Resolved further that hill claims heretofore located may be expanded in accordance with the preceding resolution by recording anew, or by continual work and occupation, as in other cases; provided the rights of third parties shall not be affected by such expansion. Resolved that companies may locate in common, but such companies must be actual and not fictitious, and the members thereof actual residents of the district at the time of location. And no more ground can be located by any company than the individuals thereof would be entitled to locate in the aggregate; and when a company locate in common the name of each member of such company must appear on the notices of location. E. C. BRAINARD, Sec. R. BUNCH, Pres. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT A MINERS' MEETING OF BLUE CAÑON DISTRICT, FEBRUARY 22ND, 1865. 1. Resolved by the miners of Blue Cañon Mining District, in Baker County, State of Oregon, in miners' meeting assembled, that none but actual miners in Blue Cañon District shall be allowed to vote in this meeting upon the resolutions hereafter to be introduced for the government and regulation of mining claims. 2. Resolved that all persons hereafter locating and pre-empting a gulch or creek claim in Blue Cañon District shall be allowed to hold and mine such gulch or creek for the distance of one hundred and fifty feet up or down the channel or watercourse of such gulch or creek, and at right angles with such channel or watercourse, to the raise of the bedrock on each side of such creek or gulch. 3. Resolved further that gulch claims heretofore located may be expanded in accordance with the preceding resolutions when the rights of third parties will not be affected by such expansion. 4. Resolved that any miners allowed by existing laws of this district to hold and work mining claims shall have the privilege of cutting a tail race (when necessary for the advantageous working of his [their] claims) through any other persons' claims, and shall be allowed to place sluices or boxes in such race, and to clean up the same at pleasure; provided in the construction of such race the person cutting the same shall not appropriate to his own use any of the gold that may be taken from such race; provided further, that no tail race constructed under the provisions of this resolution shall deprive parties below from the use of the natural water in any gulch or creek; provided further, that this shall not be construed to confer a right to dump upon any claim to the detriment of the owner. 5. Resolved that all mining claims situated in Blue Cañon Mining District, Baker County, Oregon, be and the same are laid over and held without representation by labor or otherwise from the 15th day of October in each year until the 1st day of April in the succeeding year. 6. Resolved that all local mining laws of Blue Cañon District that conflict with the resolutions adopted at this meeting be and the same are hereby repealed. 7. Resolved that the foregoing resolutions adopted separately by this meeting be adopted as a whole. Upon motion the chair appointed Mr. Wm. Corcoran as a committee of one to copy all mining laws of Blue Cañon District and post the same in the county clerk's office, for the convenience and inspection of all interested. D. D. MYERS, Pres. Attest WM. C. WILLS, Sec. NOTE. The foregoing is a transcript of a roll now of record in the office of the county clerk of Baker County. Attached to it, and in a different handwriting, the following additional resolutions appear. Resolved that the size of river claims in Blue Cañon Mining District shall be 300 feet in length, and extending to the raise of the bedrock on each side of the river. The boundaries of Blue Cañon Mining District shall be as follows: commencing at the mouth of Elk Creek, and running thence in a direct line to the summit of the divide between Elk Creek and Blue Cañon; thence along said divide to the line of Union District; thence along said line to Powder River; thence across said river to the second rim on south side of Powder River, running thence down the river to a point opposite the mouth of Elk Creek; thence across the river to the place of beginning. NOTE. It appears from a copy of the minutes of the meeting of February 22nd, 1865, preserved in the county elerk's office, that in addition to the adoption of the resolutions transcribed from the roll already mentioned a committee of three was appointed "to inquire of the owners of claims in said gulch how much ground they will give as a bonus to encourage the enterprise [the construction of a bedrock flume or bedrock tail race to drain the mining ground of Blue Cañon, &c.], and also to draft resolutions touching that subject; said resolutions to be reported at next meeting". It appears further that the meeting then adjourned to meet again Saturday evening, February 25th, 1865. Attested by Wm. C. Wills, Secretary. It seems that a meeting was held on the 25th, and the following is supposed to be a copy of the minutes: Pursuant to adjournment miners met on the evening of February [no more definite date]. Foster Johnson was nominated for chairman-E. C. Brainard clerk. Committee upon the Blue Cañon bedrock [flume] reported. Report accepted. 1st resolution read on motion was adopted. 2nd resolution read, and after discussion adopted. 3rd resolution read and adopted. 4th resolution read and adopted. The words "1st day of November" were inserted in resolution 3rd. 5th resolution read and adopted; also time extended to 45 days. Resolution that these resolutions be published at Mr. Littlefield's expense in all the papers of the States of Oregon and California. The following is a copy of the report of the committee: Mr. CHAIRMAN. SIR: Your committee appointed to report upon the subject of a flume in Blue Cañon have had the same under consideration and beg leave to make the following report. Your committee find on inquiry among the claim-holders in said gulch that they are willing to grant a right of way through their elaims and right to mine the same, varying from ten to twenty-five feet wide in each claim. Your committee further report that in their opinion there will be little or no difficulty in effecting arrangements with the individual claim-holders touching the right of way by any company that will give reasonable assurance of the prosecution of the enterprise to a final completion at an early day. Further, your committee report a series of resolutions as a substitute for the resolution referred to the committee. (Signed) The following are the resolutions submitted. WM. CORCORAN, Chairman. 1. Resolved that the construction of a bed-rock flume in Blue Cañon Gulch of sufficient capacity through which to work the mining ground in said gulch and adjacent thereto, is of the utmost importance to the mining interest to this camp, and to that end (the construction of said flume) the miner, the merchant, and every person interested in the property of the camp, should unite in forwarding said enterprise. Therefore be it further 2. Resolved that, to encourage said enterprise and for the benefit of those who shall undertake and prosecute the said enterprise to completion, a reseration thirty feet wide through the unappropriated mining ground in said gulch be and the same is hereby exempted from location, and that all locations hereafter made for mining purposes in the channel of said gulch shall be subject to said reservation; provided that said reservation shall be deemed to extend to the mining interest in said mining ground so reserved. 3. Resolved, further, that said reserved ground shall be subject to location by any person or company of persons or corporation who shall undertake and prosecute to completion up to the junction of French Gulch with Blue Cañon Gulch by or before the [1st] day of [November], A. D. 1865, a bed-rock flume of sufficient size and capacity through which to work the mining ground in said gulch and adjacent thereto. 4. Resolved, further, that any person or persons, or company of persons, or corporation desiring to avail themselves of the foregoing reservation, shall file their notice of claim thereto with the clerk of the county, and within thirty [extended to forty-five] days thereafter shall begin the said work and diligently prosecute the same to completion as heretofore required, or lose all rights under said notice; provided that such person or persons, company or corporation shall not be entitled to any mining ground under and by virtue of these resolutions below the point where said flume shall strike the bed rock of said gulch. 5. Resolved, further, that as E. M. White & Company have already taken steps to secure a right of way in said gulch for the purposes of a flume, they shall be deemed to have notified within the meaning of these resolutions, and shall have thirty days from their passage to begin their operations. NOTE.-No minutes of any meeting held between February 25th, 1865, and April 22nd, 1874, can be found. SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL MINERS' MEETING OF BLUE CAÑON MINING DISTRICT, HELD AT SCOFIELD'S STORE, AT AUBURN, ON THE 22ND DAY OF APRIL, A. D. 1874. Whereas Daniel Best and others, known as the Marysville Mining Company, by Daniel Best as agent and superintendent, propose to construct a bed-rock flume in Blue Cañon, provided the miners of said Blue Cañon Mining District will make a special law (and properly file with other laws of said district), granting him and his company the right to locate one hundred and sixty acres of mining ground on Blue Cañon Flat under the U. S. mining laws passed May 10th, A. D. 1872; therefore be it resolved by the miners of Blue Cañon Mining District at a special meeting assembled, the same having been called by a special request of the miners of said Blue Cañon Mining District, that we do hereby grant said Daniel Best and others the right to locate one hundred and sixty acres of mining ground in Blue Cañon Flat under the U. S. mining laws passed May 10th, A. D. 1872. And whereas Charles Rowes has failed to construct a bed-rock flume in reasonable time, we hereby declare his right forfeited, and grant the right of way to said Dan'l Best and others. We grant the above believing that said bed-rock flume in Blue Canon will promote the mining interests of this camp. Resolved that all laws and resolutions now in force in Blue Cañon Mining District inconsistent with the foregoing resolutions bo and the same are hereby repealed-to apply only to this said 160 acres of D. Best & others. (Signed) D. S. Littlefield, J. Evooe, John Jones, W. Graham, J. A. Jones, T. Graham, P. Farrell, J. W. Mullin, L. Rivers, Charles Duckworth, Thomas Jones, John M. Frost, Wm. Morris, John Thompson, P. Connor. At a meeting of the miners of Blue Cañon Mining District at Scofield's store, in accordance with a call of miners made by public notice of twelve days, for the purpose of granting to Daniel Best and others special rights and privileges for putting a bed-rock flume in Blue Cañon, the following proceedings were had. George Driggs was elected chairman. Considered that D. B. Scofield, the local recorder, act as secretary. A motion that the resolutions read at a previous special meeting on the 22nd of April, 1874, be read was carried. The resolutions were read. The motion was made and seconded that the resolutions signed at the special meeting of the miners at Scofield's store April 22nd, 1874, be approved, ratified, and adopted-was carried by a unanimous vote. The motion was made and seconded that the flume co. shall expend at least a thousand dollars on the flume work each year until finished, or the work shall be considered abandoned. By vote the motion was carried. Motion was made and carried that the meeting adjourn. GEO. R. DRIGGS. D. B. SCOFIELD, Dist. Recorder. BAKER COUNTY.-PIONEER MINING DISTRICT. TRANSCRIPT. MINING LAWS OF PIONEER DISTRICT. Know all men by these presents that we, the miners [of] this district, pursuant to a call made Sept. 21, 1862, met on Burnt River Oct. 5th, 1862, for the purpose of making laws for to govern this district. On motion of Mr. Freeman Mr. Iba was nominated chairman and unanimously elected. On motion of Mr. Smith Mr. Jordan was chosen secretary. Mr. Iba called the house to order, and the following resolutions were adopted. ARTICLE 1. Resolved that the boundaries of this district be as follows: commencing at the mouth of the Big Cañon on Burnt River, and run [running] up said river to the mouth of the next cañon above, embracing about twenty-four miles from east to west; the boundaries on the north to be the summit or dividing ridge between Burnt River and Powder River, and on the south to be the dividing ridge between Burnt River and Birch Creek. ARTICLE 2. Resolved that this district be called Pioneer District. ARTICLE 3. Resolved that each person be entitled to hold one river claim, one hill claim, one creek claim, one gulch claim, one quartz claim, by location, and as many by purchase as he may represent according to the laws of the district. ARTICLE 4. Any person or persons discovering new diggings shall be entitled to one claim for discovery. ARTICLE 5. Each river claim shall be two hundred feet in length, and running from hill to hill on either side. ARTICLE 6. Each creek claim to be the same size of river claims. ARTICLE 7. Each gulch claim to be two hundred feet in length, and one hundred and fifty feet wide. ARTICLE 8. Each hill claim to be two hundred feet front, and running back to the center of the hill or summit of the mountain. ARTICLE 9. Each quartz claim shall be two hundred feet in length, and embracing all its dips, spurs, and angles, and water emanating from the same. ARTICLE 10. Resolved that all river claims be laid over and not jumpable until the 15th of July next, 1863. CLARK'S CREEK, July 22nd, 1863. Know all men by these presents that we, the miners of Pioneer District, pursuant to a call made July 22nd, 1863, met at the store of Frank Koontz for the purpose of making laws to lay over claims, &c. On motion of Mr. Edgerton Mr. Wheeler was chosen chairman. On motion of Mr. Stuttsman Mr. Edgerton was chosen secretary. On motion of Killingsworth Clark's District was thrown into Pioneer District, and together called Pioneer District. On motion of Mr. Killingsworth the meeting approved and adopted the old laws of Pioneer District. 1st. Resolved that each gulch and hill claim be laid over until the first of May next, and river claims until the first of July, 1864. 2nd. Resolved that Frank Koontz be recorder, and that he receive one dollar for recording each claim. 3rd. Resolved that unfinished ditches may be laid over until first of May, 1864. Resolved that this meeting adjourn sine die. Miners of Pioneer District met pursuant to notice previously given. W. H. Lamar, president, J. W. Virtue, secretary. CLARK'S CREEK, May 21st, 1864. The following articles were unanimously adopted as additional laws governing this district. 1. It shall be required that all claims be worked one full day in three when water can be procured. 2. It shall be the duty of the recorder to go unto each claim recorded, and post at either end of such claim a stake and mound, with no. distinctly marked thereon, corresponding with no. on book of record, for which service he shall be entitled to the sum of one dollar from the party locating the same for each claim. 3. All claims heretofore located shall be staked and numbered according to section 2nd within thirty days from this date. 4. That hereafter all transfers made of claims shall be placed on the records of said district, for which the sum of 50 cents shall be paid by the party making such transfer. 5. All claims shall be laid over unless there can be 30 inches of water or the same of ditch water obtained to work such claims. All claims must be worked within eight days after water can be obtained. On motion B. F. Koontz was elected recorder for the term of one year and until his successor is elected and qualified. On motion adjourned sine die. J. W. VIRTUE, Sec. W. H. LAMAR, Pres. . I hereby certify that the above is a true copy of the laws of Pioneer District, Baker County, Oregon, on file and in my custody. TRANSCRIPT. LAWS OF ROCK CREEK MINING DISTRICT, GRANT COUNTY, OREGON. At a meeting of the miners of Rock creek mining district March 10th, 1865, Hugh Kennedy was called to the chair, and J. M. McCoy appointed secretary, when upon motion the following articles were adopted as the local laws to govern the mining interest in said district, to wit: ARTICLE 1. This district shall be known as Rock Creek District, and shall embrace all the mineral land running parallel with Rock creek from its source to its junction with John Day river, and to a distance of four (4) miles each side of said Rock creek. ARTICLE 2. All creek claims for mining purposes shall be three hundred feet in extent along the course of the creek, and from bank to bank on each side. ARTICLE 3. All gulch claims shall be six hundred feet up and down the gulch, and from the center of the gulch each way to where the bed-rock rises to the height of fifteen feet. ARTICLE 4. All hill or bank claims shall be four hundred feet face, and extend back to the center of the hill. ARTICLE 5. No person shall be allowed to hold more than one creek, one gulch, and one hill or bank claim, by location, but any person shall be permitted to hold as many by purchase as he or they may desire, they representing said claims as by these laws required. ARTICLE 6. All claims shall be designated by a stake at each end, but when on a flat or in a hill, by a stake at each corner, and a copy of the notice of location forwarded to the county clerk, to be placed on record as required by statute law. ARTICLE 7. All claims may be laid over when water cannot be obtained for working the same for any length of time not to exceed six months, at the expiration of which time, should the claimant still be unable to obtain water, he shall certify the fact to the county clerk, who shall note the same upon his book of records, when the claim shall be considered laid over for a term not exceeding six months. ARTICLE 8. All persons shall be required to transmit a copy of notice of location of claim to the county clerk for record within thirty days after making such location; and, furthermore, every person holding any claims in this district shall be required to perform at least one day's work in each week when water can be had, provided said claims are in all other respects considered workable by the miners in this district; provided further, that when two or more persons have located or purchased claims together and work jointly as a company, work done upon any one of such company's claims shall be sufficient for the holding of all their claims. ARTICLE 9. All work done preparatory to washing-such as digging ditch, making sluices, getting out timbers, building cabin, going after material necessary to be had for the successful prosecution of work upon a claim-shall be considered as work done upon the claim, and sufficient for making the claimant's title good. ARTICLE 10. All claims may be laid over from the 1st day of November of each year until the 1st day of May of the succeeding year, at the pleasure of the claimant. ARTICLE 11. All persons owning creek or gulch claims shall have the privilege of a drain through adjoining claims, but shall be required to deposit the dirt, if considered pay dirt, necessary to be removed in constructing such drain on the claim from which the same may be taken, or adjacent thereto; provided, that, should the person or persons constructing such drain desire to do so by means of sluicing, they shall not be required to furnish sluices and gather the gold unless by specific contract between the parties interested. ARTICLE 12. Any person or persons owning a bank or hill claim and working the same shall be entitled to hold one adjoining claim for the purpose of dumping upon; provided such ground shall not have been previously claimed by other parties for mining purposes. ARTICLE 13. No Mongolian shall be allowed to hold any claim in this district for mining purposes by location or pre-emption. HUGH KENNEDY, Chairman. (Signed) At a meeting of the miners of Rock creek mining district held June 26th, 1869, at the house of C. N. Thornberry on Spanish Gulch, J. L. Haguewood was appointed chairman, and J. M. McCoy secretary of the meeting. Upon motion the local laws of the district were read by the secretary. After due consideration it was resolved that the laws of the district as established March 10th, 1865, be re-affirmed and recognized as the laws governing the mining interests of said district. Upon motion a committee consisting of C. N. Thornberry, E. B. Allen, and J. W. McCoy was appointed to locate and lay out a town-site. The statute laws relating to mines and mining interests were read by request, when upon motion the meeting adjourned. J. L. HAGUEWOOD, Chairman. (Signed) 66 J. M. McCoy, Secretary. BAKER COUNTY.-SHASTA CREEK MINING DISTRICT. TRANSCRIPT OF LAWS. This district shall be known as the Shasta Creek District and bounded as follows: on the north by the dividing ridge between Burnt river and Willow creek; on the eastward the Easton district; on the south by Willow creek; and on the west by Alder creek. ARTICLE 1st. Creek claims shall be those through which natural water runs, and shall be two hundred feet in length, and extend in width seventy-five feet on each side from center of creek. ARTICLE 2nd. Gulch claims shall be three hundred feet in length, and extend in width fifty feet on each side from center of gulch. square. ARTICLE 4th. Hill claims shall be two hundred feet front, and extend in a straight line back to the summit of the hill. ARTICLE 5th. Any person may hold by location one creek claim, one gulch claim, one flat claim, one hill claim, and one quartz claim, in conformity with the laws of the State, and by purchase any number of claims; provided such claims are represented according to the laws hereinafter specified. ARTICLE 6th. There shall be a recorder nominated for this district, whose duty shall be to measure, stake off, and to record all claims, bills of sale, and transfers, a d to stall keep a book of record open to public inspection, and who shall receive one and a-half dollars for each claim of location he shall so record, and one and a-half dollars for each transfer or bill of sale. ARTICLE 7th. Any person may hold claims as specified for fifteen days by posting written notice on the boundaries of said claims; but at the expiration of this time said claims must be recorded or represented by labor, or shall be deemed forfeited. ARTICLE 8th. Any person may hold claims by recording them from the date of record until the 1st day of April, 1867, at which time such claims must be represented by labor one day in seven, except in case of sickness of the holder, until such time as water fails. Thirty inches shall be considered a sufficient amount of water to properly work claims, and any claims not having thirty inches of water shall not be considered workable. ARTICLE 9th. Disputes regarding mining claims may be settled by a miners' meeting or by arbitration, in which case [the first] it shall be the duty of the recorder to post notices in the district and give six days' notice. At least eight miners shall be required to sign such notice of meeting. ARTICLE 10th. Where any person or company holds more than one claim adjoining, work done on one claim shall be sufficient to represent all. ARTICLE 11th. In order to amend or alter any or all of these articles it shall be necessary for twenty-five miners resident in the district to sign notice for a meeting to consider such alteration or amendment. Resolved, That the recorder write out two copies of these articles-one copy to [be] posted in a conspicuous place in the district, and one copy sent to the county clerk of this County. ALEX. K. MOORE, Secretary. SHASTA DISTRICT, 24th Sept., 1860. (Signed) ROBERT KITCHEN, Chairman. A. BOLLETT, Recorder. The following is a transcript of the local laws of this district as finally amended and adopted January 23rd, 1869. There is no record of any later meeting. MINING LAWS OF SHASTA DISTRICT INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23RD, 1869— HELD AT DELANEY & BARNES' SALOON. Resolved: (ARTICLES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 remain unchanged.) ARTICLE 7. Any person or company may hold claims for seven days by posting a notice on the boundaries of said claims for seven days, and a copy be handed to the recorder to hold for record until the expiration of the said seven days, or daily labor be done on said claims, Sundays excepted. ARTICLE 8. That all claims shall be represented October the 1st and 8th day of April following after said time. Claims not having water need not be represented until water can be had to work said claims in accordance with article 9th. ARTICLE 9. All claims shall be represented one day in seven by one day's labor for each and every claim when thirty inches of water can be had by purchase or otherwise, except deep diggings—such as Shasta creek, Rich creek, and Cottonwood creek: seventy-five inches of water shall be considered sufficient to work said claims. ARTICLE 10. Any labor done for the purpose of working mining claims, such as digging or cleaning out ditches, cutting tail races, or building hydraulics, or any other labor for any particular piece of mining ground, shall be considered as representation of said ground. ARTICLE 11. Where any company holds more than one claim adjoining, all classes of claims to be included (in this), labor done on one claim shall be sufficient to represent all. ARTICLE 12. Creek claims, gulch claims, and flat claims shall have the right of a drain or tail race through the adjoining claims below, but shall fork all heavy tailings or headings on their own ground. ARTICLE 13. That it will be the duty of each company of miners to set a stake at the end of their claims, and also to dig a small ditch on a line with their stakes, and that the same shall be done between the 1st and 9th days of April following. ARTICLE 14. No claim shall be recorded in this district except by claimant in person. ARTICLE 15. Hill claims have not the right to dump on to gulch, flat, or creek ground. ARTICLE 16. In order to alter or amend any or all of these articles it shall be necessary for fifty resident miners in this district to sign a notice for a meeting to consider such alterations. ARTICLE 17. All laws heretofore existing in this district are hereby repealed, and the above laws to take effect from and after their passage. Resolved, That we, the miners of this district, in public meeting assembled, do hereby bind ourselves to a strict fulfillment of the above laws, and any person or company holding claims in this district in violation of the above laws and its provisions shall be deemed forfeited. Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the recorder of this district to send a copy of these laws to the Grande Ronde Sentinel for publication, and to post three copies of the above laws in conspicuous places in the district. JNO. J. GRAHAM, Secretary. (Signed) SHASTA MINING DIST., Jan'y 23rd, 1869. TRANSCRIPT. A. BOLETT, Chairman, E. H. RICHARDSON, Dep. Recorder. BAKER COUNTY.-DIXIE CREEK MINING DISTRICT. LAWS OF MAIN DIXIE CREEK MINING DISTRICT, ENACTED JUNE 5TH, 1868. At a meeting of the miners and claim-holders, after due notice to claim-holders of upper Dixie Creek, Baker County, Oregon, held at the claims of Blanchard and Company, the following proceedings were had, the assembly being composed of the following persons among others: John Williams, Owens, John Barrett, J. Belheimer, O. Leguns, Charles Clark, Francis Drake, D. Granchamp, J. B. Altezard, L. Monique, W. Charette, A. La Mereux, L. H. Blanchard, Louis Voli, J. Edwards, locators and owners of placer mining claims on upper main Dixie Creek. |