The Alaska prospector., 1908-05-21
LAWMAKERS HEAR
 ABOUT RAILROADS
Testimony Before Territorial Committee of Congress
 Favors Valdez.
(Continued from page 8

yet the total length, with one cutoff above mentioned, is the same as last years trail.
 ''The Chairman. What is that from which you just read?
 MT. Barring. IL is q letter from the secretary of war transmitting the report of the board of road commis- sioncrs. Now, then, what Alaska needs first and foremost is railroad aid, and next Alaska should be visit ed by congressional committee, with power to take testimony and make Inquiries into the conditions as they now exist with regard to the de Nelopmcnt of the territory. If our demands here should produce results. some of the leading features of the cabal will crop out right here in the East when you commence taking testimony.
 "NIr. Higgins. We are taking tes- tlmOny. When you say that some leading features will crop out in the East, what do you mean?
 MT. Barring. I mean as to the mode and manner in which our own enterprise has been suppressed.
 "Mr. Higgins. Do you know any thing about it?
 MT. Barring l can produce wit ncssCs.
 "Mr. Higgins. You do not know anything about yourself?
 Mir. Barring. l know they have tried to put Us out of business in every possible way, shape, and man ncr.
 MT. Higgins. Are you willing to tell us what you know?
 "Mr. Barring. Ycs if you persist For instance, they went to work to bribc our engineer.
 "Mr. Higgins. Who did?
 "Mr. Barring. One of the men goes by tn" name of Burgin.
 MT. Higgins. What is his first name?
 Bribcr's Identified
 Mir, Barring do not know.
 "Govcrn"r IIoggatt. Was he with Mr. Gray?
 "Mr. Barring. Ycs he was with Nlr. Gray.
 MT. Higgins. Is he New York man?
 MT. Barring. Yes, sir.
 "Alr. IIiggsns. With whom is he connected? "Mr. Barring. He is connected d A with Mr. James Phillips, ir., of III M "~BroadwaY.
 "Mr. Higgins. What is their inter est iu Alaska?
 'Mr. Barring. They stakcd 1 ,OOO acres copper lands near our property. MT. Higgins. Is this the man to whom you referred in your hearing about week ago, when you said that he offered to bribc you?
 "Mr' Barring. No, sir; he was not the man who tried to bribc me.
 MT. Higgins. Who was be?
 "Mr. Barring. That was our own cnginee. He was acting for them.
 "Mr. Higgins. Acting for these same people?
 'Mr. Barring. Yes, sir; I plagued him for while
 MT. Higgins. Is that all you can say of your own knowledge concern ing what has transpired outside of Alaska?
 'Mr. Barring. It is all I can say of my own knowledge. But will pro- duce lots of other interesting testi- mony on that subject.
 "Mr. Reynolds. What is the name of the corporation with which they are connected?
 ''Mr. Barring. It had no name then. They were then acquiring copper properties, and did acquire a lot.
 "Mr. Reynolds. Under what name did they do that?
 "Mr. Barring. Under the name of the Great Northern Development Company.
 "Govemor IIoggatt. That is one of tho companies I referred to yester- day. This MT. Burgin used to be newspaper man. tTo Mir. Barring Was this gentleman mining engi- neer or q railroad engineer?
 "Mr. Barring. He was railroad engineer. You know him very well They had him in their pay for nine |Ax6onths.
 "Mr. Higgins. You do not differ sith the statement which Governor sggatt has made except SO far as
 bars in tho official report made to Fl9YYo war department.
 ''Mr. Barring. On what subject? "Mr. Higgins. On the subject of