BRIDGE ACROSS TUG FORK OF BIG SANDY RIVER NEAR DEVON, W. VA. JANUARY 11, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. GAINES, of West Virginia, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 23219.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 23219) to authorize Majestic Collieries Company, of Eckman, W. Va., to construct a bridge across Tug Fork of Big Sandy River about 2 miles west of Devon, W. Va., a station on the Norfolk and Western Railway, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the indorsements attached and which are made a part of this report. [Second indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The accompanying bill, H. R. 23219, Fifty-ninth Congress, second session, to authorize the Majestic Collieries Company to construct a bridge across the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River near Devon, W. Va., makes ample provision for the protection of navigation interests, and I know of no objection to its favorable consideration by Congress so far as those interests are concerned. A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. [Third indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, January 9, 1907. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, inviting attention to the foregoing report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, Assistant Secretary of War. CONGRESS, CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ABANDONING CERTAIN MINOR STREETS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. JANUARY 11, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. OLCOTT, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 19568.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 19568) vacating Alexander place and Poplar street, in the subdivision of a part of a tract called Lincoln, District of Columbia, and vesting title in the present owner, report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass when amended as follows: Strike out the preamble. Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: That upon the passage of this act the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized and directed to abandon Alexander place and that portion of Poplar street dedicated to the District of Columbia in the subdivision of a part of Lincoln, recorded in book county eighteen, page thirty-five, of the records of the surveyor's office; the area so abandoned to revert to the present owner of all the lots in said subdivision. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to vacate Alexander place and a portion of Poplar street, in the subdivision of Lincoln. The owner of the subdivision has bought other land in that locality and now desires to subdivide it in a different manner. The streets to be abandoned have not been improved and are not highways, and when the ground is resubdivided other streets will be dedicated, on which the new lots will face. The substitute recommended by your committee was drafted by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, who approve of its enactment into law in the following communication: OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DEAR SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit the following on H. R. 19568, Fifty-ninth Congress, first session, "Vacating Alexander place and Poplar street, in the subdivision of a part of a tract called Lincoln, District of Columbia, and vesting title in the present owner," which you referred to them for examination and report. The bill proposes to vacate streets in the subdivision of Lincoln known as Alexander place and Poplar street. A plat of the subdivision, showing the streets in question, is inclosed. The object of closing the streets is understood to be that the owner, having bought other land in the locality, desires to subdivide it in a different manner, so as to be of greater advantage to him. The streets have not been improved and are not highways, so that the Commissioners know of no reason why they should not be closed. The closing of them would not affect in any manner the highway-extension plans for this locality. It is not believed necessary to require the dedication of other streets to take the place of the streets closed, as when the ground is resubdivided streets will no doubt be provided, on which the new lots will face. The bill is longer than necessary, and the Commissioners submit a draft of a bill which they recommend as a substitute. Very respectfully, HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND, President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Hon. J. W. BABCOCK, Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia, House of Representatives. PENSIONS FOR CERTAIN OFFICERS OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE. JANUARY 11, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. TAYLOR, of Ohio, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 23201.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 23201) to amend the act approved March 1, 1905, entitled "An act to amend section four of an act entitled 'An act relating to the Metropolitan police of the District of Columbia,' approved February twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and one," report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. By the act approved June 8, 1906, which reorganized the police department of the District of Columbia, there was created the office of inspector, there having been no such rank prior to that time. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to place the inspectors within the scope of the pension law for the police and fire depart ments. This measure was drafted by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and introduced at their request, as will be seen by their following letter on the subject: OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, December 29, 1906. DEAR SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia herewith submit a draft of a bill to amend the act approved March 1, 1905, entitled "An act to amend section four of an act entitled 'An act relating to the Metropolitan police of the District of Columbia,' approved February twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and one," and recommend its enactment during the present session of Congress. The object of the proposed legislation is to include in the scope of the pension law for the police and fire departments entitled "An act to amend section four of an act entitled 'An act relating to the Metropolitan police of the |