The Cordova daily times., 1918-01-31
COAL LANDS
 OF ALASKA
 MAY BE SOLD

There is now reason to believe that the government has at last awakened to the necessity of development of some of the dormant resources of Alaska and with that end in view the senate this month passed a bill to encourage and promote the mining of coal, oil and gas. Through the per sistent efforts of the COrdova Cham Der of Commerce the original Walsh Pittman bill was amended so that the act included, instead of barred, Alaska from participation in the privileges ex- tended. Tn other words, AIaskans are to have the same rights as are ac- corded to people in the States to pur- chase, as we'll as lease. coal lands, and
 if the bill which is now before con- gress passes that body it will undoubt- edly result in the development of the Boring River coal fields
 At the present time there is Ieas- ing bill in effect in Alaska, but the best evidence that it is not a workable one is the fact that no leases have been entered into with the government at least none that amount to any, thing. This fact was pointed out to many of the United States senators when considering the bill just passed, but at that time 1t failed to provide forI the purchase of coal lands in Alaska, the same as in the Western states.
 The COrdOva Chamber of Commerce is entitled to much of the credit for securing an amendment to the act be- fore it was passed. Senators Walsh and Myers of Montana and Pittman of Nevada saw the justice Of our conten- tiOn if the coal fields of the Northland were to be developed, and they pledged their support to the proposed amend ment, which was embodied in the act as it passed the senate. and is now before the house of representatives
 Section 2, as amended, reads as fol- lows:
 That any citizen or any association composed of persons seyerally quail fled by law to enter coal lands, or any corporation incorporated under and by virtue of the laws of any state or ter ritory, or any municipality of any state or territory, shall, upon application to the register of the proper land office have the right to enter by legal sub- divisions any quantity of vacant coal lands of the United States within any, state or territory of the Union nOtI otherwise appropriated by competent authority, not exceeding 2,560 acres, upon payment to the receiver of not less than $10 per acre for such lands where the same shall be situate more than fifteen miles from any completed railroad, and not less than $20 perl acre for such lands as shall be within fifteen miles of such railroad, and the secretary of the interior shall offer such coal lands and award the same through advertisement and competi- tive bidding, reserving the right to re- ject any and all bids which he may deem to be unfair: Provided, That improvements or development work of the value of $1O,OO0 shall be made or done upon the lands within one year. after such award, when patent shall issue therefor. Upon failure to com ply with the terms of this section within the required period said lands shall be subject to entry by any other qualified applicant.
 ''No such person, association or cor poration shall own coal lands entered after the passage of this act in eX- cess of said area, at any one time, nor be interested, directly or indirectly, in any other coal lands or coal taken therefrom, and no member of such as- sociation or corporation, or stock holder of such corporation, shall own'