HOW MINING CLAIMS CAN
BE STAKED IN ALASKA IS
DESCRIBED IN ALL DETAIL
(Continued From Page Three)
(Length not material when locating a fraction between two
senior locations).
Association Placer Claims shall in no case exceed 160 acres and
shall not exceed 2.640 feet in length (Maximum Association would
be 2,640 x 2,640).
CLAIMS ALLOWED EACH MONTH (PLACER).
You may locate for yourself, or have located for you by attor
ney, each month not to exceed two twenty-acre claims in any one
mining district which may be two single locations, to twenty acre
units in different associations, or one single claim and one unit in
an association.
LOCATION BY POWER OF ATTORNEY (PLACER).
Powers of attorney may be in writing, witnessed by two wit
nesses, acknowledged by an officer authorized to take acknowledg
ments and recorded in the mining district, where it is to be used,
prior to making any location thereunder. Powers of Attorney
become void two years after their date of execution and no valid
location may be made under such 'power of attorney, thereafter. A
power of attorney can not be used twice in an association or more
than twice in any one month. There appears to be no limit to the
number of powers of attorney you may record, but sixteen is
the maximum number you can use in any one month; that is, you
may with sixteen powers of attorney stake two eight-clam asso
ciations of 160 acres each. You may also stake the same acreage
with eight powers of attorney, using each such power of attorney a
second time in the second location.
Since the maximum length of an association placer mining
claim cannot exceed 2640 feet, the following conclusions may be
of interest.
Under the present law, many combinations may be worked out.
The one used should be the one which is likely to cover the pay
streak without too much waste acreage.
Single claims are generally 1320 feet long by 660 feet wide.
They can be staked end to end or side by side.
Two-claim associations can be 2640 feet long by 660 feet wide or
1320 feet square.
Two-claim associations can be 2640 feet long by 990 feet wide.
Four—claim associations can be 2640 feet long by 1320 feet wide.
As an illustration; A person with two powers of attorney may
stake two association claims end to end each 2640 feet long and i
two single claims end to end each 1320 feet long; the combined
length of the four locations would be one and a half miles 660 feet i
wide. No matter how many powers of attorney you have and use ,
you cannot locate over one and a half miles of a creek in any one |
month. By using additional powers of attorney you can secure
greater width but no greater length. ,
There appears to be no limit to the number of lode claims you
may locate in any one month or mining district or under powers ,
of attorney, provided always that every such location is supported
by a bona fide discovery of mineral in place, and the other elements
necessary to make a valid location,
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LABOR (PLACER).
Under the law passed by the 1935 Territorial Legislature at least
$100 worth of labor or money must be expended each year for every
20 acres or fraction thereof contained in every placer location made
on and after that date. No assessment labor is necessary during the
fractional year in which the location is made (to July 1st follow
ing). A failure to perform the annual assessment labor in any
year that it is required constitutes forfeiture. Assessment labor
must be fully performed before noon on the first day of each July,
and if not fully so performed before that time, any person may
relocate the claim as if no prior location had ever been made. (The
law allowing resumption of labor before July 1st does no apply to
Alaska. See Act of Confress March 2. 1907, which has never been
repealed).
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LABOR (LODE CLAIMS).
The same rule applies to lode claims, to the extent that it is a
safe rule to go by, inconnection with lode claims now in existence.
* *****
While the matter has never been before the courts it is
believed that with the repeal of the Wickersham Act in 1936,
all mining claims theretofore located were thereafter and are
now, with regard to annual assessment labor, subject to the
general mining laws of the United States which require that but
$100 work and labor be performed upon a mining claim each
year; in other words, all claims located prior to March 14,
1935, whether twenty-acre claims or association claims, require
but $100 worth of work or labor to be expended thereon or for
its benefit to fully satisfy the requirement of annual assessment
labor as by law required.
The Territorial law of 1035 does not attempt to regulate
annual assessment labor on claims located prior to its passage.
It might be argued that claims located under the provisions of
the Wickersham Act must comply with the Wickersham Law
as to assessment labor but the ground for such contention seems
far fetched.
AFFIDAVITS OF ANNUAL LABOR.
It is not necessary to record affidavits of annual labor, but it
is a good policy to do so. Facts alleged in such affidavits are pre
sumed in law to be true andcanbe discredited only by a preponder
ance of evidence to disprove them.
If you fail to record affidavits of annual labor, the burden of
proof rests upon you to prove that the said assassment labor was
actually performed as required by law. An adverse claimant is in
much better position to contest your rights where no affidavit
appears on the records.
RIGHTS ACQUIRED UNDER A VALID PLACER LOCATION.
Under a valid placer location one acquires the exclusive right
to use and possession of .the surface of the claim, everything thereon
and everything thereunder, except that he acquires no right to
lodes, ledges or veins known to exist at the time of his placer loca
tion. Where any such known lode, ledge, or vein is not appropri
ated at the time of making the placer location, and it. or a part
thereof is within the boundaries of the placer location, a separate
lode location should be made by the placer locator to fully protect
all his rights.
If at the time of making the placer location no known lode,
ledge or vein exists within the boundaries of such location, the
placer locator has the right to prevent a stranger from prospecting
within his location for such unknown lode or mineral bearing rock.
One who relocates an abandoned or forfeited placer or lode
claim acquires title to any and all permanent improvements made
by his predecessor to the same extent that he acquires title to the
| ground. When one abandons or forfeits his rights under a mining
l ocation, all of his rights to the claim revert to the government, and
j'.hereafter to a later bona fide relocator.
RIGHTS ACQUIRED UNDER A VALID QUARTZ LOCATION.
One who makes a valid mineral location has a right to the use'
and benefit of everything upon the surface of the claim and to all
minerals, both placer and quartz, beneath the surface thereof and
perpendicular between ris end lines. He may follow the dip of
the vein, ledge or lode in a downward course as far as he may
desire, even though in its course, such vein or ledge liverges sor far
from the perpendicular as to extend byond a line perpendicular to
his side lines. (This is only a general statement and should be
taken accordingly. There are many exceptions to the general rule 1
which space forbids in this treatise).
TITLE OF A LOCATOR OF MINING GROUND
Under a valid location of mining ground (quartz or placer) the
locator acquires an equity in the ground which is equal to fee simple
title as against all persons except the United States. Nobody can [
question this title except the United States. The right thus acquired
may be sold, hypothecated, leased or otherwise disposed of as if it
were fee simple title. And this title is good as long as you do
what the government says you must do to preserve it. Title be- |
comes fee simple after a patent has been issued from the United
States.
But always bear in mind that your title to an unpatented min
ing claim in the United States is founded and based upon a valid
location under the laws of the country and its continuance is based
upon your doing what the government says you must do each year
to preserve it. If a claim is worth staking, stake it properly. If
t is worth holding, do your annual labor honestly.
Current Comments
Written From
Washington
Henry Ford at seventy-three,
comments on long life and says
that the way to keep going is to
keep going. That is a simple rule,
but one to be accepted as true on
ly after the effectiveness there
of has been proven by whisper
ing it softly into the engine hood
of a 1930 car.
_ \
A photograph showing the
Washington monument in the pro
cess of being struck by lightning
has given rise to a discussion
bringing out the fact that the
well-known structure is hit from
one to a dozen times in every
electrical storm. Away goes the
confidence that arose from the
maxim that lightning never strik
es twice in the same place. The
monument must have received
many hard knocks during its
I long life, but like the flag in the
j Star Spangled Banner song, it
} is “still there”. Most of us can
take it to a greater degree than
we are inclined to believe.
An Ohio woman who was hyp
notized passed through a surgi
cal operation and came to with
out knowledge of what had occur
red. The doctors do not give
much credit to the incident, one
of the fraternity being quoted as
saying that it would take 500 to
1000 consecutive successful re
sults from the use of hypnotic
practice before claims based on
it could expect serious considera
tior. in scientific circles. It is
well to be conservative but not
too conservative. Lighting fires
with flint and steel would still
be in vogue if every new thing
had to work perfectly 500 times
hand running before it was adopt
ed for general use.
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Schools Will
See & Hear
About Fish
Starting this September, the
schools and educational groups'
throughout America will see and
hear of the many attractions of
Alaska through the medium of
: sound pictres. “Alaska’s Silver
I Millions”, a scenic and indust
i
'rial picture of Alaska with verbal
explanations and comments by
Father Hubbard, S. J., known■
throughout the world as the “Gla 1
cier Priest” will receive it’s first
public showings in schoolrooms
and auditoriums this Fall.
The picture, which runs appro
ximately fifty minutes, was pro
duced by the American Can Com
| pany with the cooperation of the
! Canned Salmon Industry. This
'picture is an addition to the Com
jpany’s previous educational acti
1 vities on food products. The first
| half of the film is devoted to the
| unusual scenery of Alaska. The
observer receives an impression
of the size and climate of the
Territory which will be in great
contrast to the usual outside
mental picture of Alaska. The
comparatively mild climate of
southeastern and central Alaska
is explained and the agricultural
opportunities shown. The great
influence of the Peninsula on the
climate of North America is also
explained.
The second half of the picture
shows the salmon run and the
, fishing and canning operations of
Alaska’s leading industry. The
thrilling life cycle of the salmon
is explaine d by the commenta
tor. Exciting fishing scenes are
shown, and the care taken in can
ning the product is emphasized
and illustrated.
The entire picture is declared
to be an excellent study for the
schoolroom use, fitting in with
modern methods of visual educa
^ tion. It is a new and tremend
. ously effective method of build
ing appreciation among the
schoolchildren of America for the
£ country’s northern-most Terri
. tory, and for its greatest pro
( duct—Canned Salmon.
t -
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*
All in Salmon Industry
Share Duty of Keeping Pack
Quality at Highest Level
As advertising drive boosts U. S. demand.
Canned Salmon quality must be maintained. That will help
bring good price per can . . . more stable employment here
CANNED SALMON is news to
day all over the United States. A
tremendous magazine advertising cam
paign is urging Canned Salmon in U. S.
family meals.
In order to gain the full benefits of
this advertising, the Industry is alert that
every can of salmon sent to the States
be of highest quality.
Advertising can induce trial of Canned
Salmon. It can not make American house
wives continue to serve it unless they are
satisfied with the quality.
Fine quality is especially important in
salmon. Competing canned fish — sar
dines, tuna, mackerel caught and packed
outside the Territory—are cheaper foods
On price alone Canned Salmon can’t
compete in America with other canned
fish.
Now—while the salmon packing season
is on—all should remember this vital re
quirement: Alaska's Canned Salmon must
be as fine as salmon advertising says it isl
Salmon canned while fresh from the
water make the best pack. Alaska’s
Canned Salmon Industry works to see
that nothing but fresh fish are canned.
A high quality pack, plus the power
ful U. S. advertising of the Industry,
should mean more money flowing into
the Territory. And a high quality pack—
like the Industry’s advertising — helps
protect the future of thousands of Alas
ka’s families.
Directly or indirectly, you can help
insure a high quality salmon pack. And
you can also help Alaska by serving
Canned Salmon regularly in your own
home.
What Canned Salmon
advertising will
accomplish for Alaska
Canned Salmon advertising to U. S. women
is paid for entirely by the Canned Salmon In
dustry. Its purposes include the following:
It will seek to safeguard this Alaska indus
try against the competition from other
food products In America.
2 It will seek to stabilize America's demand
tor this Alaska product at fair prices — so
that good wages may be paid to Alaska
workers.
1 It will, if successful, help make it possible
* for the Industry to continue its support of
the Territorial government through tax
payments. The Canned Salmon Industry
in 1933 (last year for which records are
complete) paid 77fo of all taxes collected
by the Territorial government.
| It will create Interest in Alaska and its re
sources and help to bring more people to
the Territory.
e It will guard the future of the Industry —
' protect the future of the thousands of
Alaska people who derive income directly
and indirectly from the canning of Alaska
salmon.
Canned Salmon
Industry