The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-07-28

railway from the channel over the
mud fats to the shore and thence to
the coal fields.
Captain Pillsbury of the army en-
gineers In a report in the record made
in 1907 mentions three possible objec-
tons to Controller bay-frst, that the
surrounding islands may prove to be SO
low as not fully to protect the channel /;
second, that the fats extend two or
three miles from the shore, and. third,
that ice formed In the rivers entering
the bay and, affected by tidal currents,
may destroy structures put upon the
flats and especially long trestle built
over them.
Ryan Asks For Land.
In December, 1909, Richard 8. Ryan,
representing the Controller Railway
and Navigation company, applied to
Mr.. Pinchot. the then forester, for an
elimination from the Chugach forest
reservation Of tract of land to enable
his company to secure railroad ter
minals. bunkers, railroad shops, etc,
on the northwest shore Of Controller
bay. This application was referred
by the associate forester to the district
forester at Portland. Ore, and by him
to the forester in Alaska. The result
of these references and the application
was that early In 1910 Mr.. Graves,
who had In the meantime become for
ester, reported that there was no OBJ
lection from the standpoint of forestry
interests to the elimination Of the tract
indicated or, indeed, of 1900 acres on
the northwest shore of Controller bay.
The attention of the navy depart
ment was invited by the forestry bu-
reau to the proposal to open the shore
of Controller bay to entry and occupa-
ton, and inquiry was made whether
the navy department desired to use
Controller bay as reservation and
whether 1t objected to fits being opened
up. The answer was In the negative.
The matter was considered by the
forestry bureau, by the secretary OF
agriculture, by the secretary OF the In
terror and by the general land office,
and the result was a recommendation
to me In May, 1910, that an elimina-
ton be made of 800 acres with front
age of 100 rods on the northwest shore
of Controller bay.
| considered the whole case In Au-
gust, 1910, and directed that the 800
acres, recommended by both depart
ments, be eliminated as recommended.
The question finally came before the
cabinet late in October. After a full
discussion of the matter and after a
dissatisfaction with the order because
1t purported on It's face to make the
elimination for the benefit Of a rail-
road company of tract Of land which
| the company could not secure under
| the statute, for 1t was tract BIZ
acres In one body when only 100 acres
could be thus acquired. In the second
place, I preferred to make much
larger elimination of tract facing
the entire channel and with sufficient
room for a terminal railway town.
was willing to do this because
| found the restrictions in the law sum
cient to prevent the possibility Of any
monopoly of either the upland or the
harbor or channel by the Controller
Railway and Navigation company or
any other persons or company.
1t had been originally suggested by
the forestry bureau that $4,000 acres
might safely be eliminated 30 far as
forestry purposes were concerned, but
fear had been expressed by one Of the
| district foresters that such a large
| elimination would offer an opportunity
| to the company to use land scrip and
ACQUIRE title to extensive town sites.
and the result of the joint considera'
| ton of both departments had been the
reduction to 800 acres.
Assumes All Responsibility.
wish to be as specific as possible
upon this point and to say that alone
am responsible for the enlargement
OF the proposed elimination from 800
acres to 1880 acres and that I pro-
posed the change and stated my rea-
sons therefor, and, while both secre-
taries cordially concurred In II, the
suggestion was mine.
The statement of Mr.. Ryan, who had
been properly vouched to the forester
by two gentlemen whom l know, Mr..
Chester Lyman and Mr.. Fred Jen-
nings, and who had produced a letter
from reputable financial firm, Probst.
Wetzler & Co., was that the railway
company which he represented had ex-
pended more than $4,000 In making
preparations for the construction Of a
railway from Controller bay to the
coal fields, twenty-five miles away. but
that they were INSTRUCTED In so doing
by the order reserving the Chugach
Of the Controller bay shore. He, as
we'll as Probst, Wetzler & Co, gave
every assurance that the Copper River
Railway company, owned by Messrs.
Morgan and Guggenheim, had no con-
nection with them and that they were
In good faith to build an independent
railroad No evidence to the contrary
has been brought TO my attention
since.
OF course 1t was possible that the
owners of the Copper River Railway
company might attempt to buy this
railroad when and IL 1t was built
:. was possible that Mr. Ryan was act.
inc In the interests of the Copper Riv.
or railroad. although I did not believe
II
Protected by Congress.
If railroad was to be constructed
from Controller bay to the Boring Goa
fields 1t was perfectly evident that
there must be a terminal town ON thu
shore of Controller bay, and I wat
therefore glad and anxious to throw
ii open to entry and settlement as one
important step In encouraging railroad
| enterprise, l was certain that congress
had provided In the statutes affecting
the entry and settlement OF land In
Alaska limitations which would pre-
vent the possibility of the exclusive
appropriation of the harbor and chan
mel of Controller bay or its shores oil