WAR DEPARTMENT, December 17, 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. 14679, 71st Cong., 3d sess.) authorizing Pensacola Bridge Corporation to_construct a bridge across Santa Rosa Sound 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, if amended as indicated in red thereon. Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., December 20, 1930. Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill (H. R. 14679) transmitted with your letter of December 10 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize the Pensacola Bridge Corporation, its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across Santa Rosa Sound at or near Grassy Point in Santa Rosa County, Fla. The bill contains about the usual provisions inserted in bills authorizing private toll bridge construction, and proposes to repeal the act of May 26, 1928, as amended by the act of February 19, 1930, which granted the consent of Congress to the boards of county commissioners of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Fla., to construct, maintain, and operate a free bridge across Santa Rosa Sound. The Department is informed that the officials of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties gave their assent on December 4, 1930, to the repeal of the acts which had been passed granting them authority for the construction of a bridge across Santa Rosa Sound and that they also assented to the granting of a new authorization as proposed by the pending bill to the Pensacola Bridge Corporation. The department also is advised that the State Road Department of Florida on December 10 gave its assent to the repeal of the authorization previously granted to the boards of county commissioners of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties for the construction of such bridge and for the granting of a new authorization for such construction to the Pensacola Bridge Corporation. The location indicated for the proposed bridge is not on the State road system nor on the system of Federal-aid highways approved for Florida. The department does not believe that a private toll bridge should be constructed at the point proposed, but in view of the action which has been taken by the officials of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties and of the State Road Department of Florida, no objection will be interposed to the pending bill. Sincerely, C. F. MARVIN, Acting Secretary. Mr. ELTON J. LAYTON, Clerk Interstate Commerce Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., December 13, 1930. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. LAYTON: I am inclosing herewith a letter addressed to me by the Pensacola Bridge Corporation, stating facts in connection with the proposed construction of bridge. Sincerely yours, TOM YON, Member of Congress. Hon. Toм A. YON, WASHINGTON, D. C., December 12, 1930. Member of Congress, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. YON: In connection with House bill H. R. 14679, "A bill 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," you have been furnished with certified copies of resolutions unanimously adopted by board of county commissioners of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Fla., in which they recommend passage of this bill. Members of the State road department of Florida, at their meeting in Pensacola, December 10, likewise unanimously adopted resolutions recommending passage of this bill. As a matter of information this proposed bridge does not form a part of any existing Federal, State, or county highway system. It merely connects the mainland of Santa Rosa County with Santa Rosa Island, giving to Pensacola and vicinity a bathing beach on the Gulf of Mexico within 6 miles of the city, while at present the nearest available beach is 18 miles from Pensacola. The Pensacola Bridge Corporation, who seeks the passage of proposed bill, owns and is building a bridge across Pensacola Bay, which employs 250 men, and which will be completed in about 60 days. The early passage of this bill will eliminate the necessity of laying off these men, as the schedule of construction of bridge across Santa Rosa Sound will immediately follow the construction of Pensacola Bay Bridge. It is not planned either now or in the future to sell stocks or bonds to the public in order to finance the bridge. The owners of this bridge will privately finance structure in connection with a proposed resort development. An agreement has been made between owners of bridge and county commissioners that all persons purchasing a round-trip ticket across Pensacola Bay Bridge will be given a free round-trip ticket across the proposed bridge. It is also agreed between bridge owners and county commissioners that should the Pensacola Bay Bridge ever be purchased by any State, county, or municipal subdivision, this bridge will be deeded to Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties free of all liens and encumbrances for the sum of $1. Neither the State, county, nor city have any funds available for this purpose, nor will they have, as location of bridge is not on any existing or proposed State, county, or city system of highways. The bridge in question is strictly local and opens up to the public land and beach heretofore inaccessible to all vehicular traffic. As you know this bridge together with the bridge across Pensacola Bay has and will mean much toward the development of Pensacola and all northwest Florida, and we are sure you will do your utmost toward securing an early and favorable consideration of the bill in question. Yours very truly, PENSACOLA BRIDGE CORPORATION, By R. G. PATTERSON, Vice President. O BRIDGE ACROSS THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER BETWEEN JEFFERSON AND COCKE COUNTIES, TENN. JANUARY 9, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. DENISON, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT To accompany H. R. 15068] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 15068) to grant the consent of Congress to the Highway Department of the State of Tennessee to construct a bridge across the French Broad River on the proposed MorristownNewport Road between Jefferson and Cocke Counties, Tenn., having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: Lines 4 and 5, after the word "Tennessee," strike out the words "and its successors and assigns,". Page 2, line 1, after the word "of" strike out the word "the" and insert the word "an" in lieu thereof. Amend the title to read as follows: Granting the consent of Congress to the Highway Department of the State of Tennessee to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the French Broad River on the proposed Morristown-Newport Road between Jefferson and Cocke Counties, Tennessee. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached. WAR DEPARTMENT, December 17, 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. 15068, Seventy-first Congress, third session, granting the consent of Congress to the Highway Department of the State of Tennessee to construct a bridge across the French Broad River on the proposed Morristown-Newport Road between Jefferson and Cocke Counties, Tenn. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., December 20, 1930. Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 15068, transmitted with your letter of December 13 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the Department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize the Highway Department of Tennessee, its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across the French Broad River on the proposed MorristownNewport Road between Jefferson and Cocke Counties, State of Tennessee. location indicated for the proposed bridge is on the system of Federal-aid highways approved for Tennessee. Favorable action on the bill is recommended. Sincerely, The C. F. MARVIN, Acting Secretary. |