The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-23
Highest of all Leavenng PowerLaes 7. s. Govt Report
RH!a!!! R RsklHs
ABSOLUTELY PURE

looks as though they wish TO keep every
body on the water from getting 10 the
land and everybody On the land from get
ting on the water.
IN other instances salmon Gamers nave
taken UP the land with a view 70 smut
ting out in future all people who might
desire 10 can salmon in particular 10
cality- In their eadeavor 20 monopollze
Tire water front they have disregarded the
law. which provides that the land must
be taken W in as near a square torm as
il Is possible to do so.
In other instances attempts have been
made to gobble up townsites under the
provisions OF this law. Take the case or
S.. Paul. place with population of about
800. as one In point. IL was a village When
Russia coded Alaska 20 the United States.
/ found that the lani-grabber was there
and that he was trying 10 take up the en-
tire water front and also the townsite.
Uncle Sam Will see 70 II that the rights
OF all who have settled on and improved
lots. and, who in many instances. have
lived on them for many years, are fully
protected.
ITO show you bow faT-reaching the ef-
fort Is 10 obtain title 10 valuable water
front l vii! tell you Of an interview which
l had with a deputy United States sur
veyor He had made surveys for about
thirty-fiye locations in Western Alaska.
These had been made al Cook Inlet. Ko-
Glak and elsewhere. He showed me his
surveys and / called his attention 10 the
fact that they were irregular and Illegal
inasmueh as they had been made with a
view 10 taking in as much shore line as
possible. He replied that he knew that
the law was violated. but he had to make
the surveys TO suit those for whom he was
doing the work. / learned that every one
OF the surveys that he had made was in
the interest of single corporation. al
though taken UP by different individuals,
who were dummies for the corporation.
The corporation paid for this surveyors
transportation, and also paid his assist
ants, and also gave him additional COM
pensauon, beside that which he was enti-
tied to under the law
In a few instances | will report in IA
vor Of allowing 160 acres. In the case OF
the OIL and Granite Company l VIII do go.
This company is operating on an island
where there is TO fresh water The rain
water is collected In bitches and conduct
ed TO reservoir. In order TO have room
for the bitches Ii is necessary for the COM
pany TO have leo acres. ! Will also report
in favor OF allowing a man near Sitka 100
acres. He was a missionary in Alaska
twenty-five years ago. He went into the
general merchandise business, and he quit
that and erected a sawmill, On the land
which he occupies he has built the finest
residence in Alaska HIS wife runs a
dairy which supplies Sitka with milk and
cream. Altogether his improvements have
cost So, 900 I think that he has shown
by his work that he Is entitled TO the max
imum quantity of land
What do you think would be a speedy
and adequate remedy for the existing con-
dition Of affairs in Alaska"
y think that the extension of the land
laws 10 Alaska would be the speediest and
best remedy that could be devised. The
present law, ii seems 10 me, was passed
for the special purpose Of assisting cor
porations 10 acquire land in Alaska. 1t
requires those who take up land to pay
81 80 per acre for it, which is too much for
poor settlers.
II have prepared about fifty reports on
different cases in Alaska, some favorable,
and others not