MINERAL LEASES
REQUIRE LEGISLATION
Nehraskn. Supreme ( ourt Favors
Plan or Mats Board itm s
I t i - l:l I li Ml If. Nulled
In an opinion handed down last
Saturday, the supreme court of Ne
braska decreed that tin- develoiniient
of the potash and other mineral de
posits on state lands must await the
action of the leiilstature and that
laws must he passed permitting the
Rata hoard of educational lands and
funds to issue mineral IMM on these
lands heftire they can he developed.
The court held that the present
"apriciilt ural" lases do not permit the
holders thereof to take minerals
potash, oil etc.. from the state lands.
It is very prohable that the governor
will include tliis matter in his call for
the special session of the legislature
which starts next Tuesday. Quesiions
Which will come up in I lie passing of
laws covering the leasing of state
lands for rfuineral development will
include the proposition of pumping
from "meander" lakes lakes owned
by two or more parties from which
different companies destre to pump;
whether or not the leases already
granted hy the state hoard should be
continued as valid; the term under
which state lands should be worked;
etc. The pipe line question has al-j
ready been settled by a bill introduc-j
ed by Representative Lloyd Thomas
of Alliance at the last session of the
legislature.
The following article from the Sun
day Lincoln State Journal tells of the'
opion handed down by the supreme
court :
The disposition of the potash in
lakes on state school land must wait
the action of the state legislature. So
decreed the state supreme court in
an opinion hadded down Saturday.
The state board, under this decree,
has no power to issue mineral leases
to any person until the legislature
has prescribed under what terms and
in what method such lpases may be
made. At the same time no person
holding school land upon which pot
ash lakes are located has a right to
sell or use the potash from those
lakes, because under his lease he is
forbidden to cause any waste, and
this is waste.
In view of this great need of the
government for potash in making
munitions and in growing crops and
the fact that if the state desires to
profit as much by its possession of
potash on school lands as private
capital ir. doing from potash on prl-,
vately owned lands. Governor Neville
is expected to Include In the call for a
special session of the legislature a
recommendation for legislation that
will enable the state board of educa
tional lands and funds to execute
valid lenses.
The Governor sonic time ago Mid
that he did not contemplate doing so,
but the decision tying the hands of
the state board and making legisla-
tive action necessary puts a new face
on the situation He bad a copy of:
the decision ordered for himself, and
will inspect that before taking defi
nite action The state board has
a'-eadv issued 327 leases, practically
all of them on the royalty basis of one
eigth of the value of the potash tak
en. In one lake alone tne experts
fii.'ure there is a million 1 dollar's
worth of potash, and thts is largely
located on state land. It is one of the
Brlggs lakes and was included in the
Rldgell leases.
Potash is selling for from $80 to
$140 a ton. dependent upon the per
centage of potash in the solids sold.
This price is very likely to continue
as long as the war lasts and for some
time afterwards. Over in Germany
there are potash mines, where the
mineral is taken out inexpensively
and under ordinary conditions this
can be sold at prices that will make
Aaierican competition difilcult unless!
production costs can be largely de
creased or production afforded it by
tariff laws In any event the price,
which ranged grom $11 to $28 before
the war, is bound to take a drop when
the (?ernta ni Ml back into the market
again. For thts reason and because of
the fact that the demand is for about
ten times as much as could be sup
plied last year, the state will have to
hurry if it desires to share in the top
prices possible under war conditions.
The suit in which the decision was
given was that of the Faun Lake
Ranch company, lessees of Btate
school land in Cherry sounty. which
sought to enjoin Joseph Combow,
who holds a mineral lease from the
stale moard of educational lands and
funds, from entering upon the land to
take out the potash from lakes there
on. Cumbow won in the lower court,
which sustained the right of the
board to issue leases.
The state contended in the suit
that the granting of leases for agri
cultural and grazing purposes gave
the holder no right to extract miner
als or remove the same from the
lands covered by the lease. The su
preme court upholds this contention,
saying that to remove minerals from
state land would be to commit waste,
which is forbidden by the terms of
the lease
The state futher contended that the
board of educational lands and funds
had the authority to execute mineral
leases on school lands already leased
for agricultural and grazing pur
poses. The supreme court says that
; some dental work done. She returned
jthe same afternoon on 43.
Mr. and Mrs Hnssell Melick him I
to Alliance Sunday night to the
movies.
S S
Mis Claude Hrown wno has been
visiting at Van Tassel. Wyo for
' some time stopped here over Sat and
Sunday for a visit before returining
to her home at San Diego Cal
Word reaches here from Silverion
; Ore. that Mr. Henry Li hie passed
tWO J March 17, 1!1S, at his home
near Silverion. Mr. Uchtc was one of
'the early settlers of t DUOlap, Nehr
and was employed by the Go eminent
as mail carrier from Hiin:ap to llem
intford for a number of en rs '. About
; ATS eais ami he disposed of his pro
perty near DUDiop and niocd with
his family to Oregon where he resid
ed until his death. The family have
'he sympathy of their jnany friends
here In these hours of sorrow.
.
Mr and Mrs. M. C lleaiimont spent
the fore part ol last week with Mr.
and Mrs P. W. Keiiner
l W. Melick attended to business
matters at the Co. Seat the latter
pnti of the week.
It may do so. hut only under a speci
fic grant of power by the state legis
lature which has never yet directed
under what teima and conditions
mineral leases on school lands shall
be executed It was contended by the
attorneys opposing the state that tin
til the legislature had aeU'd. no group
of state officers could get together
and deal out leases on whatever
terms they might deem proper. So
both sides lost and both sides won
any good.
what they won does neither of them
The Woods brothers of Lincoln had
made arrangements to finance the
RldgOt leases, and this decision
throws all these bases, back upon the
market, or will whenever the legisla
ture takes action to place them upto
tlie highest bidder, when It Will be
anybody's rare The Woods company,
however owns some leases on private
lands, and contemplates proceeding
with their development. The Western
Potash Company has a lease from the
owner of the Hriggs lease, this hav
lOg been taken because a liiu lake on
land purchased by It extends over on
to state land iu tore pumping begim
it will be possible to make such terms
as will insure the state payment for
what it owns
Coder this decision of the court
227 mineral leases Issued hy the stale
hoard of educational lands and funds
are annulled The total fees collected
and turned into the state treasury
from the holders of these leases Is
about $ 2.000. One in a fee of $.r00
from a Pennsylvania oil company,
which expects sometime to bore for
oil on slate land.
The largest fee paid was $1,000 by
W. S. Rldgell, state fire commissioner
as president of the Nebraska Refining
and Pipe Line company of Valentine.
Mr. Ridgoll paid a fee of $1,000 in
the form of a cash bonus for a miner
al lease on Briggs' lake in Dawes
count, when the mineral rights on
that tract of land were put up at auc
tion by the state board. The fee
charged by the state for a lease to
the mineral rights of a section of
state land is $1. together with a fee
of $2 for Ollng, making a charge of
only $3 for a lease, All leases provide
for a one-elgth royalty for the state
for all mineral removed from state
land.
State land commissioner G. L.
Shumway, one of the first state of
ficers to urge the issuance of miner-)
al leases on state lands already under
lease for grazing and agricultural
purposes, has rrequentiy asserted
that there are millions of dollars In :
mineral leases, if the state can only f j Qgjjjg Jjggfjy Q Q Q LOWS!
trot 1 tiaanna . . 1 1 ! i 1 i l l t I i f It ft TiClt 'Ivlh !
p,ri ITTDDWVD . V i p I
Thus far the state has derived no
revenue from mineral leases in thej
form of royalty. None of the lessees of!
potash lakes owned hy the state have
yet gone into the manufacturing of i
potash. The potash industry is thriv
ing, apparently, nut tne urine useu
in factories is practially all taken
from lands owned by private persons t
lie i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ii
The cold, dump weather of March
se ins to be th" most favorable for
the pneumonia germs. Nov; In the
time to lie careful Peniiinonla often
results I torn a cold. The qulckei a
cold Is gotten rid of the less the dan
ger. As soon as the drat Indication
of a cold appears take Chatnberlain
C9Ugh Itemed). As to the value of
this preparation. ; sk . nyone who has
used It.
Living on i.asy street (a n slang f.nT cnotlvHlhu. coed h,.. l.i
Phrns. for finnncinl prosperity, or COS , p,rfpCti, good stand in by guessing
origin uu- n,, wrong name over a telephone.
fort utile circumstance
known, probably American
3ook Ends.
You could make ymir own hook end
by Joining two pieces of metal or
w ood mid I hen cov ering It with a cover
made of green UOOS, heavily em
brotdered In a conventional design.
il nucha ha.
Unopened?
"Dearest tlvurge, if ym use auch
silly language In your next letter as
you did In your Inst, I shall return It
unopened. " Orange Peel.
Couc
Eft
NEW
To get quirk relief take Dr. Kings
New Discov ery. Used 50 years. Checks
the cold. Stops the cough. Try it.
pJF ft 50,(1 b a11 druS8!s&
for Coughs e Colds
The Evils of Constipation
Leav ing waste material in the body
poisons the system and blood and
makes you liable to sick headaches,
biliousness, nervousness and muddy
skin. Try Dr. King's New Life Pills.
Prompt relief. 25c. At all druggists.
LIVESTOCKPRICES
AT SOUTH OMAHA
Than Last Week
Hemingford
News Items
Miss Nora
her home in
Hansen is quite ill at
this city.
Mrs. John Grounnet of Marsland.
visited with friends in town the mid
dle of the week, she returned to her
home Thursday accompanied by her
uncle, Grove Fosket.
Mrs Geo. Baker and Miss Helen
Greene spent a day in Alliance dur
ing the week.
Jim' Wilson returned Saturday
from a few days trip to Wyo.
Mr. and Mrs. Pruden and son Ken
neth autoed over to Gering and
Scottsbluffs Sunday.
Miss Rattle Grimes was a west
bound passenger to Wyoming Tues
day, to make residence on her home
stead. Miss Mable Gibson closed a suc
cessful term of school in the Duhovv
district near Marsland, Friday, and
is spending her vacation with her
parents here.
Mr. Geo. Willsey and Clarence
Ilosenberg made a business trip to
Antioch Sunday.
Mrs John Crossby of Grand
Island, is visiting her daughter, Mis
H. R. Olds this week.
Charlie Shinder was shop
Alliance Saturday between
Mrs
ping in
trains.
D W. Butler aut ed to Alliance
Tuesday on business.
Several auto loads of Young folks
from here autoed to Antioch Satur
day night to the big Dedication
dance.
Miss Charlotte Katen came up
from Alliance Saturday, for a few
days visit with her sister, Mrs. C. A.
Rosland Mrs. Mul Olds.
H. A Krutzer was up from Antioch
Sunday looking after some business
matters here.
M . Isr.it. Walker was a
passen-
ger to Alliance Monday on 44 to have
H06S MOSTLY 1Q-15C LOWER
Active and Stronger Market for Both
Sheep and Lambs Supplies Moder
ate and Demand Broad Best
Lambs, $18.50. Ewes Bring $14.15,
Wethers $14.25. All Grades of
Feeding and Breeding Stock
Wanted.
Union Stock Yards. Omaha, Neb
March 26. For a Monday the run of
cuttle was very fair. 0,800 head, and
quality was good. The market open
ed to 10c lower than last week, hut
later strengthened up and the aver
age was not far from steady, Choice
beeves brought $1.'',.00'U 13.05. Cows
and heifers ruled steady to a sh ide
lower I han the close of last week,
and the same was true of tOCkOfg
und feeders.
Quotations on cattle: Good to
choice beeves, $13.0& 13.75 ; fair to
g 1 beeves, SULOOf) 13.00 ; comuma
to fair beeves, 9.T5fylLTfi good to
choice yearlings, $1 1.."0(Q li.50 ; fuir
to good yearlings, $io.ooyii.oo; com
mon to fair yearlings. $3..i.50;
good to choice heifers, $0.5011.00;
good to choice cows, $.5oy lo.M) ;
fair to good cows. $S..rii!t..r)0 ; can
oe rs and cutters, S7.no.s.(iO ; veal
calves. gO.OOfO 18.00 ; bologua hulls,
S? B0O&80; beef hulls. js.S.50lU.(Mj;
prime t' lers, Sll.OO012.25j good to
choice feeders, 11040011.00; fair to
good feeders, IJMMtj 10.00; good 10
els, ilce -.linkers. gtOOQ 11.00 J fair tO
good sioekers, $K.7."i& ;i.5o ; common to
fair grades. &&0fJ8.(J0; stock heifers,
SS.IMKi lO.OO; stock ow s. $7.00!.50;
stock calves, $.s.oo 10.50.
Hogs Show 10(a 15c Decline.
A libera Monday's run of h'S
bowed Up, 14,000 head, and while Hit)
deniuiul ss broad, prices were largo
ly lOfj 18 lower than Saturday, the
decline being large!) on the henry
bogs, Tops brought 117.06, as against
117.00 las) Monduy. ami Imlk of the
trading was at 10. loir hi 7.. as
gainal 11685019.79 a week ago.
Sheep and Lambs Higher.
Receipts of sheep and lambs were
very moderate for the opening day of
the week, about I8.000 head, aud With
u vigorous demand from all rlasSBB
of buyers, the market was active and
unevenly higher all around. Choice
wool lambs brought $18.50, and ewe
lambs for breeding purposes $1S.75.
Rood ewes sold at 114.16, and very
desirable wethers al 1 l.2.".
Quotations ou sheep und lambs;
Lambs, good to choice, $17,750 ls.5o ;
lambs, fuir to good, $17. -"i 17.75 ;
luinlis, heavy weight. $10,75417.40;
lambs, feeders. 110.5049 17.16 i luuihs,
shorn, UU io 14.75; lambs, culls,
$100 10.00; yearlings. fair to
choice, $15.00 18.50; wethers, fair to
choice, $13.25014.75 ; ewes, fair to
choice, $12.00 14.00; ewes, breeders,
all ages, $12.00918.50; awes, cuUs
aud cannsxs. $8.00010.00.
Bell Telephone Service
Is lor Uncle Sam
Before Anyone Else
When war was declared
the entire Bell Telephone
System including our equip
ment and our employees
was pla.ed at the service of
the government.
All the great military bu
reaus, training camps, can
tonments, navy yards, mu
nition plants, arsensls and
wareheuses have been con
nected by telephone.
The Bell System hss or.
ganlied and furnished to the
government fourteen com
plete battalions of ralned
telephone men who are eith
er constructing, maintaining
and operating telephons llnss
for the forces In Franoe or
are in mobilization camps
resdy to embark.
A greet number of our em
ployees have also joined the
national guard or other mill,
tary organizations or have
been drafted. These thou,
ssnds of trslned workers
csnnot be resdlly replaced.
The Bell telephone men new with
rmy In France, recently completed the first
all-American telephone system over-sees.
Cable dlspstches to the press say thst It Is
a great treat for the officers to use an
American-built telephone system after trying
to talk on the lines In uss over there.
jjj
V Bsbi SLsdJ SkW
With eur working foroes depleted, with
equipment growing more soaree and tele
phone mstsrlsls costing prastlsally double
what they did two yeara age, our problems
are becoming very serious.
When you use the telephone won't you
pleese remember the dlffioultlss under
which we are furnishing esrvloet
Won't you help us to "do our bit" by not asking for additional
telephone equipment at this time and by making no unnecessary local
or long distance calls 7
NEBRASKA TELEPHONE COMPANY
Avery Tractor
Means Efficiency in Farm Work
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policy. We have proved the success of the Avery ilesiirn by entering it in every impor
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The five sizes of Avery Tractors 8-16, 12 25, 18-36 and 40-80 h. p. are all built of the
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STURGEON GARAGE
Third and Laaamie Allince