The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-09-22

OUT LOOKING FOR
MINERAL LANDS
Geological Survey Has Parties in
Utah. Wyoming and Colorado.
CONSIDERABLE COAL FOUND
OIL ALSO EXISTS IN VAST GUAM.
Titles.
CONSIDERABLE COAL FOUND
Especial TO The Herald

Washington, Sept. 21.-Professor G..
Willard Hayes of the geological sur
Ney returned TO Washington yesterday
AM brings with him interesting infor-
nation that oil fields have been dis
covered in southwestern Wyoming
which are yielding a product from ten
10 twenty times more valuable than
any oil that has been produced in Cali
fornia. Professor Hayes left this city
last July and has made ar extensive
trip through Utah, California. Colorado
and Wyoming. inspecting the WOrk of
heid parties attached TO the geological
survey.
He reports also that extensive coal
felds, are being developed in all parts
OF the west. and that the survey is
working in conjunction with the gen.
eral land Office of the interior depart
ment determining mineral and nom
mineral properties OF vast tracts Of
government land. This land has been
entered as agricultural land, and is
sold a. the rate of $50 an acre. The
geological survey is demonstrating that
much or IL is mineral land and can be
sold for $50 an acre which. of course.
means vast profit for Uncle Sam. Pro-
lessor Hayes started out a number of
new parties in experimental work and
Is expecting good reports from them in
the near future.
Great Work Being Done.
The outlook is most encouraging"
said he today, insofar as western coal
and oil fields are concerned. There is
considerable area out i'm that section of
country that has 10 be utilized and the
geological survey is doing a great deal
in making discoveries and undertaking
initial development. We want TO prove
beyond doubt what there is in the land
so that prospectors may locate there
and improve the country and them
selves at the same time. For instance.
in the Yampa coal fields in northern
Colorado we are developing vast areas
of coal including Ignite, btuminOus
and anthracite. Although anthracite is
not present in large quantities, il is
there and may be pat 10 good service.
The bituminOus is more plentiful and
is of good grade. This section OF Colo
RADIO has been practically undiscovered
and absolutely undevelOped until re-
Gently. Now We are working there and
the new MOffat railroad will bisect the
coal section This will give means of
transportation and the Yampa field
should prosper at once.
lover in southwestern Wyoming we
are working I'm some very valuable
hgnitic bitumlnouS coal fields, but the
chief Interest eenteTs IN the production
of oil. or course the industry is not
developed 10 any extent. but the oil
which is now obtained in this section is
far finer III quality than any California
ever has produced. I should say il is
worth ten to twenty times more. but
the number of wells must be material
ly increased before Wyoming can COM
pete with California in this commodity.
Wyoming, oil is of the illuminating va
riety and is being shipped to Florence.
Colo. for refining. / was told that as
soon as oil was discovered in sufficient
quantities private companies now Op-
evatins there will build refineries on
the ground and only ship the finished
product
"Of the Utah fields / can say very
little. for the simple reason that our
work there is only just begun. We
have a party working about sixty miles
southeast OF Salt Lake City, in the
heart of the desert country. Scientists
are looking for coal oil. gold or any
thing else of value, but while surface
conditions are in a way encouraging,
nothing has been discovered as yet"