Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-09
ORDERS BALL|NGER
TO SUPPLY PAPERS
Committee Takes Action When
PinChot's Attorney Com
plains of Delay
VALUES COAL HALF CENT TON
Expert Appraises Fuel Deposits
in Alaska at Remarkably
Low Figure
VALUES COAL HALF CENT TON

WASHINGTON, April s.--The Bal
linger-Pinchot committee of inquiry
delved further today into the history
of the disappearance and recovery OF
twenty-four letters found to be miss
ing from the Seattle land office subsa-
quent to the dismissal of CLAWS.
Under complaint of Attorney Bran
dies for the prosecution, the COMMITTEES
today directed that Secretary Ballinger
be notified to produce all papers called
for by the committee with all due
speed"
This was done despite the protest of
Mr.. Balllnger that the requests Of the
opposition attorney were unreasonable.
The defense" evidently is laying
great store by the discovery of the
missing letters and the hearings for
the last three or four sessions have
been given over almost entirely to this
subject A mass of documentary evil
dence was put in while Andrew Chris
tensen, Claws successor as chief of
the field division at Seattle, was on
the stand.
ATTORNEY Brandeis of the "prosecu-
tion" was admonished concerning his
method of cross-examination by Sena-
tor Sutherland.
Alfred H. Brooks, mineral expert of
the geological survey, took the stand
late in the day to testify regarding
the value and extent of the coal re-
sources in Alaska. His statement in
dieated that the value of the coal
fields had been overestimated. Mr..
Brooks said the coal In the Katalla
field, where the Cunningham claims
are located, probably is not worth
more than half cent q ton.
When he had concluded with the cor
respondence Mr. Christensen told of the
search among CLAWS effects in the fed
eral building. His account conceded
with that of Assistant Custodian
O'Neill.
BRANDEIS ROUSES WITNESS
The witness then was turned over to
Brandeis for cross-eXamination.
nWhen you telegraphed Schwartz on
February about the finding or the
letters, you made certain false state
ments didn't ?" asked Brandeis.
II did not" flared back the witness.
THE only thing said in that telegram
that was a mistake was that the Dox
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 a mistake like that"
1T is easy to lie" shouted Brandeis.
Senator sutherland protested against
this, saying it was not only offensive TO
the witness but the committee as We'll
Mr. Vertrees said he desired to pro-
test generally against Mr.. Brandeis
method with witnesses.
Christensen thereupon was excused
and Alfred II. Brooks, mineral expert
of the geological survey, was called TO
the stand to testify as to coal condl-
tions in Alaska.
Mr., Brooks said there are known 70
be about 1900 square miles of coal
bearing rocks. only about one-tenth
of the coal area is known to be under
laid with coal seams.
Mr.. Broows declared that If the Alas
ka fields were opened 1t would mean
saving to the United States navy Of at
least 100000 a year.
Alaska is retrogressing," said Mr..
Brooks. "People are becoming discour-
aged and are leaving. This is largely
due to the coal situation. Without coal
there can be no railroads, and without
railroads there can be no business to
speak Of"
IN TO this time the witness declared
the visible coal supply of the United