Hon. HATTON SUMNERS, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., June 16, 1945. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: At a meeting today of the executive committee of the Pacific Coast Association of Port Authorities I was directed to advise you that the association strongly favors the resolution now before your committee the purpose of which is to confirm title in the several States of the tide-submerged and reclaimed lands. expresses the unanimous views of the membership of the association. T. H. BANFIELD, This President Pacific Coast Association of Port Authorities. LONG BEACH, CALIF., June 17, 1945. Hon. HATTON SUMNERS, Chairman, Judiciary Committee, House of Representatives: The Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Long Beach have adopted a resolution requesting vigorous support be given resolutions now being considered by your committee which resolutions confirm the title of the several States in the tide-submerged and reclaimed lands within their respective boundaries. We strongly urge your favorable consideration and approval of said resolutions. W. R. MARTIN, President, Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, LANSING, MICH., June 18, 1945. Chairman, House Judiciary Committee, New House Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Michigan intensely interested in and advocates legislation declaring title to submerged lands on State borders to vest in the respective States and renouncing any interest therein on part of United States Government. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Judiciary Committee, JOHN R. DETHMERS, Attorney General. BISMARCK, N. DAK., June 12, 1945. House Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Urge favorable consideration of House joint resolutions quieting titles of States to lands beneath tidal and navigable waters set for June 18. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, House Judiciary Committee, NELS G. JOHNSON, Attorney General, North Dakota. CARSON CITY, NEV., June 14, 1945. House Office Building, Washington, D. C.: In re hearing beginning June 18 on resolutions releasing on the part of United States all claim of title to tidelands and lands beneath navigable waters in the States. I have joined with 45 other attorneys general in brief in support of such resolutions so as to set forth the position of Nevada on this matter before your committee. The resolutions seem the only safe way to prevent the confiscation by administrative or judicial action of lands confirmed to the States over a century of judicial history. While Nevada has no tidelands nor submerged lands on the sea its interest in land below inland navigable waters is threatened in principle by the theory these resolutions are designed to repudiate. ALAN BIBLE, Attorney General of Nevada. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, ST. PAUL, MINN., June 14, 1945. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: On behalf of State of Minnesota strongly urge passage of resolutions quieting title of States to lands beneath tidewaters and inland navigable waters. Minnesota has number of lake beds which contain million tons iron ore. Royalties therefrom will materially add to revenues of State and reduce taxes although decisions uniformly uphold title of States to beds of inland navigable waters. Believe in view of pending and threatened litigation Congress should definitely settle the question. Regret inability to appear personally and would appreciate your presenting this telegram and making it part of the record of the hearing. J. A. BURNQUIST, Attorney General, State of Minnesota. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, House Office Building: NEW YORK, N. Y., June 18, 1945. This company respectfully requests that this telegram endorsing the points contained in memorandum submitted by the committee on laws and legislation of the American Association of Port Authorities, Inc., dated June 11, 1945, be incorporated in the record of the hearing to be held by the Committee on the Judiciary on House Resolution 124 introduced by Representative Celler and the 14 other resolutions of a similar purport. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, BUSH TERMINAL CO., IRVING T. BUSH, President. NEW YORK, N. Y., June 18, 1945. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: This company as owners of water-front property in the State of New York is vitally interested in House Joint Resolution 124; also 14 others of similar purport and endorses memorandum filed by American Association of Port Authorities. Request this telegram be incorporated in record of hearing. BEARD'S ERIE BASIN, INC. NEW YORK, N. Y., June 18, 1945. Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: As owners of considerable water-front property in Borough of Richmond, N. Y., we are deeply concerned with matters relating to title to land under water. Accordingly, desire to be placed on record as concurring in the memorandum submitted by American Association of Port Authorities under date June 11 in support of joint resolutions mentioned therein. AMERICAN DOCK & POUCH TERMINALS, 17 State Street, New York. PORT OF TACOMA, Tacoma, Wash., June 13, 1945. Judge HATTON W. SUMNERS, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR JUDGE SUMNERS: We are pleased to attach hereto certified copy of Port of Tacoma Resolution No. 772 in connection with the hearing before your committee on Monday, June 18, 1945, with respect to the ownership of submerged and reclaimed tidelands. We trust that your committee will report out favorably one of the several resolutions introduced in the present session of Congress, quitclaiming title to these lands to the various States. Yours very truly, CERTIFICATE PORT OF TACOMA, I, G. W. Osgood, manager of the port of Tacoma, do hereby certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of Port of Tacoma Resolution No. 772, passed and adopted at a regular meeting of its board of commissioners on Tuesday, June 12, 1945, and that there were in office at the time of its passage the number of commissioners required according to law. RESOLUTION No. 772, Port of Tacoma G. W. OSGOOD. A resolution with respect to submerged and reclaimed lands lying beneath tidewaters and beneath navigable waters Whereas since the formation of the Federal Government, it has been the established rule that all submerged and reclaimed lands beneath tidewaters and navigable waters within the boundaries of the several States of the United States of America are the absolute property of such States; Whereas for years long past, titles to such lands have been held to be in the respective States, and so recognized by the Federal Government, and Whereas the Federal Government has sought by resolutions introduced in Congress, and by other means, to place the ownership of such submerged and reclaimed lands beneath tidewaters and beneath navigable waters in the hands of the United States of America: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Port Commission of the Port of Tacoma as follows, to wit: 1. That there has been expended large sums of money by States, cities, counties, port authorities, harbor districts, and other public agencies, in the development of tidewater terminals, improvements of waterways and navigable streams. 2. That, due to such large investments, it is inconceivable that the ownership of the lands upon which such investments have been made should be taken away from the several States and vested in the Federal Government. 3. That there has been introduced in the Seventy-ninth Congress, first session, several resolutions quitclaiming any pretended Federal interest in the said lands to the several States. 4. That hearing on such resolutions is to be held before the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, June 18, 1945. 5. That the port of Tacoma does hereby earnestly request a favorable report by the House Judiciary Committee on the resolutions in question. Unanimously adopted by the Port Commission of the Port of Tacoma at its regular meeting held on the 12th day of June 1945, a majority of the members of the port commission being present and voting on this resolution and signed by its president and attested by its secretary under the official seal of said commission in authentication of its passage this 12th day of June 1945. Attest: (PORT SEAL] F. H. MARVIN, President of the Port Commission of the Port of Tacoma. R. R. MATTISON, Secretary of the Port Commission of the Port of Tacoma. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR HATTON: My attention has been called to the following resolutions coming before your committee to quiet title to submerged lands: House Joint Resolutions 118, 119, 123, 124, 125, 128, 129, 130, 134, 137, 138, 146, 172. I understand that the full committee will hold hearings on this subject on June 18 at 10 a. m. I wish to endorse any one of these bills which it may be decided will best accomplish the purpose of these resolutions. Yours very sincerely, S. O. BLAND. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Judiciary Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Enclosed is a resolution of the State Land Board of the State of Oregon in reference to title to tide and overflow lands. I forward you this resolution for the information of the members of your committee. With best wishes, I am Sincerely yours, HARRIS ELLSWORTH. Salem, Oreg., May 15, 1945. The State land board met this 15th day of May in special session in the conference room of the executive office at 10:45 a. m. Whereas the State of Oregon, since its admission to the Union in 1859, has always claimed title and does now claim title to all of the tideland and submerged land along the coast of the State of Oregon and in the bays and harbors thereof and 3 nautical miles westward from the coast line in the bed of the ocean; also from the banks of any navigable stream from the point of mean high water along said banks; and Whereas the courts of this State and of the United States, through all of this period, have held the title to all tide and overflow lands below mean high water belong to the State of Oregon; and Whereas the courts of the Nation and of the respective States which have passed upon this question have held, with complete uniformity, that each State, upon its admission to the Union, became vested by its sovereignty with the absolute ownership of all tide and overflow lands, unless any of such lands had been granted prior to statehood into other ownership by a sovereign then having dominion over said tide and overflow lands prior to the acquisition of that territory by the United States; and Whereas there has been introduced into the Seventy-ninth Congress, first session, in the House of Representatives a joint resolution known as a joint resolution quieting titles of the States to lands beneath tidewaters and navigable waters: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the State land board, in special session, petitions its representatives in the Senate and the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States to give their full support to the passage of the above-mentioned resolution quieting the title of all tide and overflow lands in the respectives States to the States in which said lands are located; and be it Further resolved, That a certified copy of this resolution be sent to each Member of the Oregon delegation in the Congress of the United States. No further business appearing, upon motion, the meeting was adjourned. EARL SNELL, Governor. LEWIS D. GRIFFITH, Clerk of the Board. ROBT. S. FARRELL, JR., Secretary of State. STATE OF OREGON OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE STATE LAND BOARD I, Lewis D. Griffith, clerk of the State Land Board of the State of Oregon, and custodian of records and seal of such board, do hereby certify that the foregoing transcript of an excerpt from the minutes of the meeting of the State Land Board of the State of Oregon, on May 15, 1945, has been by me compared with the original record thereof found in book 17, record of minutes of board meetings on file in this office, and is a true and correct copy of said excerpt and the whole thereof. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed hereunto the seal of the said board. Done at the capitol, at Salem, Oreg., this 18th day of May 1945. (SEAL] LEWIS D. GRIFFITH, Clerk of the State Land Board. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. HATTON W. SUMNERS, Chairman, Judiciary Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR JUDGE: I regret that, due to conflicting committee meetings, it was not possible for me to appear before your committee in support of the various joint resolutions for the purpose of quieting titles of the various States to lands beneath tidewaters and other navigable waters. However, I understand, there was a great deal of support for your resolution. Mr. Jack Underwood, manager of the Washington, D. C., branch of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, appeared and testified before your committee. In his testimony, he refers to the fact that I have received a number of wires and resolutions from port districts in my congressional district in support of this legislation. I am enclosing the above-mentioned communications herewith and will appreciate it if they can be included in the hearings at the end of Mr. Underwood's testimony. Thanking you for your cooperation, with kindest personal regards, I remain Sincerely yours, HENRY M. JACKSON, M. C. BELLINGHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Mr. JACK UNDERWOOD, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. UNDERWOOD: Art Ganson of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce in a letter a few days ago requested us to pass a resolution and forward the same to you to represent Bellingham before Congress on House Resolution 237. This is the proposed legislation in Congress clarifying titles of tidelands and navigable waters in the several States of the United States. We are enclosing a resolution by the Port of Bellingham as well as one by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce asking you to represent us at the hearing and that we are supporting the resolution adopted by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, a copy of which you have on file. We will appreciate your representing us at this hearing. Yours truly, G. W. GANNON, Manager. RESOLUTION RE CLARIFYING TITLES OF TIDELANDS AND NAVIGABLE WATERS AND APPROVING RESOLUTION SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESOLUTION NO. 237 Whereas the Chamber of Commerce of Seattle, Wash., did on May 15, 1945, adopt a resolution regarding proposed legislation by the Congress of the United States clarifying titles of tidelands and navigable waters of the several States of the United States; and Whereas the Port of Bellingham, Wash., is vitally interested in such legislation and desires to express its approval and ratification of the resolution as adopted by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and to authorize Mr. Jack Underwood, representative of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, to testify at all hearings to be held by the United States Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, regarding the effect of this legislation In the port of Bellingham, and to testify that the port of Bellingham has ratified and approved the resolution as |