WICHITA FALLS, TEX., November 7, 1944. Subject: Wichita Gas Engine Works, F. A. Lower, sole owner. To Whom It May Concern: APPRAISEMENT OF PROPERTY Approximately 10 acres of land; one 12-room concrete house, well constructed with concrete foundation, concrete front and back house, 2 by 6 studding, double walls and floors throughout down stairs, and tile bath, all in good condition. One machine-shop building, steel frame, brick walls 50 by 60 feet, concrete floors, with extension at back constructed of sheet iron, approximate dimensions 70 by 32 feet. One 5-room frame house, with bath, and modern throughout. OUTBUILDINGS Double garage with concrete floor attached to same; store house approximately 12 by 60 feet with concrete floor; one storage building 16 by 30 feet; one all-steel building 16 by 20 feet; equipped with steel crane, 12-foot walls; one storage room 20 by 40 feet, frame building, with sheet-iron roof. Remarks. I have been engaged in the real-estate business in Wichita Falls for the past 25 years, and have had experience in buying and selling property, both residential and business, all during said period of time in Wichita Falls and in the vicinity of Wichita Falls. By experience I was acquainted with the cash market value of property in Wichita Falls and vicinity during the year 1941, and at the present time. I have inspected the above property belonging to F. A. Lower located on the Burkburnett Road, about 2 miles from the city limits of Wichita Falls. The housing situation in Wichita Falls in 1941 was very acute, and people were unable to find places to live, and there was a great demand for any kind of a residence, and it is my opinion that Mr. Lower at any time during 1941 and prior to the time the sewage from Sheppard Field was emptied near and through the property, could have obtained from $20,000 to $25,000 for this property, and that it had a cash market value of that figure at that time. If the property would sell at all at this time I do not believe it would have a cash market value of more than from $9,000 to $10,000. However, I seriously doubt whether anyone would make that substantial an investment in view of the fact that the property is located so near an open sewer ditch, and in my opinion it would be very difficult to sell this property at that price. FEBRUARY 22, 1945.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. PITTENGER, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 980] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 980) for the relief of Mrs. Gladys Stout, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to authorize the Comptroller General of the United States to remove from the records of his office the debt which has been raised therein against Mrs. Gladys Stout, cashier-bookkeeper for the Baltimore defense housing project, Middle River, Md., in the sum of $264, together with interest due thereon from date of loss of the public funds for which she is accountable and which were stolen from the safe in the defense housing project office, Middle River, Md., without her fault, sometime between Saturday, March 28, 1942, and Monday, March 30, 1942. Section 2 of the bill provides for an appropriation of $85 to Mrs. Stout, which she was required to refund to the Treasury Department under her agent-cashier fidelity bond. The War Food Administration submitted a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives recommending the proposed legislation. Therefore, your committee recommends favorable consideration to the proposed legislation. WAR FOOD ADMINISTRATION, The Honorable the SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEAR MR. RAYBURN: There is enclosed, for consideration of the Congress, a draft of a private bill which the War Food Administration recommends for the relief of Mrs. Gladys Stout, cashier-bookkeeper of the defense housing project, Farm Security Administration, Middle River, Md. The proposal is predicated upon the following facts: On Saturday, March 28, 1942, at approximately 1:30 p. m., immediately prior to leaving the office at the close of business, Mrs. Gladys Stout placed in the inner locked compartment of the safe rental collections from clients of the Middle River defense housing project totaling $264, and $85 of a cash fund obtained by advance from the U. S. Treasury under her agent-cashier bond. Upon returning to the office Monday morning, March 30, 1942, at approximately 10 a. m., Mrs. Stout opened the safe and discovered that the $349 had been stolen. The records of the War Food Administration reveal that Mrs. Stout had at all times been very diligent in the handling and depositing of collections from clients in accordance with the established procedure. Investigation revealed that some unknown person or persons apparently had duplicate keys with which to enter the office and the safe. The investigating agent of the United States Secret Service expressed himself as being very favorably impressed by the reactions on the part of Mrs. Stout during the interrogation and does not suspicion her in any way nor doubt her word that she put the money in the cashier's compartment of the safe and locked it. The investigating agent learned that on April 19, 1942, just 19 days after the occurrence of the missing funds at this project, the United States organization office at Middle River, which is only a short distance from the housing project, had a similar safe larceny. Efforts by the Farm Security Administration and by the civil authorities in Baltimore County, Md., to identify and apprehend the person or persons responsible for the theft have failed. Since there is an absolute liability on the part of a Federal employee to account for public money, it appears that Mrs. Gladys Stout will be obligated to the Government for the sum of $264 unless the Comptroller General is authorized and directed to remove from the records of his office the debt which has been raised against her. Since Mrs. Stout is a bonded employee, it appears certain that a satisfactory settlement could be obtained from her surety, but if settlement were to be made through the surety, injury would probably revert to her in a like amount. Mrs. Stout was also required to refund to the Treasury Department, under her agent-cashier fidelity bond, the sum of $85. Section 2 of the proposed bill provides for an appropriation of $85 to be paid to Mrs. Stout. The request for relief in this case will not be used by the War Food Administration as a precedent, since each case submitted will be considered on the basis of the facts and circumstances appearing therein, and not on the action that has been taken in previous cases under similar circumstances. It is our opinion that due diligence was exercised and that the introduction and passage of a relief bill would be equitable and proper. The Director of the Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation to the Congress. Sincerely, O MARVIN JONES, Administrator. SIDNEY B. WALTON FEBRUARY 22, 1945.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. CASE of New Jersey, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1069] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1069) for the relief of Sidney B. Walton, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill, as amended, do pass. The amendment is as follows: Line 5, strike out the figures "$9,835.50" and insert in lieu thereof the figures "$4,000". The purpose of the proposed legislation is to appropriate the sum of $4,000 to Sidney B. Walton, of Irrigon, Oreg., in full settlement of all claims against the United States for personal injuries and damages sustained by him when he was struck by an Army vehicle at the Umatilla ordnance depot, Hermiston, Oreg., on November 23, 1942. STATEMENT OF FACTS It appears that on November 23, 1942, at about 11:55 a. m., Government station wagon, operated by a civilian employee of the War Department on official business, was standing, facing east at the north curb of South Street, a one-way street, near the intersection of South Street with Cedar Street at the Umatilla ordnance depot, Hermiston, Oreg. It was raining and visibility through the side windows of the station wagon was poor. At the same time Sidney B. Walton, of Irrigon, Oreg., an employee of Paul N. Odegard & Associates, a private contractor, was off duty and was walking across Cedar Street from east to west on the cross walk at the same intersection. The Government driver suddenly started his vehicle and, without giving a signal of any kind, made a sharp left turn from South Street into Cedar Street. Mr. Walton was approximately three-fourths of the way across Cedar Street when the left front wheel of the Government station wagon struck his left leg, throwing him to the pavement. |