Gilpin observer., 1914-02-05
GUGGENHEIMs EXPOSED
BY CONGRESS


A ray of sunshine is now penetrat-
ing the dark cloud that has hung
over the mining industry for more
than a decade. An investigation by
congress into Alaskan affairs, show
that the Alaska syndicate and the
Pacific Coast Steamship Co., owned
by the Morgans and Guggenheims,
are the greatest trust and destroyers
of competition ON the face of the
earth. 1t has been shown that no
competing line of steamships or rail-
roads is allowed to be built or oper-
ated, either in Alaska or along the
coast. The investigations show that
wherever an independent line of rail-
road is projected or started the Al
aska syndicate, 'Guggenheim & Co.,
by threats or intimidation fail them,
even resorting to force. For in
stance, the people of Valdez organ
lied home railway and began build
ing into the interior. The officials
of the Alaska syndicate sought in
every way to prevent the building
of this road, every effort was made
to bankrupt it and when the people
with picks and shovels went to work
on the road, regardless of money,
thereupon the Guggenheim officials
employed gunmen to waylay the la
hnr Ill Ind
1t cost the Guggenheims $4,000 to
defend the gunner on the charge of
murder. The Pacific Coast Steam
ship Co., owned by the Guggenheims,
control navigation in the same way
and when S. B. No. 1925, for the re-
lief of the Alaska terminal and navi-
cation company came up for unani-
moss consent to be acted upon on
May 1st, 1898, Simon Guggenheim,
then member of the Alaska syndi-
cate and member of the senate
from Colorado, objected to the con-
sideration of the bill. The records
also show that all ores shipped from
Alaska are shipped on the boats of
the Pacific Steamship Co., thus COM
pletely destroying competition, as
they own every smelter on the Pac-
ific coast. The ore of necessity must
go to their smelters and they fix
the rates. They also own the rail-
road up Copper river and the water
transportation lines. The freight rate
is based upon the value of the ore
as given by the smelters. In addi-
ton to the freight rate deducted by
the smelter, there is a charge of
1915 per ton for smelling copper
ores and in addition take three cents
per pound, or $4,000 per ton off from
the market price. Under former U.
s. government administrations, it
granted the Alaska syndicate "Gug
genheims" U. S. patent to 1000 acres
of mineral land in the Kennicut val
ley for five dollars per acre. Along
side and skirting this valley is an
immense copper vein, the richest
known in the world, that assays 1870
copper. Tie lapse of ages had dis
integrated the mineral and it had
rolled down into the valley below.
until it is estimated that there is
$4,000, 900 worth of ore. This tract
was sold by the government for $780,
900 to the Guggenheim syndicate, to
the exclusion Of all other purchasers
and the vein proper is of vast rich
ness and will not require working
until this great surface deposit is
disposed of. No wonder that the
United States is beginning to prefer
government ownership to this kind
of syndicate ownership, and it is no
wonder that our mineral lands were
filched when the heads of these cor
porations sit in high councils of the
nation and frame our laws. This sys-
tenn of robbery is based upon mono
poly and congress and the head of
the government are now investigat-
ing these charges. A. detailed ac-
count of all their robbing schemes
now being unearthed before congress
would fill columns and we can only
give the reader a slight insight into
their operations in this article. What
is true of this. combination in Alas
ka is also true in our own state and
when the government brings them to
Justice and dissolves their combina-
ton and allows the Independent smell
ter and metal market to resume then
will our own state and county pros
per as of old.