The Cordova daily times., 1923-03-14

ments made during each year, in- cluding the year of location, for each and every 20 acres or excess frac- tion thereof
 q have no doubt that the forfei- ture provision of the Act of 1907 con- tinues and applies to those placer claims located after the Act of Au- gust 1, 1922, equally as we'll to those located prior thereto. There is noth- ing in the later Act pointing to the contrary. It simply prescribes more stringent requirements with respect to annual work.
 "The Act of August 24, 1921, (42 Stat, 186) is entitled
 An Act changing the period for
 doing annual assessment work
 on unpatented mineral claims
 from the calendar year to the fis-
 cal year beginning July l, each
 year.
 "It is in form an amendment of Section 2 of the Act of January 22, 1880, (21 Stat, 6D, and provides:
 That the period within which
 the work required to be done an
 nually on all unpatented mineral
 claims located since May 10,
 1872, including such claims in the
 Territory of Alaska, shall com
 mence at 12 o'clock meridian on
 the 1st day of July succeeding
 the date of location of such
 claim, provided further, that on
 all such valid existing claims the
 annual period ending December
 31, 1921, shall continue to 12
 o'clock meridian July 1, 1922.
 Special Acts Cited
 Certain suspension enactments ex- cusing annual work upon mining claims in Alaska have applied to placer as well as to other claims. See the Act of December 1, 1913 (3S Stat, 235); joint resolution of Feb ruary 2S, 1919 GAO Stat, 1213), and joint resolution of November 13, 1919 (41 Stat, 354. These last covered the years 1917, 1918 and 1919.
 "The Act of December 31, 1920 (41 Stat, 10S4), extending the assess ment period of 1920 to and including July 1, 1921, so that work done upon any mining claim in the United States or Alaska on or before July l. 1921, was of the same effect as if performed within the calendar year of 1920 Thereafter the Act of 1921, supra, was passed which changed the assessment period from the calendar to the fiscal year and specified that the period should commence at 12 o'clock meridian of July 1 succeeding the date of location. It also extend ed the assessment period of 1921 to 12 o'clock noon, July 1, 1922.
 "This was a general Act applying to all unpatented claims including those in Alaska. The purpose and scope of the Act is indicated in its title as quoted above. By consider ing this Act in connection with the suspension laws and the special placer Act of 1912, the intent of Con- gross can be clearly discerned and the provisions of each Act given due operation. The Act of 1912 was spe- ciaI and detailed in it's requirements. It was designated to correct for the future certain undesirable conditions existing in the Territory and applied to every placer claim thereafter To- cated in Alaska. Specifically it re. quired assessment work during each year, including the year of location. The calendar year then constituted the assessment year. There was no purpose or intent to repeal the re- quirement relating to assessment work for the year of location.
 'It is my opinion that upon an Alaskan placer claim located during the year 1920, the requisite annual work completed on or before July 1, 1921, was effective to preserve the claim (Act of December 31, 1920) i; that upon such claim located dur ing the year 1921 and during 1922, prior to noon of July 1, 1922, assess ment work completed before 12 o'clock meridian, July 1, 1922, was fully effective, and that as to Alaska placer claims located thereafter, first annual work must be performed prior to noon of July 1 succeeding the date of location. (Acts of 1912 and 1921. This view of the law ac- cords with the purpose and spirit of the several Acts and gives uniform and harmonious operation to the diff ferent provisions of law.
 Act of 1921 Controls
 "The language of the Act of 1921