The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-02-18

/ syndicate had obtained an interest in an
! option on what arc known as the
| Cunnirgham coal claims in the latter
! part OF July. 1906, was admitted today
before the Senate Committee on Terri
tories by stephen Birch, the managing
/ director Of the syndicate
Mr. Eirch explained to the committee
1 tho dtaus OF the transaction relative to
The Cunningham claims which are the
ores involved in the neutrality-suspicious.
! controversy.
! A COPY Of the agreement between the
-Ciuggenheim syndicate and Gun
nfneham was presented 10 the commit
tee II was made at salt Lake City IN
{ 1q17. Representatives or the syndicate
testified that Cunningham had talked
lover with the syndicates representative
a plan for getting - road through the
property and said that the agreement
WITH Cunningham was perfected after
the Government had given certificates
/ OF entry
Denial was made that the syndicate
ma s,,tsfHst p lobby here OF vas inter
aSted in any Bills which are pending
/ The committee will hear she representa-
tivez OF the syndicate farther and viii
/ cross-exs mine them closely
stirred by what they call exaggerated
/ REPORTS printed in the ma gaines and
/ newspapers Of the work OF the Morgan
Grsgeubeim syndicate IN Alaska John
y steel. general counsel Of the syndi-
cate. and ar Birch appeared today be
fore the committee They announced
/ that they intended 70 give full details
OF the work and interests Of J. P Nor
gan < Co. and the Nessrs- Gugsenheim
aud OF their joint operations In Alaska
TO Make Denial
Their statements are or the more mo-
merr because fl has been well known for
q long time that tbeSe capitalists had
! large interests in the Territory Many
/ statements have been current that they
/ are slowly forging . viceIike grip on the
mineral wealth OF the Alaskan region
! L. was 10 deny that the Morgau-Gug-
/ eenheim crowd Is trying 10 gobble Up
Alaska that AIessrs- steele and Birch
I we're impelled 20 come forward with
( their statement today
( That the chief reason which has
/ prompted them 70 make this statement
IS the fact the Alaska government bill
/ las been practically 6illed By the wide
/ spread belief In Congress that the bill
! is a scheme Of the Norgan-GuESenheim
crowd TO further their interests is the
impression about the Capitol
/ 1Ir. steele. who Is q brother or Charles
steele. or the firm OF J P Morgan &
! Co. testified that al the money spent in
: the enormous development Of the Alas
kan resources had been Furnished by the
syndicate itself, and that IT had never
received any aid from the Government
I Concerning the Cunningham claims,
I hrs. Eirea said
Birch's Statement.
The syndicate has not. and has never
/ had. any interest In any coal lanes in
Alaska, except the interest IT obtained
5sn.lcr an option given by what are
known as the Cunningham coal claim
ants. in the latter par OF July. 1907 Al
the time this option was given. Mt
/ Cunningham and his associates had paid
[ tie Government Tor their claims and had
received from the Government final r.
! ceiver's certificates Under this state
/ Of facts, RIr. Cunningham and his asso-
Gates had. under the decisions Of the
@rp-e--e Court of the United States.
FuH and perfect legal right 10 sell OF
dispose Of their claims
( An examination OF their coal proper
ties and Of the BerirE river field gen
orally was made for the syndicate by
/ coal expert. who reported yery large
and extensive tracts Of coal lands con-
rainin- coal Of high grade In the lat
ter u7rt Of December 1917, the option
given 10y The agreemanc Of July Of the
sane wear was exercised
Questions Arose
-Nurfu- further was done under this
onion. because under its provisions no
rrruav vas to be paid until patents
were issued TO the claimants The
1 Questions arose in the winter OF 1908
! regarding the title Of the claimants
and the patents have not vet been is
sued The sum Of thirteen hundred
( ffrv-ri.ne and 60-i00 dollars 81, $50 So.
which WIS paid by the syndicate 10 Mr.
! CGnniI CHAM. was for groceries and
: othe- supplies. ard the travelling ex-
uerses and wages Or men, furnished by
NJ cunningham 10 ar Storrs 10 assist
the latter in his examination OF the coal
. properties This fully appears from the
/ fter1Ized account rendered by Mr.. Gun
1fu-I1m. This Is the Only amount pad
Nj birmingham or his associates and
not che dollar has ever been paid Ola
account Of sne coal claims themselves
! Ncszrs- Steele and Birch in thei- Jes-
3 timouy told what properties the Nor
/ csn-Cucgeuhein syndicate did not own