Show COAL LAND FRAUDS TAKEN T AKEr UP IN HOUSE Investigation by Committee on Public Lands Will Wi Be Resumed Resumed Resumed Re Re- Re January 9 HITCHCOCK TO BE PRESENT Secretary of 01 the thc Interior Will Wi I hear em Additional Testimony Regarding of or m. m n Jun Jan 3 An 3 An tomm on into th the co coal l land an frauds of or Utah tah V Wyoming and amid other oilier states state of qt the tho Inter mountain country has bc been n be begun begun heun he- he gun un in c earnest rnest b by the tho house committee commit commit- tee ee on public lands emphasizing emphasizing- the th the act fact that congress intends to fathom the he rumors rumor nn and act on the matten mat mat- ten cr John F. F Lacey Laccy chairman of oC th the tho committee on public lands was i In conference with Secretary of ot tho the In- In tenor E E. A A. Hitchcock today relative to o the charge charges that railroads fraudulently lenty occupied thousands of or acres of or orco co coal 1 land an I in direct l. violation o of h law u in speaking peal o of or tire the matter mater I Chairman Laccy Lacey nr sal said Wo We intend to take tale this matter mater up p in house an and ind push it to the tho front One of ot the first firt steps will wi of or course bo be to get at the actual facts as obtained by agents of the thc Inter Inter State Stala Commerce commission slon in their recent ions tons What hat then develops c will wi bo be a matter for OI tho the legislature to deter deter- ar mine inc The committee on omi 01 public lands in taking up UI the subject of ot time the Presidents President's message mesge on the coal coat lands question queston has already alread taken much testimony Tho The committee will wi take the time matter up on n Ja January uary 9 at which Secretary Hitchcock will wi probably attend It I was wa for or this purpose that I met with I the he secretary this afternoon and he promised to attend atton it Ir po possible The evidence taken tak n thus far tar deals eals with the s subject of oC procuring of or coal lands by tho the state of or Utah as agricultural tural lands und amid then timen selling the same us as coal lands lans at 2 GO an acre The Tho United States government sells sels coal lands at less es than hart 10 an acre when more mOIe than miles from r-om r a ft railroad railroad rail rail- ral- ral road oad and not less than tItan 20 an acre ucro If less lesl than 15 miles from Crom a railroad d. d This price has been high enough to cu cause e etho tho the Jun lurid hind to bo ho taken vcr very slowly for coal coat Only about 4 acres of or coa coal coall l I d wes I l pot not t ot er r o M-o i aCC a r the the last Jast six years yearn e I- I I Coal Coni land Jt It J appears Is secured cule Jan Jit jl this roundabout way vay through state stale se selection selection se- se lection lecton not under tho the coal coat land Jund laW Jaw but hut to avoid old a the payment of ot tho the hf high h price fixed at fit 10 J 0 and 20 0 an nn aero acre under the tIme coal caul land laws lairs In Jim II amid lul In Wyoming and the Dakotas state land cannot be sold S soI id at less les than 10 0 un tm acre under the thc terms terms' terms terms-of of 01 tho the grant to that so ro o Is JR no profit In getting the tire state tate to select land to sell neli sel to coal purchasers el because It I would still be not less Jes than thamm 10 JO an aim aero acre Ut If It there ther are arc acres of government Jo veal teal lands Jand In the United State blate as s tG by hy the late order of or wIthdrawal it it il be he seen that hat at or 01 ii 1000 acres a a year car It t would take a long to make much Impression upon if It Ii But Dut there have o ho beer entries made mae under other laws so as to avoid 3 the tire coal coni land laws s la The Tho evasion caslon of or the coal land laws seems to L been en accomplished ac ac- ac- ac in various ways ways The coma com committee is seeking to get at the bottom bolom facts acts facts |