Seward gateway., 1905-08-11
the lot Is not desired."

The following day, April 20, MT. Bal laine was advised by telegram from Washington that Major Glassford had repudiated the interview credited to him in the Post-Intelligencer of April 15. But on the same day the telegram was received, April 25, another inter- view with Major Glassford came out under display headlihes on the first page of fhe Post-Intelllgencer, quoting Major Glassford as saying that Seward will not be the cable terminus"
 When the cableship Burnside arriv- ed to survey the harbor on May 10, Capt. Wallace, the signal officer in charge, discovered that there was no government land adjoining Seward. w. w. Ballain6; then temporarily in Sew ard representing the owrers of the townsite, gave Capt. Wallace written statement to the effect that the owners were prepared to convey lots 10 and II, block 8, to the government, bGt did not say on what terms the conyeyance was to be made, whether as gift or for cash. That statement was cabIed from Valdez to Major Glassford, May IA, and in the Post-Intelligencer of the succeeding day Major Glassford announ- ced that "the citizens of Seward and the townSite owners had donated a site for cable station, " that it had been accepted, and that the cable station would consequently be located in Seward.
 John L. Ballaine wrote Gen. Greedy, May IS, that so far as the owners of the townsite were concerned Major Glassford's announcement in the Post- Intelligencer was in error and that the owners of the townsite Chad ro in- tention of repeating an offer once de- clined with an nntruthful and insulting interview added" He assured Gen. Greedy of the pleasure it would give him to extend every possible courtesy to the government, but expressed wish to deal with representative of the government "who would not resort to the newspapers with bluffs and false statements"
 Gen. Greedy in reply advised Mir. Ballaine that he had not accepted a cable site from anybody in Seward.
 Negotiations rested until June 16, when representative of Major Glass; ford called upon John E, Ballaine at his office in Seattle and asked on what terms the government might obtain lots 10 and II, block 8, as a site for the cable station. Mir. Ballaine replied that in view of 8 former refusal to ac- cept site as gift, coupled with the publication of false and preiudicial statements by Major Glassford, he would lease these two lots to the gov ernment for term of years or sell them at their market value, But he added that if the inquiry was in behalf of Major Glassford, he would insist on having it direct and in writing, and he would give his reply in writing, in order to protect himself against the publication of false statements by Ma jor Glassford in newspaper interviews. Accordingly, Major Glassford wrote. Mr Ballaine, June l6, saying he under stood Mir. Ballaine declined to carry out the kind offer of w. w, Ballaine," but that even if he had ratified it, "the government could not accept. the lots without an act of congress" Major Glassford inquired in the same letter on what terms Mir. Ballaine would lease the lots to the government,
 Mir. Ballaine replied June r:
 Ut is true that I stated to your rep resentative that 1 declined to convey these lots to the government as free gift, and I also stated my reasons. In order that there may be no misunder- standing in the matter incorporate my reasons in this letter. A former { offer I had made of lot 10 block 8, was refused by the government and a false statement given by you to the papers designed to place me and the Alaska Central Railway Company in a preju- dicial attitude"
 Mr. Ballaine then offered to lease the lots to the government for term of years, the government to have the privilege of purchasing them any time within the life of the lease at their