REIMBURSING CERTAIN COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY AND MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY LOST OR DAMAGED AS THE RESULT OF A FIRE AT THE MARINE BARRACKS, QUANTICO, VA. MAY 31, 1944.- Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. McGEHEE, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1714] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1714) to reimburse certain Coast Guard and Geodetic Survey and Marine Corps personnel for personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., on December 16, 1943, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The facts will be found fully set forth in Senate Report No. 757, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. Your committee concur in the recommendation of the Senate. (S. Rept. No. 757, 78th Cong., 2d sess.] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1714) to reimburse certain Coast and Geodetic Survey and Marine Corps personnel for personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., on December 16, 1943, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The purpose of this bill is to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Treasury to pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $571.75, or such portion thereof as may be necessary to pay claims of certain Coast and Geodetic Survey and Marine Corps personnel for personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., on December 16, 1943. On the date above mentioned a fire occurred in building No. 3026 at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., which completely destroyed the building. The fire was of undetermined origin and was not due to the fault or negligence of any officer or employee of the Government acting within the scope of his employment. H. Repts., 78-2, vol. 384 The building at the time was occupied by the Marine Corps equipment board and members of that organization lost certain personal property covered by the claims for which reimbursement is being sought by this bill. There is no other authority of law by virtue of which the claims may be adjusted. The Navy Department is of the opinion that provision should be made for the payment of these claims in that the personnel involved were assigned to duty at said barracks by orders of the Navy Department and the loss of and damage to their property occurred without fault or negligence on their part. The claims were examined by the Commandant of the Marine Corps who has found the value of the property lost and damaged to be $571.75. The additional cost to the Government, should this bill be enacted, would not exceed $571.75. The bill was introduced at the request of the Navy Department and has been cleared by the Bureau of the Budget. PROVIDING FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN NAVY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY LOST AS THE RESULT OF A FIRE IN HANGAR V-3 AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION, NORFOLK, VA. MAY 31, 1944.- Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. McGEHEE, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1741] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1741) to provide for the reimbursement of certain Navy and civilian personnel for personal property lost as a result of a fire in hangar V-3 at the naval air station, Norfolk, Va., on November 12, 1942, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The facts will be found fully set forth in Senate Report No. 759, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. Your committee concur in the recommendation of the Senate. IS. Rpt. No. 759, 78th Cong., 2d sess.' The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1741) to provide for the reimbursement of certain Navy and civilian personnel for personal property lost as the result of a fire in hangar V-3 at the naval air station, Norfolk, Va., on November 12, 1942, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The purpose of the bill is to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Treasury to pay out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $2,775, or such portion thereof as may be necessary to reimburse certain Navy and civilian personnel for the value of personal property lost as the result of the fire in hangar V-3 at the naval air station, Norfolk, Va., on November 12, 1942. It appears from the records of the Navy Department that the fire was discovered at about 11:52 p. m., on the date above named, on the second floor of a lean-to of hangar V-3. The fire spread with considerable rapidity and within a few minutes enveloped the entire building. At the time the assembly and repair department shop occupied the major portion of hangar V-3. The fire burned with great intensity and completely destroyed the building and contents thereof. The circumstances surrounding the fire were investigated by a board appointed for the purpose, which board was unable to reach a determination as to the exact cause thereof. As a result of the fire, three naval officers lost personal property, consisting mainly of technical equipment and books, to a total value, as found by the Bureau of Naval Personnel, of $138. In addition, 36 civilian employees lost their personal tools and equipment. The claims of these employees were examined by the commanding officer of the naval air station, Norfolk, Va., and his report indicates that the amounts claimed by the individual claimants are reasonable and cover items of tools and equipment that would be used by the employees in the performance of the duties of their ratings. The total amount of their claims is $2,637. There is no other authority of law by virtue of which the claims may be adjusted. The Navy Department is of the opinion that provision should be made for the payment of these claims in that the loss of the property cannot be attributed to any fault or negligence on the part of the claimants. The additional cost to the Government, should this legislation be enacted, would not exceed $2,775. The bill was introduced at the request of the Navy Department, and has been cleared by the Bureau of the Budget. FREE HIGHWAY BRIDGE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT MILL STREET IN BRAINERD, MINN. MAY 31, 1944.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. O'HARA, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1660] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1660) granting the consent of Congress to the Minnesota Department of Highways and the county of Crow Wing in Minnesota to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the Mississippi River at Mill Street in Brainerd, Minn., having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The bill has the approval of the War Department and the Federal Works Agency, as will appear by the letters attached. WAR DEPARTMENT, February 12, 1944. Respectfully returned to the chairman, Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. So far as the interests committed to this Department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill, S. 1660, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, granting the consent of Congress to the Minnesota Department of Highways and the county of Crow Wing in Minnesota to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the Mississippi River at Mill Street in Brainerd, Minn. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this report. HENRY L. STIMSON, Secretary of War. |