Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-22
The American Mining Congress.

At the American Mining Congress
which meets at Deadwood and Lead
City on September 7th to 18th inclusive,
there will be many matters discussed
relative to the business OF mining and
It's kindred industries. There will no
doubt be some changes proposed in the
mining laws Of the nation, and these will
be drafted in the form Of bill and duly
introduced in congress, with O proper
memorial urging that body 70 act upon
the same. One question which will no
doubt come up for discussion will be tho
changing of the law in regard to the form
and sire Of mining claims. This change
has long been considered by men emf.
nent in mining circles very necessary to
prevent, or at least to lessen, the litigs-
ton which 60 ofteh occurs from the con-
ditions which the general law prescribes
at the present time. We refe- now to
the question Of what is termed Lateral
Rights" or the right to follow the dip of
your vein under and beyond your side
lines aud into yoGr fieighbors ground.
That right in all the years of the past
has been sanctioned by the statutes and
whether 1t can be improved upon is q
question which will draw out the best
ideas Of the mining fraternity Of the ma.
ton. 1t is claitied by those advocating
the change that miners claim should
be bounded by his side and end lines
drawn vertically downward ana when
his vein passes on its dip beyond that
line he must stop. The right, title and
ownership Of that vein has passed from
the original discoverer and owner and
henceforth it belongs to the owner of the
adjoining claim. or course such law
would end all dispute as TO the owner
ship of the vein and the right to work
the same and for that reason would be
"a contamination devoutly 10 be wish
ed" But the question is would it be al
ways, and under all circumstances just
and fair. There are many things to be
considered and much to be said on both
sides of this question, and it will not do
to jump to conclusions. A disinterested
party might regard the proposed change
with great favor, and be honestly sur
prised that any one should question it's
merit, but to another the case would be
fraught with much difficulty. For in
stance we will take the case of q man
who has prospected for say 20 years,
climbing bills and digging holes without
success, until at last on mountain side
he discovers that for which he 90 long
has sought. He has discovered Q good
large permanent vein of pay ore, dipping
into the mountain at an angle Of IS de-
grees, and fully elated he follows 1t.
About this time he has got his mine
fairly opened up with its reputation fairly
established as q paying proposition when
some one reminds him that he has reach.
ed his side line and his ownership In
that mine has forever ceased. It would
take pretty strong argument to convince
that man when he finds the reward Of
80 many years labor snatched from him
and given to another, that this is all
right and fair and just. We will not
persue the subject further at this time.
Although we have our own opinion on
the question, We do not care to announce
it in advance If the meeting as 1t is pos.
sible we might have reason to change IL
when the argument has been submitted.