Public Law 71–498

That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized to acquire, by purchase or condemnation, additional land in the vicinity of and for use in connection with the

Balance available.

Vol. 43, p. 1344.

present military reservation at Fort Bliss, Texas. The unexpended balance, namely, $275,000, of the amount appropriated for this purpose by the Act of March 4, 1925 (43 Stat. 1313, 1344), is hereby authorized to be made available, and an additional appropriation of $6,305.70 is hereby authorized, making a total of $281,305.70 herein authorized to carry out the provisions of this Act, or so much of said sum as may be necessary.

Sec. 2.

The Secretary of War shall, by due advertisement in such, manner as he deems best calculated to give the widest necessary publicity, call for offers of land for use in connection with said Fort Bliss, Texas, and if after negotiation he is able to buy said land, or any part or parcel or tract thereof, at such price or prices as he shall deem to be the fair and reasonable market value of the land, then he

Condemnation proceedings.

is authorized to purchase said land for said purpose at such prices; and if any of said offers of land are at prices deemed by the Secretary of War to be above the reasonable market value of such parcel or tract of land, and if after the negotiation the Secretary of War is unable to purchase the same at fair and reasonable prices as herein defined, then in such case the Secretary of War is authorized to request the Attorney General of the United States to institute condemnation proceedings for the acquiring of such tracts or parcels of land as may be necessary for such purpose.