The Colorado statesman., 1906-10-20
NJ | N E DRAI NAG E
LAW RECOMMENDED BY MINING
CONGRESS.
OTHER IMPORTANT ACTION
Invitation to Jamestown-Depart
of Mines Asked For-Law Wanted
to Stamp Out Bogus Mining
Schemes.


Denver.-"By long odds the biggest
and best days work the American Min
ing Congress has ever accomplished"
was the verdict rendered by every Off
GER and delegate when the daily ses-
sion closed Wednesday night at 10
O'Clock.
From 10 o'clock in the morning un-
til 10 at night these sturdy exponents
of all that is best in the industry
which founded this state and opened
the way for its present prosperity,
worked increasingly with but two re-
cesses, and when the final gavel fell
they had laid the foundation for re-
forms in the mining world which when
carried out will exceed in their bene-
fetal effects all previous efforts of the
congress put together.
In the morning the delegates took
action which it is expected will lead
to the establishing of a Department of
Mines and Mining at Washington. In
the afternoon they agreed upon a law
which, If put into effect throughout the
United States, will effectually stamp
out the promoter of bogus mining
schemes. In the evening they
framed a law for the creation of min
ing drainage districts, which has long
been one of the most crying needs of
the mining industry.
The law, which was drawn up by
committee, of which David w. Brun-
ton of this city was chairman, provides
in brief in it's amended form that any
number of persons, not less than ten,
owning mining claims, in any mining
district, whose assessed valuation is
not more than one-third of the total
valuation of the district, may at any
time file with the clerk of the District
Court of the county in which such
claims are situated, a verified petition
addressed to the judge of the District
Court, praying for the organization of
a mine drainage district. A board COM
posed of mine owners, it is proposed.
shall be appointed to have charge of
the work and the board is to be given
power to levy and collect a tax upon
all mining claims within the district.
This tax, however, is not to exceed
in any one year so mills on every dol
lar of valuation as shown by the as
sessment rolls.
Provision is made for bonds, liens,
interest, publication. etc. A new sec
ton in the bill, to he section Is, was
introduced to provide that all parties
in interest in the district may have at
all times free access to the avenues
and laterals of the drainage systems,
subpject to rules and regulations
adopted by the board of supervisors,
which is to consist of not more than
fifteen nor less than nine men.
Another new section. number "a,
provides for the collecting of equable
tolls for the use of the right of way in
the drainage district, the funds thus
accruing to be used to reduce the tax
rate.
The following resolution, by Gov
ernor Pardee of California, wss unani-
mously passed.
believing that the cooperation of
farmer, through the Department of
Agriculture, has demonstrated the wis
dom of this cooperation in giving di-
rection to American industrial forces;
and,
believing that the cooperation of
our government with the American
miner, through Department of Min
ing, will give an additional and con-
elusive proof that American industrial
vanced through this method of coop
Grafton between the government and
the people; therefore, be it
Resolved, that the American Min
ing Congress-, in convention assembled,
most earnestly urge upon our federal
Congress the Importance of creating
a Department of Mining, coordinate
with the Department of Agriculture
President Richards was then en-
powered, through motion by Delegate
Fred King of Connecticut, to appoint a
committee of five men to discuss ways
and means for securing the contem
plated department. After some inter
vening business 1t was announced that
the committee would consist of John
Dern. F. Wallace White, George e
Dorsey, l.. A. Colburn and Thomas
Ewing
Secretary Callbreath then read a tel
egram he had just received announc
ing that another city, jamestown, Vir-
ginia, had entered the field hitherto oc
cupied by Joplin, Missouri, and was
seeki:.g the convention for next year
William NJ. Porter of New York City
called attention 20 the Mining Expo
sition Company, with Offices in Chi
cago.
After citing several instances of
fraudulent schemes which had come
under his observation, notably that of
the notorious Glover Creek PROPOSE
tion, which had its headquarters in
Philadelphia, and calling attention to
the fact that the only way the pro
moters of the latter scheme were
reached was through the government
postal laws. Governor Pardee read
proposed bill to make false statements
in prospectuses and reports criminal
offense punishable by Imprisonment
for not more than ten years and fine
of not more than $4,000. The bill was
adopted.
A. l.. Herrick of Pennsylvania intro