OCR Text |
Show AIDING SETTLERS IN THE WEST TO OBTAIN LANDS Washington. Feb. 18. The house has passed, and the senate Is expected expect-ed to pass, a bill permitting entry-men entry-men on public lands, which, subsequent to the entry but before the Issuance of patent, have been withdrawn as coal land, to accept patent for the land together with a reservation to the government of all coal In the lands. Tho purpose of the bill is to relievo a large number of settlers in the western west-ern states, notably Colorado, Wyoming, Wyom-ing, Utah and Montana, who have taken tak-en up lands under non-mineral land laws In areas which later were withdrawn with-drawn from settlement before patents could be obtained, on the theory that the lands contalnod coal. It is said that about 3.000 tracts entered under the homestead and desert land laws are now held in suspension on this account. |