Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-03

SenCALiVeS.
There is no branch of the federal
jurisdiction which calls more impera-
lively for immediate legislation than
that which concerns the public domain
and especially the part of that domain
which is in Alaska. The report of the
secretary of the interior, which is
transmitted herewith, and the report
to him Of the governor Of Alaska set
out the public need in this regard with
great force and in satisfactory detail.
The progress under the reclamation
act has made clear the defects of its
limitations which should be remedied.
The rules governing the acquisition of
homesteads Of land that Is not arid or
semiar1d are not well adapted to the
perfecting of title to land made arabic
by government reclamation work.
concur with the secretary Of the
interior in his recommendation that,
after entry Is made upon land being
reclaimed, actual occupation as home
stead Of the same be not required I'M
til two years after entry, but that cul-
tivation Of the same shall be required
and that the present provision under
which the land IS to be paid for in ten
annual installmentS shall be so modi-
fed as to allow patent to issue for
the lind at the end OF FIVE years Gull
tivation and three years occupation,
with a reservation Of government
lien for the amount Of the unpaid pur-
chase money. This leniency to the
reclamation homesteader will relieve
him from occupation at a time when
the condition Of the land makes it most
burdensome and difficult and at the
end Of FIVE years will furnish him with
q title upon which he can borrow
money and continue the improvement
Of his holding.
also concur in the recommendation
Of the secretary Of the interior that
all OF our public domain should be
classified and that each class should
be disposed OF or administered in the
manner most appropriate to that par
ticular class
The chief change. however, which
ought to be made and which / have al
ready recommended in previous mes
sages and communications to congress
is that by which government coal land
aud nhoOnhota oud att,a- rniroro1 Iorda
containing nonmetaIliferous minerals
shall be leased by the government, with
restrictions as to size and time, re-
sembling those which now obtain
throughout the country between the
owners in fee and the lessees who work
the mines and in leases like those
which have been most successful in
Australia, New Zealand and Nova SEQ
tia. The showing made by investiga-
lions into the successful working of
the leasing system leaves nc doubt as
to its wisdom and practical utility. Re
Quirements as to the working of the
mine during the term may be so fran
ed as to prevent any holding Of large
mining properties merely for specula-
ton, while the royalties may be made
sufficiently low not unduly TO increase
the cost OF the coal mined and at the
same time sufficient to furnish rea-
sonable income for theause of the pub
lie in the community where the mining
goes on. In Alaska there is no reason
why 4 substantial income should not
thus be raised for such public works
rs may be deemed necessary or useful
There is no difference between the
reasons which call for the application
Of the leasing system to the coal lands
still retained by the government in the
United States proper and those which
exist in Alaska.
There are now In Alaska only two
well known high grade coal fields of
large extent, the Boring river coal field
and the Matanuska coal field The
Boring river coal field. while it has
varying qualities Of coal from the BIZ
luminous to the anthracite, is very
much lessened in value and usefulness
by the grinding effect to which in geo
logical ages past the coal measures
have been subjected, SO that the coal
does not lie or cannot be mined in large
Jumps. 1t must be taken out in almost
a powdered condition. The same diff
Guilty does not appear TO the same ex-
tent in the Matanuska coal fields. The
Boring river coal fields are only TWEEN
ty-f1ve miles from the coast. They are
within easy distance Of an existing
railroad built by the Inorganic uggen-
helm interests and may also be reach
ed through Controller bay by the con
struction Of other and competing rail
| roads
Controller bay is not good harb0r
but could probably be made practical
with the expenditure Of considerable
! money. The railroad Of the Morgan
Guggeaheim interests. running from
COrdova, could be made coal carry
Ing road for the Bering river fields by
the construction of a branch to those
felds not exceeding fifty or sixty
miles 1t is practicable, and if the
coal measures were to be opened up
doubtless the branch would be built
In the present condition of things
there is no motive TO build the road,
because there is ne title or opportunity
to open and mine the coal
Tbe Matanuska coal fields are long
er distance from the coast They are
from $50 to 200 miles from the harbor
Of Seward, oil Resurrection hay. This
is one of the finest harbors in the
world, and a reservation has been
made there for the use of the navy of
the United States, A road construct
ed from Seward to the Matanuska