The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-25
Project Is Designed to
Double Former Returns
to Government.
SOLD ON A BASIS
OF COAL DEPOSIT
On Market as Fast as Value Is
Determined by Experts of
Geological Survey.

y new plan for the disposal Of the
coal lands on the public domain OF the
United States that will net more than
twice the former returns TO the Gov
eminent, YVES announced by Secretary
BaIlinger, OF the Department of the In
terror, today. The prices for coal lands
throughout the United States, except
Alaska. which is governed by a differ
ent law, have been increased all along
the line
The plan announced today IS expected
10 end the dispute started by the with
drawaI by Roosevelt of 6S.000.000 acres
of coal lands in the West. Il is a fur
Their development Of the classification
plan set in action by former Secretary
of the Treasury James r. Garfield. and
is TO be carried out On more accurate
and scientific lines. The Bailinger plan
viii secure to the Government more
than ten times the amount OF money
secured by the sale of coal lands be-
fore Garfield went into office
Secretary BalIinger has had the coal
lands on the public domain classified
with reference to both the quality AMI
quantity Of coal underlying the soil.
They win be sold on this basis. with the
prevailing royalty per ton that is
usually paid private owners. as a fun-
damental price
Royalties Smaller.
The royalties are smaller than those
paid private companies because Secre-
tary Ballinger believes that the pro
vision Of law that limits the number Of
acres one man can buy prevents the
same degree of economic development
that large companies can secure.
The coal lands which were withdrawn
under Garfield are being examined by
| experts of the Geological Survey and
are being put back on the market as
fast as their value is determined.
The present ruling viii increase the
price Of the most valuable coal lands
from S100 per acre under the Garfield
/ plan to more than 500 per acre under
| the Baiiinser plan. Ignite coal lands
/ OF low value Wlli DE sold AT the low
/ est price fixed by law, from SO to so per
acre, depending on their distance from a
I railroad. Secretary Ballinger feels that
, these lands should be sold for as little
as possible because the zeal is Of such
| little value that its Development should
| be encouraged
Consider Special Conditions.
It is also provided in the new regulations
that where the value of the coal lands
is well known 10 the purchaser, the max
inium price shall not hold" SpeciaI con
ditions, such as the prevailing royalties
in the district, are to be taken into con
sideratiOn in such cases. and it is not
unlikely that the price of these lands
may run up as high as 5000 per acre
Before Garfield took office all coal
lands were sold at the minimum pro-
vided by law, not lower than SO and
not higher than so per acre. Coal lands
worth millions of dollars were dispose
Of under this plan.
Garfield developed a plan Of classfh-
cation and sold the land per acre de-
pending on the approximate value al
the coal and its character. Secretary
Ballinger has directed that the Geo-
| logical Survey get exact information a.
10 the tonnage and qualities of the codl
that is left.