The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-02-25
WILSON SIGNS
THE OIL LAND
LEASING BILL
Rush In Many States To
Obtain Valuable
Acreage

" ahtHfA aHHA NfAHH NfNs N'NfHANNNNA
/ WILSON today signed the OIL land lcas-
ing bill which opens up for develop
ment millions OF acres OF land IN tho
west
The total area Of oil lands. thrown
open Tor lease under the bill l. estl-
mated by tho geological survey at
more than $4,000 Oacres. while
proven coal lands under government
withdrawal total approximately So
600. .00O acres. with 5000 900 acres
still to be classified. Phosphate lands
are estimated at 100000 acres. with
sodium and other mineral deposits
equally as extensive There was
rush In many states 10 obtain leases
ON the land thrown open
California with i.iSg.20O acres OF
Withdrawn oil and gas lands and Wyo-
ming with i.i51,62e acres lead the
other states in the extent and rich
ness OF their OIL deposits. OF the
siN additional states containing gov D.,
ernment oil lands made available TO
lease under the bill, Louisiana, with
10000 acres ana Arizona with 23O.-
900 acres age considered TO have the
most valuable deposits
Millions Of Acrcs.
The Utah and Montana oil areas are
estimated at more than 1000. 900
each. but much OF this land. govern
mcut experts say. comes under the
doubtful classification. Colorado
contains 22 600 acres and North Da-
kotn si,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
torniu, 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
vigorously opposing the leasing of the
rich oil deposits II holds In those
states. The total ures In California is
$1,000 acres aud that in Wyoming
80. 600 acres
A very slight portion OF the naval
oil reserves had been drilled before
the llud was Withdrawn hy the gov
crnmont and under the bin there will
Dee "a roadlusimont of tn" claims of
the holders OF these wells
In withdrawn coal lands. North
Dakota leads the other twelve states
with more than N 900 600 acres. al
though l's deposits are not considered
us valuable as those contained In the
q. 500. 0OO acres OF Colorado, which are
appraised los the government az an
average uf S75 per acre. the highest
valuation for government coal lands
iu any state.
wyoming Next.
The 723S,b15 acres In wyoming are
given the next highest appraisal OF
$50 per acre. the total valuation ut
nearly tiUO 600. 900 begins the highest
FOR any state ther states with cN-
trusivc government coal lands are
Itnh with l.0G9,6OO acres; Montana
with 5.7S22i6 acres and Ncw Mexico
with 665, ,565 acres.
Idaho ranks titt In government
phosphate lands. with a little more
than million acres. aud wyoming
second with 200 0OO atros these de-
pnsits also being considered the rich
est The areas loo Florida. Montana
aud Ttnh range from 100000 To- 3oO,-
OOO acres.
Authority for the administration of
the oil leasing law is placed with tho
secretary of the iutorinr. ON oil land-
tho leasing rate VIII Doe uNo p'' ''n'
at the oil produced and this may Toe
demanded In OH or cash, us the gov
crnmeni may elect
For this year. at least ih' govern
mcnt is expected 10 collect the royal
ties iu OIL
tuhn barton Payne chairman "i
the shipping hoard. who soon Is To
become secretary OF tho Interior re-
Gently recommended this cours" 10
TO the interior department r" the
shipping board would bc assured OF
an oil supply at ta'r prices w ne"
he takes over the Interior depart
rout Mr. Payne b. expected tu carry
out his own recommendation In the