The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-07

anthracite and some Of 1t is high
grade bituminous coal. We have con-
siderable anthracite In Alaska, and
also great quantities OF bituminous
coal which Will make excellent coke.
and which, eventually, will be used
largely in the industrial development
OF the Pacific coast States"
How Uncle Snm Hns Snved MILLIONS.
Il understand that You biologists
nre resuryeyinE and rcvaluing the coal
upon our public lands? Can you tell
nc how this is donc?"
i Tho old way OF selling tho coal
lands replied the director, was at
so much per acre, regardless Of the
quality OF amount Of coal 1t contained.
Tho price was fixed at sac IL the land
lay within fifteen miles OF a railroad.
or at $40 per acre IL 1t were outside
that limit. Our present method Is TO
measure UP tho coal in each acre, and
sell the land on coal tonnage basis
Instead OF getting $40 or $40 per acre
we arc now getting from $50 TO $500
per acre. and some OF the coal land
will DO worth more. wahin bic past
two years tho survey has classified
more than 100000 acres OF coal in
that way. and has placed Il value upon
them OF $3.50, 100000
This, added to what wo have classi-
feel before gives US over 100000
acres already classified. the valuation
OF which In round numbers is s637, 000.-
600. at tho old rates those lands
would have sold for at least 100000
600 less, and the new valuations mean
n gain to the government OF about
that amount. But this, you must re-
member Is the saving on only 1900
600 acres. and we have sixty or seventy
million acres which are yet to be
priced
conI nj one-Bnlf Cent Ton.
But how can you FIX the value Of
the coal?'
I'VE do that on ROYALTY basis: In
the FIRST place, we ilgurc out how much
coal each acre contains. a bed OF coh'
one foot thick has about l,soO tons TO
the acre. and If 1t Is 40 feet thick II
would contain 80 times that or 72.ooo
tons 10 the acre. We valueit rs low
as half a cent a ton. and from that
IN 10 two or three cents ton. &C
cording to the quality OF the coal.
whether IL is allow grade bi,uminous
or high grade anthracite or cokihg
bituminous. @
I'VE test the actual heating value
md base our estimates on that. HAY
ing estimated the value, we pmt me
price on each acre. nnd We nave moM
on millions Of acres. The maps are
In townships, divided up into forty
acre tracts. tho value OF each or which
Y
OF coal twenty feet thick would con-
tain 10000 tons, and this at one, hall
cent ron would he valued mt tlSo
surprising NO considered the full
amount OF coal It contained. We est;
mate. however. ut 1000 tons inatend
of 500 tons to the acre foot. and tbs
price Of the twcnty-foot bed woulo
he on the basis OF only 10000 tons.
making 1t cost 500 Ter acre Instead
OF $50 II 1t wero one cent ton !,
would he 5000 per acre. and II the bed
were thicker or thinner 1t would he
moro OF less We have other allow
nnces for waste and for the difficulty
OF mining.
Put can the government lands be
sold al these high prices?"
I'VE are selling them, During n
single month at the Salt Lake city
such lands. and additional claims were
filed that month BY would-bc purchas-
crs argreEatinG 100000 more. The
selling prices arc fixed SO that they
will he attractive to the purchaser and
Mt the Same time Will prevent the
lands being bought and held. in order
that the buyer may make great pro-
ut out OF the nncarneh increment
thereon. The idea Is to conserve the
coal for the government and the pes.
nlc. The land Office also issues patents
for farm lands MS homestcads. rcsnrv.
ing tho coal which lies beneath them
What sort or coal lands arc the
best Investments"
RAT present the hieh-gra ma
moro expensive lands are tho better
buys. although more Of the low-pric
lands are being sold. Won see we have
n considerable competition from the
railways that have received large
grants Of public lands n s subsidies. and
some OF which own vast quantities OF
coal. Tho Union Pacific road has ex-
tensive tracts OF valuable coal lands