The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-25
CANADIAN MINING LAWS.
Regulations Governing the Filing
of Claims in the Northwest

Regulations Governing the Filing
of Claims in the Northwest
The law which regulates the working
of placer mines on the Clondyke and the
, adjacent territory is contained in an
Act Of the Sixth Parliament of British
Columbia, entitled AN Act Relating
to Placer Mines" The Act was passed
on the 10th of April, 1891, and is to be
found in the statutes of British Column
bia, volume OF that year. The Act has
been copiously amended at each sue
ceeding session of Parliament Inc
text of the original Act, with the
amendments from 1891 to 1897, IN
elusive may be found easily in the
library of the Mills building or in any
other good law library.
The mining law of British Columbia
is not voluminCus, and is so new that
there are few adjudicated cases on the
sections.
The Act provides for the appointment!
Of Geld Commissioner, who shall COM
bine the functions of judge and, exec
utive in questions relating to placer
mining. To this Commissioner miners
must apply who would locate claims
He collects the fees, issues the certlh-
Gates of location and grants miners
leave of absence from their claims.
Section 3 of the original Act pre-
scribes who may locate claims.
Every person over, but not under, 10
years of age, and every joint stock com
pany shall be entitled to all the rights
and privileges of a free miner, and small
be considered a free miner upon taxing
out free miners certificate.
A free miners certificate shall not be
transferable.
Section provides that every per-
son and joint stock company engaged
in placer mining shall take out free
miners certificate. Failure to DO SO
renders the miner liable to pay a fine
not exceeding $50, with costs OF prose
cution. The statutes set forth that
claim is considered abandoned ana
open to occupation by another When II
shall have remained unworked on
working days by the owner or agent
for the. space of seventy-two hours un-
less sickness or other reasonable cause
&c shown to the satisfaction of the Colo
Commissioner.
An entry fee of SO is charged on
each claim for the first year, and an
annual fee of 500 for each of the fol-
lowing years.
No miner may receive a grant Of more
than one mining claim in each camp,
though he may purchase any number.
Every owner has the exclusive rlght
of entry on his own claim for the
miner-like working thereof, and the
construction of a residence, and is emil
1- hJIf
surface rights, and the Gold Commls-
sioner may grant TO holders OIL auJaceii'
claims such right of entry as may be
absolutely necessary for WORKING tIeh
claims. upon such terms as may to him
seem reasonable.
In cases of dispute arbitrators must
be appointed by the opposing Sides anu
when they cannot agree third is cadieo
in by them.
If one refuses to appoint an arpllra-
tor the Gold Commissioner does II. Inc
award of any two arbitrator is hnal
and must be recorded in writing WITH
the Gold Commissioner of the district
Every claim must be recorded with
tba Commissioner in whose district II
lies within three days after the loca-
ton if it is within ten miles OF the
office. and one extra day is allowed for
each additional ten miles.
IF miners make an agreement to work
their claims in common they must reg
lister the agreement and pay a 80 Zee.
If they sell or mortgage they must aiso
make a record of the transaction ana
nav 50 as a fee The size of "bar-dlS-
gings" claim is a strip of land IOo feet
wide at high-water mark, and thence
extending into the river to It's lowest
water level
Bar diggings mean any part OF a river
over which the water extends when the
river is not in its flooded state ana
which is not covered at low water. The
sides of such claims are two parallel
lines running as nearly as possible at
right. angles to the stream.
Dry diggings, or those over which
river never extends, are lOO feet square.
Creek and river claims are oOU 1eet
long. measured in the direction OF the
general course of the stream, ana eX-
tend in width from base to base or the
hill or bench on each side, but when the
hills or benches are less than lOO feet
apart the claim may be 100 feet IN
denth The sides are two parallel lines
run as nearly as possible at right angles
to the stream.
Bench claims are 100 feet square. In
defining the size of claims they are
measured horizontally. irrespective of
INEQUALITIES on the surface of the
ground. Miners are entitled to the use
of so much of the water NATURALLY flow
ing past their claims and not already
lawfully appropriated, as shall be
necessary for the due working thereof.
In hill diggings" claim shall have
a base line of frontage of 100 feet,
drawn parallel to the main direction of
the stream or ravine on which ii fronts.
Parallel lines drawn from each end of
the base line, at right angles thereto,
and running to the summit of the hill,
shall constitute the side lines thereof.
Legal posts shall be placed 100 feet
apart, on both the base line and side
lines, and no claim shall extend be-
yond the posts so placed.
There are now 712 fountains for hu-
man beings. $50 large troughs for
horses and cattle and 41S small troughs
| for sheep and dogs in the streets and