Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-10-05
ID EBATE IN THE SENATE.
THE CALIFORNIA MINES.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER "a, 1850.

THE CALIFORNIA MINES.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER "a, 1850.
The Senate in Committee of the Whole proceeded to
the consideration of the bill make temporary provision
the working and discovery Of gold and pacers in Cali
forna and preserving order in the gold mine districts
Mr. EWING. have examined this bill with some care,
and approve of its general features My attention has been
called to this subject for some time past and have obtained
all the information could, with regard it. have
sponded somewhat extensively with persons California and
have examined the books relating the conduct of Spanish
miners, both in Spain and America find that in both
countries the management has been similar in particular
All OF their mines which have been worked and espt citing
which thing have been written, have been mines dkes
or odes where they obliged work the mines with
machinery in order to the rocks. There some
few amendments which would like made in this bill
Perhaps they meet the appreciation the Senators from
California, and they do they will doubtless give reasons
which will satisfy that the present plan of the bill should
be retained, and the amendments rejected.
The 6rst amendment which propose is to strike out from
the third section the WORDS That permit to work placer
shall be for thirty feet square and for mine 10 feet square,
all the lines to be cardinal points, and insert substitute.
The pacers especially in the diggings, generally bor
der upon streams of water When they border on these
streams think thirty feet in width is too great for man
to occupy and that the portion of ground allowed him ought
to be and deeper to extend further back from the
stream The quantity Of land allowed TO miner not too
inge but instead Of having il thirty feet square, would
suggest that he shall have quantity exceeding nine hun
dred square feet and that be laid off under the direction of
of the agents Of the mines In that manner, think,
individuals be accommodated and better advan
tage to themselves. would also suggest that there be
amendment in the provision relating the mines which
worked in the lode dixie in the rock The provision Of the
bill is, that the mine shall be hundred and feet
square. No than that is to be granted the miner
who is to work his mine by machinery. If he work by
Chinery, l think he will require ROOM There is
usually great deal Of water land around these mnes where
the gold is found in lodes or dkes not than two
three feet in thickness The dixie, or lode of quartz rock
which contains the gold generally VERTICAL inclined
very high angle Of elevation, its line of strike regular in
direction be asceained by enumeration, which geoogs
the spo. would easily understand. Now, tine the
company who works mine ought 10 have land enough
each side of the two hundred and feet square give elbow
They ought to be limited the which the
lode shall be pursued and should be allowed to pursue
reasonable extent In such direction it strikes would,
therefore, modify that provision, and leave the matter
what under the direction Of the superintendent agent of the
mines whichever may be thought best would give instead
Of the quantity proposed in the BILL which about acre.
space of four for mine, and not require to be in
square form, but let it be laid out in such will
the who wishes to use the machinery near
TO il.
would say that has been the system pursued by Spain in
leasing her mnes nearly that They suffered indi-
vdual who discovered mine, who owned mine, to put
down stake within the land he occupy his own,
and to work it in any direction at his pleasure until
individual and claimed mine near hm and them
when another claim made near he who had fixed his
stake obliged define his boundary, that the individual
might be worked and what belonged each. This is
temporary BILL lis title States to answer temporary pur-
pose, and think the amendments have proposed will an
swer the purpose for the present and if they acceptable
TO the Senators from California hope they may be adopted
i propose, therefore, to strike DOT the words
That permit work placer shall be for thirty feet
square, and for hundred and ten feet square
the lines obe cardinal points"
And insert
.That permit to work placer shall not cover space ex-
ceedng nine hundred feet and mine not exceeding
four be surveyed and marked by the agent
OF mines under the direction OF the Secretary
INTERIOR
Mr.. GWIN think that is too large grant, If the Sc
nator had the result of the dggng six feet square,
in cases, presume he would not propose SO large
quantity However, will leave these details OF the bill to
my colleague
Mr.. FREMONT | have no objection to the amendment
offered by the Senator from Ohio, respects change in the
form Of the pacer since the same amount OF surface re-
mains As respects the mines adopted the size named
in the bill account Of the great value OF the land order
give opportunity to all people to get possession OF some
place to work upon The bill il stands by its title is
Temporary bill and if we give too large quantity of
lands may exclude many individuals from the mines by
giving so large space to those that are occupied ma
chnery necessary to work mine will eventually cover
large space; but In the time get possess
sion Of much At this time, men on their rights only
stake out twenty feet square, and are satisfied with that
Perhaps may be advisable for year two at least till
the session of Congress- give hundred and twenty
feet square II would be difficult to find in the mining
country four which would not take in great deal OF
cninera and that have limited the quantity to
be granted hundred and ten feet square.
Mr.. EWING Perhaps it may be well to modify the
amendment SO lay the lot either in square form, or
let the form be decided by the superintendent agent of
the mines. If it be thought proper to confne the mine
wrought by machinery two hundred and ten square fee
the direction in which the lode strikes that may remove
all difficulty getting much Of the gold bearing rock, and
would allow more each side, to accommodate
the necessary machinery and provide for water and other pur
poses which will be requisite for working the mines The
machinery cannot be erected the mine itself which Is
wrought and they have little lateral room Ii II be
thought better am willing say that the permit should not
exceed two hundred and square feet for mine leaving
room fer the machinery necessary TO work these lodes
Mr. BENTON. If understand the amendment of the
Senator from Ohio bis object fix the front of the mine
upon courses and to diminish the width OF the
front Is il sop
Mr. EWING. d, not fix the front at all. but leave il to
he discretion of the superintendent or agent OF the mines 70
adjust il so to suit the parties.
Mr. BENTON should think it would be better to give
fixed width for the front. II will be perceived by the bill
that the permit authorizes the person who has permit to
change his location whenever he peases consequently ne
begins to work in an improbable location, he leave and
go another In order that there may be safety, and that
each may his line think the form should be fixed
1t will be very difficult for the agents to fix these boundaries
granting the land 10 various FORMS But you have pre-
else 'front.' the agent determine whether shall be fixed
the river and thereby every party will be able to locate his
own permit which, suppose, is the design OF the bill have
made these remarks respecting the first amendment With
regard the second the remarks apply in some degree
The party who has square may change his location
whenever he finds il Improbable II hardly be expected
that any will be found which throughout filled with
the quartz bearing rock If there vein or lode