The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-04
LOCAL LAND OFFICE
GIVEN APPRECIATION
Policy Of Administration in
Respect to Mining Lands
Is Approving.
THOMPSON GIVES VIEWS
Says That Effect of Practical
Mining Attorneys in Of
flee Is Apparent.
THOMPSON GIVES VIEWS

The decision of the assistant sccre
tary of the department OF the intorlor,
rendered Monday in the East Ilhtlc
mining case, comes as one or the re-
sults of a conference held year ago
between Assistant Secretary a. "A.
Jones, Clay Tallman, commissioner OF
the general land office, and r.. u. H.
Thompson and Colonel M. M. halghn,
register and receiver, respectively, oil
the local United States land office, ac-
cordinp to an announcement made yes
terday by the register and receiver
Discussing the decision III the East
Tintic case and other recent cases, Mr.,
Thomson was warm in his praise OF the
attitude of the present administration
in regard to mining claims as compared
TO that Of the former administration.
He saws that the construction placed
upon mining cases by Secretary or the
Interior Lane and his subordlDates, the
assistant secretary and commissioner OF
the general land office, in divestin2
proceedings for acquisition of title OF all
tcchnicalities. is in line with policy
thar has ALWAYS been maintained by the
local land office.
Case in Point.
The fact that the present administra-
tion is carrying out the policies OF the
local land office was emphasized yes
terdav by the receipt from Washing
ton of the patent granted William b.
Rosser of Mohrland for mining claim
In Emery county, The Rosser case was
one OF the first decided under the new
policy and copy was received by the
local office December 81.
The decision in the Rosser case gave
him title 10 coal land upon which he
had filed in January, 1911 Certificate
for the $50 acres asked for was grant
cd by the local land office at price
Of So5 an acre. June ], 1912, notice WAS
received that this decision had been
oyerruled and that owing TO snbse-
ducnt classification the applicant would
be forced TO pay an extra 1928 an acre,
or II total Of $50, % more than agreed
upon. Upon appeal by Rosser TO the
secretary of the interior, that official
upheld the commissioner Of the general
land office. Later, however, upon re-
hearing, the secretary reversed his own
decision. The patent which Rosscr was
refused came TO he office Yesterday and
VIII be turned over to Rosser as soon as
he applies for il.
Thompson's View.
Discussing the tendency of the de
partment to he more liberal in mining
matters, Mr.. Thompson said:
The local land office has always
advocated the policy which fhc dc.
partmenL of The interior is now ear
rying out-that of divesting title
proceedings Of tcchnicalitics and
making il as easy as possible for
mining applicants to secure their
titles. The Tintic decision, which
was reported in this mornings pa
per. is in linc with all recent dc
cisions, the first Of which was the
Rosser ease.
The secret of this attitude is that
the present heads of the department
are all western men and mining
lawyers. The former officials OF
the interior and land office were
easterners and lawyers of the COM
mercial type, and knew little of
mining matters We held a con
ference with the assistant secrc-
tary aud commissioner Of the gen
eral land Office when they visited
Salt Lake about year ago AT that
time We urged the necessity Of more
jeDiency, so that the activities of
nrospectors and operators might moi
he curtailed. We are certainly
pleased that they arc adopting this
policy, as shown bv their recent
decisions.