X. PUBLIC RESOURCES AND PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC LANDS MORRIS BIEN Phosphate and Oil Lands.-On July | made. The applicant is required to 17 Congress passed an Act providing show that his former entry was made that lands which have been with- in good faith, that it was lost bedrawn or classified as containing phos- cause of matters beyond his control, phate, nitrate, potash, oil, gas or as- and that he has not speculated in phaltic minerals or which are valua- his right of entry nor committed ble for such deposits shall be subject fraud in connection with such prior to the general land laws regarding entry. entry, purchase, etc., with a reservation to the United States of such deposits together with the right to prospect for, mine and remove them. This legislation makes available for settlement and entry for agricultural purposes a considerable area which has heretofore been reserved because of these mineral deposits. This solution of the question is in line with that first adopted in 1910 in regard to coal lands, by which the surface of the land could be taken for agricultural and general settlement purposes, leaving the United States to deal with the valuable mineral deposits by other means. Reclamation Extension Act. On Aug. 13 Congress passed an Act providing for an extension of 20 years in the time required for payments by entrymen and water-right applicants under the large irrigation projects established under the Reclamation Act. The details of this Act are discussed elsewhere (see Reclamation, infra). This Act is one of a series of similar import that have been passed from time to time to correct the injustice arising in some cases from the statutory limitation to a single entry of this kind. Heretofore Congress has not been willing to make the Act applicable to future entries but insisted that it should apply only to entries made prior to the date of the Act. The present law applies to future cases so that remedial legislation of this kind will not be required in the future. Country Parks, Public Playgrounds, and Community Centers.-On Oct. 5 Congress passed an Act to authorize the reservation of public lands for country parks, public playgrounds and community centers for the use of residents on reclamation projects established under the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902. This legislation is in recognition of the growing sentiment toward encouraging the consolidation of the farming communities Second Homestead and Desert-Land established on these reclamation projEntries. On Sept. 5 Congress passed ects, in which the prevailing condian Act providing that any person tions tend strongly toward coöperawho has heretofore or may hereafter tive effort. It authorizes the Secremake entry under the homestead or tary of the Interior to set apart for desert-land laws and who through no the purposes specified above not exfault of his own may have lost, for- ceeding 20 acres in any one township feited or abandoned the same, shall of six miles square. The Secretary be entitled to the benefits of the home- is authorized to enter into contract stead or desert-land laws as though with organizations formed by the such former entry had never been landowners for the maintenance and sion was reached. use of these lands, and the Act pro- it during the session but no concluvides that water service for irrigation purposes may be furnished without special charge, the cost being borne by all the water-users. This legislation applies only to lands in reclamation projects, but if it works successfully, as it seems likely to do, Congress will doubtless apply this system more extensively. Unqualified Patents for Lands Withdrawn as Coal Lands. On April 14 Congress passed an Act to correct an injustice that had been done to a number of entrymen who had received patent limiting them to surface rights for lands which at the time of patent had been withdrawn as possibly containing coal and which lands were afterwards determined not to contain coal and were released from the withdrawal. The Act provides that in such cases new patents may issue giving the entryman full rights in the land. Vacant Public Lands.-The following table shows approximately the areas of lands in the several states owned by the United States on July 1, 1914, which are not reserved and of which about one-fourth are surveyed and available for settlement and entry. Alabama. Alaska.. Colorado. Area, Acres 51,920 367,900,000 36,958,749 368,972 20,902,752 18,899,441 307,924 16,342,781 102,200 123,045 Alaska Coal Lands.-On Oct. 20 Congress passed the Act providing for the leasing of coal lands in the territory of Alaska. This legislation makes available a very large area of coal-bearing lands which for the last eight years has been withheld from use pending the time that Congress would settle upon a plan of disposition. The leasing of these lands is committed to the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior in areas of from 40 to 2,560 acres upon competitive bidding in most cases. The Act provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall fix a minimum royalty of not less than two cents per ton, and a minimum rental for the land of not less than 25 cents per acre for the first year, not less than 50 cents per acre for each of the next four years, and not less than one dollar per acre per annum after the fifth year. The lease may run for not more than 50 years, subject to renewal, as authorized by law at the time of such renewal. The Act contains provisions to prevent combinations among those holding leases with a view to monopolizing the market. It also provides that railroads or other common carriers shall not be permitted to acquire through lease or permit any coal or coal lands in excess of what may be needed solely for their own use. The Act provides further for the reservation of certain coal-bearing areas for use by the Government In the YEAR BOOK for 1910 (p. 302) a for the operation of government rail- similar table was given showing the roads, for the Navy, or when neces-conditions on July 1, 1910. sary for national protection, or for relief from oppressive conditions brought about through the monopoly of coal. (See also I, American History.) General Leasing of Coal Lands.Congress had before it a bill providing for the leasing of coal lands on the public domain outside of Alaska. A great deal of attention was paid to Louisiana. Minnesota Montana. Nevada. Oklahoma Utah. Total. 79,316 1,082,199 46,793 1,061 22,237,660 270,162 55,502,439 30,104,843 672,949 42,353 15,969,846 3,573,269 33,756,502 1,799,774 8,760 31,553,423 658,659,133 A com parison of these tables shows that in the four years intervening the United States has disposed of 53,327,276 acres. It is interesting to note that in the four years from 1906 to 1910 the area disposed of was 80,252,298 acres. Disposition of Public Lands.—The total area of public lands entered during the year ending June 30, 1914, was 16,522,852 acres, an increase of providing that where a man and womabout 655,629 acres as compared an had independently made homestead with the area entered during the pre- entries and afterwards married, they ceding year. The total cash receipts might retain both entries and that from the sale of public lands during residence on the lands included in one that year were $4,256,102.96; from of the entries by the husband and the sale of Indian lands there were wife shall constitute a compliance received in addition $1,844,802.77. with the residence requirements for These figures represent a decrease of about $305,104.28 as compared with the receipts for the preceding fiscal year. The area of lands patented during the year was 14,391,071 acres, an increase over the preceding year of 1,712,995 acres. Of the area patented 10,000,635 acres were taken under the homestead law, an increase over the preceding year of 2,680,577 acres. Marriage of Homestead Applicants. -On April 6 Congress passed an Act each entry. This law abolishes a previous ruling of the Department of the Interior to the effect that where a man and woman who had each made entry were afterwards married they were obliged to give up one of the entries because under the law an entryman was required to live upon his land and could not have a residence apart from his family. The effect of this statute will doubtless be to encourage matrimony among people who have made homestead entries. MINERAL RESOURCES U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH Activities of the Year.-All lines of work of the United States Geological Survey have been carried forward during the year. Geologic investigations have been pushed in the coal, oil and phosphate fields and in mining camps in the West. Water-resource work and topographic mapping have been prosecuted in various parts of the country. The scope of the Survey's field activities is shown by the fact that geologic surveys, both detailed and reconnaissance, covored 70,000 sq. miles in 47 states, Alaska, Hawaii and the Canal Zone, and topographic surveys covered 29,000 sq. miles in 24 states, Alaska and Hawaii, while stream-gauging was carried on at 1,400 stations in 39 states, Alaska and Hawaii. The aggregate area covered by all these surveys exceeds the combined areas of Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland and Greece. Public Land Classification. The public-land classification was on an equally large scale and involved the classification of some 47,000,000 acres of coal, oil, phosphate and other lands, an area twice the size of the state of Indiana. Under this heading are included such items as the classification for restoration to entry of 9,250,000 acres of land which had previously been withdrawn for coal classification, of which 1,300,000 acres were appraised and made available for purchase at prices determined by the quantity and quality of coal. In the examination of withdrawn phosphate lands, approximately 1,700,000 acres were covered during the year. Another item in classification work was the examination of nearly 2,500,000 acres of lands in the various Indian reservations, incident to the proper disposition of the Indian lands. The work included withdrawals of 209,488 acres of oil lands and restorations of 187,867 acres, examination showing the latter to be non-oil. In the phosphate fields 169,885 acres were withdrawn and 258,909 restored. In the exploratory work in the search for potash, 92,160 acres of lands were withdrawn and 320 acres restored. Under water-power site reserves, 183,612 acres were withdrawn and 90,400 acres previously included were stored to the public domain. Streamprofile surveys covered 791 miles. re The largest item in the classification work was the designation under the Enlarged Homestead Act of nonirrigable lands for entry in 320-acre homesteads. These designations were largely made in response to petitions of prospective entrymen and aggregated 33,102,289 acres in 12 states. Publications.-Another index of the work of the Geological Survey is afforded by its publications. During the year there were published and distributed more than a million copies of reports and geologic and topographic maps. Nearly 350,000 of these maps were sold to the public. The Survey carries as a regular stock about 2,300 different maps. The topographic maps now cover 40 per cent. of the area of the United States. One of the notable publications of the year has been the petroleum map. This is a large wall map showing the petroleum resources and natural-gas deposits of the United States and also the thousands of miles of trunk oil pipe line. It shows by colors the areas underlain by known oil and gas pools as well as general oil and gas localities. The map is 49 by 76 in., printed in five colors. Mineral Resources of the United tors, whose production is $2,500,000,States. One result of the European 000 annually, more amply justified War was to draw attention almost itself. immediately to the mineral reserves of the United States. Shortly after the outbreak of the conflict the Geological Survey published (Bull. 599) a brief report discussing the principal resources which are the foundation of the mineral industry, many of which the United States has imported in greater or less degree and largely from European countries. Except as to four or five minerals, the United States is seen to be absolutely independent, although certain of our deposits are comparatively undeveloped owing to the fact that it has been a little easier and cheaper to import foreign materials. In many other cases, however, the United States leads the world. Thus, not only in production but in reserves of coal, oil, iron, phosphate rock, copper, sulphur and radium ore the United States is supreme; it can both supply its own needs and it has ample material for export, while the only essential minerals of the first rank in which this country has no known supply at all commensurate with its need are nitrates, potash salts, tin, nickel and platinum. In such minerals as manganese, arsenic, barytes, and magnesite, while we have been heavy importers, we yet have ample domestic deposits which will now doubtless be quickly developed to meet the demand due to the shutting off of the foreign supply. The wide newspaper publicity accorded to the authentic information contained in the Survey's report Activities and Resources.-Thirtyand the statements issued regarding three states maintained active geoAmerican mineral reserves have re- logical surveys during 1914. The sulted in a heavy correspondence and general scope of survey work is to have given the Survey opportunity in collect reliable information and to thousands of cases to put the user of distribute it in the form of books certain materials in touch with a and maps or in reply to direct inpresent or prospective producer. Let- quiry. In 1914 the state surveys exters are received in the same mail pended about $500,000 and received from a producer of magnesite stating the benefits of about $100,000 addithat he is looking for a market for tional expenditure by coöperating his product and from a manufacturer Federal or state bureaus. The Assoinquiring where he can obtain Ameri- ciation of American State Geologists can magnesite. The Survey is now brings about exchange of views reacting as a clearing house of informa- garding scientific and administrative tion in this respect. Never before has problems and aims to strengthen inits work in mineral statistics, neces- terstate and Federal coöperation. A sitating close touch with the 90,000 field meeting was held in northern mineral producers and mine opera-Michigan in August, as guests of the Appropriations. - Congress has granted the Geological Survey a much needed increase of $100,000 for the more extended prosecution of geologic surveys, and also appropriated $40,000 for the preparation of plans for the new $2,500,000 building for the Geological Survey and other bureaus of the Department of the Interior which was authorized by a previous Congress. STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS tion. State Geological Commission, which lite minerals of New Jersey were inwas attended by one-half the Associa- vestigated. Examinations of glass sand of Indiana and of Pennsylvania were conducted. Brief reports were prepared on brown and blue phosphate, and on tripoli and bauxite of Tennessee. Zirconiferous sandstones of Virginia were described. A bulletin on clays and shales of Minnesota was in press. The Georgia survey published a large volume on asbestos, talc, and soapstone, and began work on limestone, fuller's earth, and bauxite of the Coastal Plain area. Topographic Maps. - Topographic surveys were conducted in 15 states in coöperation with the U. S. Geological Survey, which shared the expense. More than 9,000 sq. miles was mapped as a basis for geologic and engineering investigations. State map publications are being based more and more on the county unit instead of the quadrangle. Economic Geology.-Geology as applied directly to development of commercial mineral resources, continued to receive special attention. Economic work in the several states is summarized in the following paragraphs. Stones and Minerals for Building Purposes and the Arts. Most surveys gave attention to the examination of building stone or stone available for use in concrete, or for road ballast or other purposes. Other minerals and rare earths received considerable attention. The Alabama marble-belt map and investigation were finished, and a similar report for Tennessee was in preparation. A report on quarry resources of New York, with special reference to limestone and granite, was prepared. Study of limestones was conducted in Michigan; and reports on building stone and on limestone road materials were published in Ohio and Wisconsin respectively. A bulletin on building and ornamental stones of Minnesota was in press. Coal.-Coal investigations were actively conducted in most coal-bearing states. A revised report and map of the Blount Mountain coal field of Alabama was prepared. The Illinois Coöperative Mining Investigation published reports on geology and resources of the northern, eastern, and southwestern fields, and also engineering reports covering nine districts, with special reference to mining efficiency and safety. A report on mine humidity with reference to explosions in Illinois was issued. The survey of two important coal quadrangles was finished by the U. S. Geological Survey in coöperation. In North Dakota the McKenzie County field was surveyed. In Kentucky the eastern and western fields were partly surveyed, and coal analyses were made in coöperation with the U. S. Bureau of Mines. Coals of the Crossville quadrangle were studied in coöperation with the U. S. Geological Survey. A Virginia coal report was published for the Pound Quadrangle; the Pennsylvanian coal area of southwestern Virginia was surveyed and the Mississippian coals were investigated in coöperation with the U. S. Geological Survey. Reports and maps on coal counties of West Virginia (Kanawha, Preston) were published; and others (Logan, Mingo, Boone) were in press. Oil and Gas.-A report on the Plymouth oil field of Illinois, was published in coöperation with the U. S. Geological Survey and the new field was developed rapidly. Structural surveys were conducted over 450 sq. miles adjoining the field. A coöperative oil report was published for three counties in central Illinois and explorations are now in progress. In Indiana a survey of the Sullivan Clay products are increasing rapidly, due to their use for building purposes and for paving. Clay resources, therefore, were investigated more or less by all of the state surveys. Clays of Alabama are described in a report nearing completion. A report on 80 samples of clay and shale collected from Illinois coal mines, in coöperation with the University of Illinois and the U. S. Bureau of Mines, was prepared. A report was begun on Colorado carnotite deposits of Mesa, Montrose, and San Miguel counties, covering about 450 sq. miles. This mineral is a source of radium and other rare earths. A report on salt and brines of Michigan and another on salt and gypsum deposits of southwest Virginia were published. Zeo |