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4-2172
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PRO ...TECTS .ADMINISTrt.AT ION
For Release to Newspapers
Sunday, October 20, 1940
WPA REPORTS P'UBLIC IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED I W FIVE YEARS CF OPR.1.AT!ONS
S1.unmarizing improvements re sult ing from WPA labor over a
five-:rear period, Howard 0. Hunter, Acting Work Projects Coimn isaioner,
today made public a r ep ort listing, among major cons truction items,
more than 517,000 miles of highways , roads and streets and 25 ,000 new
public buildings.
Covering work completed by June ~50 , 1940, the report
shows 47,406 mil es of new and ir:rproved roads add.ed by WPA workers
since the firs t of this year, or nearly 8,000 miles a month.
New public buildings completed by WPA during t he firs t si:x;
months of this year numbered 2,726, or more than 450 a month.
Reconst~iction or i mprovem0nt of 67,724 publ ic buildings
also was reported.
of ;I.940.
This was an increase of 4,644 for t he first half
Other projects include the constructi on of 3 , 202 ·ad.ditions
to buildings, of which 360 wero completed since the last provi ous
i nventory , December 31 , 1939.
"This vast program of public improvements and publi c
services , tho work of men and women who otherwise would have boon
reduced to breadlines for subsistence, hns Get a now standard in work
r elief , 11 Mr . Hunter said.
11
0thor nations hn.ve tried the dole.
have horded their labor reserves into armies of ag6ression.
Some
No other
country has utilized it s surplus labor i n a public improvement program
of coTil]_)arabl0 proportions .
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Now t hat 11::-tional :prepn.rerlness is of :::,ar3,mou.nt importa:: ce ,
this organiz e d lab or force- -wi th skills and morale :preserved.- -has
quickly become a sec ,) nd line of defem~e .
A st oe.dily increa sing
proportion of WPA worl:ers is prod.ucing the :fa.~iJ.ities nee,i ed by
our mil i tary and. nav('\l forces or r eceiving specialized training for
priva te jobs c reated
oy
def ense indus t ries .
But our nation as a
whole is stronge r nnd b etter pre-pared b Gca,1s0 it has had such a work
progr:tm for f i ve ~rea:-:,s . 11
Mo.ny of th e c on s tru ction p roj ec ts completed b y W?A p rior
t o J une 30 we r e r elat ed to nationa l d.efonso, a s eparate t 3,bulation
showe<1. .
Outst~nd.5.ng in thi s cato 6 or y wore 197 new l o.nding fi elds ,
50 add.i tions t o such f:i.olds a,1d. the roconstruction or i mprov er.ient
of 317 others .
New runways to ta.1od. r.10ro t han 373 miles in length .
Fn,ci :.itios at a irpo rts of a.ofense va lue also included 474
newly cons truct ed. buiJ. di:1.g.s , wi t l1 1 , 068 rob'..lil t or i m1:>rov ecl and 65
others enlarged.
More than l , 600 other buil d ings c cmp l otod by WPA were
r elat od. to national defonso .
These includoc1 329 barracks nnd.
officers 1_ residenc es, 255 m0ss halls ancl. ki tc:10ns , 236 o..r,;10ries and
221 store.go building,:; .
Ap:n·oxi mn.tol y 10 , 000 such buildings i nchtd-
i ng more than 3 , 500 ba rr"'- cks and offi cers 1 q_u:::,.rtcrs, were reconstr 0.1ctcd.,
L,-iproved. or enJ.nrgod by WPA l::1.b or .
I n n.c..d.ition to 517 , 000 miles of thorcup;hf<1-res built or
imp r ov e'1 , 64 , 426 now bria.ges or viaduct r-, hnve b oon ndded to the
nat i on t s tr2-ns:portr...t ion system by W?A Lib,j_' •
Of this nu.1I1be r 7,246,
or more than 1,200 a month , were c o:npl ot oi d.u1·i ng the f irst six months
of this ye3,r .
}!earl y- 40,000 bridges rud v2.nducts wore re1)uil t or
i mprov ed dur ii~~ziY11'ly five- year period .
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
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A:9:proximately 18 , 000 miles of st orm Rnd. s:m.i tar;r sewers
have l,een bu ilt by if?A wor!rn r s .
'.i:he r epc rt also lists the co nstruction
of 834 pumping p l an ts and 639 sewage treatment pl ants .
0utstanc1.ing in the field of pub lic 1)l1 il d ing i rrl};'rovmnents w::,. ::i
the work on ne a rly 35 ,000 public schools .
of 28 , 890 s chools was re~orted .
add i t i.ons were built .
in the
Rec onstruction or i m:1;rovemen t
Hew schools numbe r ed 4 , 3i33 and. 1 , 621
Nearly a t hous,<ind libraries also we re included
WFA construction p r o{:,r am ,
Conservat i on of na t u1-al r esources , a majo r featur e of the
work :program in rural a r eas , was :;:) r orno t ec.
oy
the conP-truction of 15 , 815
flood and erosion control dB.ms , nearJ.y 5 , 000 miles of firel)r 0::;ks a ncl
more than 4 , 300 miles of fire and forest tr a il s .
I m:provcrnen t of 6 , 926
miles of stream bea.s and 4,118 rr. i1 0s of river banks ancl sh,, 1•es B.lso is
reported .
Erosion con trol work also included t he laying of 13 ,''s32 , 000
sq_uare yards of rip r a:p - - t ho equivalent of enour;h to line both i)anks
of t he Mie.s i ssiripi Id;;er from the soutlv~rn bo1mda1°y of I,iinnesota a.11
the way to the Gulf of Mexico , 11.ri th a strip six f P-et wi de .
Reta.irlini!;
walls ancl revetme.:1ts af;gr egfating 1 , 431 mi l e::; also were buil t .
A:Ptro._~ i mri.tely 1 , 400 par 1:s a nd 2 , ")00 J> lt\Ytrounc:~ WE:ra part of
the new recreational i'aG ili tiAs bunt by tif?A .
nuri1b er were impr oved .
T:u.-ea to f::i•u times thi s
lTe\1' a.t hletiG fields numbered 2 , 630 r,nd
appro x imatelr 8 , 300 t ennis con:ct~ we:e constriw t Dd .
lfoarly 700 sidinming
1rnols , a si'Tlilar numbtJr of wading yiool.s , a tho1rnand ice-sl-:e.ting areas
anc1. an even {'HlP. t er mtri.11er of courts for hn.ndball end. h orsush,J e p it ch ing
were arconr; other c omrrn.rni ty recreation facil iti es pro vidc:c. tl:rong11 WPA
l ebo r .
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'.i.1he repor t also rho1·:s the volum0 of professional and
s ervice wo :rk perforrrH::cl thro1..16 h the WPA p ro cra.rn .
Mor e than 25 0, 000
we re a t t end in 6 it s l i t 0raGy and. na t uraJ.iz r:t'i:,i on classes dur ing
J une , 1 940 ,
'J:he enrc l lr:.ent i 1:. v o catiorial trrdn:i.ng classos wa s 1 83 ,750 ;
J. E. , 261 were tnki nf; cor:"es·')onn.en~e 1.-vork and nee.rly 400 , 000 were f;nro ll e d
fer o the r 'cYJ?8S of adul t ec1-ucntion ,
I n the same mon th, E,.:pp:coximatel;; 40 , 000 child r (m were r ece i ving care ::, nd tr1=tin:J.ng in 1 , 369 nur sery schools .
Ee~rly 30 , 000 were receiving s~Aci nl instruction fo r
i n s t i t 1.1tLmal i zed a m'.. ha~1dicap:ped persons .
In extond.ing instruct:i.on· ,to hundrec.s of thousands \.vho o t l1er wi se woul r. b e dep rived of f:mch op:'.)or t 'lm itJ , the W~J,A_ .rw.d 170, 8 75 e nrolled in it s music clas,.10s rnd 4J. , 82S in its art c l assr,s l nst J ·,u1e ,
Conce rts of i ts mu sic "emits riurin,3 this ::ionth 1m mbercd. lJ:,6 68 ond a
total a t tondRncc of noarly 4 , 000 , 000 .
The scho ol :i.unch pr Os T.am was O""lOrateJ in mor-e t hrtn
scho ols at the time of a special surv ey in Earcb , 19 1~0 .
i;·s,ouo
Mo re than
22,000,000 lunches we;_'c scnred in th[-1,t ;nor.. th , or approxirr..atc l y
l,OG 0 , 000 each s chool cl ay .
Othe r act.ivi t i ,:,s rc vi cw0c: ,:Luri ng S8 l 0cte;,1 :per i cd.s inclnc.e
:puolic her.l th c1nd. h ospi k.l se rvic es , library and book-r epa ir work ,
sew:i.n~ r oom p ro ci.uct ion a n d. f ood p rcs o1·virlg .
(A co:ry of the cO!'IJ,l nte re~1ort erid. a spocial t;:,_ouJ ... tj_o,t o f
c 0nstruction related t o nntiom:.l d.ef ,Jnso i s enclosed.)
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NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
.,..
SELECTED ITEMS OF ACOOMPLISJWiENT ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS RELATED _:i
TO NATIONAL DEFENSE l./
_____ Cumulative Through June 30, 1940
---------- ----
New Const ructi on
Recon struction
or Improvement
Ml.di tions
Buildings (other than utility
plants and airport buildings )-Tot'al N'nmb er
1,615
9,886
193
Administra.t i v·e Buildings
Numb er
53
301
11
Hospit als and Infirmaries
Number
20
151
3
Garages
Numb er
173
562
14
Storage Buildings
Numb er
221
1,576
16
Armori es
~1mh or
Barracks and Officers 1 Resi dences
Number
329
3,562
37
Mess Halls and Kitchens
Nu.rnbcr
255
510
17
Barns an.d St ables
llTumber
24
224
19
Other Buildings
Number
304
2 ,644
36
Utility Plants
Humber
49
52
.x.x.x
Wat er Mai ns and J?istribution Lines
Mil os
156
69
XXX
Storm and Sanitary Sewers
Miles
252
64
XXX
Telephone and Telegr aph L:i.nes
Miles
114
49
XXX
Electric Power Lines
Miles
210
524
XXX
197
317
50
1,971,000
653, 000
XXX
39
Faciliti es at Airp orts and Landing Areas
Landing Fi elds
Number
Runwa;rs
Lin. ft.
Airport Buildings - Total~/
Number
474
1,088
65
Administrative Build.i ngs
Number
73
60
14
Hangars
Humber
167
259
10
Other Airport Buildings
Number
234
769
41
Sea~l ane rt.amps and Landi ng Platf cJ:.ms
Numb er
25
2
. XXX
Land: ng A.~ G~s Floodlighted
Number
69
17
' XXX
Humber
10,493
2,870
XXX
Number
67
15
XXX
Ai r-,·ray Fa8il i t ies
1 j ·•···: ? v
l• cc:iC'fll1 S
1,/ i.1.:.:;1>o r t
,._::cl A.L-.:way Projects, and Projects either sp ons or ed or co- sponsored by
t he War Department, 1';'a vy Department, Coast Guard and Nati onal Guard, or for the
construction or improvement of facilitie s ownod or for use by those agencies.
g/
Docs not include Seaplane Bas e Buildings
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WOR"K PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
Division of Statiaj;ics
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NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
REPORT OF WORK COMPLETED
1935 - 19ij0
The program of the Work Projects Administration was
undertaken in the summer of 1935 for the purpose of providing employment on useful public projects. WPA project
operations since that time have resulted in the creation
or improvement of a wide variety of public facilities and
services in the United States.
A summary of the major types of facilities completed
on projects operated by the Work Projects Administration
is presented in th is s ta temen t.
The report shows the
number of physical uni ts cons true ted or improved from the
beginning of the program through June 30, 1940. The data
include only those uni ts upon which work had been completed during this period and do not include uni ts upon
which work was still in progress.
Work completed on WPA
projects operated by other Federal agencies is not included.
In the nonconstruction field, WPA workers have assisted
many communities in expanding and improving their educational, health, and other public services and have also
conducted art, music, educational, and other activities in
which the public could participate directly. In addition
to reports of completed units of work, reports of public
participation in a number of these activities during representative periods are included in this summary.
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NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES SUMMARY-Continued
Accomplishment and Public Participation on Projects of the Work Projects Administration-Continued
Cu•ulatlve Through June 30,
Reconstruction or
New con-
Addi-
struction improvement
tions
l~o,
Total
TIES-Continued
\._.:ing area.s-Continued
Runways-------- --- -- ---- - ---
Linear feet----
1,971,0CN)
433,000
4Jrport buildings-total----
Number ---------
474
1,088
Hangars ------------------Other airport buildings ---
Se&plane ramp& and landing
platforms------------ - -- - - -
Number-- -- - -- - -
Number _________
Number---------
{::::e~n-;;~-;;=:
Landing areaa floodlighted -- { Number lighted _
Number of li&h ta Nunber at Hgh ta Boundary lights -- - ------- - -{ Number drained.
Airport drainage------------
Area in acres -Miles
------- 221,000
73
167
234
60
259
769
25
203,000
69
2
29,000
Home visits_ _______________
8,ft.23
87
175,399
17
191
1,853
29
5,6811
School services--- - -- - -----
759
60
Other Services _____________.
1,915
Urway markers______________
Number ________ _
4.lrway bea.cons ___ ____ ___ __ __
Number ________ _
New con-
•truction
MISCELLU£0US ITEMS
Landscap i ng and beauttficatton,
other than roadside and parks -Omaaent&l pools and fountains__
Acres---------Number ________ _
Monuments and hlstOrle markers __
Number ___ _____ _
Medical clinics____________
14
{
10
41
~
17
237
829
9,1166
981
3,638,000
.IUles of ditch
and pipe _____ _
5,004
16,838
Tunnels-total ______________ __ {Number ________ _
Linear feet ___ _
708
316,708
103
62,008
?
743
1:::;;;;;;~;==
E:s:am1nat1ons and
treatments---Tests ----------
Imun1:iat1ons-R:1am1n&tions &nd
treatments- --Testa _________ _
l1m1un1:iat1ons __
27,300
7,800
21,700
4,400
7,400
97,600
16,500
3,300
17,000
1,300
1,700
11,100
1,000
600
5,900
300
1,100
36,600
33,100
3,100
36,600
33,100
3,100
----------------------------------
34,700
27,200
1,700
2 _'5,300
10,900
1,600
9,400
16,300
100
Additions
77
723
Housekeeping-aide aerv ices :
Families assieted (during
month ot December 1939) __ _
Visits made (cumulative
through Dec. 31, 1939) __ _ _
57,000
17,1159,000
School-lunch services:
During March UKO _____ _____ { Schools serviced_
Cwaulattve through Dec. 31,
1939____ _____________ _____
Lunches served .
13,720
22,817,000
Lunches served_
384,213,000
LIHARY ANO IOOK-REPAII
ACTIYITY
L!~:~~
or93s.;)_
-total(d;/~goi:~:;::r
____________________
6
9,3158
3,683
31
9,828
M5
66
Linear feet ___ _
289,561
46,497
Number ________ _
277
267
General public-library
volumes __________________ _
,2,011,000
73
188
Public-school Ubrar7
volumes - -----------------Other library voluaes _____ _
26,407,000
8,346,000
Braille (cumulative through
Dec , 31, 1939) :
1:1'-agea t.ranscribed _________ _
3,909,000
EDUCATION, ART, ANO MUSIC
ACTIYITI ES {During June IMO)
Adult education :
Literacy and naturalization -Vocational training------- -Correspondence work--------Other adult education ______ _
{
lmmuniza ttons __
Eu.min& tions and
treatments ___ _
T •-
315,100
119,300
20,900
10,700
21
2,671
142
24,476
Linear feet ___ _
Other tunnels ____________ ___ {Number ________ _
Docks, wharves, and piers ____ _
Artificial channels, other than
drainage and irrigation------
Adul ta
NWDber
lleconstruction or
improvement
{ Acres drained ••
Vehicular tunnels ___ ________ {Number ______ __ _
Linear feet __ _ _
Pedestrian tuMels ______ ____ {Number ________ _
{
{
97,116
63
126
10,847,000
roadside, and mosquito control -
E:s:aminattons and
treatments ___ _
Teats _________ _
2,870
13
10,493
67
Cemeteries ____________________ {:::e;;·;c·r·;;::
Examinations and
treatments ___ _
65
or ditch
and pipe ------
Clinic a.nd other heal th services (during a 2-week period
in January 1940) :
Dental clinics_____________
'1rway fa.clU ties:
Drainage , other than airport,
Children
PUILIC HEALTH AND HOSPITAL
ACTI YI Tl ES
I ~,ciliti es at airports and land-
buildings-- -- ------------
Persona receiving service
Sur-
facing
AIRPOIT AND AIRWAY FACILI ..
Adminis tra ti ve and terminal
and During Selected Recent Periods
General public-l1brar7 uni ta _
Public-school libra.ry unit.a_
Other library
__________________ ______ _
Boob.obi lea ________________________________ _
3,3M
G,""6
799
unit ■
136
Book renovation (cW1ulattve
througtl Dec, 31, 1939)-tot&l _
Number
Fllrollment ----Enrollment ____ _
Enrollment ____ _
Enrollment ____ _
257,876
188,?rwJ
115,261
Lectures &nd forums___________
Attendance---- luraery schools _____ __________ {Schools-------Enrollment ____ _
127,272
1,369
39,863
398,667
lpecial instruction f'or inst1tut1onal1zed and ·handicapped
persona ____________ __ ________
Enrollment - ----
Art instruction__________ ___ _
Enrollment -----
29,069
41,826
lluatc :
Instruction___________ ____ __
Fllrollment ____ _
Concerts ____________________ {Performances __ _
Attendance ____ _
170,8715
4,668
3,9157,910
67,364,000
SEWIU UD FOOD ,1ESE1YIN&
(C«t1M1latlve thro11gh Dec, SI,
1939)
O..rments COllpleted-total 1 __ _
222,683,000
Men'• gar,ents ____________ _
Woaen 'a garNnts __________ _
Boys' garaents __________ _ _ _
Girls' ganaen ts ___________ _
In rants I garments 1 ________ _
47,299,000
'57,793,000
41,288,000
48,342,000
27,961,000
Article ■
other than gannents _
67,960,000
Food preserv1.ng:
Quarts canned _____________ _
Pounds dried ______________ _
42-,203,000
1,819,000
1
heludlng layettes.
P'ederal Wort. Agenc7
IIDrk Projects ....intstratton
Dtvl ■ ton
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@FedFRASER