The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-20
UTAH COAL LAND
FRAUDS GIGANTIC
Names of Noted Americans Fig
ure in Stories of Millions Lost
to Government. t..
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
Salt Lake, March 20.-Millions OF
dollars have been lost to, the govern
ment of the United States thru. the
sought by devious means to gain control !
Of valuable mineral lands in Utah:
Powerful influences are known to be at |
work in Washington to head otf an In
vestiqation which may result In the re-
covery by the government Of rich prop.
critics and in the Indictment OF men OF
promine zee. a.,
at stake are: John D. Rockefeller and
George J. Gould Of New York, who
are seeking to gain control of the
coal supply of the states Of Colo
RADIO. Utah, Nevada, Montana, Idaho,
Oregon, Washington and California,
with the territory of New Mexico;
Adolphus Busch, brewer and politician
of st. Louis, who is striving to control
the production and sale Of gilson1te, a
mineral found only in Utah and used in
the manufacture Of varnish, Insulating
material and other things.
"H..,' Public Men Involved. ,..,.s-,.
! Among the public men whose names
: figure in this connection are: Senator
Reed Smoot, partner in the ownership
of gilsonite land, the title of. which
was in controversy before the land office
and which was sold to the corporation
: backed by Busch; George Sutherland
of Salt Lake, senator from Utah, ,po-
, litical servitor of Smoot, whose law firm
, has for some time been attorneys 1or
. the principal Rockefeller Gould corpora
tion in Utah: the Rio Grandeur estern
> Railroad company, which thru a sub,
sidiary corporation, the Utah Fuel
,, company, has been working to secure a
monopoly Of coal deposits Of the Westi
:. ETHAN Allen Hitchcock Of St. Louis,
: secretary Of the interior, political asso-
relate ofBusch, in whose department. the
transactions have been gong o on i I OF
Of department officials, who have failed
:. to show any activity looking toward
g the protection Of the government; Con
g .oressman Binger Herman of Oregon
l. now under indictment in connection
d with land frauds in that state, to whom
9 frauds were reported while he was com
: missioner of the land office. and who
: time affording unusual facilities to the
It ERockefeller-G Gould agents to. secure
:. patents on the coal lands desired; p
!. IS. Odell, former governor Of New York
e one of the organizers of the Florence
n Mining company, which has obtalnet
n special privileges for securing valuapl'
" mineral lands in Uintah Indian Teserva
10, man Of Utica, II. Y, formerly con
re gresham and chairman Of the Indian
n appropriations committee, interested
" liz former Governor Odell.
Joseph Letter. Of Chicago, hacker :, Q
i'd the Haven mining company, IS ais
is possessed Of valuable mineral right
th on the reservation.
Sc other Men in the Deals.
Of This is only a partial list. III
t. ramifications reach other men high ]
public life Nobody at present know
how many may be involved It thor
investigation is made.
at Strenuous efforts are being made
the removal Of United State
Iot District Attorney Joseph Lippmal
e who was SO offcious, as to see
ltol evidence as to whether Smoot 8
oh cured his gilsonite interests after b
ELECTION as senator.
lie Investigation made by persons q
Il