Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-10
Bond Issue SET
For Flood Work
AT Peace Cross
Three Agencies Act
TO Enable Start Of
Work by October
THE EVENING STAR
Washington. D. @.
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1854

- - -
Control or Peace Cross food
waters moved closer to reality
yesterday as the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission.
the Prince Georges County COM
lnissioners and representatives
of the Maryland National Capi-
tai Park and Planning Commits
sion voted Informally to provide |
q $1,750.000 bond issue for the
project.
The three agencies, backed by |
p 1853 Maryland law and as
sured recently of Federal aid,
moved swiftly to enable a be- |
ginning on the project by Oc-
tober.
This is very momentous oc-
casion," State Senator John r. |
Fletcher told the planners. 1--WE |
must expedite everything as |
soon as possible. The people
have been long-suffering."
A 100000 Federal appropria-
ton was granted on June 80 to |
the Army Corps Of Engineers for |
the fiood-control project in the |
Bladensburg area. The sum, !
however. is just a beginning of |
Government funds which the
Army engineers estimate viii |
total over $8.5 million. The |
Army will supervise the task of |
dredging the Anacostia and its
tributaries.
Covers Years Work.
Arthur c. Keefer, counsel of |
the Sanitary Commission, said |
the $1,750,000 to be provided. by
the three Maryland agencies
win more than cover the nearby |
areas cost of the first years
work. Under a 1853 State law.
the three agencies are authorized
to issue up to $2,750. 900 in food
control bonds.
The first issue. it was agreed
yesterday, will be divided as fol-
lows: 1854, 545, 20 be obtained /
from bonds raised by the Prince
Georges commissioners: Sat-
272 to be financed by the SAM
tary Commission, and $318,I8l,
from the park group.
Tax to Pay County Share.
The county governments share
OF the bonds will be paid by
tax. The Planning Commissions
portion OF the tax will be levied
upon property in the Prince
Georges section of the commits
sion's Metropolitan district and
the, Sanitary Commissions share
will be paid by taxpayers in the
commissions Sanitary District in
Prince Georges County.
The total will result in less
than scent per 500 increase
In the tax rate for any individual
taxpayer, officials said. The tax
on $1,000 of assessed evaluation
would therefore be less than so |
cents year during the life of |
the bonds.
Harry B. Shaw, chief en-
gineer of the Sanitary Commits
sion, said the costs of the first |
phase Of the work to local juris-
diction as $1,458,000. A break
down Of the total lists a total |
Of $481 900 for utility changes;
$274,000 for interior drainage;
$437, 900 for relocation of the
Decatur street bridge; $4,000
for relocation of other roads,
and $4,000 for land acquisi-
ton.
State Contribution.
The $2.750,o00 the three SUI
burban Jurisdictions are author
lied to provide will be augmented
by about SIS million the Mary
land State Roads Commission
will contribute, the chief engi-
neer said. The roads commits
sion includes reconstruction of |
the highway bridge in Hyatts-
vile.
Earlier, the Prince Georges
Commissioners were told that
county citizens have closed their
eyes to "unrealisticp financing |
of Peace Cross flood relief andas |
q result may be saddled with UNI
bearable taxes.
II am aghast at the pocket
book apathy of Prince Georges"
Mrs. Irma Bogdanof of Chill
lum told the Commissioners.
"R Recurring floods in the
Bladensburg area are primarily /
Federal and State. not local,
problems" Mrs. Bogdanof as
serted, land if the, county's
citizens are taken in mutually
they never will get through
paying for It,"
Mrs. Bogdanoff. who is chair
man of the County Civic Fed
eration's Local Affairs Committee
and prominent in other public
moves, emphasized that she
sounded the warning as an IN
dividual taxpayer.
Mrs. Bogdanof said she feared
that when the Federal Govern
ment, now definitely committed /
only to the initial 100000. Is
asked to appropriate additional
funds there may be a demand for
the State and county to do like |
wise.
"The public has known for sew |
eral years that the county would |
have to pay part Of the cost,
Commission Chairman Thomas
e. Latimer declared.
Commissioners Edward Is Wa
tiers, Daniel A. Abbott and w.
Everett Marion said they favored
the county's initial appropria-
tions but would oppose new legis-
lation which would be required
for further expenditures.
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