The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-09-08
avn. NJ ~ 417 acres which sold for $60s-

| area of q. 413 acres. which sold for $eos-
| Sl3: and down to August, 1910. there were
| but II entries. with an area OF LID acres
/ which sold for $50 91060 making dlspo-
| sitio0 Of the coal lands in the last Two
| years OF about 5000 acres for sl3o5,O0
| The present congress. as already sald'
| has separated the surface of coal lanes
| either classified or withdrawn for classi-
| fcation, from the coal beneath, so as 10
| permit at all times homestead entries
| upon the surface of lands useful Tor as
riculture and to reserve the ownership
In the coal to the government the queS-
ton which remains to be considered IL
whether the existing law for the sale OF
the coal in the ground should continue
in force or be repealed and new methoa
OF disposition adopted. Under the present
law the absolute title in the coal be-
meath the surface passes TO the grantee
OF the government. The price hxed ~
upon an estimated amount OF the tons
OF coal per acre beneath the surface. ana
the prices are fixed so that the earnings
will only be a reasonable proht upon the
amount paid and the investment heces-
sary. But, of course, this is more or less
guesswork, and the government parts
with the ownership OF the coal In the
ground absolutely. Authorities OF the ge-
illogical survey estimate that In the
United States today there Is supply or
about three thousand billions OF tons OF
coal, and that Of this one thousand billions
are In the public domain, or course, the oth-
er two thousand billions are within private
ownership and under no more control as
to the use or the prices at which he
coal may be sold than any other private
property. II the government leases the
coal lands and acts as any landlord
would. and imposes conditions In IT'S
leases like those which are now imposed
by the owners in fee of coal mines In the
various coal regions Of the east, then IL
would retain over the disposition or the
coal deposits choice as 20 the assignee
Of the lease, or Of resumng possession at
the end Of the term OF the lease. which
might easily be framed to enable 1t to
exercise a limited but effective control
In the disposition and safe OF the coal to
the public. 1t has been urged that the
leasing system has never been adopted In
this country and that its adoption would
largely interfere with the Investment of
capital and the proper development and
opening up of the coal resources. l ven
ture to differ entirely from this view.
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 llberality 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. the
government may secure the benefit OF
sharing in the increased price Of coal and
the additional profit made by the tenant.
BY imposing conditions in respect to the
character Of work to be done In the
mines. the government 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
written permission OF the governmental
authorities, 1t may withhold the needed
consent when It is proposed 10 transfer
the leasehOld TO persons Interested In es-
tabllshing a monopoly Of coal production
in any state or neighborhood. The change
from the absolute grant to the leasing
system will involve good deal OF
trouble In the outset and the training Of
experts In the matter of making proper
leases; but the change will be good
one and can be made. The change Is in
the interest of conservation. and l am
glad to approve It.
Alaska Coal Lands.
The Investigation Of the geological sur
vey show that the coal properties in
Alaska cover about 100 Square miles,
and that there are known 20 be available
about IS. 900 O00.O go tons. This Is. however,
an underestimate of the coal in Alaska,
because further developments will prob
ably increase this amount many times:
but we can say with considerable GER
tainty that there are two fields on the
Pacific slope which can be reached by
RAILWAYS at "A reasonable cost from deem
watcr-in one case about fifty miles and
in the other case OF about $50 miles
which will afford certainly 6.0D. 10000
tons OF coal, more than half OF which is
Of very high grade of bituminous and
Of anthracite. It is estimated to be worth,
In the ground, one-half a cent ton,
which makes It's value per acre from $50
10 800. The coking -coal lands of Penn
sylvania are worth from $500 TO G.Uo an
acre, while other Appalachian helds are
worth from $40 to S3S6 an acre, and the
fields in the central states from $40 to
II 900 an acre, and in the Rocky noun
Lains $40 TO 800 an acre. The demand for
coal on the Iaclnc coast IL Tor about
100000 tons year. II would encounter
the competition or cheap fuel oil, OF
which the equivalent OF l2'~,D tons of
coal a year Is used there. II IL estimated
hat the coal could be laid down at Sc
lttle or san Francisco, htgh-grade BIZ
luminous, at "a ton ana anthracite at
s. or - ton. The price or coal on the
Pacific slope varies greatly from time to
line In the year and from year 10 year
from 81 To Sl2 ton. with regular coal
supply established, the expert or the
geological survey. Mr. Brooks, who has
made a report on the subject, does not
mink there would be an excessive profit
n the Alaska coal mining because the
price at which the coal could be sold
would be considerably lowered by compe-
.iton from these fields and by the pres
snCe OF crude fuel oil. The history of the
avs affecting the disposition OF Alaska
coal lands shows them to need amend