The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-02-14
REPORT READY TO FILE
With GOVERNOR
Congress Must First Give
Permission 10 Indians
TO Sell

The purchase by the new state of
the Choctaw and Chickasaw segre.
gated coal and asphalt lands is
recommended In the report of the
e.mmissloS named by the constitu-
tiunal convention 20 investigate the
lands. This report was filed last even
nE With Governor Haskell.
The lands amulnting to 100000
acres have been Withdrawn from sale
by congress and without congression-
a. sanction the tribal governments are
powerlcss to sell them. The commits
sion will recommend that congress be
asked to permit negotiations for the
purpose OF the lands by the state.
Would Submit It To Vote.
IT viii become necessary, in all
probability, the report says. for
the state TO issue bonds and as the
question as to the issuance of bonds
must be submitted TO the people at
general election, and as there will be
no general election after this years
until 1910. and as no great deal Of
progress lan be made in the mean
time until u is known whether the
bonds for the purchase of the lands
VIII ht HiNota~ts 10y NVhihAAHsiNH -
ommends that the proposition be, by
the legislature, submitted to the peo
l,le at the next general election pro-
viding for the issuance OF bonds in an
amount not to exceed 10 million dol
lars. or as much thereof as may be
necessary to be used for the pur-
chase lands. providing they can be
purchased at a reasonable rate
The value sof the surface lands is
estimated az not to exceed S. an acre.
and possibly less In estimating the
value of the coal deposits the com
mission made no explorations OF hs
own. and relied mainly on public doc1-
ments. and the testimony Of sg-h
operators as could be induced TO at
tend its hearings One estimate Of
the deposits was 2 billion tons which.
al the present rate. wonla require
several hundred years OF mining % be
tut on thc market. Carl Scholz, man
ager of the mining properties OF the
Rrek Island railroad company hNee
the coal values az liz million dollars.
and the value cs the surface lands at
ss.G0e Geo. making a fatal valle Of
approximately Q million dollars. Chas.
u. Waleott. director of the United
states geological survey. was Quoted
as saying that the lands We're worthI
anywhere between 81 and sac an acre.
Would Mean Cheaper Coal
If these coal resources We're con
lrolled by the state the price Of coal
could be reduse ed one-third, the con-
mission believes. This would Increase
The demand for coal The commission
has reliable information that the cost
~ mining coal IN the Indian Territory
district Is from Sl.2a 10 not eNceeains
s. a tell and thai state ownership
would put the best quality ot coal ON
Inc home market at not more lhah
sa q ton Because Of the present
monopoly the price IS as high as " p
ton
The commission believes that a
tboroggh investigation. running
through period Of a few months,
should he given in order TO ascertain
tha value OF the lands and that Il VIII
moi be beyond the reach OF the siato
tc purchase them. The commission
believes Il should have the assistan. G
az both practical experts ana u should
haye tie authority to compel WI
resses To give testimony ana shohie
hava the authority 20 inspect mines
IN the presence OF their experts ana
lake sech measurements concernillf
ne depth and trend Of the coal n
they may be able TO do before any estp
mate OF the yalqe OF these lands can
be arrived az
The asphalt aggregation rs sman
compared to the coal segregation, pul
there are largo quantities, aud OF .
| valuable quality that Il nndonpteail
would be a splendid asset TO ise sia'e