THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



237 



duty it should be to see that acts of van- 

 dalism and insult toward the flag of our 

 country be prevented if possible, and if 

 not, that the traitors be promptly pun- 

 ished. 



The Washington public schools cele- 

 brate the 6th day of May as "bird day.'' 



WYOMING. 



A large amount of wheat has been 

 sowed by our ranchmen and a great deal 

 of ground will be seeded this spring mak- 

 ing the crops of 1898 the greatest known 

 in the history of northern Wyoming. 



A new and important industry is to be 

 started in Sheridan county this spring. 

 This is the mining and manufacturing of 

 nickel steel from ore that is to be found 

 near there. Work of putting in the plant 

 is soon to commence. 



The shipping of Wyoming sheep to Eng- 

 land is a development of the past few 

 years and offers a new and extensive mar- 

 ket for western sheep raisers. 



MINES AND MINING. 



The recent new mining laws of the 

 United States has made the taking up of a 

 claim anything but the simple matter of 

 early days, when "possession was nine 

 points of law." We cannot give all the 

 features of the new law but here are a few 

 of its provisions: 



"Xo single individual can enter or lo- 

 cate upon more than 160 acres, nor can an 

 association enter npon more than 320 

 acres. The government, before patent is- 

 sues, requires payment for mining land at 

 the rate of $10 per acre where the claim is 

 situated more than fifteen miles from a 

 railroad, and $20 per acre where such claim 

 is located less than fifteen miles from a 

 railroad. The owner of a quartz mill or 

 reduction works, not owning a mine in 



connection therewith, may also receive a 

 patent for his mill site at $5 per acre. 



"The location must be along a vein or 

 lode; it must be distinctly marked on the 

 ground so that its boundaries can be traced 

 correctly. The record must contain lef- 

 erence to some natural object or perma- 

 nent monument to identify the claim, and 

 all lines must be parallel. Remaining de- 

 tails are governed by regulations estab- 

 lished by the miners of each district, not 

 inconsistent with national or state laws. 



"The right to mine can be given only 

 in public lands, and such lands must con- 

 tain valuable mineral deposits. No claim 

 located shall exceed 1500 feet along the 

 vein, nor shall it exceed 150 feet on each 

 side of the middle of the vein at the sur- 

 face. It is not necessary that the locator 

 be present on the ground. One may lo- 

 cate as agent for another." 



The application for a claim must file in 

 the proper land office an application for a 

 patent under oath showing a compliance 

 with the law, together with plat and field 

 notes showing accurate boundaries, and a 

 copy of this plat and a notice of applica- 

 tion for a patent must be posted in a con- 

 spicious place on the land in question; and 

 this posting must be done before the filing 

 of the application for a patent. The reg- 

 ister of the land office has a notice that 

 this application has been made posted in 

 his office and published in the nearest 

 newspaper for 60 days. 



Either at the time of filing his applica- 

 tion, or within 60 days, claimant must file 

 with the register a certificate of the sur- 

 veyor-general that $500 has been expend- 

 ed upon improvements made upon the 

 claim, either by himself or grantors, and 

 that the plat is correct. 



If no adverse claim had been filed dur- 

 ing the 60 days, the claimant at the end 

 of that time files his affidavid showing 

 that the plat and notice have been posted 

 conspiciously for the specified time, and 

 upon paying $5 per acre for the land em- 

 braced in"the claim, becomes the owner 

 thereof. 



