The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-18
Instructions to Land Officials.

Instructions to Land Officials.
In instructions from the General Land
Office TO registers and receivers of the
United States Land Office, is the fol
lowing:
IT will be observed that the last SEN
proof has heretofore been made. or shall
hereafter be made. showing good faith
ana satisfactory compliance with the law
under n location. selection, or entry made
prlor TO ClaSSl1iCatlo or report OF coal
character, the locator. Sclector. or entry
man In such case will be entitled to a
time of such final proof and entry IL
shall be shown that tho land is chiefly
valuable for coal. Therefore I'm all cases
where such locations. selections, and en-
tries have proceeded TO final proof and
entry. no hearings will be ordered except
In cascs where reports or charges are
made showing that the proof could not
have been made In good faith because Of
the known coal character Of the land. or
because of some other fact tending TO es-
tabish a want of good faith in the
claimant
This provision OF the act means that
where a nonmineral claim has In good
faith and after due compliance with law
been carried To final proof and entry the
mere fact that the land has been classi
fed. claimed, or reported as being valu-
able Tor coal WIN not in itself prevent
without {. reservation 10 the United
States of the coal but of course If the
land was prior to final proof known Co
the entryman. locator. or selector, or gen
orally in the Yicnlty) to be coal land,
the nonmineral location. selection, entry.
or proof must necessarily have been made
in bad faith, and upon that ground such
nonmineral claim may be attacked even
though II may have proceeded TO final
proof and entry.
in order that due protection may he af-
forded the interests OF the government,
il will be necessary for registers and re-
cciyers. where application is hereafter
made. To submit final proof for lands
classified, claimed or reported as con-
tanning coal, to set the date for making
such proofs sufficiently far In advance.
after consultation with the chief OF field
division. so that an agent OF the govern
ment may be able to appear al the time
the proof is approved and show that the
land applied for Is chiefly valuable for Thee
coal contained therein, il such be the
fact.
Under these instructions the thou
sands of acres Of coal lands which the
state of Utah gave away and which
have been patented, cannot be recov-
cred. and while the state loses millions
OF dollars the general government also
loses a large sum.
Many Relinquishments.
Under the new act there has been
filed within the past few days in the
land office in Salt Lake certificates of
REIMBURSEMENT to coal, but retaining
the surface rights which cover above
10000 acres Of land in Carbon, Emery,
Iron, Kane, Washington and Sanpete
counties. Thursday was very busy
day, one party alone electing to take
the surface rights of 1000 acres and
let the government take the coal This
party, it might be said, has a vast acre
age of coal lands near this 1900 acres
TO which he has patent
Among those who are IN Salt Lake
TO file notice that surface right will be
accepted is n representative of syn
dicate. who corralled alone 1000 acres
of splendid coal land at 81. 80 per acre
This representative was former Off
cial, but who became frightened n year
ago and told many things to officials
in order TO save himself, and for so
doing was promised immunity from pros
ecution. This representative likewise
has many acres of valuable coal lands
for which he has patent, lands which
the state of Utah gave him.