Show asphaltum beds denver newspapers take a deep interest in the utah asphaltum asphalt nm lands and the fear is expressed quite often that the asphaltum asphalt nm syn dicato will monopolize the uintah county beds also when thrown opan to tha public the Denver News bays there leave been many attempts to gain possession of these lands and the question is not a new one in these col amna colorado is interested to no email extent because thu asphaltum beds lie close along the northwest border in fact large quantities of this crude haye r been shipped grand junction whatever industry ia built upon them will be of no email advantage to western colorado it need hardly be asserted that the operine of these asphalt lands would be a benefit but it should be done in each a manner that the government will reap the largest returns there should be no playing into the hands of existing asphalt monopolies As the lands are extended enough to admit of ownerships any act that congress may pasa for their sale upon the of the indian title should provide a maximum number of acres which could be taken by any one individual or company too great precautions 10 beat the rings which exist about the land and indian bureaus at washington cannot bo taken utah people feel quite as much and perhaps more interest in the asphaltum lands oi the reservation than colorado people and would be a mistake wo think to allow them to fall into the hands of any monopoly but the people here are also interested in the opening of the reservations for agricultural and grazing purposes there are thousands of acrea of surplus land along the large streams of the reservations which should be under cultivation congress took steps to open the reservations about three years ago and one pretext after another looms up for some purpose and the lands BO much needed for the use of our people lie idle now the pretext is the asphaltum lands of which secretary francis has made a special feature in bis report he bays it is my judgment that como legislation should be enacted whereby the people of the united states can at an early date have the benefit of these valuable aej needful deposits it the lands containing them were owned by an individual or a corporation instead of by the government business methods would ba pursued in disposing of them they would be sold to the high eat bidder at public auction or by sealed ads or would be leased or the right to work the deposits would be granted for a consideration in the ebare of a royalty or otherwise such lands are different from timber or coal lands that abunda very pretty but aa long as those lands are locked up by uncle sam suits the purpose of the st louis asphaltum syndicate that monopoly has been busy for the last acen years buying every asphaltum claim that is discovered in utah and then letting it lie undeveloped while the monopoly works its mines n missouri if the reservation were opened would be impossible for the syndicate to control all of asphaltum lands as they are BO extensive and it therefore suits the syndicate as before stated to have uncle sam continue the rich asphaltum lands in a worthless state this condition of affairs may not be known to the secretary of the interior yet it seems passing strange that so many obstacles should be thrown in the road of the opening of the reservation |