The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-12
THE VERY LIBERAL MINING LAWS
n-,.s c,o,oo =, the History of Section of
Country nat Should Belong to the
United States.


showing the same soil, covered with the
slme wild flowers, the same climate an(
the same possibilities both mineral and az
ricultural. What pity that it was not in
cluded in the purchase which followed the
Mexican war, of Texas and Upper Cal
ifornia. Then it would probably have
cost Uncle Samuel not dollar more, while
now either its purchase or annexation will
be found an ex oensive matter" In those
DAYS the whole peninsula was believed to
be a worthless desert as was also the
greater portion of Upper California. Its
barren mountains had then given no hint
of the mineral treasures hidden within
them, nor of the agricultural wealth OF
their intervening valleys. The entire
region was judged by the better known
southern portion adjacent to Cape St Lucas,
where the hot sands ankledeep and where
several Intellectual attempts have been
made to establish permanent colonies.
The peninsula is more mountainous than
Upper California, and therefore has a less
proportion of arabic land; but its numerous
valleys are as itch as any on the Pacific
coast, and its average rainfall is as great
as that anywhere below San Francisco.
TwO-thirds Of its length, comprising over
sixteen millions of acres, or a territory
nearly as large as the state of New y FORK,
has been granted by the Mexican govern
ment, under certain cOnditiOnsl, to the so
called international company" which
was Incorporated in Connecticut ana whose
headquarters are in New York City.
y As TO history, so far as is known the
pensinsula was first visited by white men
Just 356 years ago, when a vessel under the
order of COrtez, sailed up the western
coast of Mexico into the Gulf of California.
and anchored in the bay of La Paz, exactly
where Alexander Sillirk, then sailing
master Of the Dover, one Of WOodes Rod
gers fleet, came to retit, in l1lO-l15 years
later than COrtez' visit.
After that day
A NUMBER or SPANISH EXPEDITIONS
were sent to the peninsula; but their mis-
fortune was that they always landed on the
dryest. hottest and most stormy coasts
those of the gulf side, and on the southern
extension of the long land-spit The earlier
missionaries also made vigorous efforts.
induced as much by the richness OF the
pearl fisheries about La Paz and the Ger
albo island, as for the good of souls. Eng
lish expeditions were also landed at points
p on both sides, some as explorers for geo
graphical and scientific purposes, but
chiefly to capture the richly laden gaileOns
of Spain which came sailing that way
from Manila. Early in the present cen
tury reports were rife concerning the great
number of fur seal hereabOuts and many
American traders visited the peninsula,
some of them making very profitable vOy,
ages. Then for many years its bays and
lag9ons became noted as whaling stations.
AID for half a century or more were ire
duented by d host of American Whalemen
The enormous quantities of bones that now
lie bleaching in the sun along the sands OF
every cove and Inlet attest the great num-
Der of whales that used to frequent these
waters, but, like the fur seal, they We're
eXterminatCd or driven off, and the bust
ness was abandoned twenty years ago.
In 1912 the Mexican Congress admitted
two delegates from the two CALIFORNIA;.
Upper and Lower, on the basis of more
than thirty-three thousand population fOl
both. of which y 600 We're credited to the
peninsula. Daring the Mexican war this
portion was occupied by United States
troops. and when the latter evacuated it.
they were followed, for obvious reasons
by considerable number Of the principal
inhabitants VINO had favored annexation
TO the northern Republic. Still later, the
discovery of gold in Upper California
caused a general migration, especially from
the northern portion of the peninsula. SC
that as late as 1850 the whole territory, cX
cept that part lying between La Paz ano
Cane San Tueas was comparatively unin
sa6ited.
Since the day of the International com
pany (Which began scarcely four years
dgO) the
RAPID INCREASE OF POPULATION
around Todos Santos bay, has led the Fed
eE2l government to make Ensenada d full
eSmpany post. where are CHARTERED 100
pScked soldiers. Differed from the flower
of Chapultepec, the West Point OF Mexico
Politically, the peninsula is to-day terri
tory. not "a state of the Mexican Republic
1t has two capitols-La Paz in the south
and Ensenada in the north. and two gov
errors, appointed by President Diaz. This
division is necessary because of the great
length of the peninsula and the difficulty OF
overland travel There is no territorial
legislature, and government employees are
paid out of the Federal treasury with the
sole exception of customs duties. There are
no taxes, except for local improvements
Being so far from headquarters, large
.powers are given TO the governors to main
tain order and punish violence even to the
infiiction of the death penalty, by shooting,
in case of rebellion. A small force of troops
is maintained at La Paz. and at Ensenads
the governor has under his immediate con
troll a special police force OF fifteen
mounted men, well armed and active, who
are a host in themselves. in this compare
lively empty country. The Mexican laws
which formerly forbade foreigners to OWL
real estate within sixty miles Of the
boundary, or within nine miles OF either
coast, were modified a few years ago, sc
that foreigners who come to settle may
enjoy about the same rights in Mexico as
in any other civilized country. The mining
laws, also, are very liberal According
To this. anybody. whether citizen Of the
Republic or not, can ''denounce'' a claim
The statute on that point is very simple anC
explicit If the claim is on private land
the discoverer must pay for its surface
value, and give security not to disturb
strowlng crops, or to imperil the owners
Yightful use of the surface by his under
ground work, or TO interfere in any way
with the owners peacable enjoyment OF
the rest of his land. The claim applies only
To metals, and if discovered mineral proves
to be coal, marble or valuable stone, it be
longs to the original owner Of the land.
APLAcER CLAIM
is twenty mitres sixty feet square, and
individuals combining together as com
uany can take as many as they like. A
,ahartz claim covers an extent OF 800 feet
Yong bv 600 feet wide; and mdntG OF
s.blankei, claim may include l 800 SQUARE
feet each side, making Ov sixty acres
the largest single mining claim allowed in
the world. A mdntd, in Mexican parlance,
is body of mineral which is neither a vein
nor a placer-such, for example, as an iron
mine-but may lie along the surface OF the
ground TO the depth of several feet
If man wishes to ''denoance" claim,
he goes to the proper officer and simply de
clares his mine giving the location as
nearly as possible He is not compelled to
stake it, until the final survey has been