Evening star., 1951-06-07
virginians 10 Get Flood Control
Automatic 15% Action Sought
Income Tax Cut For Anacostia
Sosscer Asks Funds
For Initial Survey
Of River Project

Representative Sasscer, Demo-
crat, of Maryland has made a
strong appeal to Congress for
funds to plan the long-needed
food control project in the Ana.
costa River.
Urging House Appropriations
subcommittee to approve $25, 900
asked by the President for a sur
vey and planning, Mr.. Sasscer de-
clared the program is necessary
for national defense.
The item is carried in the budg-
ct fof the Army Engineers and, if
approved by Congress, would be
available to the Office of Army
District Engineer Alan j. Nc
Cutchen here.
Floods at Bladensburg, Nd,
such as those from recent rain
storms, were stressed by Repre-
sentative Sasscer as evidence to
prove the need for a long range
program to protect this important
highway near the National Cap
ital.
i am sure that many of you
gentlemen are aware of the fact
that approximately three or four
times year that area is flooded"
MIR. Sasscer told the subcommittee
during hearings released for pub
|lication today.
Periodic Flood Described.
Flood waters come down the
Northeast Branch, hit this area
and back up the tidewater. she ex-
planned. "The worst part of it
probably is the depth of the water
in the streets. I have seen the
roads covered as far as three
quarters of a mile, three or four
times year. It results in a traffic
|tieup and resulting traffic
hazards"
I think it has as much impor-
Itance as a project could have, due
to the fact that one of the main
arteries into Washington traverses
that area, accommodating traffic
moving from Maine to the South"
The Maryland lawmaker ex-
Iplained that the full flood-control
project had been authorized by
Congress in the Rivers and Har-
bors Act of last year. The esti-
mated cost was fixed by that law
at S4.531 200. for expenditures by
the Army Engineers.
In addition. sMr. Sasscer ex-
lplained. other funds to supple
ment the Government work will
be supplied by Maryland authori-
ties.
The overall cost of the project.
including both Federal and local
agency operations, Mr.. Sasscer
estimated at So million. The pend
ling $4,000 item is for the Army
Engineers to make survey to
determine what can be done to
relieve the situation" an Army
spokesman said. W.
The overall job, under tentative
plans, would include dredging of
a navigation channel 80 feet wide
and with depth of 8 feet below
the low-water level between Fif-
Iteenth street Sc. and Bladens-
burg.
Flood Control Projects.
Flood control installations would
be installed at Bladensburg, Ed
monston. Riverdale, Hyattsville,
Brentwood, Cottage City and Coll
mar Manor.
This preliminary program was
recommended by the Army engi-
neers in a survey submitted to
Congress in 1949.
Asked by Representative Rabaut,
Democrat. of Michigan if the peo-
pile in the affected area favor the
project. Mr.. Sasscer said: There
may be some little objection on
the part of few people, but the
sentiment is basically overwhelm-
ingly for it, because most of the
people work in Washington and
they get flooded in or flooded out"
The $4,000 fund is to be acted
on by the full House Appropria-
Itions Committee tomorrow. when
lit plans to report to the House
the big appropriation bill for civil
functions Of the Army.