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n > • ■' ■' <• . "■ ■ • ■ Washington News Society and General n ✓ _ _ _*_WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1939. *** District Gitt . Tax Is Urged By Assessor Allen's Report Shows $20,886,491 Realty Levy Income The District tax assessor's office believes it would be advisable for the municipal government to impose , a gift tax "to plug up a hole in the present inheritance tax law.’’ Tax Assessor Fred D. Allen so in formed the Commissioners in sub r mitting his annual report yesterday. Pointing out that the underlying purpose of such a levy is to tax. at * the same rates and subject to the same exemptions as in the inher itance tax, any property disposed of by gift during the lifetime of the decedent, Mr. Allen said: "Thus, the gift tax would impose the same tax upon the distribution of estates prior to death as would be imposed if such property were distributed by testamentary disposi tions.” For this reason, he added, “this • office is convinced of the advisability Of imposing a gift tax.” $20,886,491 in Realty Taxes. Mr. Allen's report showed that a total of $20,886,491 in real estate taxes was collected during the fiscal year ending last June 30. The value of new buildings and additions add ed for the fiscal year amounted to $39,661,300. The real estate tax col lections were $387,939 above those for the 1938 fiscal year. Gasoline tax for the year amount ed to $2,760,037.77, an increase over 1938 of $102,171.75. In this connec tion, Mr. Allen said that during the last year, gasoline importers have become more cognizant of the law regarding the filing of their gasoline tax reports on time and that it has not been necessary for the District to assess any penalties for failure to report or to pay the tax on time. • The automobile tax, based on the Valuation of cars, produced $623. 115.84 in revenues during the year— a reduction from the previous year of $146,775.52. The assessor said the decrease was occasioned largely by the drop in value of the cars from the preceding fiscal year and be cause of the fact that 1939 automo bile licenses were not issued until Fehruary and March. $438,110 License Revenue. Special assessments for street im provements. condemnation, alleys, sidewalks, sewers, etc., brought in $633,421.24. During the, year, the , License Bureau issued a total of 32.513 licenses in the amount of $438,110.78. This was a decrease of $273,109.66 from the total collected In the preceding year due to the transfer of the business privilege licenses from the assessor's office to the business privilege tax division. The net business privilege tax collected during the year totaled $1,696,952.35. Inheritance and estate taxes accounted for $430,641* the av erage tax on estates being $541.64. Tangible personal property levies returned $1,479,704.37; intangible . personal property. $2,669,145.95. The total for tangible and intangible personal property taxes and gross earnings and gross receipts levies fc- Was $6,286,347.65. • Zoning Board Gets Protest Against Church Home The Board of Zoning Adjustment today heard a protest against per mitting the building at 1500 Parra gut street N.W. to be used as a church home for old ladies. The protest was in connection with the appeal of Sallie H. Weller, owner of the property, for a vari ance from the use provisions of the “A” restricted area district to allow the building to be turned into a , home for six or eight elderly ladies under the auspices of the Lutheran Church. Bernard Grove, who described himself as an attorney with the United States Housing Administra • tion and a resident of the area, vig orously opposed the proposition, con tending the introduction of any institution would affect property values. He said he had been asked by other residents to enter protest on their behalf. Zoning regulations. Mr. Grove asserted, were devised to protect neighborhoods and as soon as re quirements are reduced the com munities tend to deteriorate. A spokesman for the appellant ^ told the board that unsuccessful efforts to sell the property as a private residence have been made for more than a year. • " Wafer, Sewer And Refuse Units Ask More Funds Construction Items Play Role in 1941 Budget Estimates Three municipal government agen cies—the Water, Sewer and City Refuse Departments—have submit ted 1941 budget estimates calling for a total increase of $1,870,627 over their appropriations for the cur rent fiscal year, the District Com missioners disclosed today. The largest increase was requested by the Sewer Division, which sub ' mitted estimates totaling $1,940,617. i This is $807,817 above current ap propriations. A $611,810 increase | is sought by the Refuse Division, whose estimates totaled $2,098,760. The Water Department's proposed budget of $2,781,100 is $451,000 more than the estimates for the present year. A large part of the additional funds requested would be used for construction work, the estimates re vealed. Among the items requested n torn thfi fnllrmtinor* An appropriation of $385,000 for acquisition of a site and construc tion of a new high-temperature in cinerator—"urgently needed" be cause of the increase in population. Seeks to Curb Flooding. An appropriation of $150,000 to be used in construction of the Piney Branch relief sewer. (This was held necessary to eliminate flooding which lias occurred repeatedly in the vicinity of Thirteenth street and Arkansas avenue N.W.) A $20,000 item for a study to de termine available sources of water supply, with a view to increasing the District’s supply, and to determine locations for a new purification plant, pumping stations, transmis sion mains and storage reservoirs. For a new high-pump and electric controlled equipment for the Dale carlia pumping station, $70,000; for new motor-operated sluice gates and filter gauges at the McMillan filtration plant. $30,000: for com pletion of the filter strainer system at Dalecarlia, $30,000; for new shop and storehouse facilities at Dale carlia and McMillian plants, $58,000. The budget of the supply branch of the Water Division, calling for ap propriations of $751,000, provides for employment of 12 additional workers in the custodial service. The depart ment said the present building re pair force now is entirely inadequate to take care of repairs on the 71 buildings of the system. Provide Replacement of Mains. In the estimates for the distribu tion branch of the Water Division, the following other increases over the 1940 estimates are requested: $15,900 for maintenance: $95,000 for extension of the distribution sys tem: $65,000 for service and replace ment mains. The Sewer Division estimates call for an additional $10,000 over the 1940 appropriation for mosquito con trol and a $225,000 increase in the fund for assessment and permit work. The City Refuse Division requested a total of $550.770—an increase of $147,040 over this year—for its street cleaning fund. Part of the increase would be used to place the street cleaning force on a 40-hour week, it was said. The department also asked for $1,024,430 for the collection and disposal of refuse. This is $176,380 more than the estimates for the current year. In justifying its proposal for con struction of a new trash incinerator, the Refuse Division said the tre mendous growth in population here since 1932 and the unusual increase in the per capita production of com bustible refuse in recent years have made such a move imperative. The existing incinerators, is was said, are not capable of handling any further material increase in trash production such as is expected in Washington in the next few years. Conviction Won't Void Maryland Liquor Permit By the Associated Press. BALTIMORE, Aug. 30.—Mary land's new liquor law provides that convicted felons who already have a liauor license may continue to hold it, but bans the issuance of a new liquor license to any person who has been convicted of violating gambling or liquor laws. This interpretation of the law was prepared by the office of Attorney General William C. Walsh at the re quest of Charles T. Levinness, head of the Baltimore City Board of Liquor License Commissioners. I Laboratories m Nurses' Home Addition! GALLINGER HOSPITAL BUILDINGS—Extensive improvements under way in a $1,400,000 expansion program at Gallinger Hospital are shown in this new air view. Also shown is work under way on one wing of new cell blocks at the District Jail, a part of a jail-expansion program costing more than a million dollars. The steel framework has been erected for two new ward buildings which will provide the hospital with 500 additional beds. The dotted lines in the foreground marked ward No. 1 shows the site for another ward building not yet authorized. The nurses’ home addition, which consists of a new wing to the existing building, is scheduled for completion in September. The psychopathic wards are not shown in this picture. They are to the right of thfe nurses’ home. The whole new program is scheduled for completion by July 1, 1940. —Star Staff Photo from Goodyear Blimp Enterprise. Boy, 8, Hasp Third Kidney; Wins Chinese Checkers Laurels Terry Gregory, 8, whose third kidney is a medical phenom enon, is shown defeating Nurse Bette Konya at Chinese checkers in Children’s Hospital. —Star Staff Photo. Eight-year-old Terry Gregory has set Children's Hospital talking. Not only has he one more kidney than most humans but he's a whiz at Chinese checkers and now is ac knowledged champion of his ward. Doctors discovered the supple mental kidney when they were seek ing to determine the cause of a high fever that stayed with him when he recuperated from whooping cough earlier in the summer. They think it probable that an operation will be performed in a few days to remove the organ, which they think bears an infection re sponsible for the fever. It is lodged atop his normal left kidney. While they are waiting to decide if the operation is necessary the dark-eyed youngster has developed his checker-playing way beyond his years. When a nurse offered to contest his checker-playing supremacy to day he asked her loftily whether she would take on a game of “jump shove.” She declined and they fin ally settled on “just plain jump,” with Terry holding out for a triple game, as if six people were playing. The checker prodigy has another distinction besides his third kidney. Pour years ago when fire broke out in his home at 1362 Irving street N.W. he braved a roomful of flames to rescue his infant sister. 65 Greenbelt Residents Hit Hatch Act Ruling Protesting the Civil Service Com mission's interpretation of the Hatch Act, approximately 65 Greenbelt residents last night petitioned At torney General Murphy to reverse the ruling excluding Federal em ployes from running for the Town Council. The petition pointed out that at least 80 per cent of Greenbelt bread winners are employes of the Gov ernment and said that the civil serv ice ruling bans them from running in the Council elections next month. The Greenbelt residents asked for an immediate ruling in view of the fact that registration closes Sep tember 4 and the election for Coun cil is September 19. They described the election as "non-political.” The protest meeting was called last night by the Democratic Club of the 21st district of Prince Georges County, of which Walter J. Bier wagen is president. • The petition was being circulated for more signatures in Greenbelt to day. Gov. Price Sick RICHMOND, Va„ Aug. 30 OP).— Gov. Price was confined to the executive mansion yesterday by ill ness. Aides described the illness as "a minor ailment.” Collectors Given Data On New Zealand Covers By the Associated Press. The Post Office Department yes terday issued information for stamp collectors who wish to submit covers for the regular fortnightly airmail service to be inaugurated in the near future between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand. Instructions for first flight covers: San Francisco to Noumea, 40 cents per half ounce; San Francisco to Auckland, 50 cents per half ounce; senders to affix stamps and send in outer envelope addressed to Post master, San Franciscp, in time to reach him by September 30. Honolulu to Noumea, 20 cents per half ounce; Honolulu to Auckland, 30 cents per half ounce; send to Postmaster at Honolulu in time to reach him by September 30. Auckland to Noumea, 1 shilling per half ounce; Auckland to Hono lulu, 2 shilling per half ounce; Auck land to San Francisco, 3 shilling 6 pence per half ounce; senders to transmit consignment of covers with money order, payable to Postmaster, Auckland, and mail in time to con nect with S. S. Monterey, sailing from San Pedro, Calif., Septem ber 13. » Civil War Veteran Is 100 ROCK HALL, Md., Aug. 30 OP).— Joseph Hynson, sr., Civil War vet eran who counts 46 direct descend ants, celebrated his 100th birthday anniversary yesterday. % Crash With Truck Fatal to Boy, 11, Riding Bicycle ‘ - I Driver Is Charged With Manslaughter, Freed Under Bond Traffic Record The traffic record, as revealed at police headquarters for 24 hour period ending at 8 *.m. today: Fatalities, none. Accidents, 38. Motorists injured. 6. Motorists arrested. 250. Pedestrians injured, 5. Pedestrians arrested for vio lation of pedestrian control regulations, 14. Eleven-year-old Peter Herrmann of 4010 Leland street, Bethesda, Md., died at Georgetown Hospital yes terday afternoon several hours after he was run down by a truck while riding a bicycle in front of his home. The boy was said to have rid den his bicycle out of a driveway, which is bordered on one side by a high hedge cutting off a view of the street. The driver of the truck, I John L. Cranford, 37, of 14 Wessex | street. Silver Spring, took the child : ! into his home, where he was given | first aid by a physician before be j ing taken to the hospital by the Bethesda Rescue Squad. Mr. Cranford was charged by Montgomery County police with manslaughter and released under $500 bond. He told officers he was driving at a moderate rate and did not see "the child until he was al most in the path of his machine. Another 11-year-old boy, Frank Brownell of 1440 E street S.E., was knocked from his bicycle by a truck yesterday afternoon. The accident occurred in the 400 block of E street S.W. me ooy was treated at Providence Hospital for cuts about the face, head and arms. He was not be lieved seriously hurt. Margaret Lunsford, 59, of 524 Thir teenth street N.E., escaped with minor cuts and bruises last night when struck by a street car at Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania j avenue N.W. She was treated at Emergency Hospital. Three-year-old Louis Pettis of 1244 Wisconsin avenue N.W. was slightly bruised and shocked yesterday after noon when struck by an automobile near his home. P. W. A. Says Its Probes Saved U.S. $75,000,000 By the Associated Press. Col. E. W. Clark, acting commis sioner of public works, reported yes terday that P. W. A. investigations had saved the Government more than $75,000,000. Col. Clark outlined the result of the agency’s watchfulness over projects in a report to John M. Carmody, Federal Works adminis trator. Supervision of work done under Federal loans and grants, Col. Clark said, not only saved public funds, but also "elminated to a high de gree bad construction practices such as collusive bidding, closed speci fications, the ‘kick-back’ and wage underpayments.” He added that re funds to labor totaled $797,535. Col. Clark reported that 295 cases had been turned over to Federal and State law officials, and that of these 170 had been presented to grand juries, 110 had been closed without grand jury action, and 15 still were being considered. K Money Is Sent Hacker Stranded With $201 Due Attaches at the Canadian Lega tion today announced they had re ceived monev for the return home of Fred Oliver, 26-year-old cab driver of Ottawa, who became stranded here when he failed to col lect $201 from a passenger he had brought to Washington in good faith. The money was sent by his employer. The passenger, an unemployed carpenter, said to be a resident of Los Angeles, was held by police for immigration authorities to see whether he entered the United States illegally. He promised to pay Oliver $180 fare and $21 for ex penses. Oliver told police his passenger “hired" his cab in Ottawa last Sun day with a promise to pay as soon as he could cash in on certain papers. The passenger, however, failed to raise the money on arriving here, and left Oliver stranded. The hack er's gas tank was almost empty and he had only 15 cents in his pockets. Police said he slept in his cab on the street last night pending an appeal to the Legation. Two Banks Split Montgomery Bond Issue of $30rCI3 Each Bids Par and 2!4%; Bethesda Work To Be Speeded Work on the Bethesda (Md.) re reation center will be speeded im mediately with $30,000 from bonds sold yesterday by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, Park Commisisoner Lacy Shaw said today. The Farmers’ Banking ti Trust Co. of Rockville and the Suburban National Bank of Silver Spring both bid par for an interest rate of 2\2 per cent, the board announced. Half the issue was awarded to each bank. Part of the money will be used for remodeling the headquarters building, formerly occupied by the Department of Agriculture’s experi mental farm, now located at Belts ville. The work will be completed in time for use next winer. The building has been used since the center was dedicated last spring, but several changes are needed, Mr. Shaw explained. Additional equipment will be pur chased and tennis courts and base ball fields will be added. The County Board took under advisement, an appeal by Joseph E. Rice, attorney for the Chevy Chase Swimming Pool, to reduce the $250 annual license fee. Mr. Rice said the pool was operated only about three months a year and suggested a tnird of the annual, fee would be reasonable. He said that motion picture theaters paid a $10 annual fee. An attendant of the pool was arrested last week for operating it without a permit. The board agreed to ask a post ponement of the case in Bethesda Police Court until the matter could be decided. A letter from the Battery Park Citizens’ Association offering to col laborate in the reassessment in that area was received by the board from J. D. Montedonieo, association sec- j retary. Order of Alhambra To Open Convention Here Tomorrow Hazen to Welcome Delegates; Program Is Announced With the vanguard of delegates already here, the Supreme Divan of the Order of Alhambra will open its 18th biennial row in the Wil ! lard Hotel. An address of wel come will be delivered by Comm issioner Melvin C. Haz en and John J Carmodv, grrud commander o f Alcantara Car avan, this city. Preceding the formal conven tion opening, which will be at 10:30 a.m., the Same 200 dele- J- J- Carmody. gates will attend mass at St. Pat rick's Catholic Church at 9 am. i All convention sessions, which will continue through Saturday morn ing. will be presided over by Su- J preme Comdr. John M. Miller of1 Baltimore, who was scheduled to arrive here today. Tomorrow afternoon the delegates will go to Arlington National Cem etery. where Supreme Comdr. Mil- i ler will place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Following, j the group will hold an outdoor pic nic at Fort. Hunt. A business session will be held at j the Willard again Friday morning and that afternoon the delegates will make a trip to Mount Vernon aboard the steamer City of Wash ington. Friday night at 9 o'clock an informal dance and cocktail party is scheduled in the small ball room of the Willard and a “pajama parade” is on the program for Fri day midnnight. Election of officers will be held and the convention city for 1941 chosen in the final business session Saturday morning. There also will be entertainment by the Ladies’ Committee. The remainder of the Saturday program includes a sight seeing tour of the city Saturday afternoon, an all States banquet at 7 p.m., at which Gov. O Conor of Maryland will be honor guest and the Supreme Convention All States Ball at 10:30 p.m. On Sunday the delegates will journey to Forest Glenn, Md., to dedicate a memorial plaque at 3 p.m. to the Most Rev. John Carroll, first Catholic Bishop in the United States and first Archbishop of Bal timore. The memorial is sponsored by the Alcala Caravan of Baltimore. Alfred Paul Neff of this city is general chairman of the Committee on Arrangements for the convention. Convention headquarters were set up in the Willard today by Supreme Scribe William F. Boyle of Spring field, Mass., who is the editor of the Alhambra's first official publication, “The Alhambra,” which is to be distributed at the convention. D. C. Girl Wins $50 Prize In Essay Contest Mariella Schaben, 17, of 1309 Kearney street N.E., graduate of the Immaculate Conception Acad emy, won second prize of (50 and a gold medal in the annual American ism essay contest of the Ladies’ Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Associated Press reported today from Boston, where the awards were made. Miss Schaben is planning to attend Columbus Junior College this fall, according to the academy. Carmody Hits 1-Man Block' To Ending Strike 'Firm' Procedures Contemplated in Building Tie-up Responsibility for delaying con struction of Federal buildings in Washington was laid at the feet of one person today by John M. Car mody, Federal Works Administrator. Without direct reference to L. E. Smoot, chairman of the board of Smoot Sand <5s Gravel Co., who has been reported ill at his home near Colonial Beach, Va., and who, ac cording to leaders of 200 striking workers at his concern, has declined to designate an authorized repre sentative to confer with the strikers, Mr. Carmody said: “If there were war, it would be intolerable to think that any one person could delay construction of buildings authorized by Congress and badly needed for current Gov ernment business. Assume that a single company supplied the District with gasoline and that the owner left the city during a labor dispute, leaving the city without any gasoline and his employes said nothing could be done until he came back—what would the people do?” Officials of the Smoot Co. here de clined to comment, on Mr. Car mody s statement, and telephone communication could not be estab lished with Mr. Smoot's Virginia resiripnrp “Firm" Procedures Considered. During the day officials of the Labor Department Conciliation Service conferred in an effort to devise new and if necessary "firm" procedures for terminating the 16 day-old strike at the Smoot con cern. Pending solution of the strike construction on millions of dollars worth of buildings has been virtually halted, and upward of 6.000 men have been thrown out of employ ment. Dr. John Ft. Steelman, direc tor of the Conciliation Service, to day joined Conciliator Howard T. Colvin, whose settlement suggestion was rejected by the Smoot company Monday in an attempt to bring an early end to the strike. Upon solution of the gravel strike, according to Mr. Colvin, settlement may be expected in the week-old plumbers' strike. Representatives of plumbers and employers met with Mr. Colvin for several hours yester day afternoon, but no agreement was reached. Arrangements were made, however, for another confer ence to be called by the conciliator. Mr. Colvin was scheduled to con fer today with Hugh C. McKenny, spokesman for Commercial Telegra phers' Union. Local No. 24, and other officials of the union regard ing the local's differences with the Western Union Co. The union had empowered a negotiating committee with the right to call a strike if necessary in furtherance of its dis pute with the company regarding wage and hour demands. »* vv..v« ii uiuun ucimps tnarpes. Meanwhile, B. R. Allen, superin tendent of the local Western Union office, today issued a statement de nying union charges that the com pany “has remained adamant in its refusal to arbitrate * * Mr Allen asserted that “the telegraph company has at no time declined to negotiate with the C. T. U. at Wash ington. and, as proof of that, several conferences have been held attended by officials representing various de partments of the Western Union and the officers representing the C. T. U. The telegraph company has at no time declined to negotiate with the C. T. U. » • * in fact, the Western Union has agreed to some of the union's requests, a num ber of which are now in effect." Band Concert By the United States Navy Band in the Navy Yard bandstand tonight at 7:30 o'clock. Lt. Charles Benter. leader; Charles Brendler, assistant leader. The Program. March, “Swinging Down the Line.” Brokenshire Overture, “Orpheus”.Offenbach Solo for cornet, “Inflamatus.” Rossini Musician Oscar Short. (a) “By the Swanee River,” Myddleton fb) "Traumerei”...Schuman Fantasy. “Park Avenue”.. Signoreli Grand scenes from the opera "Rigoletto”. Verdi Waltz. "Amorettenta*ze”_Gungl Excerpts from •‘Sweethearts," . Herbert “Norwegian Rhapsody”_Lalo “The National Anthem.” Stock Damage Claimants Must Produce Carcass No payments for damage to live stock will be made unless the claimant can produce a "corpus de licti,” and police officers will serve as coroner in each case, the Mont gomery County <Md.) Board of Commissioners decided yesterday. Commissioner Walter Johnson and Robert W. Parmer, who com pose the Livestock Committee which passes on all livestock damage case* for the board, yesterday turned down a claim for two turkeys, said to have been killed by a dog, because all police found was a heap of feathers in the general vicinity of the turkeys, customary roosting place. Hereafter, the commissioners ruled, the claimant must provide evidence in the form of a carcass which can be viewed by the police acting in the role of coroner In each case. The officer must certify that the victim was at least "prob ably” killed by a dog. “To protect the taxpayers we think there should be evidence to justify a claim,’* Mr. Parmer ex plained. , “Feathers are not enough,’* Mr. Johnson ruled. Fire Marshals Seek 'Gusher' Opened by W. P. A. Pick The fire marshal’s office and po- i lice today sought the source of mys terious "hot oil” which has trickled into Southwest Washington, pre sumably from some underground “gusher” opened by a W. P. A. pick. ' I The official "prospectors” were Searching along the course of a sewer Shich was opened and closed about iree weeks ago near Standard Oil Co. gasoline pipe lines leading from the pier at the foot of South Capitol • street to nearby storage tanks. The fire marshals want to know If the supposed “gusher” is a fire hazard, while police were checking the story of Henry Speaks, 23, col ored, of the 1200 block of Half street S.W., now under arrest charged with housebreaking in an other case. , Policeman W. W. Knox of No. 4 precinct said Speaks admitted tak ing gasoline from a pipe line acci dentally opened by a W. P. A. worker on the sewer project. Word of the “gusher” got about, police said, and 4 l gang of “wise guys” in the neigh borhood began to work the claim. The Standard Oil Co., police said, is trying to figure how much gaso line was drained before the open sewer was covered up three weeks ago. It was not known if the “gusher” was capped before it was buried. The gasoline was brought from Baltimore, where records must be checked against those at the stor age tanks. Several weeks ago Policeman Knox noticed a colored youth with a couple of heavy tins on a wheel barrow. The youth took to his heels and the cans were found to contain gasoline. On another occasion Knox found some gasoline tins hastily abandoned by persons carrying them. The “tipoff,” however, came sev eral days ago, when a disgruntled customer, a taxi driver, who had bought gasoline at the cut-rate price of 10 cents a gallon, found it con tained a high percentage of water. He told police about the deal, and Speaks was arrested. Police held Speaks on an old case while they Investigated the new one. /