The Chitina leader., 1914-11-17

Congress and signed by President Wilson. copy of which was received yesterday is as follows:
 Be it enacted b ythe Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Con- gress assembled, That the Secre- tary of the Interior be, and hereby is authorized and directed to survey the lands of the United States in the Territory of Alaska known to be valuable for their deposits of coal, preference to be given first in favor of surveying lands within those areas commonly known as the Bering River, Matanuska, and Nenana coal fields, and thereafter to such areas or coal fields as lie tributary to es- tablished settlements or existing or proposed rail or water transportation lines: Provided, That such surveys shall be executed in accordance with existing laws and rules and regula- tions governing the survey of pub lie lands. There is hereby appropri- ated. out of any money in the treas ury not otherwise appropriated. the sum of $100,000 for the purpose Of making the surveys herein provided for, to continue available until ex- pended: Provided, That any surveys heretofore made under the authority or by the approval of the Department of the Interior may be adopted and used for the purposes of this act
 Sec. 2. That the President of the United States shall designate and reserve from use, location, sale, lease, or disposition not exceeding 5,12O acres of coal-bearing land in the Boring River field and not ex- ceeding 7,680 acres of coal-bearing land in the MatanusKa field, and not to exceed one-half of the other coal lands in Alaska: Provided, That the coal deposits in such reserved areas may be mined under the direction of the President when, in his opinion, the mining of such coal in such re- served areas, under the direction of the President becomes necessary, by reason of an insufficient supply of coal at a reasonable price for the requirements of government works, construction and operation of gov ernment railroads, for the navy, for national protection or for relief from monopoly or oppressive conditions
 Sec. 3. That the unreserved coal lands and coal deposits shall be divided by the Secretary of the In terior into leasing blocks or tracts of 40 acres each, or multiples there of, and in such form as in the opin- ion of the secretary will permit the most economical mining of the coal in such blocks, but in no case eX- ceeding 2,560 acres in any one leas- ing block or tract; and thereafter, the Secretary shall offer such blocks or tracts and the coal, Ignite and associated minerals therein for leas- ing, and may award leases thereof through advertisement, competitive bidding, or such other methods as he may by general regulations adopt, to any person above the age of 2l years who is a citizen of the unlted States, or to any association of Such persons, or to any corporation UT municipality organized under the laws of the United States or of any state or territory thereof: Provided, That a majority of the stock of such corporation shall at all times be owned and held byAcitizens of the United States: And provided further, That no railroad or cammon carrier shall be permitted to take or acquire through lease or permit under this act any coal or coal lands in excess of such area or quantity as may be reuqired and used stlely for it's own
 use, and such limitaton of use shall
 be expressed in all leases or permits isued to railroads ol common car riers hereunder: And provided fur
 ther, That any persoS, association,
 or corporation qualifie, to become al lessee under this act and owning
 any pending claim undHr the public i laud laws to any coal la,ds in Alaska ma, within one year fom the pas
 sage GS this act, enter into an ar
 rangemell with the Secetary of the
 Interior by which such claim shall be fully relin4 'shed tolthe United States; and if ih the j,dgment of the Secretary of the .-ter9r, the cir