Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-06


geological survey estimate that in the
United states today there is a supply Of
about 20OO.OOo 10000 OF tons OF coal, and
that Of mis- 200 600 OOO. 900 are in the public
domain.
My Investigations show that many own
ers OF mining property of this country do
not mine Il themselves, and do not Invest
their money in the plants necessary for the
mining; but they lease their properties for
a term Of years varying from twenty to
thirty and forty years, under conditions
requiring the erection Of a proper plant and
the investment of a certain amount Of
money in the development of !he mines,
and fixing rental and a royalty. some
times an absolute figure and sometimes
one proporuoned to the market value Of the
coal. Under this latter method the owner
OF the mine shares In the prosperity of
his lessees when coal is high and the profits
good. and also shares to some extent In
their disappointment when the price Of coal
! falls. ...
/ II have looked with some care into
report made at the instance OF President
| Roosevelt upon the disposition OF coal lands
In Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand
These are peculiarly mining countries and
their experience ought to be most valuable.
In all these countries the method for the
disposition and opening of coal mines orig
inally owned by the government Is by
granting leasehold. 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 $40
TO 1000 acres. 1t appears that a full ex-
animation was made and the opinions of
all the leading experts on the subject we're
solicited and given, and that with one ac-
cord they approved in eli respects the leas
ing system. Its success is abundantly
shown. 1t is possible that at first consid-
cradle 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,
Comparative value of Coal Lands.
The Investigations OF the geological sur
vey show that the coal properties in Alaska
cover about 100 square miles ana that
there are known to be available about 49,
OOO,OOOOOO tons, This is, however an under
estimate OF the coal in Alaska, because fur
ther developments will probably inorea Sc
this amount many times; but we san say
with considerable certainty that there are
two fields on the Pacific slope which can
De reached by railroads at a reasonable
cost from deep water--in one case OF about
30 miles and in the other case of about 100
miles-whlch will afford certainly 5000, OOO, 900
tons OF coal, more than half Of which is
OF very high grade Of btuminous and of
anthracite. 1t is estimated to be worth in
the ground one-half a cent a ton, which
makes Its value per acre from $50 to 500.
The coking- coal lands Of Pennsylvania are
rf fgrarY eoOn H.
other Appalachian fields are worth from
Flo to 1886 an acre, and the fields in the
central states from $40 to 900 an acre,
and in the Rocky mountains $40 to $500
an acre. The demand for coal on the Pa
cifio coast is for about 4,5o0,OOO tons year.
1t would encounter the competition of
cheap fuel oil, OF which, the equivalel 1t of
100000 tons Of coal year is used there.
IT is estimated that the coal could be laid
down at Seattle. or San francisco, high
grade bituminous at 81 a ton and anthra-
| cite at. s. or 81 a. ton, The price Of coal on
/ the Pacific slope varies greatly from time
to time In, the year and from year to year
: from " to SH a topss With q regular coal
supply established, the expert of the geolog-
ical 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 because the price at which
the coal could be sold would be consider
ably lowered by competition from these
fields and by the presence Of crude fuel
OIL .iH + 43h VIZ
Alaska Field ShOuld he Opened.
I'm my judgment it is essential in the
proper development OF Alaska that these
coal lands should be opened, and that the
1 Pacific slope should be given the benefit of
4 the comparatively cheap coal of fine quail
4 ity which can be furnished at a reasonable
i price from these fields; but the public,
4 through the government, ought certainly to
| retain wise control and interest in these
4 coal deposits, and 1 think 1t may do so
safely II congress will authorize the grant
/ Ing of leases, already suggested for
4 government coal lands in the United States
4 with provisions forbidding the transfer OF
4 the leases except with the consent OF the
! government thus preventing their acquisl-
ton by a combination or monopoly and
I upon limitations to the area to be in
| cluded In any one lease to one Individual
J and at certain moderate rental, with
royalties upon the coal mined proportioned
to the, market value of the coal either al
Seattle or at San Francisco. OF course
such leases should contain conditions re-
4 curing the erection of proper plants, the
! proper development by modern mining
methods of the properties leased and the
use of every known and practical meant
and device for saving the life OF the
miners.
| THE government of the United State.
has much to answer for in not having
given proper attention to the government
of Alaska and the development OF its re-
sources for the benefit OF all the peOple Of
the country. l would not force develop
ment at the expense Of present or futur,
waste Of resources; but the problem as tc
the disposition OF the coal lands for presen
and future use can be wisely and safely
settled in one session II congress gives Il
carful attention.
I'm the las1 administration there wer,
Withdrawn nOm agricultural entry 2S2O, 90
acres Of supposed oil land in California
about 1900, 900 acres in Louisiana, OF which
only 500 acres were known to be vacan
unapproprlated land; 1900 acres In Oregon
and 174,OOO acres in Wyoming, making
total Of nearly 100000 of acres. In Sep
TENDER. 1903, l directed that all public OF
! lands, whether then withdrawn or not
should be withheld from disposition pending
congressional action, for the reason tina
the; existing placer mining law. although
made applicable to deposits of this char