The Washington herald., 1910-03-06
COALLANDRESERYED
Withdrawals Cover 1876, 900
Acres in Last Year.
WORK OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Investigations Relating TO Coal, oil,
Phosphate Deposits, and Water
Concluded in Last Twelve Months.
Increase I'm Maximum Price.

During the last twelve months the con-
servation work of the Geological Survey
has included Investigations relating to
coal. oil, and phosphate deposits and TO
water-power sites on the public domain,
Coal-land Withdrawals were made COW
ering $4,000 acres not previously with
drawn, and the form OF withdrawal af-
feeting an additional 100000 acres was
changed to cover all forms Of entry, IN
stead OF coal entry alone. The new regu-
lations of April 10 1863. for the classical
ton and valuation of coal lands mate
rally increased the sale price of these
lands and fixed more definitely the
standards OF coal classification.
Thus. for example under the old regu-
lations. In eight widely separated town
ships the total area cIassed as coal land
was $3.50 acres. and the sale price was
fixed al S90SS.600; whereas, under the
new regulations, the area in the same
eight townships classed as coal land is
126 ses acres, and the sale price is sl5.-
III, 66S. an increase in area of over 100
per cent and in price Of over GOO per
cent
Maximum Price Increased.
Under the old regulations the maxi
mum price per acre for coal land was
fixed at SIS under the new regulations
the maximum price per acre thus far
fixed for any particular area is si65. The
maximum valuation of a single township
under the old regulations was 1919 600;
under the new regulations it Is $9,2o6, Ss4
Special efforts have been made TO re-
lease from existing Withdrawals all nom
coal areas. and OF the total area classi-
fed during the year. amounting 10 1900,
COO acres, much the larger part. or about
Il. 900 acres. has been classed as non
coal land. The sale price OF the 5,4Ss.o0o
acres classed as coal land has been fixed
at $40. 10000 The same land. If sold
at the minimum price fixed by Law.
would have yielded So. 600
Phosphate-land Withdrawals in force
March 4. 1905. covered all vacant public
lands in an area comprising l,9s.551
acres in Wyoming. Utah. and Idaho.
Turing the year areas covering 23Sell
acres were restored TO entry, for the field
work showed that they contained no
phosphate Additional Withdrawals. in
Guiding Sg9.6s3 acres. have been made.
and the form OF withdrawal has been
changed so as TO cover entered as well
as vacant lands All unpatented lands
in an area Of 2.504. 1903 acres are now af-
fected by phosphate Withdrawals.
western Public Lands.
The California of land Withdrawals
made prior 10 March. 1909. aggregating
2.sIs. 4S2 acres. prevented the acquisition
Of the withdrawn lands only under the
agricultural land laws
All lands covered By these Withdrawals
could be legally exploited for oil or other
minerals During the year these lands
were excepted from acquisition as oil or
as mineral lands. as well as for agri-
cultural use. New Withdrawals were made
in the States OF California. Colorado,
Oregon. Utah. and Wyoming Of a total
area Of 2,lSQ5lO acres.
In California there were restored TO
| entry 81. 916 acres that field examination
had shown TO be nonon land. The area
now covered by oil Withdrawals is 3.4s7.O7e
acres.
on March 4. 1899, power site Withdrawals
were in force covering vacant public
lands on twenty-nlne rivers in nine States.
These withdrs walls have since been re-
viewed by the Geological Survey, the
form of withdrawal has been changed to
include all entered as we'll as all vacant
lands, and the lands that were found to
be not valuable for the purpose for which
the withdrawal was made have been re-
stored TO entry.
New Withdrawals have been made along
ninety-seven rivers. covering land not in
volved in previous Withdrawals. and in
creasing the total number of States af-
fected to eleven. These power site with
drawals now cover about 100000 acres OF
vacant public land and 100000 acres Of
entered land.