The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-12
Government Takes ALI Townsites
in the District.
PROSPECTUS NOT AFFECTED.
All Lamd-Takfng Privileges Re-
aerved-Territ0ry for Five Miles
Around Lake Attn and All sites
L0eated Inc1uded-Gold C0Dm1s-
sfoner and ex-Recorder Tell Of
condifions-Dfstriet Not Closed.

the riches OF the Lake AtIln gold aiggings
and reserved all townsite and iand-saking
privileges OF that district. The crown re-
serve includes territory five miles around
Lake Attn and all other places where
toEnsites have been or may be located.
This IN no wise affects the rights Of pros
pectors.
This action was taken By Premier G..
EemIIn. of Victoria. VINO recently made the
announcement. A Dominion surveyor was
few days ago dispatched to the Ailin
country to survey the townsites already To-
Gated and also watch the development OF
other parts Of the diggings with view Of
laying out other sites. The action OF the
premier ni2y be made the subject of .egis-
lAtion hy parliament this winter. There
Ii some question as to what action will
finally be taken.
Capt. w. ]. Rant, who. until the divl-
sion OF his territory few weeks ago. was
gold commissioner Of the district c5mpris-
/ Ing all OF Alaskan British Columbia says
that this step Is nothing new for the gov
eminent to take. He Ii in Seattle on pri-
vate business and viii return to Victoria
this morning.
curious oversight ON the part OF these
fownsfte iocators was brought out IL the
course OF a conversation with Capt Rant
at the Hotel Northern yesterday after
noon. II seems that under the laws OF
British Columbia land In the Atlin dis
trict could have been pre-emp;ed the same
as elsewhere, although the locators would
have 10 give way 10 the prospectors when
ever they staked out placer claims. the
mining rights taking precedence over pre-
emptsd rights. The men who located At
lin City and Other townsites made no at
tempt to file on them under the presumption
laws. but made application to the govern
men TO sell them and turn over the titles
The applications were. of course refused
and now the government Is taking back the
land that always belonged 10 It,
Townsites Ia BE Sold.
In the opinion OF Capt. Rant, the town.
sites will be plated and sold by the govern
ment to anybody who wants 70 buy them
and has morey enough.
The reports sent out from passengers on
the steamer Danube 10 Victoria a few
weeks ago that the ehtirs Atlin district had
been closed 10 prospsetors until next June
was Indignantly denied by the gold COM
missioner No such action was ever con-
tempiated nor could II be DONE" he said
II Is true The claims of thirty or thirty
five prospectors have been closed to de-
velopment. but this was simply because the
staksrs thought they were I'm the North
west Territory, and measured off go feet.
whereas they were In British Columbia
and entitled 10 only 100 feet Next June l.
when the closed season ends. this matter
viii be taken up and adjusted II is prob
able that the men who staked the claims
will he permitted to hold leo feet OF them.
the remainder VIII be thrown open 10
Others
The regular closed season lasts until June
]. and has no effect upon the rights of pros
pectors. 1t is protection for them. as
during that period there can be ne Interior
ence with the property they have recorded.
ana they are permitted 20 leave the dis
trict 10 get their supplies or for other pur-
poses.
The importance of the Atlin country has
necessitated the appointment OF another
gold commissioner, who Will have that dis
trict as hts sole jurisdiction. j. D. Graham.
formerly gold commissioner at Reveistoke,
In the Kootenay country. IL the appolntee.
and . week ago left Victoria for the North.
Rant win stiii have his work as gold COM
missioner. bat IL Will he in the Lake Ben
nsst region. including all OF the Dalton
trail that is In british Columbia
Story OF Rants Partner.
T. j. Watson OF Victoria. who assisted
In locating the townsite ~ Aliin CITY yes
teraay made this statement al the Butler
hotel:
'On August :. early In the history al
the Attn lake division OF the Casssar min.
Ing district. an application for a tawpsit.
location at Attn City was fled with the
gold cosanssSiener by Norman w r
Rant. then the gold recorder Tor the dis
trict. This was under the LAWS OF IN,
Dominion OF Canada. Tina proceeding,
customary Ia application Ter land wars
followed oat. Later. became aaAociatet
with Mfr Rant, rs his aEent We en
rioynd engineers and surveyors and 2ait
out the streets OF the city in regular form
expending between SEs- and s. al IL
Clearing the streets and the ioensite 'rfs,
country rapidly hsled zap with prospectnrs
and Attn city became a busy place
About six weeks ago. 1a were ncsifct
fsat the provincial government had n,
teetea oar Application ana that crown
reserve Of townsitcs had been established
Including location cn Lake Atlin ana TIA
ceuatry adjacent for a distance of tsv,
miles frogn the shores az the lake IN,
reserve takes ia the towns al Attn ani
Pine creek. l have learned in tie pas
few days that the provincial Sutharisle
: have refused the applications made bv IN
loeators at surprise. Watca il destined Il
become one 81 tao important places IN th
new district.
'"rhe various applications fer croRt
grants viii come before t1e British 60
iurlsAa parliament for tua} action ~ th
approaching session Oar hope - tAat u
may ha able 10 sstF88se a partial gran
which wilt make us whole on the experif
turc We have already made ia clearing an
improving the streets - tne tuwnslfe 4,
Attn Cssy."
What the rx-Reeoraer SAYS
" W +. Rart. sen q Capt. RArf. an.
the first recorder Of 5hs ANA distrie;. i
here with hia father Il says re has rs
the slightest right 80 $50 sownsite os As}a
CITY. any mere iaaa any either mar. an.
does Rot eXpeCt taat a.s heating az thA
place WE be wcrth anything % Alzi.
Mr. Raas. hke t.ie captain "a * -.s.lts,r.
cordial and willing - 80 al &c caY. q, IN
hsAion tic ppblsc concerning the ofsera
tons IN Tie Atm While ~ was there
'Ihose reports ana;st tasYe being genera
mixing M % tae records nass fiot tase stiss,t
eSt ground ia fact" he sSsa "fa~ der
never Was any pnts-NP, The oely trAastse
ard tia; was Teal,y rot sraeAse. as fhs
ws ala nai have al the enaAS taere nrres
saFy - properly Trcord tie great n1asv .
ioeacesEs that came ia with she rash 9
pfospecterS cary IN tie fat. Rat we shy
receipts IA tAs neS waa @pglssi u hay
thssr claims seear6ea ara when .hs p.
cesats are prevented ~ sho egaass.x q -,
eEzlsse. nsst June. they wia X fsles ara "a
Claims recorded n sisfe form. Ia the mean