EXTENSION OF ALBEMARLE STREET NW.

JANUARY 25, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. ALLEN, of Maine, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 23940.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 23940) for the extension of Albemarle street NW., District of Columbia, report the same back to the House with the recominendation that it do pass.

The bill herewith reported is in the usual form and is in harmony with sections 491a to 491n of the Code of Law for the District of Columbia.

Section 2 provides that the amount awarded as damages for the land taken, as well as the costs and expenses for condemnation proceedings, shall be assessed by the jury on the property in that locality as benefits, so that the entire amount will be returned to the District revenues. The District of Columbia will ultimately therefore bear no portion of the expense for this improvement.

The measure has the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, as will be seen by their following communication on that subject:

OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, January 23, 1907.

DEAR SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit the following on House bill 23940, Fifty-ninth Congress, second session, "For the extension of Albemarle street northwest, District of Columbia," which you referred to them for consideration and report.

A plat is inclosed showing the proposed extension, which is designed to open up a more direct extension from the Murdock Mill road to Wisconsin avenue at Tennallytown, by condemning a roadway, according to the street extension plans, across the tract of land in Tennallytown.

The roadway of Albemarle street has been acquired by the District from the Grant road, a short distance west of Wisconsin avenue, to the Broad Branch road near Rock Creek Park and this highway, when improved as the Commissioners desire to do within the next two or three years, will furnish a direct entrance to Rock Creek Park for this entire section of the District. The street deflects by the Grant road to Wisconsin avenue and west of the proposed extension is nearly paralleled by the Murdock Mill road leading to the subdivision of American University Park and

American University Heights. In addition to these facts the proposed connection will give residents of these subdivisions a direct outlet to Wisconsin avenue of sufficient width to provide for a roadway and sidewalks ultimately, whereas the outlet now is by an old country road which is largely in quite a deep cut but 26 feet wide, which leaves scarcely room for a roadway and gutters and no room whatever for sidewalks.

For these reasons the Commissioners believe that this extension is a worthy one, but that on account of its local benefit it is proper that the total cost should be assessed on the property benefited, which is provided for in the bill. The estimated cost for the street extension is $5,000.

The Commissioners recommend favorable action.

Very respectfully,

Hon. J. B. BABCOCK,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND,

President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia.

Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia, House of Representatives.

PROTECTION OF PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.

JANUARY 25, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. SHACKLEFORD, from the Committee on the District of Columbia submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 23941.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 23941) to amend section 14 of the act approved July 29, 1892, entitled "An Act for the preservation of the public peace and the protection of property within the District of Columbia," report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass.

This measure was drafted by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and introduced at their request, as will be seen by their following communication, showing the desirability of the proposed amendments to section 14 of the act approved July 29, 1892:

OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington, January 9, 1907.

DEAR SIR: The Commissioners have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of a bill to amend section fourteen of the act approved July 29, 1892, entitled "An act for the preservation of the public peace and the protection of property within the District of Columbia," and to request favorable action thereon.

The present law on the subject is contained in section 14 of the act approved July 29, 1892 (27 Stat. L., 325), mentioned in the proposed bill, which prohibits the kindling of fires in certain places, including any "open ground or lot," between the "setting and rising of the sun.' The bill transmitted here with extends the prohibition by making it applicable to any inclosed ground or lot within 200 feet of any premises, etc., as well as to open lots; and by making such fires unlawful upon such inclosed ground at any time instead of between the "setting and rising of the sun," as at present.

Very respectfully,

Hon. J. W. BABCOCK,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND,

President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia.

Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia, House of Representatives.

BRIDGE ACROSS THE MONONGAHELA RIVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

January 25, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. WANGER, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 24361.]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 24361) to amend an act entitled "An act to authorize the Mercantile Bridge Company to construct a bridge over the Monongahela River, Pennsylvania, from a point in the borough of North Charleroi, Washington County, to a point in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County," approved March 14, 1904, having considered the same, report thereon with amendment and as so amended recommend that it pass.

The bill as amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the indorsements attached and which are made a part of this report.

Amend the bill as follows:

On page 2, line 3, strike out the words "within four years from the passage of this act" and insert in lieu thereof the words "by March fourteenth, nineteen hundred and eight."

[Second indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, January 21, 1907.

Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The object of the accompanying bill (H. R. 24361, 59th Cong., 2d sess.) is to extend the time for the completion of the bridge authorized to be constructed across Monongahela River by the act approved March 14, 1904.

It is understood that the bridge has already been commenced, and I see no objection to favorable consideration of the bill by Congress.

A. MACKENZIE,

Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army..

[Third indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,
January 22, 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.

WM. H. TAFT, Secretary of War.

BRIDGE ACROSS MISSOURI RIVER NEAR KANSAS CITY, KANS.

JANUARY 25, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SHERMAN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 24367.]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 24367) to authorize the Interstate Bridge and Terminal Railway Company of Kansas City, Kans., to construct a bridge across the Missouri River at or near Kansas City, Kans., have duly considered the same and submit the following report:

It is recommended that the bill be amended by inserting in line 8, after the word "point," the words "to be approved by the Secretary of War;" by striking out all of lines 9, 10, and 11, and line 12 to and including the wordCounty," and by striking out, in line 14, the words " or as near thereto as may be selected."

With these amendments the bill has the approval of the Secretary of War and conforms to the requirements of the act entitled "An act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters." Your committee would therefore recommend that the amendments be adopted, and that the bill as thus amended be passed.