stated, and that the applicant will report in writing to the superintendent of police every sale, loan, or gift of any weapon, its style, caliber, make, and number, the purpose for which the same is purchased or obtained, within twenty-four hours after such sale, gift, or loan, and shall further agree in case of violation of any of these provisions of the law that license shall forfeit to the District. In addition, each applicant shall execute a reliable bond in the sum of $1,000, with at least two securities, conditioned that the applicant will faithfully observe all the provisions of the law relating to the sale, loan, or gift of deadly weapons then in force in the District, and shall report sales, loans, or gifts as heretofore stipulated to the superintendent of police within twenty-four hours after the same has been sold, loaned, or given away, and shall keep a register which shall contain the names of purchasers, borrowers, or to whom presented, date of such purchase, license number of the person purchasing, borrowing, or receiving, make, caliber, and number of weapon, residence, and similar information. The license fee shall not be less than $25, and such license shall be posted in a conspicuous place where the business may be conducted. Licenses of this kind should not only be revoked where provisions of the license agreement are violated, but where it is established by the police department before the assessor that the holder for any good cause is unworthy to possess the same. In addition to any individual, firm, or corporation suffering revocation of license for any violation of the deadly weapon law, they shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $200 for each day during which such person, firm, or corporation shall continue any violation. It is not believed that the carrying of concealed weapons can be effectually stopped by the enactment of any law, but the licensing of the one who may sell under penalties for violation and the licensing of the one who buys under other penalties for violation should reduce the dangerous practice to a minimum. While the above bears more directly upon the question of regulation, it is believed by the committee that the conditions call rather for prohibition of the carrying of such weapons. O CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ROAD ALONG SOUTH BANK OF ANACOSTIA RIVER. FEBRUARY 6, 1909.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. OLCOTT, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 671.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 671) to construct a road along the south bank of the Anacostia River, report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. A bill for the same purpose was introduced in the House (H. R. 3994) and referred to this committee. That bill, with some changes in phraseology, was favored by the Commissioners of the District, as appears by the following letter: 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. 3994, to construct a road along the south bank of the Anacostia River, which you forwarded to them for report touching the merits of the bill and the propriety of its passage. A plat is inclosed showing the locality through which the proposed road will pass. The object of the bill is to secure a road along the shore of the Anacostia River below the hill on which the Government Hospital for the Insane is located, and which will lead to the territory surrounding the recently erected plant of the FirthSterling Steel Company. This territory is now extremely difficult of access, the only way of reaching it at present being by a private road running from Giesboro road, by a steep hill near Randle Park, requiring a wide detour and climb over the steep grade of Nichols avenue, where this latter road ascends the hill to the asylum grounds. The Firth-Sterling Company has erected a large plant on this flat ground just west of the asylum and the plant is now in operation, a large force being employed and a growing settlement formed in the neighborhood of the plant. Some easy means of access to the city should be furnished and will be urgently demanded within a short time, and it is believed that work should be begun at once by the enactment of this measure, which provides a road without excessive grades, leading by the shortest practicable route from Anacostia to this new settlement. As shown on the plat, the proposed road follows for a portion of its way a public street, and for a portion of its way proposed public streets as laid down on the highway extension plan. It follows generally the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks, but, for a considerable length, passes through the grounds of the Government Hospital for the Insane. The bill provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall open as a public thoroughfare a 50-foot strip through the grounds of this asylum. The estimated cost of the portion of the road necessary to be taken by condemnation proceedings is $15,000. The bill provides that one-half of this amount shall be assessed as benefits on the surrounding property, which proportion the commissioners believe to be equitable. The commissioners have suggested amendments to the phraseology of the bill which are incorporated in the amended draft herewith inclosed. The commissioners recommend favorable action on the bill as amended in this draft. Very respectfully, Hon. S. W. SMITH, HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND, President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia. Chairman Committee on District of Columbia, House of Representatives. The Secretary of the Interior was unfavorably inclined to the passage of the House bill, as he deemed the presence of a public highway running through the grounds of the hospital a serious detriment to that institution in its efforts to deal with its peculiar population. But the act as passed by the Senate will no interfere with the grounds of the Hospital for the Insane, for the contemplated roadway is located from 35 to 100 feet eastward of the right of way of the Alexandria branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, instead of westward, as proposed by the House bill. The roadway will therefore be opened through lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of War, instead of the Secretary of the Interior. By the passage of the Senate act a roadway will be provided west of the railroad track, destined to become a useful part of any roadway system hereafter designed to improve a park which will doubtless be established on the newly made ground south of the Anacostia and west of the Potomac rivers. The roadway will also provide a very necessary convenience for the accommodation of travel to and from the iron and steel works located on the northern bank of the Potomac River at a point south of the asylum grounds. This improvement is obviously very much needed. The committee is also in receipt of a recent communication from the Commissioners of the District of Columbia in reference to the act herewith reported. They say: OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia nave the honor to invite your attention to Senate bill 671, to construct a road along the south bank of the Anacostia River, which has passed the Senate and is in the House of Representatives, and to request its enactment. This measure is believed to be of the highest importance. The reasons, in detail, for the enactment of this measure have already been given you in a letter from the commissioners. 2d Session. No. 2076. EXTENSION OF FRANKLIN STREET NE. FEBRUARY 6, 1909.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. SMITH, of Michigan, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 25399.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R 25399) for the extension of Franklin street NE. from its present eastern terminus east of Twenty-fourth street to the Bladensburg road, report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass when amended as follows: Strike out of line 9, page 2, the word "one-half." Strike out of line 10, page 2, the words "and one-half." Strike out all of line 11, page 2. Strike out of lines 17 and 18, page 2, the words "and the United States in equal parts," and insert a period after the word "Columbia,” in line 17, page 2. The several amendments made to this bill are such as to make it correspond with the usual form of bills recommended by this committee for the widening or extension of streets, where the entire cost and expenses are to be assessed as benefits. No part of such expense falls upon the United States, and the entire expense, paid primarily from the revenues of the District of Columbia, is repaid from the assessments for benefits, in five equal annual installments, with interest at the rate of 4 per cent per annum, as provided by section 491 j of the District Code. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia favor the early enactment of the proposed legislation in the following letter: OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to inclose herewith a draft of a bill for the extension of Franklin street NE, from its present eastern terminus, east of Twenty-fourth street, to the Bladensburg road, and to request its enactment. A blueprint is inclosed on which is shown, inclosed within red lines, the land proposed to be taken for this extension. The estimated cost of the extension is $6,000. H R-60-2-Vol 1-38 |