Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-04-09
DEFENSE LAYS STRESS ON THEM
Claws Successor, Andrew Christen-
sen is Principal Witness.
HIDDEN MAIL SEARCH TOLD OF
Account Deals with Work Done In
Seattle in February.
ORDER ISSUED TO BALLNGER
Secretary ~ Directed to Produce
ui,h Due speed All Papers
called FOR by the Inquiry
Committee.

WASHINGTON. april S.--The Ballnger-
piuchot Investigation continued today with
more testimony about the alleged discovery
Of twenty-four missing letters among
Claws effects left IN the federal building
AT Seattle. The defense" evidently Is lay
ing great store by this discovery and the
hearings for the last three or four sessions
have been given over practically entlrely
to this subject
A mass OF documentary evidence was put
I'm while Andrew Christensen, Claws sue
crssor as chief OF field division at Seattle
was on the stand. Attorney Brandels Oh
the prosecution" was admonished con-
corning his method OF cross-eXamination
by senator Sutherland
Alfred H. Brooks mineral expert OF the
geological survey, took the stand tate IN
the day to testify regarding the value ana
extent of the coal resources In Alasga' II
was evident from his statement OF the case
that the value of the coal fields has quite
generally been overestimated. Mr.. Brooks
said the coal in the ground In the katalla
field, where the Cunningham claims are To-
Gated. is probably not worth more than
half a cent a ton.
The house members OF the committee de-
serted the afternoon session in order to
vote on the two-battleship plan which was
reached during the consideration of the
naval bill today.
Hunt for the Letters.
When he had concluded with the corre-
spondence Mr.. Christensen told of the
search among CLAWS effects in the federal
building in Seattle in February His ae-
count coincided with that Of Assistant Gus
todian ONeill Prior to the finding of the
oapers on February Christensen said he
had no knowledge of the whereabouts of
the documents At the time he discov-
cred the papers the witness said he was
searching for other papers requested by the
investigating committee.
me witness was turned over 20 Mr..
Brandels for cross-examination and the at
toiney attacked him in the characteristic
fashion which brought quick protest from
Attorney Vertrees.
'"When you telegraphed Schwartz on
February about the finding of the letters,
YOU made certain false statements, didn
your" asked Brandeis.
Il did not" flared back the witness. The
only thing that was said in that telegram
that was a mistake was that the box IN
Which the papers were found was broken
open As a matter OF fact the top OF the
box was loose. The telegram was prepared
in a hurry. We broke open several other
boxes 1t is easy TO make mistake like
that"
.It is easy to lie.' shouted Brandeis. Sen
ator sutherland protested against this, say
ing It was not only offensive to the Wit
ness but to the committee as well.
Rebuff for BrRndeis.
Attorney Vertrees said he desired to pro
test gently against Mr.. Brandeis' methods
with witnesses. He declared no member o
the committee had ever observed such al
"unseemy reprehensible or imprope
course"
"Either the witness should be protected
or allowed to protect himself" concluded
Alr. Vertrees
Christensen thereupon was excused AM
Alfred Il. Brooks a mineral expert of tn
geological survey was called to the stan
to testify as to coal conditions in Alaska.
Mr. Brooks said the total area OF Alask
is ss6.OOO square miles. or. coal-bearn
rocks there are known to be about 12OC
square miles. Only about one-tenth of tn
coal area is known to be underlaid' wit
coal seams About one-hRlf of the entr
coal area is made up of Ignite, or yer
low grade OF coal. About one-nfth OF tn
tolritory has not yet been surveyed an
the witness said there was every reason
believe that in the northern part of tn
territory are some of the most extensiv
coal deposits. These are not included in tn
l200 miles stimate.
saving for Country.
Mir brooks declared that II the Alask
fields were opened II would mean a say
ing 10 the United States navy of at lea'
$4,000 year The expert also said thS
the Chugach forest reserve is only abol
one-ffth covered with timber. The timbt
IN Alaska is being rapidly used up fC
fuel purposes 1t would conserve the tin
Der II the coal fields were opened
Don't glaciers make up most OF III
forest reserves" asked Senator Nelso
amid laughter.
Yes" replied the witness
Alaska is retrogressing,' said M
Brooks. People are becoming discourage
and are leaving. This is largely due
the coal situation Without coal there ca
be no railroads and without railroads thel
can be no business 20 speak OF,
Up to this time the witness declared Il
visible coal supply IN the United stat
has been used only to the extent Of fou
tenths of / per cent, leaving ~ 6-iO per Gel
yet to be mined.
Mr.. Brooks was stin on the stand wh'
the committee adjourned until tomorrow.
Baninger Comes Last.
AS the committee assembled 20 consid
further evidence in behalf of Secretal
'Ballinger there stil existed doubt
the order in which Mr.. Vertrees wou
present his witnesses. IL has become mo
and more evident that 1t is the intentiC
OF the defense" to hold Mr.. Balllnger 4
the last, for It is believed that upon h
testimony, more than any other factor
the case, the committees final determin
tlun viii depend.
a. H. schwartz, chief OF field seryiC
and Fren bennett, commissioner OF 4
general land office, are other witness
whose testimony will have an intima
aud important bearing on the case 10