OCR Text |
Show CLAIM JUMPERS. These iofenters of new and rich mining min-ing district, whose gamo it is to levy blackmail on the owners of valuable claims, by tangliog titles to them, have not been very successful in this Territory. Terri-tory. Hut although generally unsuccessful unsuc-cessful in citorticg moBey from claim owners, they have been sufficiently nc-tivoin nc-tivoin the pursuit of their profession, to frighten capital and retard tho development de-velopment of tho mines. Their usual plan of operation ia to make a supposititious suppo-sititious location near a mino of known i wealth, claiming that it is on a separate vein, and then endeavor to tap the ore lodeflofthe original location. If they strike a rich body of ore, as the burden of "tracing out" devolves upon the original cluimaots and is often costly and difficult of execution, they are often enabled, to use tho lingo of their class, to "got away with" a largo quan tity of valuable ore before they can be positively convicted of being trespassers, trespass-ers, 01 course they are amenable id damages for the trespass and the consequences con-sequences thereof, and equally ol course, although they may fail in preventing pre-venting jiidement being taken against them allaw, they nevel fail to preveui (ho execution of it. With the terrible consequences in loss of life and property at Pioche duriDg the last two years, within the recollection recollec-tion of all our citizens, it behooves all persons engaged in mining to frown down all attempts of professional jump-ors jump-ors to trespass upon vested rights of possession to locations. The custom, too, which has to some extent prevailed prevail-ed in some of the districts, of obtaining possession to disputed ground by force of arms, should also be discouraged. This modo of warfare for possession where perhaps there is color of title in both parties contestant, settles nothing, noth-ing, and often results in bloodshed. The law must be appealed to at last, and whero compromise fails, it is both cheaper and safer, to carry the dispute to the courts for settlement in the first place. Wo are pleased to notice that in his decision io the case of the recent attempt to 6ettle the title to a mining claim at Camp Floyd, by force, judge MeKean sternly opposes the practice of "jumping" possession, and declares that statute and not mob law, must deoido between conflicting claims to mining locations. This deoision will r have a healthy moral as well as legal effect upon the business of mining in this Territory, both here and abroad. |