Vernal Express | 1981-02-26 | Page 1 | 31 Rush to File Mineral Claims to Federal Lands

31 rush to file mineral claims to federal lands Vernal got its own taste of the gold rush days as 31 people crowded into the Uintah County Courthouse last Friday, Feb. 20 to file mineral rights at the county recorder's office on land opened to claims five to six miles east of Jensen. Some claim seekers, eager to be the first to file, spent the night before at the courthouse outside the recorder's office. of-fice. What prompted the rush to file claims was approximately 8,360 acres situated outside Dinosaur National Monument which were restored by the Federal Government to operation of public land laws including mining laws. The restoration was effective last Friday. According to one claim filer, the rush to file for mineral rights became intense in-tense in the final hours before the county recorder's office opened at 8 a.m. "I was the first in line, but was pushed back when the sheriff cleared the courthouse,'' he said. "I wasn't about to fight for my positon those guys can be tough." Thirty-one claims were filed before 9 a.m. Friday morning. As to w hether all the land was filed upon, even the recorder's office was uncertain because of the rush.