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!
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ORIGINALLY"
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VESTERDiW. I
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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'.
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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.)
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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.