DISPOSAL OF CERTAIN LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATIONS APRIL 9, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. WARREN, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7131] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7131) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations, and for other purposes, having had the same under consideration, reports it back to the House with the following amendments and, as so amended, recommends that the bill do pass. The proposed amendments are: After section 34 insert the following two sections: SEC. 35. The Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized in his discretion to dispose of the lighthouse reservation in the village of Fairport, Ohio, in the manner and under the conditions indicated: (1) To convey to the village of Fairport, Ohio, for public purposes all of the lighthouse reservation located at Second and High Streets in the said village and extending from Second Street north to the shore of Lake Erie, except that portion hereinafter described adjacent to Second Street on which the present lighthouse buildings are located: Provided, That as a condition precedent to such transfer the village of Fairport, Ohio, shall first convey to the United States of America, free of all encumbrances, the following-described parcel of land situated in the said village: "Beginning at the southwest corner of lot 53, which point is one hundred and thirty-two feet north eighty-nine degrees forty minutes east from an iron pin at the intersection of the east line of High Street and north line of Second Street; thence due north a distance of approximately one hundred and twentynine feet along the east line of lot 54 to its intersection with the southerly line of Prospect Street; thence north fifty-nine degrees fifty-five minutes east along the south line of Prospect Street, a distance of approximately seventy-six feet, to its intersection with the west line of lot 52; thence southerly along the west line of lot 52, a distance of approximately one hundred and sixty-seven feet to the north line of Second Street; thence sixty-six feet south eighty-nine degrees forty minutes west along the north line of Second Street to the place of beginning, being all of lot 53 of original plat of Grandon, now known as the 'village of Fairport, Ohio'." The portion of the lighthouse reservation to be reserved from the above is rectangular in form and lies adjacent to Second Street with a frontage of two hundred feet, more or less, on the west side of High Street and of such depth along Second Street as shall be fixed by the Secretary of Commerce to adequately SECTION 7. BLACKISTONE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, md. The entire reservation comprising approximately 3 acres has been abandoned for lighthouse purposes and is now used by the Navy Department in connection with operations of the Dahlgren Naval Proving Grounds, under the terms of a revocable permit dated June 1, 1932, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. The property was acquired in 1850 for a consideration of $300 for lighthouse purposes. SECTION 8. CHATHAM LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, Mass. The following portions of the reservation are now used by the town of Chatham for public park and roadway purposes, under the terms of a revocable license granted by the Department dated February 12, 1916: Starting at a stone bound where land now or formerly of Luther E. Hammond meets the westerly line of Main Street, Chatham, the line runs N. 75°34′40′′ W. by land of said Hammond 222 feet to a stone bound; thence turning, runs S. 0°10'10'' E. by land of said Hammond 162 feet to a stone bound; thence turning, the line runs N. 87°08' E. 149.12 feet by land of the United States Government to a stone bound; thence turning the line runs S. 26°15′ W., 189.05 feet by the United States Government land before mentioned to a stone bound; continuing on a gradual curve by the same United States Government lot 119.5 feet to a stone bound; continuing on a course S. 38°43'20'' W. to a stone bound; thence turning, runs S. 75°34′20′′ W. to a stone bound; then turning, runs S. 75°34′40′′ E. by land of the Chatham Beach Club to low water mark; thence along low water mark in a generally NE. direction to a junction of low water mark and an extension of the first-named course; including all interest of the United States Government in the shifting sand beach easterly of the lagoon. The stated areas are part of the original reservation comprising an area of about 6.5 acres acquired by purchase in 1807 for lighthouse purposes for a consideration of $260. No Government improvements are included on the land to be disposed of, and clearance was last granted on July 28, 1932. SECTION 9. MARBLEHEAD LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MASS. This reservation comprising a little over 3 acres and appurtenant structures consisting of a 6-room, wooden, keepers' dwelling, light tower, and smaller outbuildings, with the exception of the light tower and an area of 100 feet square surrounding same, is surplus to the needs of the Lighthouse Service since the change of the light to automatic, and is used by the War Department under the terms of a permit granted by the Department dated July 16, 1931, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. The land was originally purchased for lighthouse purposes for a consideration of $375 in 1835. SECTION 10. MINOTS LEDGE (SHORE) LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MASS. The town of Cohasset, Mass., required a portion of this reservation approximately 35 feet in width and 650 feet in length, lying adjacent to the present town roadway known as 'Border Street", to widen same and eliminate sharp curves, and permission for such use was granted by the Department by revocable license dated October 2, 1933, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. The strip of land in question is an unused portion of the reservation which comprises a total area of 8.5 acres, purchased on July 15, 1858, for lighthouse purposes for a consideration of $2,000. The strip of land was last cleared for disposal on October 21, 1933. SECTION 11. NEWBURYFORT HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MASS. The city of Newburyport is now occupying an unused portion of this reservation approximately 200 feet by 200 feet, no Government improvements thereon, for public-park purposes, under permission granted by the Department by revocable license dated December 20, 1933, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. SECTION 12.-FORTY MILE POINT LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. The State of Michigan required a portion of this reservation as a right-of-way for a new highway, comprising about 0.445 of an acre, and permission for such use pending the permanent transfer of the area to the State by legislation was . granted by the Department by revocable license dated October 3, 1934. The strip of land in question is not required for lighthouse purposes and is a part of the total acreage, 26.72 acres, acquired by purchase in 1895 for a consideration of $200 for lighthouse purposes. SECTION 13.-GRAND ISLAND HARBOR RANGE LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. The State of Michigan required a portion of this reservation as a right-of-way, comprising about 150 feet in width and 2,692 feet in length, and permission for such use pending the permanent transfer of the area to the State by legislation, was granted by the Department by revocable license dated September 7, 1934. The strip of land in question is not required for lighthouse purposes and is a part of the total acreage, 110.28 acres, reserved for lighthouse purposes by Executive orders dated April 3, 1847, and December 9, 1852. SECTION 14.—GOVERNMENT ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. This lighthouse reservation otherwise known as "Island No. 6" located in the Les Cheneaux group in the north end of Lake Huron, comprises about 214.25 acres with no Government improvements thereon, is surplus to the needs of the Lighthouse Service and desired by the Department of Agriculture for inclusion within the Marquette National Forest Purchase Unit, permission therefor having been granted by the Department by permit dated August 8, 1934, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. SECTION 15.-GROSSE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. The reservation, comprising eleven one-hundredths of an acre and including the two-story frame keepers' dwelling, the tract being a part of lot 5 in Grosse Isle township, is now occupied by the Customs Service of the Treasury Department as a patrol base, under permit granted by the Department dated December 10, 1931, pending the enactment of legislation to effectuate permanent transfer. The land was acquired by purchase on July 17, 1893, for a consideration of $350 for lighthouse purposes. SECTION 16.-MUSKEGON LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. An unused portion of this reservation, comprising about 1 acre, located at the foot of Beach Street in the city of Muskegon, is desired by the city and it is considered advantageous to the Government to exchange same with the city for a more valuable strip of land adjoining the lighthouse reservation on the south, if authorized by legislation. SECTION 17. POINT AUX BARQUES LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. A portion of this lighthouse reservation comprising an area of about 56.6 acres and including approximately 1,450 feet of shore frontage on Lake Huron, but containing no improvements erected by the Government, is surplus to the needs of the Lighthouse Service. The reservation comprising an area of 87.1 acres was reserved for lighthouse purposes by Executive order of May 24, 1847. The surplus tract was last cleared for disposal on March 2, 1932, and the board of supervisors of Huron County, Mich., have recently indicated a desire to acquire the tract for public-park purposes. SECTION 18. ST. JOSEPH LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATION, MICH. This lighthouse reservation situated in the city of St. Joseph and comprising an area 132 feet by 132 feet acquired by purchase in 1832 for lighthouse purposes for a consideration of $200, and now containing an old frame keepers' dwelling and two outbuildings, has been unused for a number of years and is surplus to the needs of the Lighthouse Service. The property is desired by the city for public-park purposes. SECTION 19. ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. A lighthouse depot site originally comprising about 3.4 acres, and known as "Rum Point", was acquired about the year 1882. The site is now found unsuitable for the purpose and the board of chosen freeholders of Atlantic City have agreed to effect an exchange for a more suitable site, subject to necessary SECTION 33 It is desired by this item to acquire authority to reconvey to one of the original grantors, Charles E. Robinson, upon payment of a consideration of $550, a portion of the Isle au Haut Lighthouse Reservation, State of Maine, which is surplus to the needs of the Lighthouse Service since the change of the light in the tower to automatic. The reservation, comprising about 2 acres, was conveyed to the United States by Charles E. Robinson and Alphonso Robinson by warranty deed dated February 18, 1907, for a consideration of $400. Clearance was last granted for disposal on December 9, 1933. SECTION 34 The Sapelo Lighthouse Reservation is situated on the southern extremity of Sapelo Island, McIntosh County, State of Georgia, and comprises approximately 43 acres of hammock land and 152 acres of marsh land, approximately 2 acres of which is enclosed with the following structures thereon: An old brick lighthouse tower, two keepers' 1-story frame dwelling, brick oil house, frame storehouse, boathouse, and wharf. The land was acquired by purchase on May 23, 1808, for lighthouse purposes, and clearance has been granted for transfer of the entire reservation and appurtenant structures to the Department of Agriculture for the official use of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hon. LINDSAY C. WARREN, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. WARREN: Reference is made to the suggestion which you made in telephone conversation with Mr. King with respect to bill H. R. 7131, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations, and for other purposes, on which bill the Department furnished your committee a report on April 6, 1935. This Bureau agrees with the suggestion for including in this bill the items for Fairport Harbor, Ohio, and Grindel Point, Maine, and encloses draft for amending H. R. 7131 accordingly. The item recommended to be included as section 35 was separately introduced as H. R. 1483, on which a favorable report was made by this Department on January 28, 1935, to the Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. The item recommended to be included as section 36 was separately introduced as H. R. 3041, on which a favorable report was made by this Department on February 13, 1935, to the chairman of the same committee, and on March 8 proposed an amendment thereto. It is hoped that the proposed consolidation of these items with the omnibus bill may facilitate enactment of this legislation for the Lighthouse Service. Very truly yours, EXCHANGING PORTION OF NAVAL STATION AND LIGHTHOUSE STATION, KEY WEST, FLA. APRIL 9, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. WARREN, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 7132] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7132) to authorize the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Commerce to exchange a portion of the naval station and a portion of the lighthouse reservation at Key West, Fla., having had the same under consideration, reports it back to the House without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. The letter of the Secretary of Commerce showing that the exchange has the approval of the Secretary of the Navy follows: Hon. S. O. Bland, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Chairman Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Reference is made to informal request from your committee for a report concerning H. R. 7132, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Commerce to exchange a portion of the naval station and a portion of the lighthouse reservation at Key West, Fla. Enclosed is a memorandum from the Acting Commissioner of Lighthouses, this Department, in which I concur. Sincerely yours, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE: DANIEL C. ROPER, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, 1. Reference is made to H. R. 7132, being a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Commerce to exchange a portion of the naval station and a portion of the lighthouse reservation at Key West, Fla., on which the Department has been requested for a report from the chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. |