COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Hon. C. D. Walcott, SIR: In response to your request that upper Water Street between Twenty-first and Twenty-second Streets NW., lying between Potomac Park and square 88, be closed and made a part of the park system of the District of Columbia, the commissioners beg to advise you that under existing law they have no authority to close this street. The street between these limits, however, is no longer needed for traffic purposes, and they know of no objection to closing it and transferring the bed of the street to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, as a part of the park system. To accomplish the purpose would require legislation by Congress, and I inclose herewith draft of an item which if enacted would authorize the commissioners to close the street and transfer the land contained in it to the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army as a part of the park system. Very respectfully, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, By LOUIS BROWNLOW, President. THE COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS, DEAR SENATOR SHERMAN: The Commission of Fine Arts have been informed of Senate bill 4645 "Authorizing the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to close upper Water Street between Twenty-first and Twenty-second Streets northwest" (lying between Potomac Park and square No. 88, in the District of Columbia), and report the following: The commission have to state that upper Water Street is a part of the original street system as planned by L'Enfant. Lower Water Street was created later. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal formerly ran between these two streets on its way toward the present central market site. Square 89, which lay between upper and lower Water Streets and south of square 88, was purchased some years ago in order that B Street northwest might be carried westward beyond the junction with Twenty-first Street in a straight line. The accomplishment of the extension of B Street left a small triangular reservation between square 88 and Potomac Park. The National Academy of Sciences have purchased the entire square surrounded by Twentieth, Twentyfirst, C Street and upper Water Street, and are to erect a monumental building in the center of it. The building will face and be parallel with B street. When this is done upper Water Street will, in appearance, cut diagonally across the front, and this, together with the remnant of the reservation between upper Water Street and B Street will combine to present in appearance a fragmentary wedge driven in between the academy building and Potomac Park, which will not be in keeping with the desired harmony of relation sought to be established between the new building and the Lincoln Memorial and its surroundings. Upper Water Street is of no practical use, and has not been since the abandonment of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal at this place. Attention is called to the act approved July 1, 1898 (vol. 30, Stats., p. 570) which permits the District of Columbia to transfer to the park system portions of spaces in streets and avenues when abandoned for traffic purposes, and also authorizes the Chief of Engineers to temporarily turn over such spaces to abutting private owners under prescribed regulations, with the condition that such owners shall pay such special assessments as would pertain to private land abutting on the street. The commission are of the opinion that it is very desirable that this pending bill should be allowed to become a law in order that an orderly and harmonious appearance may be created between this building and the Lincoln Memorial. Very respectfully, yours, Hon. LAWRENCE Y. SHERMAN, CHARLES MOORE, Chairman. Committee on the District of Columbia, United States Senate. O Mr. DILLINGHAM, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 5416.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5416) to authorize corporations organized in the District of Columbia to change their names, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment. The same bill was before this committee as S. 4000, during the last Congress, was favorably reported by the committee, passed by the Senate, sent to the House, referred to the District Committee, favorably reported by the District Committee, and failed of passage only because it was not reached. During the last Congress, the bill was referred by the District Committee to the commissioners, who reported on it as follows: COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, March 30, 1918. Hon. JOHN WALTER SMITH, United States Senate. SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to recommend the enactment of Senate bill No. 4000, entitled "A bill to authorize corporations organized in the District of Columbia to change their names," if it first be amended by adding after line 2 thereof the words: "That the Code of Law for the District of Columbia be, and the same is hereby amended, by inserting another section therein, to be known as 'Section 639a,' which shall read as follows. Very respectfully, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, By LOUIS BROWNLOW, President. S R-66-3-vol 1-10 The bill before being reported by the committee was amended in the form now presented by H. R. 5416, in accordance with the suggestions of the commissioners. The Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in the case of American Elementary Electric Co. et al. v. Charles S. Normandy et al. (46 Appeals D. C., 329) held that there was no provision of law in the District of Columbia authorizing corporations organized in the District to change their names and H. R. 5416 is designed to supply this omission in the law and has been drafted in a form acceptable to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and to give full publicity to any proposed change of name. O BLAR Mr. CALDER, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 4949.] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4949) to authorize the building of a bridge across the Santee River in South Carolina, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with amendments. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the annexed communication with reference to a similar bill introduced in the House. Amend the bill as follows: Lines 3 and 4, after the word "Carolina," strike out the words. "in cooperation with" and insert in lieu thereof the word "and." Line 6, strike out the word "drawbridge" and insert the word "bridge." Line 7, after the word "River" insert the following words: "at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, and.” War DepartmENT, December 17, 1920. 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 do not know of any objection to the favorable consideration by Congress of the accompanying bill, H. R. 15015, Sixty-sixth Congress, third session, to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Santee River in South Carolina, if the bill be amended as indicated in red thereon. Mr. CALDER, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 4950.] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4950) to authorize the building of a bridge across the Peedee River in South Carolina, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with amendments. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the annexed communication with reference to a similar bill introduced in the House. Amend the bill as follows: Lines 3 and 4, after the word "Carolina," strike out the words "in cooperation with" and insert in lieu thereof the word "and." Line 6, strike out the word "drawbridge" and insert the word "bridge." Line 7, after the word "River," insert the following words: "at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, and." WAR DEPARTMENT, December 17, 1920. 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 do not know of any objection to the favorable consideration by Congress of the accompanying bill, H. R. 15016, Sixty-sixth Congress, third session, to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Peedee River in South Carolina, if the bill be amended as indicated. |