Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-06
Library Budget
Would Build 7
New Branches
Money for Planning
Third Approved by
Fiscal Office

spending program for next year.
At the same time. publication
of more departmental budgets
for the next fiscal year disclosed
a plan TO step UP the city's slum
clearance program.
The Executive Once, asking
for a $16,300 increase in it's cur
rent budget Of $323,00 proposed
to hire a $7.570-a-year assistant
for liaison" in its Urban Renewal
Office to stimulate citizen par
ticipation.
The Department Of Licenses
and inspection also asked for u
more inspectors in its Housing
Division and two more. plus a
rk-typist, for the Board for
the Condemnation of 1nsanitary
Buildings.
Public. Hearing Set
Meanwhile, as publication Of
the departmental requests neared
an end, Godfrey M Thornett.
secretary Of the Board Of Com
misSioners. issued formal noti-
! fication Of a public hearing at
10 am. october 8 in the board
room of the District Building.
| He asked all persons who
wished to testify to file a written
statement with him by Septem-
her % and said that public or
CARNATIONS or associations may
obtain complete copies of the
departmental requests at his
Office. Room 500. in the District
Building.
The Licenses and Inspections
Department asked for a total
budget in fiscal 1855, which be-
gins next July /, Of $1,755, 900
an increase of $100.148 over cur
rent year spending. In addition
to its plans for expanded hous-
ing inspections. the department
asked $9,870 to cover salary in
Icreases ordered during the year
and $16,290 to hire three in
vestigatDrs to supervise pawn
brokers who may take advantage
Iof new legislation permitting
them to operate in Washington
4 More Rehabilitation Funds
Another budget, for the De.
Ipartment of Vocational Rehabil.
itation, asked $4,000 to plar
Ia workshop for employment o!
500 physically handicapped per
sons. Director Tom g. Rathbon,
said there are more than LOO
such persons who cannot holC
regular jobs, bu6ss could carr
enough in such q workshop t,
take them of the relief rolls.
Mr.. Rathbone. whose bulge
: this year was $147. 900, asked al
increase Of $154,774, which wa
cut So per cent by the Bulge
! Office. He was allowed a rails
of $40, 400 for a total of $196, 400
He hopes. he said, the increast
will permit establishment of !,
special workshop for cerebra
Ipalsied persons, with the Fedora
Government putting up So TO.
i each 81 from the District.
Under the same financing for,
. Imula. he said, he hopes to Sc
'Iup at st. Elizabeths Hospital
medical : vocational evaluatiol
: center" similar to that operated
lat District General Hospital.
4 Mr.. Rathbone also asked 70
$4,000 to train blind persons t,
operate vending stands, as hi
department did before it SHIFTED
from the Federal Government t,
the District government. He pu
the cost of training individual
: Iat $500. with $1,000 for stockinI
each stand and 5000 for petit,
cash, and estimated 10 blind per
sons would be set UP in bushes
jim 1858.
Sees Millions Saved
He estimated that a reuues
for an increase Of $4,000 woull
let his department work with an
other 500 clients" in an attemp
to put them back to work ant
take them of relief rolls. This
!: he said, could produce Saving
in the millions"
The two new branches pro
posed in the Public Library bud
: get are Washington Highland
on Atlantic street S.W. nea
: South Capitol street, S437. 4OC
land Tenley-Friendship at wis
consin avenue and Albermarl
street NV. $467, 400.
The third branch. for whicl
, $4,000 was requested to blu,
land and $4,000 to draw plans
was Fort DAVIS. Librarian Harr
: N. Petersen said the $4,000 vii
Z not be needed If the Nationa
} Capital Parks grants a reques
5 TO give up some park land nea
: Thirty seventh street and Ala
: bama avenue Sc. as a site.
/ Mr.. Petersen was allowed Al
! operating budget Of $1,863, 900
an increase Of $68.831, but onl
/ ST per cent of the boost 70
: which he asked. OF this, 1850
i would provide full-year opera
: ton Of the new Woodridg
: branch library at EighteentI
S and Hamlin streets NE, whicl
. to be completed next sprins
!, Another $4,000 would 60 :
3 finance book purchases, tn
e prices Of which have gone I'D a
much as liz per cent since is4l
Book Fund Inadequate
E Mr.. Petersen said the boo
fund "has not been adeouat
: for a period Of many years.
/ The rise in book prices, h
: declared, has aggravated thi
E situation" and "furthermorl
books wear out faster now be
s cause they are not as well mad
s physically az they used to be.
He said the extra $500
e would give the library a boo