IMMIGRATION STATION SITE, BALTIMORE, MD. FEBRUARY 4, 1913.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. EVANS, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 28280.1 The Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred the bill to authorize the use as a site for the United States immigration station and grounds at the port of Baltimore of a piece of land acquired by the United States about the year 1836 as part of an addition to Fort McHenry, in the State of Maryland, and which is now under the control of the War Department, and authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to acquire an outlet therefrom to the city streets. and to contract and arrange for necessary railroad facilities, having considered the same, recommend that the bill do pass. The Government is the owner of the grounds known as Fort McHenry, at Locust Point, in the city of Baltimore, which, together with the additional land purchased in 1836 and 1837, now comprise a tract of 50 acres bordering on the water. The fort and grounds are no longer used as a fortification, and only several men are now there to care for and protect the property. The fort and grounds was by an act of Congress, approved April 16, 1912, designated a Government reservation under the control of the War Department, and by reason of that act it is necessary to obtain the authority from Congress before the ground or any part thereof can be used for any other purpose. It is the purpose of this bill to use a part of the addition to Fort McHenry acquired about 1836, as a site for the immigration station and grounds at the port of Baltimore. The ground proposed to be so used is located in a corner of the tract and has a frontage of 238 feet on deep water. It contains 34 acres of land, fully described in the bill, and is admirably suited for the purpose, by reason of its almost complete isolation and yet its accessibility. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to acquire an outlet therefrom to the city streets beyond at a cost not to exceed $20,000, and the committee is informed the actual cost thereof will be much less. By the designation of this site as the location for the immigration station much money will be saved in the purchase of ground, and besides the site is an ideal location for the station and better adapted for that purpose than any property which could be purchased. For the reasons assigned the committee reports this bill favorably and recommends its passage, and for the further reason that the committee referred the bill to the Secretary of War, which department has no objection to the use of the ground for the site proposed, as shown by their reply, to wit: The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 3, 1913. House of Representatives. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the department has no objection to the use of the parcel of land described in H. R. 28280 by the Treasury Department as an immigration station, provided the right of way to said land is secured from the Baltimore Dry Dock Co., as therein proposed. Previous requests for the use of this land from different executive departments have been refused because it was thought necessary to retain this entire reservation for military purposes. Since then it is seen that the War Department can dispense with this particular parcel without detriment to the military service. Very respectfully, ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, O 62D CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REPORT 3d Session. No. 1439. BRIDGE ACROSS SABINE RIVER AT ORANGE, TEX. FEBRUARY 4, 1913.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. SMITH of Texas, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 28098.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 28098) to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Sabine River at Orange, Tex., 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 letter attached and which is made a part of this report. Amend the bill as follows: Insert on page 1, line 6, after the word "River," the words "at a point suitable to the interests of navigation." [Second indorsement.] The SECRETARY OF WAR: OFFICE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, January 29, 1913. The accompanying bill (H. R. 28098, 62d Cong., 3d sess.) authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Sabine River at Orange, Tex., is in the usual form and makes ample provision for the protection of navigation interests. So far as those interests are concerned, I know of no objection to its favorable consideration by Congress. W. H. BIXBY, Chief of Engineers, United States Army. [Third indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, January 31, 1913. 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. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, O HR-62-3-vol 1--33 BRIDGE ACROSS MONCNGAHELA RIVER, W. VA. FEBRUARY 4, 1913.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. GOEKE, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 27837.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 27837) to authorize the Buckhannon & Northern Railroad Co. to construct and operate a bridge across the Monongahela River, in the State of West Virginia, 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 letter attached and which is made a part of this report. Amend the bill as follows: Insert, on page 1, line 10, after the word "point" the words "suitable to the interests of navigation." Strike out, on page 2, lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, the words: Said bridge shall be constructed for the passage of railway trains propelled by steam, electric, or other power, and at the option of the corporation for which it is built may be used for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals, and for foot passengers, for a reasonable rate of toll, to be fixed by said company and approved by the Secretary of War. Said bridge shall be commenced within one year from the time this act goes into effect and completed within three years thereafter. [First indorsement.] OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, The SECRETARY OF WAR: The accompanying bill (H. R. 27837) proposes to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Monongahela River near Catawba, W. Va., in accordance with the provisions of the general bridge act approved March 23, 1906. In view of this fact, |