Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-22
DEPARTMENT OF MINES and MINING.
Bills Now Before Congress For Such a De-
partment,

Congressman Osborne Of Wyoming
has introduced a bill creating a national
department Of mines and mining, a Sec
rotary and assistant secretary of min
eralogy and mining, and recognizing
the Importance of the industry. The bill
is worthy of communication, and would
not be opposed by any miner anywhere
who understands existing requirements.
House bill No. 5000, "a bill to create
an executive department of mines and
mining" was introduced by Congress-
man Barham of California, and has
been reported %favorably. It's full text
is as follows:
Be it enacted by the senate and house
of representatives of the United States
of America in congress assembled, that
there shall be at the seat of government
an executive department to be known
as the department of mines and min
ing" the general design and duties of
which shall be to acquire, by examina-
ton, practical and scientific expert
ments, geological research, or other
wise, useful information on subjects
connected with mining in the general
and comprehensive sense of the word,
and to diffuse the same among the peo-
pie of the United States.
Sec. 2. That said department shall be
under the supervision of a secretary of
mines and mining, who shall be APP
npintaH NV tho Ynrao;1art ~, ool ,r;%L
the consent of the senate; and section
1913 of the Revised Statutes is hereby
amended to include such department,
and the provisions of title 4 of said Re-
vised Statutes, including all amend
ments thereto, are hereby made appli-
cable to said department.
Sec. 8. That there shall be in said de-
partment an assistant secretary of
mines and mining, to be appointed by
the president, by and with the advice
and consent of the senate, who shall
perform such duties as may be required
by law or prescribed by the secretary
thereof.
Sec. 4. That the secretary Of mines
and mining shall receive the same sal
airy as is paid to the secretary of each
of the executive departments, and the |
mines and mining shall be the same as
that nov paid to the first assistant Sec
rotary of the department of the inte-
rior.
Sec. 5. That the duties now imposed
by all laws and parts of laws relating
to mines and mining affairs exclusively |
upon any existing department of the |
government, OF any division or bureau
thereof, shall, on and after the day this |
act takes effect, be performed by the
department of mines and mining.
Sec. 6. That the geological survey is
hereby transferred to the department of
mines and mining.
Sec. Z. That on the organization of
this department all officers or employees
wholly engaged in official work in any
department of the government, or any !
division or bureau thereof, engaged in
the performance Of the duties referred |
to in section 5 of this act, and all such
employed in the departments referred
to in section 6 hereof. shall be trans
ferred to the department Of mines and
mining.
Sec. s. That all records, maps, docu-
ments, instruments, surveys, machinery
and other materials now in the possess
sion and use of any existing department
of the government. or any division or
bureau thereof referred to in sections s
and s of this act, are transferred to the
department of mines and mining.
Sec. 8. That this act shall 20 into eff
feet on the 4th day of March, 1900.