115

Thirteenth District

Portland, Oregon, May 6

Chairman Light House Board,
Washington, D.C.

SIR:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of April 2nd asking my opinion of the ??? of having reserved for the Lighthouse purposes Lots 3 and 4of Section 8 ??? 11.8. R??? 11 W. Willamette ??? Oregon. It will be seen by the sketch ??? herewith that the lots include the town of Newport, for the benefit of which the light house was built. If there were no town near, then lot 4 would be of advantage of at least the right of way, and right to lands, our it, to prevent extortion. But now it is of no benefit. ??? ??? for the Yaquina Lighthouse would be shipped to Newport by ordinary conveyance, and from the town to the lighthouse a road has been built.
While the land is worthless for Lighthouse purposes, it includes the entire town of Newport, and reserving it for government purposes would ruin the town, as it would not pay to move all the buildings a half mile to get off the Reservation. In my judgement the Reservation is ample, and even if it is not ???