ALASKA COAL LANDS. COMMITTEE ON THE TERRITORIES, The committee this day met, Hon. Benjamin G. Humphreys (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The matter before the committee this morning is the bill introduced by Judge Wickersham to amend an act entitled "An act to encourage the development of coal deposits in the Territory of Alaska." Now, Judge, will you take charge of this hearing? STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES WICKERSHAM, DELEGATE FROM THE TERRITORY OF ALASKA. Mr. WICKERSHAM. Mr. Chairman, I will be glad to present the matter briefly. I will ask to have a copy of the bill go into the record at this point: The bill referred to follows: A BILL To amend an act entitled "An act to encourage the development of coal deposits in the Territory of Alaska," approved May twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and eight, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act of Congress entitled "An act to encourage the development of coal deposits in the Territory of Alaska," approved May twentyeighth, nineteen hundred and eight, be, and the same is hereby, amended by adding thereto the following section: "SEC. 5. That every person who located or entered, or attempted in good faith to locate or enter, any coal land in Alaska, under the coal-land laws of the United States prior to November twelfth, nineteen hundred and six, and whose location or entry thereof has been contested, denied, or canceled by the United States, is hereby authorized, at any time within one year from the date of the approval of this act, to bring a suit in equity against the United States in any court of competent jurisdiction in the district where the land is situated to quiet his title thereto; and if upon the trial of such cause it shall be found by the court upon the evidence that the said locator or entryman has complied with the coal-land laws of the United States in making such location or entry, and has been prevented from completing his said location or entry in compliance with the coal-land laws of the United States, by any Executive order or withdrawal made by the President of the United States, or any action of any other land officer of the United States, and if upon such suit the said locator or entryman shall make the proof required by the coal-land laws of the United States, and if the United States has received, or if the locator or entryman shall pay into court for the United States the purchase price fixed by said laws of the United States, and if the said court shall find that the locator has at the time of the final decree fully complied with all the requirements of the coal-land laws of the United States in respect to his said location or entry, then in every such case the said court shall enter a decree in conformity with the law and the evidence quieting the title to the said land in the said locator or entryman: Provided, That either the locator or entryman so bringing said suit or the United States may appeal said cause in the manner provided by the 3 |