Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-09-06
BISMARCK DAILY TRIBUNE
ident Roosevelt upon the disposition
of coal lands In Australia. Tasmania
Hoaland Thea ma mcmillan

ident Roosevelt upon the disposition
of coal lands In Australia. Tasmania
and New Zealand. These are peculiar
ly mining countries. and their expert
ence ought to be most valuable In
all these countries the method for the
disposition and opening Of coal mines
originally owned by the government Is
by granting leasehoid and not by
granting an absolute title.
The terms Of the leases run all the
way from twenty to fifty years. while
the amount Of land which may be
leased to any individual there is from
so acres to 1900 acres. 1t appears
that a full examination was made and
the opinions Of all the leading experts
on the subject were solicited and CIV
en- and that with one accord they ap-
proved in all respects the leasing sys-
tenn
Its success is abundantly shown. 1t
is possible that at first considerable
latitude will have to be given to the
executive in drafting these forms OF
lease, but as soon as experiment shall
show which Is the most workable and
practicable its use should be provided
for specifically by statute.
The question as to how great an
area ought to be included in lease
to one individual or corporation Is not
free from difficulty, but in view of the
fact that the government retains con-
troll as owner think there might be
some liberality in the amount leased
and that 1900 acres would not be
too great q maximum.
Alaska Coal Lands.
The Investigations Of the geological
survey show that the coal properties
in Alaska cover about 1900 square
miles and that there are known to be
available about 15OOO,OOO,OOO tons.
This is. however. an underestimate OF
the coal In Alaska, because further de-
velopments will probably increase this
amount many times but We can say
with considerable certainty that there
are TWO fields on the Pacific slope
which can he reached by railways at a
reasonable cost from deep water-in
one case Of about fifty miles and in
the other case Of about $50 miles
which will afford certain G,OOO, 100000
tons of coal. more than half Of which
is Of very high grade Of bituminous
and Of anthracite.
1t Is estimated to be worth in the
ground One-half cent ton, which
makes its value per acre from $50 to
$500. The coking coal lands Of Penn
sylvania are worth from $500 to $1,000
an acre. while other Appalachian fields
are worth from $40 to 1886 an acre,
and the fields in the central states
from $40 to $1,000 an acre, and in the
Rocky mountains $40 to $500 an acre.
The demand for coal on the Pacific
coast is for about 100000 tons year.
1t would encounter the competition Of
cheap fuel oil, Of which the equivalent
Of 100000 tons Of coal a year are
used there.
It is estimated that the coal could be
laid down at Seattle or San Francisco,
high grade bituminous, at 81 ton
and anthracite ut s. or So ton. The
price Of coal on the Pacific slope va
ries greatly from time to time In the
year and from year to year-from 81
to $l2 ton. With a regular coal sup
ply established. the expert Of the geo.
logical survey, Mr.. Brooks. who has
made a report on the subject, does not
think there would be an excessive
profit In the Alaska coal mining, be-
cause the price at which the coal could
be sold would be considerably lowered
by competition from these fields and
by the presence Of crude fuel oil. The
history Of the laws affecting the dispo-
sition of Alaska coal lands shows them
to need amendment badly.
The Cunningham Claims.
On Nov. II, 1906, President Roose-
velt issued an executive order with.
drawing all coal lands from location
and entry in Alaska. On May 10, 1907,
be modified the order so as to permit
valid ocations made prior to the with
drawal on Nov. II. 1906. to proceed to
entry and patent.
Prior to that date some 900 claims
had been filed, most Of them said to
be illegal because either made fraudu-
lently by dummy entrymen in the in
terest Of one individual or corporation
or because Of agreements made prior
to location between the applicants to
cooperate in developing the lands.
There are thirty-three claims for 16O
acres each. known as the Cunning
ham claims" which are claimed to be
valid on the ground that they were
made by an attorney for thirty-three
different and bona tide claimants, who,
as alleged. paid their money and took
the proper steps to locate their entries
and protect them.
The representatives Of the govern
ment in the hearings before the land
Office have attacked the validity Of
these Cunningham claims on the
ground that prior to their location
there was an understanding between