The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-07-31

worth of assessment work required in
each year before the Issuance Of grant
need not actually be on the claim for
which the work is done, but may be
done at any point where It will de-
velop the group of claims as a whole.
Similarly, dillgent prosecution of OPP
erations should apply to the group If
claims as whole and not to any indi-
vidual claim"
Idaho Surveyor Generals Proposals.
Il have spent some years in the west
and large part of the time have been
connected with the handling OF mining
property, either from the standpoint Of
the owner. the purchaser or as gov
eminent employe In the interior de-
partment, and | have had an oppor-
tunity to see and understand the ques-
ton from all points Of view
"(1) II all mineral lands stood out
prominently like an immense forest, it
would be an easy matter for govern
ment officers to recommend segrega-
ton of certain tracts covering these
lands but In my experience, l have
found that 1t requires years of patient
toll on the part Of prospectors. and
mining men to demonstrate whether a
property or district Is of enough
commercial value to justify its work
ing as mineral land. If any consider
able impeachment were placed in the
way Of this examination and prelimi.
nary work. can assure you that there
would be but very little work done,
and many valuable mining properties
would never come to light. There arc.
however certain classes of mineral
lands that could be differently handled.
which viii be taken up in answer Ia
question 3.
"(2) Mining rights should be init
lated by discovery and proper notice
given to the world in some form, 50
and intent of the discoverer. This
right should be perpetuated by a zeal
GUS persistent working Of the prop
Ierty for the purpose Of developing it
into mine. The amount of work per-
formed should be placed as a mini
mum, at not less than what one man
could do in year. If the .discoverer,
through any fault Of his, should
abandon the property for months,
unless it be on account of sickness,
his rights should terminate. The law,
in my opinion, is too elastic as to per-
petuation and termination, and there
is no doubt that it should be so admin
istered as to make its real meaning
more clear.
"(3) believe that a different
method should be adopted for the
handling of the precious metals, as
compared with coal, iron, petroleum,
phosphate, etc. / have stated in nv
answer to question that the public
domain should, In my opinion, be left
as open as possible for the prospector,
that the government should give to
him every right that he now possesses,
and that those rights should be more
clearly defined with respect to the
precious metals. On the other han1.
such minerals as coal, iron, petroleum,
lime, gypsum and phosphate are of
such character that to a geologist there
is little question as to their location:
hence 1t would not be difficult for the
government to put trained men in the
field and lay out, to reasonable OK
tent. the area covered by such de-
posts. and withdraw them from min
eral entry, and either work or lease
these deposits, as might be determined
from further and more careful investi-
cation.
"(4) would certainly recommend
that the present system Of alienation
of title be not retained, and that one OF
the most just and equitable principles
Of mining laws is that Of the extra
lateral right"