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ALASKA COAL LAND BILL.

H. R. 14233, AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE LEASING OF COAL LANDS IN THE TERRITORY OF ALASKA, AND FOR OTIIER PURPOSES.

HOUSE BILL.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to survey the lands of the United States in the Territory of Alaska known to be valuable for their deposits of coal,

and to lease such lands or the deposits of coal contained therein, as hereafter provided,

preference to be given first in favor of surveying lands within those areas commonly known as the Bering River, Matanuska, and Nenana coal fields, and thereafter to such areas or coal fields as lie tributary to established settlements or existing or proposed rail or water transportation lines: Provided, That such surveys shall be executed in accordance with existing laws and rules and regulations governing the survey of public lands.

Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may, as herein provided, with a view to facilitating development and without awaiting said surveys, make such awards of leases in the coal fields in Alaska as he may deem advisable and under such-regulations as he may prescribe; the locations of such leases shall be distinctly marked upon the ground under his direction, so that their boundaries can be readily traced.

PASSED BY SENATE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to survey the lands of the United States in the Territory of Alaska known to be valuable for their deposits of coal,

preference to be given first in favor of surveying lands within those areas commonly known as the Bering River, Matanuska, and Nenana coal fields, and thereafter to such areas or coal fields as lie tributary to established settlements or existing or proposed rail or water transportation lines: Provided, That such surveys shall be executed in accordance with existing laws and rules ance with existing laws and rules and regulations governing the survey of public lands.

There is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $100,000 for the purpose of making the surveys herein provided for, to continue available until expended: Provided, That any surveys heretofore made under the authority or by the approval of the Department of the Interior may be adopted and used for the purposes of this Act.

CONFERENCE AGREEMENT.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to survey the lands of the United States in the Territory of Alaska known to be valuable for their deposits of coal,

preference to be given first in favor of surveying lands within those areas commonly known as the Bering River, Matanuska, and Nenana coal fields, and thereafter to such areas or coal fields as lie tributary to established settlements or existing or proposed rail or water transportation lines: Provided, That such surveys shall be executed in accordance with existing laws and rules and regulations governing the survey of public lands.

There is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $100,000 for the purpose of making the surveys herein provided for, to continue available until expended: Provided, That any surveys heretofore made under the authority or by the approval of the Department of the Interior may be adopted and used for the purposes of this Act.

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the President of the United States shall designate and reserve from use, location, sale, lease, or disposition not exceeding five thousand one hundred and twenty acres of coal-bearing land in the Bering River field and not exceeding seven thousand six hundred and eighty acres of coal-bearing land in the Matanuska field,

and in addition the President may, in his discretion, designate and reserve from use, location, sale, lease, or other disposition not exceeding five thousand one hundred and twenty acres of coal-bearing lands in each of the other coal fields in the Territory of Alaska:

of the surveys provided for in this Act

the President of the United States shall designate and reserve from use, location, sale, lease, or disposition not exceeding five thousand one hundred and twenty acres of coal-bearing land in the Bering River field and not exceeding seven thousand six hundred and eighty acres of coal-bearing land in the Matanuska field,

CONFERENCE AGREEMENT.

SEC. 2. That

the President of the United States shall designate and reserve from use, location, sale, lease, or disposition not exceeding five thousand one hundred and twenty acres of coal-bearing land in the Bering River field and not exceeding seven thousand six hundred and eighty acres of coal-bearing land in the Matanuska field,

Provided,

That the deposits in said reserved areas may be mined under the direction of the President when, in his opinion, the coal is required for Government works or in the construction and operation of Government railroads, or is required by the Navy or is necessary for national protection or for relief from oppressive conditions brought about through a monopoly of coal.

SEC. 3. That the unreserved coal lands and coal deposits shall be divided by the Secretary of the Interior into leasing blocks or tracts of forty acres each, or multiples thereof, and in such form as in the opinion of the Secretary will permit the most economical mining of the coal in such blocks, but in no case exceeding two thousand five hundred and sixty acres in any one leasing block or tract; and thereafter

and not to exceed one-half of the other coal lands in Alaska:

Provided, That the coal deposits in such reserved areas may be mined under the direction of the President when, in his opinion, the mining of such coal in such reserved areas, under the direction of the President, becomes necessary, by reason of an insufficient supply of coal at a reasonable price for the requirements of Government works, construction and operation of Government railroads, for the Navy, for national protection,

and for relief from monopoly or oppressive conditions.

SEC. 3. That the unreserved coal lands and coal deposits shall be divided by the Secretary of the Interior into leasing blocks or tracts of forty acres each, or multiples thereof, and in such form as in the opinion of the Secretary will permit the most economical mining of the coal in such blocks, but in no case exceeding two thousand five hundred and sixty acres in any one leasing block or tract; and thereafter, subject to any prior valid existing rights, which said rights may be perfected under the laws in force at the time the same were initiated, and under the rules, regulations, and practices of the Land Department relative to the acquisition of such rights, as interpreted and applied by the Department at the time of the initiation of such

and not to exceed one-half of the other coal lands in Alaska:

Provided, That the coal deposits in such reserved areas may be mined under the direction of the President when, in his opinion, the mining of such coal in such reserved areas, under the direction of the President, becomes necessary, by reason of an insufficient supply of coal at a reasonable price for the requirements of Government works, construction and operation of Government railroads, for the Navy, for national protection,

or for re

lief from monopoly or oppressive conditions.

SEC. 3. That the unreserved coal lands and coal deposits shall be divided by the Secretary of the Interior into leasing blocks or tracts of forty acres each, or multiples thereof, and in such form as in the opinion of the Secretary will permit the most economical mining of the coal in such blocks, but in no case exceeding two thousand five hundred and sixty acres in any one leasing block or tract; and thereafter

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