Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-03-05
rnk WAY you GET A MINERAL
PATENT.

EAA UNks
A Butte Inter Mountain reporter
had an interesting chat with Geo.
r. Freeman about the business Of
the general land Office at Washing
ton, where he 10 employed as pri-
vste secretary 10 Commissioner
Garter.
wont you tell me something
about the routine n mineral appli-
cation has to 60 through at Wash
ington before patent is issued2'
"Yes. cheerfully," said Mr.. Free
man. I'm the first place it must
remain in the land office 30 days
before il is taken up. The law re-
quires that, and il is done in order
to give contestants ample oppor-
tunity TO present their reasons why
a patent should not be granted. In
case there is no contest the appli-
cation goes TO an examiner, who
looks over the papers to see that
they are properly drawn, and if he
approves them they pass into the
regular order, or, that Is, into their
rotation. Then the document is
taken up by the copyist and pat.
ent is written. The application and
patent then 60 into The hands of
two persons who read them 10 COM
pare the descriptions to be sure that
the patent is correct. Next the
patent goes to the recorder of the
land Office for his signature, and is
sent TO the President for his sigma
ture. Il then goes back 10 the land
Office and In mailed 10 the Office at
which the application was first
|, fled. Each day q report Of the
patents issued 10 handed TO the
Commissioner and also weekly re.
ports are made TO him.
I'm case the examiner finds tina.
the application lie incorrectly drawn
il Is taken out Of the regular order
and placed in the order Of unap.
proved cases. A letter is written
calling for the additional proof nee
essary to complete the description
Of the application. This goes t.
two law clerks, who decide whether
4 the objection of the examiner is sus.
ltained by the law. After they pass
upon it the letter or brief goes 10
the commissioner for his approval
This is q new feature of the land
department adopted by Mr.. Carter
He will not permit q letter to &c
out without he knows its contents
If ii is not proper or in accord with
his views he rectifies IL.
In contested cases the applica
ton goes through much the same
routine. The matter ia placed IN
the hands OF clerks, Who are mes
that make a study of mining law
They examine the testimony and
render an opinion the same as II
doAe in court, or about the same a,
the Register and Receiver of LAND
! Office do. They write their. opinion
in the form Of q letter. citing tn,
law upon which they base their con
illusions. This letter next goes b
the law clerks. If their view of Oh.
case 10 in accord with the opinion
they initial il and, at-the goes :,
1.-The commissioner and he review
the case. If the decision 10 in &C
/. cord with his views he signs it.
u Where the clerks fad to agree
! however. they note that fact, point
: ing out the Law. aud the representa-
}, tives Of the two departments VIII
have failed to agree on the case q
before the commissioner and argu,
. the points involved, pro and con
: The commissioner then decide
: what his ruling shall be and direct
how the opinion shall he prepared
In some cases the. comg,issione
has the power to direct That no ap
|, peal shall be taken. Cases appeales
: nom the commissioners go TO tn
Secretary OF the Interior,
Since Mr.. Carter took charge O
the Office the work in the minera
: division is practically up % date
!, that is, there are very few case
which remain in the department
over the thirty days required b.
. law. Mr.. Garter has about 400 mel
under his control at Washington
besides all the hand Offices through
out the country have TO report 4
. him."
-.f.