Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1895-11-16
A MINING BILL
INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES BY con-
GRESHAM HEWLlNDS.

non. FRANCIS u. NewlAnde, ~ the re-
quest Of the California Miners Associa.
tion, introduced the following bill:
A bill TO amend chapter six. of title thir-
ty-two Of the Revised Statutes. relating
to mineral lands and mining resources
Be il enacted By the Senate and House
OF Representatives Of the United States
OF America In Congress assem- bled. that
section 1924 Of the Revised Statutes be
amended 80 as TO read:
"Section 1924. The miners Of each
mining district may make regulations, not
In conflict with the laws OF the United
States or with the laws Of the State or
Territory In which the district is situated,
governing the location, manner Of re-
cording, amount of work necessary to
hold possession of . mining claim, sub
ject to the following requirements: The
location must be distinctly marked on the
ground by posts or monuments so that Its
boundaries can be readily traced. All
records Of mining claims hereafter made
shall contain the name or names Of the
locators, the date of location. and such .
description OF the claim or claims located
by reference to some natural object or
permanent monument as will identity the
claim. On each claim located after the
tenth day Of May, eighteen hundred and
seventy-two. and until payment Of the
purchase money and certificate OF entry
has been issued therefor, not less than one
hundred dollars' worth OF labor shall be
performed, or Improvements made during
each year. On all claims located prior to
the tenth day OF May. eighteen hundred
and seventy-two, ten dollars worth OF
labor shall be performed, or Improvements
made, during each year for each one hun.
dred feet in length along the vein, until
payment OF the purchase money and a
certificate Of entry has been issued there
for; but where such claims are held in
common such expenditure may be made
upon any one claim. That the period
within which the work required to be done
annually on mineral claims shall com-
mence at twelve O'Clock meridian on the
first day OF January succeeding the date
Of location OF such claim. When the
labor required by this Act shall have been
performed, or improvements made, an
affidavit may be filed within thirty days
after the time limited for performing such
labor, or making such Improvements,
with the recorder Of deeds Of the county
in which the claim or mine is situated.
particularly describing the labor per-
value thereof, which affidavit shall be
prima facie evidence OF the fact therein
stated, and upon failure to comply with
the conditions Of this Act in the perform
snce Of labor or making Of Improvements,
the claim or mine upon which such failure
occurred shall be open to relocation 10 the
same manner as If no location Of the same
had ever been made; provided, that the
original locators. their heirs, assigns, OF
legal represen tatives do not resume worl
upon the claim after such failure and be-
fore such relocation, and continue tbs
same with reasonable diligence until the
required amount Of labor shall have been
performed or Improvements made. Upon
the failure Of any one OF the several CO.
owners to contribute his proportion Of the
expenditures required hereby, the oo-own-
ers who have performed the labor or made
the Improvements may, at the expiration
Of the year. give such delinquent CO.
owner personal notice In writing, or notice
by publication in the newspaper published
nearest the claim for at least once . week
for ninety days; and II at the expiration
Of ninety days after such notice In writing.
or by publication, such delinquent shall
fail or refuse to contribute his proportion
Of the expenditure required by this SEQ
the property OF his co-owners who have
made the required expenditures. copy
of such notice. together with An affidavit
showing personal service or publication,
as the case may be, Of such notice, when
filed and recorded with the recorder oi
deeds OF the county in which such mining
claim IL situated shall be evidence Of the
acquisition Of title OF such co-owners.
When person or company has or may run
9 tunnel for the purpose OF developing q
claim or claims owned by said person OF
company. the money 80 expended in run
ming said tunnel shall be taken and con.
sidered a. expended ON said claim OF
claims; provided further, that said claim
or claims shall be distinctly marked on
the surface as provided in this Act."
SEQ. Q. That section twenty three hun
dred and thirty-four Of the Revised Stat
utes be amended by adding thereto the fol-
lowing: "Ani the surveyors appointed
under the provisions Of this section shall
have power to administer oashs 70 their
assistants"
SEQ. 8. That section twenty three hun.
and thirty five Of the Revised Statutes be
amended 80 as 70 read:
"Sec. 1855. All affidavits required to
be made under this chapter may be veri
fed before any officer authorized to ad
minister oaths In the State or Territory
where the claims may be situated having
an official seal, and all testimony and proof
may be taken before any such officer. and
when duly certified by the officer takine
the same, attested by his seal Of office
shall have the same force and effect as il
taken before the Register and Receiver o.
the Land Office. In cases OF contest as tt
the mineral or agricultural character Of
the land, the testimony and proofs may b
taken, as herein provided. on personal no
tice Of at least ten days to the opposinf
party. or II such party cannot be found
then by publication Of at least once q weel
for thirty days in newspaper to b
designated by the Register Of the Lane
Office as published nearest to the location
OF such land. and the Register shall re
quire proof that such notice has beer
given; provided, that the presence Of rocl
in place bearing gold, silver, cinnabar
petroleum, or other valuable mineral
shall be regarded as presumptive evidenc,
that the land containing the same is. ant
always has been. mineral in character
and provided further. that in investigst
ing the character Of land with Q view I,
ascertain whether ii Is more valuable fo
mineral than agriculture. evidence may b
taken of the mineral discovered or devel
oped adjacent to such land. proof Of whicl
shall be presumptive evidence that tn
land 10 question Is, and always has been
mineral in character; anf ----ss~s fu-
ther. that wherever land ID hf
well-defped mineral beltf
be deemed. presumed and
always to have been, mine 14
the contrary is proven .aa
further, that the pro,
chapter shall be libe
with the view to aid the Q
curing title TO the mint ln
United States, and thatt
ulations prescribed by sr
ment of the Governmer aa
officers, In disposing Of