Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-05

market value OF the coal. Under this
latter method the owner OF the mine
shares IN the prosperity OF MS iessesS
when coal is high. and the profits good,
and also shares TO some extent In their
disappointment when the price OF coal
falls.
Methods in Australia.
II have looked with some care into a
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 open
ing OF. coal mines originally 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 800 acres to 1000
acres. II appears that q full examina-
ton was made and the opinions of all
the leading experts on the subject were
solicited and given, and that with one
accord they approved in all respects the
leasing system. It's success Is abundant.
ly shown. II 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 pro-
vided for specifically by statute.
The question as to how great an area
ought to be included in q lease to one
individual 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 liber-
atty in the amount leased. and'th $500
acres would not be too great a maximum.
by the opportunity to readjust the
terms upon which the coal shall be held
by the tenant. either at the end OF each
lease or at periods during the term. the
government may secure the benefit OF
sharing In the increased price OF coal
and the additional profit made by the
tenant BY imposing conditions in re-
spect to the character of work to be
done in the mines. the government may
control the character of the develop
ment OF the mines and the treatment
of employees with reference 10 safety. BY
denying the right to transfer the lease
except by the written permission of the
governmental authorities. II may with
hold the needed consent when II Is pro-
posed TO transfer the leasehold to per-
sons interested in establishing a mOnop-
oily OF coal production In any state or
neighborhood. As one-third of all the
coal supply Is held by the government, II
seems wise that II should retain such
control over the mining and the sale as
the relation OF lessor to lessee furnishes.
The change from the absolute grant to
the leasing system will involve good
deal Of trouble in the outset. and the
training Of experts In the matter Of max
ing proper leases: but the change will
he a good one and can be made. The
change is In the interest OF conserva-
ton, and l am glad to approve 1t.
Alaska Coal Lands.
"The investigations Of the geological
survey show that the coal properties in
Alaska cover about 200 square miles.
and that there are known to be available
about fifteen billion tons. This Is. how
ever, an underestimate Of the coal In
Alaska, because further Developments
will probably increase this amount many
times: but we can say With cons@dera-
BILE certainty that there are two nelds
on the Pacific slope which can be reached
by railways at a reasonable cost from
deep water-in one case OF about nfty
miles and in the other case of about loo
miles-which will afford certainly six bill
lion tons of coal. more than half or
which is OF a very high grade or bituml-
nous and OF anthracite. 1t Is est,ma.ea
to be worth, In the ground. one-half
cent a ton, which makes It's value per
acre from $50 to $500. The coking-coai
lands of Pennsylvania are worth from
$500 TO $1,000 an acre. while other Appa.
iachian fields are worth from SO to $3S6
an acre. and the fields In the central
states from so 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 a year. 1t
would encounter the competition Of cheap
fuel OIL OF which the equivalent OF L.
COO 600 tons Of coal a year Is used there.
| 1t fs estimated that the coal could De
| laid down at Seattle or San Francisco.
a high-grade bituminous, at - ton
| and anthracite at IS or So ton. The
price OF coal on the Pacific slope varies
greatly from time TO time in the year
and from year to year-from "a to 81 a
! ton. With a regular coal supply estao-
lished, the expert OF the geological sur.
yey Mr.. Brooks. who has made 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 consfdera-
| bly, lowered by competition from these
fields and by the presence OF crude iuei
OIL The history Of the laws anecting tne
disposition Of Alaska coal lands SHOWS
them to need amendment badly. Speaking
| Of them, Mr.. Brooks says:
1.-The firts act. passed Juno D. 1913. SIM
ply extended to Alaska the provisions OF
the coal land laws I'm the United States:
The law was ineffective. for II provided
that only subdivided lands could be taken
nm and there were then no land surveys
| in Alaska The matter was rectihed by
| the act of April -. 1904. which permitted
unsurveyed lands TO be entered and the
saEyeYs To be made at the expense of the
entrymen. Unfortunately, the law pro-