The Placer herald., 1866-06-30
THE SALE OF THE MINERAL LANDS.

THE SALE OF THE MINERAL LANDS.
The Committee on mines and mining in the
Senate Of the United States, have reported the
following bill to secure titles to vein mines:
Be Il enacted BY the Senate and House Of Re.
rrescuta,iycs Of the United States of America, In
Congress assembled. That the mineral lands Of
the public domain. both surveyed and unSurvey-
ed, are hereby declared 10 be free and open to
exploration aud occupation by all citizens OF the
United States, aud those who have declared their
intention to become citizcns subject to such regu.
latious rs may lie prescribed hy law. and subject
aleo to the local custom or rules Of miners In the
sever al mining districts. so far as the same may
not be in conflict With the laws Of the United
States.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That when.
ever any person or association Of persons claim
a vein or lode Of quartz or other rock In place,
bearing gold, silver, cinnabar or copper, having
previously occupied aud improved the same &c.
cor6ing to the local custom or rules of miners in
the district where the same 10 situated aud In re.
gard to whose possession there is no controversy
or opposing claim, it shall and may be lawful for
said claimant or association Of claimants to flc
in the local land Office plat of the slme NO ex-
tended lateraly or otherwise as to conform to the
local laws, customs and rules Of miners. and to
enter such tract and receive patent therefor,
granting such mine. together with the right to
follow said vein with its dips. angles and varia.
tions TO any depth, although it may enter the nd-
joining lands, which land adjoining shall be sold
subject to this condition. and upon the further in
deleasible condition. both to be fully expressed 10
the patent that the owners and occupants Of the
nine 10 appropriated and held shall pay iuto the
treasury OF the United States, in each and every
year untn the national debt shall have been paid
three per centuu Of the net product Of said mine,
vein or lode, which shall be in lieu Of the stamp
koSy al rt<,2
public domain,
Sec 3. And be it further enacted That upon
the fling Of the plat and survey as provided in
the second section of this Act, the Register of the
Land Office shall publish a notice of the same
iu a newspaper published nearest to the location
of such claim, aud shall lso post such notice in
his oH1ce for the period OF ninety days; and after
the expiration Of said period, il no adverse claim
shall haze been filed, it shall lie the dGty Of the
Surveyor General, upon application Of the party,
to survey the premises and makea plat thereof
iudorsed with bis approval. Designating the mum
ber aud description OF The location; and upon the
payment TO the proper officer of IS per mere the
Register of the Land Office shall transmit to the
General Land Office said plat, survey. and dee.
crption, aud patent shall issue for the same
thereupon; and the Surveyor General shall re-
ceive Tor such service such compensation as is
allowed by law, with mileage not 10 exceed at
legal rates the amount chargeable from the coun-
" Seut vi Tue county 10 WHICH Tue Claim may Oe
situated to such claim,
Sec. 4. And he it further enacted. That when
such location and entry of mine shah be upon
unsarveyed landa,it shall and may le lawful after
| the extension thereto OF the public surveys to
adjust the surveys to the limits of the premises
according to the location and possession and plat
aforesaid, and the Surveyor General may, in ex-
tending the surveys, vary the same from q rec
tangular. form to suit the circumstances of the
country and the local rules laws and customs of
miners; provided that no location hereafter made
shall exceed three hundred feet in length along
the vein for each locator, with an additional claim
for discovery to the discovercr with the right to
follow such vein to any depth, with all it's dips,
variations and angles, toge ther with reasonable
quantity of surface for the convenient working
OF the same, as fixed by local rules.
Sec. s. And be it further enacted, That the
president of the United States be and he s here
by authorized to establish additional land dis
existing laws. wherever he Nay deem the same
necessary for the public convenience in executing
the provisions OF this Act.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That Mhen-
| ever adverse claimants to any mine located and
claimed as aforesaid shall appear before the appro
val OF the survey, rs provided in the third section
Of this Act, all proceedings shall be stayed until
of competent jurisdiction Of the rights OF pos
session in such claim. when patent may issue as
| ia other cases.
Sec.7, And be it further enacted, That wher-
ever, prior to the passage of this Act, uron the
lands heretofore designated as mineral lands,
which have been excluded from survey and sale.
there have been homesteads made by citizens OF
the United States, or persons who have declared
their intentions to become citizens, which home
sfeads have been made, improved and used for
agricultural purposes and upon which there have
been no valuable mines of gold silver, cinnabar
or platinum discovered, or which are properly
agricultural lands, the said settlers or owners of
such homesteads shall have right of pre- emption
thereto, and shall be entitled to purchase the
same at the price Of one dollar and twenty five
cents per acre. and in quantity not to exceed one
hundred and sixty acres, or said parties may
avail themselves Of the provisions Of the Act of
Congress, approved May 20. 1862, entitled IAN
Act to secure bomestcads to actual settlers OF the
public domain" and Acts amendatory thereof.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That upen
the survey OF the lands aforesaid the Secretary of
the Interior may designate and set apart such
portions of the said lands as are clearly agricul-
tural lands, which lands shall hereafter be subject
to pre- emption and sale rs other public lands of
the United States and subject to all the laws and
regulations applicable to the same.
| Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That when
ever by priority OF possession, rights to the Of
water for mining, agricultural, manufacturing or
other purposes have vested and accrued, and the
!
local customs, laws and the decisions of Courts
the possessors and owners of such vested rights
shall he maintained and protected in the same
and the right Of way for the construction ol
bitches and canals for the purposes aforesaid is
hereby! acknowledged and confirmed; provided;
however, that whenever, after the passage of this
Act, any person persons shall, in the construc-
tion of any ditch or canal, injure or damage the
possession of any settler on the public domain
the party committing such injury or damage shall
he liable 10 the party injured for such injury or
damage.
Sec. Is. And be it further enacted, That the
right OF way for the construction Of highways
over public lands, net reserved for pa bile uses s
hereby granted.
The LAND AND AGE OF GoLD.-We saw
Yesterday afternoon, says the Grass Valley
Union, Of the 9th inst, At the Office -o
Wells, Fargo 4 Co., three massive bars o.