, 1923-02-28
LAND BOARD DEBUGED
WITH ADVICE REPORT

CHEYENNE, Wyo., Feb. Is
Special to The Tribune.rThe Wyo-
ming State Land board is being de-.
luged with resolutions and other pro.
paganda for and against granting to
the Middle States Oil company. con.
trolled by former Governor c.. N.
Haskell, OF Oklahoma, a flve-year op-
Grating lease of section 36-49-79,
Salt Greek oil field. Oil associations,
chambers of and other or
CARNATIONS r pouring resolutions
into the boards offices and members
Of the board. who are the five cleo
tive state officers. are besieged by
persons desiring to present argu-
ments for or against the Middle
States proposal.
So many desire to be heard. and so
intense is public interest in the situa.
ton. that the meeting OF the board
next Monday at which proposals for
the lease will be received probably
will be held In the hail of representa-
tlves. Because of the tremendous
Importance of the terms of the lease
to the state treasury there may be no
executive session of the board to con
slider the proposals, all actions regard.
ing the proposals being conducted in
public.
With AZ wells on only one quarter
Of section Sc operating under r~estrlc.
tons during 1921, the section pro-
duced 1.643, 1886 barrels of oil worth
S2.529024 of which the state received
$s43 .00S. Two hundred wells on the
section probably would produce
twelve million barrels annually
worth more than twenty million dol
lars. of which the state, on a fifty
fifty royalty basis, would receive
more than ten million dollars.
State Land Commissioner Mcwhin.
ME Wednesday expressed the opinion
that under h terms of the new lease,
to ~supercede that now he'd by the
Midwest Refining company and ex-
pirtng October l., 1924, the state
should receive a royalty OF at least
fifty per cent, with the possible added
consideration of the Wyoming North
and South railroad from Miles City,
Mont, to Casper, which the Haskell
interests propose to construct II
granted the lease.
Meanwhile the legal department of
the state is thoroughly investigating
whether the Midwest may have or
may not have. a binding preferential
right to the lease as the result of a
resolution advocating long term leases
adopted by the preceding state land
board three ye;trs ago.
Clarence B. Richardson of Cas-
per and other representatives of
the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas
Producers association appeared be-.
the Wyoming State Land board
at a specia, qeeting this morning
protested against consideration
of a proposal by the Middle States Oil
company for a lease on section SO of
the Salt Creek OIL field. with the
building of a railroad from Miles City,
Mont. to Casper by the Middle States
rs a consideration. The spokesman
for the producers association argued
that the section should be released to
the Midwest Oil company under a
preferential releasing declaration
made by the preceding state land
board three years ago.
Congressman James McClintio of
Oklahoma. representing the Middle
States company also appeared before
the board.
Clarence B. Richardson Of Casper,
spokesman for the association, said
that II the board were to make a
wrong decision" the prosperity of
Casper would cease forthwith and
within IS months that city would be
retrogressing.
McClintic, commenting for pubiica.
tionr said that The Haskell interests
plan would pave the way for I'M
paral's'ed development OF Wyoming.
He said the Haskell interests would
provide any cash guarantee required
by the state, and would not ask de-
livery of the lease until the proposed