Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-01-17
THE NEW sUTRo BILL.

In the Senate Of the United States,
December s, 1870, Mr.. Nye asked, and
by unanimous consent obtained leave
to bring In the following bill-which
was read twice, referred to the Com
mittee on Public Lands, and ordered
to be printed:
A Bill. TO CREATE A FUND TO BE
KNOWN AS "THE MINERAL LAND
FUND" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS our public lands contain
mines of the precious metals. which
are unsurpassed in richness, and can
with proper development be made
speedily to enhance the value Of all
property, and thereby relieve the bur-
dens Of the people and whereas q
wise policy indicates that the revenue
derived from our mineral lands should,
to some extent, be devoted again to
the much needed development Of that
important interest ; and whereas Con-
gress, by an Act approved July %,
1856, authorized the construction of a
draining and exploring tunnel to the
Comstock lode, in the State of Nevada,
and granted to Adolph' Sutro certain
rights and privileges, which have been
assigned, transferred, and set over to a
corporation duly organized under the
laws Of the State of California, and
known as the "Sutro Tunnel Com
pany;" and whereas great benefits
will accrue to the people of the United
States from the construction of said
tunnel, which, assa great geological
survey, penetrating into the very bow
els of an argentiferous mountain to n
greater depth than has yet been reach
ed BY any similar work In the world,
will establish the value Of our mineral
domain ; and whereas this work bears
a national character, and Its magni-
tude IL beyond the capacity Of private
enterprise, and the security offered to
the Government Is ample for the re-
payment of any sums to be advanced
under this Act Therefore,
Be IL enacted blythe Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United States
of america in Congress assembled, That
the Secretary Of the Treasury Is hereby
authorized and directed to set apart,
ms a special fund, to be known as "the
mineral land fund.-" all moneys re-
ceived by the United States from the
sale Of mineral lands, under the Act
entitled Gan Act granting the right
of way to ditch aud canal owners over
the public lands, and for other pur-
poses" approved July 90, 1865, and
the Act a~mendatory thereto, approved
July o, 1870, to be used In fostering the
mining interest, as Congress may mere
after direct; and the Secretary OF the
Treasury shall, from said fund, from
time to time, pay over to the Sutro
Tunnel Company, or Its duly author
lied agent, such sums as herein pro
vlded FOR, not to exceed In the aggre-
gate the sum Of 49, O0,0 900.
SECTION 9. And be 10. further enacted,
That whenever the said Sutro Tunnel
Company shall have completed 500
feet Of said tunnel, or Of the shafts or
branches, the Secretary Of the Treas
ury, upon application to him by such
person as the said Sutro Tunnel Com
pany shall designate and order In
writing, shall, from the aforesaid fund,
pay over to said person $4,000 rs a
part of the sum to be loaned by this
Act; and In like manner shall pay
over to said persons to be so designated
a like sum upon the completion by
said company Of eich and every addi-
tional 900 feet Of tunnel, shafts, or
branches, as hereinafter specified PRO-
uided, that the several payments shall
not be made MS aforesaid by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury until the commits
sioners hereinafter mentioned shall re-
port, and the superintendent Of said
company shall verify under oath to
said Secretary that each of the sections
Of 500 feet of said tunnel, shafts or
branches upon which the several IN
stalments shall be demanded are fully
made and completed in accordance
with the requirements Of this Act ;
and prorided, that all payments under
this Act shall be made out Of appro-
priations hereafter to be made.
SEC. 3. And be IL further enacted, That
In order to securethe United States, as
hereinafter provided, in the repay
ment by said company of the sums so
paid over to the said Sutro Tunnel
or to the persons by 1t desig-
mated as above, and the expenses Of
the commissioners, the payment Of
said sums shall tpso tacto constitute a
first mortgage and lien on the whole Of
said tunnel, together with all tho ell
gines, buildings, appurtenances, case
ments and privileges thersunto belong
And after the completion of said
main tunnel to its intersection with
the said Comstock lode, twenty-five
per centurn Of the netamount collected
Tor tolls, drainage, transportation of
ore, rock and material, or In any other
manner. after deductlng the necessary
shall, on the LIST day Of JAN
and on the 1st day Of July in each
be paid by the said company into
tho Treasury Of the United States,
moneys shall be applied to and
used for the repayment Of the SUMS so
NuVutlCou anu paul. uhilih shS N.lNAo
amount shall be repaid to the United
States and ten per centum Of said net
amount collected after completion Of
the said main tunnel to Its intersection
with the Comstock lode shall be paid
over by the said company into the
Treasury of the United States, on the
lst day Of January and the LIST day Of
July Of each year forever, to be set
apart BY the Secretary Of the Treasury
m endowment fund, to be invested
in Government securities, and the III
terest of which shall be used for the
establishment and maintenance of n
National School Of Mines, subject to
,uch legislation as Congress may here
,fter provide; and on failure or refusal
If said company to pay over the said
sums of money, OF any part Of them,
required so to do by the Secre-
;ary Of the Treasury, IN accordance
With the provisions of this Act, the
aid tunnel, with all the rights, privl-
eyes and appurtenances thereunto be-
oHging, may be taken possession of by
he Secretary Of the Treasury for the
Use and benefit Of the United States.
- l.. "a <.kkx~ a,1nfa5 That