The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-06
~ COAL LANDS.

(4) COAL LANDS.
The next subject. and one most import
ant for our consideration, Is the dlSpoSi-
ton of the coal lands in the United
States and in Alaska First, as to those
In the United Statos. AT the begtnnIng
OF this administration there were classi-
fied coal lnnds amounting TO 5.476.ooo
acres, and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes OF classification H.
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 7764S. 600 acres. making
total withdrawal OF e5.5l6.ooo acres
Meantime. an d. OF the acres thus withdrawni ra
not 10 contain coal. and have been re-
stored TO agricultural entry, and 1855,
900 acres have been classified as coal
lands: while 79,7Ss. 900 acres remain with
drawn from entry and await classifica-
ton. In addition $4,000 acres have been
classified as coal lands without prior
withdra wal. thus increasing the classified
coal lands to 10.16S,000 acres,
Sale Of Coal Lands.
Under the laws providing for the dispo~
sition OF coal lands. the minimum price
al which lands are permitted TO be sold
is $40 an acre; but the secretary Of the
Interior has the power TO Ak maximum
price and to sell at that price, By the
first regulations governing appraisal. ap-
proved April s. 1907, the minimum was
$40, as provided by law. and the maxi
mum was 500, and the highest price
actually placed upon any land sold was
$50. Under the new regulations, adopted
increased TO $780, except In regions where
there are large mines where no maxi
mum limit Is hxed and the price Is de-
to the acre. The highest price fixed for
any land under this regulation has been
$6OS. The appraised value Of the lands
classified as coal lands and valued under
the new and old regulations is shown to
be as follows: 4,30S.921 acres, valued un-
der the old regulation at S77.644,329, an
average OF SIS an acre; and 5.S64,7o2
regulation at 1894 203.242, or a total OF
1o;lsS.s23 acres. valued at si71.s47.571.
For the year ending March 81, 1909, 2gI
area of s5, aSl acres. which sold for s66a.-
020 40 For the year ending March 81.
1910. there were 1T6 entries, embracing
s6os S13i and down to August. 1910, there
were but II entries. with an area Of
1920 acres, which sold for s33 o1o so, max
Ing a disposition OF the coal lands In
for S1305. 900
Separate Classification.
The present congress. as already said,
has separated the surface of coal lands,
either classified or Withdrawn for classi-
fication from the coal beneath so as 10
permit at all times homestead entries
upon the surface OF lands useful for agri-
culture and TO reserve the ownership In
thc coal to the government. The ques-
ton which remains To be considered is
whether the existing law for the sale OF
the coal In the ground should continue
IN force or be repealed and new method
OF disposition adopted. Under the pres
ent law the absolute title In the coal be-
meath the surface passes to the grantee
OF the government The price fixed Is
upon an estimated amount of the tons OF
coal per acre beneath the surface, and
the prices are fixed so that the earnings
VIII only be reasonable profit upon the
amount paid and the Investment neces-
ssary But, OF course. this is more or
less guesswork, and the government parts
with the ownership OF the coal In the
gaolnnIo,1 ground absolutely. Authorities of the
United States today there is a supply OF
about 5000 billions OF tons of coal. and
That OF this. 1000 billions are In the pub
bil,ions hH CONAN IN ,t or course the other 1000
under no more control as to the use OF
the prices at which the coal may be sold
than any other private property, If the
government leases the coal lands and
acts as any landlord would, and imposes
conditions In Its leases like those which
are now imposed by the owners In fee
oi the east. then II would retain over the
disposition OF the coal deposits n choice
as to the assignee of the lease or Of re-
adjusting terms at fixed periods of the
lease, which might easily be framed IA
enable II 10 exercise n limited but errec
tive control In the disposition and sale
ON o. inc coal to the public. 1t has been
ocen adopted In this country and that Its
adoption would largely Interfere with the
Investment Of capital and the proper de-
resources 7 venture to differ entjroiv
from this view. Ny Investigations show
,hat ,hSn many many owners OF mining property OF
snS s,,s country GO 90 not mine it themselves.
plants necessary for the mining: but thev
iease their properties for term OF yenrs
ycays aPysne pGnr rrGm twen.x to thirty and forty
erection OF proner plant and the invest
ment OF a certain amount OF money In
.he development of the mines. and fixing
absolute figure and sometimes one pro.
norttoned to the market value of the coal
tutnoer inns latter method the owner OF
,nssd1n me n,ne shares In the prosperity of his
good and also shares 10 some extent In
coal fails ''e price OF
Plans in Foreign Countries.
nave looked with some care into
report made at the instance of Presi
dent Roosevelt upon the disposition of
coal lands In Australia. Tasmania. and
new NE Zealand. These are peculiarly min
ing ~, countries and their experience ought
70 be most valuable In all these co1n-
tries the method for the disposition and
opening OF coal mines originally owned
Sg,5 by ,he government IS by granting lease
title. The terms OF the leases run ali
.he way from twenty to fifty years while
the amount OF land which may be leased
TO any individual there Is from 3oo onres
10 ZOO acres 1t appears that a full ex-
ANIMATION was made and the opinions
ot all the leading experts on the subject
were solicited and given and thai Vim,
one accord they approved In all respects
the leasing system, It's success is abun
dainty shown. II Is possible that at first
considerable latitude will have TO be given
70 the executive In drafting these forms
OF lease, put as soon as experiment shall
snow which Is the most workable and
praeticable, It's use should be provided
Tor specifically by statute
Inc question as TO how great an area
ought to be included In lease to one in
dlvidual 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 lIberaIitv In
the amount leased. and that $500 acres
would not be too great maximum
BY the opportunity to readiust the
terms upon which the cnnl shnI La. hsia