Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-06-12

offered the same figures, but declined the
Offer Yesterday was Representation day
for CGur d Alene district and all were on
hand to look after claims and many claims
have two sets of owners, one in posses
sion, the other would like TO be- but the
difficulty is how to get the boysoii. When
the locators left in the fall they vacated
the ran.h, snow trampers, and the snow
trail tobogan pullers took possession of
them and have done large amount of
work on many Of them, while the loca-
tors were out enjoying the beauties Of
milder and more pleasant climes, as u few
men who claim to be miners, layed over
their mining ranches till the LIST of June,
1884, while it is a fact several claims
Were worked right up to the middle Of
December, 1883, and it was the best part
Of the season for mining purposes as there
was less water to bother and interfere
with work from surplus surface water
and on Prichard creek the surplus water
is great drawback to the successful
working OF claims. When the snow gets
off in the s.,ring there will be vast
amount of litigation here in claims and
legal lights smile as the game goes on and
the courts will grind away at the bust
ness, no doubt, for long time, as the
gods grind slowly, yet they nevertheless
grind while the claims, many of them,
will be left without work, doing no one
good but only the lawyers. The 2O-acre
law is certainly no good for the poor
miner, as their is no limit to the number
of claims one man or association of men
can hold if they are on the lookout to
monopoize mining claims. Local rules
and bylaws are framed aud adopted for
the very purpose intended, as one creek
claim Of 20 acres and one of 10 acres
can be located on the side gulches, and
there are many in the distance of 25
miles and care was taken to get as many
claims on different gulches and creeks as
possible to secure good claims under the
liberal local rules and customs of Cnur
d Alcnc Mining District. Yet while many
of them had located many different claims
Of 10 and 20 acres, and a few locators by
themselves and the free use of powers Of
attorney and transfers of bills of sale fol
more Convenient purposes held acres anC
acres of mineral ground, not claims fol
all was known as acres in order to take
up and hold all the ranches possible. Still
when other miners came and found out
how it was, they located upon many
claims that the soil had never been dis
turbed in the way of prospecting. Yet
the courts are asked to sustain monop
Oly Oh miners 10 tne exclusion OF DOnt
fide prospectors. 1t docs not seem posi-
BILE that Congress enacted such law, tC
prohibit honest miners from developing
the mineral resources of the mining States
and Territories and create a monopoly O
mines, where natural water is plenty t.
work mines. Ii water had to be convey
ed in bitches, at large expense of labo
and money, to work them, the 20-acr
ranch law does well enough Miners ar,
coming in fast and thick; provisions plenty
and at far lower rates. Counselor Max
well is in camp, also Judge | B. Cover
from Pierce City. The county jurisdic
ton racket is going along slowly and il
may be a severe fight, but we believe
Shoshone is right and justice will be done
her in this cruel war. Me- Perez.