The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-04
LOW ROYALTY PLACED
UPON COAL OUTPUT
Government Leasing of Coal
Lands Might Be Better
in Long Run.

| The President. following UP HIS recent
recommendation concerning the public
| coal lands, has sent to Congress n spe-
! cial message further outlining his policy
and urging the enactment of laws TO carry
! 1t out He advocates the leasing OF
these coal lands. aud reservation by the
! Government OF the right TO supervise their
development. says the Engineering and
Mining Journal.
In support OF hts argument, the Presi-
dent refers to the successful operation OF
Ihls policy In certain foreign countries.
rms reference WAS entirely unnecessary
inasmuch in our own country exam
pies OF such a system may be readily
observed In Colorado, where thousands
OF acres OF public coal lands have been
taken up By corporations which are at
present operating and developing mnes
the state retains possession of a certain
section (6i0 acres) Of land in every
township. In coal districts this square
mile OF land, generally known as n
school section" is leased TO and de-
the adjoinln area The State retains en-
Slheers who examine the mining opera
lions carried on under school lands, and
cHecK up by measurement the advances
or all entries and rooms. thus forming
the basis for estimates OF the monthly
tonnage extracted.
The estimates prepared by. the State
engineers are compared with those made
Dy the engineers OF the company, and
from this comparison a basis for the
monthly settlement is determined. The
leases on such coal lands amount to n
considerable figure. The President in
his message. did not specify the rate
nj which these coal lands ought to be
leased. but suggested that the same lib
crallty be extended as has already been
shown by the Government in Its dealings
House Committee on Public Lands has
reported favorably upon bill conform
ing somewhat TO the Presidents recon-
which authorizes the Presi-
not more than cents n ton.
The idea OF liberality on the part of
the Government VIII certainly be car
ried out If cents per ton is 10 be the |
royalty, Thousands OF acres OF |
coal lands throughout the United states |
are being worked today on the royalty !
aware. In most parts of West Virginia |
me ROYALTIES range from TO 10 cents .
per ton, in Ohio, from Go TO 1875 cents
Der ton: in Pennsylvania. Kentucky, Ill-
>ois and Colorado, the average royalty is
ABOUT cents per ton. in metalllferous
% 10 per cent. even in the case OF the
owest grade OF orc, such as tho zinc
IRE of the Joplin district. which is worth
,nIy about DC noS, $iIO per PEI, ton The average
Ihout Sl25 per ton at the mines, Thus
VIII be observed that even the exist
ng custom is decidedly more favorable TO
he lessee In coal mining than in metal
HerouS mining. and, as everyone is
ware, the collleries exploited under cur
mt ayalcies are In most instances profit
ole TO the operators. II the public coal
lnds are TO be leased. why should the
maximum royalty be so low as . cents
er ton?
However even that low rate will pro-
uce an income that VIII show In strong
ontrast with the present policy OF Civ
az away these resources. II we consider
hat the average thickness of the work
bic coal seams underlying the Govern
lent land is five feet and that only 1000 1
ons OF coal will be produced from each
ere. the Government Will receive $50
I royalties for each acre OF coal that
worked under lease. less the cost of
Up 10 date about So
O,OOO acres of public coal land have
assed under private control. There Is
Q doubt That large part OF these hold
price not exceeding SO per acre, and
many cases for less than 81 per acre.
Is conserFatlNcly estimated that the
oNernment still controls 20,000,O00 acres
ase Is limited (2560 acres) In the bin
9fore Congress- this area is sufficiently
rye to Justify the installation OF sub
antial plant, and since such an area
ould produce from 10000 900 to 10 900 900
ms OF coal. the life OF the operation
ould extend over period Of from eight
fifteen years. The chief question to
considered is the rate OF royalty. In :
;much as the value OF the remaining
al lands Is largely dependent upon their
'oNimity to existing or projected rail
avs. or upon their situation In districts
lely TO be developed by railways In the
,ar future, it would appear that the
te ri royalty ought TO take this into
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