, 1920-03-18
LEASE BILL OPENS OIL AREAS.
More Than 6,70O, 900 Acres Thrown
Open To Lease Under
New Law.

uep Ffes1uent wilson signed the
so-called oil land lease bill he threw
open TO lease under the provisions Of
that measure an estimated total of
more thar $4,000 acres, according
to figures of the geological survey,
while proven Goa lands under the gov
eminent withdrawal section total ap-
p~roximately 10000 acres with $4,000
600 acres still to be classified, and
600 acres with sodium and other min
eral deposits equally as extensive.
California, with 1,1S9,2OO acres of
withdrawn Oil and gas lands, and Wyo-
ming, with 1,151,62 2 acres, lead the
other states in the extent and richness
of their oil deposits. OF the six ad-
d%itional states containing government
oil lands made available to lease under
the bill, Louisiana, with 467, 600 acres,
and Arizona, with 23O,4OO acres, are
considered to have the more valuable
deposits.
The Utah-Montana oil areas are esti-
mated at more than 1,000,O 900 acres
each, but much of this land, govern.
ment experts say, comes under the
doubtful" classification. Colorado
contains 222,OOO acres and North Da-
kota S4,S94. In addition to these oil
resources, vast areas of oil shale lands
in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming are
made available for exploitation.
The naval reserve oil lands in Cali
fornia and Wyoming are not made
available for public leasing under the
bill unless the president shall so pre
scribe. Efforts to open up this land
were largely responsible for the block.
ing of the legislation in congress for
many years, the navy department Wig
orously opposing the leasing of the rich
oil deposits in holding in these states.
The total area in California is $4,000
acres and that in Wyoming 10000
acres.
A very slight portion of he naval
oil reserves had been drilled before the
land was withdrawn by the govern
ment. and under the leasing bill there
will be a readjustment of the claims
of the holders Of these wells. In with
drawn coal lands. North Dakota leads
the other II states with more than H.
100000 acres, although its deposits are
not considered as valuable as those
contained in the $500, 900 acres of Col
orado, which are appraised by the gov
eminent nt an ayarara of S-E -.
the highest valuation for government
coal lands i'm any state.
The 7,23S,515 acres in wyoming are
given the next highest appraisal of S53
per acre, The total valuation of nearly
100000, 900 being the highest for any
state. Other states with extensive
government o lands are Utah with
! 100000 acres, Montana with 5,7S2,216
acres. and New Mexico, with 665, 565.
Idaho ranks first in government
phosphate lands with a little more than
1,OO0.OOO acres, and Wyoming second
with 100000 acres, these deposits also
being considered the richest. The
acres in Florida, Montana and Utah
range from 100000 to 100000.
Authority for the administration of
the oil leasing law is placed with the
secretary of the interior. On oil lands
the leasing rate will be 8 per cent of
the oil produced, and this may be de-
manded in oil or cash, as the govern
ment may elect.
For this year, at least, the govern
ment is expected to collect its royal
ties in oil.
John Barton Payne, chairman of the
shipping board, who will be secretary
of the interior, recently recommended
this course to the interior department
so that the shipping board would be