The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-04-14
FORESTRY BUREAU
BEATEN ECHO CASE
Decision of Secre-
tary in Favor of
Company
END OF LONG CONTEST
Decision Reviews all Proceed
ings and Sustains Conten-
tons of Company

IT is ALWAYS gratifying to report
"a victory of the miner over the
forest service in contests involv-
ing the mineral character of land.
The moment an application Is made
for patent for mining claim within
forest reserve a geologist is sent by
the forest bureau to investigate and
report upon the character of the
ground from the standpoint of min
eral discovery. and an engineer goes
along to estimate the amount of de-
velopment work done as compared
with the amount required in order to
make valid application for patent.
Most OF these experts or special
agents of the forestry bureau seem to
act under the impression that they
are sent out to oppose all mineral ap-
plcations. rather than to make a fair
report even if it should be favorable
TO the applicant. AS a result of this
attitude of the forestry experts or
policy Of the forestry bureau, there is
constant conflict between the miner
and the forest service, and claim
owners who are clearly entitled to a
patent for their ground have their
applications held up, causing long
delay and great expense and some
times resulting in a denial Of their
right to patent
Echo Company Wins.
The attitude of the forestry bureau
toward the patenting of mining claims
on forest reserves is strikingly
brought out in its fight against the
Echo Mining company. a contest that
has been going on over a period of
nearly four years and which has just
been decided in favor of the Echo
company by the secretary Of the in
terror The Echo claims are situated
above Burke i'm well known and
proved mineral section The claims
i'm question are without timber of any
commercial value and are practically
worthless except for their prospective
mineral value That they have a
mineral value is indicated by the fact
that The company has expended up
wards of $4,000 in the development
OF the Echo group. In spite of this
evidence of good faith on the part Of
the company. the forest service pro-
tested its application for patent on
four of it's claims. The local land Of
flee at Occur d'Aiene ruled in favor
of the company and this decision was
affirmed by the commissioner Of the
general land Office. The forestry bu-
reau appealed from this decision to
the secretary of the Interior who has
now affirmed the commissioners deci-
sion in favor of the Echo company
Walter II. Hanson, attorney for the
Echo company this week received a
copy of the decision, which was rem
5ered by E. c. Finney first assistant
secretary 1t is an interesting deci
sion and is here given in full:
Appeal From the General Land Office
In this matter involving mineral
application O1O65O filed August 1,
1917, by the Echo Mining company,
Limited, for the Echo group of lode
mining claims, survey No. 2779, con
iisting of the Mill Mae, Blanche, Echo,
echo Fraction. Famous. Cora, Cora
traction and Maggie Mcdonald loca-
ions. situate i'm unsurveyed sections
,, 3, 10 and H. r. 4S n. r. F., B. NJ
Occur d'Alene, Idaho land district
md within the Occur d'Alene nation
Il forest against which four last
FAMED claims a protest was filed
harging non discovery and INSULT
lent patent expenditures, the solicit
lr for the department of agriculture
las filed an appeal from the commits
toner's decision of March 1, 1920. af-
lrming the findings and conclusions
# the local officers to the effect that
efficient patent expenditures had
zen made; that adequate discoveries
xisted and that the charges should
Re dismissed. The contention here
rged is. under the first charge, to the
fleet that there has been no discov-
ny of Valuable mineral or Of a min
raj bearing vein or lode upon the
our claims specified.
From the record it appears that af-
err due notice a hearing was had at
which evidence was adduced It is
made to appear that the Echo group
# claims lies along and on the north
ide Of Canyon creek, about one mile
astward from the town of Burke in
;hoshone county and the Lelande mi
ing district. The area is within the
fTontipua5 nm PAGE s.