The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-11
DUE IN DIFFERENCE IN
STANDARD OF WoRkAOILITY
Analysis IS Made By Director
Smith Of u. 5. Geological
Survey

Washington, d. c., March II -
Advance proof sheets Of the impog-
tant reports on the extent and va aue
v the seq osated coal lands Of Okla
noma give an interesting analysis Of
The two confiic ing estimates made
on this subject This analysis by
Director Otis Smith Of the United
States geological survey, is as fol
lows.
These calculations show 6S,79352
acres which contain no coal and
1863, 81 acres OF land under which
are 5S9,O72 IL acres OF coal Of an ay-
erage thickness OF feet inches Of
coal an acre. an Average thickness
Of the individual beds OF 3 feet 4
inches per acre, and q total tonnage
of 1,9S5,1SS,000 tons. Mr. Taft re-
ports 1900 acres Of non-coal, an
average thickness of Z feet of coal
or the area underain by workable
coal and a total tonnage of 2,954,-
l3S.CG0 ions Mr. Cameron reports
2TG.953 acres OF workable coal beds
The difference be ween the esti-
mates Of Mr. Taft and these made by
Mr.. Ashley from all of the data col
lected by both Taft and Cameron is
due 10 the large amount of priva,e
lrilling and the recent government
lrilling that was no, avaiaoic at the
time Mr. Taft made his estimates
The difference between the estt
mates of Mr.. Cameron and Mr.. Ash
ley, both made upon the same data, IS
due 10 the difference in the standard
Of w0rkability Mr.. Cameron has
limited himself to the coal less than
1000 feet in depth and, as rule, to
.oal ever 3 feet thick, cor esponding
such coal as is being mined in
oklahoma with financial success I'M
Ter The somewhat adverse conditions
loldlag there today Mr. Ashley
has adopted the limit of depth 5000
feet and the thickness II inches,
fixed in the regulations for the elias.
iifiJa ion and valuation Of public coal
ands, approved by you April TO-
1909 The reasons for these sand.
ards ale explained in special bur
letin. In order, however, that his
calculations can be compared direct
ly with those OF MI Cameron, the
,oal over 3 feet thick and less than
1000 feet deep has been estimated
separately and appears in the table
tndcr the heading readily availa
Bile. The remainder is under the
heading reserve ccal. Mr.. Ash
ley has found the acreage of readily
l{ailable" coal TO be 2l7,3S2 acres,
which is somewhat lower than Mr..
0amerons estimate OF 21O,953 acres.
including The reserve coal Mr..
lshlcy's estimate gives 37l $50 bed
acres Of coal.
in vaMing these coal lands -four
assumptions may be made; (D That
the coal be retained by the Indians
and sold under lease hold contracts
as at present A the present roy
atty rate this would yield a total re-
turn OF app oximately $l61,000,O00
less The cost of inspection and ad-
minisiration, and at The present rate
Of mining this return would be re-
covered in $50 years.
(2l That they be retained by the
Indians until sold by tracts or oher-
wise On demand for immediate ex-
/ ploita,ion. On this basis the value
has been assumed 10 be the same
! that II would be ii these were govern
ment lands and being he'd by The gov
eminent and the value calculated IN
the same way as the value of the
government lands. This gives q
total value OF s26026.920
(3j Thai they be thrown onto th'
marke by tracts and bring wnai the5
will Their value can not be esti
mated in ibis case. but undoubtedly
Il would average very low
a. Thar they be sold in a singll
piece 10 the state or national govern
ment. If the national governmen
can obtain money at per cent the,
are worth to Il from $5,00O,00O to So
7 600et1. II the state governmeu