United States Congressional Serial Set

the Secretary of War a sworn itemized statement showing the actual original cost of constructing such bridge and approaches, including the actual cost of acquiring interests in real property and actual financing and promotion costs. Within three years after the completion of such bridge, the Secretary of War may investigate the actual cost of such bridge, and for such purpose the said George Washington-Wakefield Memorial Bridge, its successors and assigns, shall make available to the Secretary of War all of its records in connection with the financing and construction thereof. The findings of the Secretary of War as to such actual original cost shall be conclusive, subject only to review in a court of equity for fraud or gross mistake.

SEC. 6. If such bridge shall be taken over and acquired by the States or political subdivisions thereof under the provisions of section 4 of this act, the same may thereafter be operated as a toll bridge; in fixing the rates of toll to be charged for the use of such bridge, the same shall be so adjusted as to provide as far as possible a sufficient fund to pay for the cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating the bridge and its approaches, to pay an adequate return on the cost thereof, and to provide a sinking fund sufficient, to amortize the amount paid therefor within a period of not to exceed thirty years from the date of acquiring the same. After a sinking fund sufficient to pay the cost of acquiring such bridge and its approaches shall have been provided, the bridge shall thereafter be maintained and operated free of tolls or the rates of toll shall be so adjusted as to provide a fund not to exceed the amount necessary for the proper care, repair, maintenance, and operation of the bridge and its approaches. An accurate record of the amount paid for acquiring the bridge and its approaches, the expenditures for operation, repairing, and maintaining the same, and of the daily tolis collected shall be kept and shall be available for the information of all persons interested.

SEC. 7. The right to sell, assign, transfer, and mortgage all the rights, powers, and the privileges conferred by this act is hereby granted to the said George Washington-Wakefield Memorial Bridge, its successors and assigns, and any corporation to which such rights, powers, and privileges may be sold, assigned, or transferred, or which shall acquire the same by mortgage foreclosure or otherwise, is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise the same as fully as though conferred herein directly upon such corporation.

SEC. 8. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, May 5, 1926.

[PUBLIC-No. 828-70тH CONGRESS]

[H. R. 16524]

AN ACT To extend the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Potomac River at or near Dahlgren, Virginia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Potomac River from a point in the vicinity of Dahlgren, in the northeastern end of King George County, Virginia, to a point south of Popes Creek, Charles County, Maryland, authorized to be built by the George Washington-Wakefield Memorial Bridge, a corporation, its successors and assigns, by an act of Congress approved May 5, 1926, heretofore extended by an act of Congress approved February 16, 1928, are hereby further extended one and three years, respectively, from February 16, 1929.

SEC. 2. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, February 26, 1929.

The Hon. R. Walton Moore, who introduced this bill, has submitted the following information with respect thereto:

GEORGE WASHINGTON-WAKEFIELD MEMORIAL BRIDGE,
Richmond, Va., December 6, 1930.

Hon. R. WALTON MOORE,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. MOORE: I am in receipt of the letter from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of December 4, which you sent me.

In were made for financing and construction of this bridge, it being thought at the time

that financial conditions would improve from that time on. Instead they became worse, continuing bad. In October it was thought that the bottom or turning point had been reached, and again definite plans were made for financing and constructing the bridge, but immediately a more drastic financial condition set in for financing projects of this character. This condition is recognized in informed circles, and no doubt this committee is fully conversant with it. An improvement is hoped for after the beginning of the new year.

The Commerce Committee may be assured that the bridge will be financed and constructed as early as conditions for financing projects of this character will permit. Our associates in this undertaking are firms of the highest standing and deeply interested in the project, and will expedite its construction as promptly as practicable.

Thanking you and the committee for a prompt consideration and action, I am, with much respect,

Sincerely yours,

CHANNING M. WARD.

O

3d Session

No. 2149

BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE AT OR NEAR SAN BENITO, TEX.

DECEMBER 20, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed:

Mr. RAYBURN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 13532]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 13532) to extend the time for the construction of the bridge across the Rio Grande at or near San Benito, Tex., having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

Line 8, after the word "from" strike out the words "the date of approval hereof" and insert "February 15, 1931," in lieu thereof. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached.

WAR DEPARTMENT, December 9, 1930.

Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives.

So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill, H. R. 13532, Seventy-first Congress, third session, extending the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near San Benito, Tex.

PATRICK J. HURLEY,
Secretary of War.

Hon. JAMES S. PARKER,

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Washington, D. C., December 10, 1930.

Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,

House of Representatives.

DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 13532, transmitted with your letter of December 2, with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate.

that financial conditions would improve from that time on. Instead they became worse, continuing bad. In October it was thought that the bottom or turning point had been reached, and again definite plans were made for financing and constructing the bridge, but immediately a more drastic financial condition set in for financing projects of this character. This condition is recognized in informed circles, and no doubt this committee is fully conversant with it. An improvement is hoped for after the beginning of the new year.