Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-09-05

report made at the instance OF Tres
Roosevelt upon the disposition Of COZ
lands IN Australia, Tasmania and Ne
Zealand. These are peculiarly minin
countries, and their experience ougi
70 be most valuable. In all these cour
tries the method for the disposition an
opening OF coal mines originally owne
by the government IL by grantin
leasehold, and not by granting an alb
solutc title. The terms OF the lease
run all tine way from 20 to so year,
while the amount OF land which ma
be leased to any individual there 1
from 800 to 1000 acres. IL appears tina
a fun examination was made and IN
opinions Of the leading experts on tn
subject We're solicited and given. ant
that with one accord they approved
I'm all respects the leasing system III
success IL abundantly SHOWN. II u
| possible that at first considerable lati
tude Will have 10 be given to the ex
| ocItive In drafting these forms OF lease
but as soon as experiment shall show
| which Ia the most workable and prac.
| ticsble, It's use should be provided fol
specifically by statute.
The question as TO how great an
area ought TO be included IN a lease
TO one individual or corporation, is not
free from difficulty; but In view OF
the fact that the government retains
control as owner, ! think there might
be some liberaitv in the amount leased
and that $500 acres would not be too
great a maximum.
BY the opportunity to readjust the
terms upon which the coal shall be
held by the tenant, either at the end
OF each lease or at periods during
the term. tho government may secure
the benefit OF sharing in the increased
price OF coal and the additional profit
made by the tergnt by imposing con-
ditions In respect TO the character OF
work TO be dom IN the mines, the gov
eminent may control the character Of
the development OF the mines and the
treatment OF employees with reference
to safety. BY denying the right to
transfer the lease except by the writ
ten permission OF the governmental
authorities. IL nay withhold the needed
consent when Il is proposed to transfer
the leasehod to persons Interested In
establishing monopoly Of coal pro-
duction In any state or neiRhborhood.
As one-third OF all the coal supply Is
held by the government, II seems Wise
that II should retain such control over
tho mining and the sale a. the relation
OF lessor to lessee furnishes. The
change from tho absolute grant TO the
leasing system will Involve a good deal
of trouble In the outset. and the train
inF of experts IN the matter Of making
proper leases: tut the change viii be
good one and can he made The
change Is In the interest OF conserva-
tion, and am YlEd to approve II.
ALASKA COAL LANDS.
The Investigations of the geological
survey show that the Goa properties
in Alaska cover about 1900 square
miles, and that there are known 10 be
available about 5000 100000 tons. 1hs
is, however, an underestimate Of the
coal in Alaska, because further de-
Nelopments viii probably increase this
amount many times: but we can say
with considerable certainty that there
are two fields On the Pacific slope
mich can be rePched by railways at
reasonable cost from deep water
In one case OF about 30 miles and in
the other case OF about $50 miles
which will afford certainly 5000 900 600
tens % coal. more than half Of which
Is OF a very high grade OF bitumlnous
and OF anthracite. II Is estimated TO
be worth. in she ground, one-half a
cent ton, which makes its value per
acre from $50 q $500 TIL. cooking coal
lands Of Pennsylvania are worth from
$500 10 $4,000 ar acre, while other Ap-
! alachian fields are worth from $40 to
1856 an acre, and the fields In the CEN
trail states from $40 to s. 900 an acre
and I'm the Rocky mountains $40 to
$500 an acre. The demand for coal on
the Pacific coast IS for about $500. 900
tons year. II would encounter the
competition OF cheap fuel OIL, OF which
the equivalent OF l2,00000o tons Of coal
a year IS used there. Il Is estimated
that the coal could be laid down at
Seattle or San Francisco, a high-grade
at 50 ton and anthracite
at s. or So ton. The price OF coal
on the Pacific slope varies greatly from
time to time In tho year and from
year TO ycar-from 81 to sl2 a ton. With
a regular coal supply established, tho
expert Of the geological survey, Mr..
Brooks, who has made a report on the
subject. does not think there would bc
an excessive profit in the Alaska coal
mining because the price AZ which the
coal could he sold would he consider
ably lowered by competition from these
fields and by the presence OF crude
fuel oil. The history Of the laws ar
fecting the disposition n Alaska coal
lands shows them to need amendment
badly. Speaking OF them. Mr.. Brooks
says;
Nh. BROOKS REPORT.
The first act. passed June 6, 1900, |
simply extended 70 Alaska the provi- |
lions OF the coal-land laws In the Uni |
ed states. The law was effective |
or II provided that only subdivided |
anus NNhAu Nv Adhfu up anu lnNlt |
we're then no land surveys I'm Alaska. |
'he matter was rcctifed by the act |
# April q. 1904, which permitted un-
urveyed lands TO be entered and the |
urYeys TO be made at the expense OF |
he entrymen. Unfortunately, the law
provided that only tracts OF $50 acres /
ould be taken up. and no recognition
vas given 10 Blc fact that IL was Inn
practicable TO develop am Isolated coal
ield requiring the expenditure Of
arge amount ~ money by such small
nits Many claims were staked. how
Vcr, and surveys We're made for pat
nts. II was recognized by everybody
amiliar with the conditions that after
atent was obtained these claims would
% combined in tracts large enough TO
ssure successful mining operations. No
ne experienced IN mining would. on
curse, consider II feasible TO open IA
GAL field on the basis OF single 1s0-acre
racts. Tho claims for the most part
'ere handled in groups. for which one
gent represented the several different
wuers. Unfortunately. n strict in
expectation of the statute raised the
uestion whether even a tacit under
landing between claim owners to COM
Inc after patents had been obtained
as not illegal Remedial legislation
as sought and enacted In the statute
+ May 2S, 1905 This law permitted
10 consolidation NJ claims staked pro
.ous TO Nov, ~, 1906. In tracts OF 1850
rres. one clause ~ this law Invalid
ted tho title IL any individual or COR
1ratiou at any time In the future
Sned any interest whatsoever. direct