WASHINGTON (UPI) — The federal
government says it has spent nearly $2
million improving President Nixon's
homes in Florida and California, all of it
relating to “security.” The expenses
ranged from fire sprinklers to golf carts
for the Secret Service.

The White House also disclosed that
businessman Robert H. Abplanalp, who
helped the President buy his San Clemen-
te, Calif., retreat, has been getting some
money back in the form of rent associated
with Nixon's Key Biscayne, Fla., place.

A month ago the White House had listed
$39,000 in federal funds for improving the
Western White House at San Clemente
since Nixon bought it in 1969.

Last week, after a further search of
record, it raised this figure to $460,302.

On Thursday, General Services
Administration (GSA), the government's
housekeeping agency, said a still more
extensive audit put the total federal ex-
penditure at San Clemente at $703.367 over
four fiscal years beginning July 1, 1969.
This included only the residence there, not
the White House office space.

GSA listed for the first time the federal
expenditure for improvements, equip-
ment, operation and maintenance at the
White House complex at Key Biscayne,
including both residence and office
space-— $1,180,522. -pread over five fiscal
years beginning July ', 1968

Included in the Key Biscayne figure
was $161,463 for renting two heuses in the
complex for the Secret Service and White
House communications staff.

The White House said one of these
houses is owned by Abplanalp and the
other is owned in the name of Edwin H.
Underwood, trustee for the Indiana
National Bank, Indianapolis.

The White House said all of the tax-
payers’ money spent in San Clemente and
Key Biscayne was for security-related
improvements and that all work was done
at the request of the Secret Service, not the
President.
 
versey City, N. Jd., Maren 6 (4)—
Climbing through cold blue skies
Miss Ruth Nichols, New York soci
ety aviatrix who holds coast-to-coast
speed marks set an unofficial alti-
tude record for women today.

The altimeter on her speedy mon-
oplane showed nearly 30,054 feet.
The sealed barograph placed in the
plane by the National Aeronautic
Association, was immediately sent
to Washington for examination. If
it shows 28,974 feet, or more, Miss
Nichols will be awarded the record
now held by Elinor Smith, young
Long Island flier.

Miss Nichols was informed that to
attain recognition as the record
holder, she must beat Miss Smith's
mark of 27,418 feet by more than
600 feet,

She took off from Jersey City
Airport at 12:33 p. m. and was
aloft 90 minutes. There was a 30-
mile wind blowing when she cir-
cled the city, swung over Manhat-
tan and started the long climh.

“Everything went fine,” she said.
“The engine worked perfectly, I
did not suffer anv discomfort.”
 