The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-09-29
IMPORTANT CIRCULAR
Issued by the Interior Department In Re
gard to Mine Patents.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23.-The secretary Of
the interior to-day issued an important cir
cular to registers, receivers and surveyors
general with reference to placer claims
amendatory Of the circular Of October, 1881,
in which the mining laws were summarized.
1t is directed against consolidation Of .
claim In one application for . patent, and
Was made necessary by the decision OF the
supreme court In the case OF the St. Louis
Smelling and Refining Company against
Hemp, in which 1t was decided that the de-
psrtment had authority to allow consolids-
ton Of claims.
In the circular the secretary directs that
care In recognition III an application for .
patent upon placer claim must be executed
In determining the exact classification of the
land, to which end the clearest evidence of
which the case is capable should be present
ed. II the claim be of placer ground that
must be stated in the application and be corr
roborated in accompanying proofs; II Of
mixed placers and lodes, II should be SC set
out, with description Of all known lodes
situated within the boundaries of the claim.
A specific declaration, as required by the
statute, must be furnished to each lode in
tended to be claimed. ALI other lodes are,
by silence Of the applicant, excluded from
oil claim by him.
The secretary calls attention to section
1906, Revised Statutes, which require sur
veyors to note on their field books the true
situation of all mines, salt ticks, salt springs
etc., which come 10 their knowledge, also
all water courses over which their lands
run, and the quality Of the land; this
description to be incorporated in plats by
the surveyor general, and says If these are
performed they will furnish a reasonable
guide to the district officers to claimants in
prosecuting applications, but adds that ex-
per1ence has shown that great neglect has
respect, so that the regular plats are Of very
little value. 1t will therefore be required in
the future that deputy surveyors shall, at the
expense of the parties, make full exAmina.
ton Of all placer claims, and duly note the
facts, showing the quality and composition
of the soil and the kind and amount of tim
Der aud other vegetation, and such other
matters as may be proper on surveys of
claims. This examination should include
the true character and extent of all surface
and underground workings whether placer
or lode for mining purposes.
In addition to these requirements Of the
law the circular says the deputy should re-
port with reference to the proximity of CEN
tres Of trade also the well known systems
of the lode, dispositions Of individual lodes,
and - to the adaptability of the claim for
placer mining; whether water has been
brought upon 1t In sufficient quantity to
mine the same or whether 1t can be pro-
cured, and finally as to the works and ex-
penditures made by claimants. 1t requires
that the deputy shall report the examine
tions under oath to the surveyor general,
. copy to be furnished with the application
for q patent to the claim and included In the
oath ofthe applicant.
The circular also provides that these regu-
lations shall govern all applications for sur
vey Of lands yet un.urveyed, and In case Of
controversy, to be hereafter determined re-
spectipg the mineral value Of the land.
Their value for oil purposes will be con-
sidered without reference to the decisions
heretofore made In particular cases.
An important rule Is laid down in Section
Of the circular which reads: "No applica-
ton by an association Of persons for patent
to placer claim will be allowed to embrace
more than one hundred and sixty acres, nor
viii any application he entertained that en-
braces more than on. location"
The circular further states that all appli-
cations awaiting entry, whether published
or not, must be made TO conform to thess
regulations. both - to the amount ofground
and the examination - TO the character Of
the land. Entries made already will be
suspended for examination by commission
err, and such additional proof a may BE- de-
cided necessary will be required.