Chapter 425. To repeal and reenact chapter 100, 1914, Public, Numbered 108, to provide for the restoration of Fort McHenry, in the State of Maryland, and its permanent preservation as a national park and perpetual national memorial shrine as the birthplace of the immortal “Star-Spangled Banner,” written by Franc
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CHAP. 425.— An Act To repeal and reenact chapter 100, 1914, Public, Numbered 108, to provide for the restoration of Fort McHenry, in the State of Maryland, and its permanent preservation as a national park and perpetual national memorial shrine as the birthplace of the immortal “Star-Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key, for the appropriation of the necessary funds, and for other purposes. March 3, 1925.[[H. R. 5261](/us/bill/68/hr/5261).][[Public, No. 543](/us/pl/68/543).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That an Act Fort McHenry, Md.Grant to Baltimore of portion of, for public park, repealed.Vol. 38, p. 382, repealed.authorizing the Secretary of War to grant the use of the Fort McHenry Military Reservation in the State of Maryland to the mayor and city council of Baltimore, a municipal corporation of the State of Maryland, making certain provisions in connection therewith, providing access to and from the site of the new immigration station heretofore set aside be, and hereby is, repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
“That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized Restoration of, directed to become a national park.and directed so soon as it may no longer be needed for uses and needs growing out of the late war, to begin the restoration of Fort McHenry, in the State of Maryland, now occupied and used as a military reservation, including the restoration of the old Fort McHenry proper to such a condition as would make it suitable for preservation permanently as a national park and perpetual national memorial shrine as the birthplace of the immortal ‘ Star-Spangled Banner,’ written by Francis Scott Key, and that the Secretary of Maintenance by Secretary of War.War be, and he is hereby, further authorized and directed, as are his successors, to hold the said Fort McHenry in perpetuity as a military reservation, national park, and memorial, and to maintain it as such, except that part mentioned in section 3 hereof, and that part now in use by the Department of Commerce for a light and fog-signal station under revocable license from the War Department with the maintenance of the electric lines thereto and such portion of the reservation, including improvement, as may be reserved by the Secretary of War for the use of the Chief of Engineers, the said reservation to be maintained as a national public park, subject to such regulations as may from time to time be issued by the Secretary of War.
“That any and all repairs, improvements, changes, and alterations Repairs, etc., at Government expense.in the grounds, buildings, and other appurtenances to the reservation shall be made only according to detailed plans which shall be approved by the Secretary of War, and all such repairs, improvements, or alterations shall be made at the expense of the United States, and all such improvements, together with the reservation itself, shall become and remain permanently the property of the United States: *Provided*, That permission is hereby granted the *Provisos*.Right of way to immigration station granted.Secretary of the Treasury to use permanently a strip of land sixty feet wide belonging to said fort grounds, beginning at the north 1110corner of the present grounds of the fort and extending south sixty-three degrees thirty minutes east, six hundred and fifty feet to the south corner of the site set aside for the immigration station at Baltimore, said strip of land being located along the northwest boundary of the land ceded to the Baltimore Dry Dock Company and the land of the said immigration station, the same to be used, if so desired, in lieu of acquiring, by purchase or condemnation, any of the lands of the dry dock company so that the Secretary of the Treasury may, in connection with land acquired from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, have access to and from Construction of rail-road facilities, etc.said immigration station and grounds over the right of way so acquired to the city streets and railroads beyond, the Secretary of the Treasury to have the same power to construct, contract for, and arrange for railroad and other facilities upon said outlet as fully Vol. 37, p. 889.as provided in the Act approved March 4, 1913, setting aside a site for an immigration station and providing for an outlet therefrom:
Use by War Department allowed. *Provided*, *however*,, That if the Secretary of the Treasury accepts and makes use of said strip of land for the purposes aforesaid the War Department shall have equal use of the railroad track and other roads constructed over which to reach the city streets and Closing in case of national emergency.railroads beyond from the other parts of the fort grounds: *Provided further*, That the Secretary of War may in case of a national emergency close the said military reservation and use it for any and all military purposes during the period of the emergency, and for such period of time thereafter as the public needs may require:Disposal of useless temporary buildings, etc. *And provided further*, That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to dispose of the useless temporary buildings and contents constructed during the recent war and from the proceeds thereof there is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sum as Amount authorized for restoration, etcmay be necessary not exceeding $50,000 for use by the Secretary of War in the restoration of said Fort McHenry reservation and for other purposes consistent with this Act.
Approved, March 3, 1925.