SOME ALASKA MINING LAWS
No claim can be filed until a lode
has been discovered. If, however, a
prospector has discovered float, or oth
er indications of the immediate pres
ence of a vein, and keeps diligently
at work looking for the vein, the find
ing of the float, the United States su
preme court has practically decided,
will protect him in the possession of
the claim while following up the in
dications, although a prospector can
not locate on indications. Before the
prospector can rightfully file, a well de
fined crevice must be discovered. It is
advisable, however, for the prospector
to post a notice. The amount of pro
tection which a prospector has after
finding float before discovery of the
i lode, is not altogether certain.
*■' While mineral must be discovered
before location can be made, it need
not be pay- ore. . It is sufficient if it
discloses such a crevice as a miner
would be willing to follow, and no as
say is necessary. In case of a contest
by a subsequent discoverer of richer
ore on another part of the claim, the
fact that the subsequent discovery is
richer makes no difference.
In the absence of rules made by min
v ers in a district, there is no law in Al
aska in regard to discovery shafts, and
so long as the lode is disclosed, noth
ing in a way of a shaft is necessary.
The length of a mining claim is lim
ited to 1500 feet and the width to 300
feet on each side of the rein.
This notice has been held by the
courts to be sufficient:
“The famine lode, discovered by C.
J. Allen, Feb. IS, 1897. 750 feet east
ly and 750 feet westerly from discov
ery. Charles J.' Allen.”
It may be posted by writing on a
blazed tree, on a board nailed at dis
covery, by legible carving, or by any
other rude but honest form of notice,
so that it be intelligent and open to
observation. A notice placed on a tin
can on a mound of stone has been held
to be sufficient, but a notice written
on a piece of bark and thrown into a
prospect hole has been held to be an
attempt to abuse the fair requirement
of the law.
A claim should be staked at each
of the four corners and at center on
each side, although the center posts
have been held not to be essential. The
corner posts should be hewn on two
sides, and the hewn sides placed to
ward the claim. The center posts
should be hewn on the sides toward
the claim. If there are extra angles,
stakes, hewn on the side toward the
claim, should be placed at each an
gle. It is always advisable to have a
surveyor run the lines, but this is not
■*' necessary if care is taken. Should the
prospector make a mistake in the plac
ing of a stake, he cannot on that ac
count, claim more than the area avow
ed by law, but an accidental mis
placing of stakes will not invalidate
the claim. On the other hand, if by
any accidental misplacing of the
stakes, he does not include all the
ground he is entitled to, he will be
bound by the stakes, and the number
of feet claimed on the location notice
will not help him.
In addition to staking the boundar
ies, the prospector, before he can rec
ord, must have sufficient “ties” by
which to identify property. The use
of the bearings of mountain peaks is
impractical in this kind of a survey, but
anything which is a natural object or a
permanent monument will do. From
the center of the discovery and at least
one the corner posts, the prospector
should take careful measurements of the
exact distance to the monuments se
lected. A blazed tree is a good monu
ment, and so is a shaft house, or the
corner of a well known claim. A tec
hnical diseription by metes and bounds
is not essential.
A prospector has a “reasonable
time” after discovery to set o^^t his
stakes and complete his location, and
ninety days after to file his claim with
the commissioner.—Compiled for the
Sourdough from the Alaska Code and
Morrison's Mining Eights.
PROHIBITION FOR INDIANS
A new law to prohibit the sale of
liquor to the Indians will probably be
added to the six measures which pres
ent Governor Clark will urge upon
President Taft for congressional action
this winter.
Just prior to the governor’s depart
ure for Seattle, he had District Attor
ney John Rustgard prepare an opin
ion on the power of congress to do
this. In the brief which Mr. Rustgard
prepared for the governor, he says:
“I have no doubt that such potver
is vested in congress, acting as a leg
islature for the district of Alaska.
“The regulation of the sale of in
toxicating liquors is one of the most
common and significant exercises of
the police power the government, and in
the exercise of such power congress
may validly prohibit the sale of in
toxicants to those classes of persons
who are peculiarly liable to be injured
or demoralized by their use, such as
drunkards, minors, idiots, insane per
sons, and persons already under the
influence of liquor, or. the sale to whom
will peculiarly tend to jeopardise the
peace and safety of the community.
That Indians fall within this class to
whom the sale of intoxicants may be
prohibited, is well settled.” Many de
cisions are cited.
DIVEES AT RAMONA WRECK
Early Friday morning, the Delhi,
which had been near the wreck of the
Ramona since last Monday morning,
came to Wrangell and landed Captain
Taaffe, who was sent here to awrait the
arrival of the Humboldt from Seattle,
which was bringing Capt. General,
Supt. of the Pacific Coast Steamship
Co., Capt. McNoble, insurance adjuster,
and Capt. Finch and sons, who are do
ing the diving for the company.
Soon after the Humboldt landed Sat
urday afternoon, the Toledo, charter
ed for the occasion from the Pacific
Coast and Norway Packing Co., of
Petersburg, came down and at one
o’clock next morning left for the scene
of the wreck with the officials aboard.
Tuesday evening the Toledo came
back from the wreck, having been fa
vored with a fine day for the diving.
The bullion was located and recovered
fifteen minutes after the divers de
scended. One bag of registered mail
wras recovered. $5000.00 in banknotes
which were in the purser’s room were
not found.—Wrangell Sentinel.
STEAM LAUNDRY CHANGE
L. S. Ferris, the new’ owner of the
Douglas Steam Laundry, will take
charge of that institution on Nov. 1.
While on the sound last month, Mr.
Ferris purchased a mangle, and some
other machinery. A new addition will
be built to the building, and the Doug
las laundry will be made an up to date
institution. Manager Mclntire has the
reputation of being a first class laundry
man.
Andrew Johnson, the former pro
prietor, will leave for Redlands, Cali
fornia, after his business here is settl
ed, following a residence of 14 years in
Alaska.
vv eettiy oouraougn, a year.
Hand
some
Stock
Of Cut Glass, Japanese Hand Ware,
Flat Ware and Silver Ware, and
Alaska Souvenir Goods at Attrac
tive Prices.
Bloedhorn
Watch Repairing and Jewelry
Front Street, Between D & Bradley
-rc
PflSS
Douglas
Commercial
Club
Alaska jewelry go.
Ann s
ILSRoaa^
oDoudlasl
EXPERT WATCH REPAIRING Alaska
Don’t Forget the
ANDEESON TOBACOBY
Near the Saw Mill, Douglas
THE ECONOMY
of hand work show;, in the life of
the linen.
DOUGLAS HAND LAUNDRY
Front Street
Hugh Day
BILLIARDS AND POOL
CIGARS AND TOBACCO
Bring that old suit down and let us i q lVTFUT^
look at it. Chances are we can make it VJv/V/i/ /tLO I 1 Hi W
Better let us put a new collar on your overcoat now. It will turn
cold one of these days.
DOUGLAS CLEANING AND DYE WORKS
Good Plumbing
THE LITTLE SHOP
DOWN THE STREET
GAS FITTING AND TIN WORK
Front St.f Between D And E
J. MINKOVE
Pleasurable Duty
1
I
Posibly you have need of a bank. If
so, it becomes our pleasurable duty to
invite you to come to this bank. Your
account, no mater how small, will be
gladly received. ONE DOLLAR will
start a Savings Account. Safe Deposit
Eoxes for rent. All business dealings
strictly confidential.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
Henry Shattuck, Pres. J. E. Beale,
Cashier. F. W. Bradley, John Reck, P.
H. Fox, Geo. F. Miller.
FIRST
NATIONAL
BANK
JUNEAU, ALASKA