1871-1900 Yaquina Head Lighthouse Letter books

Department of Commerce and Labor Office of the Secretary Washington

April 29, 1907

Memorandum:

Senator Jonathan Bourne of Oregon, called this morning and left the attached communication with the statement that if the request contained therein were granted, his constituent would give a bond guaranteeing the removal of the shoot-the-chutes within thirty days after notification to that effect. The Senator also stated that the erection of the structure will not interfere in any manner with the range of the lights.

['[T.L. Weed]] Private Secretary

(Copy)

United States Senate. Washington, D.C.

April 27, 1907.

Hon. Oscar S. Straus,

Secretary of Commerce and Labor,

Washington, D. C.

My dear Mr. Secretary:

As I am informed in a letter dated March 4th, 1907, Mr. B.F. Jones, a prominent attorney of Independence, Oregon, is desirous of securing permission to occupy about half an acre of the beach of the Government Light-House Reservation at Newport, Oregon, officially know, I believe, as the Yaquina Light-House Reservation. He desires to erect at this point a shoot-the chutes, for the benefit of summer visitors at the nearby resort. Mr. Jones does not wish to secure any permanent rights on the Reservation, but merely wants a temporary privilege, agreeing to remove the chute whenever requested to do so by your Department.

I have had a good deal of correspondence in regard to this matter and up to the present time have met with no success. In order that you may understand exactly what has been done, I will give you the case briefly.

I made a personal request of you, as above stated, on March 4th, 1907. Under date of March 8th, Assistant Secretary Murray advised me that this Reservation had been transferred in 1888 to the War Department for its use until needed by the Light-House Board. He stated that the Department of Commerce was therefore unable to grant the request.

I then addressed a letter to the Secretary of War,

United States Senate Washington, D.C. April 6, 1907.

Hon. Lawrence O. Murray, Assistant Secretary, Department of Commerce and Labor.

Dear Sir:

On March 8th I received a letter from you in reply to a letter which I addressed to the Secretary on March 4th, asking that permission be granted Mr. B.F. Jones to use a part of the light-house reservation at Newport, Oregon. you then advised me that your Department had been informed by the Light-House Board that this reservation was transferred in 1888 to the War Department for its use until need by the Light-House Board, and, therefore, you were not able to grant the request.

I then took up the matter with the Secretary of War and today received a letter from Hon. Robert Oliver Shaw, Assistant Secretary, stating as follows:

"It appears from the report of the engineer authorities that there is some question as to whether or not this reservation is under the jurisdiction of the War Department or the Department of Commerce and Labor, and pending the solution of that question, the War Department does not feel at liberty to grant any privileges on the property."

I would be very greatly obliged if you would have the Light-House Board go into this question carefully and then decide whether or not the Newport Reservation is properly under your jurisdiction or that of the War Department. I have made a similar request of Secretary Oliver, and sincerely trust that some definite decision may be reached in the near future, as I am anxious that the application of Mr. Jones be passed upon at an early date. I assume that he would like to have this privilege

War Department, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington.

April 2, 1907

The Secretary of War.

Sir:

1. By authority of the Secretary of the Treasury, dated October 24, 1888, a reservation of about 36 acres was transferred by the Light-House Board to the officer in charge of the improvement of Yaquina Bay, Ore., for the temporary use of the War Department, with the understanding that when no longer used by that Department, or whether required by the Light-House Board, the reservation and buildings thereon should revert to the care of the Light-House Establishment.

2. The War Department has no further use for this reservation, and under date of April 17, 1906, this office reported to the Secretary of War the facts in the case, with recommendation that the Department of Commerce and Labor be informed that as the improvements of Yaquina Bay have been discontinued, there is no objection to the Light-House Establishment resuming possession and control of the reservation. What further action was taken is not known to this office.

3. Applications have been received by the War Department for privileges on this reservation, and the applicants have been referred to the Department of Commerce and Labor, who state that they have there been informed that the reservation is still under the control of the War Department. Inasmuch as there seems to be some doubt as to which Department is now in responsible charge of

Office of the Secretary, War Department, April 3, 1907 11302 5.

April 2, 1907

Chief of Engineers.

Suggests that matter of control or certain reservation in connection improvement of Yaquina Bay, be brot again to the attention of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor for information whether that Department has resumed control over the reservation, or will do so in the near future.

Received April 3, 1907 M.&R. Div. War Dept.

10 April, '07 Wrote Sec. of War giving status of L.H. Res. at Yaquina Bay, Ore.

Department of Commerce and Labor, Office of the Chief Clerk, Washington.

Entered April 6, 1907. Office of the Chief Clerk, Department of Commerce and Labor, Forwarded April 4, 1907 to the Light-House Board.

Chief of Bureau:

Please prepare a reply for the Secretary's Signature, returning the original letter to this office with the reply. By direction of the Secretary.

W.R. Blackford Acting Chief Clerk.