The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1910-02-20
COAL LANDS
CASE HEARD
Manager Berch of Guggenheim-
Morgan Syndicate Before Sen
ate Committee.
HEARING RIVALS INTEREST
IN BALLINGER-PINCHOT
Explanations Of Alaska Coal Mine op-
eratlons Attract Attention az
to Copper Holdings.

Washington, Feb. 1e-The senate
committee on territories today fur
nished an attraction In the way OF
tho Development relative to Alaska
coal lands which fairly entitled 1t to
rival In interest the Ballinger- Ptnchot
investigation. Manager Stephen Birch
OF the Guggenheim-Morgan Alaska
syndicate again was the witness.
Ho reelcd off figures concerning the
value Of coal In the Cunningham and
the Alaska Coal and Copper mines
that were quite calculated to cause
heads OF the mombers OF the commit
tee to swim. Placing the tonnage In
the Cunningham mines at nifty mil
lions, he said that the total could
probably be taken out so as to net
q profit of s25.Oo0.0o
Output Two Hundred Million.
This statement, taken in conneo.
ton with the fact that the syndicate
had agreed to pay only $250.o00 for
half OF the property. aroused much
interest Mr.. Birch placed tho prob.
able output OF the entire Bering river
coast district OF which the Cunning
ham group Is part at Ave hundred
million tons with net value OF $780,
100000 and a gross value of $780,
100000.
But there was another portion of
Mr.. BIrch's testimony which attract
cd oven more attention than that re-
lating 10 coal mines. II had reference
to his efforts 10 extend the holdings
of the Alaska Coal and Copper COM
pany in the Bonanza group of Copper
claims before 1t was acquired by the
Guggenheim Norman syndicate.
Responding to questions from Soma
tor Frasier. Mr. Birch said some OF
the land now embraced in that group
ba6 been located By himself through
the use OF his own name and the
names OF other stockholders OF tho
company.
Frazier Discovers "Dummleo."
"Dld the company furnish the
money to pay for the claims7" asked
Mr. FrasIor
Mr.. Birch responded that 1t had
done go and mentioned some of the
stockholders whose names had been
so used
They were mere dummies-were
they not7" asked the Tennessee SEN
ator. NO indeed" responded the
witness
"They wore Interested IN the prop
erty. located a claim myself"
"WaU there an understanding with
the company that these claims should
be- turned over2" Mr Frasier asked
There was no such understand
ing was the reply
IT was there as manager. and l
went ahead and made the locations to
protect the company"
Asked II he had received any COM
pensntion for this service. Mr., Birch
replied that he had not. except inso.
far as he had received pay for his
general work for the company.
compiled With Law"
"The land was desirable and the
law was compiled with in all our pro-
ceedings,' he said. Testifying con-
cerDing the Guggenheim-Morgan op-
tions on the Cunningham mines. Mr..
Birch said II covered only q half ln-
tercst, the Cunningham paople re-
the remainder.
The syndicate had agreed. he said.
to pay S250,0O0 and to furnish the
The company WAS TO
be capitalized for S5.O00.00o. He es-
timated IL would cost Sl.75 per ton TO
mine the coal and was Of the opinion
that it could be marketed at profit |
of 50 cents per ton.
Some veins in the Guggenheim |
group, were. he said. ten or twelve |
feet wide. but still we're not so largo !
as veins in some other mines In the !
district. He denied emphatically that
the syndicate had used any influence
TO have the patents to the mines ie' /
sued
"Jnterested. of course we are. but !
we have not tried to influence the |
government"
Mr.. Birch denied that the syndicate (
never had employed lobbyist TO rep ,
resent IL In Washington and he made
the donials specific as to Governor
Hoggatt. delegate Wickersham and
Major Richardson, of the army. who
has been stationed in the territory
many years In charge of road work.
He soid that after he
He said that. after he left the
bench and before he was elected to
congress, Judge Wickcrsham had
made application that had not been
Iovorably acted upon.
Mr. Wickersbam. who was present.
read his letter. requesting employ
nent In 1t he stated merely that,
having left tho bench he was in
position to represent the company II
lis service be desired.
He stated he hnd read the letter to
make 1t plain he had not tried TO hold
lp the combination. Delegate Wick
srsham had demanded the right to
cross examine Mr. Birch. but the COM
nittee ruled that he could ask his
luestions only through the commit
ee Itself. After the explanation con-
,erning his application for employ
mont as counsel. he did not press
lis request.
At Washington. Commander Peary