New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-08
GENERAL EATURE-NO. e.. 7

An act to promote the development of the
mining resources of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That all
valuable mineral deposits in lands belong
ing to the United States, both surveyed and
unsurveyed, are hereby declared to be free
and open to exploration and purchase, and
the lands in which they are found to occu-
patton and purchase, by citizens Of the
United States and those who have declared
their intention to become suOh, under regu-
latiOns prescribed by law, and according to
the local customs or rules Of miners, in the
several mining DISTRICTS so far as the same
are applicable and not inconsistent with
the laws of the United States.
SEC. 2 That mining claims upon veins or
lOdes of quartz or other rock in place bear
ing gold, silver, cinnabaT, lead, tin, copper
or other valuable deposits heretofore
located, shall be governed as to length
along the vein or lode by the customs, reg
ulatiOns and laws in force at the date of
their location. A mining claim located
after the passage of this act, whether
located by one or more persons, may equal,
but shall not exceed, one thousand five
hundred feet in length along the vein or
lode; but no location of mining claim shall
be made until the discovery of the vein or
lode within the limits of the claim located.
No claim shall extend more than three hun
bred feet on each side of the middle of the
vein at the surface nor shall any claim be
limited by any mining regulation to less
than twenty-five feet on each side of the
middle of the vein at the surface. except
where adverse rights existing at the pass
age Of this act shall render such limitation
necessary. The end lines of each claim
shall be parallel to each other.
SEC. 3. That the lOcatOrs of all mining
locations heretofore made, or which shall
hereafter be made, on any mineral vein,
lode, or ledge, situated on the public do
main, their heirs and assigns, where no ad-
verse claim exists at the passage of this act,
so long as they comply with the laws of the
United States, and with State, Territorial,
and local regulations not in conflict with
said laws of the United States governing
their pOssessOry title, shall have the exclu-
siVe right of possession and enjoyment of
all the surface included within the lines of
their locations, and of all veins, lOdes, and :
lodges throughout their entire depth, the
top or apex of which lies inside of such
surface lines extended downward verti-
cally, although such veins, lOdes, or lodges
may so far depart from a perpendicular in
their course downward as to extend outside
the vertical side-lines of said surface IOca-
tons: Provided, that their right of posses
sion to such outside parts of said veins or
lodges shall be confined to such portions
thereof as lie between vertical planes drawn
downward as aforesaid, through the end
lines of their locations, so continued in their
own direction that such planes will inter
sect such exterior parts of said veins or
lodges: And provided further, that nothing
in this section shall authorize the locator or
pOssessOr of a vein or lode which extends
in its downward course beyond the vertical
lines of his claim to enter upon the surface
of claim owned or possessed by another.
SEC. 4. That where tunnel is run for the
development of a vein or lode, or for the
discovery of mines, the owners of such tun-
mel shall have the right of possession Of all
veins or lodes within three thousand
feet from the face of such tunnel on the
line thereof, not previously known to ex-
lst, discovered in such tunnel, to the same
extent as if discovered from the surface:
and locations on the line of stfch tunnel or
veins or lodes not appearing on the surface,
made by other parties after the commence
ment of the tunnel, and while the same is
being prosecuted with reasonable diligence.
shall be invalid; but failure to prosecute
the work on the tunnel for six months shall |
be considered as an abandonment of the |
right to all undiscovered veins on the line |
If said tunnel.
Sec. s. That the miners of each mining |
district may make rules and regulations |
lot in conflict with the laws of the United |
States, or with the laws of the State or |
Territory in which the district is situated, |
governing the location, manner of record. |
ng amount of work necessary to hold pos /
session of a mining elaim, subject to the fol- /
owing requiem ents: The location must |
be distinctly marked on the ground, so that /
is boundaries can be readily traced. |
All records of mining-claims hereafter
made shall contain the name or names
the iOcatOrs, the date Of the
ocation, and such a description of the |
lam or claims lOeatM BY reference to
ONE natural object or permanent mOnu-
nent as will identify the claim. On each
lam located after. the passage of this act,
md until patent shalt have been issued