The Washington times., 1924-02-16
FALL LAID WAYS
FOR LEASE Of
NEWF|ELD
Awarded Honolulu Company
Claims to Big Slice of Naval
Reserve No. 2.

Having found his perfect SO pre-
paratory to the conquest Of Naval
Petroleum Reserve No. /, Albert
Bacon Fall, as Secretary Of the
Interior, Immediately laid down the
foundation, whether or not he ever
intended to use 1t, for similar devel.
opment in the case Of Naval Petro.
leum Reserve No. 2, lying partly
contiguous to and south OF the other
IN the Midway and Buena Vista
fields of California.
On June Is, 1921, Just a week
after his decision on the now
notorious Section SO, and less than
a month before his bestoWaI of the
balance of the Elk Hill leases on
Edward L. Doheny's Pan.American
Company, he exercised for 9he Sec
ono time, though in less unusual
his supervisory power
ana authority claimed under Rule IS
OF the departmental rules and prac.
tee. This time he took uu the
case or the Honolulu Consolidated
vi company, Of San Francisco.
clalmlng some 2,720 acres in Re.
serve No. 2.
Claims Of Company.
Naval Petroleum Reserve No.
Is SNAPPED roughly as might be a
iutur1stlc representation Of a heel.
less shoe. The Honolulu ConsoIi.
dated OH Company laid claim to all
OF Sections 6, 8 and II, three.fourths
OF Section and half of Section I2
IN the toe and ball of this shoe az
transferee Of certain rights claim.
go unoer placer mining locations
MADE In October, November and
December, 1908, when the entire
territory was being developed as
rlploly as possible, after the with.
orawaI from agricultural entry of
september IA preceding, under
which and the mineral Withdrawal
order OF June 4, 1909 and succeed.
ing Withdrawals the Government
was contesting.
AT the date Of Mr.. Falls hearing
OF TINS case there was a third con.
testant, the Buena Vista COMPANY
claiming title based on certain selec.
tons made by the State of Califor.
MIA IN October, 1906, and June and
August, 1907. But before Mr.. Falls
decision, delayed until November ia
1913, the Honolulu Company OBJ.
tanned from the Buena Vista Com.
pany and the State waivers to all
their claims, SO that these were
not involved in the final deternn.
nation. N
Record Like Romance.
The history of these cIa;rs
which in view of the denouemant'
may here be Joined, IL one Of ro'
nance and desperate struggle, with
the NAVY noNo ,.tx,,arA
the Department Of. Justice, and at
most crucial period by the Pres.
ident Wilson himself, fighting the
honolulu company, the Land OF.
nee, the Secretary Of the Interior
Lane) and raft Of high priced
attorneys In the Federal and Dis.
trlct OF Columbia courts, from the
time the Lands were finally placed
IN the Naval Reserve by the Pres.
ident In December, 1918.
AS to the turmoil within the
Department alone, not to go into
the records Of the court battles.
1t is sufficient to quote from Mr.
Falls decision:
As Told BY Mr.. FAN.
"In April, 1915, pursuant To an.
plication proceedings by the Hon.
olulu Consolidated OH COMPANY
under the general mining laws.
mineral entries were allowed that
company upon all the lands above
described. The field service Of
the General Land Office made an
extensive examination ana, uuon
consideration Of it's report, all the
entries, except those in Section 8
were clearlisted on December i5.
1915, by the Commissioner of the
General Land Office as to the char.
acter OF the land, bona fidee Of
the locations. and diligent prose.
cution OF work leading TO discovery.
at the date Of the first Withdrawal.
In this clearlisting the then ser.
rotary Of the Interior. the late
Franklin X. lane. concurrd.
at the instance % the then 0acrp.
tnry of the Navy ana fha Aftornev