18. All locations made and recorded previous to the adoption of these rules, regulations and by-laws are hereby legalized, so far as they may not conflict with the same. 19. These rules, regulations and by-laws shall be filed and recorded in the office of the County Recorder of ---- County, and shall be in full force and effect from and after this ---- day of ---- 1877. 20. The above proceedings, and the proceedings of any subsequent meeting, shall be signed by the chairman and secretary, and transmitted by them to the County Recorder without delay. [Signed.] ---- ---- Miner. ---- ---- Miner. ---- ---- Miner. ---- ---- ---- ---- I certify that the foregoing is a correct statement of the proceedings had, and of the laws adopted for the ---- Mining District, this ---- day of ---- 1877. ---- ---- Secretary. Water Rights. The United States Revised Statutes provide: 1. That as a condition of sale in absence of legislation by Congress, the legislature of a State or Territory may provide rules for working mines, involving easements, drainage, and other necessary conditions; these to be expressed in the patent. 2. That all prior rights, arising from possession, in the use of water, and recognized by local laws, etc., or judicial decisions, shall be regarded as vested, and shall be protected. This right of way is also granted and confirmed. Damages are to accrue if a land-settler’s rights are interfered with. 3. All land patents shall be subject to vested and accrued water rights, including ditches and reservoirs. Officers of United States Land Offices are required to file with the General Land Office, the local laws on such matters. The following is a summary of those passed by the legislature of Arizona. Water Rights in the Territory.--All rivers, creeks, and streams of running water in the Territory of Arizona are deemed public, and applicable to the purposes of irrigation and mining. All the inhabitants of the Territory who own or possess arable or irrigable lands shall have the right to construct public or private acequias, and obtain the necessary water for the same from any convenient river, creek, or stream of running water. All damages arising from construction of the acequias shall be assessed by the Probate Judge of the county in a summary manner. No inhabitant of the Territory shall have right to erect any dam or build a mill, or place any machinery, or open any sluice, or make any dyke, except such as are used for mining purposes, or the reduction of metals, that may impede or obstruct irrigation.