72D CONGRESS 1st Session } SENATE { REPORT No. 136 BRIDGE ACROSS MISSOURI RIVER AT OR NEAR POPLAR, MONT. JANUARY 21, 1932.-Ordered to be printed Mr. VANDENBERG, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2639] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2639) granting the consent of Congress to the State of Montana, the counties of Roosevelt, Richland, and McCone, or any of them, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across Missouri River at or near Poplar, Mont., have considered the same and report thereon with amendments, and as so amended recommend that the bill do pass. The bill thus amended has the approval of the Departments of War and Agriculture, as will appear by the annexed communications, the amendments referred to therein having been incorporated in the bill as reported, and which are as follows: Line 3, strike out the words, "consent of Congress is hereby granted to the State", and insert in lieu thereof: "times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge authorized by act of Congress approved July 3, 1930, to be built by the State". Lines 5 and 6, strike out the following: "to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto". Lines 8 to 11, beginning with the word "in", in line 8, strike out all the language down through line 11, and insert in lieu thereof the following: "are hereby extended for one and three years, respectively, from the date of approval hereof." Add a new section, after line 11, as follows: SEC. 2. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expresslv reserved. Amend the title so as to read: A bill to extend the time for the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at or near Poplar, Montana. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTure, Washington, January 13, 1932. Hon. HIRAM W. JOHNSON, Chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. DEAR SENATOR: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of January 7, transmitting a copy of a bill (S. 2639) with request that the committee be furnished with such suggestions touching its merits and the propriety of its passage as the department might deem appropriate. This bill would authorize the State of Montana, the counties of Roosevelt, Richland, and McCone, or any of them, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across the Missouri River at or near Poplar, Mont. The location indicated for the proposed bridge is not on the system of Federal-aid highways approved for Montana. The bill is without objection so far as this department is concerned. Sincerely yours, R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary. WAR DEPARTMENT, January 13, 1932. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. The accompanying bill (S. 2639, 72d Cong., 1st sess.) to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at or near Poplar, Mont., is identical with an act of Congress approved July 3, 1930, subject to the provisions of the general bridge act of March 23, 1906. The time for commencing the construction of the bridge, as implied by section 6 of the general act, expired July 3, 1931, and it is assumed that the purpose of the bill under consideration is to extend the time for construction. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, no objection is known to extending the times for commencing and completing the work of construction for the customary periods of one and three years, respectively, but I am of the opinion that it is preferable to authorize the extension of time in direct terms than to duplicate the existing act. The bill herewith has been amended accordingly and as thus amended I know of no objection to its favorable consideration by Congress. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Mr. JOHNSON, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2622] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bil (S. 2622) to provide an examination and survey of Seaside Harbor, Oreg., have considered the same and report thereon with amendments, and as so amended recommend that the bill do pass. The bill thus amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the annexed communication, the amendments referred to therein having been incorporated in the bill as reported, and which are as follows: Line 11, after the word "examinations", insert a comma, and strike out the word "and". Line 11, after the word "surveys", change the period to a comma, and add the following: "and contingencies of rivers and harbors." WAR DEPARTMENT, January 14, 1932. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. This department is not aware of any objection to the enactment of Senate bill No. 2622, to authorize a preliminary examination and survey of Seaside Harbor, Oreg. It is recommended, however, that the bill be amended as indicated on a copy of the same herewith. SENATE 72D CONGRESS 1st Session } { REPORT No. 139 RELATING TO THE ADMISSION OF CERTAIN STATES TO THE UNION JANUARY 25, 1932.-Ordered to be printed Mr. WALSH of Montana, from the Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2396] The Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2396) to amend section 11 of the act approved February 22, 1889 (25 Stat. 676), relating to the admission into the Union of the States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass. Section 11 of the act approved February 22, 1889, which provided for the admission into the Union of the States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington, and making grants of public lands to the same, provides as follows: That all lands herein granted for educational purposes shall be disposed of only at public sale, and at a price not less than $10 per acre, the proceeds to constitute a permanent school fund, the interest of which only shall be expended in the support of said schools. But said lands may, under such regulations as the legislatures shall prescribe, be leased for periods of not more than five years, in quantities not exceeding one section to any one person or company; and such land shall not be subject to preemption, homestead entry, or any other entry under the land laws of the United States, whether surveyed or unsurveyed, but shall be reserved for school purposes only. It was found necessary to modify the act so as to permit the granting of easements over the lands so granted for roads, telegraph, and telephone lines and easements generally such as may be acquired by the local eminent domain statutes. This was accomplished by the act approved August 11, 1921 (42 Stat. 158). It has been discovered that within some of the lands so granted are deposits of oil, gas, and other minerals and that other of such lands are believed to contain such minerals. Public lands of that character are no longer sold but are offered to citizens who desire to prospect the same, and are leased, when their value for the mineral in them has |