The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-09
Mining Laws In Alaska.

In the mining columns of this Issue
of the Post-Intelligencer will be found
an article relating to mining laws as
they affect and are enforced in the dis
trict of Alaska. There have been sew
eral inquiries made as 10 what1aws will
be enforced this year. and especially
what are to be the rights OF miners in
the Nome district and while 1t Is i'm
possible. in view OF prospective action
by congress. TO say definitely what the
laws will be, an attempt has been made
to set forth the rights enjoyed by min
ers in the past and to give the probable
scope of proposed legislation.
Up to the time OF the Cape Nome dis
coveries the general mining laws OF
the United States had been in force In
Alaska. and under them miners Of or
ganized districts were empowered TO
make regulations as to the size OF claims
and the amount of work annually to be
performed. The amount of placer ground
to which a single individual could lay
claim by location has been limited 10
twenty acres. and the miners in most
of the districts have prescribed regula-
tons which made the size of the claims
considerably below that limit. The early
prospectors on the Yukon were disposed
to give as many miners as possible a
chance to secure good ground, and Il
became the practice to allow claims TO
be staked up and down the creek from
500 to 1900 feet in length and extend
ing from rim TO rim. The prevailing idea
was that IL the ground was rich a short
claim was enough for any one man. and
If 1t was barren nothing would be gained
by allowing prospectors 70 stake large
claims.
From the FIRST Alaskan placer miners
have frowned upon powers Of attorney.
and in most instances have refused TO
recognize them. The sentiment has been
that men who have braved the dangers
and suffered the privations incident 20
Arctic life should have a preference
over principals represented by agents.
and disputes over claims located by
power OF attorney have invariably been
settled in miners meeting against the
! nonresident. In the Alaskan act now
before congress the right to locate placer
claims by power Of attorney is revoked.
bat whether such locations made by
American citizens IN the Nome distr4c,
win Re allowed TO stand IL something
! that remains 10 be determined.
There Is no doubt that the matter 81
[ alien ownership viii be more carefully
looked into In the future than It has
( been In the past; Persons who have de-
/ ciarc4 their Intention 10 become citizens
81 the United states are privileged to
locate CLAIMS on American territory, but
/ the question % nationality was rarely
/ raised in the early days OF Yukon min
| ing, and there is no doubt that many
/ claims have been held and worked b.
| aliens The matter OF citizenship IS W.
{ THAI vii be taken into serious account
at Cape Nome, however. IT'S under
stood that many OF the original Iocators
| In that district were aliens. and that
! they not only located for themselve s,
but also took up vast areas Of placer
ground for others through powers OF at
| tornev. Many uf the claims 50 located
have been Jumped, and In the settlement
Of the title to this property in dispute
il is probable that The right Of owner
ship by aliens will be rejected and any