The San Francisco call., 1910-04-10
ALASKAN COAL
LANDS INQUIRY
IS CONTINUED
Attorney Brandeis Puts Witt
nesses Through Severe
Cross Examination
Employees of Interior Depart
ment Are Placed on the
Stand During Session

Interior. who began his services under
secretary Garfield, took the witness
stand at the Ballinger-Pinchot inquiry
.ate today and declared that after
turning over the Cunningham cases
TO him early in 1905 Secretary Bal
linger had not attempted in any way
70 inuerfere with his control and direc-
uOn Of the cases and had not attempted
10 influence his judgment or actions.
Mr. Pierce had but fairly begun his
testimony when adjournment was
taken until Friday next.
Efforts were made by Chairman
Nelson today TO have the committee
meet three times each week instead of
twice Several senators objected. and
the matter went over.
ATTEMPT TO IMPEACH CLAWS
Testimony regarding the "A missing
letters said TO have been found in
Claws effects in Seattle was concluded
today This testimony was introduced
to impesch CLAWS.
Alfred II. Brooks. mineral expert of
the geological survey, was on the stand
when adjournment was taken yesterday
afternoon. Brooks strongly favors the
opening Of the Alaskan coal fields and
declares the territory is retrogressing
IS a result of the government policy
Before going into public session the
committee opened the famous CLAWS
box from Seattle, and Andrew Christen-
sen explained where ne found the -
missing letters.
Brooks continued his testimony He
related that the United States con-
trolled from so TO 20 per cent Of the
worlds visible supply of coal and that
at the present rate Of consumption it
would require 4.915 years TO exhaust
the supply in the United States
GIVES COAL STATISTICS
These figures We're arbitrary. the
witness said. Figured on a basis on
the increased use Of coal in the future
at the same rate of increase of the last
two or three years, Brooks said it had
been estimated that the supply in the
United States would be exhausted in
from 100 TO $50 years. Somewhere
between the estimates Of $50 and 5000
years, he declared, the truth was to
be found.
IF the supply will last 5000 years
we don't need TO bother about conser-
walton for two or three thousand
years" remarked Representative Madi-
son, but if it viii only last 100 years
we are up against it"
Brooks said he thought there has
been too much alarm TO the ex-
haustfon OF the coal supply. Other fac
tors Of power are coming into general
use. and chis, in tine, will decrease the
use Of coal Improved methods of con-
sumption also are resulting in the
decreased use Of coal
AS a general proposition, the witness
said, he favored the leasing of coal
lands, but he thought the Alaskan
fields were too far away for the leasing
system TO be employed to advantage
He thought such price should be put
on the lands in Alaska, however, as to
prevent speculative holding of the
property and require its being worked.
At the afternoon session Andrew
Christensen took the stand for his
cross examination by Attorney Bran
dels- The witness declared II was his
conviction that the letters were put
in the box.
BY yOu?" Interrupted Brandeis.
No by Claws" retorted Christen-
sen All the evidence indicates that
Because Of the dull morning session
there was some difficulty in getting
quorum for the afternoon session Only
six members We're present.
FUTURE DEPENDS ON COAL
Brooks declared the future of Alaska
depended upon the opening of coal
fields. He said there had been exag-
gerated and erroneous statements as to
the monetary value Of the coal fields
in Alaska
Nearly every member of the commit
tee had some question to ask the wit
ness as TO various phases Of coal min
ing, and the examination was long
drawn out .
Brandeis' cross examination, on the
other hand, was brief Attorney Pep
per, representing Clifford Pinchot, asked
some questions regarding the advant-
ages, respectively Of the leasing and
sale systems of disposing of coal lands
Brooks declared the whole question of
conservation was simply one Of pre-
venting waste.
BRANDEIS EXAMINES WITNESS
Brandeis wanted to know if the wit
ness did not think it was perfectly abb
surd that a man of Claws "undoubted
ability" IL he had wanted to conceal
the papers, should have put them in an
uncovered box in the federal building
Christensen said he thought CLAWS
was capable of most anything"
You mean anything bad?" said Bran
deis; but did you ever hear Of his do
sng anything foolish, except to send
that letter OF August II to President
Tsft?'
The witness could not think of any
thing.
The attorney asked 100 or more ques-
tons dealing with the witness state
of mind, until Representative Madison
suggested that he leave that line of
inquiry and go into something else.
Attorney Brandeis sought to show by
questions that the interior department.
bv its instructions to Christensen. to
have grand jury inquiry, was trying
to bring about the indictment of Gla-
Wis. Of the editors of Golfers Weekly,
of Clifford Pinchot, Of W. C. Price and
W c. Shaw The witness would not
admit that this was the whole pur-
nose Of the inquiry, nor that it was the
desire of the interior department
PIERCE on THE STAND
When Christensen was disposed Of
Frank Pierce, first assistant secretary
Of the interior, was called Pierce be-
gan his service under Secretary Gar
field in November, 1907. He detailed
ali Of the various duties of the secre-
tary OF the interior, saying:
They are burdensome and Inani-
fold"
when congress passes new legisla-
ton" he said, "and can't think of any
one else to give the supervision to, they
turn il over to the interior depart
ment''
Pierce said he was himself called
upon daily to sign 900 to 1000 letters
- 5oruraenfs MANY of these are