Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1928, Page 19

URGES U. S. PURCHASE AREA FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT Commission Makes Stfidy of Gateways to Capital City With View to Teane <P ECISION that the Great Falls and Palisades of the Potomac should be purchased for park purposes, after wrestling with the matter for many months, was one of the outstanding acts of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission during the year. Much planning work was done by the body | during the 12-month period just closed, | but this was largely in changing the highway maps of the city, and its re-| sults will not be visible to the public| for_years. ‘The Great Falls problem proved = difficult one, because of efforts to get the commission to provide for at least a joint park and hydroelectric develop ment. After the commission, carly in| the year, had taken a firm stand against use of the area for hydroelec- | tric development, it was prevailed upon | % reconsider, and a special committee | of experts was named to draw up plans showing, first, a complete park | development; second, a complete hy-| droelectric development and, third, a joint hydroelectric and park develop- ment. After a study of all these plans the commission again rejected the hydro- electric idea either a joint_project or as a complete project, deciding that the saving of this virgin area for park purposes was a paramount one. Federal Purchase Asked. | During the year the commission took | the stand that this vast area should | be purchased and developed by the Federal Government as the latter’s sole contribution to the joint parkway de- velopment in co-operation with the | States of Maryland and Virginia, under the regional improvement scheme for a greater Washington. While laws have been passed by the States of Maryland and Virginia providing for co-opera- tion between the Federal Government | here and the two States in the devel- | opment of a greater Washington, the | former to assist in making purchases of lands in the two States, the com- | mission early in the year pointed out | that each small project would involve the making of a separate agreement, and contended the matter could be set- tled in ¢ne question by Government purchase of the upper Potomac area, as it lies in both of the States. If sucn a substantial contribution, the commission said, were made by the Federal Government, but little ad- ditional assistance reasonably could be expected by the State authorities in acquisition of parks having less Na- tional significance. ‘The commission has given some of its time to the study and development | of the gateways to the Capital City, so that the visitor will be impressed | when he comes within its portals. In | this work the commission obtained the | voluntary assistance of the various chapters of the American Institute of Architects to study and recommend suitable treatment for the various main entrances to the District of Columbia and other focal points. Traffic Problems Studied. An intensive study was made during year of the highwav and street railway problems of the city. Its studies have developed that the L'En- fant plan could not be improved upon, and that the principal troubles found today are in those areas of the city ‘which were allowed to develop without conformity with that plan. The com- mission began a study with a special view to applying the best methods of modern land subdivision to the remain- ing undeveloped areas of the city, and during the year a number of changes | in the highway plan, as their need was developed in the course of the study, were recommended to the Dis- trict of Columbia Commissioners for action. These changes, all on the highway map, were of streets which have not yet been opened. In con- nection with this work, the commis- sion hit a snag when it found there was no authori’y for closing and dis- continuing old roads and streets shown on the old highway plan, when any part of the right of way had been dedicated. The commission pointed out that the desirability of discontinuing | oving Portals. | streets which have never been built and which exist only on a_map and | only parts of which are in plblic own- | ership yet, when a better and cheaper | | way of giving the same traffic con- | | nection can be found, seems so mani- | fest as to require no argument. De- velopment - of those highways which bear the hcaviest traffic also was un- dertaken by the commission. The population density also was studied by the commission during the year, and plans were made looking to | its dispersion. Comment was made that a regulation affecting the density. such as is contained in the New York zoning ordinance, may have to be re- | sorted to here. Its consistent opposition before the Zoning Commission of increase in heights in buildings in limited areas was followed during the year. It was pointed out that among the important reasons for resisting these proposed waivers of building heights is to have the Capitol dominate in the Federal city. Such would not prevail if great heights were allowed in the private buildings. Park Additions Planned. The commission laid down a plan during the year for additions to the park system, outlining them in two phases: First, neighborhood recreation | centers, as to which the ultimate aim | should be to provide local recreational facilities reasonably adequate in extent | and charaster and reasonably accessible | to every residential neighborhood in the District of Columbia; and second, other park facilities within the Dis- trict of Columbia, of more than local service, each more or less unique, and such as are appropriate to the Capital of the United States. Increase of the area included in Rock Creek Park, to include all the | steep slopes of the main valley, as well as lateral valleys, such as Piney Branch and Broad Branch, so far as they are_conspicuously visible from the main valley or are needed as parkway entrances to it, were recommended by the commission. Considerable land was acquired by the commission during the year, which again found itself hampered by the limitation of Congress that it could not pay more than 25 per cent more than the assessed value of land, The land purchases include: Two parcels of land in Potomac Heights, to be used as a part of the | proposed parkway along the Potomac Palisades above Georgetown; land for a school and neighborhood playground north of the Reservoir School; pur- chases of land in Foundry Branch to permit continuance of a parkway from Massachusetts avenue to the Potomac River in Georgetown, in continuation of the park lands donated by Mrs. Anne Archbold and C. C. Glover; ad- ditional land acquired for the George- town playground; additional land for the Chevy Chase playground, making a total of 14 acres in this project; pur- chase of additional parcels of land for Piney Branch parkway; Fort Stevens, where Lincoln stood during the attack on Washington during the Civil War; playground lands at Fourteenth and Kalmia streets; the site of Fort Slocum, another Civil War fort; additions to the Eckington Recreation Center; Tur- key Thicket playground, in Brookland; Fort Bunker Hill, in Brookland; land for the Burroughs Recreation Center, at South Dakota avenue and Otis street northeast; purchases for the Langdon- | Woodridge park; Fort Mahan, in Ben- ning; continuation of the acquisition of | lands between Fort Dupont and _the Anacostia River; additions to Fort Stanton; lands for the development of Shepherd parkway, south of St. Eliza- beth’s Hospital. Building Control Sought. The commission developed proposed legislation during the year and submit- ted it to Congress which would give the Government control of the exterior ap- pearance of buildings fronting on Gov- ernment reservations; a proj d change in the condemnation machinery, designed to speed up methods said to cause sericus delays, and a measure de- signed to remove the 125 per cent re- striction on land purchases. | TWO BIg BLAZES INCREASE FIRE TOLL Otherwise Loss Would Have Been Comparatively Small Here. Had it not been for the burning of airplanes at Giesboro Point the mid- | dle of November, involving a loss of | 1. Senator Capper, chairman of the Senate District committee. 2. Senator Bingham, chairman of the subcommittee on District appropriations. 3. Senator ||, Jones, member of the District committee, and the following other members of the | oacted at Police Gourt did not set| b R, S RECEIPTS IN POLICE | |Most Changes in Personnel and Improvements in Sys- tem Made Last Year. Although the volume of business |a new record during 1928, it showed a COURTS $30 Association G ONTINUING to expand the scope of their work to keep pace with the growing im- portance and size of the Na- C bodies of the District during 1928 made entire range of complicated problems facing the city and submitted rec- | ommendations to both local and Federal authorities. It proved to be what is characterized as the most engrossing year in the history of the organizations and witnessed a continued rise in the influence of the business associations. Acting separately on_the findings of their committees, the Board of Trade, | washington Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants and Manufacturers’ As- sociaticn arrived at practically the ant matters of city-wide concern. The trade bodies played prominent roles in the drafting of legislation on a number of vital subjects and laid recommenda- tions before the Commissioners and Congress. The business organizations, after careful study of the subjects actively promoted the development of a muni- cipal airport on the Gravelly Point site abated determination the movement for national representation for the District | and for more equitable adjustment of | the fiscal relations between the Federal |and local governments; indorsed the community chest plan for financing local charities, which now has been af- fected; recommended that the tax rate for the current fiscal year be maintained .at $1.70; conducted vigorous campaigns | to prevent the operation here of schools ‘nf the “diploma mill” character, aided |in the drafting of needed legislation | to this effect and impressed members | of Congress with the necessity of its enactment, and advocated merger of the street railways. Back Fixed Ratio Plan. While impressed with the mounting list of Capital improvements needed to | take care of the growth of the city, the | trade bodies warned of the danger of | raising local taxes and urged limitation of the budget for 1929 to the minimum abolition of the $9,000,000 lump Federal appropriation and a return to the fixed ratio plan. ‘The three major trade bodies co-oper- ated with the citizens’ joint committee | on fiscal relations in championing the | movement for fiscal equity and contin- | ued actively to sponsor the plea of local | citizens for the right to vote in national | elections, the right to representation in the Houses of Congress and access to the Federal courts, for which a nation- wide movement now is being conducted under the leadership of the citizens® | j(l)lnt committee on national representa- | tion. | 'The Board of Trade during the year presented to Congress the results of its | naticnal tax and assessment survey | completed during the Winter of 1927, and won_ ardent supporters in both House and Senate. In the latter body a determined fight was waged to provide for liberal Federal contribution to the District. The trade body continued compila- tion of its tax data, which showed that Washington stands second in the list of the larger cities of the country in per capita assessment and fourteenth in the list for per capita tax paid. The survey data is being kept up to date and ad ditional information added and will again be used at sessions of the next Congress. Favor Long Term Budget. After serious consideration of the pro- posed budget for the next fiscal year, the board recommended as the mini- mum a total of $41.288,000, predicated on a Federal contribution of $10,788,~ 000, instead of the $9,000,000 lump sum. It urged the Commissioners to decline |to base the budget on an expecied $9,000,000 Federal contribution, holding that such action would prove a stum- bling block to the movement to set aside the lump sum plan. ‘The board also condemned the year- to-year method of making estimates for the city’s needs and urged the formula- tion of a iong-term budget plan. One of the major new activities of the Board of Trade was the launching of a model community survey for Wash- tional Capital, the major trade | comprehensive studies of virtually the | same conclusions on the more import- | on the Potomac, continued with un- | figure and pointed to the justice of | DISTRICT TRADE GROUPS EXPAND SCOPE OF WORK 'Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce | and Merchants and Manufacturers’ ain Influence. legislation now before Congress, final n of which is expected at this n. ‘ongress was urged to base its ap- propriations for the District on the ilifl--!fl divisional plan, as now provided in substantive law, and it was urged that some proper agency be created to decide upon a permanent plan for | fiscal relations, including the introduce | tion of specialized accounting methods | and the adoption of a permanent, long= term financing program covering all activities of the local government. ‘The chamber urged that there be no increase in the $1.70 tax rate and recommended a budget which woulg | come within expected revenues of the District, including the $9.000.000 Fed= eral contribution on which the official proposed budget was predicated. Th body worked unceasingly for nation: representation for Washington, through special meetings, radio addresses, pube lished articles and other promotioa | activities. ‘The chamber gave whole-hearted support to the proposed merger of the | street railways, leaving modifications {of the plan to Congress. It held, in adopting a report by its committee om, public utilities, Harry King, chairman, that investigations of the merger plan by the Bureau of Efficiency and Dre |Milo B. Maltbie produced no serious stumbling block to the merger. Back Community Chest. | An investigation of local fire ina | surance rates was made by the coms | mittee headed by Charles J. Stocks man, and on this information the chamber urged enactment of legisla- tion to increase the regulatory powers of the District superintendent of in= surance. v The Community Chest plan was | whole-heartedly supported. The chame ber, through its committee on police and fire protection, Charles W. Darr, chairman, insisted on the need for i stalling traffic control lights on downe | town street intersections, which plan now is being put into effect. Ime provement of street lighting in the congested section also was urged. The chamber urged an increase in the salaries of the District Commise sioners, continued and stressed its | “Buy-in-Washington” campaign, pars ticipated actively in the work of th Joint Industrial Council, promoting ex= pansion of industrial and business activities of Greater Washington, urged postponement. of the vacating of Center Market until the time it actually is needed in the Federal building program, voiced concern over the failure to com= plete the present five-year building pro- gram for public schools and urged preparation of a subsequent five-year program. One of the major activities of the chamber was the presentation of its fourth annual industrial exposition, which attracted thousands of visitors and was the most elaborate of the series. s A survey of possible sites for the pro- posed municipal airport was made by I the aviation committee, headed by Jerome Fanciulli, and the chamber in< dorsed the Gravelly Point location. It also has promoted local aviation devel- opment, including extension of the air mail services. M. and M. Branches Out. The Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association has had an active year and organized four new trade sections, known as the adjustment managers’ council, wholesale gasoline and oil sece tion, fuel oil section and dyers and cleaners section. It continued its efforts seeking pro+ vision of an armory for the Districh National Guard, enactment of a law requiring certification of titles to auto- mobiles and for compulsory automobilé liability insurance, providing both per- sonal and property damage provisions} adoption of a more specific smoke ordi~ nance and legislation to make illegal se{ldmg and receiving of stolen prop- erty. : The association supported the Welch bill to increase salaries of Federal em- ployes, urged development of an airport on Gravelly Point, supported the Un= derhill workmen’s . compensation law, the plan for a Roosevelt memorial | stadium here, the Community Chest plan for charities and the movement for national representation for the Dis- trict. As a member of the Joint In- dustrial Council the association pro= moted expansion of local business and industry and supported the work of the citizens' joint committee on fiscal relas $200,000, and a fire in a lumber yard | | at Twelfth and Water streets the lat- | ter part of April, where the loss was | $126,272, fire losses for 1928 would have | been far below the average, the number | committee: 4. Senator Vandenberg. 5. Senator Blaine. 6. Semator Sackett. 7.Senator Gould. 8. Senator King. 9. Senator Glass. 10. Senator Copeland. 11.Senator Edwards. 12. Senator Neely. 13. Senator Bruce. 14. Representative Zihlman, chairman of the House District committee, and the following members: 15. Representative Hall. 16. Representative Underhill. 17. Representative Mc- Fine Arts Commission Efforts to assist in the beautifica-| ington, using an outline drawn by the | community development department of the Chamber of Commerce of the | United States. Sevgral thousand dollars | have been subscried for the survey, | substantial increase over 1927. The | past year was also marked by a greater |number of changes of personnel, im- rapidly, was periodically inspected by tion of Washington and ils environs|the commission, which followed the ‘ } - R 5 . of big fires during the 12-month period | Leod. 18. Representative Gibson. 19. Representative Beers. 20. Representative Provements in system and additions | anq"work is to be started soon. tions. L“f““fiw""}q'fifl"én‘;?%f;fi “{vs:{:: acugh;glnsg ! fgmétrumcunon st(el? by step,dadvis‘mzn:s having been comparatively small, Stalker. 21. Representative Reid. 22. Representative Bowles. 23. Representative | the physical equipment of the court| The Board of Trade started a move-| AS one of its important activities, it miss etails as they cropped up in the Bowman. 24. Representative Jenkins. 25. Representative Lampbert. 26. Rep- | (o 1ag occurred in any other recent |ment urging that the Roosevelt Me- | conducted the annual mail early-shop Arts during 1928, a survey made by The Star reveals. The commission’s | work, however, was not confined to the National Capital alone, for its influ- ence through the year reached out and put the stamp of approval on medals, monuments and statues reminiscent of men and events in various parts of the Nation and indorsed monuments to be | erected in honor of the World War dead in Europe and approved plans for buildings to be constructed in far- flung portions of the globe. Washington and its advancement oc- cupied the major portion of the com- mission’s attention, and most of the meetings of that body were held in the city. n conjunction with the Federal Government’s mammoth building pro- gram in the triangle the Fine Arts Commission gave additional assistance, particularly concerning the new De- partment of Commerce, Bureau of In- ternal Revenue and Department of Agriculture buildings, in varying stages of construction. Con- sideration was given the group of pro- jected Federal buildings on which plans are now being mapped out—the | Departments of Justice and Labor, the independent offices, the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Ar- chives structures—as well as to the proposed General Accounting Office and extension of the Department of Agri- culture to the south of the present building. Building Projects Approved. The commission approved sites for the House Office Building Annex and the United States Supreme Court structures. The commission has advised as to the construction of a number of other building activities of the Federal Government, including extension of the medical center at Walter Reed Ho: pital and the medical and surgical building at St. Elizabcth's H tal. Included in the host of plans that received the indorsement of the com- mission were those for McKinley High School and stadium, the New Business | High School, Constitution Hall, being erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution on Eighteenth street to the rear of the organization’s headquarters; a number of school buiidings, fire and police stations and the civic municipal center project pro- posed for the north side of Pennsylva- nia avenue at John Marshall place, plans for which were submitted by the which are now | course of the work, with particular at- tention to the approaches, both from Lincoln Memorial Plaza and the Vir- ginia end of the bridge. At Lincoln Memorial Plaza, H. P. Caemmerer, secretary of the commission, said to- day, there will be a water gate and a connection with the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkways as special features, and these were given close attention during the year. Treatment on the Virginia side of the bridge was also considered, for there will be boulevard connection with the Mount Vernon and Lee Highway Boulevards and direct connection with Arlington National Cemetery. There will be a well designed approach to the Lee Mansion and to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington Am- phitheater, plans for the completion of which were recently approved by the commission. All this has necessitated a great amount of study during 1928. Plans for the restoration of the Lee Mansion were indorsed as yet another step in the beautification of the great City of the Dead across the Potomac. The commission advised as to the World War Memorial erected by the | Coast Guard in Arlington National | Cemetery, and this was dedicated dur- ing the year. Approves Wakefield Restoration. Consultation with members of the Wakefield National Memorial Associa- tion relative to the project to restore | the birthplace of George Washington | was another of the commission’s activ- | ities during the twelvemonth that has | just passed. The commission approved |a replica of a design for the house in | whieh George Washington was born, land now has under consideration a | plan for the treatment of the grounds on the banks of the Potomac surround- |ing the historic spot in Virginie, Plans for the development of Fort Humphreys, Va., recetved the official | backing of the commission. Additional consideration was given by the commission to erection of the Ti- | tanic Memorial on the banks of the Potomac at the foot of New Hamp- ‘shh‘e avenue at the intersection of the | Rock Creek Parkway, and the memorial committee has informed the commis- sion of its desire to have the monu- ment set in place at an early date. The commission understands that this is being held in abeyance pending the | completion of the sea wall at that point, District Commissioners and the me- | Mr, Caemmerer explained, adding that morial to the women of the World it is hoped this can be completed in War being erected by the American | the course of 1929. Red Cross likewise received the ap-| Plans for development of the Union proval of the commission, Station Plaza received attention from R the commission during 1928, and that Memorial Bridge Promoted. body approved plans for the location Arlington Men Pridge. the con-lof the new conservatory near the Struction of moving ahcad Capitol, Losses for Year. Losses for the year and other infor- mation of interesj to the department and the public are given as follows: January—Alarms, 507; false alarms, 54; incendiary fires, 6; responses to fires outside the District, 4; inspections, 12,- 273; losses, $178,903. February—Alarms, 320; false alarms, 20; incendiary fires, 2; Tesponses to fires outside the District, 3; inspections, 14,~ 420; losses, $16,564. March—Alarms, 447; false alarms, 217; incendiary fires, 3; responses to fires outside the District, 2; inspections, 17,- 704; losses, $37,178. April—Alarms, 363; false alarms, 20; Incendiary fire, 1; responses to fires out- side the District, 8; inspections, 17,582; losses, $160,634. May—Alarms, 284; false alarms, 19;, Incendiary fire, 1; response to fire ou side the District, 1; inspections, 18,718; losses, $23,893. June—Alarms, 205; false alarms, 2; incendiary fires, 0; responses to fires outside the District, 2; inspections, 18,561; losses, $23.425. July—Alarms, 228; false alarms, 8; incendiary fires, 1; responses to fires outside the District, 1; inspections, 18,024; losses, $17,673. August—Alarms, 241; false alarms, 22; incendiary fires, 1; responses to fires outside the District, 1; inspections, 18,628; losses, $20,477. September—Alarms, 201; false alarms, 7, incendiary fires, 0; responses to fires outside the District, 0; inspections, 15,51%; losses, $10,345. October—Alarms, 287; false alarms, 29; incendiary fires, 1; responses to fires outside the District, 0; inspections, 20,502; losses, $16,385. November—Alarms, 401; false alarms, 29; incendiary fires, 0; responses to fires outside the District, 1; inspec- tions, 18.950; losses, $224,378. December—aAlarms, 396; false alarms, 10; incendiary fires, 0; responses to fires outside the Cistrict, 0; inspec- tions, 16,875; losses, $23,132. Totals for the year—Number of alarms, 3,984; false alarms, 264; in- cendiary fires, 15; responses to fires outside the District, 23; 214,936; losses, $761,787. Fire Bug Found Insane. The entire department, members of departments from nearby Maryland and Virginia and fire companies from Bal- timore were called in action the night of January 16 when five incendiary fires claimed their atiention. It de- veloped that John J. Fisher, 34 years old, had started the several fires. He was apprehended, adjudged insane and sent to St. Elizabeth Hospital. Only one member of the department, inspections, Pvt. A. J. Greiner, lost his life while on duty., He was assigned to a theater and was killed by a falling resentative Gilbert. 29. Representative Hammer. ton. 23. Representative Sullivan, 30. Representative Cole. 32. Representative Coombs. 33. Representative Whitehead. 34. Represen- 28. Representative Blanton. 31. Representative Nor- tative Simmons, chairman of the House subcommittee on District appropriations, and _the following members of the same committee: 35. Representative Holaday. 36. Representative @riffin. alaiiis e Utilities Work Reviewed Approval of the plan for merging the transportation lines of the District was the crowning achievement of an epochal year for the Public Utilitles Commission. ‘While the scheme of consolidation originated with the transit companies, the part the commission played in get- ting it before Congress for ratification was of utmost importance. Had the commission rejected the plan, all hoj of the long advocated unification would have died with its action. The commission also includes among its outstanding achievements of 1928, the readjustment of electricity rates and its action in October forestalling the move of the Capital Traction Co. for a 10-cent fare pending dispo- sition of the merger agreement in Con- gress. The new schedule of electric current rates gives consumers the ben- efit of a reduction of 7 mills per kilo- watt hour, which, it is estimated, will beam while watching men at work. Others of the department who died during the year were Lieut. E. C. Waters and Pvts. G. C. Brown, L. M. Carroll and H. W. Mitchell. Members of the department retired during the year were Capts. W. J. Garner, William Nally, T. Buckley and H. G. Reynolds; Lieut. W. G. Parater and Pvts. Orville Fraser, Daniel O'Connor, H. P. Hecht, H. G. Suthard, J. E. Webb, F. W. Brown and H. L. Neumayer. Six widows and two children were pensioned. Rescue Squad Praised. Two new trucks of the 75-foot type, two pumpers, each with a capacity of 150 gallons; a combination hose wagon with booster pump of 325 gallons and a battalion chief's roadster were put in service during the year. One truck was for No. 4 and the other for No. 7 com- pany, while the pumpers went to Nos. 8 and 12 engine companies. Members of the two rescue squads of the depdrtment were highly com- mended on a number of occasions for their successful efforts in saving of hu- man life. They responded to approxi- mately 600 calls during the year and were credited with having saved many lives, | amount to a total saving to the public of approximately $600,000 a year. The major portion of the commis- sion’s work during the year was de- voted to the revaluation case of the ‘Washington and Georgetown Gas Light Companies, on the outcome of which will hinge the District'’s future gas rates. The Washington company alone filed a claim to a fair value nearly double the valuation allowed in 1916. The claim of the Georgetown company has not yet been entered, but it is expected to add approximately $2,000,000 to the present total. ‘With the close of the year the valu- ation case had reached a point where the Washington company had all of its evidence in the record and repre- sentatives of the commission were presenting* their testimony, when the case_was postponed over a_ technical- ity. It will not be resumed until the company disposes of its long pending appeal before the Court of Appeals from the 1916 valuation. The personnel of the commission re- mained unchanged during the year with its original appointees holding office. The members are John W. Chil- dress, chairman; Col. Harrison Brand, jr., and Col. William B. Ladue, Engi- neer Commissioner of the District. INQUESTS NEAR RECORD. Coroner and Deputy Sit in Total of 191 Cases. Dr. J. Ramsay Nevitt, coroner, and Dr. Joseph D. Rogers, deputy coroner, narrowly missed a record year in in- quests in 1928, the inquests totaling 191, one less than the greatest number ever held in a calendar year. Work of the coroner’s office included a 24-hour service on part of the two physicians, calls being received all hours of the day and night. The num- ber of bodies actually viewed and deaths fully investigated totaled 1,566. 1In addition to the 1,566 bodies viewed and investigations made, the coroner and deputy were called upon to give certificates of death in 333 instances of still births. January, the busiest month, necessitated the signipg of 182 certifi- cates of death, year. According to figures compiled by J. A. Sanford, cashier, and W. S. Shantz, assistant cashier, a total of $457,329.23 was collected in fines and forfeitures from the 91,150 cases recorded on the Police Court dockets of 1928. This was an increase in cash receipts of approxi- mately $30,000 and of 14,521 cases over 1927, The biggest revenue was derived from Traffic Court, where the largest num- ber of cases was tried.’ The docket of that court showed a total of 41475 cases, which produced $197,479.04 in fines and forfeitures. In the District of Columbia branch, reserved for the trial of intoxication, disorderly conduct, vagrancy and imislar offenses, $170,- 776.73 was collected and 30,764 cases registered. In the United States branch, in which violations of the United States penal code are tried, 11,317 cases were written into the court’s history and $89,073.64 paid by offenders. Decided Gain in Warrants. ‘The number of warrants issued by R. B. Gott, warrant clerk, also showed a decided gain. Warrants involving United States cases totaled 7,366, an increase of 181 over last year. Warrants issued for traffic and District of Colum- bia cases are conservatively estimated by Gott at 50 a day during 1928. In order to properly handle the ever- increasing volume of business at court, the filing system was completely re- vised during the past year. The system now employed, known as the visible in- dex system, is said to be unique among courts, and was adopted because it af- fords increased sperd and accuracy. | The cashier’s office was remodeled | during 1928, and now has all the facili- ties of a modern bank. A new printing press was installed in the basement of the building, and has turned out more than 100,000 summonses, warrants and other printed forms essential in the court’s routine. Given Gets Judgeship. Chief among the personnel changes was the appointment of Ralph Given, for years chiel assistant United States attorney at the court, to a judgeship. The appointment followed the death of Judge George H. Macdonald, who had been ill many months. While it was still hoped Judge Macdonald might re- cover, Judge Robert E. Mattingly was transferred from Municipal Court to Police Court, returning after the ap- pointment of Judge Given. While at Police Court Judge Mattingly was re- appointed to his third term on the bench by President Coolidge, and took the oath of office from Frank Sebring, clerk of the Police Court, who himself rounded out 30 years' service there on May 1, 1928, morial to be erected in Washington take the form of a great stadium or coli- seum where athletic games and other | events of national character might be staged. The proposal was laid before | directors of the Roosevelt Memorial As- | sociation, who now are giving the mat- ter consideration. Back Gravelly Point Site. ‘The board has worked vigorously in behalf of development of a municival airpert on the Gravelly Point site, and a survey of the possibilities of this loca- tion was made by a newly formed com- mittee on aviation, headed by Lawrence E. Willlams, which is composed for the most part of practical fiyers. On the findings of its committee on public order, Odell S. Smith, chairman, the board urged a change in the or- ganization of the Police Trial Board, now in effect, and made a survey of police department work here and in | other cities. Recently a committee was | named to compile statistics on local po- | lice work. The public order committee | co-operated with the department in drafting a vagrancy law with “teeth” | in it, now awaiting action by Congress: | and also prepared a fugitive law, a bill | to legalize amateur boxing in the Dis- trict, a firemen’s control law, and urged an increase in the pay of firemen and policemen. Appropriate development of the north | side of Pennsylvania avenue and estab- lishment of a new civic center on the site between Third and Sixth streets was urged on recommendation of its committee on public and private build- ings, Robert F. Beresford, chairman. ‘The board favored the proposed mer- ger of the street railways of the city. The matters of valuation and rates were left to the Public Utilities Com- mission. The “diploma mill” legislation was | indorsed and a plan for stepping-up water pressure in the downtown area through installation of electric pumps at the Bryant street station was ap- proved. 1Its committees also spon- sored a “Buy-in-Washington” campaign launched a study of the cost of medi- cal attention in the city, urged adop- tion of a five-year building program for bridges, supported the Community Chest plan, drafted a new law for condemnation of land, urged provision of a hospital for contagious diseases and a five-year building program for libraries. ‘The membership of the board during the year rose to about 3,300. C. of C. Fights “Diploma Mills.” ‘The Chamber of Commerce took the lead in promoting “diploma mill” legis- lation designed to prevent fraudulent awarding of degrees, and with co- operation of Miss Pearl McCall, M. assistant United States district attor- mey, and other local officials, drafted early campaign. It urged widening of Defense highway, adoption of a simpli- fled calendar, awarded a trophy in & fire truck speed contest, held a Wash- ington' “booster” trip down Chesapeaks Bay and made a number of recoms mendations for changes in traffic regus SQUADS POLICE DRY ACTIVE DURING YEAR Hundreds of Arrests Made ani Thousands of Gallons of Liquors Seized. Two police squads engaged in hunt« ing out dry law violators during thy year made hundreds of arrests and seized thousands of gallons of liquof and many automobiles. They were ase sisted by members of the precinct dry law enforcement squads. One squad, of which Sergt. George Hy Little is chief, handled only liquor casey and is known as the road squad. Ig connection with their work they have participated in many exciting automos bile pursuits, many times endangering their own lives. Those working with the sergeant are Pvts. George C. Deyoe, T. O. Montgomery, Leo Murray End Robert Joiner. Sergt. O. J. Letterman is head of the other squad, and their work had to da with both liquor and gambling. Thei# liquor investigations are confined chiefly to violators who prepare and sell liquo in their homes and deliver orders. Meme bers of the squad working with Sergt, Letterman are C. G. McCarron, Richard Cox and W. F. Burke. They have par ticipated in numerous sensational raids throughout the year. An intensive drive on gambling houses was an interesting feature of the year's work. Many arrests were made and many offenders sentenced, some re- ceiving sentences -of as much as four years in prison. Work of the police i3 reported to have resulted in driving many of the local gamblers to nearby Maryland. — Government Steel Plant. A state-owned steel plant having an annual output of 150,000 tons, or abous half the present imports, is being de= veloped in South Africa. Production of 500,000 tons is contemplated as the market grows. Plant equipment will be purchased from American, British or Germany manufacturers in open marketbs