Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-14
BEFORE HOUSE Committee
Lack of Suitable Terminal Ground
and Ice Formation.
FLATS TWO MILES FROM SHORE
Possibly Worthy of Improvement
Despite the Drawbacks-Prog-
ress of the Investigation.

The House committee on expenditures
In the Interior Department today re-
stunned its inquiry into the Controller
bay tangle, with Maj. j. B. Cavanaugh,
assistant to the chief of engineers, L. S.
A. in charge of the river and harbor
division Maj. Cavanaugh told the COM
mittee that he had visited Alaska and
Controller bay in the fall Of 1909. as
member of the lighthouse board, and
in obedience to the act Of Congress d.
recting surveys to be made in the terri
tory to ascertain the availability OF its
waters and with a view to the estab-
Hshment Of harbor.
Quotes From His Own Report.
Maj. Cavanaugh quoted from the re-
port he made after his Alaskan trip, as
follows:
Katala bay is an indentation on the
south coast of Alaska, about sixteen
miles east of the mouth of the Copper
river, latitude 60 degrees 10 minutes
north, longitude IA degrees 80 minutes
west. Adjacent to 1t are Controller bay
and an unnamed bay partly delineated by
the Martin Islands.
The nearest harbor to the eastward
is Yakutat bay. distant about 200 miles,
and the nearest harbor to the westward
Is Cordova bay, distant about seventy
miles.
This locality derives its greatest i'm
portance from the coal deposits lying to
the north of Boring lake and about
twenty miles back from the coast In
addition 10 its Importance as a shipping
point for the prospective coal mines this
locality would be the outlet for the cop
per ore of the Copper River valley, if
good harbor were created. The copper
ore is found at a distance of from 100
10 2D miles from the coast. Although
few of the veins have been developed, it
is generally believed that these deposits
ere of great extent and considerable rich
ness.
Controller bay is largely occupied by
mud flats. but a deep and wide channel,
known as the Okalee channel, enters it
between kanak Island and Wingham
Island Channels run up into the flats
fTcm the Okaiee channel. The bay has
been partially surveyed by private par
ties from time to time, but these sur
veys do not appear to be accessible.
There appears to be some doubt as to
the stability of these inner channels. The
inner portion of the channels appears to
he amply protected from ocean swells.
Not Favored for Harbor Purposes.
There are two objections to Controller
bay as a harbor, even if sufficient pro-
tected water can be found. The first is
the lack of suitable ground for terminal
and town purposes convenient to deep
water. kanak Island is very low. On
the east side the fats extend over two
miles from the shore.
THE second objection is on account of
the ice that is formed in the rivers emp
tying into the bay and carried into it by
them. AS the tidal currents in the bay
are considerable. this ice might be de-
structiye TO any structures erected and
particularly to a long trestle across the
mud flats.
Despite these objections. it is prob
able that the less cost of establishing a
harbor in Controller bay over that of
katalla bay would render this locality
worthy of Improvement. The nature OF
the improvements required, if any, out
side of aids to navigation, cannot be
stated until a survey of the locality is
made"
Maj. Cayanaugh was called by the
committee to support the contention that
Controller bay was the natural outlet
from the coal fields of the interior of the
territory, and therefore was an extreme
IL desirable harbor site.