New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-27
Elimination of i2,800 Acres
from Reserve Done for Inter
est of Nation and Devel-
opment of Alaska,
Says President.
BROTHER NOT CONCERNED
Charles P. Taft Never Had Investments
and Does Not Remember Ever Meet
ing Richard S. Ryan, Represent
ing Company Exploiting
Terminal Properties
in the North.

Washington. July 26-President Tcit
sent a special message 20 tie Senate To-
day. shouldering full responsibility f0r
opening for settlement and development
T.. 500 acres ot the Chugach Nat.onal
Forest Reserve in Alaska an incident
which has come 10 be known az re
Controller Bay Affair" In concluding
he brands the now famous "DicH-tr-
Dick" postscript as "A wicked fabrica-
ton" and says that Charles j. Ta'-.
whose name appeared in the alleged
postscript. has no interest in Alaska,
never had. and knows nothing uf the
circumstances connected with this trans
/ action" Moreover, the President adds,
his brother does not even remember that
he ever met Richard s Ryan, represent
ing the Controller Railway and Nasiga-
! tion Company
As for eliminating the land In que--
ton from the reserve. the President saws
that there is no danger u the Controller
/ Railway and Navigation Company "r
/ anv other interests monopolizing the
/ field. and nothing 20 show that this
/ company is in any way connected
/ with the -Guggenheim interests.
Hence. he believes that in eliminating
the land he has acted for the best in
teresrs of the nation. He continues:
wish 70 he as specific as possible upon
| this point and 70 say That ] alone am re-
! sponsible for the enlargement OF the pro
| posed elimination from 800 acres 10 l2."l
acres and that 7 proposed the change anu
stated my reasons therefor. The thing
/ which the Territory of Alasea needs - de-
/ veIoDmcrt and whore rights and ran
/ chises can be properly granted 20 oucnur-
age investment and construct railroad
/ without comforting exclusive privilege,
| believe IL 70 De In accordance WIN 5000
/ policy 10 grant them.
/ Accompanying the Presidents message
are documents, reports and maps bear
| ing on the case. as requested from him
by Senate resolution Of June - last.
Il deem IL wise" says the message TO
accompany the submission OF these
documents with a statement in narra-
tive form Of the action Of the admins
/ tration with the reasons therefor.
Here follows a description If Controller
Bay and environs and a map showing
the effect of Withdrawing the mucn
mooted 12.So0 acres from the reserve.
The President then takes up the thread
Of his narrative as concerns the events
that precipitated the controversv
He relates how Ryan. representing the
| Controller Railway and Navigation
Company. applied in 1909 for the eim.-
|, g j. H- ..tFr,F" IA
10 secure railroad terminals, etc. The
application was referred 10 the Forestry
| Bureau and then 10 the Navy Depart
ment. with a view that perhaps the
navy desired 70 use Controller Bay as
reservation. The forestry interests found
no objection to the elimination ot the
tract indicated. "or. indeed AZ the
! President writes TO the elimination of
1900 acres in the northwest shore II
! Controller Bay"
The Navy Departments answer was
! negative" says the President. and after
the matter had been considered by the
! Secretary Of Agriculture, by the Secre-
tary Of the Interior and the General
Land Office a recommendation was made
20 him that 800 acres. with a frontage ~
$50 rods. on the northwest shore Of Con-
troller Bay be thrown open. \ formal
order 10 this effect was finally submit
| ted TO him in October. 1910 but when
the matter came before the Cabinet late
! in that month. he found objection 70 IL.
His reasons for taking this stand he
! explains in his message. in part as fol-
! lows:
| EXPRESSED dissatisfaction with the order
| because IL purported on its face % make
| the elimination for the benefit ~ rail
! road company OF a tract ~ land which the
| company could not by lawful entry secure.
| for IL was tract go acres IN one body
! Vhen only $50 acres could thus be acquired.
! In the second place I preferred 70 make
| much larger elimination OF a tract facing
/ the entire channel. and with sufficient room
| for a terminal railway town. ! was willing
] 10 do this because | found the restrictions
| i'm the law sufficient 10 prevent the nos-
sibllity OF any monopoly Of either the up
! Land or the harbor or channel by the Con
| troller Railway and Navigation Company.
| or any other persons or company. Because
! of a lack OF time sufficient TO draft a mem
orandum myself, | requested the Score
| tary of the Interior, who. with the Sscre-
| tary OF Agriculture. after full discussion.
! had agreed IN my conclusion. 20 prepare 4
/ letter setting forth the reasons for making
/ the larger elimination. so that ~ might be-
come part Of the record.
/ wish 20 be as specific as possible upon
/ this point. and 10 say that | alone am re-
/ sponsible for the enlargement OF the pro
posed elimination from so acres 20 ls so
/ acres. and that / proposed the change and
stated my reasons therefor. and while both
! secretaries cordially concUrred in II the
/ suggestion was mine.
/ The President says ne had every as
surance at the time that the Controller
Railway and Navigation Company was
an independent enterprise. working In
all good faith. and that no evidence TO
the contrary has since been brought TO
his attention. "Of course. Il was pos-
sible" he continues, that the owners
OF the Copper River Railway Company
! (Messrs. Morgan and Guggenheim)
might attempt 10 buy this railroad when
and If IL We're built. 1t was possible
that Mr.. Ryan was acting for the in
terests OF the Copper River Railroad
although did not believe il: but whether
! this WAS true or NOT il WAS ,Iear tha,