Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-27

I Captain Pilsbury 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 a long trestle buit
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 q tract of land to enable
his company to secure railroad ter
minals, bupkers, 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 $4,000 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 a reservation and
whether it objected to its 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 a 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
s.ssssNsaT y ~1affer s+rs-s
ronsfferatfon OF the law I expressed
dissatisfaction with the order because
Il Durp0rted on its face to make the
elimination for the benefit of q rail-
road company of a tract Of land which
the company could not secure under
the statute, for it was a tract $40
acres In one body when only 100 acres
could be thus acquired. In the second
place, l preferred to make a much
larger elimination OF a tract facing
the entire channel and with sufficient
room for a terminal railway town.
I was willing to do this because 1
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 n
ACQUIRE title to extensive own Sites
and the result Of the joint considera-
ton of both departments had been the
reduction to 800 acres.
Assumes All Responsibility.
7 wish to be as specific as possible
upon this point and to say that alone
responsible for the enlargement
Of the proposed elimination from 800
acres to 1880 acres and that l pro
posed the change and stated my rea-
sons therefor, and, while both secre-
taries cordially concurred In 1t, the
suggestion was mine.
The statement of Mr.. Ryan, who had
been properly vouched to the forester
by two gentlemen whom l know, Mt
Chester Lyman and Mr.. Fred Jen-
uings, and who had produced a letter
from a reputable financial firm, Probst,
Wetzler s. Co, was that the railway
company which be 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 obstructed In so doing
by the order ~reserYing the Chugach
forest reservation, which covered all
Of the Controller bay shore. He, as
well az 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 in 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 1t was built
1t vas possible that Mr.. Ryan was act
Ing In the interests Of the Copper Riv-
er railroad, although l did not believe
1t.
Protected by Congress.
II a railroad was to be constructed