DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Hon. CLARENCE F. LEA, Washington, April 9, 1938. Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. LEA: Careful consideration has been given to the bill H. R. 10075, transmitted with your letter of March 31 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the Department might desire to communicate. This bill would extend for 1 and 3 years, respectively, from June 19, 1938, the times for commencing and completing the construction of the bridge across the Missouri River, at or near Brownville, Nebr., authorized by section 18 of the act of Congress approved August 30, 1935, to be built by the county of Atchison, Mo., and the county of Nemaha, Nebr. Favorable action on the bill is recommended. In re H. R. 10075. Hon. CLARENCE F. LEA, M .L. WILSON, Acting Secretary. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Chairman, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR COLLEAGUE: In response to your recent letter requesting full information in regard to the steps thus far taken toward building the bridge across the Missouri River at or near Brownville, Nebr., I wish to submit the accompanying letter written by Mr. John J. Wright, county clerk of Atchison County, Mo. Mr. Wright's letter, I believe, fully covers the request made by your committee. In view of the fact that both the engineering and financing arrangements have been practically completed for the building of this bridge, I wish to urgently recommend that prompt and favorable consideration of the bill H. R. 1075, may be had. Please call on me if there is anything further I can do to assist your committee. Sincerely yours, HENRY C. LUCKEY, Hon. HENRY C. LUCKEY, ROCK PORT, Mo., April 15, 1938. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. LUCKEY: At the request of Mr. John P. McKnight, of Auburn, Nebr., I am writing to you in regard to the Brownville Bridge with the idea of giving you information as to what has been done toward the carrying out the building of said bridge. The county court of Atchison County, Mo., and the Board of County Commissioners of Nemaha County, Nebr., held joint and several meetings to discuss the desirability of the construction of a bridge which would afford a direct connection between the county seats of the two counties. Each body passed suitable resolution agreeing to cooperative action. Arrangements were made for necessary engineering and legal services. A general location was agreed upon and the engineers made surveys for a complete project to extend from existing improved highways in Nebraska to existing improved highways in Missouri. By conference with United States engineer officers the pier locations, clearances, and other details affecting navigation were determined. By contract with A. A. Horn, borings to bedrock were made to determine foundation conditions and foundation design. The engineers then made a design and prepared a general plan. Representatives of Atchison County and of Nemaha County conferred, respectively, with representatives of the State Highway Departments of Missouri and of Nebraska and received assurances of cooperation from the State highway departments with references to connecting highways to give access to the bridge, and were advised that these improvements would probably include the necessary earth embankment approaches. Representatives of each county undertook preliminary negotiations for necessary rights-of-way for approaches in the respective counties and made determinations of the costs involved for rights-of-way. Traffic counts and traffic data were secured from each State highway department and also from the State Highway Department of Iowa concerning Missouri River bridge crossings. County employees made a traffic count of the traffic crossing on the existing private ferry. The necessary War Department plans were prepared and an application for a permit and approval of plans was made. The War Department held a public hearing at Rock Port, this hearing was attended by about 100 representative citizens from contiguous territory in Missouri and Nebraska, representing about a dozen cities, towns, and villages. Written resolutions by public officials in official action, and by chambers of commerce and similar business organizations, and written and oral statements by individuals were presented, all strongly endorsing the bridge. Some 25 pages of the official transcript are devoted to these endorsements. In due time an instrument of approval, constituting a permit for construction, was issued by the Secretary of War. Conferences were held by representatives of the county with the State directors of the Public Works Administration of Nebraska and of Missouri, looking toward an application for financial aid in the construction of the bridge from the Public Works Administration. Upon the advice of these directors it was decided that this application should be made in the name of Atchison County, Mo., acting for both counties. Pursuant to this advice an application was prepared, including all necessary documents, together with an engineering report giving plans, general specifications and estimates of cost and a general financial report including traffic estimates and other data. This application properly executed, was filed with the State director of the Public Works Administration of Missouri, in St. Louis, requesting a loan and grant. Representatives of the counties conferred with the Public Works Administration office in St. Louis, and after the application was endorsed and forwarded to Washington, representatives also conferred with Public Works Administration officials there with respect of the various features of the application, the court of Atchison County responded to certain suggestions by suitable official action. This application was pending before the office of the Public Works Administration of Washington until the late spring of 1937, at which time the county court of Atchison County was notified by said office that they could not recommend approval of a loan and grant for this project. The officials of Nemaha County, Nebr., and Atchison County, Mo., are now negotiating with bonding companies for the sale of bonds for this bridge and are preparing data and other information with the idea of voting the bonds. All preparatory work is done, and the project is in condition to move promptly when the financing is complete, as will appear from the above. Considerable sums of money have been expended by the counties in preparation for the building of this bridge, and all of the communities affected are unchanged in their desire and determination to secure this bridge. Very respectfully yours, COUNTY, N. Y., AT OR NEAR MASTIC, TO FIRE ISLAND, SUFFOLK COUNTY, N. Y. MAY 3, 1938.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. KENNEDY of New York, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 10117] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 10117) granting the consent of Congress to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge, known as South Point Bridge, across navigable waters at or near Mastic, southerly to Fire Island, Suffolk County, N. Y., having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. Amend the bill as follows: Page 1, lines 4 to 6, after the comma following the word "York" in line 4 strike out the following: "or to any public instrumentality created or provided for under the laws of the State of New York,". Page 2, lines 19 to 23, after the word "tolls" in line 19 strike out the comma and the words "or the rates of toll shall thereafter be adjusted as to provide a fund of not to exceed the amount necessary for the proper maintenance, repair, and operation of the bridge and its approaches under economical management". The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached. [Second endorsement] WAR DEPARTMENT, April 11, 1938. 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. 10117, Seventy-fifth Congress, third session, granting the consent of Congress to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge, known as the Smith Point Bridge, ★5-14-38 across navigable waters at or near Mastic, southerly to Fire Island, Suffolk County, N. Y. HARRY H. WOODRING, Hon. CLARENCE F. LEA, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. LEA: Careful consideration has been given to the bill, H. R. 10117, transmitted with your letter of April 5 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the Department might desire to communicate. This bill would grant the consent of Congress to the county of Suffolk, State of New York, or to any public instrumentality created or provided for under the laws of the State of New York, for the construction, maintenance, and operation of a bridge and approaches thereto across navigable waters in said county, separating Fire Island from the southerly side of Long Island at a point near Mastic, known as Smith Point, southerly to said Fire Island. The bill provides that if tolls should be charged for the use of the bridge the rates thereof shall be so adjusted as to provide for reasonable annual maintenance, repair, and operation costs and to create a sinking fund sufficient to amortize the cost of the bridge and its approaches within not to exceed 40 years from the date of completion. After a sinking fund sufficient for such amortization shall have been provided, the bridge would have to be maintained and operated free of tolls, or the rates would have to be so adjusted as to provide a fund sufficient only for annual maintenance, repair, and operation costs. The bill is indefinite as to what public instrumentality or agency aside from Suffolk County itself would be authorized thereunder to construct, maintain, and operate the bridge in question. It is believed desirable that grant of authority in such cases should be more definite as to the agency which may exercise the powers and privileges which the grant would give. It is suggested, therefore, that this uncertainty should be removed by striking out the language beginning with the word "or", line 4, page 1, down to and including the words "New York", line 6. If Suffolk County should not be able for any reason to proceed with the construction of the bridge and some other public agency or instrumentality should desire similar authority, it then could seek an authorization from Congress for that purpose. After a publicly owned toll bridge has produced enough revenue from tolls to amortize its cost, after having met annual maintenance, repair, and operating expenses during the period of toll collection, it is the Department's view that it thereafter should be operated free of tolls. It is suggested, therefore, that this bill should be amended so as to eliminate the provision for tolls to meet maintenance, repair, and operation costs after a sinking fund sufficient for amortization of the cost of the bridge shall have been provided. This can be accomplished by striking out all beginning with the word "or", line 19, page 2, down to and including the word "management", line 23, page 2. Subject to the above, the bill is without objection so far as this Department is concerned. Sincerely, W. R. GREGG, Acting Secretary. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The CLERK, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. LAYTON: Responsive to your letter of the 12th, relative to H. R. 10117, I attach hereto, in duplicate, a letter from Mr. Charles H. Stoll, official counsel to the bridge and causeway committee of the board of supervisors of Suffolk County, N. Y., which answers in detail the questions put in your own letter. If there is any additional information you desire, please let me know. Sincerely, ROBERT L. BACON. |