Mohave County miner., 1892-12-17
x,nsnaf Lands m National PART.

In all OF the Pacific Coast State. and
Territories where the Government b..
reserved large tracts OF land ior anv ,,u,.
pose, mainly for the Indisns--,here has
been more or less trouble keeping settlers
out. Both agriculturaiists and miners
want to get into such tracts and utilize
the land. OF late years the Government
has adopted the policy VI reseryins A
national parks such sections as have r..
markable natural wonders or exceptional
scenery, and this greatly adds to the
area Of the Government reservations
Where such parks have been created nj.
ter the region has been partly settled
certain injustice 10 done to those who
had made homes or opened mines with.
in the boundaries. We have such /.
case IN this state IN the Yosemite Nation.
al Park The Government set aside
nearly million acres in the Ssrr.s. and
~ithin this area no one ,n,y lake up
land whether mineral, timber or asri.
cultural.
The Yosemite reservation of nearly
1912 square miles, or OF $4,000 Acres.
has 80, III acres known AS the Yosemite
grant, which il owned by the State of
California, is located within the bonn
daries OF Fresno, Mariposa and Tulol.
umne counties. The southwest corner
OF the park 10 within four m les OF the
town OF Mariposa. the county seat OF
that county. Some mountain ranches on
this area have been cultivated for forty
Years. Abou, one third OF this vast area
IS known TO he mineral in character.
OF this area over FIVE townships, ayyre-
eating more than l00, 900 acies, are in
Mariposs county in the gold mining belt
o. the foothills and embrace many mines
which in years past have welded enos-
mons returns, and whose prospective
values can only be approximately es,i-
mated That portion OF the park in
Fresno county includes the Mnarets and
South Fork district, tributary to the San
JOSquin, = rich mineral country only
partly developed. The miners Of this
state are snxiou. for Congress to amend
The Park Act 80 as 10 exclude from its
territorial jurisdiction all Lands known to |
be mineral in character, so that mining
NAV be carried on in conformity with the |
laws ard usage OF mining districts in |
the statutes Of the L. s., and the settled !
policy OF the Government. Congress |
man Cafnineiti introduced hili in Con |
gress curtailing the area Of this park by |
about 400 900 acres. leaving oJJ, ,00J acres. |
The present area comprises not Orly the /.
forests and water shed country OF The |
Sierras, with many picturesque vAlleys, |
but large mining district, with owe,
200 mines, many of which are nov being |
worked. Ii includes seventy.fre or
hundred actual farms, and these settlers
c q demand either their land restored or
is purchase by the Government at
pr ce as fabulous ss they may demand.
The Sierra Club Of this city has denounc-
ed this hill. but Mr.. Caminetti explains
that the present conditions do great in.
Justice 10 his constituents in Tuolumne,
Merced, Fresno, M.ripo.a and Kern
counties. In all probability Congress will
act so as TO protect the settlers and min.
ers, At all events the possible mining
area OF this ffate should not he curtailed
There is too much OF that sort of thing
already wi,ho,., the Government going
into il wholesale. aud keeping back sew
eral hundred thousand acres OF mineral
land simply for people to look at and
not use .-- Mining and Scientific Press.