TO RESERVE FOR PUBLIC USE ROCKS, PINNACLES, REEFS, AND SMALL ISLANDS ALONG THE SEACOAST OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.

JANUARY 13, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. SWING, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 11968]

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred H. R. 11968, report the same back with the recommendation that it do pass with the following amendments:

Strike out of lines 6 and 7 the words "withdrawn from all form of settlement, location, sale, or entry" and insert in the place thereof the word "reserved".

Strike out the period at the end of the bill, insert a comma, and add the following:

and no patent shall issue for any of said rocks, pinnacles, reefs, or islands under any law relating to the public lands after the passage of this act

Amend the title by striking out the word "scenic"

The purpose of this legislation is to preserve in public ownership, and therefore for public use, the rocks, reefs, pinnacles, and small islands which are scattered along the coast of Orange County, Calif., and within 1 mile of the shore These are valuable primarily for their scenic beauty and are also used by the general public in connection with bathing, fishing, boating, and other recreational purposes. Some of them are bird and seal refuges. None of them have any agricultural value or value for residences Many of them are submerged at high tide. Some of them are valuable as bird and seal refuges. For nearly a hundred years these islands and reefs have been public property and it has been the tradition that, being unsurveyed, they were unacquirable by private individuals or corporations.

Recently a threat has been made to get the title to these parcels of land passed into private ownership and there is a general fear that this will result in their usage in a way that will both destroy their scenic beauty and their general use by the public as practiced heretofore for years. It would be unthinkable to allow these islands to be

used by private persons for the erection of billboards, hot-dog stands, or cheap amusement activities.

Among the organizations that have recorded a vigorous protest against the passing of the title to these rocks, reefs, and small islands into the hands of private individuals or corporations are the following: Board of supervisors of Orange County.

City council of the city of Laguna Beach.

Associated Chambers of Commerce of Orange County.

Orange County Coast Association.

Chamber of Commerce of Sunset Beach.

Chamber of Commerce of Laguna Beach.

Chamber of Commerce of San Juan Capristrano.

Realty Board of Laguna Beach.

The feelings, convictions, and arguments of the public generally who live along this seacoast are well set forth in the following statements made in behalf of some of the interested public bodies of Orange County:

RESOLUTION OF ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Whereas there are lying immediately off the coast of Orange County, Calif., rocks, reefs, and small islands unsuited to agriculture or for residential purposes, and have long been used by the public, and these areas are things of beauty, and they are a convenience for shore-line fishing and are refuges for birds and seals; and,

Whereas it does not appear to be in the public interest that title to those areas should pass into the hands of individuals or corporations who might restrict their use and limit their value and utility for the public and destroy their beauty for these and other reasons; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Orange County go on record as being strenuously and unalterably opposed to the granting of said rocks, reefs, and small islands to private owners.

Adopted in regular open meeting by unanimous vote.

J. S. MALCOM, President.

Attest:

H. M. MAY, Secretary.

RESOLUTIONS OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Whereas the rocks, reefs, and small islands lying a short distance off-shore along the beaches of Orange County, Calif., are considered as being public property, things of beauty, and a convenience for shore line fishing; and

Whereas these lands are unfitted for agriculture or habitation; and

Whereas it does not appear to be in the public interest that title to these lands should pass in to the hands of individuals, or corporations, probably restricting their free use by the public; and

Whereas the 22d day of April, 1930, is set for the filing of protests: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the board of supervisors of Orange County, State of California, file their formal protest against the granting of any applications by individuals or corporations for these rocks, reefs, or small islands.

J. M. BACKS, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

MAYOR OF CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH

These islands, rocks and reefs are entirely bare of any soil. They have long been used by the general public for bathing, fishing, boating, and other recreational purposes. Some of them are bird and seal refuges.

The interests of the general public in these bits of land are so great and have been so long established that it is unthinkable that the Federal Government will allow these interests to be cut off by transferring title to these parcels of land to

private persons who would then have it in their power to exclude the public and put them to uses which would mar the beauty of our wonderful coast line. FRANK B. CHAMPION, Mayor.

MY DEAR MR. SWING: The board of directors of the Orange County Coast Association, an association representing the communities and development enterprises of the coast line of Orange County, Calif., met last night at Huntington Beach, instructed me to thank you for your interest in the "Rock" matter. They heartily indorsed your bill as numbered above.

Yours very truly,

HARRY WELCH, Secretary.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce of Orange County met last night in Anaheim. It was the first meeting since the receipt of your letter inclosing copy of the bill, which, if enacted, will protect offshore rocks. The bill was read to the meeting and was given cordial approval. It seems to us an ideal solution of the difficulties.

Your prompt and forceful action on our protest against the private ownership of offshore rocks was greatly appreciated by us all.

Yours truly,

Congressman PHIL D. SWING,

J. M. MAY, Secretary.

SUNSET BEACH, CALIF., April 18, 1930.

Washington, D. C.

HONORABLE SIR: The Sunset Chamber of Commerce has gone on record as favoring the resolution attached hereto.

We sincerely hope you will take the necessary steps to prevent these small rocks and reefs, which have been ancient landmarks, from falling into the hands of individuals who will change their character and mar their beauty.

Respectfully yours,

H. A. RUSSELL, Secretary.

The situation was presented to President Hoover, who thought the threat to the public interest sufficient to justify him in making a temporary withdrawal by Executive order in order to give Congress time to act. His order is as follows:

EXECUTIVE ORDER-WITHDRAWAL OF ISLANDS, ROCKS, AND PINNACLES,

CALIFORNIA

Under authority of the act of Congress approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 847), as amended by the act of August 24, 1912 (37 Stat. 497), it is hereby ordered that all unreserved islands, rocks, and pinnacles situated in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, be and the same are hereby temporarily withdrawn from settlement, location, sale, or entry, subject to the conditions and limitations of said acts, for classification and in aid of legislation, and subject to valid, existing rights.

This order shall continue in full force and effect unless and until revoked by the President or by act of Congress.

THE WHITE HOUSE, April 14, 1930.

HERBERT HOOVER.

The report of the Secretary of the Interior is as follows:

Hon. DON B. COLTON,

Chairman Committee on the Public Lands,

House of Representatives.

MAY 14, 1930.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: With further reference to your request of April 30 for a report on H. R. 11968, which would reserve for public use scenic rocks, pinnacles, reefs, and small islands along the seacoast of Orange County, Calif.,

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR-Continued

Includes $500,000 in H. Doc. 715.

O

TO RESERVE FOR PUBLIC USE ROCKS, PINNACLES, REEFS, AND SMALL ISLANDS ALONG THE SEACOAST OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.

JANUARY 13, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. SWING, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 11968]

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred H. R. 11968, report the same back with the recommendation that it do pass. with the following amendments:

Strike out of lines 6 and 7 the words "withdrawn from all form of settlement, location, sale, or entry" and insert in the place thereof the word "reserved".

Strike out the period at the end of the bill, insert a comma, and add the following:

and no patent shall issue for any of said rocks, pinnacles, reefs, or islands under any law relating to the public lands after the passage of this act

Amend the title by striking out the word "scenic"

The purpose of this legislation is to preserve in public ownership, and therefore for public use, the rocks, reefs, pinnacles, and small islands which are scattered along the coast of Orange County, Calif., and within 1 mile of the shore These are valuable primarily for their scenic beauty and are also used by the general public in connection with bathing, fishing, boating, and other recreational purposes. Some of them are bird and seal refuges. None of them have any agricultural value or value for residences Many of them are submerged at high tide. Some of them are valuable as bird and seal refuges. For nearly a hundred years these islands and reefs have been public property and it has been the tradition that, being unsurveyed, they were unacquirable by private individuals or corporations.

Recently a threat has been made to get the title to these parcels. of land passed into private ownership and there is a general fear that this will result in their usage in a way that will both destroy their scenic beauty and their general use by the public as practiced heretofore for years. It would be unthinkable to allow these islands to be