The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-01
Mining Congress President Asks
for Pointers to Take to
Washington.
WHAT MINES BUREAU
CAN AND SHOULD DO
Mining Men Invited to Send
Suggestions That Industry
May Benefit.

e. r Buckley president of the Amer
lean Mining congress, has sent TO the
various members of the institution let
tor of inquiry In regard TO the newly
created mines bureau in Washington
What the congress wants are suggestions
as to lust what matters the congress
should recommend to the new bureau for
the advancement OF the metal mining In
tercsts. This point is covered IN MT
Buckleys letter as follows:
Through the instrumentality OF the
American Mining congress. there has
been created federal bureau Of mines
The appropriations for this bureau dur
ing the coming year are only such as
have been heretofore made for carrying
on the work OF the technologic9l Dranch
of the United States geological survey
There will be no appropriations for con =,
ductng Investigations affecting the metal
mining industry of the country. Inc
coal miner. the clay worker, the quarry
man. the lime manufacturer and the ce-
ment manufacturer arc the only ones VINO
can benefit by the Investigations OF TINS
bureau until added appropriations are
made,
''It Is my desire 10 lay before the min
ing men Mt the next session OF tho min
ing congress in concrete form, such nhcs
OF investigation as may be proftably car
ried on by the bureau OF mines In the
more important mining districts OF the
country You will. therefore. confer a
favor by stating as specifically as posi-
BILE the problems in which you may be
interested which you think could be ad-
vantageously investigated"
Several replies have been sent from the
Salt Lake members OF the congress, ana
several have emphasized the Importance
OF bringing about more satisfactory
code of laws governing mining locations
and operations The apex law, for In
stance, has not great many friends 10
come TO its defense. The apex law, brief
Iy told, is simply that the owner OF the
top of an ore vein is entitled to all the
ore contained between his end lines. no
matter how deep the ore goes, or INTO
whose ground il goes beyond the side
lines OF this owner. This law gives birth
to moro litigation than anything else in
mining. Some believe. also. that the
present rather indefinite regulations re-
garding the location OF mining claims, by
which II Is often difficult TO ascertain
just where certain located claims are,
should be remedied by a compulsory sur
vey law. II Is pointed out. for instance
that In the first six years of mining op-
erations on the famous Comstock lode.
twelve companies were involved In 2io
lawsuits over apex rights and disputes
regarding the ownership OF claims.
Another item which Will be called TO
the attention OF Mr. Buckley by one Salt
Lake mining engineer is the present lack
of knowledge OF the rare metals. In some
cases certain ores are sold for the lead
and silver values when they contain some
rare metal which Is worth several times
the value OF the silver and lead. The
shipper does not know of It's existence.
than extract the silver and lead, sending
the rare and more valuable material over
the dumps In the Stag. Just as the farm
er can look to Washington for advice In
regard to his soil and seed so should the
miner he able TO secure information about
his resources.