The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-06-30
COAL CLAIMS
THROWN OUT
Cunningham Case Which Led
to 0ismissaIs.
CLAWS AND PlNCH0T UPHELD
All Work Paid for From a Common
Fund-Nothine Spent by Any In
dividual-33 Claims In
voved.

Washington. - Announcement is
made at the interior department that
the famous Cunningham coal claims
in Alaska had been held for cancella-
ton That means that the officials
Of the general land office have found
against the claimants on the charges
that the entries were made in viola
tion Of the coal land laws, and that
the entrymen lose the claims and
what has been spent on them. Fred
bennett, commissioner of the general
land office, who makes the decision,
finds against the claimants at every
point, and Secretary Fisher, the only
man to whom appeal lies, writes
note saying that he concurs in the de-
cision, showing that appeal on the
facts is useless.
Appeal may be taken to the courts,
but only upon points OF law involved.
There is no appeal as TO conclusion OF
fact by the land Office authorities.
This is about the end of the most
spectacular controversy Of the Taft
administration. 1t was on these Cum
ningham coal claims that the Bal
linger-Pinchot controversy rose which
resulted in the loss Of his place in
the cabinet by Secretary Ballinger,
the dismissal of Clifford Pinchot
from the post of chief of the bureau
of forestry and the dismissal or resig-
nation of several other government
officials of more or less high rank.
1t is nearly two years since the con.
troversy broke out through the sup
port given by Mr.. Pinchot to Louis r.
CLAWS, a special agent of the land
Office, who had become suspicious OF
the Cunningham claims and who as
serted that Secretary Ballinger and
the land office authorities were en-
deavoring TO facilitate the patenting
of the lands involved. 1t developed
through the CLAWS charges ti-at an
arrangement had been made between
the Cunningham claimants and the
Morgan-Guggenheim cyndicate of New
York whereby the syndicate was TO
take the coal lands after patent had
been issued and TO operate the mines
in conjunction with the Behring River
railroad, which the syndicate was
building.
1t was this fact chiefly which gave
impetus to the hue and cry which
was raised at once. The charge was
that the administration, and especial
ly Secretary Ballinger, were seeking
TO turn over the enormously valuable
coal deposits in this district TO the
Neutrality-suspicious. syndicate. The
result of il all has been that practical
ly all development Of natural re-
sources in Alaska has been held up.
The people of that territory have
been loud in their clamor for action
by the government which would en-.
able them TO get some use Of their
resources, and constant effort has been
made to secure legislation.
Commissions bennett, in his de-
cision holding the claims for can
collation. on the ground Of fraud, de-
clares that each OF the 33 entries was
improperly allowed because Of fatal
defects apparent on their face. He
asserts that the government con-
clusively established the charges
brought against the claimants, and
that there is no doubt but that an
agreement existed among them in
violation of law.
The 3S claims involved amounted
to an aggregate area of $3.50 acres.
The value of the land has been esti-
maied high in the millions. The coal
embraced in the claims is said to be
among the finest in the world.