The Washington times., 1928-11-30
0 Il LEASING
SYSTEM IS
Bis job
b, rnternalsonal News Service

~ AmBoEU14BUOaA NCW8 SCFNACO
The adoption by Congress Of the
leasing system for the public oil,
coal and other mineral lands has
necessitated special business pro-
cedure" In the administration of a
great mineral estate. Secretary OF
the Interior Roy o. West said today
III his annual report.
The extent Of this estate, he said,
is not even yet adequately known,
but it may be stated approximately
as including so, 900, 900 acres of coal
lands that contain more than 200.-
OeO, O00. 900 tons OF valuable coal.
500. 900 acres OF phosphate land that
can supply 5000 900, 900 tons of this
essential fertilizer, ''as its needs on
American farms is better realized, !"
IS developed oil and gas fields with
an annual production Of 33.000,000
barrels of oil and 1000 300 acres Of
oil shale from which possibly so ,00O,-
900, 900 barrels Of oil can be ex-
tracted when high prices arrive to
warrant the higher cost
Vast Estate
''In the management of this vast
estate the supervision of SAB oil and
gas leases together with $4,000
prospecting permits Is the largest
item and the one requiring the high
est degree Of technical and legal
attention" the report said.
Yet the more slowly growing
demand for coal mines on the pub
lie domain forecast an even more
important factor in western devel-
opnnent. Probably it is the nations
generous. endowment of coal res
serves that furnishes the greatest
assurance of her future prosperity 4
and so It is more than matter Of
passing interest that the estimated
quality Of coal in Government owner
shin here in the Western United
States exceeds the total tonnage Of
coal in the British Isles as esti-
tinnated by Britain's most eminent
authority.
Supervision Strict
west said that Federal super
vision Of mining operations on Gov
eminent leases IL believed to be
Referring to the work Of the PEN
sion Bureau, West said that vet
Grams OF the war with Spain have
become the dominant element at the
bureau. At the end Of the last
fiscal year there were 144,80O of
them drawing pensions, as against
about $4,000 veterans Of the civil
war. He said 1t was an interesting
fact that Of the 414,0OO soldiers who
served In the Spanish.American war.
there are more than 100000 who
have never applied for pensions.
Soldiers Pensions
The close Of the fiscal year 1928
showed but 1889 Of the 2.213,365I
soldiers who served in the civil war
In receipt. OF pensions. During the
year 1921 civil war veterans died.
Pensions aggregating $69,6S3, 556 were
epaid to civil war veterans during
the fiscal year At the close OF the
year 197,934 widows, minors and
dependents of civil war soldiers
were in receipt Of pensions, a.
against 212.642 at the beginning Of
the year, q net loss to this class
OF 14,708. Disbursements for this
class amounted to $79,95s .669 this
year.
Referring to reclamation the re-
port showed that there are "A Ted.
eral reclamation projects cOmpris-
ing 1,956,910 irrigable acres which
have been developed at cost OF
$175.116.945. The value of crops
grown on land irrigated from Gov
eminent works was $133, 207,2 |
Works now under construction in
volve q further ultimate expendi-
ture of 10000, 900.
During the fiscal year progress
was made in the construction of
three large dams In California,
Montana and Utah and contracts
were awarded for the building of
three other dams in Oregon, Idaho
and Washington.