The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-17
UNCLE SAM BUYS
ISLAND OF COAL
Purchase Will Meet Nays Needs
in Philippines for Two
Hundred Years.
Ry w. Nv. Jermane.

4 3 "a, ! p 4 -
Washington, March l7.-If trouble
does come in the far east, and does not
come too soon, it will find your Uncle
Sam well provided with the first requi-
site Of modern warfare good coal.
Every since this country has been IN
the Philippines, it has had an. eye out
i, 1906, has not been able to say that 1T
had in its own possession an absolute
supply. It has always had to buy from
either Japan or Australia, and the 2O0,--
900 tons year used by the United
States and philippine governments, has
cost an average of SIS a ton, and the
icoai has been dirty and unsatisfactory
at that. But low arrangements have
been perfected whereby the TWO govern
ments. will have an abundant supply OF
superior quality, at less than half the
price of the Japanese or Australian
coal, and it will come from mines owned
and controlled by the United States.
Rich Coal Deposits.
About 1890, or eight years before the
Spanish war, some clever Spaniards
found that the little island Of Batan,
$50 miles by water from Manila, con-
tanned marvelously rich deposits Of
high grade coal and in enormous quaint
ties. Indeed, they found that the
island, which is ten miles long and five
They also found that there was only one
harbor on the island and that this har-
Dor, owing to the dangerous nature of
the coast, was an iron-clad necessity for
any one who desired to operate the coal
mines. So they bought the land 'front.'
ing upon the nice, ample, land-locked
harbor and placing the deeds in their
pockets, sat down to wait for some one
to come along, who wanted to mine the
coal. It was q slow process, but sure.
Whoever. got the coal had to see them
first, and so they were patient and
waited. 80. ~ = 3
spaniards In the Way. \
Finally came the Spanish war, and
of course, Uncle Sam wanted coal. He
heard Of Batan island and examined it
found the Spaniards who held the deeds
to the harbor front. They said: "You
can't cross our land or lease it, but
you can buy it for $4,000 cash. D
| Thereupon Uncle Sam took an option
at the price, to be good till March /
1906, and then. quietly slid around anG
bought all the rest Of the coal land or
the island, having first ascertained that
the supply was sufficient to- keep the
AMeI1CdH anu Iulllpp1ue governments
4 going for at least 200 years. When thu
1 present session Of congress opened, 6
bill was introduced appropriating $50,
900 with which to close the deal for thu
harbor front and just few days be
! fore the option expired the bill passee
and the president signed it. The tim,
was so short that Secretary Taft hat
to cable over the money to Manila, bu
this was done and now the coal suppl,
question in the Philippines is settled.
Near Waters Edge.
By the acquisition Of the harbor front
age the government can almost at one
CONNIE fence the shipment of coal, as tn
mouth of the mine will be not over 20
n yards from the waters edge, and tn
4 coal out-crops in quantities to make i'm
mediate mining possible. AS for shin
ping that will also be easy. The waite
In the harbor is thirty-two feet deep t
within 100 yards of the, shore, so tina
small wharf will be all that is needed
The coal mine is within fifty miles O
the course Of vessels en- route from Sa
Francisco, Honolulu and Guam t
Manila = " ~ ri. 81, - =