Year: 1870

For long years after the acquisition of Cal
ifornia and the discovery of gold, the pre-
vailing, and, indeed, almost universal senti-
mcnt of the population that rushed to the
mineral districts was to keep the mines open
and free to any one who desired to mine.
The doctrine was correct, and was ac1uiesced
in by the Government at Washington, by
the State government at home, and by the
people Of all parties. OF late years, how
ever, the tone of public sentiment has been
undergoing rapid change on this subject,
and to-day, there is but little doubt but a
large majority of the people, resident in the
mining counties, are in favor of the disposal
of the mining lands. An accurate and just
segregation of the mining from the grazing
and agricultural lands is difficult matter
and one that must, in the nature of things,
work hardship to some individuals, under
any laws that have been or may be enacted.
-Four years ago Congress passed law at
the instance of Senator CONFESS, for the sale
of quartz mines, which was well enough in
design, but the Department encirclcd it with
so much red tape, and empowered or permit
ted government surveyors and land office
officials to exact such enormous charges from
applicants for its benefits that it has been
dead letter on the Statute books to the great
majority of honest claim owners of moderate
means So onerous and odious have been
these red tape and money exactions that not
one quartz mine has been bought and patent
ed in this county. A: the last session of
Congress, at the instance Of Congressman
Sargent, an Act was passed (both were pub
lished in our issue of July 3Oth) providing
for the sale of gravel and surface mines at
$3.50 per acre, under such rules and rcgu-
lations as might be laid down by the Com
missioner of the general land office. These
rules have been issued by the department,
I'VE published them on the 3D. ult. ) and
again impose conditions which we think will
prevent any beneficial results to caim-owners
of moderate means. However this may be,
our object here is to impress upon the minds
of our readers the all-important fact that
every foot of land in the mining counties, un-
disposed of, is now offered for sale by the
general Government, and to urge the import
ance of their taking the necessary steps to
secure their homes and possessions. We re-
gret that the terms are not so easy and cheap
as to induce every claim holder of either sur
face or quartz mines or agricultural lands to
purchase at once, and obtain speedily perfect
titles to their honest possessions. In the
condition we now find land titles, and the
tenure by which our settlers and miners hold
possession, land this il the case in all the
mining counties) we cannot hope for perma-
nent Improvement ora prosperous population.
No man will settle down and make permanent
improvements, either OH mining or farming


lands when the title is in doubt and his la
Dor and means liable TO become the subject
of litigation and property of some prior claim
holder; nor can improvements be sold for
half their value when the title to the soil is
not perfect. There is redeenIing feature
about Sargents bill that may render it pos
sible for the owners of surface or gravel
mines to purchase at moderate expense,
when the lands have been subdivided as
they are in the lower part of this county, and
that is the provision for joint entries. Where
enough of mining claimants can agree to join
together and purchase 40, so or 100 acres
in legal subdivisions, the cost will be COM
paratively light to what it would be to an
individual purchaser, and in this way the
law may be made available to miners of linz
tied means. This section of the State met
with serious disaster in the granting of one
half of all the public lands to the Railroad
Company and in the doubling of the govern
ment price on the remainder; but the deed is
done and we must make the most of what is


left. The Government of the United States
has determined to dispose of all its lands
in the mining districts, and those who be-
lieve them valuable for mining purposes must
purchase them or they will be sold to the
agriculturist. This is the fiat that has gone
forth from Washington, and whatever our
individual opinions may be we must submit


Perhaps another session of Congress will not
close until a time is fixed in which every
mining claimant must purchase or abandon
his claims and allow the land to be sold at
public land sale. All the land in these foot
hills is valuable for some purpose, and it
will not 60 unsold when offered by the Gov
emment at public land sale. We feel a
deep interest in having all our people the
owners in fee of their possessions, without
which permanency, prosperity, wealth and