The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-04-16

given by the new law:
Senate Bill 2775, titled q bill ITO
promote the mining of coal. phos-
phate, oil, gas and sodium on the
public domain, comonly called the
''Oil Leasing bill" which was signed
by the president and became a law
February %, contains many provi.
siOns that will be Of interest to peo-
pie of this locality. The leasing pro-
visions Of the bill may be taken adj
vantage Of by any citizen of the
United States or any association Of
such persons, or any corporation or
ganized under the laws of the United
States or any of the states, and in
the case Of coal, oil, oil shale or gas,
leases under the authority of this act
can he assigned or sublet except with
the consent of the secretary Of the
interior but any leasee may, in the
discretion of the secretary, be per-
mitted at any time to file written
REIMBURSEMENT OF all his rights un-
der the lease and thereby be re-
licved Of all future obligations to
the government or he may surren-
der legal subdivision OF the area in
c.uded within the lease
1t is provided that each lease
shall contain among other things. "A
restriction OF the Workaday to not eX-
underground workers except in case
OF emergency, provision prohibit
ing the employment OF any boy un-
der the aSe of lG years, or the en-
tloyment OF any girl or woman,
without regard to age, in amy mine
below the surface. and provision
requiring the payment Of wages at
least twice a month. !.
IN: rer eLaae4ess -.s'e mon.ar se-
loiy.d by the government under this
act from royalties and rentals is
credited by it to miscellaneous re-
reiptS, the balance is divided between
the reclamation fund and the state
III which the land from which the
yenial is derived is situated in past
production 20 per cent to the recla
nation and 20 per cent to the state
and in future production - IL per
cent to the reclamation fund and 81
- per cent to the state.
In the case of oil and gas permits
il is provided that a qualified appli-
can, may be granted the exclusive
right for period of not to exceed
two years. to prospect for oil or gas
upon not to exceed 1850 acres OF
land which is open government land
or land wherein such deposits are re-
served to the United States, as for
instance. homestead. allowed or even
patented, under what is known as
the GAO acre homestead law. Tie
applicant. must first cause 10 he
erected upon the land for which a
hermit is sough, ii monument not
conspicuous place on the land and
must post a notice in writing at or
near the monument stating that an
application for permit will be made
within so days after date OF posting
said notice. The notice must con-
tain the name of the applicant, the
date OF notice. a description OF the
land and the number of acres COW
cred thereby. This gives him thirty
days preference right over anyone
else in which to apply to the local
land office for permit to prospect.
The bill does not provide for the
amount of land office fees 10 be paid
At the time OF filing OF the applica-
ion. this being left TO be fixed by
The secretary. The land discovered
ny the notice and for which a per-
nit is requested should be in as cont
pact form as possible, the length Of
which is not to exceed two and one
half times its width.
After the permit is granted, the
permittee must begin drilling opera
tions within six months and, within
one year from the date of the per
nit he must have at least one we'll
down to a depth of not less than 500
feet and within two years OF the
date of the permit he must have at
least one we'll down to a depth OF at
least 1000 feet, unless, in either
case. valuble deposits OF oil or gas
shall be sooner discovered. The sec
retary. may. however. extend such
permit for an additional period Of