The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-07-29


the interior. who invited the comment
Of the director of the geological sur
vey. That officer replied that the
harbor was poor one and that It
would not be as good for naval res
eryation as one already selected, but
that he thought that private capital
ought to be encouraged to construct a
railway from the channel over the
mud flats to the shore and thence to
the coal fields.
Captain Pillsbury Of the army en-
gineers IN report in the record made
in 1907 mentions three possible objec-
lions 10 Controller bay-flrSt. that the
surrounding Islands may prove to be 50
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
OATS and especially a long trestle built
over them.
Ryan Asks For Land.
In December. 1909. Richard S. Ryan,
representing the Controller Railway
and Navigation company, applied to
Mr.. Pinchot. the then forester, for an
elimination from the Chugach forest
reservation Of a 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 al Portland. ore. and by him
10 thp forester in Alaska. The result
Of these references and the application
was that early in 1910 Mr. Graves.
who had I'm the meantime become for
ester. reported that there was no OBJ
lection from the standpoint of forestry
interests 10 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'
r,au 10 the proposal 10 open the shore
IF Controller bay to entry and occupa
ton and inquiry was made whether
The navy department desired 10 use
Con roller bay as reservation and
whether it objected TO its being opened
up The answer was in the negative.
Tie, matter was considered by the
forestry bureau. by the secretary of
aeri ulture. by the secretary Of the in
terror md by the general land office.
and the result was a recommendation
TO NE i'm May. 1910. that an elimina-
ton he made Of 320 acres with front
age ~ lG0 rods ON the northwest shore
Of Controller bay.
considered the whole case in Au-
gust. 1910. and directed that the 32O
acres. recommended by both depart
u,cnts. De- eliminated as recommended.
The question finally came before the
cabinet late ia October After full
discussion Of The matter and after
consideration of the law expressed
Dissatisfaction with the order because
II uulported on its face TO make the
elimination for the benefit Of a rail
road company Of a tract Of land which
the company could not secure under
the statute. for it was tract $50
acres I'm one body when only 100 acres
could be- thus 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 because ]
found the restrictions in the law sutli
cieni 10 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.
IL had been originally suggested 10y
the forestry bureau that 1900 acres
might safely be eliminated so far rs
forestry purposes were concerned, bnt
fear had been expressed by one OF the
district foresters that suci large
elimination would offer an opportunity
10 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 10 $50 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 20 1880 acres and that ! pro
posed the change and stated my rea-
sons therefor, and. while both secre-
taries cordially cOncurred in It, the
suggestion was mine.
The statement of Mr.. Ryan. who had
been properly vouched to the forester
by two gentlemen whom ] know. Mr.
Chester Lyman and Mr.. Fred Jen-
nings. and who had produced 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 q
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
forest reservation, which covered all
Of the Controller bay shore He, as
well 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
engaged I'm an independent enterprise
in good faith to build an independent
railroad. No evidence to the contrary
has been brought to my attention
since
OF course it was possible that the
owners Of the Copper River Railway
company might attempt to buy this
railroad when and If it was built.
1t was possible that Mr.. Ryan was act
ing I'm the interests Of the Copper Riv-
or railroad. although | did not believe
II.
Protected by Congress.
II n railroad was to be constructed
from Controller bay to the Boring coal
fields 1t was perfectly evident that
Buy the Genuine
Tho nroducers of the celebrated