Omaha daily bee., 1908-02-15
CONSERVING OF COAL LANDS
Steps Taken by Interior Department
to Lessen Speculation.
DIFFERENT PLANS SUGGESTED
Generally Accepted Area to BE Pur-
chased should He Increased
to Permit Advantageous
wOrI<lnE.


records of the general land office disclose
some intel esting data, especially with regard
to the sale of coal lands under the act of
March 8, 1873, up to and including June TO-
1907.
During the year 1906 practically all of the
coal lands in the public land states were
Withdrawn from appropriation pending their
classification and valuation, based on the
distance of the land from constructed lines
OF transportation and the grade of the coal
such lands contained The position was
taken that the remaining public coal lands
should be conserved and that the coal land
law, which had lost its effectiveness
through subterfuge on the part of many
applicants desirous Of securing such lands
| restricted the sale of such lands to such an
extent that lands known to be coal lands
and chiefly valuable for such were taken
under other laws. In this connection figures
showing the area of coal lands sold since
the passage of the act of 1873 up to June 80
1907, have been compiled. from which It ap-
pears that during that time. or thirty-four
years, but 3,Os2 purchases, embracing 4z9,OO7
acres and for which S. 46S, ,5O7.69 was re-
ceived, have been made of both public and
Indian lands containing coal, such pur-
chases of Indian lands having only been
made in the state of Colorado.
DispOsinE of Coal Lands.
| At the time of the withdrawal of the
probable and known coal area, in 1906 it is
estimated that approximately $500, ,24O acres
were withdrawn, at which time it was also
ed that approximately 24,6SS52O acres
within the area had been patented or were
embraced in pending entries made under
some other law than the coal land law,
with very few exceptions. The figures, as
compiled, plainly show that many acres of
coal lands have been disposed of under
laws other than the coal land law. which
is accounted for largely because of the pro-
visions Of the coal land law, which tend to
| lessen the sales under IL on account of the
small area one person or association OF
persons can purchase (an area not suffi-
| cient to justify the necessary expenditures
| incident to the development of a paying
mine, and the price per acre at which coal
| lands are sold, these lands being the most
expensive of all public lands) During the
last summer all but approximately 100000
| acres of the area withdrawn in 1906 have
been classified, valued and restored some
of the lands withdrawn, after being exam
ined in the field, having been found to be
non-coal.
! Some of the lands classified have been
valued as hight as $75 per acre but the
average valuation, excepting the lands con-
| tanning low grade Goals and subject to
entry at the minimum prices of $40 to SO
per acre, has been under $40 per acre de-
pending upon the distance OF the fands
! from constructed transportation lines, to-
gether with the quality of the coal 1t
is believed that after the quality of the
coal has been determined and the price at
| ub no 10, la Il
fixed there is more of a demand to pur-
chase than there would have been had the
classification and valuation not been made.
| The steps taken by the Interior Depart
ment to conserve the remaining coal lands
| 1t is believed will tend to lessen the spec
ulation which has heretofore been INDUCED
In by many persons in the purchase of such
! lands because of the determination of the
character thereof which will permit of
their being entered only under the coal
land law and at the prices fixed, unless
the rights of applicants were initiated with
in 60 days prior to the Withdrawals.
Greatest Good to People.
1t is believed that the public generally
is of the opinion that the remaining un-
appropriated public coal lands can well be
! treated or classed as a public utility to be
conserved and disposed of in a manner
which will result in the greatest amount
of good being obtained for the interest OF
! all the people. To accomplish this by cor
recting the evils of the present system
careful consideration must be given to all
elements which enter into the disposition of
such lands and while the correction has
been probably long delayed the action now
taken should not be to the other extreme.
The object to be attained is to meet present
/ and fufnra nd to
nopoly and excessive prices in the dispo-
stioin of such lands Some sections of the
public land states seem TO favor the sale
of the coal deposits in the lands, subject
| to forfeiture for failure to exercise the
| rights granted which plan would leave the
| surface open to disposition under appro-
! pirate laws, subject to the right of the
! purchasers of the coal to mine the same
! advantageousy; others favor a leasing
/ system under which plan the title to the
| land would be restrained In the Govern
| ment; under either of the above suggested
remedies all familiar with conditions as
! they now exist seem to be in accord that
the area should be increased to such a
| figure as would enable conservative inves-
tors to purchase such an area as would
| afford them a reasonable return for their
| Investments, which would tend to open up
more mines and increase the output in
| stead of allowing coal lands to remain un-
developed and thus indirectly increase the
price of fuel as well as limit the output.
1t is believed that legislation will be en-
acted at the present session OF Congress
looking to an amendment Of the present
laws so as to afford the relief desired
Statement of Sales.
Aggregate sales OF public and Indian
coal lands in each Of the several land
| states and territories, from the passage of
the act of March 8. 1873. up to and includ
ing June 3d. 1907, Coal entries of Indian
land have only been made in the state OF
/ Colorado.