Tombstone epitaph., 1918-02-17
INTRODUCES BILL TO
OPEN COAL LANDS

Congressman Carl Hayden has in
troduced a bill in the House. pro-
viding for the opening Of thousands
Of acres of unoccupied coal lands in
the Indinan reservations in Arizona.
The bill. if it passes, will open up
valuable industry in this state,
Following is the complete text Of
the bill as introduced:
A BILL
Be II enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives OF The Unit
ed states Of America in Congress as
sembled.
That all coal and other minerals
within the limits of the Navajo.
Pueblo San Juan. Western Navajo
and Moqui Reservations in Arizona
and New Mexico. except that part Of
the Moqui Reservation in Arizona
which may hereafter be set apart
and reserved for the exclusive use
and benefit of the Hopi Indians.
shall be and remain the common
property of the Navajo Tribe OF In
dams and every member of said
tribe shall have an equal and undi-
vided interest in the whole of said
coal and other minerals.
Sec. 9. That the Secretary of the
Interior is hereby authorized to lease
any deposits of coal in the Navajo
country in the form and manner
provided by this Act through ad-
vertisement competitive bidding. or
such other methods as he may by
general regulations adopt, in tracts
OF forty acres each or multiples
thereof and in such areas as in the
opinion OF the said Secretary will
permit of the most economical min.
ing of the coal, but in no case ex.
ceeding two thousand five hundred
and sixty acres in any one tract. in
no tract to exceed in length two
and one-half times its width; II
surveyed, to be described by the
legal subdivisions Of the public-land
surveys; il unsurveyed, to be sur.
veyed at the expense OF the appli.
cant for lease and in accordance
with the laws. rules and regulations
governing the survey of placer-min.
ing claims.
Sec. 3. That for the privilege of
mining, extracting. and disposing of
the coal in the lands covered by his
lease the lessee shall pay to the
United States for the benefit Of the
Navajo. Indians such royalties as
may be specified in the lease, which
shall not be less than 10 cents per
ton. due and payable at the end of
each month succeeding that OF the
shipment of the coal from the mine,
and an annual rental payable at the
beginning of each year. on the lands
covered by such lease. at the rate
Of 25 cents per acre for the frs:
year thereafter, 50 cents per acre for
the second and third years. and 81
per acre for each and every year
thereafter during the continuance
of the lease. except that such rental
paid for any one year shall be cred
tied against the royalties as they
accrue for that year.
Sec. 4. That all moneys received
from royalties and rentals from coal
in the Navajo country shall be paid
into the Treasury Of the United
States to the credit Of the Navajo
Indians and shall thereafter be sub
ject to appropriation by Congress
for their benefit: Provided, That
where any coal is opened on any a.
lotment the value Of the use Of the
necessary surface for prospectus
or mining and the damage done to
other land OF improvements shall be
ascertainel By the Secretary Of ne
Interior aud paid to the sljottee be-
fore operations begin.
Sec. 5. That all leases issued up-
der authority of this Act shan BE- for
indeterminate periods upon conds-
don Of continued operation Of the
mine or mines. except when opera
ton shall be interrupted by strike,
SA>