The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-04-21
The COAL WAIVER
Farmers Of Eastern Valley COun.
ty viii Not Be Able to Com
mute or Secure Loans.

proved MaTCn ;, 1911. apparently
opened all the land in Northern
Montana tor communication entry
and proof, recent decisions and
interpretations OF tins act by the
General Land office in Washing
ton makes things even worce Tor
Valley County than they appeared
to be before the act was passed.
From recent decisions we deduct
as follows:
1. Communication is not premit-
ted on any entry, no matter what
size, made under the enlarged
homestead law oi February I9.
1909.
| 2. Communication is not permit
ted on entries made under the act
OF une ~, 1910, or on appica-
tons amended according to the
provisions and reservations OF this
act.
The act oi June AZ, 1910, has a
provision which reads as follows:
Provided. that those who have initiated
non. mineral entries. selections. or locations
in good faith prior to the passage of this
act. on lands Withdrawn or classified as
coal lands may perfect the same under
the provisions the laws under which said
entries were made. but shall receive the
limited patent provided for in this act.'
According to this provision all
those vino filed ia good faith
prior to the withdrawal oi prsctic.
ally all the lands OF Eastern Valley
County on account OF being classi-
fed as coal lands, are being al
lowed To prove up, but in order to
do so must waive their coal rights
and will receive only limited pat
ent.
Il The limited patent being ISSUED
Tor practically all the lands in this
vicinity is the one thing that IS
putting the settlers up against it,
and hitting them hard. And tins
is the reason. Capitalists and
eastern loan agencies will not loan
money on mortgages upon land
whose owners have been issued a
limited patent, OF a patent to only
the surface OF the land.
A local bank has applied TO as
many as twenty different loan
agencies and capitalists for loans
on lands in Valley Comfy upon
winch proof has already been made
and all have been turned down.
| The Bank OF Dagmsr has made
applications to two loan agencies
for loans upon lands upon which
proof has been made, and both re-
Piled that they could not loan
money upon lands upon which a
limited patent had been issued.
i We have no doubt but that every
bank and every real estate agent IN
Eastern Valley County has run up
lagainst the same proposition.
Il While some local capitalists have
loaned money on patented lands
in this vicinity, and will perhaps
continue to do SO in limited
amounts, there is not enough local
capital IN the country to properly
) develop its resources.
II Now that more and more OF the
settlers are proving up on their
claims, II this limited patent could
be done away with, the amount OF
eastern capital which would be
invested IN this country would be
practically only limited by the
: amount needed.
II The limitation or coal waver
clause in the patents destroys the
value OF the land to the farmer as
we'll as the loan agents and real
estate dealers, for the reason that
he can neither borrow money with
which to develop It nor sell il.
Nearly every purchaser oi a farm
desires only to pay a part of the
} purchase price down. Suppose a
! man has proved up on his claim
} and wishes to sell for cash and gel
I out OF the country. He finds q
purchaser who will pay part cash