Year: 1868

Be f alacied 5y t'r Setaie aHd House qf Rep-

 rescstatires gf he JaHed Statos ef' Ameriea,

 iR C1agras asemD,H:

 SEcrioS i. That the mineral lands of the public domain. both surveyed and unsuryeyed, are hereby declared to he free and open Go exploration and occupation by ali citizens Of the United States, and those who have de- clarcd their intention Co become citizens, suh- ject lc snch regulations as may be prescribed by law, and subject also to the local custom or rules of miners in the several mining dis tricts, s0 far as the same may not be in con tiict with the laws ofthe' United States.

 SEC. 2. ind Jc t yfi.rfitr epocfc1, That whenever any person or association of per sons claim a vein or lode of quartz, or other rock in place, bearing gold, silver, cinnabar or copper, having previously occupied and improved the same acording to the local GUS tom or rules of miners in the district where the same is situated, and having expended in actual labor and improvements thereon an amount of not les than $l OJ1, and in regard to whose possession there is no controversy or opposing claim, it shall and may be lawful for said claimants or association of claimants to iilr iE the local land office a diagram of the same so extended laterally or otherwise ss 10 conform to the local laws, customs, and rules of miners, and to enter such tract and receive patent therefor, granting such mine together with the right to follow said vein or lode with it's dips, angles or variations to any depth, although 1t may enter the land ad- joining, which land adjoining shall be sold subject to this condition.

 SEC 2. dAd Ee I ftr1cr enrc'ef. That upon the filing of the diagram as provided in the second section of this Act. and posting the some in a conspicuous place on the claim together with notice of intention to apply for patent, the Register of the Land Office shall publish q notice of the same in a news paper published nearest to the location of said clam, and shall also post such notice in his office for the period of ninety days; and after the expiration of said period. if no ad- verse claim shall have been filed it shall be the duty of the Surveyor General, upon ap- plication of the party. to survey the prem ises and make plat thereof, indorsed with his approval, designating the number and de- scription of the location; the value of tLe labor and improvements, and the character of the vein exposed; and upon the payment to the proper officer of five dollars per acre. together with the cost of such survey. plat and notice, and giTiag satisfactory evidence that said diagram and notice have been post cd on the claim during said period of ninety Ia1n, tue lAtIiHioT or the Lana Oiflce shall transmit to the General Land Office said plat survey and description, and a patent shall issue for the same thereupon; but said plat. survey or description shall in no case cover more than one vein or lode. which shall be expressed in the patent issued

 SEC. 4 ind be | faTthey6aaeted. That when such location and entry of mine shall be upon unsuryeyed lands it shall and may be lawful, after the extension theretoof the pub lie surveys, to adjust the surveys to the lim- its Of the premises according 10 the location and possession and plat aforesaid, and the Surveyor General may, in extending the sur veys, vary the same from a rectangular form to suit the circumstances of the country and tine focal ruies, jaws and customs of the miners Pspvided, That no location hereafter made shall exceed two hundred feet in length along the vein for each locator, with an ad- ditiOnal claim for discovery to the discoyerer of the lode, with the right to follow such vein to any depth, with all its dips, varia- tioDs and angles, together with reasonable quantity of surface for the convenient work ing of the same, as fixed by local rules: And l provided further, That no person may make ] more than one location on the same lode | and that not more than three thousand feet | shall be taken in any one claim by any asso- citation of persons.

 SEC. .. And be t further enacted. That a a further condition of sale, in the absence If necessary legislation by Congress, ihs aes Legislature Of any state or Terrisorv nay