Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 28.djvu/617

 588 FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. II. RES. 40. 1894. A¤z¤¤t 1-1894- [No. 40.] Joint Resolution To establish an observatory circle as a provision for ‘—*"""‘ guarding the delicate astronomical instruments at the United States Naval Observatory against smoke or currents of heated air in their nmghborhood and undue vibrations from tradic upon the extension of public thoronghfares m the vicinity, and for other purposes. P¤¤¤¤*>1¤· Whereas in order to insure within practicable limits the success of astronomical observations, its is of the highest importance that the delicate instruments employed in that work be guarded against smoke or currents of heated air in their neighborhood, and also against undue vibrations from trailic upon public thoroughfares, all of which can only be attained by controlling a reasonable area of ground in the immediate vicinity of the buildings wherein the said instruments are mounted ; and * Whereas from experiments it: has been ascertained that a circle described with a radius of one thousand feet from a central point of the said buildings is the least inelosure that will accomplish such desired protection: Therefore, Resolved by the Senate and House of Rqpresenmm·es of the United States 11$,¤r¤1 0b¤·>rv¤*¤r{- of America in Congress assembled, That no street, avenue, or public thorin f°o?>tei°};Z¤€$»?';ii¤l»é oughfare in the neighborhood of the buildings erected upon the United ’°°’°· States Naval Observatory grounds, Georgetown Heights, District of Columbia, shall extend within the area of 'a circle described with a radius of one thousand feet from the center of the building known as the clock room of the said Observatory. mj;*¤S¤¤¤1¤¤¤¤¢*¤ M- Sec. 2. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and is hereby, authornk gh t of way ized to grant the right of way for the extension of Massachusetts ave- “""“g** €'°“°*’°· une though the limits of the said Observatory grounds exterior- no said circle in accordance with the foregoing proviso, and that Ma sachusetts avenue, as laid down in conformity with that proviso upon the maps of the engineer department of the District of Columbia, through the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory be, and the same hereby is, declared to be a public street in all respects as the other public streets of the District of Columbia. ‘ fsgeigrnmnmmiue Sm:. 3. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and is hereby, author- ° "‘ " ized to `sell and convey two plats of ground contiguous to the said M assachusetts avenue extended, and situated without the hereinbetbre described circle, but within the limits of the said Observatory site, the ground in said plats amounting to fourteen and thirty-one one-hundredths acres. more or less, on the north and east, and one and eighteen one-hundredths acres, more or less, on the south and west of the said Massachusetts avenue extended. umn of ma. Sec. 4. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and is hereby, authorized to sell the aforesaid described plats by advertisement or, at his discretion, in such manner as will best serve the interests of the Government. rmrmu nr nn. (1 Sec. 5. That the Secretary of the N avy be, and hereby is, authorized wi""" “‘"“”· to acquire, by purulmse, legal title fo the Several plats of ground, not now belonging to the United States, that are situated within the hereinbetore described circle, amounting to nineteen and twenty-seven onelmndredtlns acres, more or less, being parts of lands adjoining the present said Observatory site, and comprised in the following por: ions of land as generally known, namely: Plat east, Normanstone, one and seventy-eight; one-hundredth acres, more or less; plat west, Robert Weaver, eight and twentytive one-hundredths acres, more or less ; plat west, Barnes, thircy-eight: one-hundredths acre, more or less; plat west, Young, sixtyseven onehundredths acre, more or less; plat west, Barbour, thirtytwo one-hundredths acre, more or less; plats north and west, Dunbarton, seven and eighty-seven one-hundredths acres, more or less. w;*r¤g:;L;_·;_0M¤rr¤— Sec. 6. That said plats of land, when acquired by purchase, herein- 'before described, shall form a part: of the said Naval Observatory grounds.