Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-03-21
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.

LElsLSLAhTlON
Sutro Is In Washington, zsalously
engaged In lobbying for his huge bore.
A bill passed the Senate a few days
since, providing for the speedy ter
minatlon Of proceedings to obtain pa
tent for mineral lands. It requires
applicants for patents to make final
proof within one year. In default Of
which, unless there DO an adverse
claim, all proceedings are declared
null and void. The object Of the bill
10 said to be to prevent mining compa-
niles from filing bogus applications,
thereby keeping lands withdrawn from
entry by failing to prosecute their
claims. The law may or may not be
good, but It certainly has nothing to
do with the Sutro Tunnel, But tho
lndefatigable lobbyist, becoming some
what frightened at the rumered efforts
to defeat his claims to royalty through
his "drain tunnel" affected to see in
this bill a stab at his rights, and en-.
deavored to seize upon this assumed
Infringement, and hang thereon n few
amendments, %reiteratlng and re.ratliy-
Ing his right to tax the mines OF the
Comstock lode for his ~pecuniary gain,
aud without rendering any reciprocal
benefit.
The bill came up last Wednesday In
the House, and some Of Sutro's hench-
men. to wit, Holman Of Indiana and
Negley Of Pennsylvania, introduced
the amendments to which we have re-
ferred. They were discussed at some
length, and with tho bill to which they
were appended, went over under the
rule. On Thursday the BILL again
came up. Mr.. Page Of California, OPP
posed these amendments, which had
been made for Sutro's benefit, Say
ing"-whst Is apparent on reading
them-ithey will be found In the News
OF Thursday lait) ''that they virtually
declare that no bill relating to min
eral lands should be passed unless STU
trs were permitted to make 1t subserv-
lent to the Sutro Tunnel" He fur
Their said that these proposed amend
ments would enable this bill to effect
the same results as tho Ward bill
tabout which so much adverse CON-
ment has been heard) which was Sill
before the Committee on Mines and
Mining. Our own Kendall, strange
to say, also opposed the Sutro amend
monts, unnecessarily protesting that
while no was friendly to Mr.. Sutro's
tunnel project the amendments pro-
posed would work q great outrage on
all the weaker mining interests where
mines were not fully developed. He
then offered in place Of the amend
ment submitted by Holman last
Wednesday. the following:
provided that nothing herein con-
talned shall be construed to repeal or
In any way affect the provisions Of an
Act granting a. Sutro the right Of way
and other privileges used In the con-
struction OF a draining and exploring
tunnel to tho Comstocs Lode"
This was agreed to by Mr.. Page, but
refused by Sutro's attorneys In Con-
gress.
To Nh ordinary observer this would
seem to effect tho object sought by Su-
tro, viz: the recognition by Congress
OF hi, existing legal right to rob tho
mines Of the Comstock lode, but that
there Is something behind this OF more
Importance to Sutro, and per conse-
qusncs to u mining Interests, is evil
dent, from his refusal to accept Ken
amendment. 1t seems strange
that no general mining law for the
United States can 10 offered and passed
without the Inevitable tunnel card at
to It's skirts, and 1t Is also a sad
fact that tho corporation owning this
great swindle |, represented by agents
to lsgislate for the general pub.
lie, and not for any particular interest.
We shall, doubtless, hear more Of this
bill and will endsavor to keep our
and readers rs we'll informed as
possible upon Its propositions and pros
poets. 1t Is fully time that the peo-
pls-lnstead Of rings, DO they railroad
or tunnel-were represented In our
bodies, and We predict a
wholesome change In thi, particular
the coming year.