Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-01-13
Annual Assessment and the Multi
Claim Holder.


There is in some mining districts
very strong prejudice against the re-
location of unpatented, but "unrepre-
sented," mining claims, by any one,
and those persons having the temerity
to act within their legal rights, by re-
locating claims upon which no assess
ment work has been done within the
past year, or perhaps within several
past years, usually are made to feel the
displeasure of those who consider the
first locator entitled to all he claims
without complying with the full require
ment of che law, and in many instances
with no part of it. 1t is fortunate that
such sentiment can only prevail in those
districts where mining activity is at a
standstill, or near it, for in those dis
tricts where mines are being profitably
operated the demand for claims is so
great as to overrun the dog-in-the-
manger policy, SO evident in the stag
nant camp. IN former years much con-
tention, and not infrequently bloodshed
resulted in the adverse claiming of
mining ground. More recently the
mining laws are better understood. and
the lawless, bulldozing element which
was often such q pronounced feature OF
mining camp HE in the early days is
much less i'll evidence. Gun fighting
''miners" are seldom seen these DAYS,
even in the richest camps. Men under
stand their legal rights better and the
communities which grow up about new
ly discovered mines insist upan law and
order. AS result rich and poor mines
alike are developed, and the fortunate
owner of claim that opens up well
under development can retain his pos
sessions without employing a small
army of armed men of known bad rep
utation to hold it. The sluggish, or
forgotten, camp is the one where the
oldest inhabitants usually hang on te-
naciously, locating all unclaimed ground
and relocating for themselves all claims
abandoned by more wide-awake and
progressive men, who have gone else
where to seek fortune. These "oldest
inhabitants" quietly lay claim to every
thing in the district, some of them
claiming more than hundred locations,
while performing less than hundred
dollars worth of work on the entire lot.
They patiently wait for some capitalist
to come along and buy them out-an
event which rarely, if ever, happens.
! No policy could be more detrimental to
the progress of the district, nothing
more suicidal to the best interests OF
the selfish multi. claim holder. He
does nothing to improve or develop his
property himself, yet is unwilling tc
give up foot of 'his ground" without
reward to any one else who will. The
development of a single paying mine ii
such a district would enhance the pros.
pective and speculative value of every
other claim in it, but so long as these
Oldest inhabitants continne to claim anc
hold the principal portion of the district
and they singly and collectively threat
en- personal violence to any one wht
presumes to assert his legal rights b,
relocating claims which have not beer
properly represented perhaps for years
just SO long will such districts remain
undeveloped and obscure, and capita
will continue TO look elsewhere for in
vestment.
There are numerous districts of tn,
character here described, and they ar,
found in most, if not all, of the west
ern mining states. The lack of larg'
success in any Of the mines of the dis
trict is probably largely responsible 70
such a condition, but so long as sucl
conditions prevail there is little hkeli
hood of any mine in the district becoin
ing noted or profitable. 1t does no