Show Gilsonite Lands on Uncompahgre Reservation tion W Would be Sold in 40 Acre Tracts if Kings King's ings ing's s Bill Passes 1 I Lands In the former Uncompahgre Indian reservation heretofore reserved re reserved reserved re- re served from entry because they contain con con- tain tamn gilsonite asphaltum el ter te or other like substances would be offered for sale In forty acre tracts under the provisions of a bill by Senator Sen Sen- Senator Senator ator King Development of oil and other hiu- hiu on Indian lands of Arizona Arizona Arizona Ari Ari- zona and New Mexico Mexico would Tin be b encouraged en- en encouraged encouraged en en- by bya abill bill presented by Senator Senator Senator Sen Sen- ator Smoot Mineral l lands on the Indian reservations of those states under the bill may be leased for not longer th than n twenty years except by extension Where wells on such leased produce no oil or gas but produce artesian water the water water water wat wat- er is to become the property of the th United States for tor the uso use a and d benefit benefit benefit bene bene- fit of or the Indians Revenues arising under this bill would go to the credit of the tribes whose lands ands are being developed The Fort Duchesne reservation would be granted to I the state of Utah for use as a br branch agricultural al college under another bin bill by Sen Senator ator ator Sen ator Smoot i Another bill of great importance to Utah and ald all other western states by Senator King would cede all unreserved public lands to tho the several states whenever the states by legislative act accept the grant This bill would not affect lands to which settlers have Ini Initiated ed rights under existing land laws nor would it affect any public lands withdrawn for any public purpose I but it would when pending entries s sand and claims are disposed of wipe the several government land offices out of existence To o end the long del delays y that usually usual ly attend the issuance of patents for mining claims Senator Senator King King pro pro- proposes poses to amend sections 2325 and 2326 of the revised statutes placing p upon the government and contestants contest contest- contestants ants the burden of showing the thai the I mineral claimant claimant is not ot entitled toa toa to toa a patent rather than requiring the thecla cla claimant Un- Un Under want to make all the proof Under Under Un Un- der this bill anyone locating a mining mining mining min min- ing claim and complying with the requirements of the law shall file his showing as at present publish notice of his application for patent but also file notice with the local loca court of competent jurisdiction The court will then call upon the local land office and other parties claiming claiming claim claim- ing adverse rights to appear in tn court to set up the ground of ot their con con- test The court rather than the local lo local lo- lo ca cal land office will wiil hear the evidence and render a decision which shall bea be bea a finding of facts and a judgment asto as asto asto to whether or not the applicant is i entitled to a patent If It th the court rules in favor tavor of the applicant this ruling g will be binding on the land office and patent will issue promptly IY If conflicting rights are established they likewise shall be adjudicated in conformity with the decision of or the court The bill is designed to render unnecessary the rep repeated sending of Inspectors Investigators special a Leas Agents q s and others others to lo to look loo over mining min mm- ing claims before patent issues a i p process that has tended to delay patent pat pat- ent ir frequently for tor a a. a term of or of years Adjustment Adjustment of of f th the title of or the a y western ay stern states to their school sections sec sec- U ti ns ns Is is sought in a bill reintroduced by bT bf Senator Senator sI Smoot t t. t The Tho bill proy pro pro- vioreE provides vio- vio y vides reE that where school lands h have ve veli li been en granted to a state the governor govern govern- o o. o or may y list such lands with the secretary sec see seer r ary df Of f the Interior and and the secretary secle secre secre- tary tart will be required to issue patent pat pat- ent to the state for the lands listed and a and found to tobo be bo of the character granted and free from valid adverse c claim im at the time when the right of oC tire the state attached No lands so listed list list- e ed if j howe however e shall be De patented until the state shall have published for thirty thirty days a notice of its filling If v llie lands listed are publication pub pub- publication shall not be b made within X h o. o three pree months of the filing of the a t township p plat of survey The The bill provides provides' that where wheres s school ool lands have been purchased IngO in gO good d faith from any state and hereafter here- here utter after are found and Held to be of ot known mineral character at the I t time me the grant to the state otherwise would would have ouid have attached the transferees of oJ of the state shall have hav a right to a confirmatory patent with reservation reserva reserva- ton tion on of the mineral ral deposits to the United States upon payment of 1 5 per acre or a patent without r reservation up upon n paying the appraised ed price of the land Fifty per cent of ot all moneys r received from sales of this character shall go to the states in in ih which the lands are are situated for their t. t ei school fund and the other 50 per per percent cent would go reclamation reclamation reclamation tion fund I Inasmuch as congress as a's evidently ill pass not any bill bill this session ap appropriating new funds for the building building building build build- ing ing of new irrigation projects Senator Smoot wl will l again seek to awaken interest in what is known as s 1 his rural homes bill which proposes a plan pran o of reclamation without the expenditure of a dollar of government government government govern govern- ment money Under this bill the reclamation service is authorized t to investigate and determine the feasibility feasibility of deY developing loping tracts of landin land landin landin in private priva e ownership ow by reclamation reclamation reclamation tion or otherwise and wh where re a project pro pro- project is found feasible is authorized to d develop the he land and dispose of f fit it in farms or parcels No federal money moner shall be expended either in inthe inthe inthe the investigation of projects or in their construction for tor the bill re requires requires requires re- re quires that before any work is done i the owners of the land or a district representing the owners shall pay in advance the estimated cost of surveys surveys sur sur- veys eys and construction and and- such other moneys as s may be required to prepare prepare prepare pre pre- pare the land for tor settlement The money so contributed will then be expended by the government The lands when reclaimed shall be sold to farmers at the actual cost of the theland theland theland land and its its' development VI plus us a reasonable profit to the owners stated in do adv advance nce in the contract |