The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-19
NEWS IND GOSSIP o. 1K INNING WORLD
element the ground passed to the mrs,
suuatter

cltement' inc GROUND passed. 10 the nEst
" o q q
No law for the Cape Nome beaches can
improve this condition, A. t q favorable
to the poor man--to the Individual strug-
Of the camp reached an apotheosis In this
instance, for the sane and humane results
were the same as II Federal troops had
about the situation Is that the original 10
Gators were hoSgtng the ground. and II !.
charged that conspiracy was expressed
IN their DEEDS 600
Now as to the tide lines and their effect
on mining titles: OF all the men whe
worked their rockers and produced gold
It In doubtful whether a corporars guard
ditions altered BY law. Their claims run
from the tundra to the low-tlde lines ana
fifty feet along the beach. The tundra Il
washes Of the sea. The iow-tide line sv-
erages $50 feet in distance from the tundra
edge. Owing to the polar law and me.
tss sftnde ars from those
southern attitudes. The normal now and
ebb at Cape Nome Is approximately three
feet. leaving between what some attorneys
and the tundra edge an average OF 100 feet
Of beach. or two-thirds of the entire ex-
The abnormal now and ebb marks .
point higher than the tundra edge itself.
as sea-worn logs are found cast up on the
tundra.
what constitutes the ordinary high-tide
line fs exaggerated. Assuming that the
lower or summer high-tide line Is the ac-
tua number q persons 1;rh have wa MADE
tending into the tundra. The intent IN
this case, different from that OF the
beach rocker miners IL to acquire perma-
nent title, and at the same time to- dis
p0aaesa the rocker men.
o Q Q
1t Ii obvious that the Federal court.
were the issue presented, would decide
this question in harmony with previous
e that point n Where land Vegetation ceases
This means that the tundra edge
marks the line of ordinary high tide. as
the extraordinary is shown BY the debris
ton Ii required to determine this matter,
and any survey-the instructions for which
must be laid down in keeping with Fed.
take the fringe OF the. tundra where vege-
tide
therefore, which cannot be disposed Of Ju-
dicially-not even that Of easement on the
eixty-foot reservation above ordinary high
tide, created by the Turner amendment to
last years Alaskan homestead act.
OF course, the government can SELL lease
or dispose Of its tide lands, but why ask
congress to do 80. The very idea is an
tagonistic to the policy and purpose Of
hended on this score; congress would not
act on such a specious appeal.
q q =
Finally comes the suggestion that con-
gress be besieged for a law that will define
the limitations Of placer area that may be-
taken up on the beach by q single person.
What superior merit II there concealed in
this plan? Under the beach mining Gus
tom now fairly we'll established, or the
e ATTY feet sa aons tns
but the lawmakers want 500 feet; Should
congress provide for 5oo-foot mining loca-
tons on the beach, It would concede the
n1ent and other provisions Of the Federal
mining laws. locator with 600 feet. II
the pay did not suit him, could hold the
ground for two seasons by virtue of his
stakes and record He could lock that
much territory against every conner not
having the money 70 pay him his price,
and lock 1t indefinitely with assessment
work. Now he is satisfied to HAY. have af :,
carries with him no title to obstruct an
other man FROM trying his muscle and luck.
Q q q
Again, congress will not pass a 50o-foot
placer law FOR Especial application at Cape
tons they WIN be defined h an act hav-
ing general application to territorial pos
sessions, and such an act would not only
embarraSs but render nugatory the purpose
Of the major bounds already prescribed. In
its wisdom, congress saw that after having
fixed the limits to which associated labor
or capital might go in placer mining. the
rest should be left TO the local lawmal8er,
who would better know the ground prob
lens and profits to be considered.
Cape Nome needs NO special mining legis-
lation. All the district requires is an es-
tablished Federal court, and the auxiliaries
to enforce its authority.