The Philipsburg mail., 1899-04-14
MINING CLAIM JUMPERS
An Undesirable and UuweIcome Element in
Any Mining Community.
ARE DETRIMENTAL TO INDUSTRY
All Camps Are Afflicted With the ScOurge
Until the People Take Hold and
Remedy Matters In Charac-
teristic Western Style.

In nearly every mining district, or
wherever promising mines have been
discovered, more or less difficulty is
experienced by the owners in perfect
ing the title to their property. 1t is
invariably the case that some one has
location which is in conflict with
the claim for which it is desired to OBJ
tain patent. An adverse suit is fled
which causes all development work to
be suspended until the case is properly
tried and the ownership finally deter
mined. This, in many cases, occupies
considerable time, and aside from de-
laying operations and development of
the property involved, it is also a
source OF great expense to the parties
adversed, who are obliged to employ
counsel and summon witnesses to prove
their prior rights. 1t is one of the
greatest drawbacks that can befall any
mining section, as it retards its pro-
gress. There are some instances where
parties owning ground in conflict with
claims for which a patent is sought are
justified in demanding that their
rights be respected; but those are ex-
ceptional cases. and arrangements are
usually made upon friendly terms sat
isfactory to all concerned, that the is
suance OF patent might not be de-
layed.
The most contemplate and injurious
to d mining district is the claim
jumper, who, regardless of the rights
OF all honest owner, seeks the slightest
preteXt to involve in chaos of litiga.
tion ground which in his opinion
might bring him in few dollars
through his blackmailing efforts to af-
feet its title.
This observation does not apply to
the relocatOr who in pursuance to a
natural desire to secure ground, the
title to which has lapsed through a
failure to perform the required work of
annual representation, but rather to
that class who hate work and whose
time is principally occupied in sitting
around saloons, only venturing forth
at times when informed that some
man has defective title to an honest
location, the possession of which has
come to him by arduous labor.
Those whom it affects to no incon-
SA"SA"DAO O4AtOHV alC lucu VI AdESt
means who invest their money in the
hope that development may reward
them. They buy the prospectors title,
build houses and commence develop
ment then the mine jumper placidly
waits upon them and informs them of
a defect in title, and however flimsy
and insufficient such may be - yet
knowing the expense of law and
hearing of the case before judicial
tribunal, the enraged purchaser lays
aside his wrath and settles for few
dollars claim that would be thrown
out of court by any intelligent Judge
or jury-rather than to have his time
and attention taken away from the
work he has in hand.
In all camps these individuals may
be found, and, according to newspaper
reports, Republic, Buffalo Hump and
other new districts have their quota.
Fortunately, the occurrences of this
kind in Granite county have been few.
Several years ago couple of such
scoundrels were taken out of town and
advised not to return. Among those
who participated in the escorting pro-
ceedings were many men in Philips
burg prominent in business and min
ing circles. One of the parties brought
suit against Messrs. Ringeling, Patten
an others. of this city, but upon trial
they were promptly acquitted, and