Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-30
House Group Votes !:
100000 TO Start
Hospital Center Here

HUSpHdt ItnieI HtIe
The House Appropriations Com
ntttee today Endorsed an early start
for the District Hospital Center to
be constructed on the Naval OBJ
servatory Grounds.
In reporting the independent
Offices appropriations bill to the
House, the committee recommended
a 100000 appropriation for the
project for the 1949 fiscal year and
increased the cost limit for the big
medical facility from $4,000, 900 to
sl9,5o0,00o.
The committee dealt harshly,
however, with the Districts slum
clearance program. It struck out
all funds requested for this, includ-
ing SCI 800 asked for planning work
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and a total
of $3,400,0 900 sought for the balance
of this fiscal year and the next by
the District Land Redevelopment
Agency to acquire land.
The Planning Commission also
lost out on its hopes to acquire
1910 "supercriticar' acres In subur-
ban Maryland for extension of the
Capital park system. An item Of
81 ,494, 900 for this purpose was
eliminated.
Land Purchases Allowed.
The commissions requests for
money to acquire land in the Dis
trict Jared better, however, since the
committee approved ats figure of
$241, ZOO for purchases, largely for
playground expansion
In denying funds for the Rede-
velopment Land Agency the COM
n1ittee reported 1t had considerable
doubt as to the desirability of re-
development of the areas under
consideration at this time in view
of the fact that many modern sub
stantiaf homes are now in existence
IN the areas to be redeveloped and
of the extremely high cost of con-
struction under present housing
conditions"
AS to the parks expansion pro-
gram, the committee commented
that activities of this character
should be held to a minimum at
this time when every tax dollar is
required to meet the obligations of
the Government for matters of
vital Importance both at home and
abroad"
The committee approved $24,700
for the National Capital Housing
Authority next year, the amount re-
quested. This is $3.50 above the
current appropriation.
Among recommended appropria-
lions of interest to the District was
s152,04S item to continuing
planning work for the proposed
National Air Museum to be located
here and to rent space in a former
bomber factory near Chicago for
storage of exhibits until the muse
UNI is built.
In testimony before subcom-
mittee, Dr. Alexander Wetmore,
secretary of the Smithsonian, re-
vealed officials had in mind build
irg of reinforced steel construction
with tapestry brick exterior to be
located off the Mall but adjacent
to it, The building would be
slightly larger than the present
Natural History Building at Tenth
street and Constitution avenue NV.
and might resemble the South
Building of the Agriculture Depart
ment, Dr. Wetmore said.
The new hospital center will be
participated in jointly by Emer-
gency. Garfield and Episcopal Hos
pitfalls. Construction will await re-
nnoval from the District of the OBJ
servatory.
Public Buildings Commissioner w.
E. Reynolds told a subcommittee in
hearing he understood legislation to
take the observatory away from city
vibration and dust" was being
studied by the Budget Bureau.
Projects are Listed.
The $241, 900 recommended for the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission for land purchases in
b1lt DlStIlCG WOulO NC QSCQ 4Ol I1iCcC
projects, hearing testimony revealed:
The Maddox Branch project, a
parcel of land at Fort drive and Ca
thedral avenue NV.
Expansion of Palisades Park, be-
tween Thirty-seventh street and
Foxhall road NV. and acquisition
of several other small parcels In
this general area.
Expansion of Mitchell Play
ground, Twenty-third and S streets
NV.
River Terrace Playground, in the
Benning road-East Capitol street
area.
Turner Playground, Stanton road
and Alabama avenue Sc. |
A neighborhood park in Anacos-
tia, near the Anacostia river and
south of Pennsylvania avenue Sc,
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