The silver lance., 1898-04-01
TUNNEL SITE Bill,
RESENTATIvE BELL Pm,
PARES ONE.
Provides for the Prevention of Cops,.& =.
tween Tunnel and Lode Claims-vw
Remedy inequalities in the Present a.
-Favorably Reported by the Comm,...-

Washinton, D. c., March 25.LTba =.
port in favor of Representative Belr.
bill providing for an amendment "a
section 1928, relating to tunnel sites
was made yesterday by Represents
tive Grosvenor, after being prepared
by Mr.. Bell. The report reviews the
law as it stands at the present time
and states that 1.-The discovery fror,
the surface entities the miner to s0o
feet in length and 600 feet in width
and also the same area when the di.'
covery is made in tunnel" Tunnels
are usually run at right angles to the
general course of the veins The Su.
preme Court has held that a tunnel
claimant may take his whole claim ON
either side of the tunnel that he NAV
desire after he cuts the vein, and he
Is required to give notice in order IN
protest against anyone applying for =
patent on any ground within 800 feet
of the line of the tunnel. Yet when
he cuts vein in tunnel he may take
his claim all on one side, though n
covers ground actually purchased OF
the government by others within the
1,500-foot limit.
The evil that section ! of this hill
seeks to correct is to confine the right
each side of the line of the tunnel
should the extension of the claim he
yond $50 feet of the line of the tunnel
conflict with the rights of any former
locator. If the tunnel claimant does
not conflict with any other locator he
may under section 1 of this bill take A
full claim on one or both sides Of the
line of the tunnel.
AS the law now stands the claimant
is entitled to only 1900 feet of the
vein, but not being confined to either
side or to any portion of one side and
the remainder on the other, and hay-
ing the right to choose his whole claim
on either side or a part on one side
and the remainder on the other, rem
ders anyone locating a claim within
1.5OO feet of the line on either side of
the tunnel subject to the will of the
tunnel claimant if he cuts the same
vein, or, in effect, sewers it.
Section of the bill requires a tun-
mel claimant to stake his claim at the
surface and record within sixty days
from within the time the vein is cut.
Otherwise it will be deemed that he
has abandoned the same, should any
other locator discover the same claim
outside of the tunnel and locate the
same. These lands are sold for IS per
acre, and the interest of the govern
ment as well as that of prospectors re-
quires there should be no ambiguity
about the intention of claimants as to
the specific ground desired.
Section of the bill gives the claim
ant all ore from the point touched to
the surface of the vein, though the
apex of the vein may depart from the
side lines. Mineral veins rarely ex-
tend vertically. These veins vary ir-
regularly from vertical position.
Tunnel locations are what miners call
blind lodes, or lodes the tops or peaks
Of which are covered up with earth or
debris and the location Of the apex
can only be estimated when more
thoroughly developed than Is possible
before the sixty days ana recording.
Letters from the secretary of the in
terror and the commissioner Of the
general land Office favorably recon-
mending the bill are made a part Of
the report, and with this Endorsement
it is expected that the legislation will
pass both houses, as 1t has a unani-
nous report from the committee, and
is believed to be necessary since the
recent Supreme Court decision.