Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-01-01
FULL TEXT.
Of Recent Ruling by the Commission CT of the Land Office on the Subject of When Assessment Work on Claims Must be Done.

The December number of Copp's Land Owner contains q letter from Commissioner Williamson regarding the time when the assessment work Ou mining claims must be done in order 10 hold them. It confirms the 'CITI- zEN's statements in regard to the sub- ject, made few days since, and the letter in full is given, as it is of much importance:
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INFERIOR,
 GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
 WASHINGTON, November 10, 1880. '
 HoN. N. P. HILL, Denver, Col SIR: have the honor to return here with the letter of G. A. Haynes, en. closed in yours of 25th ultimO.
 The question submitted by Mr. Haynes Is as follows: .. If l locate a mining claim on the 1st of October, 1879, and complete the assessment or discovery shaft by the 10th day of October, 1879, and proceed immedi- ately to do $lOO worth of work, in Gd- ditlOR to the assessment or discovery shalt work, and complete the said SIO0 worth of work by the 20th day Ot October, 1879, will the Department authorities recognize said SIO0 worth of work as the first annual work un- der the Act approved January 9, 1S90?"
 Section of Act of January 9, 1880, is as follows: That section 2324 of the Revised Statutes of the United States be amended by adding the fol- lowing words: Provided, That the period within which the work required to be done annually on all unpGtented mineral claims shall commence on the first day of January succeeding the date of location of such claim, and this section shall apply to all claims located since the 10th day Of May, AnnO Domini 1872.
 The Act of May 10, 1872 (section 2324, Revised Statutes), provided that '' On each claim located after the 10th day of May, iS12, and until patent has been issued therefor, not less than $lO0 worth of l,bor shall be per formed, or improvements made, dur ing each year"
 Under sad section 2324, said annual improvements were due within each year, commencing with the date Ol | location.
 Upon claims located prior to May 10, 1872, the first annual expenditures were due by January l, 1875, and an nually thereafter.
 The purpose of the amendment oi January 9, 1880, was to secure aI uniform period within which the an- nual expenditures should be required on all locations.
 In said amendatory act, such period is made to |" commence on the lst day of January succeeding the date of To- cation of such claim
 IL therefore follows that claim To- cared October l, 1879, requires the eX penditure of Sl0O worth of labor Ol improvements thereon within the cal. endar year 1880, and that whatever may have been expended during lS5, will not answer the requirements O expenditures in 1880.
 A claim located on any date subse quent to the 1sJ day of January, 1879 requires no further expenditure during the remainder of that year than i made necessary by local laws.
 1 find that l have Inadvertently signed q letter indicating a diferen construction of the section aforesaid
 The conclusion herein given has however, been reached after carefu consideration, and will control my official action. J. WILLIAMSON, Commissioner