This bill would extend for one and three years, respectively, from the date of its approval, the times for commencing and completing the construction of the bridge across the Rio Grande River, at or near San Benito, Tex., authorized by act of Congress approved February 15, 1929, to be built by the Rio Grande del Norte Investment Co. The proposed bridge will be a private toll bridge across the international boundary line. The department recommended against authorizing the construction of a private toll bridge at this point when the original legislation was pending. It now feels that no extension of the time heretofore allowed by law should be granted for commencing and completing the construction of this private toll bridge. Sincerely, C. F. MARVIN, The act of Congress approved February 15, 1929, referred to in the bill, is as follows: [PUBLIC NO. 755-70TH CONGRESS] [H. R. 14458] AN ACT Authorizing the Rio Grande del Norte Investment Company, its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near San Benito, Texas Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to facilitate international commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, the Rio Grande del Norte Investment Company, its successors and assigns, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Rio Grande, so far as the United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such river, at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near San Benito, Texas, in accordance with the provisions of the act entitled "An act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters," approved March 23, 1906, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this act, and subject to the approval of the proper authorities in Mexico. SEC. 2. There is hereby conferred upon the Rio Grande del Norte Investment Company, its successors and assigns, all such rights and powers to enter upon lands and to acquire, condemn, occupy, possess, and use real estate and other property in the State of Texas needed for the location, construction, operation, and maintenance of such bridge and its approaches as are possessed by railroad corporations for railroad purposes or by bridge corporations for bridge purposes in the State of Texas upon making just compensation therefor to be ascertained and paid according to the laws of such State, and the proceedings therefor shall be the same as in the condemnation or expropriation of property for public purposes in such State. SEC. 3. The said Rio Grande del Norte Investment Company, its successors and assigns, is hereby authorized to fix and charge tolls for transit over such bridge in accordance with any laws of Texas applicable thereto, and the rates of toll so fixed shall be the legal rates until changed by the Secretary of War under the authority contained in the act of March 23, 1906. SEC. 4. The right to sell, assign, transfer, and mortgage all the rights, powers, and privileges conferred by this act is hereby granted to the Rio Grande del Norte Investment Company, its successors and assigns; and any corporation to which or any person to whom such rights, powers, and privileges may be sold, assigned, or transferred, or who 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 or person. SEC. 5. If such bridge shall at any time be taken over or acquired by the State of Texas or by any municipality or other public subdivision, or public agency thereof, by purchase, condemnation, or expropriation, the amount of damages or compensation to be allowed shall not include good will, going value, or prospective revenues or profits, but shall be limited to the sum of (1) the actual cost of constructing such bridge and its approaches, less a reasonable deduction for actual depreciation in value, (2) the actual cost of acquiring such interests in real property, (3) actual financing and promotion costs, not to exceed 10 per centum of the sum of the cost of constructing the bridge and its approaches and acquiring such interests in real property, and (4) actual expenditures for necessary improvements. SEC. 6. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, February 15, 1929. BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE AT OR NEAR RIO GRANDE CITY, 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. 13533] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 13533) to extend the time for the construction of a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Rio Grande City, Tex., having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: 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 letters 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. 13533, Seventy-first Congress, third session, extending the times for commencing and completing the construction of a birdge across the Rio Grande at or near Rio Grande City, Tex. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. Dear Mr. Parker: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 13533, 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. This bill would extend for one and three years, respectively, from the date of its approval, the times for commencing and completing the construction of the bridge authorized by act of Congress approved February 15, 1929, to be built across the Rio Grande River, at or near Rio Grande City, Tex., by the Rio Grande City-Camargo Bridge Co. When the original bill to authorize the construction of this bridge was under consideration, this department upon request from your committee recommended against the proposed authorization for a private toll bridge at this point. The department now feels that no extension of time beyond that heretofore allowed by statute should now be made by Congress for commencing and completing the construction of this private toll bridge. Sincerely, C. F. MARVIN, Acting Secretary. The act of Congress approved February 15, 1929, referred to in the bill is as follows: [PUBLIC-No. 759-70TH CONGRESS] AN ACT Authorizing the Rio Grande City-Camargo Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Rio Grande City, Texas Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to facilitate international commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, the Rio Grande City-Camargo Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Rio Grande, so far as the United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such river, at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near Rio Grande City, Texas, in accordance with the provisions of the act entitled "An act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters," approved March 23, 1906, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this act, and subject to the approval of the proper authorities in Mexico. SEC. 2. There is hereby conferred upon the Rio Grande City-Camargo Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, all such rights and powers to enter upon lands and to acquire, condemn, occupy, possess, and use real estate and other property in the State of Texas needed for the location, construction, operation, and maintenance of such bridge and its approaches as are possessed by railroad corporations for railroad purposes or by bridge corporations for bridge purposes in the State of Texas upon making just compensations therefor to be ascertained and paid according to the laws of such State, and the proceedings therefor shall be the same as in the condemnation or expropriation of property for public purposes in such State. SEC. 3. The said Rio Grande City-Camargo Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, is hereby authorized to fix and charge tolls for transit over such bridge in accordance with any laws of Texas applicable thereto, and the rates of tolls so fixed shall be the legal rates until changed by the Secretary of War under the authority contained in the act of March 23, 1906. SEC. 4. The right to sell, assign, transfer, and mortgage all the rights, powers, and privileges conferred by this act is hereby granted to the Rio Grande CityCamargo Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, and any corporation to which or any person to whom such rights, powers, and privileges may be sold, assigned, or transferred, or who 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 or person. SEC. 5. If such bridge shall at any time be taken over or acquired by the State of Texas, or by any municipality or other public subdivision, or public agency thereof, by purchase, condemnation, or expropriation, the amount of damages or compensation to be allowed shall not include good will, going value, or prospective revenues or profits, but shall be limited to the sum of (1) the actual cost of constructing such bridge and its approaches, less a reasonable deduction for actual depreciation in value, (2) the actual cost of acquiring such interest in real property, (3) actual financing and promotion costs, not to exceed 10 per centum of the sum of the cost of constructing the bridge and its approaches and acquiring such interests in real property, and (4) actual expenditures for necessary improve ments. SEC. 6. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, February 15, 1929. О 3d Session No. 2151 BRIDGE ACROSS THE DELAWARE RIVER NEAR TRENTON, N. J. DECEMBER 20, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. WYANT, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 13536] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 13536) to extend the time for completing the construction of a bridge across the Delaware River near Trenton, N. J., having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: Line 5, after the word "by" strike out the word "the" and insert the word "The" in lieu thereof. Line 10, after the word "date" change the period to a colon and insert the following: Provided, That it shall not be lawful to complete or commence the completion of said bridge until plans thereof shall again be submitted to and approved by the Chief of Engineers and by the Secretary of War. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached. [Second indorsement] WAR DEPARTMENT, December 13, 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. 13536, 71st Cong., 3d. sess.), extending the time for completing the construction of a bridge across the Delaware River near the city of Trenton, N. J., if amended as indicated in red thereon. F. TRUBEE DAVISON, Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., December 8, 1930. Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 13536, 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. This bill would extend for three years from August 24, 1931, the time for completing the construction of the bridge authorized by act of August 24, 1912, to be built by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. and the Pennsylvania & Newark Railroad Co. across the Delaware River near the city of Trenton, N. J. relates to a railroad bridge and is without objection. Sincerely, The bill R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary. The act of Congress approved April 21, 1928, referred to in the bill, is as follows: [PUBLIC NO. 292-70TH CONgress] AN ACT To extend the time for completing the construction of a bridge across the Delaware River near Trenton, New Jersey Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the time for completing the construction of the bridge authorized by act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, to be built by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the Pennsylvania and Newark Railroad Company across the Delaware River near the city of Trenton, New Jersey, which has heretofore been extended by Congress to August 24, 1928, is hereby extended for a further period of three years from the last-named date: Provided, That it shall not be lawful to complete or commence the completion of said bridge until plans thereof shall again be submitted to and approved by the Chief of Engineers and by the Secretary of War. SEC. 2. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, April 21, 1928. The Hon. Henry W. Watson, who introduced this bill, has submitted the following information with respect thereto: Hon. HENRY W. WATSON, THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD CO., House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN WATSON: In 1928, you very kindly introduced a bill which eventually became Public Act No. 292, Seventieth Congress, to extend the time for completing the construction of a bridge across the Delaware River near Trenton, N. J. Because of delays hereinafter explained, it is now apparent that it will be impossible to complete the construction of this bridge prior to the expiration date-August 24, 1931. I inclose draft of proposed bill which I trust you will find agreeable to introduce in the December first session of Congress, further extending the time for the completion of this bridge for a period of three years. This bridge is to be a link in the proposed new line of railroad extending from Morrisville, Pa., to Rahway, N. J., a distance of 41 miles. The estimated cost of the entire project is approximately $17,000,000, of which $2,107,000 has been expended, and the total cost for construction and acquisition of property since the date of introduction of the 1928 bill has amounted to $524,000. The original construction of this bridge was authorized by act of Congress, approved August 24, 1912, which has been extended by Congress from time to time to August 24, 1931. During this period have occurred periods of depression, the World War and the subsequent return of railroads to their owners, and the work has been deferred principally on account of the difficulty of financing a |