Tag Archives: mining law

The roots of gold rush law

Posted on October 9, 2011 by John Putnam

On the last Sunday in May, 1849 at Ford’s Bar on the Middle Fork of the American River two men got into a drunken fight. One struck the other with a crowbar so hard that he knocked him into the … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Gold rush justice, Gold rush people | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

River pollution and mining law

Posted on October 5, 2011 by John Putnam

In both the northern and southern mines farms were dug up and large tracts of arable land washed into sluice boxes in the quest for gold. Whole towns were moved so the locations where they had been built could be … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Gold rush justice, Mining Law | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Agriculture versus the mining laws

Posted on October 4, 2011 by John Putnam

Conflicts inevitably developed between differing interests in the mining areas, and the rights claimed by the early miners to occupy and work ground that was currently in the possession of others is amply illustrated by a situation that arose near … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Gold rush justice, Mining Law | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mining law, the Northern mines

Posted on October 2, 2011 by John Putnam

The Sweetland district in Nevada County was organized in 1850 and allowed thirty square feet per claim. Two years later claims of eighty by one hundred and eighty feet were the rule. Then in 1853, at a large miner’s meeting, … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Mining Law | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Soldiers and mining law

Posted on September 28, 2011 by John Putnam

Soon after the end of the Mexican War in 1848 soldiers, many from Stevenson’s regiment of New York volunteers, were discharged and headed straight for the gold country. Before they went, however, they organized into small companies of from three … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Mining Law | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The evolution of mining law

Posted on September 27, 2011 by John Putnam

Any law or custom concerning the rules of mining could only be adopted with a consensus of the community. At first this might just be an agreement among a particular company or camp whose rules might differ from all its … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Mining Law | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mining law

Posted on September 26, 2011 by John Putnam

Just after the discovery of gold at the sawmill in Coloma, both John Sutter and James Marshall attempted to control the mining territory by demanding rent from the men who wished to mine there, and for a short while they … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Mining Law | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Millions in gold still lies in California’s rivers

Posted on June 8, 2011 by John Putnam

California’s attempt to ban suction dredging for gold in the rivers and streams of the Sierra foothills will be costly to an already fragile economy. Gold has been washing down these rivers for untold eons. Because it is heavy it … Continue reading →

Share|
Posted in Modern gold mining | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment