Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-12-29
State Mining Law Adv0-
Gated bY Labor C0mr. Eddy

Roscoe A. Eddy of Bar Harber, state
labor commissioner, in his annual re-
port which has been filed with the Gov
ernor and Council, states that the
members of the incoming Legislature
should not fail to make the necessary
appropriation and to enact mining
law which will provide that whoever
discovers or finds ores, minerals or
precious stones upon public land be-
meath the surface shall be entitled to
the same.
Touching on the matter Of Thinning in
Maine. Commissioner Eddy says in his
report:
II, The State Of Maine has valuable de-
posits of zinc, precious stones, slate,
satmestone. iron. copper, felspar and
many other minerals which should be
Tqeyeloped. There is evidence at hand
which indicates that some of these
minerals exist in large quantities and
tnatSfhey are Of an extremely high
gR1A During the past two years, this
oegSt1ment has made such investiga-
tioalS as possible without money avail
aptestor sqeh work. The samples of
minerals. which we have gathered and
nad asaeyed and other information
Wnicn R are In possession of will. we
Eheiieves fcbnvince even the doubtful
kAnat t1B@mineral resources of Maine
are wdsthy Of very immediate and en-
efgetic attention.
VT slight investigation .,discioaed
Esnasknere are great possibilities ihk The
Ielspar deposits of the S&te. nhe
luan'lty appears to be unlt1kted Ind
from evidence which we haj jSecursa.
II seems that the grade of5brea f3r
superior to any which is How aeing
mined. though It is evide&t thai the
Ieispar industry Of the State asGtba
present time is being successfuIis kp-
Grated as many new companies .HPre
oeen organized during be past year
!or the purpose of mininEand deyeloh-
ing the minerals contained in the feI.
spar group. -
Inc results obtained from SAMPLES
Oh zinc ore deposits in this State which
were assayed by reliable metanurgical
agencies were astonishing. Samples Of
the ore submitted to three firms as
sayed as follows: Seventeen per cent
nne. 2S.2l per cent. fine, and 32.1S per
cent. fine. 1t would seem that these
findings invite further Investigation
and that the State should not longer
withhold its assistance from an indus
try which has such good prospects and
such great possibilities.
Several years ago the Legislature
enacted law which provided in part
that the land agent. the commissioner
of agriculture and the commissioner of
labor are constituted a mining board
to be known as the Maine Mining Bu-
reau. Such board has never been or
ganized nor any Of the requirements of
the law complied with because no ap-
preparation was ever made for the pur-
pose OF carrying out the provisions Of
the law.
"The members of the in, ng Leg
islature should not fail to make the
necessary appropriation and to enact
q mining law which will provide that
whoever discovers or finds ores. min
erals or precious stones upon public
land beneath the surface shall be en-
lifted to the same. Provisions should
be made for the land owner to collect a
reasonable royalty, and it it is deemed
wise. the State could retain an interest.
Such a law would encourage efforts to
locate ores and minerals and to report
prospects when they are found. Under
tne existing conditions there Is no in
ducement for any prospector to use
time or money in making an attempt
20 ma ore or minerals on land Of an
other. Tor II he succeeds the law will
not allow him the enjoyment of his
discovery" ~