CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. LOCAL INSPECTORS, STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE, LOS ANGELES, CAL. FEBRUARY 8, 1913.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. STEPHENS of California, from the Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 28524.] The Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 28524) to create a board of local inspectors, Steamboat-Inspection Service, for the port of Los Angeles, Cal., having considered the same, report it to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. Section 4414 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, if amended, will read in the paragraphs amended as follows: First paragraph: There shall be in each of the following collection districts, namely, the districts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; New London, Connecticut; Baltimore, Maryland; Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Bangor, Maine; New Haven. Connecticut; Michigan, Michigan; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Willamette, Oregon; Puget Sound, Washington; Savannah, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Oswego, New York; Charleston, South Carolina; Duluth, Minnesota; Superior, Michigan; Apalachicola, Florida; Galveston, Texas; Mobile, Alabama; Providence, Rhode Island; and in each of the following ports: New York, New York; Jacksonville, Florida; Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; Norfolk, Virginia; Evansville, Indiana; Dubuque, Iowa; Louisville, Kentucky; Albany, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; Saint Louis, Missouri; Port Huron, Michigan; New Orleans, Louisiana; Los Angeles, California; Juneau, Alaska; Saint Michael, Alaska; Point Pleasant, West Virginia; and Burlington, Vermont; Honolulu, Hawaii, and San Juan, Porto Rico, one inspector of hulls and one inspector of boilers Fifth paragraph: For the districts of Michigan, Michigan; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Duluth, Minnesota; Providence, Rhode Island; Chicago, Illinois; and the ports of Albany, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Portland, Maine; Los Angeles, California; Juneau, Alaska; Saint Michael, Alaska, and Norfolk, Virginia; Honolulu, Hawaii; and San Juan, Porto Rico. at the rate of two thousand dollars per year for each local inspector. The purpose of the bill is to create a board of local inspectors, Steamboat Inspection Service, at Los Angeles, Cal., there being none in the 600 miles of California seacoast south of San Francisco. The necessity for the board of inspectors is set forth in the following communication from the Department of Commerce and Labor: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, Washington, February 6, 1913. Hon. J. W. ALEXANDER, M. C., House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: The department is in receipt of your letter of February 4, 1913, inclosing a bill (H. R. 28524) to create a board of local inspectors, Steamboat-Inspection Service, for the port of Los Angeles, Cal., and requesting that the committee be favored with information as to the merits of the bill and desirability of the enactment of the same into law. In reply, you are informed that in the opinion of the department it is desirable that a board of local inspectors of steamboats be established at the port of Los Angeles, Cal., for the reason that the business at that port is rapidly increasing and better administrative results could be obtained were a board of local inspectors located at that place. There is a dry dock located there, and at the present time several vessels are being completed at that place. It has been the custom for assistant inspectors stationed at San Francisco, Cal., to visit Los Angeles and San Pedro, and sometimes it has even been necessary for the local inspectors at San Francisco, Cal., to go there. The trips to Los Angeles consume from 2 to 5 days, and sometimes as much as 10 days, according to the work to be performed at that port, during which time the port of San Francisco is deprived of the services of the inspectors visiting Los Angeles. Further, the growing business in San Francisco will, in the near future, require additional inspectors, but it is believed that with a local board established in southern California, the Steamboat-Inspection Service could continue its work in San Francisco with the present force. Respectfully, BENJ. S. CABLE, The following is from the supervising inspector, Steamboat-Inspection Service, at San Francisco, Cal.: SUPERVISING INSPECTOR GENERAL, Steamboat-Inspection Service, Washington, D. C. * * * JANUARY 25, 1913. In reply you are advised that if the same can be accomplished, I would recommend that a local board be placed at Los Angeles, Cal., for the reason that that port is growing. There is a dry dock located there, and at the present time they are completing several vessels. We have been in the habit, as you know, of sending assistant inspectors to Los Angeles and San Pedro from San Francisco, Cal., at various times for the inspection of vessels, but sometimes it is necessary to have the local inspectors at San Francisco, Cal., go there. * * * The trips to Los Angeles consume from 2 to 5 days and sometimes as much as 10 days, according to the work to be performed at that port, which work we concentrate to the best of our ability. The growing business in San Francisco, Cal., in our service will in the near future require additional inspectors. With a local board established in southern California we could continue our work with the force now at San Francisco in a very satisfactary manner. * * * The present requirements of the service, in my opinion, are not fulfilled, for if they were it would be necessary to send inspectors to the dry docks in southern California possibly two or three times a week at an expense of $300 per week or $1,200 per month. Under the present arrangements, the inspectors being required to travel from San Francisco, Cal., to the ports in southern California, this is not possible. There were 48 vessels docked at the Craig Ship Building Yards last year, but to the best of my knowledge but two of them were inspected on the dock in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department, as the inspectors could not leave San Francisco and arrive at the ports mentioned in time to make the dry-dock examinations unless extensive repairs were being made. These vessels, as a rule, dock for cleaning and painting and stay in the dock about 24 hours. These vessels do not all ply between San Francisco and San Pedro, but ply between San Pedro and Puget Sound, Columbia River, and other ports north of Eureka, Cal. Many of these vessels have to take a cargo from some northern port to San Francisco in order to be inspected and then return with a cargo to the northern port in order to get a cargo from San Pedro or other southern ports. If a local board would be established at Los Angeles, these vessels would ply between the northern ports and the southern ports without having to touch at San Francisco for the purpose of inspection. I am satisfied that the department wishes to give the shipowners any benefits which may belong to them, provided the same are consistent and the expense is warranted. JOHN K. BULGER, Supervising Inspector First District. The records of the collector of customs at Los Angeles show the following for 1912: Vessels engaged in coastwise trade entering port of Los Angeles: Vessels engaged in coastwise trade clearing Los Angeles Harbor: Steamers (2,566).. .net tons.. 2, 474, 367 ...do.... 107, 870 ....do.... 2, 582, 237 192, 373 118, 891 311, 264 Steamers entering Los Angeles Harbor not subject to entering at customhouse and not included in above list: In addition to the inspection of vessels, the examination and licensing of masters, mates, and engineers of regular seagoing vessels, also the examination and licensing of certain pilots and the examination and licensing of operators of gasoline boats, is performed by local inspection officers. No. HOTEL ON FORT HUACHUCA RESERVATION, ARIZ. FEBRUARY 8, 1913.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. PEPPER, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 6798.] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 6798) authorizing the Secretary of War to grant permission for the erection of a hotel on the Fort Huachuca Military Reservation, in Arizona, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass. The language of this bill is similar to that of the act of March 3, 1887 (24 Stat., 648), granting a permit to John Chamberlin to erect a hotel at Fortress Monroe, Va., and, in the opinion of your committee, amply protects all of the interests of the United States. The committee referred the bill to the Secretary of War, and the favorable report of the department is as follows: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., December 18, 1912. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Military Affairs, United States House of Representatives, recommending favorable consideration. Fort Huachuca is distant 25 miles from the nearest town of any size, and those who go there are dependent on the hospitality of the officers of the garrison. The erection of a suitable hotel there will be of great advantage, and the bill herewith provides all necessary safeguards for the interests of the Government. |