Show TO PATENT PATENT PLACERS hon binger bidger hermann commissioner of the interior department has made a most important ruling in relation to the amount of work required to obtain a patent on a group of placer claims embraced in a single location his decision being that expended exper ded in development is sufficient for a group of eight claims so located this ruling has been submitted to hon frank D hobbs register of the U S land office in this city who states that it will regulate the patenting of placer claims hereafter or until a new ruling is promulgated by the department the ruling is as follows washington D C march 16 register and receiver re beiver spokane washington I 1 am in receipt of your bour letter of march 6 1899 your inquiry relates relates to a placer claim embraced in a single location made by eight duly q qualified persons and containing acres of land you inquire whether the claimant of such a claim in making application for a patent must show under section 2235 IT S revised statutes improvements to the value of or whether a showing of improvements of the value of would b be sufficient from a careful examination of the mining circular approved december 15 1897 you will see that a single placer location may embrace 20 40 60 80 and acres of land according to the number of locators following the tenor of the decisions it is the practice of this office in a case where an application is made for a placer claim embracing but one location made jointly by eight persons and containing not more than acres to require the applicant to show by proper evidence that not less than worth of labor had been expended or improvements prove ments made thereon very respectfully BINGER HERMANN commissioner |