OCR Text |
Show PROSPECTING AND MINING. 567 the older title takes the ore at the intersection ; but the other has the right of way across the space for the purpose of working. The State or Territory may make all needful rules for safe and healthful working of mines, easement, drainage, etc. All parties along a stream have equal original rights to use of the water ; t but priority of use or possession becomes a vested right, of which the party can not be deprived even by those who locate above him. The status of all mineral lands taken up before May 10th, 1872, is in nowise changed by the statute ; they remain as rights therein ac-crued under local or territorial law. Prospectors can not exercise too much care in denning their loca-tions at the outset, that the same may be distinctly traced on the ground and its boundaries easily marked. The United States statute is also specific in requiring that all records of locations shall contain the names of the locators, the date of the location, and such descrip-tion of the claim by reference to natural objects or permanent mon-uments as will identify it. One should also particularly set forth the distance of his claim each way from his center stake, and bound it if possible by a gulch, ' stream, or prominent rock, and specify carefully its bearing from or towards, and distance from, any adja-cent lode. /- Work to the value of at least $ 100 per year must be done on a claim to hold it by mere possessory right. Now that we have our mine, let us decide what kind of a one it is/ and then how we would better work it. |