76TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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SENATE

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REPORT No. 382

AUTHORIZING CITY OF CHESTER, ILL., TO CONSTRUCT TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT OR NEAR CHESTER, ILL.

MAY 4, 1939.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. LEE, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 4370]

The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4370) authorizing the city of Chester, Ill., to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Chester, Ill., having considered the same, report thereon with an amendment, and as so amended recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is included in the bill as reported and is indicated in italic and line type.

The House report on the bill follows:

[H. Rept. No. 352, 76th Cong., 1st sess.]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4370) entitled "A bill authorizing the city of Chester, Ill. to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Chester, Ill.," having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

The amendment is as follows:

After the word "tolls" in line 7 on page 3, strike out the comma (,) and all down to and including the word "management" in line 11 on page 3.

The bill has the approval of the War and Agricultural Departments, as will appear by the letters attached.

[Second endorsement]

WAR DEPARTMENT, March 22, 1939. Respectfully returned to the chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives.

So far as the interests committed to this Department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill, H. R. 4370, Seventy-sixth Congress, first session, authorizing the city of Chester, Ill., to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Chester, Ill.

This proposed report was submitted to the Bureau of the Budget which advises that there would be no objection to its submission to the committee.

DEAR MR. LEA: Careful consideration has been given to the bill, H. R. 4370, transmitted with your letter of February 22 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the Department might desire to communicate.

This bill would authorize the city of Chester, Ill., to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Mississippi River at or near that point. The city would be authorized to charge tolls for transit over the bridge, the rates of toll to be so adjusted as to provide a fund sufficient to pay reasonable maintenance, repair, and operating costs, and create a sinking fund sufficient to amortize the cost of constructing the bridge within a period of not to exceed 30 years from the date of its completion. After a sinking fund sufficient for such amortization shall have been so provided, the bridge would have to be maintained and operated free of tolls or the rates of toll would have to be so adjusted as to provide only for meeting necessary maintenance, repair, and operating costs.

It is the Department's view that after a sinking fund sufficient for amortizing the cost of the bridge shall have been provided it thereafter should be maintained and operated free of tolls. It is suggested, therefore, that the bill be amended by striking out all on page 3 beginning with the word "or", line 7, down to and including the word "management", line 11. If the bill is amended as suggested above, it then will be without objection so far as this Department is concerned.

Upon reference of this matter to the Bureau of the Budget, as required by Budget Circular 344, the Acting Director thereof advised the Department of Agriculture under date of March 11, 1939, that there would be no objection on the part of that office to the submission to Congress of this report.

MY DEAR COLLEAGUE: I have yours of March 20 in connection with H. R. 4370, authorizing the city of Chester to build a bridge over the Mississippi River at Chester, Ill.

It might help the committee to know that the city of Chester, Ill., was rebuilt on the old original site of the city of Kaskaskia, one of the original settlements in the entire Mississippi Valley by the French. It is therefore a very old settlement and has a culture extending back through many years. It is the fastest and most permanently growing of any of the smaller cities in southern Illinois, if not in the entire State. It has a number of factories and almost no unemployment. In fact, it is a very thriving little city.

Now, answering your questions specifically:

No. 1. There is a ferry at Chester across the Mississippi River at the location of the proposed bridge. This ferry has existed here for several generations—is a profitable, going concern. It, of necessity, limits the use of the river crossing there, more especially in the very high water and in the wintertime when the ice comes down the Mississippi so as to completely prevent crossing for weeks at a time. This is the natural passageway from the southern Illinois coal fields over into the lead fields in southeastern Missouri, and would be available for the trucking of coal across the river at all times, especially in the winter when it is most needed in the great lead fields around Flatriver, Mo.

No. 2. The people of Chester are tremendously interested in having a toll bridge constructed at that point. It will help the city in many ways as you can readily see from the statement above.

No. 3. Public sentiment is universally and enthusiastically for this bridge.

No. 4. The municipality of Chester is asking for the privilege of constructing this bridge, which it has the right and authority to do under the statute of Illinois. I am advised by the best businessmen, both in Chester and surrounding cities, that they can find a way to construct the bridge for which the bill H. R. 4370 is asking.

My knowledge of the city of Chester is extensive throughout my life. I know its businessmen, and know all other places within many miles of Chester. Because, my own mother's family came to Kaskaskia something more than 140 years ago and have lived in that city since. Therefore, in my judgment, there is every possibility that the city of Chester will construct a toll bridge on that location-a bridge which, when the tolls pay for it under the terms of the bill, becomes a free bridge.

I shall certainly appreciate favorable action of your committee on this bill as soon as you can bring that about, because during the present spring and coming summer we should get far along in the investigation, the boring and the like, necessary for this bridge.

I shall be glad to appear before your committee to answer any questions, if that be found necessary. Thank you for the opportunity of presenting this matter for the consideration of your committee.

Very truly yours,

KENT E. KELLER, M. C.

O

Mr. SCHWARTZ, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 688]

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 688) for the relief of Homer N. Horine, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with a recommendation that it do pass.

This bill provides that in the administration of any laws conferring rights, privileges, and benefits upon honorably discharged soldiers, Homer N. Horine, who was a member of Company G, Fourth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, shall hereafter be held and considered to have become a member of Company G, Fourth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, on the 11th day of July 1898 and to have been honorably discharged from the military service of the United States as a sergeant of that organization on the 1st day of November 1898.

A similar bill (H. R. 1036, 71st Cong., 3d sess.) passed the House and Senate, and was vetoed by President Hoover February 7, 1931. Similar bills were introduced in the Seventy-third, the Seventy-fourth, and the Seventy-fifth Congresses.

The War Department has reported adversely on these bills because its own records do not show enlistment, muster, in or service by the claimant. The President's veto merely repeats the War Department's statement and its conclusion that the relief sought by the bill would discriminate against "other persons who have claimed similar service and who have been denied military recognition."

The facts in reference to service of Horine, testified to by Capt. C. C. Calhoun of the Second Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, Major Morrow of the Fourth Kentucky Infantry, and several other reputable witnesses establish that: (1) In the summer of 1898, and for some time prior, Homer N. Horine was a sergeant in Company C, Second Kentucky Infantry, Kentucky National Guard, then located at Camp Woodward; (2) during that time this Company C was assigned to escort to Camp Corbin the then newly organized (eastern Kentucky)

S. Repts., 76-1, vol. 6———49