CORRECTION OF NOVEMBER 15, 1902. NOVEMBER 15, 1902. REGISTER AND RECEIVER, SIRS: Burns, Oregon. In reply to your letter of November 3, 1902, you are advised that the N.W. of N.W., Sec. 10, Tp. 19 S., R. 43 E., W. M., was intended to be withdrawn by office letter of October 27, 1902. The writing of R. 40 E. was an error. Township 23 S., R. 18 E., and townships 24 S., Ranges 17, 18 and 19 E., M. D. M., were alleged to contain mineral (oil) in a general protest filed in this office January 29, 1900, and the lands therein were suspended from disposition under the agricultural land laws by telegram "P" of February 28, 1900.2 Acting under general instructions from this office, a special agent visited and examined said townships in September 1902 and reports that so far as he has been able to ascertain no oil or other mineral has been discovered upon any of said lands and that no attempt at mineral development is now being made; that the lands are apparently valueless except for agricultural and grazing purposes. He interviewed and obtained the affidavits of three residents of Tp. 24 S., R. 19 E., and all agree that the townships mentioned are chiefly valuable for grazing and that to their knowledge no minerals have been discovered thereon and further that no development work is being prosecuted on any of the said lands. Upon the information obtained from such examination and interviews, the special agent recommends that the lands be relieved from suspension. The townships in question were returned as agricultural by the official surveyors and I fail to find any specific protest against any tracts therein. On a blue print accompanying the general protest hereinbefore mentioned, the Eureka Consolidated Fuel and Oil Co. is shown to claim portions of Secs. 12 and 14, Tp. 23 S., R. 18 E., but the address of said company is unknown to me. However, the removal of the order of suspension will not affect the rights of said company or of others, if there be any claiming any portion of said lands under the mining laws and in view of the report and recommendation of the special agent and of the fact that no one is now before the office with any specific claim or protest adverse thereto, said Townships 23 S., R. 18 E. and 24 S., Ranges 17, 18 and 19 E., M. D. M., are hereby relieved from the suspension placed thereon by telegram "P" of February 28, 1900. Make proper notations upon your records. Very respectfully, 1 See p. 75. 2 See p. 61. WITHDRAWAL OF DECEMBER 30, 1902. DECEMBER 30, 1902. The COMMISSIONER OF THE SIR: GENERAL LAND OFFICE. In a communication addressed to your office by this Department, June 3, 1902,1 relating to the unpatented alternate odd-numbered sections of land within the limits of the grant to the Union Pacific Railroad company, in the Evanston land district, Wyoming, it was ordered that action upon requests by the said company for the issuance of patents to embrace said lands be deferred for the time being to permit such investigation and consideration as would enable the Department to determine whether, to what extent, and for what time, the further issuance of patents to said company for lands in said district shall be withheld, in order that such lands may be prospected and explored for oil deposits, supposed (as contradistinguished to known) to be contained therein, by persons who may, in good faith, wish to undertake such prospecting and exploration. Since the date of said communication an investigation has been made of said alternate odd-numbered sections, under the supervision of this Department. As a partial result of that investigation, you are directed that the consideration of requests for patent by the railroad company need be no longer deferred as to any odd-numbered sections of land within its grant which lie east of range 112 in said land district. As to all such lands you will proceed with the administration of the company's grant, the same as though the order of June 3, 1902, had not been made. Requests for patents for alternate odd-numbered sections within the company's grant, which lie west of range 112 in said land district, will remain suspended until more definite direction is given with respect thereto, which will be done as soon as the evidence relating to such lands and taken at said investigation can be carefully considered. Very respectfully, E. A. HITCHCOCK Secretary. RESTORATION OF JANUARY 7, 1903. JANUARY 7, 1903. Register and Receiver, Visalia, California. SIRS: Telegram "P" of this office dated February 28, 1900,2 suspended "from disposition until further orders" a large number of townships in the Visalia, Los Angeles and San Francisco land districts upon the general allegation that said lands contain valuable deposits of petroleum. Office letter "N" of July 19, 1900, addressed to your office, advised you that Suspensions from disposition of certain townships by telegrams of February 26th and 28th, will be continued for a reasonable time pending inquiry as to the true character of the lands which is now in progress. These suspensions do not include mineral lands. By office letters "R" of February 18, 1902, and "N" of October 30, 1902, a special agent was directed to examine certain of the townships included in said order of suspension and to submit report as to whether in his opinion same should not be relieved from 2 See p. 61. 1 See p. 72. such suspension. I am now in receipt of the report of said special agent, dated December 15, 1902, wherein he reports that in there have been no attempts, so far as he is able to discover, to produce oil and that the surface indications do not warrant the further suspension of the lands on account of their mineral possibilities. In townships 17 S., R. 14 E., 18 S., 13 E., 18 S., 14 E., 18 S. 15 E., 19 S. 14 E., and 19 S. 16 E., he states that there have been many attempts to discover oil but that drilling has been abandoned as no trace thereof could be found. He states further that all of the lands hereinbefore mentioned are susceptible of fairly good grazing for from three to four months in the year and that none of them are strictly agricultural. I have carefully examined the records of this office and find that most of the lands hereinbefore described were returned as agricultural by the survey thereof. No mineral entries appear to have been made in any of said townships during recent years and there is nothing upon the records to indicate that attempts are being made to enter same as mineral. In view of the report of the special agent, who it appears has made a thorough examination of the lands and failed to discover any evidences of mineral thereupon, and of the fact that applications have been made to this office to enter same under the agricultural land laws, it is stated for grazing purposes, it is believed that ample opportunity has been given for the exploration which protestants stated they were about to make, and that conditions do not warrant the maintenance of the order of suspension for a longer period. Said order of suspension is accordingly recalled as to The general protest upon which said order of suspension was originally based was signed by a large number of corporations and individuals and it is impracticable to serve notice upon all of them. I have therefore selected the names of a few of the parties who appear to have been largely influential in the filing of said protest and you are directed to advise them that the order of suspension has been recalled as to the lands described. The parties referred to are: Frank H. Short, S. T. Carter, George W. Jones, H. C. Austin, Chester Rowell, Fresno, California, and Emile Grunig, Mendota, California. The following oil companies are shown by the map accompanying said protest as claiming portions of townships hereinafter indicated under placer mining locations and you will advise them that said lands have been relieved from suspension: T. 13 S., R. 11 E., Marcy Oil Company. T. 14 S., R. 11 E., Anglo California Oil Company. T. 15 S., R. 12 E., Star Oil Company and Silver Creek Petroleum Company, Fresno. T. 16 S., R. 12 and 13 E., Union Pacific Oil and Development Co. T. 17 and 18 S., R. 13 E., Cantua Oil and Development Company, Fresno. You will also notify S. C. Lillis of San Francisco and Richard E. McKenna that T. 17 S., R. 14 E. has been relieved from suspension. Very respectfully, BINGER HERMANN Commissioner. RESTORATION OF JANUARY 8, 1903. JANUARY 8, 1903. REGISTER AND RECEIVER, San Francisco, California. SIRS: Telegrams "P" of February 28, 1900,' suspended from disposition "until further orders" a large number of townships in the Visalia, Los Angeles and San Francisco land districts upon the general allegation that said lands contain valuable deposits of petroleum. Office letter "N" of July 19, 1900, addressed to your office advised you that Suspensions from disposition of certain townships by telegrams of February 26th and 28th will be continued for a reasonable time pending inquiry as to the true character of the lands which is now in progress. These suspensions do not include mineral lands. By office letters "R” of February 18th and "N" of October 30, 1902, a special agent was directed to examine certain of the townships included in said order of suspension and to submit report as to whether, in his opinion, same should be relieved from suspension. I am now in receipt of his report, dated December 15, 1902, wherein he states that in T. 14 and 15 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M., there have been no attempts so far as he is able to discover, to produce oil, and that the surface indications do not warrant the further suspension of the lands on account of their mineral possibilities. I have carefully examined the records of this office and find that no mineral entries have been made in said townships during recent years and there is nothing on the records to indicate that attempts are being made to enter same as mineral, the only evidence of their mineral character found being a few mineral entries made years ago for quicksilver mines. The special agent states further that the lands are susceptible of fairly good grazing for from three to four months in the year and that none of them are strictly agricultural. In view of the report of the special agent who it appears has made a thorough examination of the lands it is believed that ample opportunity has been given for the 1 See pp. 61, 62. exploration which protestants stated they were about to make and that conditions do not warrant the maintenance of the order of suspension for a longer period. The same is accordingly hereby recalled as to said Townships 14 and 15 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M. The general protest on which said order of suspension was originally based was signed by a large number of corporations and individuals and it is impracticable to serve notice upon all of them. I have therefore selected the names of a few of the parties who appear to have been largely influential in the filing of said protest and you are directed to advise them that the order of suspension has been recalled as to the lands described. The parties referred to are: Frank H. Short, S. T. Carter, George W. Jones, H. C. Austin, Chester Rowel, Fresno, and Emile Grunig, Mendota, California. Very respectfully, BINGER HERMANN Commissioner. RESTORATION OF FEBRUARY 4, 1903. FEBRUARY 4, 1903. REGISTER AND RECEIVER, Visalia, California. SIRS: Telegram "P" of this office, dated February 28, 1900,1 suspended "from disposition until further orders" a number of townships in your district and in the Los Angeles and San Francisco land districts upon the general allegation that the lands contain valuable deposits of petroleum. Office letter "N," addressed to your office, advised you that Suspensions from disposition of certain townships by telegrams of February 26th and 28th will be continued for a reasonable time pending inquiry as to the true character of the lands which is now in progress. These suspensions do not include mineral lands. By office letters "R" of February 18, 1902, and "N" of October 30, 1902, a special agent was directed to examine certain townships included in said order of suspension and report whether in his opinion same should not be relieved from such suspension. I am now in receipt of a report from the special agent, dated December 15, 1902, and amended January 23, 1903, wherein he states that in township 17 S., R. 13 E., M. D. M., there have been no attempts so far as he is able to discover to produce oil and that the surface indications do not warrant the further suspension of said township on account of its mineral possibilities; further, that while none of the lands are strictly agricultural, they are susceptible of fairly good grazing for three and four months in the year. I have examined the records of this office and find that said township was returned as agricultural by the survey thereof and in view of the report of the special agent, who it appears has made a thorough examination of the lands and failed to discover any evidences of mineral thereupon, and of the fact that applications have been made to this office to enter portions thereof under the agricultural land laws, it is stated for grazing purposes, it is believed that ample opportunity has been given for the exploration which protestants stated they were about to make and that conditions do not warrant the maintenance of the order of suspension for a longer period. Said order of suspension is accordingly hereby recalled as to said Township 17 S., R. 13 E., M. D. M. The general protest upon which said order of suspension was originally based was signed by a large number of corporations and individuals and it is impracticable to serve notice upon all of them. I have therefore selected the names of a few of the parties who appear to have been largely influential in the filing of the protest and you are directed to advise them that the order of suspension has been recalled as 1 See p. 61. |