[H. R. 11144] An Act To authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to extend, remodel, and enlarge the post-office building at Washington, District of Columbia, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represenatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to enter into contracts for the extension, remodeling, and enlargement of the postoffice building, Washington, District of Columbia, on land already owned by the Government in square 678, including the extension of existing mechanical equipment, mail handling, conveying, and other apparatus, where necessary, in an amount not exceeding $4,000,000: Provided, That the plans and specifications for such buildings shall be approved by the Fine Arts Commission and by the Postmaster General. Approved, July 3, 1930. [PUBLIC NO. 732-71ST CONGRESS] [H. R. 9676] An Act To authorize the Secretary of the Navy to proceed with certain public works at the United States Naval Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to replace, remodel, or extend existing structures and to construct additional buildings, with the utilities, accessories, and appurtenances pertaining thereto, at the United States Naval Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, at a cost not to exceed $3,200,000, of which $100,000 shall be charged to the naval hospital fund: Provided, That the construction herein authorized shall be subject to the approval of the Public Building Commission under the authority of section 6 of the Public Buildings Act of May 25, 1926, to the same extent as other public building construction in the District of Columbia, and the plans for such construction shall be submitted to the Fine Arts Commission for advice. SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to employ, when deemed by him desirable or advantageous, by contract or otherwise, outside professional or technical services of persons, firms, or corporations, to such extent as he may require for the purposes of this Act, without reference to the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, or to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, in addition to employees otherwise authorized and expenditures for such purpose shall be made from the naval hospital fund. Approved, February 25, 1931. [PUBLIC-No. 212-72D CONGRESS] WEST POTOMAC PARK HEATING PLANT SEO. 305. Until otherwise provided by law no further obligations shall be incurred under the appropriation of $750,000 for the construction of a heating plant in West Potomac Park, contained in the Second Deficiency Act, fiscal year 1931. Approved, June 30, 1932. [PUBLIC NO. 53-75TH CONGRESS] AN ACT To authorize the furnishing of steam from the Central Heating Plant to the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the` United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, be, and he is hereby, authorized to furnish steam from the Central Heating Plant to such buildings as may be erected by the District of Columbia on the property bounded by Fourth and Fifth Streets, and D and G Streets, Northwest, in the District of Columbia, and known as Judiciary Square: Provided, That the District of Columbia agrees to pay for the steam furnished at reasonable rates, not less than cost, as may be determined by the Secretary of the Interior: And provided further, That the District of Columbia agrees to provide all necessary connections with the Government mains at its own expense, and in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior. Approved, April 27, 1937. (EXTRACT FROM) [PUBLIC-No. 428-72D CONGRESS] Washington, District of Columbia, central heating plant: The authorization contained in the Second Deficiency Act, fiscal year 1931, approved March 4, 1931, is hereby amended so as to include the Pan American Union Buildings, old and new, and the American Red Cross Building: Provided, That the Pan American Union and the American Red Cross agree (a) to reimburse the United States for the cost of connecting such buildings with the Government mains, and (b) to pay for heat furnished at such rates, not less than cost, as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Approved, March 3, 1933. [PUBLIC NO. 442-72D CONGRESS] Washington, District of Columbia, central heating plant: The authorization contained in the Second Deficiency Act, fiscal year 1931, approved March 4, 1931 (46 Stat. 1604), shall include among the buildings to be served, where an engineering survey shows that such service is justified, any Federal building now constructed or under construction or now authorized by law to be constructed. Approved, March 4, 1933. [PUBLIC-No. 405-72D CONGRESS] [H. R. 14461] AN ACT To provide for placing the jurisdiction, custody, and control of the Washington City post office in the Secretary of the Treasury. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act of July 1, 1898 (Ú. S. C., title 40, sec. 285), is hereby amended to give to the Secretary of the Treasury exclusive jurisdiction, control, and custody of the Washington City post office and the additions thereto, located at North Capitol Street and Massachusetts Avenue, to be operated and maintained by him the same as other public buildings under his custody and control. Approved, March 1, 1933. [PUBLIC NO. 272-73D CONGRESS] [S. 2580] AN ACT To exempt from taxation certain property of the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 in the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the property situated in square numbered 210 in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, described as lot 811, occupied and used by the National Society United States Daughters of 1812, is hereby exempt from all taxation so long as the same is so occupied and used, subject to the provisions of section 8 of the Act of March 3, 1877, as amended and supplemented (D.C. Code, title 20, sec. 712), providing for exemptions of church and school property. Approved, June 4, 1934. [S. 2623] AN ACT To amend the Act entitled "An Act to require the erection of fire escapes in certain buildings in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes", approved March 19, 1906, as amended. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act entitled "An Act to require the erection of fire escapes in certain buildings in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes" approved March 19, 1906, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "That it shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building three or more stories in height, constructed or used or intended to be used as an apartment house, tenement house, flat, rooming house, lodging house, hotel, hospital, seminary, academy, school, college, institute, dormitory, asylum, sanitarium, hall, place of amusement, office building, or store, or of any building three or more stories in height, or over thirty feet in height, other than a private dwelling, in which sleeping quarters for the accommodation of ten or more persons are provided above the first floor, to provide and cause to be erected and fixed to every such building one or more suitable fire escapes, connecting with each floor above the first floor by easily accessible and unobstructed openings, in such location and numbers and of such material, type, and construction as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia may determine; except that buildings designed and built as singlefamily dwellings, and converted to use as apartment houses, in which not more than three families reside, including the owner or lessee, or rooming houses in which sleeping accommodations are provided for less than ten persons above the first floor, not more than three stories, nor more than forty feet in height, and having a total floor area not more than three thousand square feet above the first floor, shall be exempted from the provisions of section 1 of this Act; and except that buildings used solely as apartment houses, not more than three stories, nor more than forty feet in height, so arranged that not more than five apartments per floor open directly, without an intervening hall or corridor, on a fire-resistive stairway, three feet or more in width, enclosed with masonry walls in which fireresistive doors are provided at all openings, shall be exempted from the provisions of this section. 66 SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building already erected, or which may hereafter be erected, in which ten or more persons are employed at the same time in any of the stories above the second story, except three-story buildings used exclusively as stores or for office purposes, and having at least two stairways from the ground floor each three or more feet wide and separated from each other by a distance of at least thirty feet, from one of which stairways shall be easy access to the roof, to provide and cause to be erected and affixed thereto a sufficient number of the aforesaid fire escapes, the location and number of the same to be determined by the Commissioners, and to keep the hallways and stairways in every such building as is used and occupied at night properly lighted, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, from sunset to sunrise. "SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building used or intended to be used as set forth in section 1 of this Act where fire escapes are required, or any building in which 10 or more persons are employed, as set forth in section 2 of this Act where fire escapes are required, also to provide, install, and maintain therein proper and sufficient guide signs, guide lights, exit lights, hall and stairway lights, standpipes, fire extinguishers, and alarm gongs and striking stations in such locations and numbers and of such type and character as the Commissioners may determine; except that in buildings less than six stories in height, standpipes will not be required when fire extinguishers are installed in such numbers and of such type and character as the Commissioners may determine. "SEC. 4. The Commissioners are hereby authorized and directed to issue such orders and to adopt and enforce such regulations not inconsistent with law as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes and carry into effect the provisions of this Act, and to require any alterations or changes that may become necessary in buildings now or hereafter erected, in order properly to locate or relocate fire escapes, or to afford access to fire escapes, and to require any changes or alterations in any building that may be necessary in order to provide for the erection of additional fire escapes, or for the installation of other appliances required by this Act, when in the judgment of the Commissioners such additional fire escapes or appliances are necessary. "SEC. 5. Each elevator shaft and stairway extending to the basement of the buildings heretofore mentioned shall terminate in a fireproof compartment or enclosure separating the elevator shaft and stairs from other parts of the basement, and no opening shall be made or maintained in such compartment or enclosure unless the same be provided with fireproof doors. "Such buildings as are used solely for office buildings above the second floor and defined under the building regulations of the District of Columbia to be fireproof are exempted from the requirements of this Act as to fire escapes, guide signs, and alarm gongs; but when the face of a wall of any such fireproof building is within thirty feet of a combustible building or structure, or when the side or sides, front or rear of such building or structure faces within thirty feet of a combustible building, or contains a light or air shaft or similar recess within thirty feet of a combustible building, then each and every window or opening in said wall or walls shall be protected from fire by automatic iron shutters or wire glass in fireproof sash and frames. 66 SEC. 6. It shall be unlawful to obstruct any hall, passageway, corridor, or stairway in any building enumerated in this Act with baggage, trunks, furniture, cans, or with any other thing whatsoever. "SEC. 7. No door or window leading to any fire escape shall be covered or obstructed by any fixed grating or barrier, and no person |