Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-06-06
COAL LANDS AND
THEIR DISPOSAL

d COAL LANDS AND
THEIR DISPOSAL
The matter of the entry of coal
: lands is one of especial interest to a
number of homesteaders in this
state, who have made entry upon
lands that lie in the coal belt. Ac-
cording to a recent report, it is
agreed by the biologists of the land
department that in all but compare
lively few townships in the western
part of the state, the land is deemed
more valuable for agricultural than
for coal mining purposes. A recent
letter to the Journal from it's Wash
ington correspondent contains the
following with reference to the gen.
eral scheme of the department for
the disposal of coal lands:
=. Recently enacted legislation gives
to the agricultural entrymen whose
entry was made prior to the passage
Of the act the privilege of electing to
take the surface rights, while the
coal rights are reserved for future
and separate disposition.
'"The chief of the Denver field d.
vision OF the general land Office re-
ports that from information received
in his Office 80 per cent. of the Colo
RADIO entrymen in areas supposed to
contain coal will elect to take title
to the surface, reserving to the Unit
ed States the coal rights. This alone
indio0foo tho oI,lo nd iel~ ~
this legislation which is the first i'm
portant amendment of the coal land
act along the lines urged by Mr.. Bal
linger in 1907, when commissioner of
the general land Office.
IF the entrymen,~ on the other
hand, choose to contest, then the is
sue becomes one OF relative worth be-
tween agricultural and coal values.
In report to Secretary Ballinger
the director of the survey stated that
In the case of the North Dakota
lands, to which the act was supposed
to be especially applicable, while all
western North Dakota, a part of
which had been withdrawn as coal
lands, is believed by the biologists of
the survey to be actually underlain
by workable deposits of Ignite, yet
in. all but ffty-four townships this
area is conceded to be at present
more valuable for agricultural pur-
poses than for its deposits of low
grade coal.
The regulations for the classical
ton and valuation of the govern
ment coal lands, as revised In April,
provide for somewhat more dis
eliminating separation of the coal
and non-c0al lands and for the fixing
of more adequate valuations upon
lands underlain by the higher grades
of coal.
''These changes were determined
upon by the secretary of the interior
from the consideration of present
conditions in coal mining in the west
ern states, where thinner and deeper !
beds are being mined than was form !
erly the case, and of current practice
in the matter of coal royalties collect
ed both by the states and by private
landowners.
Two of the regulations indicate the !
spirit of these administrative meas
ures for safeguarding the disposal of |
the nations remaining coal lands. !
The price of coal lands containing the !
1owest-grade bituminous Goals or the |
Ifgnites is fixed at the minimum pro-
vided by law, the intention being to
thus encourage, so far as the law per-
mits, the immediate utilization of |
these low-grade fuels.
another rule states that in all ;
valuation of coal beds, any special
condition enhancing the value of the
land for coal-mining purposes shall
be taken into consideration.
1.-THE revised scheme used in the
valuation Of the coal lands differs ,
from that formerly in force in two
general respects. The basis is now
specifically that Of coal tonnage, and
the land prices thus determined Of
the better grades of coal, anthracite
and cqkfng bituminous, are some:
what higher, the maximum beingd
raised from 500 to $500 an acre and
indeed, this maximum, does not hold
In districts which contain large coal
mines where the character and *
tent Of thevsc ua1 deposits are we'll
known to tthes purchaser II
# The plan OF valuing< the public
coal lands by accurate determinatio1;
Of coal quality and tonnage, is the
most equitable possible, and while
adequate returns afessecured to the,
government, the land prices thus 'fx-
"a Pnfeiy amount 10 one-fourth of i
the royalties prevailing In the same ]
.districts among private interests.
The present scheme Of valuation
.is;as follows: Anthracite and coking !
5bituminous Goals ere valued at 2 tor
8 centa q ton High grade, nOn-cok
sfng bituminous coaIs are valued at L
10 2 cents q ton High grade, sub
Adtuminous and low grade bitumi-s
nous coals and lignites are valued at