The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1886-01-23
RELOCATION OF MINES.
A Change In the Law Relating There
to Much Needed.


TO Much Needed.
Where the annual expenditure re-
quirsd by law is net performed, or
isnet being prosecuted by the claimant
the ownership ola mining claim revsrts
back to the Government, and after
midnight on the 31st day Of December
of each year the claim becomes subject
to relocation or a new ownership. In
this connection, says the BcdIs Free
Press, We would call the attention of
California and Nevada representatives
in Congress to what is perfectly ap-
parent would be a valuable and i'm
portant amendment to the general
mining law.
By far the greater part, and in fact
nearly all of the best quartz mining
districts aud mines of greatest value
in the United States, have been found
and developed in our mountain ranges
at immense attitudes, and at this season
of the year are buried beneath beds
and fields of snow that render thou
sands of valuable mines inaccessible.
An actual survey of such is an imp
sibility, and the setting of monuments
aad stakes required by law, whore the
ground is rough and covered with from
three to ten feet of drifting snow, is
fact so difficult to perform that in
many instances 1t leads to and ends ia
costly and ruinous litigation.
lauw a..ohk ~, h. an6
instead of the time for doisg the
annual assessment work expiring at a
season of the year when nearly all of
our vast mining regions are buried in
impsnetrabls snow il should be fixed
at season when the dangerous can
yons, rocky peaks and mountain
Businesses, in which the best mines lie,
are the freest from storms and impedi-
ments and most available to the miner
and prospector--say the Both day OF
June. This would give the prospectOr
from July 1st until snow falls to do
his work, and if not then performed,
at least two months after the snow
msts in the Spring to make his annual
expenditure. 4 large portion of the
assessment work now done is literally
thrown away, from the fact that at the
time of its performance, the season and
the surroundings are such that no well
directed effort at actual development
can be made and the motions are
merely gone through with sufficiently
to preserve titles.
If changed to the most available sea-
son, assessment work could and would
he expended in actual and practical
developments, which 10 many instances
would lead TO valuable discoveries
that otherwise lie unopened for years.
Aud let another change of the same
law be made. As it now stands, the
time of expiration 10 at midnight.
How absurd the idea of compelling
men if they wish to acquire a mining
property previously located, to attempt
to post notices, make measurements
and surveys of landed rights in the
darkness of night, and generally in
the midst of . wintry storm. How
much more of common sense bust
ness proposition it would be for the
time of expiration to be fixed at neon
or even at 8 o'clock in the morning
so as to give the locator chance to
survey and secure his land by the light
of day. We say amend our mining
laws so as to give the hardy prospectsr
and miner chance to get the full
benefit of his risk of money, time and
toll.
j En-.a IL. llalla-