Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1874-03-31
4 PROTEST FROM THE COM.
ATlDEkERS.

last awakened to a realizing sense Of
the danger that threatens them from
the proposed legislation by Congress
with reference to the mineral lands.
The SENTINEL pointed out the OBJ
jectionable features OF the Ward bill
more than " months ago, and hadthe
Storey county press taken hold OF the
matter at that time. the infamous
scheme might possibly have been
throttled long before it anne up on its
third reading. As it Is, protests OF
every kind must be sen. by telegraph,
if at all, which, owing to necessary
brevitv, viii strip them Of much
OF their force. Il was not until
the Coms;ock was attacked i'll direct
terms that they concluded that the
proposed legislation would operate dis
as:rously upon the best interests OF the
State. While it is true that Sutro'S
amendment is a little more binding on
the C~eMstockers than j: is or the
mining communities OF other sections
of the State, it is also true that the
principle underlying it IS the same, so
far as its practical results go, through
out all of the mining States and Terri
tories Of the Union. 1t is made oh!isa-
tory upon the owners IF claims on the
Cou,s:ock to apply for patents within
six months, while al other mining
sections are allowed one year in which
TO make the application-a simple diff
ference in time, amounting TO but six
months. After all. the unproduc:ive
mines Of the Comstock are far better
able TO incur the expense OF obtain
ing patents on six months notice
than are thousands of claims
in the hands Of poor pros
pec;ors scattered all over Eastern
Nevada. The former, a. a rule, be-
long TO wealthy corporations whose
certificates, or shares. represent some
thing tangible in the market, while the
latter are owned almost exclusively by
poor men. The six months clause is
no worse for the Comstoeker than is
the twelve months provision which is
made applicable to all other localities.
But the whole thing is wrong. and We
are glad to see, even at this late date,
that the people of Storey county are
determined to enter their solemn pro-
test to the passage of this obnoxious
bill. We copy from the Gold Hill NeWi
the subjoined remonstrance, which the
same journal informs US was extern
sively signed by the people of Gold
Hill and Virginia:
To the Honorable the Senate and Housr
Of Representatives Of the United
States, IN Congress assembled:
Your petitioners would respectfully
represent hat they are citizens and
taxpayers in the city Of virginia and
town Of Gold Hill, county of Storey,
State of Nevada. and as such are deep
ly interested in the Comstock lode,
and in the announcement of develop
ment and mining operations thereon,
and that the existence of said city and
town, as places of h~abitation, depends
mainly upon the continuance OF work
on sad lode.
And petitioners further represent
that they view with alarm he pro
posed action OF Congress requiring
companies n on the Com
s-o:A zoe 20 Apply Tor patents "lthIn
q united tlihe, ana 10 declare thelr
rlsn'S 1or1eIed Tor failure to make
such ~appIica'lon:
ana your P~etNloners TURNER repre-
Hehs mat they are luily convinced ina
sucn acton Oh congress- II adopted
must necessarily result IN great IN ury
ana disaster TO the mining interests OF
mo ~ arsa,. ~ .ha nbeIo So. IN" e nm, IN
vada, and that the evident result will
be TO retard prospecting, delay devel-
up"'sn., anu sei!ooS!S interfere WIN
on the Comstock RI all IF whirb
viii be to the great damage ct petition
or; "nose business properly VII
not rendared eniirsIv worthIass "
And your petitioners further repre-.
sent tina The provisions OF the act en-
tl'ieo An ACT 10 promote the devel-
9Pmen OF tne mining OF the
niseo states, approved May 10, lSl2,
as OrlRlOllIy nave proved