asked
In Zoo Budget
City PIonner for
District, Is Sought
BY Commission

Zoo Director william A. Mann has
asked the District Commissioners to
approve a $4,000 appropriation for
the fiscal year 1859 to build new
administration building at the
Washington Zoo.
The present building, according to
DR.. Mann, was built in 1905.
Books in the Zoos library are mil
dewing in the old stone structure,
DR.. Mann has told the city heads,
in justifying the request; termites
are gnawing away its ancient tim
bers, and the second floor is sagging.
The building, formerly known as
the Holt Mansion, was bought by
the Government when the Zoo was
created.
Wants Fireproof Building
The new building DR.. Mann wants
would be a fireproof 66-by -42-foot
two-story and basement structure.
The request was made public by
District Budget Officer Walter H.
Fowler late yesterday as he con-
tinued disclosing details of the rec
ord $1440O0,000 budget asked by city
agencies for the year starting next
July 1.
At the same time, he made public
details of the 1948-9 District budgets
of the Office of National Capital
Parks and the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
All three agencies draw funds from
both the District and Federal gov
ernments. Their Federal requests
will not be made public until they
have been pared down by the Budget
Bureau and sent to Congress with
the national budget in January.
City Planner Asked.
Chief point of interest in the
1948-9 request made by the plan
ming. commission is new position
on it's staff, that of city planner
at $5.905 year.
The commissions staff has been
cut steadily as the city has grown,
and it's planning has become more
complicated. In 1926, when it was
organized, it had a<staff of 20.
BY 1893, this number had dwindled
to 16; by 1910, to II, and during the
war, to 9.
Other than the new position asked,
for, the planning commission wants
the same funds it has this year,
aside from small amounts for routine
pay raises and expenses.
The Office of National Capital
Parks, local field Office of the Ma
tional Park Service of the Interior
Department, has asked for a $3.50, 900
increase in District funds, for a
total of $1941 900.
Number of Principal Projects.
The bulk of the increase, or $780,
600, is asked to rehabilitate Logan
Circle, to begin the development
of Melvin c. Hazen Park, to build
a new amphiteater for campfire
programs in Rock Creek Park, run
electric lines to comfort stations
and to improve Al minor park tri-
angles along major avenues and
streets.
The park Office asked for money
to do much of this work this year,
but it's request was pared down to
$4,000.
The bulk of the capital improve
ment money that would be spent
by the park Office under 1948-9 re-
quests would be $l,500,000 worth of
work to Fairgrounds, with money
asked by the Recreation Board for
transfer to the park agency. De-
tails of the recreation request al
ready have been made public.
Other Zoo Funds Asked.
A $79978 increase in supplies and
maintenance supplies and equip
ment also is asked by the park
office.
In addition to asking for a re-
placement of his antiquated admin
istration building. DR.. Mann also is
requesting 1925, 900 increase over
District funds currently being used
to operate the Zoo.
The increase would be used to
add II employees to the staff, in
cluding an additional lieutenant for
the Zoos private police force; to
resurface roadways, repair build
tngs and machinery and relocate a
water main.