The Placer herald., 1857-10-31
Quartz Laws for the State.

tuU IHllISlS W pass tHSiA O"b 4NNo iN' tHO
government and regulation Of the mines
prescribing the size Of claims, the work re.
ouired TO hold them, etc,-was measure
OF wisdom and pradence that scarcely finds
parallel in the history Of California egs.
lation. 1t was wise and prudent because the
lawmakers rid themselves Of question they
could not understand or properly handle,
and left the business TO men who understood
.heir own wants, and were more capable Of
framing rules that would insure the working
and rapid development OF the emneral wealth
Of the country. In the absence Of any own
ership of the mines BY the State, this course
WAS evidently the best, as rich claims and
Hourishing towns in every part Of the mine.
raj district now atundantly testify. But
whether longer continuance Of the same
policy, so far as quartz mining is concerned
will be beneficial. may well be doubted
We propose to show that there is necessity
for change in this particular, and that legis,
lative enactments are requisite for the tos.
tering of this important branch Of industry
in our State.
The working Of quartz is essentially differ
ent from other kinds Of mining in that a
change Of seasons has but little effect upon
it. The location Of claim, whether upon
hill or fat, need not make a difference in
its size. Not like surface or deep mining
lasting for a few months or years, but per-
nanent-a business for life time. Instead
of building up busy camps and towns. whose
thronging population will have gone in a
year or two, or three, it adds gradually and
permanently TO wealth and population of
towns and the State. 1t also attracts the
investment Of capital that will not seek other
branches Of mining. BY it, miners arc in
duced to settle down instead of roaming
from county to county,-to consider Cafor-
MIA home, not place OF temporary
sojourn.
The very great difference between surface,
river, tunnel, and deep cut mining, causes
a proportonate distinction in the size Of
claims. River claims can only be worked
when the season is dry, and dry diggings
when the rains come or ditch companies con.
vey water to them; and the regulations
conform to thisstate Of things. With quartz,
there is no reason why claims in Trinity,
Placer, or Msriposa should not be of the
same dimensions, and winter and summer is
nearly alike favorable to working them.-
This being truo, general lava, designating
the size Of quartz claims, the amount OF
work required to hold them, and the manner
of recording, could be the same in all parts
Of the State without injury, but benefit, to
this important branch Of mining.
The system has too generally prevailed
throughout the State Of locating quartz lodes
for speculative purposes, by parties who do
not design working them, and who hold on
from year to year without the erection of
machinery or the performance of the work
that should be necessary to entite them to
The continuance Of possession. This is
great evil and drawback to an occupation
that deserves to be encouraged and fostered
by the permanent residents Of the State.
We think the remedy can bo obtained, in
great measure, by an act Of the Legislature
requiring claims to be of the same size, have
them fully described and recorded in book
kept for the purpose, in the Recorders office
of the county in which they are situated,
compelling companies to do certain ameunt
of work in every month, and to erect ma
chinery Of the value of not less than one
thousand dollars in two years from the time
Of location. This would give men of the
most limited means an opportunity to test
the value Of their claims and put a stop
to the cormorant practice Of claiming and
holding indefinitely.
These suggestions may not suit the views
of do-nothing locators, but will meet the ap-
Provsl of practical quartz men and that
class of citizens who have confidence in and
who are disposed to embark in the business
Frequent conversation with quartz opera
tors satisfy us that law containing the pro-
visions above-named would meet the concur
renee of large numbers in the State of the
same occupation. We would like to hear
an expression from the press of other
mining counties on the subject; and should
the sense of quaatz men generally be favora
ble to the proposal, see move made for
tho passage Of such a law the next session
OF the Legislature
1t will be borne in mind this action would
have no reference to other kinds of mining,
as no law of the kind would be applicable,
but to quartz mining alone
MINISo.-The past week has not furnished
us with any mining items from particular
companies, but we understand a number of