BRIDGE ACROSS MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT OR NEAR MCGREGOR, IOWA JANUARY 9, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. ROBINSON, from the Committee on Interestate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 10621] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 10621) authorizing W. L. Eichendorf, his heirs, legal representatives, and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Mississippi River, at or near the town of McGregor, Iowa, having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: Page 3, line 18, after the word "such" strike out the word "interest" and insert the word "interests" in lieu thereof. Line 24, after the word "shall" insert the words "at any time." Page 4, line 8, after the word "including" strike out the word "a". Page 5, line 7, after the word "highway" strike out the word "departments" and insert the word "department" in lieu thereof. Line 17, after the word "reasonable" strike out the word "cost" and insert the word "costs" in lieu thereof. Line 22, after the word "the" strike out the word "rights" and insert the word "right" in lieu thereof. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached. WAR DEPARTMENT, March 18, 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. 10621, Seventy-first Congress, second session, authorizing W. L. Eichendorf, to construct a bridge across the Mississippi River at or near the town of McGregor, Iowa. PATRICK J. HURLEY, ★1-10-31 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. 10621, transmitted with your letter of March 12 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize W. L. Eichendorf, his heirs, legal representatives, and assigns to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Mississippi River at or near the town of McGregor, Iowa. The bill apparently conforms to form No. 6 of the forms for bridge bills adopted by your committee and by the Senate Committee on Commerce. It proposes to authorize a private toll bridge on an important highway embraced in the system of Federal-aid highways approved for the States of Iowa and Wisconsin. It is the view of the department that a private toll bridge should not be authorized at this point. It, therefore, recommends against favorable action on the bill. Sincerely, R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary. The Hon. Gilbert N. Haugen who introduced this bill has submitted the following information with respect thereto: Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Chairman Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, House Office Building. MY DEAR MR. PARKER: I am inclosing herewith copy of H. R. 10621, a bill authorizing W. L. Eichendorf, his heirs, legal representatives, and assigns to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Mississippi River, at or near the town of McGregor, Iowa. I am also forwarding a letter from Hon. Mr. Eichendorf, containing the usual information relative to ferries, demand for bridge, etc., usually required for consideration of the bill in committee and the House, which I take it will be found to contain all the desired information. I shall be grateful to you for anything you may do to expedite consideration and action thereon. Sincerely yours, G. N. HAUGEN. MCGREGOR, Iowa, March 7, 1930. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR CHAIRMAN: In order to expedite matters in regard to the passage of a proposed bill relative to an interstate bridge at McGregor, Iowa, I am furnishing the following information at this time, it being the information requested in the past preliminary to the granting of a franchise for any interstate bridge. 1. Is there a ferry now in operation at or near the proposed location of the bridge upon which tolls are charged for crossing the river? Answer. Yes; there are two ferries here at McGregor which operate about eight months a year and only during the daylight hours of the day beginning at 7 o'clock in the morning. 2. Are the people in the vicinity of the proposed bridge desirous of having a toll bridge constructed at that place? Is there manifest any public interest in favor of the construction of such a bridge? Answer. Yes; there is practically a unanimous desire for a bridge at this location, not only in this near vicinity, but this desire of the people is true in practically every town in the northern third of the State of Iowa, and also in that part of Wisconsin which is in the vicinity of the bridge and all the territory adjoining Federal highways Nos. 18 and 61 which run into Prarie Du Chien, Wis. The Governor of Iowa was authorized to appoint a commission to investigate the necessity of bridges across the Mississippi River, which committee was appointed and reported back to the forty-second general assembly, and the site that said commission selected for a bridge in this community was the one for which the present franchise is requested, and a survey was made of this location at that time. 3. Is the State or the county or municipality in which the bridge is located in financial condition to finance and construct a free bridge at that location? Answer. No. The town of McGregor has no finances, neither has the county, and the State of lowa has no present law under which an interstate bridge could be financed by the State of Iowa. 4. In your judgment is there a probability that the State or county or municipality will in the near future construct a free bridge at that location? Answer. No. I am of the opinion that there is no possibility of this in the near future. We have had many bridge bills before the legislature in the past few years and the writer has followed these bills through the legislature but none of them have succeeded so far. In conclusion the writer will say that the site selected for this proposed bridge is the most logical site for an interstate bridge along the entire river from Dubuque to La Crosse, Wis. There are now two Federal highways paved into McGregor, Iowa, or within a few miles thereof, to wit: Highway Federal No. 18 and Highway Federal No. 55. No. 18 comes completely across the State of Iowa and terminates at the river; Federal Highway No. 55 comes down from Minnesota and joins Federal No. 18 about 7 miles west of McGregor, Iowa. Each of these highways are paved for a great distance out of McGregor, and more paving contracted on them for the year 1930. State Highway No. 13 comes up through the entire State of Iowa and comes into McGregor, and, much of this highway is paved. At Prairie du Chien the following highways merge at or near Prairie du Chien, Wis, to wit: Federal Highways Nos. 61 and 18, and State Highways No. 35, 133, 132, and 60. You can readily see that from this network of highways that a bridge is a necessity at this location. The writer has definite assurance from finance companies that the bridge will be financed and construction started as soon as a franchise is obtained. If the committee desires any further information the same will be furnished. Yours very truly, O W. L. EICHEndorf. BRIDGE ACROSS SANTA ROSA SOUND AT OR NEAR GRASSY POINT, FLA. JANUARY 9, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. HUDDLESTON, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 14679] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 14679) authorizing Pensacola Bridge Corporation (a Florida corporation), its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across Santa Rosa Sound, in the State of Florida, at or near Grassy Point in Santa Rosa County, Fla., and repealing the act approved May 26, 1928, as amended February 19, 1930, authorizing construction of a bridge across Santa Rosa Sound, having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: Page 2, line 2, after the word "Florida," insert the following: in accordance with the plans and location of the Boards of County Commissioners of Escambia and Santa Rosa, Florida, approved by the Secretary of War December 5, 1928, Page 5, strike out all of lines 16 to 25, inclusive. Page 6, strike out all of lines 1 to 4, inclusive. Page 6, line 5, strike out "SEC. 8." and insert "SEC. 6." in lieu thereof. Amend the title to read as follows: Authorizing Pensacola Bridge Corporation (a Florida corporation), its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across Santa Rosa Sound, in the State of Florida, at or near Grassy Point in Santa Rosa County, Florida. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached. HR-71-3-VOL 1-27 |