Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-27
FILE MAGAZINE SUIT MAY AFFECT OTHERS
Number Of Pending Alaska
Coal Claims in Danger. i
is RESULT OF DECISION
Interpretation Of Land Act of 1904
Likely to Hit Several More.
Guggenheim on Business. !

An important point IN the decision OF
Commissioner Fred bennett. handed
down yesterday. declaring that the So
called Cunningham coal claims in Alaska
were void. is the Interpretation OF the
Alaskan coal land act OF 1904 According
to persons who have studied the case the
Interpretation OF the comnii ssioner OF the
general land ONCE may result in the cam
collation. OF number OF other Alaskan
coal land claims now pending.
Mr.. bennett holds that the notice Of
location. together with the names OF the
locator or locators and the date. must be
filed within one year instead OF within
fourteen months
In the so-called Cunningham claims,
saws the decision. no notice was filed
within the year. and such claims could
be Cancelled for this reason alone.
There are those who say that Clifford
Pinchot and Louis r CLAWS, who fought
against the patenting of the Cunningham
claims. have been sustained by final gov
eminent authority. II Is also pointed out
tary Of the Interior. was prompt TO con-
cur In the decision OF the commissioner
OF the general land off1ce.
Consulted With President Taft.
1t is said that Secretary Fisher con-
suited with President Taft ard other
members OF the administration in reach
ing decision in this important case
Unless a threatened appeal to the
courts be successful the administration,
through the action taken yesterday, has
finally and effectively disposed of the
Cunningham claims
Clifford Pinchot and others who waged
war on the syndicates which controlled
lands In Alaska are said to be delighted
-s<
nett and In this city a statement was is
sued Yesterday by Thomas Shipp secre-
tary OF the National Conservation Assoc
citation. stating that the decision OF the
Department of the Interior cancelng I'll.
Cunningham claims Is a great victory for
conservation. Aside from the value %
the coal deposits thus saved from monop-
oily. IL is OF the utmost importance 10 the
whole country in that it should clear tile
way for the prompt development of Alas
kan coal fields for the benefit of the PEG.
pie
Refuses to Discuss Decision.
NEW YORK, June 27.-Daniel Gugger-
helm, head of the Guggenheim family.
who will sail for Europe today. refused
to discuss the Cunningham claims d.
cision last night but expressed at length
his opinion Of business conditions in the
United States.
AT the time when We ought TO he en-
Joytng the greatest prosperity or any
country in the world he said, we axe
the laughing stock of all European econc-
mists because every so-called captain 81
industry is supposed to be liable to crinfl-
nal prosecution.
I'VE are not happy" he continued. "our
finances are good, money is plentiful. our
harvests have been abundant, we have
had no pests. no calamities such as iss
or earthquakes-but we are not happy"
Different in Other Countries.
He attributed this to the fact that the
officers OF large corporations do not know
where they stand.
He said he could not find that the Off
GERS OF corporations in foreign countries
were being prosecuted for cooperating
with each other. or for syndicating thor