The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-28
THE LATEST MOVE 70 BREAK
INTO THE RICH ALASKA FIELD.
BUSINESS PROPOSITION.
ROYALTIES RUN TO MILLIONS
Millions IN Il for the Government "
1t viii Accept the Proposition Of
John Ballaine TO Mine Five Thou
sand Aeree on Royalties.

touga ional factor appear,L suddenly
TO day TO add ntcsity to the already
sufficiently excited situation over the
Alaska coal lands. on the eve of the
beginning of the Bal,ingcr-Pinchot in.
Vostigation which largely concerns
that question John r. Ballainc of
Seattle said to be the largest indiY'1.
ual property owner In Alaska. made a
proposition in writing to -" senate
committee on territori 'G O. %',' n
Senator 'Beycrijgc of Indiana l. thdir
man. Offering To the government a
royalty Of fifty cents a ton ui cCal
mined. for the lease of 5000 acres of
some of the choicest col ,anis in
Alaska. in the Katllla and latanuska
districts. Such tonnage royalty
would net the government. Mr.. Bal.
lainc asserts. as high as million dol
lars hundred acres.
This proposal contemplates a radi-
/ cal departure from past practices in
the governments disposal of the Alas
ka coal lands. and il comes ayowedly
to do battle with another proposition,
embodied in bill which has been
pr, pared but not yet introduced. des-
ignol To permit the sale or lease of
/ such lands at a rate OF so an acre
/ II is said that the general features of
/ the y an have the approval of Off
cias high in the administration and
/ of influential members OF both houses
of congress. including some of the
prominent insurgent republicans. and
Mr. Wickcrsham. delegate of Alaska.
Mr. Ballane in his .ctter To Senator
7 Bcvcrdgc offers to enter into a bond
of | million dollars with the govern.
mcnt for the performance of his part
Of the agreement. which he proposes
and he makes the charge that other
interests have now at work In Wash.
ington lobby headed by a former
/ United States senator" in support
of the bill referred TO above. under
whose provisions. he declares the
government would extend an uncon-
ditioual guarantee To railroad or
railroads which these interests pur-
pose To build in Alaska, and would
virtually give To them at $40 an acre
one or more tracts of five thousand
acres. each 20 be- selected by them
MIR Ballaiuc asks congress to au-
thorize the head of a department to
be- designated in the legislation to
enter into lease with coal com
pany To be organized by him for five
thousand acres of Matanuska coal land
under all the provisions for regulation
and agains, mOnopO istic control of
prices, as stipulated IN the bill recent.
ly introduced by Senator Nelson in
conformity with the recommendation
of Secretary Ballinger's annual report.
This coal company would pay the
United States and Alaska royalty OF
fifty c,n.s a ton tor The coal as min
ed
MIR Blllainc says that veins aver
aging total thickness of twenty
feet would yield according to standard
measurements a total i'm excess of 700
million tons from the five thousand
acres making a royalty OF 30 million
dollars for ,his comparatively small
area
llr asks the government 10 provide
as condition ON its pant that No other
coal land IN Alaska shall be- leased
ON payment of less royalty, and al.
50 20 agree that Al least half of the
governments supply of coal shall be
ob aimed from this company or from
a naval coaling reserve which the gov
erumcut may establish and itself op
crate I'm the NatanuSka district, ship
ping the proiuct To Seward. al rates
10 be- fined by The Interstate commerce
commission. over a railroad, the plans
for the construction of which he out
lined
This railroad. approximately one
thousand miles in all, is proposed to
run from the Pacific coast to Seward
through the interior valleys to the
more strategic points ON the nayiga-
Bile rivers
So much as may be- needed for the
payment of the royalty on the five
thousand acres. the Ballaine proposal
stipulatcs, is to constitute fund for
the guarantee of the payment of the
interest on the bonds of the railroad
company which. Mr.. Ballaine agrees,
shall be organized upon lines approx.
I'd by the head OF a department 10 be
designated by congress Should any
OF the guarantee fund from the roy.