The Nome nugget., 1923-05-26
Laws Further Modified.

"The mining laws were further modified and amended in theAr ap- pldcation to the Territory of Alaska as to placer claims by the Act of August 1. 1912 t37 Stat. 242.) That Act prescribed that on every | placer cladm thereafter located in l Alaska not less than $1OO worth of labor should be performed or inn prOvements made during each year. including the year of location. for each and every 20 acres or ex- cess fraction thereof
 "I have no doubt that the forfei- tCre provision of the Act of 1907 continues and applies to those pla- cer claims located after the Act of August 1. 1922. equally as we'll to those located prior thereto. There fs nothing in the later Act pointing to the contrary. It simply pre- SC ribes 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 1. each year.
 k. frnv ApNar 70 Section 2 of the Act Of January P. 1880. (21 Stat. 6p. and provides:
 That the period within which
 the work required to be done an-
 nuailly on all unpatened mineral
 claims located since May 10,
 1872. including such claims in
 the Territory of Alaska, shall
 commence at 12 o'clock meridian
 on the first day of July succeed
 ing 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 excusing annual work upon mining claims in Alaska have applied to placer as well as to other claims. See the Act of December 1, 1918 (3S Stat, 235); joint resolution of February 2S. 1919 GAO Stat. 1213, and, joint resolution of November 1S, 1919 (41 Stat. 345,. These last covered the years 1917. 1918 and 1919.
 'The Act of December.e31, 1920 (41 Stat, 1OS4), extending the as- sessment period of 1920 to and in- cluding July 1, 1921. so that work | done upon any mining claim in the | United States or Alaska on or be- ! fore July 1. 1921. was of the same effect as if performed within the l calendar year of 1920. Thereafter the Act of 1921. supra, was passed which changed the assessment per iod from the calendar to the fiscal l year and specified that the period | should commence at 12 o'clock mer- idian of July succeeding the date of location. It also extended the assessment period of 1921 to 12 o'clock noon July 1. 1922.
 This was general Act applying to all unpaAented claims including those in Alaska. The purpose and scope Of the Act is indicated in fits title as quoted above. By consider dng this Act in connection with the suspension laws and the special placer Act of 1912. the intent of Congress can be clearly dfscerned and the provisions of each Act giv- en due operation. The Act of 1912 was special and detailed in its requirements. It was designated to correct for the future certain un- desirable conditions existing in the Territory and applied to every pla- cer claim thereafter located in Alas ka. Specifically it required assess ment work during each year. in- cluding the year of location. The calendar year then constituted the assessment year. There was no purpose or intent to repeal the re-