Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-30
RODEY'S LAND GRANT
MINERAL MEASURE
Bill For Development Of New Mexico Which Has
Been Reported Favorably

A bill to authorize the exploration
and purchase Of mines within the
boundaries of private land claims.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the senate
and hous eof representatives Of the
United States Of America in congress
assembled. that hereafter all gold. sill
yer, and quicksilver deposits. or
mines, or minerals Of the same, on
lands embraced within any land claim
confirmed. or hereafter confirmed, by
the decree OF the court Of private land
claims, and which did not convey the
mineral rights to the grantee by the
terms Of the grant, and to which
such grantee has not become other
wise entitled In law or in equity, are
hereby declared to be free and open
to exploration AMI purchase, under
the mining laws OF the United States,
the local mining laws and regulations.
and such regulations in a}ldition
thereto and consistent Herewith as
may be prescribed by the secretary
d the interior from time to time, by
citizens Of the United States and
those who have declared their inten-
ton to become 20.
Sec. Q. That any person qualified to
acquire title to such mineral deposit
under the provisions Of this act, who
shall have first discovered and locat-
"a any such mineral claim BY posting
thereon q notice Of such discovery
and location. and by marking the
boundaries thereof BY visible monu-
msnts upon the surface Of the ground.
at my time since the third day Of
March, eighteen hundred and ninety
one. and prior to the passage Of this
act, shall, within ninety days after
the passage OF this act, and any such
discoverer and locator subsequent TO
the passage Of this act, shall. within
ninety days after the posting Of the
notice Of location and marking the
boundaries of any such claim, record
the location notice thereof in the Of
fee of the recorder of the county
within which such claim is situated,
and shall otherwise comply with the
mining laws Of the United States and
the local laws and regulations appli-
cable thereto, and in addition there
to shall comply with such regulations
as may be prescribed by the secse-
tary of the interior.
Sec. 8. That any person qualified
to acquire title to such mineral de-
posits under the provisions of this
act shall have the right to enter in
and upon the lands, If not cultivated
and improved, embraced within such
private land claim, for the purpose Of
exploring and prospecting the same
for such mineral deposits, and post
ing notices and marking the boun-
daries OF any mineral claim to which
he may seek to acquire title, and
shall only be liable to the owner or
owners OF such land for the actual
damage thereby done to the same.
Sec. 4. That the locators OF all
such mineral claims shall, within the
said period of ninety days, take steps
to acquire the lawful right to use the
surface ground embraced within the
limits OF such claim and necessary
access thereto, and they are here.
by authorized to acquire the same by
condemnation under judicial process:
Provided, That before beginning such
condemnation proceedings the locator
shall tender to the wner Of the land
in which such mineral claim Is locat.
ed the sum OF two dollars and fifty
cents an acre in full payment for the
said surface ground, and the receipt
Of such sum by the owner of the land
shall authorize the immediate entry
Of the locator upon such land.
Sec. s.. That the United States cir
cult court, or district courts Of the
district, and the territorial courts OF
any territory Of general jurisdiction
within the district where said lane
is located shall have Jurisdiction 9
such proceedings for such condemna
tion.
Sec. 6. That the practice, pleading
and mode OF proceedings in cases
arising under the provisions Of this
act shall conform. as near as may
be. to the practice, pIeadings, forms