When it shall be made apparent to the Governor of Nebraska, by affidavit or otherwise, by the owner or owners thereof, that a vein of coal, not less than twenty-six inches in thickness, and of sufficient capacity to pay to mine, and within such distance from the surface that it can be worked by modern methods, has been discovered, or a vein or veins of good iron ore eighteen inches thick, it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint a suitable person to examine the same, whose duty it shall be to report the probable extent and capacity of the vein or veins, all expense for such examination to be paid by the owner or owners of the mine. The report being satisfactory to the Governor, he shall direct the Director of Administrative Services to draw an order on the State Treasurer for the sum of four thousand dollars, to be paid to the owner or owners of such mine of coal, and of two thousand dollars to be paid for a vein of iron ore eighteen inches thick. If the vein of coal discovered should be three feet thick and of the required capacity, the sum to be paid shall be five thousand dollars. Such orders shall be paid out of the General Fund of the state treasury, as above directed.