The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-30

some claims with which We have fanil-
iarity. 70 deeply buried under frozen peat
In neaFIy al. and so broken in most. that
the average hundrsd-foot claim would not
justify the expenditure Of energy and
money required 20 gain and work 1t under
the conditions peculiar 20 this latitude
and these times OF costly food. high wage
rates aud absence OF machinery. even
were the government 10 aesiss as 10
heavy royalty.
''(b) The fall Of the water wherewi,h
sIuscang must be done Is So slight that IL
Is not adequate sor the proper working OF
claim go feet In length. and Il IS not
uncommon for claim holder 10 be
obliged to obtain from his ne!ghbors con-
cessions as 70 water rights. Considering
the cemensed state OF the pay dirt. IL Is
a contradiction of the elementary prinei-
pies OF mining 10 limit claims to 100 feet.
.'teD Should tie government fail 70 CO.
operate with the ciaim-hoider. the having
OF only LOO feet, and that between gov
eminent claims. would be an afTliction,
In that miner-Iike provision could not be
made for the more profitable working OF
the central claim. For example, dams
could not be made effective without tres
passing on the government claims by the
hacking OF water; nor could sufficient
length Of sluice-boxeD be laid Miners,
Joint working of consecutive claims, as at
present.
a(dl Should the government, on the
other hand sell at auction the claims
bounding the claim located IL might well
be that the miner whose prospecting had
given market value to those adjoining
claims would be crowded by capital. for.
whereas. with every claim open 10 entry
At nominal charge. the successful pros
pecior has an even chance OF avoiding the
dangers that hang about favoritism to
capital human affairs are so constituted
that. despite the will of government, cap
i;al must have an advantage over the av-
efage prospsetor in any competition for
the purchase OF leases where the gov
eminent designs to make the sales yield
substantial revenue.
Now. finally, we came into this will
derness. led On by the fair laws and prom
ising stream valleys and mountains of
these far-reaching territories: and We
have made fer ourselves the Euts we
dwell in. the trails We traverse. and the
rude implements with which we toll.
Shall the government reach out unkgndly
and vary In essence the laws that cheer ed
las hithsr, take from us an unreasona BILE
portion OF that for which We have suf-
fersd. and impose on the men who are
toiling az prospeeiorx in A land Of eternal
ice, conditions ungenerous and perhaps
prehsbitive? We have endeavored 10 the
best OF eur ability TO set before your ex-
cellency the conditions surrounding US
and to dispei the false impression that
appears 10 prevail In Canada as TO the
universal richness Of this district--an inn
preston founded on the success of few
without regard TO the failure of the
many; but TN that We may have over
looked some points as to which exact in
formation should be given and in that
We are SO isolated from Ottawa that We
cannot as n body speedily communicate
with your exce.lency. We send TO you as
the bearers of this petition and as our
spokesmen and representatives three OF
our number. Messrs. Maxim fandreville,
A. +, Wills and Edward r. Livernash.
Wherefore, your petitioners humbly
pray that until the difficulties which are
unavoidable az present have been modi-
fed, no artificial burdens be added 10 the
heavy load We Yukon miners are bear
Ing. and that your exceilancy send into
the district a commission of inquiry 10
report fully on the character OF the Yu-
kon gold feds: and that, pending such
report. your excellency restore the regu-
lations replaced by those of which we
have sentured to complain; and that the
three bearers OF this petition be given
serviceable 10 your sxceilency in the Civ
ing the Information possessed by them
With reference TO the placers Of this dis
trict. and your petitioners. as In duty
bound. viii ever pray"
The commissioners represent the three
principal elements OF miners in the
camp. namely, the French-Canadian, tho
Euglish-canadlan and the allen, Mr.
i.andrevills Is q member OF one Of the
cid French Canadian families of O,ta-
wa and was for many years employed
In enc of the government departments at
the capital of Canada and he is enc OF
the largest mine owners Tn the F<londike
ana is "A representative ard conservative
miner. he il known throughout Alaska
as a Thoroughly scientific drift miner
Dr A. +. Wills was police surgeon IN the
mounted police department ., the North
west territory, a representative % En-
glieh-Canadlan element. heavy mine
owner ard resigned hts position to accep,
the present commission. Mr. f.ivernash
"a a member 81 the California bar. was
assistant managing editor % a San Fran
cisco newspaper. aad Is the representative
ef the alien interests.
WA, ]. JONES.