91ST CONGRESS 1st Session SENATE { REPORT No. 91-493 TO AUTHORIZE THE REMOVAL OF THE FRANCIS ASBURY STATUE BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR OCTOBER 22, 1969.-Ordered to be printed Mr. JACKSON, from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1968] The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 1968) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to permit the removal of the Francis Asbury statue, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. The purpose of S. 1968, introduced by Senator Sparkman, is to permit the removal of the Francis Asbury statue now located on lands in the District of Columbia which are under the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service without cost to the Federal Government. HISTORY The bronze, equestrian statue of this pioneer Bishop of the Methodist Church was erected by the Francis Asbury Memorial Association, and was dedicated on October 15, 1924. Its present location, at 16th and Mt. Pleasant Streets NW., was selected because of its proximity to the Francis Asbury Methodist Church, erected to the memory of the Bishop. This church has since moved, so that the original purpose in erecting the statue on this site would no longer be served. The original legislation authorized the erection of the statue on public grounds in the District of Columbia. Therefore, the statue cannot now, by administrative action, be moved and placed on private grounds. Such action was requested by the presiding Bishop, and the committee for the development of the new Methodist Center. Further, the statue is the property of the United States and, as such, permanent disposition by gift or otherwise requires congressional authorization. S. 5968 would provide the necessary authorization both for the removal of the statue to private grounds and for conveyance of title to the Methodist Corp. It provides that the removal of the statue and restoration of the site shall be at no cost to the United States. Enactment would result in a minor saving to the United States for semiannual cleanings of the statue. COST The measure specifically provides that removal of the statue and restoration of the site to the satisfaction of the Secretary shall be without cost to the United States. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs unanimously recommends the enactment of S. 1968. DEPARTMENTAL REPORT The favorable report of the Department of the Interior on S. 1968 is set forth in full as follows: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. HENRY M. JACKSON, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D.C., September 30, 1969. Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Your Committee has requested a report on S. 1968, a bill "To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to permit the removal of the Francis Asbury statue, and for other purposes." We have no objection to the enactment of this bill. If enacted, S. 1968 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to permit the removal of the Francis Asbury statue now located on lands in the District of Columbia which are under the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service. The Secretary is further authorized to convey, without compensation, title to said statue to the Methodist Corporation upon such terms and conditions as he deems necessary. The bill further provides that the removal of the statue and restoration of the site, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, shall be without cost to the United States. Francis Asbury was a prominent Methodist minister, and the original location of the statue was selected because of its close proximity to a Methodist institution. Since the church has since moved, we believe a more relevant site for the statue is required. Accordingly, we have no objection to legislation which will permit relocation of the statue to the New Methodist Centre. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely yours, RUSSELL E. TRAIN Under Secretary of the Interior. О S. Rept. 91-493 91ST CONGRESS 1st Session } SENATE { REPORT No. 91-494 AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ENTRANCE ROAD AT GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 22, 1969.-Ordered to be printed Mr. JACKSON, from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 11609] The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 11609) amending the act of September 9, 1963, authorizing the construction of an entrance road at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the State of North Carolina, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. The purpose of H.R. 11609 is to provide for a modified route for the entrance road to the Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, N.C.; the construction of an interchange between the entrance road and State Routes 1338 and 1346, and acceptance of a donation of land needed not only for the entrance road proper, as already provided by law, but also for the interchange. BACKGROUND In 1963, the Congress enacted legislation authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to select the location of an entrance road to the vicinity of the Cataloochee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That legislation explicitly provided that the entrance road should be 4.2 miles in length, aggregating about 525 acres of land. Pursuant to this authority, a detailed study of the entrance road was made in cooperation with the State of North Carolina and it was determined that a somewhat different route would provide greater benefits to the park visitor and be safer for the traveling public generally. As a result of this determination, the National Park Service and the North Carolina State Highway Commission entered into a memorandum of agreement providing for the construction of the entrance road, subject to the enactment of the necessary authorizing legislation and the appropriation of funds. Under the terms of the agreement, the State was to acquire and donate to the Federal Government the entire right-of-way and it was to construct a connecting highway between Interstate Route 40 and the entrance road. The National Park Service agreed to construct the entrance road in accordance with mutually agreed upon design, including the interchange at White Oak Church, with State Routes 1338 and 1346. NEED Few parks in the national park system receive as many visitors as does the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Annual visitation at the park now numbers more than 611⁄2 million-and the number will undoubtedly continue to expand. Construction of the Cataloochee entrance road should relieve some of the pressure at other points in the park by making a beautiful section accessible which heretofore has been relatively isolated. By improving the access to the area and providing appropriate facilities, it has been estimated that as many as a million or more visitors might be attracted to the Cataloochee section alone. The section of the road within the park has been completed and the State has constructed the connecting link with Interstate 40. Acquisition of the necessary rights-of-way for the entrance road has been completed by the State and it is in position to donate them to the Federal Government. Because the authority of the Secretary of the Interior is limited by law, however, construction of the entrance road itself cannot commence until the authorizing legislation is amended to conform to the selected route. To meet this need, H.R. 11609 revised,the description of the route and makes necessary the extension and expansion of the roadway to 5.2 miles requiring 650 acres of land. As a consequence of this change in plans (including especially the addition of an interchange rather than an at-grade intersection), and because of the rise in general construction costs since the original estimates were developed in 1961, the bill provides for an increase in the amount of money authorized to be appropriated by Public Law 88-120 (77 Stat. 154) from $1,160,000 to $2,500,000 (1969 prices)— an increase of $1,340,000. While this increase is substantial, it will provide a more desirable route; it will accommodate an interchange for the safety of travelers; and it will enable certain items not included in the original estimate to be funded (for example, parking areas, final high-grade surfacing, guardrails, and so forth). COST The State of North Carolina has acquired, and stands ready to donate, the necessary rights-of-way for this entrance road. The cost to the Federal Government for the construction work discussed above will total $2,500,000 (1969 prices). This represents an increase in the authorization amounting to $1,340,000. S. Rept. 91-494 DEPARTMENT REPORT The favorable report of the Department of the Interior follows: Hon. WAYNE N. ASPINALL, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Your committee has requested the views of this Department on H.R. 11609, a bill to amend the act of September 9, 1963, authorizing the construction of an entrance road at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the State of North Carolina, and for other purposes. We recommend that the bill be enacted, with one perfecting amendment. The bill amends the act of September 9, 1963 (77 Stat. 154), which authorized the construction of an entrance road to the Cataloochee section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, by (1) revising the description of the route of the road; (2) changing the length of the road right-of-way from 4.2 to 5.2 miles and the acreage of the right-of-way from 525 to 650 acres; and (3) increasing the amount authorized to be appropriated for the construction of the road from $1,160,000 to $2,500,000, an increase of $1,340,000. The proposal for a new entrance road to the Cataloochee section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a cooperative Federal-State effort. The State of North Carolina is acquiring the entire right-of-way for the road and is building an 0.8-mile connecting road between Interstate Route 40 and the beginning of the Cataloochee entrance road. The National Park Service of the Department plans to construct the new entrance road authorized by the 1963 act. Since 1963, however, more definite and detailed planning of the road in addition to the North Carolina highway system has shown the need for a road of different location and complexity, greater length, and increased cost than originally anticipated and provided for in that act. The 1963 act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept donations of land for a right-of-way from "North Carolina Highway No. 107 close to its point of interchange with Interstate Route No. 40, near Hepco, N.C.," to the park boundary. The act provides that the road right-of-way will be approximately 4.2 miles long and include about 525 acres. After a detailed study of the entrance road proposal in cooperation with the State, we find that a different route, involving an interchange rather than an at-grade intersection with the State highways, would be of more benefit to the park visitor as well as the local highway traveler. The North Carolina Highway No. 107 referred to in the 1963 act is the Tennessee designation of a road which changes to North Carolina Routes 1338 and 1346 when it crosses the State line. The road intersects at a location known locally as White Oak Church. From White Oak Church to Interstate Route 40 is approximately 0.8 mile, and from White Oak Church to the park boundary is about 5.2 miles. We plan to construct the latter segment, including an interchange at White Oak Church, and the State has agreed to construct the 0.8-mile S. Rept. 91-494 |