Show STANDARD TANDA D ouT Oil SEEKS K UTAH IA lANO LANDS I Mineral L Leasing asing Bill Opens Valuable Land for Oil Prospecting Many Applications Applications Applications Ap Ap- Ap- Ap Are Are Filed ELIEF under the mineral R RELIEF land leasing bill which will open for oil prospecting acres of land in Utah thought to tobe tobe tobe be some of the best prospective I oil land in the state is being sought by a large number of among whom is the Standard Oil company according to Ralph S. S Kelley chief of the fie field d' d division of the the United States land office for Idaho an and Utah Most of the land is located in San Juan county near the Arizona line and a afew afew afew few miles from Mexican Hat a locality locality locality local local- ity where oil In considerable quantity is said to have been demonstrated several several several sev sev- eral years ears ago and where one gusher is reported to have been en struck RELIEF PROVISION The relief provision is contained in section 19 of the mineral land leasing act and is designed to aid alet those who made placer oil locations on the public public public pub pub- lic lands prior to the withdrawal of the lands ands from entry by presidential order If the applicants can prove that they had made every effort in good faith to perfect their title to the ground and had spent at least per location had and had and since continued to lay claim to the ground they willbe willbe will be given a permit to prospect for oil even if the ground is of known oil structure providing they quit claim to the government any title they may think they possess In this respect they are favored over other applicants for I oil prospecting permits since permits I will not be given on known oil tures WITHDRAWALS According to Mr Kelley a blanket banket withdrawal of oil lands was ordered by President Taft September 27 27 1909 which affected large areas in California California California Califor Califor- nia Wyoming and Utah Subsequent I I withdrawals have been ordered but It ItIs itis Is the Taff Tart withdrawal with which I Utah Is chiefly concerned and which affects the lands in question Large tracts of land were located I under the placer laws for oil prospect prospect- ing The government withdrew the lands and prevented the perfecting of ot 11 j the titles The claimants went to court and the supreme court upheld th the I right of the government to withdraw with with- I draw PREFERENCE RIGHTS All is not lost however because the law of February 25 1920 gives these old claimants preference rights for prospecting permits if they continued to claim the ground up to October 1 11 I 1919 and had expended per claim j I I prior to February 25 1920 Another provision of the relief measure provided provided provided pro pro- I vided that these must put in their claims for relief prior to August AUgust August Au- Au gust 25 1920 or within six months s I after atter the passage of the mineral leasing leasing leasing leas- leas I I ing bill bill- j i j Curiously enough It appears that all all' allot j of ot these claimants overlooked a clearly clearly clearly clear clear- I ly designated proviso in the act which required the file duplicates of their I applications fry In the land office that the duplicates could be turned over to he i I Ifield field division It Is this division that I I must examine the property and report report re- re re 1 I j port on the works work an and good f faith ith of i the applicant before the permit can be bo granted Mr Kelley says that this I default has been discovered and that the duplicates are now being showered j upon him Within a few days he will II have a force of five field deputies in j southern Utah going over the land I claimed It Is probable that the fate i of ot acres of future oil land willbe willbe will willbe be determined within the next few tew Wk weeks weeks' I |