The Placer herald., 1874-02-21
WARDS MINERAL LAND BILL.
The Most Ridiculous, not to say Outrageous
Act ever Proposed.

Act ever proposed.
On December 10TH 1878, the following
bill was introduced into the House of Rep
resentatives by Hon. j. d. Ward, of Chi
cago, and is now before the Committee on
Public Lands:
A bill supplemental to and amendatory
to the Act entitled can Act to promote the
development of the mining resources of the
United States," approved May 10th, 1872.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, That any
person, association or corporation, quallfied
under existing laws to receive patent from
the United States for mineral land, who
claim mining locations upon veins or lodes of
quartz or other rock in place, bearing gold,
silver, cnnabar, lead, tin, copper, or other
valuable deposits, or placer claims, situate
upon the public domain, upon which the
sum of not less than $500 has been expend-
ed in labor or Improvements, shall, within
one year from the date of the passage of
this Act, file with the Register and the Re-
ceiver of the proper Land District, in man
ner prescribed by the Act to which this is
supplemental and amendatory, an applicl-
ton for a patent for the mine, mining
ground land and premises claimed; and if no
adverse claim be filed during the publica-
ton of the notice thereof, such claimant
SHALL within three months from the date of
such filing of his application, make the final
proof required under said Act, and pay for
the land included in his claim at the rate Of
ten dollars per acre.
Sec. 2. That in the case of mining
claims which now are, or may hereafter be
located, and upon which the sum of $500
has not been expended in labor or improve
ments, the claimant thereof shall make ap-
plication for patelt thereof in manner PIE
scribed by law. within one year from the
time when such $500 shall have been ex-
pended in labor or Improvements thereon,
and shall make final proof and payment
therefor, in manner and at the rate afore-
said, " thin three months from the date of
such application, if no adverse claim be
filed during the publication Of the notice;
prorided, that nothing herein contained
shall be considered as releasing the holders
or claimants of unpatened mining loca-
tions from the obligation to expend the
amount in labor or improvements thereon
during each year such mining claims remain
unpatented, as now required by law.
Sec. 3 That where an adverse claim il
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filed, and the right of possession shall be
determined by judicial decree, in manner
provided by the seventh section of SAID Act
of May 10Th, 1872, the party in whose m-
vor such final judgment shall be rendered,
shall, within six months from the date Of
the rendition of such Judgment, make the
filing required in such cases by said seventh
section, and pay for such claim at the rate
of ten dollars per acre.
Sec. 4. That where, under existing
laws, applications for patents for mining
claims have been made, and due notice
thereof given, without the appearance of an
adverse claimant, and in which cases no
further proceedings have been had for the
purpose of perfecting title, the applicant,
his heirs, successors or assigns, shall make
final proof and payment, at the rate herein
fixed, within six months from the date of
the passage of this Act.
Sec. 5. That all aAidavits requ red to
be made under this Act, or the Act to
which this is supplemental or amendatory,
may be verified before any officer author
lied to administer oaths, and all testimony
and proofs may be taken before any such
officer, and, when duly certified by the off
Ger taking the same, shall have the same
force and effect as if taken before the Reg
lister or the Receiver of the District Land
Office -
Sec. 6. That upon the failure of the
claimants of any mine, mining ground,
claim, Or location, to comply with the pro-
visions of this Act, the mine, claim, or To-
cation upon which such failure occurred,
shall be open to relocation by other parties
IN the same manner as if no location of the
same had ever been made promded, that
the said claimants, their heirs, successors,
assigns, or legal representatives., have not
made application for patent for such claim
after such failure and before such location
Sec. Z. That all Acts or parts of Acts
inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.