Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-06-21
The Deer Greek Coal Fields.

The Deer Greek Coal Fields.
 EDITOR CIrIZEN:-The Deer Creek coal bed were discovered on the 26th of January. 1881, by David Anderson. Jas. Lillie. c. E. Selden and Geo. Scully. Early the following February two of the discoverers arrived in Tucson with samples, when the writer of tbis became associated with them. In February and March several samples were sent to leading men of San Francisco who sent experts to examine and report. Their report was favorable. Locations were made subsequent to the discovery for eight or ton miles westerly by various parties, by most of whom coal was found. In March, 1881, agent Tiffany caused two lattitudnal observations to be taken, the first of which declared the coal one and a half miles of, while the second declared us one and half miles on the reservation.
 He (Tiffany), SO telegraphed to the Interior department. On the 2lth of the following May. John ]. Safely and others, arrived at San Carlos with a lease Tn bis pOcke. for fifty yelrs of Eli the coal beds tnd mineral lands of whatsoever nature within the limits of the reservation Ol cash royalty basis. he Safely ct all paylug therefore at that time S2,SOO or S3.OOO to the respective Apache chiefs. On. August 3rd, 1881. when thus lease Was presented for ap- prOval the Secretary of the Interior, Hop. $. J. Kirkwood, promptly aud peremptorily disapproyel of II. In April loS2, joint resolution was prepared by the COmmIssipuer of Indian Affairs, Hon. Hiram Price, and trans mitted to both houses of Congress by the President, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to lease the cOel lands to the highest responsible bidder for cash" subject ;o such limitations, re- strictions, etc, as the secretary might require.
 This joint resolution was also for Safely and his friends During the present session of Congress at least three hiIls have been introduced m the United States Senate relative to these coal beds. One by 5Cnat, John T. Miller ot California to segregate the coal lands on the southern as also strip on the western boundary of the reservation containing mines of gold, silver and copper. This would permit the coal miners to purchase their lands at Sl - per acre. and also provided for the payment ot Sj.OOO io tue Indian fund from tho treasury ot the United States.
 Senator Dawes. of Massachusetts. in- trOduccd bill authorizing the Secre- tary of the Interior tO lease the coal lands to the original discoyerers snd owners m tracts of no more than l60 acres each for the period of thirty years Et a royalty of ter cents a ton. subject to certain restrictions, etc, by the Sec retary.
 The third bill was introduced by Sen ator Wilson. ot Iowa, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to lease to John J. Safely, or rather to ratify the old lease of May. lSSl, made by and be- tween certain Apache chiefs and John J. Safely.
 Senator Miller's bill Is certainly a good one for the miner and prospector, and It k to be hoped that 1t may pass. While Senator Dawes bill gives the preference tc the discoverers and To- cators to lease. 1t k not exactly what we wsnt-a clean segregation would sui: better.
 But the Safely bill. bahi may refer to 1t ere close. The Senate has tackled on to the Indian appropriation bill 5000 to pay a commission of three ex- perts to examine and report what shall be done with the coal on the San Carlos reservation. From date of discovery up to August 10th, 1883, the discoverers and locators were in quiet and undls. turbed possession from East tp West of their coal lands. On that date the military dispUssessed us, it having been found. after n survey by Psul Riecker, deputy United States mineral surveyor, that we were, gay a mlle an a quarter on the reserve.
 The original discoyerers and owners have expended in houses. roads, sinking shafts, running tunnels, cross-cuts and otherwise S20,CfO up to the time of our expulsion by the military authorities. A good deal of money has also beer expended by many others having coal interests in Deer creek coal Basin.
 Saddle Mountain Mining District in which considerable money has been ex- pended the past four CT five years is also inside the reservation lines, as also the copper properties lately sold by Prof. Douglass and others.
 All of those interests SO materially beneficial to the interests of the people and the territory should be segregated from the reservation.
 In conclusion I will ask why John J. Safely who never saw the coal fields: never expended dollar on them; never acquired m interest by location or otherwise save in his persistent efforts to appropriate them through lobbying in Washington from the locators, should have this lease. M. l.. POWER.