456 AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924. 



is S165,000, and barring unforeseen accidents, we probably will not 

 expend over $155,000 for the reason that we have been asked to 

 set aside about $8,000 as a reserve. Of course, that may be spent 

 in case we have serious accidents. 



Mr. Anderson. How does that $240,000 receipts compare with 

 the receipts of the market under private management ? 



Mr. KiTCHEX. As nearly as I can find out, it compares almost 

 exactly. You may remernber that when I made a statement before 

 the committee before, we estimated that the receipts would amount 

 to $258,000, but I am not now prepared to say that that was correct. 

 The Market Co. operated the Center Market and the Washington 

 Terminal Storage Co. as one corporation, and in the appraisal hear- 

 ings, considerable difficulty was encoilntered in separatmg the activi- 

 ties for the two plants. 



We have issued our leases for the same rates. Our storage rates 

 in some instances have had to be lowered, because they have lower 

 rates, and we have had to meet their competition. 



So I make a conservative statement that our income probably 

 would not be more than $5,000 less than theirs, and a margin of 

 that kind could be accounted for by natural changes in business 

 conditions. 



The handling of the auditorium under our management is more 

 productive than it was under theirs. 



Mr. Anderson. You are still maintaining the auditorium ? 



Mr. Kitchen. Yes, 



Mr. Anderson. Is there any change in that situation ? 



Mr. Kitchen. We have kept the auditorium and rent it for special 

 occasions, so that it can be available for use by the department for 

 any purpose desired. 



AUTHORITY NEEDED TO PAY CLAIMS. 



We have run into some difficulty in operating a business concern, 

 due to the regulations of the Government, and wc will have to ask 

 for a little additional authority to carry us through. 



Since the estimates were made we nave presented to the comp- 

 troller two small claims for damage to goods in cold storage. One 

 is for $12 and one is for $17. And when we drew this law in tlio 

 first place we inserted the word "claims," but the comptroller 

 feels that payment of these claims is unauthorized, so I have some 

 language lieic which I will present for your consideration. 



Mr. Anderson. Well, this committee, of course, has no legislative 

 juriscUction. There is no objection to it being submitted, but I do 

 not think that we can do anything with it. 



Mr. Kitchen. Well, how are we going to pav the claims? 



Mr, Andkuson, You will have to ask the authority of Mr. llaugen's 

 committee, the Committee on Agi'iculture, 1 guess. Well, go ahead 

 and present the proposition anyway, and we will deal with that 

 latci' on. 



Mr. Kitchen. Well, the proposition is this, that we would like to 

 have made a pari of the appropriation authority the following 

 language. After the word "made" insert the following: 



and td pay in arcordann* with ictjiilatiDns of the Secretary of .VtrrifMiltiirc any rlaiins 

 for <luMia>^M> lo ^'(ki(1h wliik- in wlora^c in Ccnlor Market tluit Inivo ai-iTUotl or nniy atcnui 

 at uny liuw during,' the upurutiun thuri-of by the Secretary of Agriculture. . 



