The herald., 1897-08-01
ALL QUESTIONS OF LAND LAW
SET AT REST BY HERMANN'S
STATEMENT
Question of Boundary Can Best Be
Solved by Finding Placers on
American Soil
Associated Press Special Wire.

c. Dunham of the federal bureau Of la
Dor left here today for the gold belt OF
Alaska, ,wheTe ne will make an investiga-
ton and report in time for the projected
spring migrations. Mr.. Dunham Is we'll
equipped for the work, having spent
much time in the mining camps Of the
west for several yars and was one of the,
corps of experts Of the labor bureau en-
gagged in the investigation of special
problems.
He has been instructed by Commis-
sioner of Labor Wright to make crit
ical inquiry into the opportunities for
business, for investment Of capital, en-
ployment of labor, wages, cost Of living,
climate, best means of reaching the gold
fields, and kindred subjects. He will go
direct to San Francisco and will sail
from there August 8, taking the Juneau
overland route and reaching the Klon-
dyke region about the middle Of Sep
tember. He will watch the winter and
early spring and is expected to secure
material for special report, which, H.
is hoped, will be published about March.
MINING LAWS
The misunderstanding and conten-
tions regarding the laws that are ap-
plicable to Alaska so far as lands and
claims are concerned were set at rest to-
day by a statement by Commissioner
Hermann of the general land office.
Many inquiries on this question have
come to the interior department and
numerous applications have been made,
for copies of the public land laws, which,
however do not apply to Alaska. All
this is due to the gold boom. The gen.,
eral land office has taken much interest
in the reports that come from the gold
belt and has investigated the laws that
govern them. Mr. Hermann says there
is no longer any question about which
laws extend to Alaska and that these
laws are applicable:
First-The mineral land laws Of the
United States
Second-Townsite laws, which provide
for the incorporation Of townsites and
requirement of title thereto from the
United States government to the town.
site trustees.
Third-The laws providing for trade
and manufactures, giving each quail
fled person 100 acres of land in square,
and compact form. The coal land regu-.
lations are distinct from the mineral
regulations and laws, and the jurisdic-
ton Of neither coal laws nor public land
laws extend to Alaska, the territory be-
ing expressly excluded by the laws
themselves from their operations. The
act approved May II, 1884. providing
for civil government Of Alaska, has this
language as to mines and mining privi-
80 hn init a
relating to mining claims and rights in.
cidental thereto shall on and after the
pa ssage Of this act be in full force and
effect in said district of Alaska, subject
to such regulations as may be made by
the secretary of the interior and ap-
proved by the president, and parties
who have located mines or mining priv
ileges thereon, under the United States
laws applicable to the public domain, or
have occupied or improved or exercised
octs of ownership over such claims shall
not be disturbed therein, but shall be al.
lowed to perfect title by payments pro-
vided for"
There is still more general authority
without the special authority. The act
of July 4, 1866. says: "All valuable
mineral deposits in lands belonging to
the United States, both surveyed and
unsurveyed, are hereby declared to be
free and open to exploration and pur-
chase, and the lands in which they are
found, to occupation and purchase by
citizens of the United States and by
those who have declared an intention TO
become such, under the rules prescribed
by the law and according to local GUS
toms or rules of miners in the several
mining districts, so far as the same are
applicable, and not inconsistent with the
laws of the United States"
The patenting of mineral lands In
Alaska is not new thing, for that work
has been going on as the cases have
come in from time to time.
BOUNDARY QUESTIONS
Nothing can be done more than al
ready has been done toward marking the
boundary line between Alaska and Brit
ish possessions along the 141st meridian
until the senate passes upon the bound
airy treaty now before it. There is, how
ever. no doubt of the location of the line
along this meridian, as the people in the
locality know where it is. Gen. Dufheld
expresses the opinion that railroad can
easily be constructed from Taku inlet
to the Klondyke gold fields and believes
the enterprise we'll worthy of UNDER
taking.
"The gold" said Gen. Duffield, in dis
Guessing the question, has been ground
out of the quartz by the pressure Of the
glaciers which lie and move along the
courses of the streams, exerting tre-
mendous pressure. The force is present
to a more appreciable extent in Alaska
than elsewhere. and I believe that as a
consequence more placer gold will be
found in that region than in any other
part of the world"
Gen. Duffield thinks the hunters on the
American side have made the mistake OF
prospecting the large streams instead Of
the small ones.
when gold is precipitated,' he said
ut sinks. 1t does not noat far down