Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 2.djvu/178

 2194 74TH CONGRESS. SESS. I. ClI.783. AUGUST 27, 1935. [CHAPTER 783.) AN ACT ATl:a.\~· For the relief of certain claimants who suffered loss by fire in the State of Min· (Private, No. 336:)- nesota during October 1918. Be it enacted by the Senate awl House of Rep1'esentatives of the ~taOt . United States of America in Congres:~ assembled, That the Secre· l_b1a:..lD,.c:~a::~ tary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to pay, out of any I&ecl. money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, III !lccordance with certifications of the Comptrolle~ Gener.al o~ the Umtell S~ates under this Act, to each claimant or Its or Ius hell'S, representatives, administrators, executors, successors, or assigns, the amount of whose loss, on account of fire originating from the operation of railroads by the United States in the State of Minnesota on or about October 12, 1918, has been determined by court proceedings or by the Director General of Railroads, the difference between the amount of such loss so determined and the amount actually paid bv the United States to such claimant less any amount paid to such'claimant by any fil'e- PIwiaoI: insurance company on account of such fire: Provided, That not· m::~riCt10D OD pay. withstanding the terms and conditions of any policy of insurance. or the prOVIsions of any law, no fire·insurance company, excel)t farmers mutual fire-insurance companies, shall have any rights III and to funds herein appropriated, the payments herein provided for, w.:=::iesftre. nor to any right of subrogation whatsoever. That said farmers' . mutual fire-insurance companies shall be paid in the same manner Assignees,limitation. and to the same extent as other claimants: Provided further, That no person who makes claim under this Ad by virtue of having acquired and succeeded to the rights of the original claimant through purchase and assignment, from said claimant of said claim, shall rec~ive more than the amount actually paid for such claim and aSSIgnment. Application for pay. SEC. 2 . No payment under the provisions of this Act shall be made meu.t. unless an application therefor is filed with the Comptroller General of the United States by or on behalf of the person entItled to payment Determination of within two years after the date of the enactment of this Act. The 8IDQIlnt due. Comptroller General of the United States shall determine the amount due on any application, and the person entitled thereto under this Act) and shall certify such determination to the Secretary of the Treasury. Rules to be pre- which determination shall be final. The Comptroller General shall scribed. promulgate rules and regulations as to the identity of claimants, the validity of assignments, and all other matters in conneetion with the determination of the amounts due and the persons to whom such el~:ldcebe con- amounts shall be paid under this Act. The amount to be paid under . this Act shall be ascertained from the records of the Director General of Railroads, and such records shall be conclusive evidence of the amount of any such loss, the amount paid by the United States with respect thereto, and the amount paid by any insurance company with respect thereto. Such records shall also be conclusive evidence of the person entitled to payment, except that if in any judicial proceeding m which final jUdgment has been rendered the rIght of any person to succeed to the rights of the person who suffered the loss by the fire has been determined, such judgment shall be conclusive as to the heil'~ representative, administrator, executor, successor, or assignee, as the Definitions. Unlawful tees. case may be, entitled to payment. SEC. 3. The words" person" and" claimant ", as used in the Act, shall include an individual, two or more persons having a joint or common .in~rest, company, partnership, and municipal and private corporations. SEC. 4. Any person or group of persons individually or collectively who charge or collect, or attempt to charge or collect, either directly