The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-04
President Begins Work Under
New Law by Withdrawal of
S,495,731 Acres.
ARMY ENGINEERS TO
PASS ON RECLAMATION
Water Power Sites, Phosphate
and Oil Lands Included in
the Orders.

BEVERLY, Mass, July 3.-President
Taft today took the first step in his own
conservation policy by signing orders OF
withdrawal covering S,495,731 acres of
power site. phosphate and petroleum
lands.
The president also appointed five en-
ginecr officers Of the army. who will con-
sutute board to pass on the reclama-
ton projects TO be completed under the
recent appropriation OF $40. .000, 900.
IT Is hinted that there arc other i'm
portant announcements to come with re-
gard to tho conservation policy of the
| administration The president has sum
moned Secretary Balllnger for a confer
, cnce Tuesday.
First Under New Law.
| The withdrawal orders signed by the
| president today are the first specifically
authorized by tho now law. MIR. Roose-
| Nelt, as president inauguratcd Inc policy
| OF Withdrawing public lands, under the
general theory OF tho right OF the execu-
tive to do anything In the interest OF
| the public domain not prohibited by law
| President Taft has acted in the same
way.
President Taft also signed orders OF
wlthdrawu today, covering public lands
| and lands In national forests In Alaska
In which workable coal IS known TO oc-
| cur thus ratifying and continuing in full
effect the withdrawal made by former
| President Roosevelt on November II,
| 1906.
The water power sites withdrawn by
President Taft cover total OF I,454.-
| 49g acres. The phosphate lands with
drawn total 9 .s54 liz acres. and the other
lands. 4.447.119 acres.
The areas involved IN the power sites
withdrawn are as follows: Arizona, 1O7,-
$50 acres; California, 47.619 acres: Colo
rado. 201,549 acres: Idaho. 23o.971 acres;
Montana, l22.5l5 acres; Nevada. l4,50l
acres; New Mexico, 1886 acres: Oregon.
1921 acres; Washington. 55,439 acres:
Utah. 379,9l2 acres; Wyoming. lo3 .396
acres,
The phosphate land acreage with
drawals are: Florida, 27.400 acres: Ida
no. 1,1O2.s17; Utah. 1O7.5i5; wyoming
| 1881 S51.
Petroleum land acreage withdra walls ais
covered the f9ilowng 7zo Ariz9na go - 4ol
Az; Louisiana. 314.720; New Mexico
i1a.9oi; Oregon. 74,s49; Utah. 5S1.56i
Wyoming. 255,46
Members of New Board.
The board OF engineers appointed by
the president today TO examine and re,
port upon reclamation projects. which II
Is proposed TO complete or extend witt
funds provided by the act authorizing
the issuance OF twenty million dollars
IN certificates OF indebtedness. is headed
by Lieut.. Col. John Riddle, who was. un'
Ill recently. the engineer commissioner
OF the District OF Columbia and who !:
|
other four members OF the board arc
Lieut.. Col William &. Gangfitt ant
Major William w. Harts Charles w
Kutz and Harry Burgess. all Of the en-
glneer corps OF tho army. Colonel Lang
fit is the commandant OF the engineers
school at Washington.
In the expenditure OF the Sc0.000,oOO th'
president is made the final arbitcr, HI
must approve each project before any
OF the money can be expended. Tho ac
, provides that mo part OF this appro
. priatlon shall be expended upon any eN'
listing project until IL shall have beer
; examined and reported upon by board
OF engineer officers OF the army deSig
mated by the president OF the United
States and until II shall be approved by
the president as feasible and practicepl,
and worthy OF such expenditure. nor sna4
any portion of this appropriation De eN'
pended on any new project.
General William L. Marshall, VINO OF
yesterday was appointed consulting en-
gineer of the reclamation service. ha!
, been requested by the president 10 lenC
such aid to the board OF engineers q:
} is compatible with his new duties.
President Taft attended services a
| Grace Episcopal church in Salem today
where the fortieth anniversary OF th'
} pastorate OF the Rev. j. p. Franks wa.
celebrated. Mrs. Taft. Miss Helen Tar
, and Captain Butt accompanied the pres
ident- -, -
l Tho presidential yacht Mayflower ar
rived At Beverly today and VIII remaf
throughout the summer.
=