Laws
“At a meeting of Quartz Miners held at Lount Cabin on Granite Creek December 27th 1863.
John West was chosen Chairman and 0. M. Dorman Secretary –
“The following laws & regulations for the better governing of Quartz Mining, as reported on by the committee, were taken up separately and adopted.
“Article 1st. That this District shall be known & called the Quartz Mountain District, and shall be bounded and described as follows: Commencing at a Bald Mountain known as the North West corner of the Walker District running along the west line of said District to its South West corner. Thence in a North Westerly course along the Divide between the Waters of the Hassayampa and Granite Creeks to the Granite Mountain. Thence in a straight line to the place of beginning.
“Article 2nd. That this District shall have a Recorder who shall hold his office one year from the time of his election, or until his successor be elected and qualified, and whose duty it shall be to visit, examine & measure either himself or Deputy the ground claimed in any notice presented him for record before recording the same, & shall be entitled to receive one dollar for each claim so recorded and examined.
“Article 3rd. A claim on any Ledge or Lode of Mineral Rock in this District shall not exceed 300 feet, running with the main Lead, together with (150) feet of ground on each side of the main Lead or Lode with all the Minerals contained therein.
“Article 4th. All persons locating ground for Mining purposes on any Metallic Vein or Lode of Quartz or other Rock in this District, shall be required to post a notice on a conspicuous place on the Vein indicating as nearly as possible the direction, & setting forth the number of feet claimed each way from the notice, and the notice of the discoverer or the company containing the discovery claim, shall be the starting point from which all claims subsequently located on the same vein shall be measured.
“Article 5th. No person shall be entitled to hold by location more than one claim on the same vein, except the discoverer, who shall be entitled to two.
“Article 6th. Any notice claiming ground for Mining purposes on any Metalic Vein or Lode of Quartz or other Mineral Rock posted according to provisions of Art. 4th of this code, shall be deemed sufficient to hold such claim or claims for the term of sixty days from date of such notice. But after the expiration of sixty days, such notice be not found recorded or filed for record with the recorder of the district, the ground so claimed shall be deemed abandoned & subject to relocation.
“Article 7th. All notices claiming ground for Mining on any Metalic Vein or Lode of Quartz or Mineral Rock in this District properly located according to the provisions of Art. 4th of this code, shall be deemed sufficient to hold such ground until the first day of May One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four (1864). But if any claimant or claimants to any ground in this District, located & held as here in above described, shall perform or cause to be performed the am’t of (6) six days labor to each claim on any part of his or their ground at any time between the date of the notice claiming such ground and the first day of May 1864, the same shall be deemed sufficient to give him or them perpetual title thereto; Provided that in case the claimant or claimants are not actually engaged in working the same at the expiration of two years from the time a perpetual title is acquired and certificate to that effect issued by the Recorder; the claimant or claimants shall renew the record in the Recorders book provided for the purpose – Otherwise the claim to be deemed abandoned & subject to relocation – The amount of labor in all cases to be examined by the Recorder who shall on application visit & examine the ground, & if in his opinion the required amount of labor has been done there on, he shall certify the fact in a note to be attached or written beneath the notice recorded claiming such ground; and for such services he shall be entitled to receive one dollar for each claim so recorded.
“Article 8th. Any person or persons holding ground for mining purposes in this District, on and after the first day of May 1864, shall be required to perform or cause to be performed thereon the amount of three days labor to each claim, in every ninety days, and if any person or persons shall comply with the above provisions for the period of one year, he or they shall thereby acquire perpetual title thereto. The labor to be examined and certified to by the Recorder, as provided in art. 7th; Provided always that the labor be performed or record renewed according to Art. 7th of this code-
“Article 9th. If any person or persons holding ground for Mining purposes in this District perform or cause to be performed thereon the amount of twelve days labor at any time after the first day of May 1864, Shall there by acquire perpetual title thereto; The labor to be examined & certified to by the Recorder; And provided always that labor be performed or record renewed as provided in Article 7th of this code.
“Article 10th. A miners meeting may be called at any time by putting notices in three conspicuous places in the District, ten days previous to the time of holding the meeting, stating in such notice the object for which the meeting is called, and place of holding the same, all such notices to be signed by the Quartz Miners of the District.
“Article 11th. All persons owning ground & residing in this District may vote at any meeting properly called by Quartz Miners. All persons nonresident of this District may vote by proxy; provided they hold at the time of such meeting one claim in the District.
“Article 12th. The Recorder shall furnish at his own expense all books necessary for the recording of claims deeds of transfer &c. pertaining to his office, and keep the same open to the inspection of the public; and turn them over to his successor in office free of charge.
“Article 13th. An election shall be held on the first Monday in December of each year for the purpose of choosing a Recorder. A majority of the votes cast by ballot to elect. The Recorder so elected to commence his duties and take charge of the books on the first Monday after his election.
“Article 14th. In case of the death or resignation of the Recorder, an election shall be ordered as provided in Art. 10th of this code for the choosing of a Recorder to fill his unexpired term of office.
“Article 15th. It shall he the duty of the Recorder to enter on the books for recording claims; underneath the notices, the name of the person who has examined such claim for record.
“Article 16th. All Laws or parts of Laws heretofore in force in this District, pertaining in any way to Quartz Mining, are hereby repealed.
“Article 17th. These Laws shall be in force from & after the date of their adoption.
“On motion of Geo. Lount – A. O. Noyes was put in nomination for recorder and unanimously elected.
“We the undersigned committee appointed to draft and report Bylaws & regulations for the better government of Quartz mining in QuartzMountain District, having examined the foregoing Laws, do certify them as a true & correct copy of the Original Laws as adopted at the meeting called for this purpose Dec. 27th 1863.
“(Signed) A. O. Noyes,
E. M. Smith,
Geo. Lount.”