Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 7566, transmitted with your letter of December 16, with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize the Tennessee Highway Department to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across the Holston River near Ruggles Ferry on Tennessee Highway No. 9 in Knox County. Favorable action on the bill is recommended. Sincerely, C. F. MARVIN, Acting Secretary. O BRIDGE ACROSS DES MOINES RIVER AT ST. JANUARY 16, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. MILLIGAN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7580] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7580) authorizing the county of Lee in the State of Iowa, and Wayland special road district in the county of Clark and State of Missouri, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the Des Moines River at or near St. Francisville, Mo., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War and Agricultural Departments, as will appear by the letters attached and which are made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill, H. R. 7580, Seventy-first Congress, second session, authorizing the county of Lee, in the State of Iowa, and Wayland special road district, in the county of Clark and State of Missouri, to construct a free highway bridge across the Des Moines River at or near St. Francisville, Mo. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill (H. R. 7580) transmitted with your letter of December 16 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize the county of Lee, State of Iowa, and Wayland special road district, in the county of Clark, State of Missouri, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across the Des Moines River between a point at or near St. Francisville, Mo., and a point opposite in Iowa. The location indicated for the proposed bridge is not on the system of Federal-aid highways approved for Iowa and Missouri. However, the bill would authorize a free highway bridge to be constructed by the public agency or subdivisions named of the States of Iowa and Missouri. Favorable action on the bill is recommended. BRIDGE ACROSS RIO GRANDE AT PRESIDIO, TEX. JANUARY 16, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. RAYBURN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7631] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7631), to extend the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Rio Grande at Presidio, Tex., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill, H. R. 7631, Seventy-first Congress, second session, to extend the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Rio Grande at Presidio, Tex. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Secretary of War. Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill (H. R. 7631) transmitted with your letter of December 17 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would extend for one and three years, respectively, from February 16, 1930, the times for commencing and completing the construction of the bridge across the Rio Grande at Presidio, Tex., authorized by act of Congress approved February 16, 1928, to be built by the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway Co. The bill relates to a railroad bridge and is without objection so far as this department is concerned. Sincerely, C. F. MARVIN, Acting Secretary. The Hon. C. B. Hudspeth, who introduced this bill, has submitted the following information with respect thereto : Mr. ELTON J. LAYTON, WASHINGTON, D. C., December 18, 1929. Clerk Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. LAYTON: In reply to your letter of December 17, 1929, in reference to H. R. 7631, introduced by myself to extend the times for beginning and completion of construction of a railway bridge at Presidio, Tex., by the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway Co. of Texas, I beg to hand you a telegram received from Mr. E. E. McInnis, general counsel for this line, and which explains the reason for the road's failure to begin construction within the specified time. I trust this explanation is satisfactory and that you will place the bill before the committee as early as possible. Sincerely yours, C. B. HUDSPETH. [Telegram] CHICAGO, ILL., December 18, 1929. Hon. C. B. HUDSPETH, House of Representatives. Thanks for your wire dated Presidio Bridge. When permissive act of February 16, 1928, adopted, Orient property in United States was under management of receiver appointed by Federal court in Kansas, while property in Republic of Mexico was under management of receiver appointed by Mexican courts. May 19, 1928, Santa Fe contracted for purchase of stock of Orient subject to consent of Interstate Commerce Commission, which consent was granted August 25, 1928, but it was necessary to complete reorganization under certain decrees in American receivership before purchase could be actually completed, and this not consummated until October 19, 1928. Old management had contracted for part of material for bridge, but construction was delayed account transactions above referred to; and after we took possession of line we thought it desirable to further delay construction until we could get permission of Interstate Commerce Commission to build from Alpine to Presidio, so we could be assured bridge would be required and also so we could move bridge material economically. This permission was granted by Interstate Commerce Commission May 16, 1929, and we are now actively engaged in constructing Presidio line and are prepared to proceed in orderly fashion and within time prescribed by general act of March 23, 1906, to build bridge and establish connection with lines in Mexico. Might add that line in Mexico was not completed to the Rio Grande until short time after we purchased Orient, while reorganization of Mexican properties was not completed until August 1, 1929, or later. E. E. McINNIS. The act of Congress approved February 16, 1928, referred to in the bill, is as follows: [PUBLIC NO. 52-70TH CONGRESS] [H. R. 5583] AN ACT Granting the consent of Congress to the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway Company of Texas and the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway Company to construct, maintain, and operate a railroad bridge across the Rio Grande River, at or near Presidio, Texas Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the consent of Congress is hereby granted to the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway Company of Texas, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas, and the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Kansas, their successors and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a |