Columbia gazette., 1853-11-12
COLUMBIA MINING LAWS.

=, the MlncTS OF the AOluulDld
Mining District, working under suffer
ance of the Government of the United
State, do, upon this lst day of October,
1853, enact the following Laws for the
government Of the mines within said
District:
Article l. The Columbia Mining
District shall hereafter be considered to
embrace all the territory included within
the following bounds, viz: beginning at
a point upon the upland, adjoining the
south fork of the Stanislaus River, oppo-
site the " Paso del Pino," running in an
easterly direction, in a line parallel with
and including the ravine known as Ex-
perimental Gulch, to the head of said
gulch ; thence following the height of
land, SO as to include Yankee Hill dig
gings, 10 a point with in fifty feet Of
Woods Greek: thence down said creek
to theroad leading from Saw Mill Flat
to Kelley's Ranch thence northwest
erly to spring on gulch running
southerly from Santiago, which spring
is the easterly corner OF the Springfield
district; thence in direct line to the
site IF McKenney's old store; thence in
direct line to the Lawnsdale Saw
Mill thence following the height Of
land around the head of Saw Mill Gulch,
so called, to the head of Dead Mans
Gulch thence following small ditch
of the Tuolumne County Water
Company to the point where it ia
tersects with the Gold Hill ditch !; thence
in direct line to the head of !. u OK
Gulch; thence down said gulch, in a
line parallel with and including it, to
point within five hundred feet of the
south fork of the Stanislaus: thence a
long the upland adjoining the south
fork, to the place of beginning.
Art. g. A full claim for mining pur-
poses on the flats or hills in this dis
trict, shall consist of an area equal to
that of one hundred feet square. A
full claim on ravines 81 all consist of one
hundred feet running on the ravine, and
of width at the discretion of the claim
it does not exceed one
hundred feet.
Art. 3. No person shall hold more
than one full claim within the bounds
of this district; nor shall it consist OF
more than two parcels of ground, the
sum of the area Of which shall not ex-
ceed the area of one full claim pro-
vided that nothing in this article shall
be SO construed as to prevent miners
from associating in companies to carry
on mining operations such companies
holding no more than one full claim to
each member.
Art. 4. A claim may be held until
three days after water can be procured
at the usual rates, by distinctly marking
its bounds by bitches by sinking a
ditch its entire length, suitable for tom
ing purposes, and for draining the ground;
or by the erection of good aud sufficient
stakes at each corner, with notice on
each end of the claim, indicating the
intention of the parties holding it, fol-
lowed by the names Of the claimants in
their own hand writing.
Art. 5. When party has already
commenced operations upon claim, and
is obliged to discontinue for want of wa
ter, or by sickness or unavoidable acci-
dent, the presence upon the ground of
the tom aud sluices, or such machines
as are employed in working the claim,
shall be considered sufficient evidence
that the ground is not abandoned, and
shall serve instead of other notice the
bounds of the claim still being defined,
except so far as the marks may have
been obliterated by the work that has
been performed.
Art. 6. Claims shall be forfeited
when parties holding them have neg
lected to fulfil the requirments of the
preceding articles, or have neglected
working them within three days after
water can be procured to work said
claims, at the usual rates, unless pre-
vented by sickness or unavoidable acci-
d mt, or unless the miners shall have
provided by special law to the contrary.
Art. Z. Earth thrown up-fQr the
purpose of extracting the gold thereEom,
shall not be held distinct from the claim
from which it was taken but shall com
stitute part and parcel Of such claim,
and shall be deemed equivalent to the
number of superficial feet contained in
the excavation such earth may be held
for the space of six months from the
excavation, by surrounding it with loose
stones, chapparal bushes or other agen-
cies, and by the erection of stake in
the center, bearing notice indicating
the intention of the party holding it,
followed by the name Of the claimant in
his own hand writing.
Art. s. Earth thrown up under cir
cumstances detailed in article 9TH of the
laws, and in conformity with the provis-
ions of said article, shall be held as pri-
vate property, and parties trespassing
upon the-same, shall be deemed guilty
Of petty larceny, and upon due convic-
tiontion, shall be punished accordingly.
Art. 9. Water flowing naturally
through gold bearing ravines, may not
be diverted from its natural course with
out the consent of parties working upon
such ravine, and when so diverted, it
shall be held subject to requisition
from any party interested.
Art. 10. None but Americans and