The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-06-23
To Revise and Codify the Mining Laws
is Purpose of New Bill Prepared
by Special Committee

On January %, 1917. the director OF
the bureau of mines, acting upon the
recommendation of the Mining and
Metallurgical Society of America, ap-
pointed the following committee of
eminent engineers to draft a bill re-
vising and codifying the mining laws
Iof the United States: w. r. ingalls,,
Walter Douglas. }. Parke Claiming.
-. r. F'inlay, John Hayes Hammond.
Hennen Jennings and L. D. Ricketts,.
Upon the death of Mr.. Jennings, Hor-
ace V. Winchel was appointed to
take his place. After exhaustive in
vestigation. the committee completed
its work and filed the proposed bill
with H. Foster Balm, director of the
bureau of mines, who has now made
It public AS the bill is one of high
est importance to the mining indus
try, the Miner publishes it in full in
order that it may be studied and dis
cussed with the view to changing it
if found desirable when the measure
is under consideration by congress:
Proposed Mining Law.
"A bill to revise, amend and codify
the laws of the United States regulat-
/ ing the location of mining claims on
the public domain, and for other pur-
poses.
"Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the Uni
ted States of America in congress as
sembled. That this act may be cited
by the short title of United States
Mining Act Wherever the word
person occurs in this act it shall be
construed to import the plural or sin
gular as the case demands. and shall
include individuals associations, part
nerships and corporations.
"Sec. ,. In all cases lands valuable
for minerals shall be reserved from
sale. except as otherwise expressly
directed by law
"Sec. 3. With the exceptions here
matter noted, all valuable mineral
deposits in lands belonging to the
United states. both surveyed and I'M
surveyed. are hereby declared to be
free and open to exploration and
purchase. ownership and operation,
and the lands in which they are found
to occupation and purchase by citizens
of the United States and those who
have declared their intention to be-
come such. under regulations pre-
scribed by law. Provided, that this
act shall not affect deposits of po-
tassium, coal. phosphate sodium, OIL
oil shale or gas; nor shall it pertain |
to Withdrawals of public land which /
may have been or may hereafter be, |
made; nor shall it apply to lands ac-
quired under the act of March 1, 1911 /
(Thirty-six Statutes. page 96) known /
as the Weeks Law
sec. A. Proof of citizenship. I'M
der this act, may consist, in the case
of an individual. of his own affidavit .
thereof; in the case of an association
of persons unincorporated Of the af
hdavit of their authorized agent, made
on his own knowledge or upon in
formation and belief; and in the case
of a corporation organized under the
laws of the United States. or of any
state or territory thereof by the fill
ing of a certified copy of its charter
or certificate of Incorporation.
T OFI0 ana OiLG OF OidlIl-
as to Observation-Disclosures
of Land Classified as
Nom Mineral.
"Sec. g. Every full mining claim
upon unsurveyed lands shall be locat-
ed in the form of a square containing
'orty acres laid out on cardinal lines, c
conforming to the system of public
and surveys. but claims may also be [
coated in the form of a square con i
aiming ten acres laid out on cardinal @
ines conforming to the system of
public land surveys. Other fractional Il
laims shall be located in the same e
manner as fun claims, but their area n
nd form may be governed by avail
BILE areas When mining claims are
coated upon surveyed lands they
han conform to the subdivisions of G
he public land surveys A full min q
ne claim on surveyed lands shall be b.
quarter quarter section or lot, but 81
gal Subdivisions of forty acres may n
e subdivided into ten-acre tracts. Il
Their fractional claims on surveyed ei
nds shall be located in the same W
nd form may be governed by avail pl
Die areas. III
"B Subject TO limitations contain TO
in this article. discovery of valu 81
DE mineral shall not hereafter be w
in order to locate and hold TIC
mining claim, but when a claim is ne
corded in the United States land ma
ice. the records shall include a da
'orn statement as to whether or not sc
discovery has been made. A claim ca
Gated and recorded without iiscov- OBJ
y on land classified as mineral may wi
held for five years without discov- TIC
~ after which it shall be open to io6
location under the same conditions da
though it were a claim upon which the
e required expenditure for develop dis
mt had not been made; provided, loo
viewer. that upon failure to make act
icovery within the period of five art
lrs a locator shall have the right loo
hold the claim or claims for fur thi