Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-20
7 TERR|T DRIES
COMMITTEE
STARTLED
AMAZING RICHNESS OF
ALASKAN COAL CLAIMS
Witness Tells Senators Fuel on
Cunningham Claims Can Be
Mined at Model Profit of
twenty-five Millions.

iBy Morning Journai Special leased wirci
Washington Feb. l9.-1'he senate
cd an attraction in the way Of the
Developments relative to Alaska coal
lands which fairly entitled It to rival
interest in the Eallinger- Pnchot in
yestigation.
Manager stephen Birch of the Gus-
genheim ALASKA syndicate again was
the witness lie rcelcd OFF figures con-
corning the value OF coal in the Gun
ningham and the Alaska coal and cop
per mines that We're quite calculated
to cause heads Of the members OF the
committee to swim Pacing The tom
mage in the Cunningham mines at fif-
tv million. he said that the coal could
probably be taken out SO us to net
profit Of S25.000, 600
This statement taken in connection
with the fact that the syndicate had
agreed to pay only $250,0OO for half
of the property aroused much inter-
est
Mr.. Birch placed the probable out
pUt Of the l}chring river coai district
OF which the Cunningham group is
part al five hundred million tons with
"A net value of S200. .000, ,000 and a
gross value Of $900.00000O.
But there was another portion Of
Nh sirch's testimony which attract
ed even more attention than that re-
nting to coal mines II referred 90
hts efforts to extend holdings of the
Alaska Coal ana Copper company IN
the Bonanza group Of copper mines be-
tore it wAs acquired 0y the Guggen-
heim~Morgan syndicate.
fsaapnnding to questions from Srna
tor Frazier Mr. Eurch said some Of
the land now embraced ia that group
had been located by himself through
the use OF his own name and the name
or other stockholders OF the company.
did the company furnish the
money 20 pay for the clains?' asked
Mr.. Frazier
NIr. Birch responded that it had
done SO ana mentioned some of the
stockholders whose names had been
used
They were dummies. We're they
not" asked the Tennessee senator.
No, indeed. responded the wit
ness. "They were interested in the
property. | located q claim myself
us lDtIf an uUUtIStd uNlHE Will
the company that these claims should \
be turned over?" Mr., Frazier asked. !
There was no such understanding.
was the reply Il was there as man
ager ana I went ahead ana made the
locations to protect the company"
Asked if he had received any COM
pensation for this service Mr. Birch
replied that he had not, except inso
far as he had received pay for his
THE lana was desirable and the law
was complied with in all our proceed
ngs. he said.
Tcstifying concerning the Guggen
lcim- Morgan options on tho Cunning
Iam mines Mr. Burch said it covered
only half an interest, the Cunningham
people retaining the remainder. The
syndicate had agreed he said 30 pay
$3.50, 600 and furnish transportation.
rhe company was TO be capitalized for
81, 900, 900. He estimated it would cost
$40 per ton 10 mine the coal and
VAS OF the opinion that it could be
marketed at a profit of fifty cents per
on.
Some veins in the Cunningham
group were. ne said, ten or twenty
Get wide but stil were not SO large
Is veins in some other mines in the
district. lie denied cmphatically that
he syndicate had used any Influence
o haVo the patents to tho mines is
ued
Interested or course we are.
'hut we have not tried to influence ,
he government"
MIR. Birch denied that the syndi-
ate ever employed a lobbyist to rep ,
esent il in Washington ana he made
hc dcnidls specific as 10 Governor
Ioggatt Delegate Wickcrsham ana
Iajor Richardson of the army who
las been stationed in thu territory
many years in charge of road work. :,
lc said that after he LETT the bench I,
nd before he was elected to congress :
Judge Wickersham had made appii-
alton to be employed as attorney by ,
he syndicate but that his application
lad not been iaVorably acted upon
MIR Wickersham who was present
ead his letter requesting employment
n IL he stated merely that having legt
he bench ne was in position 10 repre-
ent the company. if his services De A;
Iesired He stated he had read the T,
etter to make il plain ne had not tried :
. hold up the combination
Delegate Mickersham had demand
a the right to cross eNamine Mr. 4,
Birch lut the committe ruled that ,
ie could ask his questions ONLY
hrough the committee itself. Aftcr !
he explanation concerning his appli-
alton complement ~ counsel ne q
id not press his request
THE DAY IN CONGRESS !