DISTRICT No. 123, OF ILLINOIS; ROCK RIVER CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 125, OF ILLINOIS; MICHAEL H. LORDEN; CHARLES SAMUELSON; JOHN AUGUST JOHNSON; ROSS P. BECKSTROM CO. HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON WAR CLAIMS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEVENTY-FIRST CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 3726. FOR THE RELIEF OF NEW MILFORD CON- H. R. 4228. FOR THE RELIEF OF ROCK RIVER CON- H. R. 9063. FOR THE RELIEF OF ROSS P. BECKSTROM RELIEF OF NEW MILFORD CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 123, OF ILLINOIS; ROCK RIVER CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 125, OF ILLINOIS; MICHAEL, H. LORDEN; CHARLES SAMUELSON; JOHN AUGUST JOHNSON; ROSS P. BECKSTROM CO. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1930 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON WAR CLAIMS, SUBCOMMITTEE No. 3, Washington, D. C. The chairman of the subcommittee called the meeting to order at 0.30 o'clock. Chairman PEAVEY. The subcommittee has before it for consideraon this morning six bills, as follows: H. R. 3726, introduced by Mr. uckbee, entitled "A bill for the relief of New Milford Consolidated chool District No. 123, of Illinois." [H. R. 3726, Seventy-first Congress, first session] A BILL For the relief of New Milford Consolidated School District No. 123, of Illinois Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of merica in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claims of the United States be, ad it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim of New Milrd Consolidated School District Numbered 123, of Rockford, Illinois, and to nder judgment against the United States in its favor for such compensation and amage as may be found to be justly due, if any, as compensation and damage affered by the said school district by reason of acquisition by the United States fa certain tract of land situated within the said school district and forming a art of Camp Grant, Illinois. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any existing tatute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States, nor because If the exemption of the said tract of land from taxes for school purposes. H. R. 4228, introduced by Mr. Buckbee, entitled, "A bill for the relief of Rock River Consolidated School District No. 125, of Illinois." [H. R. 4228, Seventy-first Congress, first session] A BILL For the relief of Rock River Consolidated School District No. 125, of Illinois Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claims of the United States be, and it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim of Rock River Consolidated School District Numbered 125, of Rockford, Illinois, and to render judgment against the United States in its favor for such compensation and damage as may be found to be justly due, if any, as compensation and damage suffered by the said school district by reason of acquisition by the United States of a certain tract of land situated within the said school district and forming a part of Camp Grant, Illinois. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any existing statute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States, nor because of the exemption of the said tract of land from taxes for school purposes. H. R. 9060, introduced by Mr. Buckbee, entitled "A bill for relief of Michael H. Lorden." [H. R. 9060, Seventy-first Congress, second session] A BILL For the relief of Michael H. Lorden Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claim the United States be, and it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and detern the claim of Michael H. Lorden, of Rockford, Illinois, and to render judgm against the United States in his favor for such compensation and damag may be found to be justly due, if any, as compensation and damage suffered the said Michael H. Lorden, by reason of extra and extraordinary expenses carrying the United States mails at Rockford, Illinois, under contract betw Michael H. Lorden and the United States during the period from April 1, 1 to June 30, 1918. Said extra and extraordinary expenses cover cost of su vision of the mails by the said Michael H. Lorden and for cost of gasoline, tires, labor, insurance, repairs, rent, and depreciation on two mail trucks ow and operated by the said Michael H. Lorden in carrying the said United St mails. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any exis statute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States; nor beca of noncompliance with section 3744, Revised Statutes. H. R. 9061, introduced by Mr. Buckbee, entitled "A bill for relief of Charles Samuelson." [H. R. 9061, Seventy-first Congress, second session] A BILL For the relief of Charles Samuelson Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States America in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claims of the United States and it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim of Cha Samuelson, of Rockford, Illinois, and to render judgment against the Uni States in his favor for such compensation and damage as may be found to justly due, if any, as compensation and damage suffered by the said Cha Samuelson by reason of the use and occupation by the War Department fr June 24, 1917, to December 1, 1923, of property of Charles Samuelson situa near Camp Grant, Illinois. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any exist statute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States; nor beca of noncompliance with section 3744, Revised Statutes. H. R. 9062, introduced by Mr. Buckbee, entitled "A bill for t relief of John August Johnson." [H. R. 9062, Seventy-first Congress, second session] A BILL For the relief of John August Johnson Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States America in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claims of the United States and it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim of John Aug Johnson, of Rockford, Illinois, and to render judgment against the United Sta in his favor for such compensation and damage as may be found to be justly di if any, as compensation and damage sustained by reason of the use and occup tion by the War Department from July 1, 1917, to November 8, 1924, of proper of John August Johnson, situated near Camp Grant, Illinois. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any existi statute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States; nor becau of noncompliance with section 3744, Revised Statutes. H. R. 9063, introduced by Mr. Buckbee, entitled "A bill for t relief of Ross P. Beckstrom Co." [H. R. 9063, Seventy-first Congress, second session] A BILL For the relief of Ross P. Beckstrom Company Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of merica in Congress assembled, That the Court of Claims of the United States be, nd it is hereby, given jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim of the Ross Beckstrom Company, of Rockford, Illinois, and to render judgment against he United States in its favor for such compensation and damage as may be und to be justly due, if any, as compensation and damage suffered by the Ross Beckstrom Company by reason of breach of contract on part of the United tates growing out of the World War. SEC. 2. Said claim shall not be considered as barred because of any existing atute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States; nor because noncompliance with section 3744, Revised Statutes. Are you going to take up these cases individually or collectively, Ir. Buckbee? Mr. BUCKBEE. I first wish to make a general preliminary statement wering all of them, Mr. Chairman, and then Colonel Hatch will llow. the The CHAIRMAN. We are presenting these bills which the chairman is enumerated. Two of these bills cover farm damages; that is, hn August Johnson farm and the Charles Samuelson farm. Two hers cover school districts. The Lorden bill covers a war-time ail contract. The Ross P. Beckstrom bill covers a claim for a instruction account. To conserve the time of the committee we thought we would put em all in at the same time. Now, Camp Grant is located close to my home town, Rockford, During the World War time it was one of the largest camps in le United States. We had as many as 90,000 men there at one time. ly feeling is, gentlemen, knowing practically every foot of this land ad looking over the ground after the vacation of this particular roperty by the Government and the condition in which it was left, at the concrete foundations and piles also concrete and cinder ébris; I would safely say that upwards of 500 cars of cinders scatered over this property has made it practically useless for farming urposes. The CHAIRMAN. I suggest that for the benefit of the committee ou should address yourself at this point to the nature of the transction with the Government, and wherein you believe the Government owes any obligations to these various claimants. Then, second, ddress yourself to the facts as you know them, showing the transacion of the Government at that time was one general transaction nvolving all of these claimants. Mr. BUCKBEE. Would it be agreeable, Mr. Chairman, if Colonel Hatch entered into that detail? I merely wanted to tell you that nowing these properties well, I feel absolutely positive that these nen are entitled to consideration and relief. These properties were originally taken over, gentlemen, by the hamber of commerce officials of Rockford, Ill.; that is, they made the contracts with the farmers, and then a secondary contract was made with the War Department, along this general line, that in the event of the Government not taking the property over and buy it outright, it would revert to the owners after the payment of the stipulated rental, and to be returned in the same condition in which it was taken over. And that has not been the case. Mr. DOUGLASS. Was there a written contract? |