New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-09
AMENDING THE MINING LAWS

A MINERS PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSED CHANGES.
TO the EdftOr of The Tribune.
SIR: Any proposed amendment to the min
ing law having for its object the removal In part Of
rights acquired by miners on Government land, should
be looked upon with alarm. That some sections need
amending no miner will deny. But the trouble now
seems TO be an overdose OF amendments The mining
law Of May 10, 1872, sets forth plainly what loeators
shall do in order TO be entitled 10 protection In holding
their clauIs A sum of 800 must be expended every
year upon all unpatented mining claims. Congress
could adopt no simpler than that to determine
when mining claim became abandoned. For
eight years that low was force Miners have acquired
property under tins law and have expended millions OF
dollars in its development Now this law has been
amended that the time for doing the assessment work
OF 800 shall begin the LIST OF Janu9ry succeeding
the date OF location and this amendment applies to all
claims located since May 10. 1872 On May 10, 1872 we
are told how to acquire title to mining property; In
February, $780, Matchmaking adventurer in the
country is empowered BY Congress to rob us Of all we
have labOred so hard TO acquire.
Have stated the case plainlyf Under the law Of
1872 the time for dong the assessment work COM
menced with the date of location. claim located In
February should be represented before the succeeding
February; II the owners neglected doing that WORK.
neglect was proof Of abandonment aud the claim
open for relocation. Under tue present law tnat calm
nT,ginal locator because the law as amended states
that the year for dong the assessment work Degns on
January
stead of becoming law after It's passageu appes 10 all
claims located since May 10, 1879 That wa6 the most
rascay piece OF trckery ever engineered through Con-
gress. ,, -. .oon ,,,,t,o r. a.
Droposed TO cOnue the owner OF claim Within vertical
Sde lines There has not yet been found wedeveloed
thar does not form an angle. Lst
ira strike be straight broken its dip Is as inevitable
ma The setting sun GeOlOgis, M well a5 miners, know
that strain aie elevated at various angles, 1t Is this
f.ct which enables ua to determine the relative an
tiouity OF strathed rocks. The present nlpiDR law
gves the miner the right to follow the course OF his
Vein downward any depth, even though In doing so
he may 10 beyond the bounds OF his surface side lines
The pi esent amendment shuts him on when his under
GROUND workings carry ~ the limit OF his side lines
There thousands Of paying mines to-day that would
have abandoned years ago az worthless nad the
proposed amendment been then the law. The majority
of our Western lodges pitch at an angle or 40
degrees Now "a perpendicular shaft to the depth OF
about 2l5 feet on tue side line will cut such yen
The famous Ontario mine Of Utah furnishes, perhaps
the best illustration OF the evils which would necessarily
follow the passage OF tue proposed amendment com
pany OF blackmaicIS could locate parallel claim, SINK
peruendicular shaft aud tap the OhaO iedge on It's
dD thus deprivng that company OF mine thnt may be
usty casscd among the most productive on this coast
lnt it will he asked, how can blacRmailers do any
thing of that sort when the law plainly states that In
order 10 make location the locator must mud mineral.
and II the Ontario within its ues the apex OF the
ledge, baekmgers are cut on enectnalyt
at IA certainly sound reasoning under the existing
law; but the aforementioned master mind IN the lobby