Salt Lake Herald | 1890-06-15 | Page 1 | Land Acquisition in Alaska

Land Acquisition in Alaska WASHINGTON June Representativ Payson of Illinois today reported from the committee on public lands a substitute for the Senate bill for the acquisition of laud for townsites and commercial purposes pur-poses in Alaska The committee in the accompanying report says that while the Senate bill proposes partial relief it doe not go far enough Tho report refers to the fact that during the twentytwo year that Alaska has been in tho possession of of the United States there has been with the exception of mining laws absolutely no legislation tending to encourage its development They wero offered protection protec-tion for the investment of their capital and labor t several thousand Americans there The House committee on mines and mining min-ing today agreed upon a bill having for its object the better protection of the lives of nprsons omnloved in coal mines in th territories There arc but three territories that will be affected by the provisions of the bill viz Alaska Idaho and Indian territory as they care the only ones gl un which coal is mined The bill provides br the appointment of mine inspectors for furnishing mines wiih machinery and other appliances necessary t the safety of employees where these are inadequate compels tho owners or managers to provide at least two shafts slopes or other outlets out-lets separately by the natural strata of not less than 150 feet in breath by which shafts slopes or outlets distinct means 6 f ingress and egress shall always be available avail-able t persons employed in said mines I and makes the employment of child labor in mines a misdemeanor