The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-08
REVISING MINING LAWS
Second Days Session of the Con-
eress at Salt Lake.
TWO REPORTS PRESENTED
The Abolition of All Laws Relative to
Apex and Extra-Lateral Rights
Advocated by the Majority
of the Committee.

Salt Lake, Utah. July 1.-The second
days session of the interna tional min
ing congress opened with an increased
attendance of both delegates and spec
tators. Many delegates are still ex-
pected, some coming from Alaska Sew
eral resolutions offered this morning
were referred without debate. Manuel
Elgueren of Peru read a long paper on
the mineral OF Peru. Louis
c. Fadea, New York. director Of the
Observation-Disclosures Chemical company,
read a paper on the Cyanide Process"
The provisional report of the committee
for revising the federal mining laws,
which was made a special order this af-
ternoon. has been printed and distrib-
uted delegates. 1t is proposed by the
committee as a substitute to mining
act ". The report is quite long. and
an extended discussion is expected. 1t
favors the abolition of all laws relative
to apex and extra lateral rights, and
favors federal surveys, all locations by
transfers made valid. urges official rec
ord of locations in the surveyor gen.
erals office. as well as in the county re-
Corder's office. enlarges locations to 40
acres, and gives rights to all minerals
within the boundary lines extended
vertically. The minority reported by
w. r. Hepburn, the proxy for G.. b.
Dennis. Hepburn favors the retention
of the present mining law Is amended.
provides for the surveys at government
expense the first location of any ledge,
survey to establish the course of the
ledge. and to establish IL by monu-
ments. Subsequently the location shall
conform in end lines to the course of
this survey line, the idea being to OBJ
viate subsequent litigation as to apex
and course vein.
When the met in the after
noon the majority and minority reports
of the committees on revision of The
mining laws were taken up n ois-
cussed. Judge Hepburn of Idaho was
recognized, and spoke in favor of the
minority report. He said British Co
lumbia had adopted the square claim
theory, but II had worked such an in
justice to the poor prospector that the
government was now seriously consid-
ering the question of abolishing II. He
objected TO the section of the proposed
law allowing a locator to usurp a mile
Of the vein as tending oward monop-
oily.
BrOt. w. -. heVeS Oh IdlIOTnl1
spoke for the majority report. He said
Judge Hepburn was the first person ne
had ever met h was satisfied with
the, present | aw. He said his object In
advocating the proposed changes in the
law was TO prevent litigation and pro-
mote Justice.
Tom Smith of New Mexico made a
stirring speech against the majority re-
port, declaring that If adopted II
--A.,II IAzfaAxv thA tnAnfny inAtafry IA
said he a travelled hundreds of
miles to come to this convention, only
to meet the sorry sight of everybody
trying to protect the poor ~prospector.
He said he had been prospecting for o5
years and had been able to take care
Of himself. H.. D.. Duncan of California
was the mex speaker to attack the
majority report.
NJ. L. James of Idaho made a short
| address criticising the conflict between
labor and capital.
Mr.. Holbreth of Utah favored verti-
cal surface line.
A recess was then taken and the del
egates visited the tabernacle to hear
singing by a choir of 1000 school chill
dren.
At the expiration of the recess Chief
Justice Morgan of Idaho said that IL
was evident hat the congres was no:
ready to vote on the reports under dis
| cussion. and he therefore moved to re-
commit the entire question to the orig
NAL committee, to report at the mex
meeting of the congress, n year
hence MI. Morgan's motion me- with
a storm of protest from all parts OF
the house and the motion was finally
ruled out on a te~chnicality.
Adjournment vas then taken to IL
O'clock Tomorrow, when the two re-
ports will again come up for discus
sion. At 7:15 this evening the dele
gates visited Saltair.