inspection.

"It is further provided that the Secretary of Commerce and Labor Vessels exempt from may, in his discretion, permit any foreign passenger steamer coming within the provisions of this Act whose foreign certificate of inspection shall have expired at sea since last leaving the country to which said vessel belongs, or while said vessel shall have been in a port of the United States, to sail upon her regular route without undergoing any further inspection than would have been required had said foreign certificate of inspection been in force: Provided, however, That such discretion shall be exercised only with respect of vessels operated upon regularly established lines, and in cases where such foreign passenger steamers will be regularly inspected by the authorities of her home government before her next return to a port of the United States."

SEC. 2. That this Act shall take effect from and after its approval.

Approved, March 17, 1906.

passage

and

Proviso.
Restriction.

Effect.

CHAP. 956.-An Act To authorize William Smith and associates to bridge the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River, near Williamson, West Virginia, where the same forms the boundary line between the States of West Virginia and Kentucky.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be lawful for William Smith, of Pike County, Kentucky, and associates, to construct and maintain a wagon and foot bridge, and also a railroad bridge, either standard or narrow gauge, to be operated by electricity or otherwise, together with approaches thereto, across the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River, near Williamson, West Virginia, where the said Tug Fork forms the boundary line between the States of West Virginia and Kentucky, as the said parties may deem suitable for the passage of its said roads, the conveyance of coal, and for foot passengers over the said Tug Fork, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War.

March 17, 1906. [H. R. 15263.] [Public, No. 52.]

Tug Fork of the Big William Smith et al. liamson, W. Va.

Sandy River.

may bridge, near WilRailroad, wagon, and foot bridge.

and post route.

Secretary of War to

SEC. 2. That any bridge authorized to be constructed under this Lawful structure Act shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route, and it shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of other post-roads in the United States, upon which also no higher charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, or for through passengers or freight passing over said bridge and approaches, than the rate per mile paid for transportation over the railroads leading to said bridge; and the United States shall have the right of way for postal telegraph and telephone purposes without charge therefor across said bridge and approaches. Said bridge shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the security of navi- approve plans, etc. gation as the Secretary of War shall prescribe, and to secure that object the said parties shall submit to the Secretary of War for his examination and approval, a design and drawings of the bridge and a map of the location, giving for the space of one mile above and one mile below the proposed location the high and low water lines upon the banks of the river, the direction and strength of the current at all stages of the water, with the soundings, accurately showing the bed of the stream and the location of any other bridge or bridges, such map to be sufficiently in detail to enable the Secretary of War to judge of the proper location of said bridge, and shall furnish such other information as may be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until the said plans and location are approved by the Secretary of War the bridge shall not be commenced or built; and should any change be made in the plan of said bridge during the Changes progress of construction or after completion, such change shall be ubject to the approval of the Secretary of War, and any changes

Use by other roads.

Compensation.

which the Secretary of War may require at any time in the said structure shall be promptly made by the said company at its own expense.

SEC. 3. That all railroad companies desiring the use of the bridge authorized by this Act shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains or cars over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon the payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case the owner or owners of the said bridge and the several railroad companies, or any of them, desiring such use shall fail to agree upon the sum or sums to be paid and upon the rules and conditions to which each shall conform in using said bridge, all matters at issue between them shall be decided by the. Secretary of War upon a hearing of the allegations and proofs of the Telegraph, etc., parties; and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies.

rights.

Lights, etc.

Time of construction.

Amendment.

SEC. 4. That on any bridge constructed under the provisions of this Act there shall be maintained, at the expense of the company or corporation owning or controlling the same, such lights and other signals as may be prescribed by the Light-House Board.

SEC. 5. That this Act shall be null and void if actual construction of the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the date hereof.

SEC. 6. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved.

Approved, March 17, 1906.

March 19, 1906. [H: R. 122.]

[Public, No. 53.]

Fire escapes re

houses, etc., in. Post, p. 1247.

CHAP. 957.-An Act To require the erection of fire escapes in certain buildings in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United District of Columbia. States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of quired for tenement the owner, lessee, occupant, or person having possession, charge, or control of any building three or more stories in height, or over thirty feet in height, constructed or used or intended to be used as a tenement house, apartment house, flat, hotel, office building, store, hospital, seminary, academy, school, college, institute, dormitory, asylum, sanitarium, hall, or place of amusement, to provide and cause to be erected and fixed to every such building, connecting with each floor above the first floor by easily accessible and unobstructed openings, one or more suitable fire escapes, in such location and numbers and of such material, type, and construction as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia may determine.

Buildings occupied

by ten or more perstories.

SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the owner, lessee, occupant, or sons above the second person having possession, charge, or control of any building already erected, or which may hereafter be erected, in which ten or more persons are employed at the same time in any of the stories above the second story, to provide and cause to be erected and affixed thereto a sufficient number of the aforesaid fire escapes, the location and number of the same to be determined by the said Commissioners, and to keep the hallways and stairways in every such building as is used and occupied at night properly lighted, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, from sunset to sunrise.

Night lights.

Guide signs, etc.

SEC. 3. That it shall also be the duty of the owner, lessee, occupant, or person having possession, charge, or control of any building used or intended to be used as set forth in section one of this Act, or any building in which ten or more persons are employed, as set forth in section two of this Act, to provide, install, and maintain therein proper and sufficient guide signs, guide lights, exit lights, hall and stairway lights, fire hose, and fire extinguishers, in such location and numbers and of such type and character as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia may determine.

SEC. 4. That the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized and directed to require any alterations or changes that may become necessary in buildings now or hereafter erected, in order to properly locate or relocate fire escapes or to afford access to fire escapes, and to require any changes or alterations in any building that may be necessary in order to provide for the erection of additional fire escapes, when in the judgment of said Commissioners additional escapes are necessary.

fire

Additional fire

escapes, etc.

for elevator shafts,

SEC. 5. That each elevator shaft and stairway extending to the Fireproof inclosures basement of the buildings heretofore mentioned shall terminate in a etc. fireproof compartment or inclosure, separating the elevator shaft and stairs from other parts of the basement, and no opening shall be made or maintained in such compartment or inclosure unless the same be provided with fireproof doors.

Unobstructed hall

Obstacles upon fire escapes, etc., prohib

SEC. 6. That it shall be unlawful to obstruct any hall, passageway, ways, etc. corridor, or stairway in any building, mentioned in this Act with baggage, trunks, furniture, cans, or with any other thing whatsoever. SEC. 7. That no door or window leading to any fire escape shall be covered or obstructed by any fixed grating or barrier, and no person ited." shall at any time place any incumbrance or obstacle upon any fire escape or upon any platform, ladder, or stairway leading to or from any fire escape.

Issuance of license

SEC. 8. That no license shall be issued to any person to conduct any restricted. business for which a license is required in any building mentioned in this Act until such building has been provided and equipped with a sufficient number of fire escapes and other appliances required by this

Act.

Violating law after

SEC. 9. That any person failing or neglecting to provide fire, escapes, noticea alarm gongs, guide signs, fire hose, fire-extinguishers, or other appliances required by this Act, after notice from the Commissioners of the District of Columbia so to do, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, and shall be punished by a further fine of five dollars for each day that he fails to comply with the notice aforesaid. Any person violating any other provision of this Act shall be punished, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each offense.

SEC. 10. That the said notice requiring the erection of fire escapes and other appliances mentioned in this Act shall specify the character and number of fire escapes or other appliances to be provided, the location of the same, and the time within which said fire escapes or other appliances shall be provided, and in no case shall more than ninety days be allowed for compliance with said notice unless the Commissioners of the District of Columbia shall, in their discretion, deem it necessary to extend their time.

SEC. 11. That said notice shall be deemed to have been served if delivered to the person to be notified, or if left with any adult person at the usual residence or place of business of the person to be notified in the District of Columbia, or if no such residence or place of business can be found in said District by reasonable search, if left with any adult person at the office of any agent of the person to be notified, provided such agent has any authority or duty with reference to the building to which said notice relates, or if no such office can be found in said District by reasonable search if forwarded by registered mail to the last known address of the person to be notified and not returned by the post-office authorities, or if no address be known or can by reasonable diligence be ascertained, or if any notice forwarded as authorized by the preceding clause of this section be returned by the postoffice authorities, if published on ten consecutive days in a daily newspaper published in the District of Columbia, or if by reason of an outstanding unrecorded transfer of title the name of the owner in

Penalty.

Scope of notice.

Personal service.

Notice by mail.

Publication of no

tice.

t.ons.

Proviso.

fact can not be ascertained beyond a reasonable doubt, if served on the owner of record in the manner herein before in this section proNotice to corpora- vided. Any notice to a corporation shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been served on such corporation if served on the president, secretary, treasurer, general manager, or any principal officer of such corporation in the manner hereinbefore provided for the service of notices on natural persons holding property in their own right, and notice to a foreign corporation shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been served if served on any agent of such corporation personally, or if left with any person of suitable age and discretion residing at the usual residence or employed at the usual place of business of such agent in the District of Columbia: Provided, That in case of failure or refusal of the owner, lessee, occupant, or person having possession, charge, or control of any buildings specified in this Act, to comply with the requirements of the notice provided for in section ten, then, and in that event, the Commissioners are hereby empowered and it is their duty to cause such erection of fire escapes and other appliances mentioned in the notice provided for, and they are hereby authorized to assess the costs thereof as a tax against the buildings on which they are erected and the ground on which the same stands, and to issue taxlien certificates against such building and grounds for the amount of such assessments, bearing interest at the rate of ten per centum per annum, which certificates may be turned over by the Commissioners to the contractor for doing the work.

Failure to comply with notice. Ante, p. 71.

Injunction to restrain use, etc., of buildings.

Repeal.

SEC. 12. That the supreme court of the District of Columbia, in term time or in vacation, may, upon a petition of the District of Columbia, filed by its said Commissioners, issue an injunction to restrain the use or occupation of any building in the District of Columbia in violation of any of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 13. That all Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent herewith be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

Approved, March 19, 1906.

March 19, 1906. [H. R. 4459.] [Public, No. 54.]

fish rights, etc., in.

CHAP. 958.—An Act Authorizing the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to make regulations respecting the rights and privileges of the fish wharf.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Bale off whart States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioners of the District of Columbia be, and they are hereby, authorized and empowered to make such regulations as they may deem proper for the sale of the rights and privileges of the fish wharf in the District of Columbia: Provided, That no letting or sale of such rights or privileges shall be for a longer term than one year. Approved, March 19, 1906.

Proviso. Time limit.

March 19, 1906. [H. R. 4469.]

[Public, No. 55.]

District of Columbia.

CHAP. 959.-An Act Authorizing the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to make regulations respecting the public hay scales.

Be it enacted by the Senate and Hose of Representatives of the United Sale of use of pub- States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioners of lic hay scales, etc., in. the District of Columbia be, and they are hereby, authorized and empowered to make such regulations as they may deem proper for the sale of the use of the public hay scales of the District of Columbia, and to place public weighmasters in charge of such scales when deemed necessary, and to prescribe the fees to be paid by the persons using such scales to the said weighmasters for services rendered by them. Approved, March 19. 1906..

Fees.

CHAP. 960.-An Act To create a juvenile court in and for the District of Columbia.

March 19, 1906.

[S. 51.]

[Public, No. 56.] District of Columbia.

Juvenile court estab

lished.

Judge.

Term.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby created and established in and for the District of Columbia a court, to be known as "The juvenile court of the District of Columbia." SEC. 2. That the judge of said court shall be known as the judge of the juvenile court, and shall be appointed by the President of the United States, subject to removal by the President for cause, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of six years, or until his successor is appointed and confirmed. No person shall be appointed to the office of judge of the said court who is not learned in law. Said judge shall receive an annual salary of three thousand dollary. lars, and he shall be entitled to thirty days' leave of absence without deduction from salary. Said judge shall, before entering upon the Oath. duties of his office, take the oath prescribed for judges of courts of the United States.

case of sickness, etc.

SEC. 3. That in cases of sickness, absence, disability, expiration of Filling vacancy in term of service, or death of the judge of the juvenile court, any one of the justices of the supreme court of the District of Columbia may designate one of the justices of the peace of said District to discharge the duties of said judge of the juvenile court until such disability be removed or vacancy filled, and the justice of the peace so designated shall, before entering upon his duties as such acting judge, take the oath prescribed for judges of courts of the United States; and said Compensation. acting judge shall receive five dollars per day in addition to his salary as justice of the peace for the term that he shall serve, to be paid in the same manner as the salary of the judge of the juvenile court.

SEC. 4. That the said court shall also have power to appoint two discreet persons of good character as probation officers, one male and one female, and one shall be designated as chief probation officer, who shall receive an annual salary of one thousand five hundred dollars, and the other shall be designated as assistant probation officer, who shall receive an annual salary of nine hundred dollars. Such probation officers shall perform such duties and be governed by such regulations as may be prescribed by the presiding judge, and such presiding judge is authorized to remove such probation officers or either of them, for cause.

Probation officers.

Salaries.

Duties.

deferred and parole

SEC. 5. That the said court shall also have power, and is hereby Sentence may be authorized, to defer sentence, at its discretion, in the case of any juve- granted. nile offender under the age of seventeen years, and parole such child under the care of the chief probation officer for a probation period discretionary with him, who shall cause said child to return to court at the end of such term either for sentence or dismissal. Such paroled child shall be under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for such period and shall be subject to such reasonable rules and regulations touching the welfare of the child as may be prescribed by it. In case such paroled child shall fail to keep or shall disregard the terms of his or her parole the said court shall have full power to cause such child to be brought before it for further proceedings.

SEC. 6. That the said court shall have power to appoint a clerk at a Clerk.. salary of two thousand dollars per annum, who shall hold his office during the pleasure of the court.

SEC. 7. That the clerk shall give bond, with surety, and take the Bond, etc. oath of office prescribed by law for clerks of district courts of the United States. He shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations, and shall perform such duties and keep such records as may be prescribed by the judge of said court.

Offenders under 17

SEO 8. That the juvenile court of the District of Columbia shall Jurisdiction. have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all crimes and offenses of years of age. persons under seventeen years of age hereafter committed against the