BRIDGE ACROSS MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT BATON ROUGE, LA. JANUARY 24, 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. 8575] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 8575) to extend the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Baton Rouge, La., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The acts of Congress referred to in the bill are as follows: [PUBLIC-No. 62-70TH CONGRESS] [H. R. 6487] AN ACT Authorizing the Baton Rouge-Mississippi River Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Baton Rouge, Louisiana Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to promote interstate commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, the Baton Rouge-Mississippi River Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Mississippi River at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in accordance with the provisions of the act entitled "An act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters," approved March 23, 1906, and subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this act. SEC. 2. The Baton Rouge-Mississippi River Bridge Company, its successors and assigns, is authorized to construct, maintain, and operate such bridge and the necessary approaches thereto as a railroad bridge for the passage of railway trains or street cars, or both, or as a highway bridge for the passage of pedestrians, animals, and vehicles, adapted to travel on public highways, or as a combined railroad and highway bridge for all such purposes; and there is hereby conferred upon the said Baton Rouge-Mississippi River 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 needed for the location, construction, operation, and maintenance of such bridge and its ap reach an agreement in the near future, but, in the meantime, the Missouri Pacific Railroad has applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for permit to build their own line from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the east side of the Mississippi. The last information that we had was that this application was before the Interstate Commerce Commission and had been opposed by the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railway Co. In view of the fact that Baton Rouge is the logical place to bridge the Mississippi River, to permit a trunk line from the west to enter into New Orleans, we feel that the Interstate Commerce Commission will grant the Missouri Pacific Railroad this franchise if they are not successful in their negotiations with the Louisiana Railway & Navigation Co. Our banking syndicate, which has agreed to undertake the financing and construction of this bridge as soon as all negotiations are completed, has to date expended $14,275 in preliminary work. We firmly believe that extension of another year will give us the necessary time to consummate plans, contracts, etc., for the completion of this project. If you consider it necessary, I can have additional letters written by the several members of the syndicate; also Wade Bynum, mayor of Baton Rouge, can vouch for the authenticity of our statements. Yours very truly, WATSON, WILLIAMS & Co. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, January 22, 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. 8575, Seventy-first Congress, second session, to extend the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Baton Rouge, La. 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. 8575) transmitted with your letter of January 15 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 February 20, 1930, the times for commencing and completing the construction of the bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Baton Rouge, La., authorized to be built by the Baton Rouge-Mississippi River Bridge Co., by act of Congress approved February 20, 1928, and heretofore extended by act of Congress approved January 25, 1929. When the original bill to authorize the construction of this bridge was pending, this department submitted an adverse report thereon. It still 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. R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary. Sincerely, AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO DELIVER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS' CLUB, OF SHELBYVILLE, TENN., A BELL OF A BATTLESHIP; AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY CLUB, of sheLBYVILLE, TENN., A STEERING WHEEL OF A BATTLESHIP JANUARY 25, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. BRITTEN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 6645] The Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6645) authorizing the Secretary of the Navy, in his discretion, to deliver to the president of the Lions' Club, of Shelbyville, Tenn., a bell of a battleship that is now, or may be, in his custody; and to the president of the Rotary Club, of Shelbyville, Tenn., a steering wheel of a battleship that is now, or may be, in his custody, having had the same under consideration, report favorably thereon, and with the following amendment recommend that the bill do pass: Amend the title by striking out in lines 3 and 5 the words "a battleship" and insert in lieu thereof "any naval vessel". Amend the bill by striking out in lines 5 and 8 the words "a battleship" and insert in lieu thereof "any naval vessel". The bill meets with the approval of the Navy Department, as shown by the following letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy, addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, and which is hereby made a part of this report: NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 16, 1930. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Replying further to the committee's letter of December 7, 1929, transmitting the bill (H. R. 6645) authorizing the Secretary of the Navy, in his discretion, to deliver to the president of the Lions' Club, of Shelbyville, Tenn., a bell of a battleship that is now or may be in his custody, and to the president of the Rotary Club, of Shelbyville, Tenn., a steering wheel of a battleship, that is now or may be in his custody, and requesting the views and recommendations of the Navy Department thereon, I have the honor to inform the committee as follows: The purpose of the proposed legislation is to authorize the Secretary of the Navy (at no expense to the United States) to deliver to the president of the Lions' Club and to the president of the Rotary Club, both of Shelbyville, Tenn., a bell of a battleship and a steering wheel of a battleship, respectively. From time to time there are bills introduced in Congress providing for the delivery of certain equipage from naval vessels out of commission to organizations of the name State or city of the ship on which the equipage was formerly in use. As for example, the act of May 21, 1928 (45 Stat. 619), provided for the delivery of the bell of the U. S. S. New Orleans to the Louisiana State Museum at New Orleans, La. It is believed that the name city or State should be given preference in the matter of such custody. However, the Navy Department has no objection to the enactment of the bill H. R. 6645, provided it be amended by striking out the words a battleship" in lines 5 and 8 thereof, and substituting therefor the words "any naval vessel." Sincerely yours, ERNEST LEE JAHNCKE, Acting Secretary of the Navy O CONFEDERATE STOCKADE CEMETERY JANUARY 25, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. REECE, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 3313] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3313) to authorize the Secretary of War to acquire, free of cost to the United States, the tract of land known as Confederate Stockade Cemetery, situated on Johnstons Island, Sandusky Bay, Ohio, and for other purposes, introduced by Mr. James at the request of the War Department, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that it do pass. The purpose of this legislation is clearly set forth in the letter from the Secretary of War, which is made a part of this report, as follows: MAY 3, 1929. Hon. W. FRANK JAMES, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. JAMES: I submit the following draft of a bill which I request be introduced in the House of Representatives and enacted into law. "A BILL To authorize the Secretary of War to acquire free of cost to the United States, the tract of land known as Confederate Stockade Cemetery, situated on Johnstons Island, Sandusky Bay, Ohio, and for other purposes 'Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby authorized to acquire, free of cost to the United States, the tract of land situated on Johnstons Island, Sandusky Bay, Ohio, known as the Confederate Stockade Cemetery, containing the remains of Confederate prisoners of war: "Provided, That this cemetery shall be maintained by the United States in the same manner as other Confederate burial plats acquired under the provisions of the act of March 9, 1906 (34 Stat. 56).” There is no existing law authorizing the Secretary of War to acquire this property, as the act of March 9, 1906 (34 Stat. 56) is no longer in effect; however, the act of August 1, 1914 (39 Stat. 631) provided an appropriation of $250 for the care and maintenance of this cemetery, and appropriation acts for nonmilitary activities of the War Department since 1914 have carried items not exceeding $350 for the annual maintenance of this cemetery. |