The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-12-17
PINE CREEK MINERS WILL APPEAL CASE
To COMMISSIONER GENERAL LAND OFFICE
DEPARTMENT WILL ASKED MAKE EXAMINATION LAND
AND REcLAsslFY-l0AHo MINING ASSOCIATION
ASSIST HE CONTESTANTS.

. For more than a quarter Of CEN
fury Pine creek has been regarded IN
one of the most promising mineral
sections Of the Occur d'Alene district.
and actual development work has
demonstrated that this estimate of its
Importance and value Is we'll founded.
From the mouth of the creek to the
headwaters Of the main stream and
its tributaries, mineral bearing veins
have been discovered and located, and
in many cases development work has
demonstrated the existence of or bod
les of commercial value. and on scores
of other locations the showing Ia such
that warrants extensive work. And
the ground is being worked. as ~
plainly evident to any one who visits
/ part Of the Occur dAlene district, the
prospectors and miners OF Pine creek
| go steadily along year after year de-
veloping their properties just as II
they had transportation facilities with
/ in easy reach, and that every problem
1 in the matter of profitable ore treat
ment had been solved. The result is
that there are properties on Pine
creek today that have great bodies OF
commercial ore which would be yield
Ing profit II transportation facilities
were available or II some difficulty Of
ore treatment had been overcome.
That these difficulties will be overcome
does not admit OF doubt, and that lie
why every man who has mining pro-
perty In Pine creek Is holding on to
! It and developing 1t to the extent of
his means.
Not a Farming Section.
No one ever thought Of Pine creek
as an inviting field for agricultural
effort. Its precipitous mountains
would be more attractive to race OF
cliff dwellers than to tillers Of the
soil, while the deep and rocky can
yons and dense timber certainly OPP
crate as an effective bar to agricul-
tural pursuits. Like many another
section of the mountain states, this
fled as agricultural by some one con-
nected with the interior department
without any definite data as to it's
real character. 1t Is probable that tho
officers Of the local land Office had no
other option than to decide the re-
cent contest between Pine creek min
ers and homesteaders In favor Of tho
latter, in view OF the land being class
flied as agricultural. 1t Is on this
point that an appeal will be taken to
the commissioner Of the general land
office and it Is believed that a showing
can be made which will show the ut
ter absurdity Of holding this land az
agricultural The question IL one Of
very great Importance to the mining
interests Of the west, for If Pine creek
can be held as agricultural, there are
few mining districts in which the
same classification would not stand.
Support for tho Minors.
Here Is case that Is directly In
line with the purposes for which the
Idaho Mining association was formed.
and 1t Is gratifying to know that the
organization Is active in behalf Of the
Pine creek miners. The imposition
to which the Pine creek miners were
subjected by the ruling of the local
land office and the far-reaching dam
age 1t might have. on the mining in
dustry elsewhere II permitted to
stand were brought to the attention
Of Edward Schwerd, who has charge
Of the Idaho mining exhibit at the
Panama exposition Mr.. Schwerd at
once wrote Ravenel Macbeth, secre-
tary of the association for the pur-
pose Of enlistlng the support Of tho
organization. An immediate reply
from the secretary stated that action
had already been taken and indicat-
ed that the case would continue to
have active attention. Mr. Macbeth
said:
referring to the Pine creek cases.
you are advised that the association
has been in the fight for the past 30
days, and I recently sent number OF
papers to the secretary of the inter-
for requesting a reexamination Of the
ground in dispute"