Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-18
LAND WITHDRAWN =. entry
Large Tracts in WyOm ID Mon
tnna, Supposed 60 Contain Coal,
VIII he Examined--Other
Tracts Restored.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-For more than
two hours today the senate listened to a
discussion Of the senate bill authorizing the
issuance OF S9O,00o0O0 worth of certificates
OF Indebtedness for the completion of rri-
cation projects already begun.
The measure was ohampioned by num-
Der OF senators, especially Messrs. arter
and Borah. Mr. Carter said in a number
of cases dams had been completed, while
the bitches had not been constructed, thus
providing for the storage but not for the
distribution OF water. The effect was to
withhold the water from settlers. 1t was
stated that the money would all be repaid
by the settlers and that in reality the
treasury would not in any way be affected.
The fear was voiced by Senators Flint
and Crawford that the department might
be tempted to enter upon new schemes be-
fore the completion of present enterprises
and thus soon involve the government in
further obligations. 1t was contended on
behalf Of the measure that the danger had
been averted by the language of the bill.
Senator Hepburn charged the shortage of
the reclamation fund to be due to the with
1rawal Of the public lands from sale Thus
the fund had been starved by the govern
ment and congress had heedlessly per-
mitted the process, he said. He declared
1t would not be asking too much TO ask
the appropriation of the money necessary
to make good the wrong done. He urged
that tho lof should not be crimped. The
bill was under consideration when the SEN
ate adjourned.
An extensive temporary withdrawal of
lands from the public domain was made
by Secretary Ballinger today involving
2O6s,492 acres reserved from coal entry,
nd b uytth oil
forms of disposition. Forty-six thousand
four hundred and thrty-one acres were
restored TO settlement
Data recently collected by the geological
survey indicated that the public lands in
Wyoming and Montana contained valu-
able ASlepcstfs or coal. Sand- 20 determine,
the question the secretary of the interior
today withdrew from coal entry 1.20S, ,2O6
acres In the former state and S60.2s6 in
the latter pending detailed field ex
animation.
Twenty-one thousand, eight hundred and
twenty-eight acres located along the Red
Rock lakes in Montana have been tempo
rarily withdrawn from all entry in aid of
proposed legislation affecting the dis
posal of water power sites on the public
domain. field Investigation having
shown the existence of valuable coal de-
posits on 67,255 acres in Colorado the land
has been reserved from all entry until
they have been classified and appraised
by geologists, and 26,OO2 acres in that
state which are now exempt from coal
entry were today withdrawn from all
forms of disposition, pending their classi-
fication and appra!sement
Phosphate Lands Restored.
In aid of proposed legislation affecting
aad disposition OF phosphate deposits on
the public domain the secretary has tenn
porarily Withdrawn 2,29S acres in Utah
from all entry and has restored to settle
ment 56,43l ceres. which were tempo
rariy Withdrawn in that state on Decem-
Der 8, 1908 field invest cation proved
that the lands which have been restored
die not contain deposits of phosphates.
The total area covered by Withdrawals
for examination as to phosphate deposits
now amounts approximately to 2,493,656
acres, of which about S6,553 are in Utah.
In aid OF proposed legislation affecting
the use and disposition of petroleum on
the public domain, 9,1O9 acres of land in
Wyoming have been withdrawn from all
forms of disposal
Indian Appropriations Lower.
The Indian appropriation bill being placed
before the house today, Representative
Burke Is. D., chairman OF the committee
reporting the measure, spoke at length upon
the condition of the Indians In the United
states. While the appropriations for the
present fiscal year aggregated nearly Sl2,
10000 the aggregate of the pending bill was
but $S.27s,662 excluding payments to be
made from trust funds. He said the com
mittee would be able at the next session OF
congress to reduce still further these appro-
priations,