The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-03-27
RULING SETTLES
TITLE FOR SQUATTERS

Richard 5. Miner, a prominent law
yer of this city, who with Charles @
Pollard represents J.. r. Froberg an
others, the protestants against the is
suanee of a patent to the Vera lod
mining claim, located by the DIR. Whit
Wolf Mining company, has received
decision by the secretary of the in
terror, which supports the squatters
and denies the application of the min
ing company, for a patent to the
ground. The last two paragraphs OF
the decision are as follows:
"The department is of the opinion
from all the testimony in the case
that no well defined vein or ledge o,
quartz or other mineral-bearing rocb
in place is shown to exist on the lani
in question, to justify the issuance OF
a patent under the pending application
History of the Case
Inc ueclsioh OF your ONCE is ac'
cordingly affirmed, and the application
is rejected"
In speaking of the decision of the
secretary of the interior, Judge Miner,
who is attorney for a number of other
settlers in the Goldfeld townsite, said:
"The decision of the secretary of the
interior in the ease of the Vera lode.
and upon the government townsite ap.
plieation of settlers, practically de-
cides the titles of the settlers upon the
Goldfeld townsite, and as soon as eases
now pending in the district court are
brought to a hearing, the decisions of
the government will be presented to the
court in due form, and will result in the
settlers being given title to the ground
they occupy"
The New Ruling
The Vera lode claim includes about
"a acres in the heart of Goldfeld. Its
center is about the location of a shaft
az ,IOOh N dNtuut. HUH ~
point it extends $50 feet north and
south, and $50 feet east and west. 1t
includes upon it's surface some of the
largest buildings in Goldfeld.
Upon the application of the DR..
White Wolf Mining company for a
patent, Col. Ed. Hardy, then county
clerk and treasurer, was appointed as
United States commissioner to take the
testimony. The hearing of the case
was held June 10, 1907, and Charles o.
Pollard was appointed as special agent
and Inspector, and Richard s. Miner
was named as his assistant.
The application for the patent was
allowed August Is, 1907, by the register
and receiver at Carson City, the deci-
sion Icing against the settlers. j.. r.
Froberg and others, through their at
torneys, Miner and Pollard, protested
the decision to the government, claim
ing there was no mineral in evidence to
Justify holding the ground under a min
eral patent and the case was appealed
to the commissioner Of the general
land office, which Office, October "a,
1907, reversed the decision of the
register and receiver at Carson City,
and refused to issue the patent. The
case was then appealed by the DR..
White Wolf Mining company to the
secretary of the interior, who has af-
frmed the decision of the commissioner
of the general land Office, and decided
in favor of the settlers.
The protests of Froberg, and others,
Wolf Mining company, against Froberg
ct al, whereby the mining company
sought to have the settlers elected from
the land claimed by the company.
The brief in support of the appear of
the DR.. White Wolf Mining company
from the decision of the commissioner
of the general land Office, states that
the ground originally was located by
Jack Davis and others, August 20, 1903,
in accordance with the United States
laws. That the location was
made in good faith, and there were no
occupants of the ground at the time OF
location. That the mineral location
was made upon a valid discovery of
mineral. and that the d~iscoverers have
its possession and their development for
The hearing before Col. Hardy
IS reviewed. and the finding of the land
office at Carson is given, along with a
large number of affidavits that the land
is mineral in character, and certifying
to assays up to $35.
The ruling of the secretary of the in
terror decides the chief test case as to
whether any mineral is in evidence in
the Goldfeld townsite; also whether
such mineral claimants will be allowed
possession without showing that min
eral is in evidence in quantities suf-
fcient to warrant development.
The decision of the secretary OF the
interior as to its chief parts, is as fol
lows:
The Commissioner of the General Land
Office:
No 1909 n MA