Mr. RATHBUN. I would like to further explain that matter as follows: The members of the scientific staff must be men qualified by education and training to determine and classify, by their own individual researches, such collections, received by the Museum, as pertain to their respective specialties. Whatever breadth of knowledge any of them may have, the value of each to the Museum depends upon his thorough special knowledge of some one subject or group of subjects. In respect to this subject, the result of his studies and determinations must be recognized as decisive by the entire scientific body of the world. Otherwise his classification of collections would be worse than useless; it would be misleading. That is to say, the members of the scientific staff must hold rank as experts, competent to engage in the most intricate investigations, such as are carried on by the scientific-economic bureaus of the Government, private establishments founded for research, and business concerns requiring expert services. The quality of their work should not be excelled elsewhere. As a matter of fact, there are now at least eight curators on the paid staff who indisputably hold the highest rank. It is not expected, nor is it necessary that all the members of the staff should be equally competent and distinguished. If they were the salary rolls would need to be at least doubled. I would like to say something in reference to the appropriation for printing though the estimate for it does not belong here, but under public printing. Some years ago when the method for appropriating for public printing was revised we were brought down to nearly half of what had sometimes been used before. The CHAIRMAN. We increased you from $25,000 in 1906 to $74,900 for 1913. Mr. RATHBUN. Only $34,000 of this belongs to the Museum. The annual report and the appendices under the older procedure sometimes cost almost as much as this. That amount did not appear in the appropriations for the Museum. The CHAIRMAN. I thought they charged this to Congress? Mr. RATHBUN. What I mean is the amount that we actually spend for printing. This should be increased. The CHAIRMAN. We will do the best we can for you, Doctor. NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, ETC. The CHAIRMAN. The next item is for the National Zoological Park: For continuing the construction of roads, walks, bridges, water supply, sewerage, and drainage, etc. The current appropriation is $100,000, and your estimates for 1914 are $115,000. You are asking us for an increase of $15,000; why? Mr. BAKER. There are several things which it is very important should be done that can not be accomplished without this increase. A public comfort house with a place for a small restaurant is urgently needed. A lunch stand is now maintained on a rude rustic platform which was built some years ago, but this is becoming unsafe, and it provides no protection from storms and cold. A rest house and 72975-13-27 lunch room are necessary provisions for the comfort and convenience of visitors, and the lack of suitable accommodations has been seriously felt. The CHAIRMAN. How much will that cost? Mr. BAKER. About $7,000. The CHAIRMAN. What is your balance? Mr. BAKER. On the 1st of January we had a balance for this present year, 1913, of $51,550. The CHAIRMAN. You say that $7,000 of this $15,000 increase is for a public comfort station?' Mr. BAKER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What is the other $8,000 for? Mr. BAKER. It will be used for several purposes. We have to shift the paddocks for deer, wild sheep, and goats. The present temporary paddocks are widely separated, both fences and shelters are worn out and they should be rebuilt in one suitable, permanent location. I estimate that the paddocks most urgently needed will cost $2,400. We want to make a general increase of $5 per month in the pay of the men in the animal department, who now receive from $30 to $65 per month, and the same for the typewriter in the superintendent's office, who is now paid $65 per month. We also wish to add two important positions, a veterinarian and pathologist at $1,400 per year, and a chief of grounds and construction at $1,500. Both are seriously needed. We ought to purchase a considerable number of additional animals of representative species. We have no rhinoceros, no giraffe, and no African elephant; these range in cost from $3,000 to $6,000 each. The CHAIRMAN. How much are you spending this year for new animals? Mr. BAKER. We shall spend about $5,000. The CHAIRMAN. You will have that much next year? Mr. BAKER. Yes; but we would rather spend about $8,000. You understand that some of these animals are quite expensive. The CHAIRMAN. I want to know what this increase is for. Mr. BAKER. $7,000 for a public comfort house, $1,320 for increase in pay of keepers, $2,900 for the two additional employees, and the remainder for paddocks and purchase of animals. The CHAIRMAN. Have you a detailed statement showing how this appropriation was expended in 1912? Mr. BAKER. It is in Document 1005 of this Congress. That is for 1912, and every item is put down. The CHAIRMAN. Did you buy any animals in 1912? Mr. BAKER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Where is that shown in this statement? Mr. BAKER. It is shown on page 36, being $1,204.83 of the item given as "Educational, scientific, etc., equipment," that classification being adopted in accordance with the suggestion of the Economy and Efficiency Commission. There was also paid for animals and their transportation from that appropriation after July 1, 1912, the sum of $646.20, making a total of $1,851.03 used for purchase and transportation of animals from the appropriation for the year ending June 30, 1912. AVIARY BUILDING. The CHAIRMAN. The next item is for the construction of an aviary building, with interior and exterior cages, including labor and materials and all necessary incidental expenses, $80,000. Mr. BAKER. This provides for a building with a central section about 80 feet in diameter and two wings about 40 by 120 feet connected to the central section by short corridors. A preliminary estimate by the Municipal Architect of the District of Columbia for such a building is as follows: It is estimated that the cost of the separate sections would be: Central portion.. Wings, each.. Storage and feed room.. 2 corridors... $33,000 15, 100 3, 400 3.000 To this is to be added the cost of heating, ventilation, and sewerage and of walks, grading, etc., as given above. The cost of the central section, if built separately, with feed and storage room, heating and ventilating plant, sewerage, grading, and walks, is estimated at $46,000. We have a very fine collection of birds; in fact more than half of our collection is in birds. We have 876 specimens and even that is very much less than are found in other gardens of the same character. They are very imperfectly housed, as you probably know. We ought to have a good house for them. The present arrangement is insanitary and not proper at all. ADDITIONAL LAND. The CHAIRMAN. The next item is for the acquiring of additional land. Mr. WALCOTT. I would like to say a general word about that, Mr. Chairman. Last year you gave us an appropriation to build a new bridge, and that work has been progressing in a way that Dr. Baker will explain. We are up against it this year in reference to the western entrance to the park, on the Connecticut Avenue side, and this involves a very important matter. There is a road that has been condemned running through between Connecticut Avenue and the park. Now, when the park was laid out Connecticut Avenue was not there; otherwise that would have been the boundary of the park. I can explain it better from this map. Here is Connecticut Avenue running out here [indicating]. That [indicating] is a bridge over a ravine. That [indicating] is the Klingle Road. Here [indicating] is the entrance to the park. The old boundary was up there [indicating] before this road was built, and this country was developed without any regard to what the development might be here [indicating]. Afterwards the District engineers, I believe, drew in this road here [indicating]. This road was condemned and paid for, but nothing further was done about it, and we have a development in relation to the park in this area here [indicating]. There are two or three schemes on foot with regard to this entrance. It should be the main entrance to the park, because it fronts on the principal street. At the present time there is a narrow entrance here [indicating] with a peanut stand down here [indicating] and the whole thing is in an undignified condition. There are three suggestions which Dr. Baker has in mind: One is to take in this area [indicating], as was originally planned. (See Report of Secretary of Smithsonian for 1896, p. 24.) Under that plan you would take in these strips [indicating] right here, and that would bring the park back to Connecticut Avenue here [indicating], and up to Klingle Road here [indicating]. There is one house there [indicating] that is left out. The CHAIRMAN. Is that a new, modern house? Mr. WALCOTT. Yes, sir; a man bought a lot and built in there. This plan would bring the park out to Connecticut Avenue, and this ground [indicating] could be arranged for cages and for park purposes generally. It is comparatively level and is very valuable land. Here is a road leading down the hill [indicating], and here [indicating] are a number of cages. That would be the finest thing to do if it is feasible. That area contains 10.063 acres, and the market value of the ground, estimated at one and a half times the assessed value, is $106,620. Mr. PAGE. That brings the line out to the avenue here [indicating]? Mr. WALCOTT. Yes, sir. That is one plan, and another plan is to reduce the cost by taking in that area [indicating] on Connecticut Avenue to a distance beyond Jewett Street to give a broad entrance there. That takes in 4.20 acres, and the value of that ground based on the assessment is $66,570. Another plan is to take an entrance 400 feet wide on Connecticut Avenue and make an adjustment with the owners of the property outside of the park boundary between Connecticut Avenue and the park boundary, so as to give them parts of this area [indicating] and receive back in return from them the other section indicated here [indicating]. That is scheme No. 4, and the value of the ground that would be taken is $5,357. Mr. PAGE. Could the ground be obtained at anything like its assessed value? Mr. BAKER. We are not quite certain. This is based on the assessment. The CHAIRMAN. And that is supposed to be two-thirds of the real value. Mr. BAKER. That is the assessed value; and these figures, which are one and one-half times the assessment, are what might be called the market value of the property. Mr. WALCOTT. The assessed value is two-thirds of the actual value of the property, and this is the actual value of the property based upon the assessed two-thirds value. The CHAIRMAN. The assessed value is only two-thirds of these figures? Mr. WALCOTT. Yes, sir. I think this scheme [indicating plan No. 2] presented here is really a good one and ought to be adopted. That ground is going up in value, and the real estate people wish to grade it. They have built up Cathedral Avenue, and they will begin to build in there [indicating] shortly unless you do something about it. Mr. BAKER. The owner of that property resides in Paris, and she has given orders to her agent, Fisher & Co., to go ahead and grade down this property. Mr. DOYLE. From the owner's point of view, from what has been stated, this property would have been graded a long time ago on that subdivision, but Col. Judson wanted the Klingle Road built. That was before another committee, and this is before Mr. Burleson's committee now. There is a bill in Congress now, and has been for four years, to buy that low ground from here [indicating] to Rock Creek Park. We have been opposing it, because we want to get rid of this grade and fill up this low ground. The real estate interests that I repre sent The CHAIRMAN (interposing). I thought you were here as a representative of the Museum. Mr. WALCOTT. He is speaking now about another bill. This is the land over here [indicating] that we need. This is simply a question of trying to arrange the boundary so as to bring the park out to Connecticut Avenue. Mr. DOYLE. I am trying to give a reason why this property is available. We have had a map prepared by Mr. Olmsted which shows just what our suggestion is. Now, instead of having that street [indicating] circular around there it should be straight, because no one in the world requires it that way. It goes nowhere. Olmsted proposes that this street be made straight, and take in a part of the Zoo Park here [indicating], which could possibly be exchanged for property here [indicating], as shown on this plat. If the line were established * here [indicating], it would leave us a tier of lots fronting on Connecticut Avenue with the backs to the park, which would be objectionable, but if they made the exchange we would have two tiers of lots, one fronting Connecticut Avenue and one fronting the park. This would give them ground of practically equal value, and they would require practically no appropriation, unless they wanted to enlarge their entrance to 400 feet wide. Mr. WALCOTT. If I owned that land, I would be willing to give a 400-foot entrance there, because that would bring this property to the park boundary. I should say that they could well afford to do that. Mr. DOYLE. I know only the real estate side of it. That could be worked out by a condemnation commission, and if my testimony was not good it would not be accepted. Mr. WALCOTT. As a commercial proposition, if I owned that ground I would be willing to do that. Mr. DOYLE. All of that would have to be taken up in detail and every lot valued. We would have a double tier of lots here [indicating]; one fronting Connecticut Avenue and the other the park. Mr. BAKER. Mr. Chairman, it is not satisfactory to have houses there which will back upon the park. We are already suffering, as you are aware, at the eastern part of the park in that way. The CHAIRMAN. Which scheme does this $18,650 contemplate? Mr. BAKER. That is for the land extending only to the connecting highway from Cathedral Avenue to Klingle Road. Mr. PAGE. The land between the present boundary and the road? nificant road. The CHAIRMAN. How much will be required to take the land between Connecticut Avenue and the boundary? |