Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-09-07
NOT INTERESTING MAY BUY T0WNTO FIGHT TRUST
GOVERNMENT LIKELY TO AC.
QUIRE BREMERTON.
william Bremen Said to Be Conduct.
ing Negotiations to That End at
Westinghouse Would End Trouble
That Has Caused Annoyance for
Some Time Past.

Seattle, Sept. 1.-THE Post-Intelli-
gencer this morning says:
A proposition is on foot to sell the
toWnsite of Bremerton to the govern
ment, and put an end for all time to
the trouble that has existed between
the authorities of the town and the Of
ficials of the navy department as to
how the affairs of the little town add
jacent to the Puget Sound navy yard
should be conducted, according to add
vices received from Bremerton last
night.
Government officials long ago real
lied that Il grave mistake was made
when the entire tract of land was not
bought up, thus giving the government
absolute control of the country sur
rounding the navy yard. Since the
yard was established a town has
grown up around it and the property
has greatly enhanced in value. Be-
cause of this state of things many of
the navy officials believed that it would
cost too much money for the gov
eminent to acquire the property now.
After the town was incorporated the
trouble between the town authorities
and the officials of the navy depart
ment began. The town people wanted
Il wide open town; the navy depart
ment insisted upon Il closed town. Last
winter this trouble was aggravated
until the navy department issued an
ultimatum that unless the saooSs
We're removed from the front street
and the gambling places closed no
more warships would be sent to the
yard for repairs. The closing down of
the navy yard meant great injury to
the town and the order was complied
with.
Suggested to Moody.
When Secretary Moody was here
last May with the president he init
mated that the best solution of the
problem would be for the government
to buy the townsite and take entire
control of the situation, but he thought
the property could not be acquired for
less than 100000.
Mr.. Bremen, who is perhaps the lar
gest individual property owner there
and the father of the townsite, heard
of this and told the secretary that he
bought up for $35O,00O. While the sec
rotary did not say that such an offer
would be acceptable to the navy de-
partment, Mr.. Bremen felt encouraged
to go ahead with the deal, and now he
has secured the powers of attorney of
practically all the property owners,
it is said, to make such an offer to the
government.
The work of obtaining the consent
of the property owners has been car
ried on with absolute secrecy by Mr..
Bremen, but a special message from
Bremerton last night stated that Mr..
Bremen now had matters in such shape
that formal offer could be made to
the navy department.
Are Willing to Sell.
The fact that Bremerton is now a
closed town helped Mr.. Bremen in his
work. Seventeen saloons were put out
6 business when the navy department
decided that the town must be cleaned
up before any more ships would be
sent to the yard for repairs. The town
is almost absolutely dependent for sup
port upon the navy yard.
Becoming convinced that they could
not again engage in the business of
conducting saloons or disorderly
houses, the owners of the property fell
in with the idea of Mr.. Bremen to pool
their issues and offer to sell to the
government the entire toWnste, thus
ending for all time the veXing problem
of controlling the affairs of the town.
Mr.. Bremen could not be found in
this city last night, but the Informal
ton comes from BremertOn is nosi-
tive that he has secured the required
number of signatures of property own
ers, and that he will start for Wash
ington in few days to lay his propo-
sition before the navy department.