Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-09
Supply in This Country Will
Last 1000 Years.
VIEW OF MINERAL EXPERT
A. H. Brooks Heard by Ballinger-
Pinchot Committee.
LEASE OF ALASKA FIELDS
Believes That Such a Price Should
Be Put on Lands as to Insure
Their Being Worked.

Before going into public session this
morning the Ballinger-Pinchot investigat-
ing committee solemnly opened the IA
nous CLAWS box from Seattle and Andrew
Christensen explained just where he found
the twenty-four missing letters.
Alfred H. Brooks, a mineral expert of
the geological survey, continued his testi-
mony begun yesterday. He declared that
20 per cent Of the worlds visible supply
of coal. and that at the present rate of
consumption it would require 4,913 years
to exhaust the supply in the United
States.
These figures were arbitrary. the wit
ness said. Figured on a basis of the
Increased use of coal in the future, at
the same rate of increase Of the past two
or three years, Mr.. Brooks said. it had
been estimated that the supply in the
United States would be exhausted in from
estimates Of 80 and 5000 years. he de-
clared. the truth was to be found.
IF the supply will last 5000 years we
don't need to bother about conservation
marked Representative Madison, but IL
it will only last 100 years we are up
against it,
AAAAAS 114dAA
Mr. Brooks said that he thought there
had been too much alarm as to the ex-
haustion of the coal supply. Other fac
tors of power are coming into general
use, and this in time will decrease the
use of coal. Improved methods of con-
sumption, also. are resulting in the de-
creased use Of coal.
AS a general proposition the witness
hn Gov, laoc freP ~
lands, but he thought the Alaskan fields
were too far away for the leasing sys-
tenn to be employed to advantage. He
thought such a price should be put on
vent speculative holding of the prop
erty, and require it's being worked.
Mr.. Brooks declared that the whole flu
ture of Alaska depended upon the opening
of the coal fields He also said that there
had been many exaggerated and erro-
neous statements as to the monetary
value of the coal fields in Alaska.
Questioned by Committee.
Nearly every member of the committee
had some questions to ask the witness as
to various phases Of coal mining, and the
examination was long drawn out.
Mr.. Brandeis cross-examination, on the
other hand, was very brief.
Attorney Pepper, representing Clifford
elnCnOt, dShcu SOuC QdCot1oiiS AO6dA 0hhS
the advantages respectively of the leasing
and sale systems Of disposing OF coal
lands. Mr.. Brooks declared the whole
question of conservation was simply one
of preventing waste. Both sides had con-
cluded with Mr.. Brooks when the lunch
con recess was ordered.
;, Alaska Going Back.
That Alaska Is going back because of
the failure to open up the coal fields in
the territory was the opinion given to
the committee yesterday afternoon by
Mr. Brooks.
Alaska. is retrogressing." declared Mr..
Brooks People are becoming discour-
agd and are leaving This is largely due
to the coal situation. Without coal there
can be no railroads, and without rail-
roads there can be no business to speak
Of"
The opening of the Alaskan coal
fields, Mr.. Brooks said, would mean a
saving Of $500,000 a year to the navy.
He held that the opening Of the coal
fields would conserve the timber.
The cross-examination of Andrew
Christensen, chief Of field division. who
succeeded CLAWS at Seattle. was taken
up yesterday afternoon, but contfSued
for only a short time. Attorney Bran
deis asked a postponement to give him
time to examine the documents put In
evidence by the witness.