The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-12
THERE WAS NO GRAB.
Secretary Fisher says Public Interests
Are safe at Controller Bay.

Washington, July 12.-Secretary Of
the Interior Walter L. Fisher was the
most conspicuous prospective witness
present when the house committee on
expenditures in the interior department
reassembled today to inquire into the
| alleged attempts of the Guggenheim or
other interests to Hmonopolize Alaska
Miss NJ F. Abbott, a newspaper writ
! er, who says she discovered the "Dick
| to Dick letter regarding Controller
bay, may not be called to testify for
several days.
Though not subpoenaed Secretary
| Fisher was allowed to make state
ment in which he declared his con-
clusion that the public interests had
not been jeopardized by anything in
the Alaska case.
From my examination of the case"
said he, Il have satisfied myself that
Richard S. Ryan has obtained no rights
in Controller bay whatever, that jeop-
ardize the rights of any one"
Secretary Fisher asked the committee
to hasten the inquiry into the alleged
Dick to Dick letter, which cannot
now be found in the department files.
w. Fenner, counsel for the com
mittee, replied that the letter was not
of so much interest as the facts
He Might But Didn't.
1T was within the power of the presi-
dent added Fennell, Ito throw these
lands open to all, so that the race
would be to the swift, but it was not
done that way. It as known only to
few and those few already have OBJ
tanned monopoly of the mineral rights
in that territory. That is what we
want to investigate"
4 am much concerned" said Secre-
tary Fisher, about the publication of
a letter which Miss NJ. F. Abbott says
she saw in the files of the interior de-
partment and that is not there now.
If there is any one in the department
who would be a party to the abstrac-
ton or destruction of public docu
mentS we want to know it. Men who
had been in charge of the files in the
interior department. have left the SER
vice and others are about to leave,
and I urge inquiry into that as soon
as possible so We may take steps to
place responsibility for the removal Of
the letter if it ever existed. I never
saw such a document as described
letter from Mr. Ryan to Mr.. Ballinger
and never heard of it until I read of
it in the newspapers the other day"
Chairman Graham said the commit
tee would get to the matter as soon
as possible Secretary Fisher said that
all information obtainable relating to
Controller bay was being compiled FOR
the senate in response to the Poindex-
ter resolution of June q. This data,
he suggested, would be available to the
house committee. Chairman Graham
announced he would be glad to hear
from Mr.. Fisher on the merits of the
Controller bay case, adding that the
committee ain all human probability
would ask him to appear formally
later
LaFoIIette Wanted to Know.
Secretary Fisher said his attention
was first called to Controller bay by
LaFollette, who sought specific in
formation as to the claims. the iden-
tity of claimants. etc After thorough
examination, Mr.. Fisher said he was
unable to see how the public interest
had been Jeopardized.
Il made up my mind" he added,
that if anything was wrong, we want
ed to know it. I checked u the case
particularly to see if I could find any
/ thing irregular I confess that I was
method of opening the lands was one
way or another. The real thing I am
looking for is TO get constructive re-
suits.
L found in my investigation that
Richard S. Ryan. after the release of
the Shore line lands had made three
entries, none of which had been COM
pleted. He made an entry as a ter
minal for a railroad. That has not
/ been determined and his rights viii
be decided according to law and sub
Ject to my review.
Il found considerable other frontage
available for railroad entry. The i'm
portant thing is to ascertain what
Shore line rights lead 10 deep water
II there is only room for one railroad.
the question to be determined is
whether it shall be Ryan's or some
other railroad"
| -S
Final Session of c. f.
Atlantic City. July 12.=The final
session of the tvvenfv-f7ff1 Tnterua tso,,