The Nome Nugget

Of Public Land
In Alaska

WASHINGTON— A sweeping change to facilitate the disposal of public land in Alaska has been proposed by Delegate Bartlett through introduction last week in the House of a bill to authorize the sale of public lands in the Territory.

The measure provides that the Secretary of the Interior may sell at private sale or public auction any tract of public land, up to 160 acres, which the Secretary may classify for such disposal. Exception is made with regard to land within national parks or monuments, national forests, Indian lands and military reservations.

However, with the consent of the department or agency for whose use or in whose interest the areas were withdrawn or reserved, such lands may be disposed of under

Bartlett
Asks Sale
Of Public
Land
In
Alaska

(Continued from Page One)

the terms of this legislation.

No sale would be made for less than the appraised price of the land or for less than the cost of making any survey to properly describe the land sold, whichever would be greater. Patent would issue after survey.

Shore space regulations would not apply to lands sold under the bill. Although a general acreage limitation of 160 acres is contained in the bill, provision is made to take care of special circumstances which might make the disposition of larger tracts necessary or desirable.

Minerals in the lands patented, together with the right to prospect for, mine and remove the minerals would be reserved to the United States.

Rules and regulations "as may be necessary and proper to provide appropriate notice of and method of conducting sales, to prevent speculation, to promote the orderly development of lands in Alaska would be promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior.