The daily Alaskan., 1908-07-27
WIGKERSHAM ON THE NEED 0F
 A MINER'S LIEN LAW

At the Fairbanks meeting that has been referred to, Judge WickeEsham presented the conditions in the placer mining district SO plain that the need of a miners Hen law appears mandatory I,isall we'll worth reading, very in- s,ruc,ive and worth reading. Judge Wickersham pledges his word that he will work for such law. He said:
 oItisa matter of more vital import auce to the laboriug man, to the raau who works iu the mines and takes out the paystreak and puts 1t in a dump, than any other law that can be passed by congress. Here is the situation. Some man with an Immense amount Of nerve and no money goes to John Jones, who owns a wildcat" mine on some creek where a little pay has been dis covered above ard below it and says; I win give you 9 per cent or 90 per cent gross royalty for lease upon your claim. Of course John Jones gives hIm the lease upon the mine. He then comes down 10 the banks in Fairbanks and he wants some money. They know it is a speculative proposition and they charge him two per cent month, 24 per cent per annum. Then he goes over to vacheon's or 10 the Northern Commercial company or somewhere else and he buys lot Of goods on bis nerve, and they knowing that 1t is nerve charge him l5 or 20 per cent more on account of the fact that they know be has DO money and is running on nerve, and I don't blame them for it. So before be begins be is in debt about 70 per cent upon his lease. Ee has got to beat somebody to get even because he cannot work that mine on any such proposition. and Of "o"-"- -- beats the laboriug man; and be does it in this way, and am going to make 1t so plain that you can avoid it hereafter, and I will not charge you anything for the advice.
 "He calls for lsboring men. He gets few men and starts them to work in the hole. They begin to take out the winter dump. Before they begin John Jones comes to town and goes to see some lawyer and says:
 This man is going to work or my claim and don't want my claim held responsible for any debts. I want you to make me a little notice and post itup.
 "So the lawyer makes out a notice and Jones posts it up: "NotIce to everybody. Johu Jones is the owner of tbis claim and he will not be resposible for any debts contracted by any person furnishing labor, material or anything upon this cls m."
 "It is ao; so loud as that. lie post, Gup and it stands there, and the miner don't see it probably or don't read it and he works all winter and gets out a dump. out the mortgage isn't there. It don talk loud. It is down town iu the recorders office. The miner don't know how to find it. And if be went to the recorder office be would have 10 get Henry Ray to look it up for him. Be doesn't do that. He takes out a big dump with this notice stuck up there. Under our law that notice lets the owner of the claim out. Along about May the water begins to run and they put up some boxes and turn the water in and begin to shovel the dirt in, and everybody looks happy as they arc roing to have cleanup and the miner is going to get bis money, when out comes the fellow with the mortgage. He says: "Hero, you fellows stand back. will take the dust, and he does.