Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-11
WANTS HER ISLANDS.
After Thirty Years Delay, Mrs.
William Parker Demands Justice
AT THE HANDS OF MR.. BLAINE.
She Wants Her Title Established to a
Group of Three Islands.
THE PROPERTY VERY RICH IN GUANO

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10.-Within afew
months the Department of State will be
called upon to take steps to establish the
domain of the United States over group
of islands in the North Pacific Ocean. The
claims to these islands have been before the
authorities at Washington since 1857, but
owing to the conflicting statements of owner
ship and other causes valid title to the
islands has never been issued. Authenti-
Gated documents relating to the claims are
now in this city. From them has been
CLEANED the following story:
Early in January, 1852, Captain William
h. Parker and his partner, named Hays,
chartered the brigantine Reindeer at Homo
lulu to make a trading voyage to China.
After leaving Honolulu, the weather being
calm, the brig drifted, until on January 13
a group of three islandsIwas sighted, situated
in latitude 100 So north, longitude 1879 %
west. On January24 another island wasfound,
in latitude 1920 81. All efforts to find any
trace of these islands on charts proved un-
availing, but Captain Parker, after taking
bearings, verified their position. On Janu-
ary Is the Reindeer came in sight of John
ston and CORVALLIS Islands, situated re-
spectiyely in latitude north 16o 81, longi-
tude 1880 AZ west, and latitude north 16o
46, and longitude 1890 90 east. Captain
Parker examined these islands, and found
that their entire surface was an immense
body of guano.
CAPTAIN PARKER's CLAIM.
After Parker returned from China to San
ic Uo
any one until 1857. During the session of
Congress in 1856 an act was passed authori-
zing the President to issue proclamation
and letters of protection in favor of any per-
son who might discover any island upon
which guano deposits were situated, extend
ing the dominion of the United States over
such places, and granting to the diseoVerers
title to such islands, Parker having obtained
knowledge of the passage of this act, entered
into an agreement with a civil engineer
named R. F. Ryan, of San Francisco, to
assist him to develop his guano discoveries
declaration addressed to Lewis Cass, ,Secre-
tary State, setting forth the discovery OF the
islands by Parker.
Ryan estimated that there must have
been no less than GIG, 100000 tons of guano
on the islands. The three small islands not
marked on the chart were named Morrison,
Parker and Ryan islands, but inasmuch as
the discovery of CORVALLIS and Johnston 5
islands dated back to 1907 these names were
retained in the declaration.
TRICKED OUT OF HIS ISLANDS.
Pending the confirmation of Parker and
Ryan's application to Secretary Cass on
December 10, 1857, an agreement was en-
tered into by them with Asa Stoddard and
Robert G.. Byxbee, of San Francisco, by
which it was agreed thai fve-eighths of all
profits that might arise should become the
share of Stoddard and Byxbee, who were to
fit out vessel and bring samples of the
guano to San Francisco. The schooner
Palestine, Captain Perryman, visited the
islands and the captain took possession of
them in the name of the men who had sent
him out. On his return these men formed
the Pacific Guano Company, and took steps
to obtain title to the islands, ignoring
Parker's claim. Hearing of how he had
been tricked Parker went to Washington to
present his case, but died soon after. Moth
ing more was then done in the matter.
1t was not until 1879 that Parker's second
wife, who lives in this city, learned of her
husbands claim, and employed attorneys to
combat the alleged title of the Pacific
Gusno Company. As proof the ownership
the company produced a proclamation said
to have been issued to them by Lewis Cass
in 1859, but there is no record of the fact in
the archives of the department. Mrs.
Parker is now taking steps to secure the
recognition of herclaims BY the State De-
partment. Seafaring men who have visited
these islands say that an immense quantity
of guano still remains.