The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-07-06
UNITED STATES GET
BACK COAL LANDS
Decision Cancels All Title Which
Led to Ballinger- Pinchot-
CLAWS Row-Statutes Pro-
hibit Dummies" Repre-
senting Interests.

WASHINGTON, ID. c. Special
BY Il decision today of the Commits
sioner of the General Land Office. De-
partment OF the Interior. the Cunning
ham coal claims. which were one OF
the principal bones of contention be-
tween the Ballinger-Pinchot factions.
are cancelled. The claimants, by the
decision. lose control of thirty-three
entries. estimated to be worth many
millions of dollars, in the Kayak dis
trict OF Alaska. Controller Bay region.
The Government charged in the can
collation. proceedings that the entries
were made pursuant to an unlawful
understanding, entered into by all the
claimants prior to locating the claims,
that the titles, when secured. would
be turned over to an association or
corporation and that no mine was TO
be opened on any of the claims, in
order to maintain the high price of
coal in Alaska.
Made Immense Profits.
These charges were brought to the
attention OF the Government and an
investigation was started in Seattle in
1909.
Clarence Cunningham. mining
prospectOr Of Seattle, first located the
claims, and formed an association of
nine other persons, who betrayed the
entries. After the claims had been
entered Cunningham and his associates
disposed of them to the Guggenheim
interests for an immense sum.
Louis II. CLAWS. in 1909, chief field
agent OF the land Office, afterwards
discharged from his position for his
activity an the investigation. collected
most OF the evidence which resulted
in the cancellation 90 the claims.
Law Should Protect Public interests.
Secretary OF the Interior Fisher, in
making public the decision today, is
sued the following statement:
This is a final decision of the Cum
ningham claims so far as the Depart
ment OF the Interior is concerned.
Any further proceedings will be mere
/ ly formal for the purpose OF perfect
/ ing the record in case the claimants
| think there are questions of law
which they desire 10 present to the
! courts.
1t lie my understanding that IL is
| conceded that the findings upon the
! facts by this department are conclu-
/ siVe.
! 1T is the intention OF the depart
| ment 10 proceed at once to final
| determination OF all the remaining
Alaskan coal claims SO far as this
| can properly be done. denying those
that should be denied and granting
those that shOuld be granted as rapid
ly as possible.
II do not believe the present laws
applicable to coal lands in Alaska
are wise or practicable laws. Never
| theless, their provisions must be en-
forced; first, because they are the law,
and second, because they afford the
only protection TO the public welfare
against the abuses OF monopoly and
unrestricted private exploitation.
sincerely trust that these laws will be
modified at the next session of Con-
grcss so as 10 permit the development
OF the Alaskan coaliields under pro-
visions that will more adequately pro-
tect and promote the public interest.
IF. however, there are claims now
pending, which, under the existing
law. are entitled TO patent. / see no
Justification for not taking action upon
them as promptly as the department
can be assured that il is in possession
| OF the facts upon which such action
must ultimately Ice taken"
Statutes Prohibit Dummies"
| The record in the decision is Volu-
minOus, including siNty-siN pages of
type. II describes the whole Cunning
ham case from the time the claims
were located by Clarence Cunningham
, until the commissioner made the de-
cisiOn and the negotiations with the
, Guggenheims.
Cancellation of the claims is made
under land statutes applying TO Alas
ka, which makes il unlawful for en-
try men to enter into a conspiracy to
take up claims with the intention Of
diSpoSng of them later To other in
terests. or for dummy entrymen TO
enter claims for corporations or as
sociations.
The Cunningham claims include
| thirty-three entries. each fraction
20 less than half a mile square. an ugSre-
{ gate of $3.50 acres. The center of the
J, ! group is about twentN-four miles
!, northeast OF Katalla. small port on
0 Katalla Bay, near Controller Bay, and
D the Pacific Ocean.
- They are the most valuable group
t Of coal lands in Alaska.
/, The GuEgenhcimS We're To have built
V Ia railroad from the mines when open
n ed to the tidewater. which would have
/, enabled them TO have practically con-
trolled the coal supply in Alaska and
l. the Northern Pacific.
r Nearby are other coal claims
n charged TO be controlled 10y Guggen-
n helm and J. u. Morgan interests, be
h sides a group owned by English cap
italists.
1t is believed here that the Cunning
e ham decision will open tht way fol
w more cancellations in the same field
d and that other GuGgenheim and Nor
n gan coast lands investments are nov
in jeopardy. Computations made IL
w the general land Office ShoAv that tn
Cunningham claims alone are Vnlu6t
It ! at 4 sum that staggers the inlag ma
* ton. Millions on millions worth O
he coal are beneath the surface of thes
h claims, and the owners would be abb
he to. dominate for many years Ne Goa
id tracts OF the Pacific.