VOL. L. NO. 15,361. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1!, 191 0. PRICE FIVE CENTS. MAMMOTH HOTEL SOON -TO BE BUILT $1,000,000 Building Projected for Portland. DEKUM HOMESTEAD IS SITE Rich Local Syndicate to Lease Site From Mr. Sweeny. H. C. BOWERS FOR MANAGER One Obstacle After Another Disap pears and Few Days Slay See Negotiations Fully Completed. Building to lie 12 Stories. Negotiations are now under way where by a hotel representing an investment of between Jl.ono.ono and $1,250,000 will prob ably be built by Charles Sweeny on the Morrison-street frontage of the lkum homestead, between Thirteenth and Four teenth streets. A yyndicae of local capi talists Is being organize by Theodore B. Wilcox. J. c. Ainsworth and H. C. Boweri", the present manager of the Portland Hotel. This syndicate repre sents largely the sellers of the Portland Hotel stock, which wap transferred re cently to the Norman brothers and other Spokane capitalists. Mr. Sweeny will build the hotel him pelf and will lease it, with the ground, to the syndicate, for management by Mr. Rowers. John M. Gearin, of the firm of Dolph. Mallory. Simon & Uearin, is act ing as Air. "Sweeny's agent in the matter and Is conducting; the negotiations from this end. Mr. Gearin said yesterday: Objections Overcome One by One. "This plan has teen under consideration for several months. The entire plan is built around Mr. Bowers and the securing him as manager of the new hotel. For many years' he has wisbed a hotel for himself, and now, a Mr. Sweeny is anxious to build here. It seems to be as sured that it will tie bulk. At ftrsi the negotiations were rather vague and we first planned to build on the entire block. Then the plan was held up by the prox imity of the Lincoln High School and the state law which prohibits the location of a hotel with a bar within 400 feet of a public school building. Then Mr. Sweeny submltted terms upon which he would build. "One by one there obections to the plan have been removed. The new high school has been provided for and we have the assurance of the School Board that the school is to be transferred to a new lo cation. Then the lease becomes much more feasible from a business standpoint, in that It will require but 200x100 feet of ground Instead of a full block, as first planned. Now Mr. Sweeny's terms are practically understood by the parties ne gotiating at this end and at last a close of the negotiations Is in sight, although nothing absolutely definite can "be said until Monday or Tuesday of next week, when I expect to have a detailed outline of the plan from Mr. Sweeny. He is now In New York and has written. Hotel Largest In Northwest. "The ground will be leased on a valu ation of approximately ' $250,000 and the building will cost as now planned about $750,000. although it may run as high as $1,000,000 before it is completed. It is planned to make it the largest and finest hotel in Portland and the Pacific North west. With Mr. Bowers at the helm this can undoubtedly be accomplished. It te for him in particular that the building will bo built." The. site in question has a frontage of 200 feet on Morrison street and 100 feet on both Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. It' is said the plans for the building include a hotel covering the en tire half block and containing 580 rooms and about 12 stories high. The structure will be the- finest of its kind north of San Francisco. "Just who will be in the syndicate I cannot say, said Mr. Gearin. "That entirely in the hands of Mr. Ainsworth. and Mr. Wilcox, who are handling the deai here in connection with Mr. Bow ers. Whether they will enlist the aid of other capital I cannot say, as I do not know." T. B. Wilcox Fully Decided.. J. C Ainsworth declined to discuss the situation yesterday. He admitted ..that he had agreed to attempt to enlist Port land capital in. the plan, but said that until any negotiations which might or might not be under way had been closed he did not wish to make any statement. Mr. Wilcox is at present out of Portland nnd while he could not be located yes terday it was learned from & number of his friends that he had fully decided to go ahead with the hotel plan and that be Is daily expecting the negotiations to be closed. GEN. LEE QUARREL CAUSE L'lvil War Veteran Dying; Doubts Hall of Fame; Ilights. BOISE, Idaho. Feh. IS. His skull frac tured, Philip W. Hllsman, a Civil War veteran, lies dying In a local hospital here following a quarrel last night with a Confederate soldier. J. D. Evans. The men had disputed on the advis ability of placing the statue of General Lee in the National Hall of Fame. Evans has nut been ordered arrested- 126 TONS OF FISH TAKEN IN ONE HAUL MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHERMAN ' IS CHAMPION OF INTERIOR. His $9000 Wort 1 1 of Rough Fish Taken In Tctonka Lake Will lie Canned as Salmon. ST. PAUL., Minn., Feb. 18. (Spe cial.) David Gautenljeln. a veteran river fisherman of Diamond Bluff, Wis., made the largest haul of roug-h fish In the history of the Upper Mississippi at Tetanka Lake, near Waterville, Minn., when his nets brought him to the sur face $9000 In marketable fish. The haul weighed 126 tons. This haul of tish will be sold to buy- ers In New York City, who, it Is said, can rough river fish into imita tion salmon after they have been pre pared by a secret process. Agents of the fish buyers who work along the Upper Mississippi say the rough fish is sold in the Jewish settlements in the metropolitan titles, but this is contro verted because of the big scales which Invariably cover them, making them objectionable. L Mr. 5autenbein, who is one of the largest fishermen on the Upper Miss issippi, employs seven men and in his haul from Tetonka Lake used 1RO0 feet of net. His haul would have been much larger had not snags tore out large gaps in one end of his nets and permitted tons of fish to escape. 1-ist Winter Gautenbeln set the pre vious high mark record haul of the Upper Mississippi when he drew 60,000 pounds of rough fish out of the Mississ ippi River near Red Wing, Minn., after having his men work for two months clearing the bottom of the river of snags. Seven large cars were used to ship that catch to Eastern buyers. That catch neted him $7000. MINER ALLEGED BIGAMIST Californian, on Wedding Tour, Ar i'ested in Mexico. MEXICO CITY. Feb. 18. George C. Robbing, a mining man, said to be well known in Los Angeles and South ern California, is in custody hero awaiting extradition on a charge of bigamy. Itobblns was arrested last night in response to a request for his detention that came through the American embassy at Washington and which was said to have been made at the instance of the California authorities. Itobbins and his bride came to Mexico City' a week ago. He is alleged to have another wife in California. This he denies. The charge against Robblns is not bailable under the" Mexican law, and he will be held until extradition papers arrive. 300 TAKE UP LONG WAIT Line Is Formed in Los Angeles for Land Opening March 1. LOS ANGELES. Cal., Feb. 18. Three hundred men and women are lined up to night on the sidewalk in .front of the Chamber of Commerce building, await ing the opening to entry of farms in the Yuma irrigation project on the morning of March 1. From the determined look on their faces it would go hard with anybody who tried to get into the building ahead of them on the momentous morning. Grouped about oil stoves tonight, the embryo entrymen patiently sit in blankets and comforters. Seated in rocking chairs, on boxes, cushions and even the cold curbstone, they while away the weary hours with , reading, telling stories and playing cards. MOROCCO GIVEN 48 HOURS France Demands Ijoan Signature or Customs Seizure. PARIS, Feb. IS. The Government has Instructed M. Regnault, Minister to Mo rocco, to dispatch a special court to Fez bearing France's ultimatum to Mulai Hafid regarding the signing of the recently-arranged Moroccan loan. France- demands,a ratification of the ac cord within 48 hours. If the Sultan re fuses. H. Galllard. French Consul at Fez. and the French military mission located there, will be ordered to leave the city immediately. France proposes then to seize the Moroccan customs. The financial accord obliges Morocco to pay an' indemnity and the international damages arising from the Casablanca, affair, amounting to $12,000,0001 SLIDE BURIES0REG0N MAN D. W. Sutherland, Formerly of The Dalles, Sleets Death In Canada. , VICTORIA, B. C. Feb. 18. D. W. Sutherland, who came' to British Colum bia from The Dalles. Or., several years ago, and who has been trapping on Fid dler Creole. 40 miles up the Skeena from Hazelton, has been killed by a huge snow slide. His partner, when Sutherland did not return to camp, followed his trail until it was obliterated by a great mass of snow that had plunged down the moun tainside. The- body has not been re covered. EUGENE HIGH WINS DEBATE Salem" Students Lose Forensic Con test by 2 to 1 Vote. EUGENE. Or., Feb. 18. (Special. Eugene High School won the debate from the Salem High School, with the affirma tive, by a vote of 2 to 1. The Judges were Professors " Schaefer and Buehen of the university and Dr. Alfred G. Schmitt, of Portland. GUMS' MOTIVES IRE QUESTIONED Evidence of Malice Is Being Sought. SCOPE OF QUESTIONS WIDE Adverse Reports Come After Ballinger Left Service. PLENTY OF HELP GIVEN Witness Admits Transfer to Oregon Cases Did Not Harm Govern ment's Interests Testi mony Partly Hearsay. WASHINGTON-, Feb. 18. Louis R. Glavls was under cross-examination all day today before the Balllnger-Plnehot Investigating committee and, when ad journment was taken until tomorrow morning, there was no indication that John J. Vertrees, attorney for Secretary Ballinger. was approaching the end of his cae. The scope of the testimony given by Mr Glavls and the latitude -allowed by the committee in his cross-examination are almost without precedent. The cross examination, particularly, is one of long questions and long answers. Usually the questions have to do with the construc tion to tje placed upon letters, telegrams, etc., that have been read into the rec ord. It frequently is necessary to go over these documents several times and to quote freely from them. Lawyer and Witness Wrangle. Some idea of the latitude given to Mr. Glavis may be gained from the fact that, including the two sessions today the printed testimony of this one witness alone covers nearly 2000 pages. Mr. Vertreen and Mr. Glavls had sev eral long wrangles in the afternoon as to the meaning of many letters and telegrams. A typical instance was a tele gram from Mr. Ballinger in reply to" .a message from Commissioner Dennett of the land office, in which the Secretary stated bis reluctance to act in the Alaska cases, and suggested that Mr. Dennett make the necessary orders himself as to postponing the hearings. Telegram Construed Two Ways. Mr. Vertrees sought to show that thia means that Mr. Ballinger was not direct ing the Alaska cases in any way what soever. Mr. Glavls, on the other hand, insisted that the only construction ho could put upon the telegram was" that it . showed that none of the officials in the department -dared do anything in the cases without first consulting the Secretary. Mr. Glavis contended that the telegram conveyed a specific order by Secretary Ballinger. Mr. Vertrees, at-the morning session, drew from tbe witness the Im portant fact that at the time Cunning ham claims were ordered clear listed in January, 1908, and In fact up to the time that Mr. Ballinger left the service as commissioner of tbe land office in March 4, 1908, there had been no adverse reports on these claims and that the Cunningham Journal which contained the first evidence of alleged agreement among the claimants had not then been discov ered. Evidence' of Motive Sought. The late afternoon session was devoted to an Inquiry into motives of Mr. Glavis (Concluded on page 8.) PROGRESS! r ORIGINALLY" !)5" VESTERDiW. I i m a 1 m V ' jSj X j ra Tmi STBlXTWt I; M. t -Sir&t't' i4iaTb8i roan & INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Wntber. YESTERDAY Maximum, 38 degraea; min imum, 34 degrees. TODAY Rain. eaat to outheat wind. National. x Mor.fsy men have rrip on Alaska, testifies Morgan agent '"before Senate committee on territories. Page 1. Cross-examination of 1. R. Qlarla directed to show malicious motive. Page 1. Kruttschnitt tells of Improvements to I'nion pacific and Southern Pacific sines mercer. Page 8. IXmiestlc. Girl Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.. Is to marry dislikes being lrr public eye. Page 2. Militia keeps peace in -Cairo; threats heard against Sheriff. Page 8. More scandal expected to he brought out in New York Senate bribery inquiry. Page 3. Mrs. John Jacob Astor fails to ask court for final divorce decree. Reconciliation with husband expected. Page 1. Hports. Shortstop perrtne accepts terms to Join Portland team, 'Page 7r National League follows suit and will play only 154 games this season..,, page 7 Pacific Northwest. Mystery surrounds disappearance of Van couver man. Page 6- Organized labor planning to gain strength In Washington legislature; Seattle cam paign is entering wedge. Page 6. Commercial and Marine. Extensive Winter feeding, but small losses in Oregon sheep sections. Page 19. Weavv rolling weakens wheat . at Chicago. .Page 19. Sharp advances in Reading stock. Page 10. Better trade reports in all lines. Page 1. Steamer Henrlk Ibsen shifts to St. Helens to load lumber. Page is. . Portland and Vicinity. Syndicate forming to erect $t.K0,000 hotel on Dekum homestead. Page 1. Oregon miners organize and elect J. Frank Watson president. Page 11!. Divorced persons . who marry within mix months to he punished, Judge Morrow warns. Page 1R. Board of Kducation negotiating o buy Kamm block as Lincoln High School site. Page 20. Rich strike in Idaho mining district thought to be long-sought mother lode, page 12. Granitoid, new pavement, may be given trial by city on Russell street. Page 11. Council street committee recommends that O- R- A N. be given land for pier of new brldse. Page 14. DR. COOK ADMITS IDENTITY In Chile, Explorer Says He Will Yet Prove Pole Trip. SANTIAGO, Chile. Feb. 18. Dr. Frederick A. Cook - today admitted his identity. He visited his old comrade, the Belgian engineer, Rysselberghe, for some hours. The two men were members of the Belgian Antarctic expedition of 1897 98, and the engineer recognized Cook when they were fellow passengers on the 3teamer Valdivia. Until now, however. Cook had refused to recog nize his former companion. Cook told Rysselberghe, it is said, that he was preparing a complete ac count of his Polar explorations, which, he maintains, will prove that be reached the NortS Pole. ' ' ; HUNT TO STAY IN ARMY Taft Overrules Dismissal of Captain for Breaking Pledge. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, D. C, Feb. 18. Captain John E. Hunt, of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, whose regiment is now stationed at Seat, tie and Spokane, was recently court martialed in the Philippines and recom mended for dismissal from the Army be cause of his failure to keep a pledge to refrain from the use of liquor for a period of 10 years. President Taft, after a review of facts, overruled this recommendation and Is sued an order to the effect that Hunt be reduced 25 files and be given . reprimand for his unseemly conduct in the Philip pines. EARTHQUAKE BURIES SIX Crete Shaken and Number of Build ings Are Damaged. CANBA, Crete, Feb. IS. A severe earth quake was felt throughout Crete at 6:38 this morning. It was accompanied with violent subterranean explosions. In this city a number of buildings were damaged and a minaret of the mosque craelied through the dome. In the village of Varlpetro, a house col lapsed, burying six persons In the ruins'. NEXT WEEK ummnm TO-DAY' ICUGOETJnE rrjITJrnro rriifirnm, jnp-i-un pi i STRUCTURE 3 3 AH ft a n n MODERN Build i ft & will B6 ERECTED ON This site K4a.t once- 'FOH OFFICE'. a a a a 3 3 OB TILLMAN LOSING POWER OF SPEECH Hemorrhage of Brain Causes Aphasia. RIGHT SIDE IS PARALYZED Control of Vocal Organs May Never Be Recovered. BRAIN SPECIALIST CALLED Verdict of Doubtful Outcome Pro nounced by Physicians Danger of Fatal Outcome Believed Not to Be Immediate. WASHINGTON, Feb. 18. Benjamin Ryan Tillman, senior Senator from South Carolina, is critically 111. Hjs condition is extremely grave, and Dr. E. K. Pickford, attending physician, said late today that the outcome of the Senator's Illness would be deter mined within 72 hours. The Senator's right side- is almost wholly paralyzed and aphasia has de veloped as a result of a cerebral hemor rhage on the eft side of the brain. He has nearly lost th power of articula tion, which is regarded as the most serious symptom. He may recover from the paralysis, but it is said he probably never will regain complete use of spech. his dearest and most cherished weapon as a legislator, and the keen edge ot which has enlivened many debates in Congress. Brain. Specialist Consulted. This is Senator Tillman's second stroke of paralysis. The first occurred nearly two years ago, when he suf fered a nervous breakdown. At that time he was treated at an Atlanta sa.nltarlum and later toop a trip for his health. ' Late this afternoon. Dr. William A. White, superintendent of the Government Hospital for the Insane, was called into consultation with Dr. Pickford. While it was asserted that the Senator's mind was fairly alert and that he was conscious of the happenings near him. Dr. White, aa a specialist on diseases of the brain, the seat of Mr. Tillman's illness, was asked to make an examination. Condition Is Grave. The verdict of the physicians after the consultation was that the Senator's con dition was extremely serious and that the outcome is doubtful. The fact that Dr. Babcock will not leave Columbia until tomrorow seems to corroborate the statement that there is no immediate danger of a fatal turn in the Senator's condition. Absolute quiet has been enjoined and no one except relatives sees the patient. The Senator's wife and their eldest son, Benjamin R. Tlllaman, Jr., are with him. His other two children, Harry C. and Sallie May Tillman, have been summoned. CAREER FILLED WITH STRIKE Denunciation of Presidents Marked Terms In Senate. Benjamin Ryan Tillman was a states man of the turbulent school. In his own state of South Carolina he first came into political prominence in con nection with the "farmers' movement.' which began in 1885. He was one of (Concluded on -Page 3.) BBSS a h a b h BO QBE 0 (3 Q EJ a a on a HJ3DD 3 I3TEQ 3QBBBD 930BB9 aaeaBa aeaoaa DQQQBB 3B3B33 a a 3 O ENGAGE YOUR iThft BUILOIMS 0FriE NOW IH WiU. BF RAZED MAUTtFuL-STEL 1A..0 REPLACED BY tlODEAW EZjlSUIt-DiMU 10 BE .OFFICE. CONSTRUCTED ,AoN Tdli VIE IWIIHOUT DELAY. I BU1L.0 IN C7 aoaaaai iaaaaaa mm MRS. ASTOR DOESN'T ASK FINAL DECREE RUMOR OF RECONCILIATION WITH COLONEL GBOWS. failure of Attorneys for Rich New York Woman to Appear in Court Basis for Belief. NEW YORK. Feb. IS. it was. pected that the application of attor neys for Mrs. Astor for the final de cree of divorce from her husband, John Jacob Astor, would come up to day before Supreme Court Justice Mills at White Plains, but none of the at torneys appeared. The time limit within which Mrs. Astor may apply for final Judgment, following the granting of the inter locutory decree three months ago, ex pires on the last day of this month. Judge Mills, when asked if he had heard from attorneys for Mrs. Astor, said that none of them had been be fore him, and that he had not received any. word when they would apply to him for a decree. Failure to secure final judgment has led to the presumption that there may yet be a reconciliation between the colonel and Mrs. Astor." P0RTLANDER, RICH, LABORS Thomas Cully Wanders Away Prom Pasadena Home; Gets Work. PASADENA, Cal., Feb. 18. (Special.! Thomas Cully, wealthy, who makes his Summer home in Portland and his Winter home in Pasadena, wandered away from his rooms at 117 Waverly Drive, on Tues day night, but has been located. His friends state that he has found a- job and will go to work, but they refuse to give his new address. Two weeks ago he was walking about on Colarodo street, became suddenly il! with stomach trouble and was taken to the Pasadena Hospital. It was stated at the time that his mind was affected. He is a recluse and has but little to say regarding his property, but his intimate friends state he owns much valuable property in different parts of the country. TREPHINE REFORM, FAILS Man Operated On for Criminal Ten dencies Again Arrested. LOS ANGELES, Feb. IS John C. Quentin is under arrest for an alleged violation of a paxole granted by the Su perior Court. "Court officials and medical men were greatly interested In Quentin's case not lo.ng ago. when, following his arrest for bogus check transactions, It was alleged that a pressure of the skull upon hjs brain was responsible for his -criminal tendencies. He was removed from the jail to the county hospital, where a piece of the skull -was removed. After the operation, Quentin exhibited symptoms of a reformation, and. follow ing his conviction, was released on parole. Within a short time he was again ar rested for passing worthless checks. FICKERT ACCUSES BURNS New Prosecutor Says Detective Con nived at Gallagher's Plight. SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 18. The re port of the grand jury filed with Pre siding1 Jud-ge Van Nostrand before its discharge today contained a letter from District Attorney C. M. Fickert. in which r William J. Burns and the other agents of the preceding occupant of his office are accused of withhold ing the evidence which they had gath ered In the graft cases. Mr. Flckert's letter - also asserted that James L. Gallagher, the main witness for the prosecution, left the state with the knowledge and consent of Burns.- The report denounces the County Jail as a ciursery of corruption and a school of crime. Several of the city and county officials are grilled in the report for the careless manner in which their offices are conducted, and they are especially rebuked for their lax ofbee hours. 1,000,000 ACRES WANTED Oregon to Ask Congress for Big Additional Carey-Act Grant. SALEM, Or.. Feb. IS. (Special.) The Desert Land Board has decided to request the Oregon delegation in Congress to try to secure the passage of a bill granting to the state 1.000.000 acres under the provisions of the Carey act, in addition to that already granted. The bill will also be made to include certairi lands in connection with the Warner Lake project, which aro to be drained by this project. The State of Idaho has secured the withdrawal of 3.000,000 acres In addition to its regular allotment and It is believed there will be but little difficulty in get ting an extra million for Oregon. M'CREDIE NAMES NAVY MEN Vancouver and Taruina Boys to Go to Annapolis. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Feb. IS. Representative Mc Credie today made appointments filling two vacancies at Annapolis Naval Acad emy. . To the first vacancy he appointed John P. KiKgins. son of the Mayor of Van couver, appointing Lester E. Core, of Kalami; L. A. Fullerton. of Olympia, and Earl Jones, of Tacoma, as nrt. sec ond and third alternates, respectively. Clarence McReavy, of Tacoma, was ap pointed midshipman in the second in stance, with Fullerton, Jones and Gore as alternates In the order named. In the event Kiggins or McReavy fail to pass the entrance examinations," their al ternates will be eligible in the order of their appointments. MONEY MEN HAVE grip m mm Morgan Agent Tells of Pending Deals. '. GOAL SYNDICATE IS FORMED Cunningham Claims Awaiting Validating Decision. SENATORS GET EVIDENCE Financier Sends Coun-sel to Commit tee on Territories to Answer Ex aggerated'" Reports nnd Bev eridge Asks Many Questions. WASHINGTON, Feb. IS. ( Special. Senator Beverldge, of Indiana, got his committee on territories Into action to day and within a short time had estab lished tiie fact that tbe Alaskan syndi cate owned by J. P. Morgan Company and the Guggenheim brothers had a steel grip on the natural resources of that ter ritory. The fact of significance brought out is that the Morgan-Guggenheim syndi cate has an option on the celebrated Cun ningham coal claims through whi-h came the quarrel that resulted In Gifford Tin chot being dismissed as T'nited States ForAter and brought on the so-cullod Ballingcr-Pinchot investigation now un der way. Possession Awaits Decision. These claims, according to the testi mony brought out by the Indiana Sena tor, are now held in escrow awaiting th decision of the Government as to whethet they are valid. If they are eventually approved, th Morgan-Guggenheim syn dicate will come into possession of them. The Alaakan syndicate is the general name for the various companies operat ing in Alaska, all being owned by tha Morgan-Guggenheim crowd. Some days ago Senator Beveridge re ceived a letter from J. P. Morgan & Co., asking permission to send representative! to answer "exaggerated reports printed in . the magazines and newspapers of the work" of the syndicate formed by that company and the Messrs. Guggen heim." The permission was given and today John N. Steele, general counsel for the syndicate, and Stephen Birch, managing director, appeared. Syndicate Counsel Tolls Story. Mr. Birch was put on the stand iin his story drawn out by Mr. Steele. 11 resulted in testimony that all the money spent in the enormous development of Alaskan resources had been furnished by the syndicate itself; that the Morgan-Guggenheim syndicate had not Is sued to the public a single bond or a share of stock; that the syndicate had never received anything from the gov ernment in tho way of money, granta of land or special rights. It was testified further that the syn dicate owned one railroad and had no interest in any other in Alaska; that it owned one copper mine and had no in terest in any other, and owned no coal lands at all. Testimony was given about the negotiations for the Cun ningham claims! but. it was said these hinged upon patents being Issued for the claims and that these negotiations had come to nothing. Monopoly Is Denied. It. was shown that the syndicate was formed in 1906 by the purchase of 46 per cent of the stock of the Northwestern Commercial Company, which owned the Northwestern Steamship Company and the Northwestern Fisheries Company. The latter company packs 300.000 cases of salmon annually, as compared with a pack of 2.000.000 cases by other interests. I. ant year the Alaska Steamship Com pany was formed by reorganizing tho companies in which the syndicate had bought large Interests and it now op erates 12 steamers, or rather 11, as re ports today indicate that one has been lost. A long list of steamship companies in which the Alaska syndicate has no in terest was given in support of Its claim that it was .not a monopoly. The rail road owned by the syndicate is now 103 miles long and Is to be extended to 193 miles. , Both Messrs. Steele and Birch insisted there was no truth in the reports that the syndicate had, or was seeking, a. monopoly " of railroads, steamship lines, fisheries, copper mines and coal lands' In Alaska. Tht-y denied with great empha sis that they were trying to "gobble up" Alaska. Coal Company Is Formed. It was denied by Mr. Birc hthat ex Governor Hoggatt, Major Richardson, chairman of the A.laskan Road Commis sion, of Delegate Wlckersham. ever had been authorizsd to act as a lobbyist for the syndicate. Interrogated by Senator Beveridge con cerning the syndicate's interest in the coal-land claims, Mr. Birch replied that Messrs. Guggenheim had a'greed to form a $5,000.01)0 corporation to develop tha lands; one half-interest to be held by th Guggenheims and the other half by Cun. ningham and his associates. The Qug genhelms were, to pay J2JO.00O for theii half, he said, and in addition were ta loan 100.o0. if it wan needed. Messrs. Birch- and Steele will be cross? examined by the members of the com mittee at another hearing.