Mr. HIGBY. The object of this bill is to preserve to those companies and individuals who have constructed ditches and flames Over the mineral lands of the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada to a very large extent the right of way over the public land, and that they shall be protected in the property which they have created to such a vast amount. It is a fact well known to this House that the mineral lands have not been in market for sale. The right of emineutdomain having been held by the Government of the U.S., yet for 17 years the people of the U.S. have been permitted by the Government to go upon those ands for the purpose of extractin the recious minerals which the contain. n order to work those mines with success it became an absolute necessity that water should be carried at great expense through artificial channels over the pubic lands. And up to this time money to the amount of millions of dollars has been invested in the construction of these canals and flames. I have before me the report of the surveyor general of the State of alifornia, in which, among other things, is given the number of miles 0 ditches and' flumes and canals which have been constructed in the mining districts of that State. And on footing up what has been reported to him. I find that we have more than t irt 500 miles of canals and ditches. I now that all are not embraced in that report. I know that in the county of Amador, the county adjoining the one in which I reside, there are over 100 miles of ditches, of which none is included in that report. And the estimate of the value of these ditches there given is too low, because of the fall of the value of property in the mining districts. I know that millions have been expended in the construction of these ditches and canals, and millions are ‘yet to be extracted from the public lands. epropose, in the bill as amended, that they shall have the right of way as they now have, respecting at the same time the rights of possession as established by the laws of the State. The customs, rules, and regulations of miners have been recognized as law by the State legislation and by the decisions of the Supreme Court; and we propose that the possession which has been acquired under the rules, regulations, and laws of the State shall remain as at present; that the property shall be undisturbed; and that the ri iii. ofway shall be guarantied by the General government so long as these ditches, 830., shall be used for the purposes named in the bill. In other words, it is provided that the General Government shall extend the same security that has always been extended to this kind of property under the rules and regulations of the miners and the legislation of these several States; so that if this land should come into the market and be sold the buyers shall respect the right of way over the land secured to these artics. I have thus stated the objects of the ill; and unless some gentleman desires to make an inquiry, I see no necessity for sayin anything further.