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In each of the cities in which a site is to be acquired under the provisions of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall solicit proposals by public advertisement. Such advertisement shall be published for a period of twenty days in one of the newspapers in said city having the largest circulation, for the sale of lands suitable for the purpose. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause the sites offered, and such others as may be found to be suitable or desirable for the purpose, to be examined in person by an agent employed or detailed for the purpose, who shall make written report to said Secretary of the results of said examination and of his recommendation thereon and the reasons therefor, which shall be accompanied by the original proposals and all maps, plats, and statements which shall have come into his possession relating to the said proposed sites. That in case a site or additions to a site acquired under the provisions of this Act contains a building or buildings, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to rent until their removal becomes necessary such of said buildings as may be purchased by the Government, or the land on which the same may be located where the buildings are reserved by the vendors, at a fair rental value, the proceeds thereof to be deposited in the Treasury of the United States, and a report of the proceedings to be submitted to Congress annually.

That, so far as practicable, all buildings constructed, enlarged, or extended under the provisions of this Act shall be unexposed to danger of fire from adjacent buildings by an open space of at least forty feet on each side, including streets and alleys: Provided, That the Secretary of the Treasury may, in his discretion, acquire sites on which an open space of the extent hereinbefore specified can not be reserved, and he is likewise authorized, whenever in his judgment such action is necessary and warranted, to reduce the open space about any Federal building heretofore constructed and under the custody and control of said department.

In carrying into effect the provisions of this Act, if the Secretary of the Treasury deeins it to be to the best interests of the Government to construct Federal buildings to take the place of existing Federal buildings, he is hereby authorized to cause the present buildings to be demolished, in order that the sites may be utilized in whole or in part for such buildings, or where in his judgment it is more advantageous to construct a Federal building on a different site in the same city, to sell any such building or buildings and the site or sites thereof, at such time and on such terms as he deems proper, and to convey the same to the respective purchasers thereof by the usual quitclaim deed, and to deposit the proceeds of the sales thereof in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts, and to charge against the total sum of $150,000,000 hereinbefore authorized only the respective net excess cost, if any, over and above the proceeds of such sales, of providing such new sites and buildings.

SEC. 6. The provisions of section 10 of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Appropriation Act for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920, approved March 1, 1919, relating to the assignment of space in public buildings in the District of Columbia, shall apply to al buildings constructed, extended, or enlarged under the provisions of this Act in the District of Columbia, and no land for sites or enlargement of sites therefor shall be acquired or land belonging

to the United States be taken for sites or enlargement of sites therefor, without prior approval of the commission created by said Act of March 1, 1919; no contract shall be let for any building or the enlargement or extension of any building in the District of Columbia, under the provisions of this Act without the approval of said commission as to the assignment and general arrangement of space therein; and said commission shall determine the order in which buildings or enlargement of buildings in the District of Columbia, under the provisions of this Act shall be constructed.

SEC. 7. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby further authorized and empowered to cause such survey and investigations of public building conditions to be made, and such data obtained as he deems necessary properly to carry into effect the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. That in the event local interests in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, shall offer to advance funds for the acquisition of a site for a quarantine station in or near said city, the Secretary of the Treasury may, in his discretion, receive such funds and expend the same in the immediate acquisition of such site, and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to repay without interest, from appropriations available for the acquisition of such site, the amounts so advanced or expended,

Approved, May 25, 1926.

[PUBLIC-No. 275-69TH CONGRESS]
[H. R. 10204]

An Act Providing an additional wing to the District Jail.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioners of the District of Columbia be, and they are hereby, authorized to construct an additional building at the District Jail and to rearrange the interior construction of the east wing of the present jail building so as to provide accommodations for not less than two hundred additional prisoners at a total cost not exceeding $300,000.

Approved, May 22, 1926.

[H. R. 7286]

An Act To provide for the acquisition of property in Prince William County, Virginia, to be used by the District of Columbia for the reduction of garbage.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order that the service of the collection of garbage in the District of Columbia may be continued without future interruption, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized to purchase all of the property now used for the reduction of such garbage and located in Prince William County, Virginia, and leased from John E. Baker and the estate of Daniel Baker, comprising approximately twenty-five acres, and in addition thereto, forty acres, more or less, of land adjacent thereto, as selected by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

SEC. 2. That in the event the property hereinbefore referred to, or any part thereof, can not be purchased at a satisfactory price, it shall be the duty of the Attorney-General upon the request of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to institute condemnation proceedings to acquire the land referred to in the State of Virginia, in accordance with the laws of said State, the title of said land to be taken directly to and in the name of the United States, but the land so acquired shall be under the jurisdiction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia as the agents of the United States.

SEC. 3. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act such sum as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the revenues of the District of Columbia and said sum or such amount thereof as may be necessary, in the event of condemnation, shall be paid into the registry of the court wherein such proceedings are instituted for the satisfaction of damages awarded and the expenses of such proceedings in condemnation, said fund to be subject to the order of the court.

Approved, May 26, 1926.

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36-928 - 79-5

(S. 2537]

An Act To provide for the condemnation of land for the opening, extension, widening, or straightening of streets, avenues, roads, or highways in accordance with the plan of the permanent system of highways for the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all condemnation proceedings instituted by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of subchapter 1 of Chapter XV of the Code of Law for the District of Columbia for the acquisition of land for the opening, extension, widening, or straightening of Piney Branch Road between Thirteenth and Butternut Streets; Thirteenth Street, extended, except through the Walter Reed Hospital Reservation; Concord Avenue; Nicholson Street, or any street, avenue, road, or highway, or a part of any street, avenue, road, or highway in accordance with the plan of the permanent system of highways for the District of Columbia, all or any part of the entire amount found to be due and awarded by the jury in said proceedings as damages for, and in respect of, the land condemned for such streets, avenues, roads, or highways, or parts of streets, roads, avenues, or highways, plus all or any part of the costs and expenses of said proceedings, may be assessed by the jury as benefits: Provided, however, That if the total amount of damages awarded by the jury in any such proceedings, plus the costs and expenses of said proceeding, be in excess of the total amount of benefits, it shall be optional with the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to abide by the verdict of the jury or, at any time before the final ratification and confirmation of the verdict, to enter a voluntary dismissal of the cause.

SEC. 2. That there is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the revenues of the District of Columbia such sums as may be necessary from time to time to pay the costs and expenses of the condemnation proceedings instituted under the authority of this Act and for the payment of the amounts awarded as damages, the amounts collected as benefits to be covered into the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the revenues of the District of Columbia: Provided, I owever, That if the total amount of damages awarded by the jury in any such proceeding, plus the costs and expenses of said proceedings, be in excess of the total amount of assessments for benefits, such excess shall be paid out of the appropriation herein authorized.

Approved, May 28, 1926.

(S. 1119]

An Act To transfer jurisdiction over the United States reservation numbered 248 from the Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That jurisdiction and control over United States reservation numbered 248, bounded by Potomac Avenue, First and O Streets, southeast, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, is hereby transferred from the Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and the said commissioners are hereby authorized to erect thereon such permanent structures as may be required for municipal purposes, as appropriations may be made therefor.

Approved, June 25, 1926.

(47)

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