The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1908-01-25
MINING LAWS GOVERNING THE
LOCATION OF MINERAL LAND

Former United States Senator Stew.
art. upon request. has prepared for the
benefit of Nevada prospectors the fol.
lowing condensation of the mining laws
both state and national. which will en-
able the finder of mineral ground to
legally locate and continue in the pos
session of the property. provided the ad-
vice given is followed:
In compliance with your request for
a statement of the laws applicable to
the location and possession of mines,
beg leave to submit the following:
Section 1919 of the Revised Statutes
is a grant to all American citizens, or
those who have declared their intention
to become such to prospect for. locate,
possess and purchase the mineral lands
OF the United States. The language of
the statute is:
"All aluable mineral deposits in
lands belonging to the United States,
both surveyed and unsurveyed, are here
by declared to be free and open to ex-
ploration and purchase, and the lands
in which they are found to occupation
and purchase, by citizens of the United
States and those who have declared
their intention to become such, under
regulations prescribed by law, and ac-
%cording to the local customs or rules of
miners In the several mining districts,
so far as the same are applicable and
United States"
The fact that in many parts of the
state the laws of the United States n
the state are ignored and a few indi-
viduals are now m~onopolizing thousands
of acres of mineral land Illegally:
an American citizen may not take, ac-
cording to law, any mining ground
which has not been legally located.
Section 1920 provides that a mining
claim shall not exceed 1900 feet in
length along the vein or lode, nor more
than 300 feet in width on each side Of
the lode, and shall not be less thar rs
feet in width on each side of the lode,
and that the end lines shall be parallel.
Section 1922 provides that If the lode
pitches outside of the side lines that
miners may follow 1t on the dip to any
depth between the parallel end lines.
Section 1924 authorizes the miners to
make regulations in subordination to
the avs of the United States and the
state in which the mines are situated
governing the location, manner of re-
%cording, amount of work necessary to
hold possession of a mining claim, SUBJ
ject to the following requirements:
THE location must be distinctly
marked on the ground, so that it's boun-
daries can be readily traced"
The United States statute does not
require any record. but If the state law
or miners regulation requires a record,
it must be as follows:
"A1l records of mining claims here
after shall contain the name or names
of the locator. the dates of location, and
such a description of the claim or
claims located by reference to some
natural object or permanent monument
as will identify the claim"
The avs of Nevada require a record.
and the local regulations of most every
mining district also provides for a
record, but when that record is made 1t
must have such reference to a natural
object or a permanent monument as to
enable a surveyor to trace out the
claim.
The statute of Nevada is in harmony
with the laws of the United States. 1t
declares:
ANY person. a citizen of the United
States, or who has declared his inten-
ton to become such, who discovers a
vein or lode by defining the boundaries
of the claim in the manner hereinafter
described, and by posting a notice of
such location at the point of the discov-
cry, which notice must contain:
"First-The name of the lode or
claim.
"Second-The name of the locator or
locators.
"Third-The date of location.
"Fourth-The number of linear feet
claimed in length along the course of
the vein. each way from the point of
discovery, with the width on each side
of the center of the vein and the gen.
eral course of the vein or lode as near
as may be-"
The second section of the act de-
clares that the locator must define the
boundaries of his claim by marking a
tree or rock in place, or by setting a
post or stone, one at each corner and
one at the center of each side line.
When a post is used 1t must be at least
four inches square. by four feet six