Evening star., 1952-03-24
100000 Asked
For Peace Cross
Flood Planning
SunituY Group
Urges Stortin s.
As Civil Defense Move

- - - - KS
As Civil Defense Move
Congress Is being asked. 10 stem
The periodic foods &C Peace Cross.
The reQuest--for 500. .00o--was
put to Capitol Hin on q ciyil de.
Tense basis by the Suburban Sani.
tary Commission, Ccngressidnal
hearings on the civil functions of
the Army made public today dis
closed. # 80.
The testimony urged this 30
done 80 work could be launched
next summer. The commission
fayors permanent plans Of the
Army Engineers. rather than tenn
porary ones now being considered
BY the Maryland Roads Commits.
sion.
L. 8. Ray. commissioner Of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission, appeared before the
subcommittee and asked that the
appropriation be increased from
$50. 600 to 100000.
$4,000 Ii Needed.
Mr.. Ray told the subcommittee:
The story is II we can get this
extra $4,000 now we can get this
thing away In the summer .of
1888. Otherwise 1t win be 1854"
He pleaded for the Army engi-
neers' plan. which would perma.
nently raise the area above food
level. The commission said n plan
tho Maryland State Roads is con.
sidering Is Q temporary expedient.
The funds sought in the hear.
ings, just disclosed, are Federal.
Mr.. Ray explained that 1t viii. be
necessary to have detailed plans
before Congress win grant. con-
struction money later.
Harry B. Shaw. chief engineer
OF the Washington Suburban SAM
itary Commission, who attended
the subcommittee hearings with
MIR. Ray. told a reporter today:
The Maryland Legislature in
l949 authorized his commission
to coordinate the States con.
tribution to the project. The
Prince Georges County Commis-
|sioners were authorized to issue
bonds up to SIS million; $500,oo0
by the Sanitary Commission.
$3.50, 900 by the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com.
mission and the Maryland state
Roads Commission was ''author-
lied and directed" to pay out Of
its general funds SIS million. All
are bonds except the Roads Com.
mission contribution.
No Bonds Issued Yet.
But Mr.. Shaw pointed out that
none Of the bonds have YET been
issued, as there has yet been no
treason for this procedure.
He placed the present estimate
for completing the project, "a view
Iof rising costs. at about SIS mil
lion, about 50 million Federal and
S. million Maryland. The Army
engineers viii direct the project.
In steps. but the exact time it win
take to finish it has not yet been
determined. Mr.. Shaw said. Tho
present estimated Federal contri.
button Is about 90 million, against
$4 .531 200 made about 1913.
Due to rising costs, the Mary.
land authorities may have to 70
back to the Maryland Legislature
and seek additional authority 10
issue bonds, Mr.. Shaw observed.
The commission said III part:
-. It is imperative that United
States Highways Nos. / and SO out
Of Washington. which intersect at
the Bladensburg Peace Cross, be
open at all times In the event IL
Is necessary for civil defense pur-
pose to move Q large numbr OF
people from the National Capital
quickly. In 1851. trafic here was
interrupted for 40 days BY the
flooding Of the Anacostia, so the
likelihood Of the area being fiood-
ed at time Of emergency Is not
remote. Even though o Hood may
not ocurr at such time, the move.
|ment Of traf1ic would be materi-
ally expedited by the relocation
LOT the roads and bridges incident
to the food-control project.
Asks Immediate Start.
"The first step in the food.
control project as planned by the
Army engineers Is to build the
necessary roads and bridges 70 as
to raise the road system in this
area permanently above flood
level. This cannot be done too
quickly as we do not know when
Washington may be attacked.
The appropriation Of an addi.
tional $50, 900 now may mean the
difference between orderly move-
ment In and out Of Washington In
the event Of emergency and catas-
trophe. It would seem to be very
worthwhile insurance. and It ID
money used for permanent pur-
poses"
Mr.. Ray pointed out that the
proposed Hood control plan and
navigation project on the Ana
costa consists Of constructing
levees on both sides Of the river
from slightly south Of Bladens.
burg upstream to Brentwood and
|Riverdale: reconstruction of roads
and bridges: building four pump
ling stations behind the levees TO
discharge drainage into the river
when IN flood: widening and
raightening the river channel
from the end Of the existing nAvi-
cation project ct Fifteenth street
|SE. TO Bladensburg TO o depth Of
10 feet and bottom width Of S0
feet and construction Of CONNER
|cial and recreational boat basins
near Bladensburg.
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