LIGHTED BEACON AT MOUTH OF PUNGOTEAGUE CREEK, VIRGINIA.

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 12145) to establish a lighted beacon at the mouth of Pungoteague Creek, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report.

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR,
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, February 17, 1904,

SIR: This Department has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter of February 11, 1904, from your committee, inclosing a copy of H. R. 12145, "to establish a lighted beacon at the mouth of Pungoteague Creek, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia," on which suggestions are asked touching the merits of the bill and the propriety of its passage.

In reply this Department, at the instance of the Light-House Board, begs leave to state that a lighted beacon was established on that site on November 1, 1854, and was carried away on February 2, 1856, and has not been replaced.

The reestablishment of this lighted beacon is recommended by many vessel men in a petition which was transmitted to the Light-House Board by the superintendent of the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Company through the inspector of the fifth light-house district.

A light is now maintained near the mouth of Pungoteague Creek at private expense.

The Light-House Board is of opinion, in which opinion this Department concurs, that when a light is so needed that it is maintained at private expense, the Government should establish and maintain such a light in the interests of general commerce.

This Department therefore, at the instance of the Light-House Board, has the honor to recommend that an appropriation of $8,000 be made for the establishment of a lighted beacon at the mouth of Pungoteague Creek, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia.

Respectfully,
GEO. B. CORTELYOU, Secretary.
CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE,
House of Representatives.