Evening star., 1957-12-29
THE DISTRICT
ST Saw Advances
On Many Fronts

netted an unexpectedly big ans
million. el0 million more than the
nonwithholding 1855 tax take.
ofisetting this. however. was Q
lag In the sales tax and q more
serious slump In the motor ve-
hicle fuel levy. The latter posed
q threat TO the city's ability 70
put up It's share In the new Fed
eral highway program.
Transit. the city's worst 1855
headache. was q relatively minor
one In 1857. The Public Utilities
Commission approved motor
fuel tax exemption for D. c.
Transit system after two or three
closed-door discussions. and trans.
II business took an encouraging
turn. Passengers dropped only
three-tenths Of per cent from
January through November. There
were STRINGS Of dissatisfaction
with planned abandonment Of
streetcarS. but ofiicialdom, at least
for the moment. paid these no
heed.
Disputes over administration OF
the Health Department also sub
sided with appointment OF Or.
Daniel L. Finucane to succeed re-
tired DR.. Daniel l.. Seckinger as
Health Director. One Of DR.. Fin
ucane's first steps was promotion
Of William H, Cary. tough-minded
health engineer. to head the de-
partment's inspection bureau.
Controversies swirled. however.
around the Metropolitan Police
Department and Police Chief Rob-
ert v. Murray, who were accused
by the local chapter Of the Ma
tional Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People Of
brutality and discriminatory prac-
tices. But after public hearings
the Commissioners ruled that the
accusations had not been sub
stantiated. and expressed conf
dence in the chief.
The 240 Bottle
Controversy also developed
over competing plans for the Dis
trict link with U. s. Route 240,
highway officials favoring q river
route, Federal planners favoring
one near Wisconsin avenue NV.
and blocs Of residents opposing
both. At years end the dispute Is
unresolved.
The majority Of the three-man,
virtually autonomous Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board reduced
the weight it traditionally has
given organized citizens objections
in deciding liquor store license ap-
plications. Critics threatened APP
peal to Congress.
Zoning also drew criticism. Real
estate interests roundly classified
city-vide rezoning proposals Of
Harold M. Lewis. New York con-
sultant. But with rezoning at the
mapping stage. Col. Alvin c. Wei
ling, Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Lanes
successor as Engineer Commis.
sioner and chairman Of the Zon-
ing Commission. set top priority
on efforts to complete work on an
acceptable compromise.
Real estate interests successfully
fought plans of public housing
leaders TO undertake the ctty's first
conversion of privately owned
apartment project to low-income
public housing.
Crime Trend UpwoFd
Crime. previously trending
downward for several months. at
midyear suddenly began climbing.
Chief Murray noted that 1t bad
reached a low plateau. however.
and minimized the significance Of
the reversal.
Three tempos and four old
apartment houses above the Lin
coin Memorial disappeared to
make way for giant new State
Department building. The Cap
ital's skyline was embellished with
a new oO0-bed Washington Hos
pital Center and a new marble
Senate once Building.
BY contrast. the Municipal Pier
at Seventh street and Maine ave-
nue. decayed TO the point where
the Old Bay Line cancelled its
lease. apparently ending nostalgia
laden Washington Norfolk steam
boat service.