Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-03-29
DEER CREEK COAL FIELDS.
A synopsis of the Report of the Commit.
 tee on Indian \ Hairs.

-A s9 uOpsls or the Report or the CgIs mt . tee on Indian nairs.
 The interest centered in the coal fields and Tn the action of Congress is very great iu the segregation of the Deer Greek coal fields. The Secretary of the Interior has recommended 1t. The com mittee i1 Congress on Indian Affairs re- port favorably, and We see no reason why the action of Congress should not favor the report of the committee, and We believe it will. The following is a synopsis of the report of the commit tee:
 Your committee find that upon the land sought to be segregated from this reservation q large number of people have settled in good faith, engaged m mining and stock raising, snd have ex- pended much money, time and labor in these pursuits, and that town of some importance IS located on the western slde thereof, and that ever since tho year lo6 taxes have been paid 70 the general. territorial and county governments.
 In January, 1881, coal was disc ,yered m the southern portion Of the reserva- uon m a regularly organized mining district, working under the general and territorial laws. The discoverers were poor prospectors, acting in good faith, and believing they were outside the lim- Its or the reservation, they made loca- tons, recorded them III accordance with w, and have since expended large sums or money, Es well as time and labor in the development of their claims.
 No question has ever been raised as to the validity of any transfer of property m the said mining districts (though many trans actions of the kind were had) until the government itself, by it's officials, elected the parties from the dis trlct, thereby throwing cloud over the titles, notwithstanding the fact that the government had been for some time pur- chasing coal from the locators and claimants, practically acknowledging their ownership.
 There IS not, your committee finds from the statements made to 1t, as well gs from the personal knowledge of one Of the committee in the lands affected by thu bili, single acre of agricultural land, and the Indians do not hunt or live on 1t.
 The extreme scarcity of fuel and the high prices of transportation made these coal fields an absolute necessity to the country. Public necessities demand the use oi the coal. In the near vicinity are immense deposits of copper. Coke costs now S65 per ton On account Of the heavy transportation rates oyer the mountains from the various railroad depots to that place.
 If this coal (which Is q fair coking coaD was in free use, as the bill we have considered would make 1t, the cost of coke would be reduced SO much that grades Of ore running as low as per cent would be more profitable than those now used, which average 15 per cent. It would also permit the working of low grade gold and silver ores. Under pres ent circumstances coal Is brought from Oregon and costs three cents per pound. and coke costs about twelve times its San Francisco price.
 That the people of Arizona are very earnest in this matter is proven by the number -aud nature Of theIr petitions now on file in the office of the Secretary of the Interior
 Your committee find that the Secreta- ry of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs approve this bill aud recommend its passage, and We fully concur with them.