the mission should be continued and unanimously recommends the enactment of H. R. 5763. The Secretary's communication of March 18, 1948, addressed to Hon. Richard J. Welch, chairman, Committee on Public Lands, is set forth below and is made a part of this report. Also set forth is a communication dated March 26, 1948, from the Federal Power Commission stating that the Commission has no objection to the enactment of this legislation. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENt of the InterIOR, Hon. RICHARD J. WELCH, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Chairman, Committee on Public Lands, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. WELCH: This is in reference to your request for a report on H. R. 5763, a bill to authorize the sale of certain public lands in San Juan County, Utah, to the Southwest Indian Mission, Inc. I recommend that this bill be enacted. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to sell, and the Southwest Indian Mission, Inc., to purchase, 165.5 acres of land now being used by a facility of that corporation known as the St. Christopher Mission to the Navajo. The bill would require the sale to be at a price fixed by the Secretary in accordance with the terms of the Color of Title Act (43 U. S. Č. 1068 and 1068a) and would also reserve all of the minerals to the United States. The lands involved were applied for by the mission under the provisions of the above-cited Color of Title Act (Salt Lake 066373). Despite the valuable improvements erected by the mission, as well as other equities, the Bureau of Land Management was compelled to reject the application since the mission had only a possessory right and had evidently recognized legal title to be in United States. In view of the fact that the mission had this possessory right only, the Secretary was, under the Color of Title Act, precluded from conveying the lands to the mission. In view of the important and valuable services being rendered by the mission to the Navajos, the bill, which would supply the Secretary with the necessary authority to make the conveyance, seems to be worthy of enactment. However. inasmuch as the lands involved are included in a power-site reserve it is suggested that you also obtain the views of the Federal Power Commission on this bill. Since your committee has requested an immediate report, the views set forth above have not yet been submitted to the Bureau of the Budget for advice as to the relationship of these views to the program of the President. Sincerely yours, J. A. KRUG, Secretary of the Interior. Hon. RICHARD J. WELCH, FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION, Chairman of the Committee on Public Lands, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR CONgressman WelCH: In response to your letter of March 18, 1948, there are enclosed two copies of the report of the Federal Power Commission on H. R. 5763, a bill to authorize the sale of certain public lands in San Juan County, Utah, to the Southwest Indian Mission, Inc. Because of your desire for an immediate report on this bill, the report is transmitted to you without clearance with the Bureau of the Budget under Budget Circular No. A-19. Sincerely yours, NELSON LEE SMITH, Chairman. FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION REPORT ON H. R. 5763, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE SALE OF CERTAIN PUBLIC LANDS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, TO THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN MISSION, INC. H. R. 5763 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue a patent to the Southwest Indian Mission, Inc., for certain public lands in San Juan County, Utah, which have been reserved for power site purposes. The land involved is located in the proposed Bluff Reservoir and power site, which will require reacquisition when the reservoir is constructed, but, in view of the relatively slight probability of development of the site, except in the remote future, and the favorable report from the Secretary of the Interior received by the Committee on Public Lands of the House of Representatives, this Commission sees no objection to the passage of the bill. FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION, H. Repts., 80-2, vol 2 -115 By: Chairman. 80TH CONGRESS 2d Session } HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { REPORT No. 1693 AMENDING THE ACT OF APRIL 25, 1947, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK APRIL 7, 1948.-Committed to the Committee on the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. WELCH, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 5816] The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5816) to amend the act of April 25, 1947, relating to the establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL The purpose of this bill is to revise the boundaries of the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, N. Dak., in order to provide a more suitable and adequate park. The National Park Service recommends the enactment of this legislation. At hearings held before a subcommittee of the committee it was testified that the increase in acreage would not necessitate any additional personnel and should result in no increased costs to the Federal Government for administration, protection, and maintenance of the park. Primarily this bill will accomplish the following purposes: 1. Increase the acreage of the park from 35,718.56 acres to 49,153.79 acres. More than 12,000 acres of the proposed additional area are already in Federal ownership. The balance of the land probably can be acquired by exchange and would not require any expenditure of Federal funds. This revision of boundaries would bring within the park certain geographic formations now only partially within the area; 2. Correct the land description of Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch, which is inaccurate in the existing law; and 3. Eliminate from the existing law the provision calling for the erection of a statue of Theodore Roosevelt. The Park Service and the Committee on Public Lands agree that a museum would be a more appropriate commemoration than a statue and would be of more benefit and interest to the general public. This bill has the approval of the North Dakota State Historical Society and of the residents of the State of North Dakota. H. R. 5816 is fully explained in a communication dated March 18, 1948, from Under Secretary of the Interior Oscar L. Chapman to Hon. Richard J. Welch, chairman of the Committee on Public Lands, which is set forth below and is made a part of this report. The Committee on Public Lands unanimously recommends the enactment of this legislation. Hon. RICHARD J. WELCH, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington 25, D. C., March 18, 1948. Chairman, Committee on Public Lands, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. WELCH: Your committee has requested a report on H. R. 5816, entitled "A bill to amend the act of April 25, 1947, relating to the establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, and for other purposes." I recommend that H. R. 5816 be enacted. The chief purpose of this proposed legislation is to revise the boundaries of the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, N. Dak., so as to provide a more suitable and adequate park in keeping with its purposes as established by the act of April 25, 1947 (Public Law 38, 80th Cong.). This bill would amend sections 1 and 4 of the 1947 act. Also, it would eliminate from the act the present section 6. Section 1 of the 1947 park legislation would be amended by this bill to effect a desirable revision of the park boundaries. The boundary revision would give the park a more natural boundary, including all of certain geographic formations now only partially within the area. It would include within the park sufficient lands to permit suitable administration and development. Also, it would provide a total park of adequate size to accommodate the mammal species in sufficient numbers to permit them to be seen in their natural habitat as an exhibit of the wildlife scene typical of Theodore Roosevelt's time. This revision of boundaries involves a net addition of 13,435.23 acres to the present park area of 35,718.56 acres. More than 12,000 acres of the proposed addition are already in Federal ownership. It is desirable that section 4 of the present Park Act be amended, as provided by this bill, in order to correct the land description of the Elkhorn ranch site, which description, as contained in the 1947 act, has been found to be incorrect. H. R. 5816 provides also for the elimination from the 1947 Park Act of the present section 6, relating to the erection in Medora, N. Dak., of a statue of Theodore Roosevelt. We concur in this proposed change and believe that if a special commemorative structure is desired it would be preferable that s museum be built within the park boundaries. Such a museum would be a more appropriate structure and would be of more benefit to the general public. No special legislative authority is needed for the museum, as it will be considered along with the normal development of the area. The enactment of this proposed legislation probably will result in no increased costs to the Federal Government for administration, protection, and maintenance of the park. Actually, a saving will be possible in fencing the area because of the improvement in the park boundaries. It is not anticipated that there will be any expense for land acquisition, since the relatively few State and private holdings involved can probably be acquired by exchange pursuant to the landexchange authority contained in section 3 of the 1947 act. As we are advised that your committee desires to hold an immediate hearing with respect to H. R. 5816, this report has not been sent to the Bureau of the Budget. Consequently, I am unable to advise you at present concerning the relationship of such proposed legislation to the program of the President. Sincerely yours, OSCAR L. CHAPMAN, Under Secretary of the Interior, |