Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-27
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ON
CONTROLLER BAY MATTER.

q NtiOHnneHt l2,SUU acres Oh tue CHu5"Ni
National Forest Reserve in Alaska
ar incident which has become 10 be
known as the Controller Bay Affalr.
In concluding he brands the now
famous Dick TO Dick" postscript as a
wicked fabrication and says that
Charles. +. TAFT. whose name appeared
iii tile alleged postscript has no IN
teresr in Alaska, never had and knows
nothing Of the circumstances connect
ed with this transaction" Moreover.
tie President adds, his brother does
not even remember that he ever met
Richard S. Ryan. representing the Con
troler Railway K Navigation Com
panY.
AS for eliminating the land in ques-
ton from the reserve, the President
says that there is no danger of the
Controller Railway y Navigation Com
rany or any other interests monopo-
iizine the field. and nothing to snow
that this company is in amy way con-
nected with the Morgan Gug :
genheim interests. Hence. he believes
that in eliminating he land lac has act
ed fer the best Interests OF the nation
Il wish te be as specific as possible
upon this point, says the President
ia his fne ssage. and To say that alone
ana Responsible for the enlargement OF
the proposed elimination from 80 acres
10 12,S0C acres, and that ! proposed the
change and stated nay reasons therefor
The thing which The Territory Of Alas
Sa needs is development, ana WlleIF
nights and franchise can be properN
granted 10 encourage investment ana
construct railroad without CONFER
ring exclusive privileges. beileNe y
TO be IN accordance with good polics
to grant them
Accompanying the Presidents mess
age are documents, reports ana maps
bearing on the case, as redaesleo
from him by a Senate resolution oi
June nth last. I deem ii wise. saS
the message, TO accompanying the
submission of these documents Win
statement IN narrative form OF the az
ton of the administration with tht
reasons therefor Here 1oleWs
description of Controller Bay and en-
vircns and a map showing the ellest
of withdrawing the much mootea L,
500 acres from the reserve. Inc ffesl-
dent then takes up the thread 81 ms
narrative as concerns the events that
preeiFitated the controversy.
He relates how RYAN. representing
the Controller Railway and Navigation
Con1pauV. applied in 1869 tor the eil'iiz
fnatiun II a tract To cfidbfe TINS com
pany "a secure railroad terminals, ctc.
The Application was referred 70 I'M
Forestry Bureau and then 10 the NAVY
Department with 4 view that perhaps
the Navy desired To use Controller pay
as reservation. The forestry inter
esfs fpund nc objection to the elm
iRatian OF the tract indicated. or III
deed" as the President writes. to the
elimination Of 5000 acres in the hoF''-
west shore of Controller Bay
The Nav Department answer was
negative" says the President. ana AZ
fer .he matter had been CONSIDERED pH
the Secretary of Agriculture, by Tue
Secretary of the Interior. and the Cen
eral land office. reeomnhthuatio"
was made TO him that 32e acres Win
frontage e. 160 rods on the NORTHWEST
shore of Controller Bay be thrown
omen. A formal order TO TINS ellec'
was finally submitted To him N &c
ober. 1910, but when the matter eaiiie
before the Cabinet late IN the filoh'h
he found objection to 1t. His reasons
fot. takine-this stand he explains Il! Ms
message in part as follows;
Il expressed dissatisfaction with 'he
order because it purported on It's race
~ make the elimination for the befe-
III of A railroad company or tract Oh
land which the company could not oE
lawful entry secure. for IT Was trdct
32O acres In one body when only l6o
acres could thus be acquired. In the
second place. | preferred TO make
much larger elimination OF a tract
facing the entire channel and with
sufficient room for a terminal railway
town. was willing to do this be-
cause | found the restrictions IN the
law sufficient to prevent the possihii-
ity of any monopoly of either the up
land or the harbor or channel by me
Controller Railway and Navigation
Company or any other persons or
company. Because OF a lack OF time
sufficient TO draft a memorandum my
self. 1 requested the Secretary of the
Interior. who. with the Secretary OF
Agriculture. after full discussion. mad
agreed in my conclusion, to prepare
letter setting forth the reasons Tor
making the larger elimination, so that
il might become a part of the record.
WISH 10 ne as Speclflc as pOSSlpie
upon this point. and to say that |
alone am responsible for the enlarge
ment of the proposed elimination from
800 acres to 1880 acres, and that /
proposed the change and stated my
reasons therefor, and While both sec
retaries cordially concurred in il the
suggestion was mine"
The President says he had every as
surance at the time that the Control
Ter Railway and Navigation Company
was an Independent enterprise work
inc in all good faith. and that no evil
dence to the contrary has since been
brought to his attention. of course it
was possible" he continues. that the
owners of the Copper River Railway
Company" eMessrs. Morgan and Gug-
genheim) might attempt to buy this
railroad when and if II We're built.
1t was possible that Mr.. Ryan was
acting for the interests of the Copper
River Railroad, although ! did not be-
lieve it. but whether this was true or
NOT n NaS claor that the order of