( A, Economic Geology, 16 Professional Paper No. 1 Series -c 

B, Descriptive Geology, 20 

DEPARTMENT OF- THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIREcToR 

PRELIMINARY REPORT 


ON THE 

KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA 


WITH 

AN INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGY OF 


SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA 


BY 

ALFRED IITTI,SE <13HOOKS 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1 9 0 2 
( A, Economic Geology, 16 Professional Paper No. 1 Series B, Descriptive Geology, 20 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 

PRELIMINARY REPORT 


ON THE 

KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA 


WITH 

AN INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGY OF 


SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA 


BY 

ALFRED HTJLSE BROOKS 

50977 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1902 

CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 4 11 

Sketch of the geology of southeastern Alaska 14 

Geography 14 

Bed-rock geology 16 

Introduction 16 

General description 18 

Paleozoic sediments4 19 

Argillites 24 

Mesozoic sediments 25 

Tertiary sediments 26 

Igneous rocks 26 

Correlation 27 

Dynamic history 29 

Summary 30 

Glacial phenomena 31 

Introduction 31 

Existing glaciers 32 

Former glaciation 33 

The Ketchikan mining district 35 

General description 35 

History 37 

Geology 40 

Introduction 40 

Bed-rock geology 41 

Sedimentaries 41 

Wales series 41 

Vallenar series 42 

Ketchikan series 4 44 

Gravina series 45 

Tertiary beds 45 

Igneous rocks 46 

Granite 46 

Pegmatitic and*aplitic rocks 47 

Syenitic rocks 47 

Dioritic rocks 47 

Diabase 47 

Gabbroic rocks 48 

Amphibolite 48 

3 
44 CONTENTS. 

'The Ketchikan mining district—Continued.4 Page. 

Geology—Continued. 

Bed-rock geology—Continued. 

Igneous rocks—Con tinued . 

Greenstone-schists 48 

Kasaan greenstone 49 

Rhyolites 50 

Trachytes 50 

Basalts 4 50 

Summary of geologic history 50 

Economic geology 53 

General relations 53 

Descriptions of localities 55 

Cleveland Peninsula 55 

General description 55 

United States claims 57 

Mary T. claim 57 

Last Chance claim 57 

Glory claim 57 

Keystone claim 57 

Little Maumee claim 58 

Kingston claims 58 

Rainy, Day claim 58 

Gold Mountain claims 58 

Alaskan Gold Standard Mining Company 59 

Tongass Narrows 60 

General description 60 

Typhoon claim 61 

Tongass claim 61 

Wildcat claim 61 

Birdseye claim 62 

Bell claim 4 62 

Heckman's claim 62 

Easter claim 62 

George Inlet 63 

General description 63 

Telegraph group of claims 63 

Ashe's claim _, 63 

Thorne Arm 64 

General description 64 

Sea Level mine 66 

Sea Breeze claim 67 

Golden Dream claim 67 

Mother Lode claim 67 

Golden Tree claim 4 67 

Tide Water claim 6E 

Monster claim 68 

Keystone claim 68 
CONTENTS.4 5 

The Ketchikan mining district—Continued.4 Page. 

Economic geology—Continued. 

Descriptions of localities—Continued. 

Seal Bay and Da11 Head 68 

General description 68 

Seal Bay 70 

Bay View claim 4 70 

War Eagle claim 70 

Grotto claim 70 

Jumbo claim 71 

Rossland and Deer Park Mining Company 71 

Washington claim 72 

Apex group 72 

Grenadier claim 73 

Erhart's claim 73 

Starlight claim 73 

Vallenar Bay 73 

General description 73 

Niblack Anchorage 74 

General description 74 

Lookout group 75 

Trio claims 77 

Copper Chief claims 77 

Edith M. claims 77 

North Arm of Moira Sound 78 

General description 78 

Homestake claims 78 

Bluebird and Little Annie claims 78 

Hope claim 4 78 

Excelsior claim 79 

Vesta claim 79 

Frisco claim 79 

Dolomi 79 

General description 79 

Salmon claim 80 

Beauty claims 80 

Triangle No. 2 claim 80 

Welcome claim 80 

Fortune claim 80 

Jumbo claim 80 

Matilda claim 81 

Golden Fleece mine 81 

Copper Lake group 82 

Beulah claim 82 

Welfleet claim 82 

Home claim 82 

Alpha claim 82 

House claim 82 
CONTENTS. 

The Ketchikan mining district—Continued.4 Page. 

Economic geology—Continued. 

Descriptions of localities—Continued. 

Dolomi—Continued. 

Pauline claim 82 

Valparaiso mine 83 

Wednesday claim 83 

Jessie claim 83 

Paul claim 84 

Kitkun Bay 84 

General description 84 

Tomboy claims 85 

Maggie May claim 85 

Fawn claim 4 85 

Croesus group 85 

South Arm of Cholmondeley Sound 86 

General description 86 

Friendship group 87 

Ketchikan Copper Company 87 

Silver-lead prospects 88 

West Ann of Cholmondeley Sound 88 

General description' 88 

Tw el vem ile Arm 88 

General description 88 

Copperplate claim 90 

Puyallup group 90 

Crackerjack claims 91 

Hollis claims 4 91 

Last Chance claim 92 

Commander group 92 

Monday claim 93 

Lavina claim 93 

Marble Heart claim4 93 

Dolly Varden claim 93 

K arta Bay 93 

General description 93 

Skowl Arm 94 

General description 94 

Kiam group 94 

Red Rose, Hecla, and Bertha claims 95 

Mammoth and Lake View claims 95 

Anderson's claim 96 

Hatchet claim 96 

Kasaan Peninsula 96 

General description 96 

Copper King claims 99 

Morning Star claims 100 

Copper Queen claims 100 
CONTENTS. 

The Ketchikan mining district—Continued.4 Page. 


Economic geology—Continued. 


Descriptions of localities—Continued. 


Kasaan Peninsula—Continued. 


Poor Man's claims 100 


White Eagle claim 101 


Skookum and Elm City claims 101 


Mount Andrew claims 102 


Big Six claims 103 


Cachelot claim 103 


Tolstoi Bay 104 


Hetta Inlet 104 


General description 104 


Copper Mountain group 105 


Miller Brothers' claim 107 


Jumbo claim 107 


Beaver claim 107 


Green Monster claim 107 


Unuk River 107 


Boca de Quadra 108 


Portland Canal 108 


Annette Island 108 


Duke Island 110 


Southern end Prince of Wales Island 110 


Dall Island 110 


Coal 110 


Building stone and lime 111 


Climate and timber 112 


Index 117 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

PLATE I. Geologic sketch map of southeastern Alaska 14 

II. Geologic reconnaissance map of a part of the Ketchikan mining district 40 

FIG. 1. Sketch map of Cleveland Peninsula, showing claim locations 4 55 

2. Sketch map of Tongass Narrows and George Inlet, showing claim locations 60 

3. Sketch map of Thorne Arm, showing claim locations 4 64 

4. Sketch map of Seal Bay and Dall Head, showing claim locations 69 

5. Sketch map of Kitkun Bay, Dolomi, North Arm, and Niblack Anchorage, showing 

claim locations_ 75 

6. Sketch map of Kasaan Peninsula, Twelvemile Arm, and Skowl Arm, showing claim 

locations4 89 

PRELIMINARY' REPORT ON THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA, 

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 

By ALFRED H. BROOKS. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Since 1898 the United States Geological Survey has been carrying on a 

systematic investigation of the mineral resources of Alaska. On account of the 

rapid development of the placer fields of Seward Peninsula and the interior, the 

money appropriated for Alaskan surveys during the .first three years was chiefly 

spent in explorations and reconnaissances of these fields, and the mining districts of 

southeastern Alaska were not given the attention which their importance demanded. 

For this reason a geologic reconnaissance of southeastern Alaska was undertaken in 

the season of 1901, and the writer was placed in charge of the work. His field orders 

authorized him to examine such portions of southeastern Alaska as time would 

permit. It was originally planned to make a general reconnaissance of all the 

mining districts of that region, but it was found that this was too great an undertaking for one field season, especially as the writer was detained in Washington 

until late in June, and the limited funds available necessitated a curtailment of 

expenses by shortening the field season. As the northern mining districts of southeastern Alaska had already been the subject of an investigation by Dr. Becker in 

1895," and as the Ketchikan district was being rapidly developed, it was decided to 

spend the greater part of the short season in the Ketchikan district and in the fall 

to make a more hasty reconnaissance of the northern belt, in order to obtain a 

general familiarity with the region and, if possible, to establish some correlations. 

This plan was carried out, and the results of the work are embodied in the following 

report. 

The field work was much hampered by the lack of topographic maps, and 

the resources of the party were insufficient to permit of carrying on systematic 

topographic work. Fortunately, however, the coast line proper had been charted 

with fair accuracy by the reconnaissance work of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

a Gold fields of southeastern Alaska, by George F. Becker: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. III, pp. 1-86. 

11 
12 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

In the eastern part of the region also some topographic work had been done by 

the International Boundary Survey. These maps" were used as a basis for the 

geologic work, with such supplementary corrections and sketches as time and 

means permitted, Throughout the field and office work the writer has had the 

efficient aid of Mr. Corey C. Brayton. 

The writer, in company with Mr. Brayton, reached Ketchikan on July 12. 

Several days were spent at this point in outfitting and organizing a party and 

in examining the geology of the vicinity. A 35-foot gasoline launch had been 

brought from Seattle, and on this the party of four lived and traveled during 

the progress of the work. They were fortunate in securing as pilot Mr. L. 

Andersen, whose long experience in the waters of southeastern Alaska made 

him invaluable on a coast which had not been charted in detail. 

After leaving Ketchikan, the gold deposits of Helm Bay and Smuggler Cove, 

on Cleveland Peninsula, were the first which were examined. Thence the party 

encircled Revillagigedo Island, visiting Neets Bay, Bell Island, and Burroughs 

Bay. This trip was made for the purpose of determining the relation of the 

sedimentary beds to the Coast Range granite. The next stop was at the upper 

end of Thorne Arm, where the Sea Level claim and adjacent gold-bearing properties 

were examined. The party then proceeded to the head of George Inlet, making 

several stops to examine silver and lead deposits. The mining claims bordering 

Tongass Channel were visited on the way to Ketchikan, whence, after securing 

additional supplies and fuel, the party proceeded to the lower end of Gravina 

Island. At this point several days were spent in examining the copper deposits 

of Seal Bay and Da11 Head. 

On August 4, after crossing Clarence Strait, Niblack Anchorage was reached. 

During a stay of several days a hasty examination was made of the more important 

copper and gold claims of the vicinity. From this point a reconnaissance of Moira 

Sound was made, and on August 8 the party reached the head of North Arm. The 

examination of the mining claims in the vicinity of North Arm occupied the party 

until August 11. The 12th and 13th were spent in the gold-hearing region in the 

vicinity of Dolomi, Johnson Inlet. From this point the party proceeded to the head 

of the North Arm of Cholmondeley Sound, and thence made a trip across the portage 

and down Hetta Inlet to Copper Mountain, where a day was spent. On August 17 

and 18 the properties on the South Arm of Cholmondeley were examined, and August 

19 and 20 were spent in Kitkun Bay. From Kitkun Bay trips were made to various claims on Skowl Arm, and on August 24 Kasaan Bay was reached. The examination of the many mining properties in the vicinity of Kasaan Bay occupied the 

attention of the party from August 25 until September 4. During this time three 

days were spent in the Hollis gold-bearing region. After a brief visit to Tolstoi 

Bay to see the Iron Cap group of copper claims, the party returned to Ketchikan. 

a Charts Nos. 8100 and 8050, U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. 
INTRODUCTION.4 13 

A short trip to Vallenar Bay, on Gravina Island, including a visit to several claims 

on the way, and a trip to Loring and Traitors Cove, completed the field work in the 

district. 

During a period of two months the party traveled about 1,200 miles, visited 

upward of 150 claims and mines, and made a rough reconnaissance of about 2,000 

square miles. This work was accomplished in spite of the fact that it rained more 

or less on forty-five of the sixty days spent in the district. 

The latter part of September and early part of October were spent in determining the general geologic relations in the northern part of the belt. A stop of one 

week was made at Juneau, and a number of other localities were visited. A part of 

the results of this latter trip are submitted herewith in an introductory sketch on 

the geology of southeastern Alaska. 

In the publications of the Geological Survey relating to Alaska, it has been 

customary to emphasize the more practical conclusions, bearing chiefly on the mineral resources of the regions discussed. In accordance with this practice the writer 

will aim to give special attention to the economic problems and to leave the more 

purely theoretical discussions to the future, when detailed investigations have been 

made. The writer has felt some hesitancy in submitting a report which is so incomplete in detail and which probably contains many errors. Those who make use of it 

should remember that the field work was done too hastily to permit of exhaustive 

studies. It is hoped that the report will be of value in drawing attention to this 

important mining region, and that it will afford prospectors and miners some clues 

to the occurrences of the various types of ore bodies found in the district. 

The writer is under great obligations for the many courtesies extended to him 

by the prospectors and miners of the region, who almost without exception aided in 

furthering the investigation in every way in their power. It would be impossible to 

give the names of all those who extended courtesies to the party, but the writer is 

under special obligations to E. C. Morse, of Ketchikan; George H. Coughran and 

Thomas F. Johnson, of Helm Bay; James Hart, of Niblack Anchorage; A. Z. 

Burkhart, of Dolomi; M. L. Lichtenstadter, of Mount Andrew; Jim Bowden, of 

Hollis, and Henry W. Mellen, of Coppermount. 

The writer is much indebted to Mr. Charles Schuchert, of the National 

Museum, for the great interest he has taken in the paleontologic problems of the 

region. While the fossil evidence which has thus far been collected is rather 

meager, Mr. Schuchert's determinations at least point toward some interesting 

conclusions. Dr. E. T. Allen has rendered valuable aid in chemical work. To 

Dr. C. Willard Hayes the writer is indebted for the use of unpublished notes. 
14 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 

GEOGRAPHY. 

The panhandle of Alaska, which extends southeastward from Mount St. Elias, 

is usually called southeastern Alaska. This coastal belt, with its contiguous islands, 

has an area of nearly 40,000 square miles. It is included between latitudes 54° 30' 

and 60° 30' and longitudes 130° and 141°. That portion which is more especially 

the subject of this sketch lies to the southeast of Cross Sound and Glacier Bay, 

and includes an area of about 20,000 square miles. Its position relative to other 

portions of the earth's surface can better be comprehended by the statement that 

Sitka, which is located on an island in the northern part of this belt, is on the 

same parallel. of latitude as Edinburg, in Scotland. 

Alaska is divisible into four geographic provinces, corresponding to and, 

broadly speaking, coextensive with those of western Canada and the United States. 

The westernmost of these includes a mountainous belt, which, in , conformity to 

Major Powell's nomenclature,a may be called the Pacific Mountain system. East of 

this is the Plateau region, bounded to the east* and north by the third province, 

which is formed by the northern and western extension of the Rocky Mountain 

system. East and north of the Rocky Mountains is the fourth province, 

comprising the Plains region. Southeastern Alaska falls entirely within the first 

of these provinces. The Pacific Mountain system in this region includes four 

important ranges, the Coast, St. Elias, Aleutian, and Alaskan ranges, whose axes 

are parallel to the coast, and numerous inferior transverse ranges. The Coast 

Range, the St. Elias Range, and the Aleutian Range lie adjacent to the coast, 

while the Alaskan Range is inland and forms the northern boundary of the system. 

The Aleutian and Alaskan ranges lie outside the region under discussion and will 

not be further considered. 

The so-called Coast Range extends from near the boundary of Washington northward through British Columbia into southeastern Alaska. In British Columbia it 

has a width of about 100 miles, which decreases to the northward. Its peaks vary 

in altitude from. 7,000 to 8,000 feet. Following the coast line for nearly 900 miles, 

it passes behind the St. Elias Range near the head of Lynn Canal. Beyond this point 

it decreases in altitude northward and gradually loses its distinctiveness, finally 

merging with the Interior Plateau. The Coast Range has no distinct crest line, hut, 

as Drs. Dawson and Hayes have shown, is an irregular aggregate of mountains whose 

summits mark an elevated plateau and whose limits are often ill defined. Inland it 

locally merges with the Interior Plateau, and on the coast side it is not always well 

differentiated from the mountains of the Alexander Archipelago. 

a Under "Pacific Mountains" Major Powell included ranges lying west of the Basin ranges in the United States. 

Th- term "Pacific Mountain system" is intended to include all of the mountains of North America which lie 

contiguous to the Pacific Ocean. (See Monographs Nat. Geog. Soc., Vol. I, 1896, pp. 96-100.) 
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO.1 PL.I

138' 137 136 ' 135' 134' 133' 132' 131.' 130' 128' 128' 

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I .t7 • 136 135' 134' 133' 132 131' 130' 129' 

GEOLOGIC SKETCH. MAP OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA 14VIIV .ALTIMOItt

. BY ALFRED I I. 1111( )()KS Based in part on compiled data. 

Settle 10 0 70 60 200 mil pig 

10 0 10 20 30 

10 20 30 40 120 00 80

Nur: 40 60 60 70 80 DO 100 kilo 210 etorS

-

LEGEND 

i- SEDIMENTARY 

IGNEOUS 

rrrre. 

L 

Sinitlstories,ecniVouutrales, CoriglonienitesfeltIspattiie .kit Mites int, I I i ,..ostones Mull limestones tutu seiuns. tuft.. otimrietermined lite. phyllites. Upper Tertiar:v.

White limestones and Quartzites, phyllites, Base lts,aittlesitem,and Granitic rorks. Green:stones. Chiefly Nii.sozoir mid white crystalline Pr“ba.hly.in pert iNtftv4or.oic rItvolites.of Mesozoic Paleozoic. Lower Paleozoic. Mesozoic. Paleozoic end Mesozoii•. limestones tIntliffer­ esi tinted Paleozoic. anti in pert Paleozoic. rend Tertiary ;t?, 
GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 15 

Westward from Cross Sound the St. Elias Range, which seems to be the extension of the mountainous Alexander Archipelago, forms the most prominent coastal 

feature of Alaska. Near Mount St. Elias the range has a width of about 100 miles, 

but it narrows down in both directions. Near Cross Sound the Fairweather group 

of mountains in the St. Elias Range reach altitudes of over 15,000 feet, Toward the 

west the range increases in height and complexity, culminating in Mounts St. Elias 

and Logan, 18,060 and 19,500 feet in height, respectively. The mountains of the 

Alexander Archipelago can not be said to form any well-defined range. On Baranof 

Island are mountains reaching altitudes of 3,000 to 4,000 feet. On Prince of Wales 

Island there are also many peaks which rise to this height, but they are more or less 

irregularly distributed. In general, these mountain groups trend in a northwestsoutheast direction, parallel to the coast line and to the Coast Range. There are 

but few topographic data available in this region except the contour of the actual 

shore line. 

The coast line of this part of Alaska is very irregular, the shore being marked 

by many deep embayments and islands. The shores are usually very abrupt and the 

deep water lies close to the land. 

More than half of the land area of that portion of Alaska which lies southeast 

of Glacier Bay is included in the islands of the Alexander Archipelago. The largest 

of these are Chichagof, Baranof, Admiralty, Kupreanof, Kuiu, Prince of Wales, 

Etolin, and Revillagigedo, and there are many small ones. The longer axes of the 

larger islands roughly parallel the general trend of the coast of the mainland. The 

otherwise smooth coast lines of the islands . are broken by numerous fiords, similar to 

those which penetrate deeply into the adjacent Coast Range. The islands are separated from each other and the mainland by deep and often very narrow waterways. 

Some of these, like Lynn Canal, penetrate far inland. An examination of the map, 

Pl. I, will show that these features have more or less of a parallel arrangement, and 

elsewhere attention will be drawn to the fact that the direction of these channels is 

consequent on structural lines in the bed rock. 

In southeastern Alaska four rivers of considerable size, the Alsek, Chilkat, Taku, 

and Stikine, have their sources in the Interior Plateau region, and reach the sea after 

traversing the coastal ranges. The Chilkat flows through the depression which separates the northern extension of the Coast. Range and the St. Elias Mountains. 

The Alsek system includes a region of extremely varied topography. Its upper 

waters lie within the Yukon Plateau, and its valley has there been cut to a depth of 

3,000 to 4,000 feet below the general level of the surrounding country. Its lower 

valley cuts entirely through the St. Elias Range, and there the relief must be many 

thousand feet, but accurate data are entirely lacking. The Alsek is said to be fed by 

numerous glaciers where it cuts the range. After leaving the mountains the Alsek 

spreads out into the broad delta called Dry Bay. 

The Chilkat has its source in a broad depression which forms the divide between 
16 THE KETCHIK AN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

it and the Alsek River. It has a southerly course and flows into Chilkat Inlet, an 

ethbayment of Lynn Canal. The valley walls of the Chilkat are characterized by 

many benches and terraces, which probably had a glacial origin. It is fed by 

numerous glaciers, which have their sources in the St. Elias Range to the southwest 

and in the Coast Range to the northeast. 

The Taku River rises in the Plateau region, near the headwaters of the Teslin. 

It has a general southwesterly course, and is tributary to Taku Inlet. It also receives 

several glaciers where it traverses the Coast Range. 

The Stikine River is the largest of the four. Its source lies far inlanu, in 

northern British Columbia, where its headwaters interlock with those of the Liard 

River. In its upper course it has a rather broad valley, incised to a depth of 3,000 

to 4,000 feet in the plateau. Where it traverses the Coast Range the valley is 

narrower and the walls are more abrupt. It here receives many tributary glaciers. 

At its mouth it has a broad flood plain. 

On the mainland of southeastern Alaska there are many minor streams which 

have their sources within the Coast Range. 

The drainage of the islands of the Alexander• Archipelago is usually carried to 

the sea by small streams. The lack of topographic maps makes it impossible to 

describe them in any detail. 

BED-ROCK GEOLOGY. 

INTRODUCTION. 

So little is known of the bed-rock geology of the panhandle of Alaska, extending 

southeastward from Yakutat Bay, that it has seemed to the writer worth while to 

correlate the data available and to present some tentative conclusions. A few small 

areas in this region have been studied in more or less detail, and many facts have 

been gathered, hut practically no attempt has been made to bring them together. 

The studies of the Canadian geologists, especially those of Dr. Dawson near the 

international boundary and in British Columbia, have contributed to the deciphering 

of the stratigraphic succession and to the pointing out of some of the more important 

structural features. 

Many of the early exploring expeditions which visited this coast included naturalists who made collections and in their reports made mention of some of the geologic 

features of the region. These observations have been collected by Dr. Dall,a to 

whose report the reader is referred for details. 

In 1863 Mr. William P. Blake,b on his return from Japan, visited Sitka and 

joined a Russian expedition which explored the Lower Stikine. Mr. T. A. Blake 

made observations on the geology and mineral resources of southeastern Alaska," 

a Coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, 1896, pp. 835-837. 

bGeographical notes upon Russian America and the Stikine River: House Ex. Doc. No. 177, Pt. 2, Fortieth Congress, 

second session. 

a Topographical and geological features of the northwest coast of America: Am. Jour. Sci., 2d series, Vol. XLV, 1868, 

pp. 242-247. Geology of Alaska Territory: U. S. Coast Survey Report for 1867, pp. 281-290. 
GEOLOGY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 17 

while attached to tne United States Coast Survey as geologist. Dr. Da11, during his 

connection with the Coast Survey, from 1871 to 1884, made many trips along the 

southeastern Alaskan coast and gathered much geologic data.a 

In the surveys and explorations of Alaska the commander of nearly every Government vessel which visited the coast made efforts to gather information in regard 

to its mineral resources. Conspicuous among these is Prof. George Davidson, who 

spent many years in surveying the coast of this region. Probably.no one has greater 

familiarity with southeastern Alaska than Professor Davidson, and his reports 

contain much that is of interest to the geologist! 

In 1888 Dr. Dawson began the first systematic geologic work in the region by 

his study of the Chilkoot Pass and Stikine River sections.c This work of Dawson's 

was amplified in 1891 by Dr. Hayes,d who went inland by the Taku Inlet and 

River. 

In 1889 Prof. I. C. Russelle returned to the coast from the Yukon waters by 

way of Chilkoot Pass. During his two St. Elias expeditions Professor Russell! contributed notes on the bed-rock geology of the Yakutat Bay region, though the main 

body of his reports was devoted to glacial problems. 

In 1890 Professors Reid and Cushing,g while studying the Muir Glacier, did a 

little areal mapping of the bed-rock geology. 

In 1895 Messrs. Dall h and Becker i made a trip to southern Alaska to stuay 

its gold and coal resources. They visited a number of localities in the Alexander 

Archipelago and on the adjacent mainland. 

In 1896 Mr. Spurr crossed the Chilkoot Pass, following the same route as that 

taken by Dawson, and contributed some additional geologic notes,' 

Prince Luigi's party, on the expedition to Mount St. Elias in 1897, gathered 

some specimens and made some geologic notes, though no geologist accompanied the 

party.k 

In 18981 the writer had opportunities for making some geologic observations 

while on his way into the interior by way of the White Pass and Lewes River route. 

A delay of several weeks at Marsh Lake, waiting for the ice to break, was utilized in 

studying the geology of the immediate vicinity and making a hasty trip to the Teslin 

a Compare Coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, 1896, pp. 763-908; Correlation Papers—Neocene: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 84,1892, pp. 232-268. 

bAlaska Coast Pilot; Part I, Coast from Dixon Entrance to Yakutat Bay; United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1883. 

Report on an exploration in the Yukon district, N. W. T., and adjacent portions of British Columbia, by George M. 

Dawson: Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. III, Pt. I, 1887-88, pp. 1-277 B. d An expedition through the Yukon district, by C. Willard Hayes: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, 1892, pp. 99-162. 

eNotes on the surface geology of Alaska: Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. I, pp. 99-162. 

f Expedition to Mount St. Elias: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. III, 1891-92. Second expedition to Mount St. Elias: Thirteenth 

Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. II, 1893, pp. 1-91. 

g Studies of the Muir Glacier, by H. F. Reid: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, 1892-93. Notes on the geology in the vicinity of 

the Muir Glacier, by H. P. Cushing: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, 1892-93. Notes on the Muir glacial region and its geology: 

Am. Geol., Vol. VIII, pp. 207-230. Glacier Bay and its glaciers, by H. F. Reid: Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 

Survey, Pt. I, 1896, pp. 421-461. 

h Coal and lignite of Alaska, by William H. Dall: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, 1896, pp. 763-908. 

1 Gold fields of southern Alaska, by George F. Becker: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. III, 1898, pp. 1-86. 

Geology of the Yukon gold district, by J. E. Spurr: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. III, 1898, pp. 87-392. k The Ascent of Mount St. Elias, by Filippo de Filippi, translated by Linda Villari, 1900, pp. 232-239. 

/Reconaissance in Tanana and White river basins: Twentieth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. VII, 1900, pp. 425-494. 

9210—No. 1 02--2 
18 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

River. In the following year a the writer went inland by the Dalton-trail route and 

obtained some geologic notes along the Chilkat and Klehini rivers. 

There have also been brief reports in the technical journals on some of the 

mining districts. The Juneau district has been described by G. W. Garside,b and 

the Ketchikan mining region by W. T. Brewer,c and also by an anonymous writer.d 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 

While but few of the details of the geology of southeastern Alaska are known, 

and even the general succession of beds is very much in doubt, yet the distribution of 

certain lithologic types is fairly well established. The rocks, in general, trend in a 

northwest-southeast direction, parallel to the coast line. There are certain lithologic 

types occurring as belts running parallel to this strike, which seem to persist with 

somewhat remarkable uniformity from Dixon Entrance to Lynn Canal and Icy Strait. 

These belts, together with some rather fragmentary paleontologic evidence, have 

been used as the basis for the accompanying sketch map. In the compilation of this 

map the writer, who is familiar with only a part of the region, has had to make very 

liberal use of the results of previous workers.. Such a compilation must almost of 

necessity contain errors even were the region well known, but when it is considered 

that much of the region is hardly explored an additional source of error appears. It 

is believed, however, that the advantages of bringing the information together in 

graphic form more than counterbalances the objection to publishing a map which 

must contain many errors and omissions. The aim has been to represent chiefly 

the distribution of certain lithologic types on the geologic map, but this has led 

to a certain amount of correlation. 

The granitic rocks of the Coast Range form the best defined of the zones of 

lithologic unity. The granite is intrusive and occurs in other parts of the region 

in smaller areas. To the east of the Coast Range is a series of sediments, probably 

chiefly of Paleozoic age. These are in turn overlain unconformably by younger 

sediments, chiefly of Mesozoic age, containing considerable volcanic material. 

Adjacent to the granite of the Coast Range on the west is a belt of argillites, with 

some limestones of undetermined age, containing many greenstone intrusives. This 

series is considerably metamorphosed. To the west of the argillites blue limestones, 

but little altered and containing Devonian fossils, have been found at a number of 

localities. - The westernmost islands of the Alexander Archipelago are chiefly made 

up of a series of white crystalline limestones and phyllites, which contain many 

greenstone intrusives. These rocks occupy considerable areas in Prince of Wales, 

Baranof, Chichagof, and Admiralty islands, and have been traced northward to 

Glacier Bay on the mainland. 

aReconnaissance from Pyramid Harbor to Eagle City, Alaska: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. II, 1900, 

pp. 331-391. 

bThe mineral resources of southeast Alaska: Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Vol. XX, 1892-93, pp. 815-823. 

c The Ketchikan mining district, Alaska: Eng. Min. Jour., Vol. LXXII, 1901, pp. 630-632. 

d min. Sci. Press, September 7, 1901, Vcl. LXXXIII, pp. 99-101. 
PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 19 

These five belts—the white limestone and phyllite, the blue limestone, the 

argillites to the west of the Coast Range granite, and the Paleozoic and Mesozoic to 

the east—form the country rock of the larger part of this province. There are also 

Tertiary sediments, volcanic rocks, and various types of intrusives in this region. 

PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTS. 

The older sediments west of the Coast Range have been differentiated into three 

groups, of which two are Paleozoic and one is probably in part Paleozoic and in part 

Mesozoic. The corresponding beds east of the Coast Range are all grouped together 

as Paleozoic, for it is impossible to differentiate them on the facts now available. 

The oldest beds in which fossils have been found are the limestones outcropping 

on the shores of Glacier Bay. This limestone, which Professors Reid and Cushing a 

describe as gray or blue in color, in places has been changed to a white marble. 

Professor Cushing found a few fossils in this limestone at Drake Island which were 

examined by Prof. H. S. Williams and determined to be Paleozoic. Later, on the 

evidence presented by these fossils, and particularly that of a coral collected from 

the Dirt Glacier by Prof. J. J. Stevenson, these limestones were assigned to the 

Carboniferous.b It will be shown below that the latter fossil is from an entirely 

different horizon. Through the kindness of Professor Williams, the Drake Island 

material was submitted to Mr. Charles Schuchert, to whom the writer is indebted 

for the following report: 

"I have examined the Drake Island material and find a large Leperditia of the 

L. baltica group; Negalomus sp. undet., sections of a very large species very similar 

to X. canadensis; and Hormotorna sections, like several found in the Guelph of 

Ontario. 

"The fossil on which one can depend for age determination is the Leperditia. 

These large species of Leperditia cease with the basal beds of the American Devonian 

(Lower Pentamerus-Coeymans), but their greatest abundance is in the Wenlock and 

Dudley horizons of Europe. The Glacier Bay species is unmistakably related to the 

L. baltica of the Upper Silurian. Further, it is not related to the large Lower 

Silurian forms of the L. fabulites group, and this is again shown by the presence of 

very large bivalve shells which I take to be of the genus lliegalomus, a fossil so characteristic of the late Upper Silurian. Even if the large shells are not Illegalomus, 

these Leperditias alone prove that the limestone can not be younger than late 

Upper Silurian. It is true that the genus Leperditia is stated to occur as late as 

Lower Carboniferous time (L. carbonaria Hall, L. nicklesi Ulrich), but all the 

Devonian and Carboniferous species are minute forms, and if they do not belong to 

other genera, which is not improbable, they certainly can not be included in the 

L. baltica group of Leperditia. 

"The coral identified as Lonsdaleia comes from another locality (Dirt Glacier) 

more than 15 miles away, and can not be included in the Drake Island fauna. To 

this locality one should for the present restrict the type section for the ' Glacier 

Bay limestone,' for the reasons above given and for the further one that the coral 

was not found in situ." 

a Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, p. 59; Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, p. 433. 

b Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, p. 434. 
20 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Reid and Cushing found an argillite series underlying the limestone conformably. 

Both of these formations are closely folded. Their thickness was not determined, 

but it is probably several thousand feet. Intrusives of a dioritic character are 

plentiful in the Glacier Bay region, and show evidence of having suffered some 

deformation. 

White limestones were observed by the writer outcropping along Peril Strait on 

Baranof and Chichagof islands. They are intimately associated with argillites, and 

they are all rather closely folded. Greenstone intrusives are also common in these 

beds. They are in every way similar to those described from Glacier Bay, except 

that they are probably more metamorphosed. The phyllites of this series are well 

exposed on Rodman Bay, where they are finely plicated. A white crystalline limestone occurs at the southeastern end of Chichagof Island, near Sitkoh Bay, and again 

at Kootznahoo, on Admiralty Island. Large areas of white crystalline limestone are 

exposed at the upper end of Prince of Wales Island, where a marble quarry is located. 

In the southern part of Prince of Wales Island are white limestones and phyllites 

which have been grouped together as the Wales series.a 

The above facts go to show that there is more or less of a continuous belt of 

white limestones and phyllites extending through the westernmost islands of the 

Alexander Archipelago to Glacier Bay. At Glacier Bay these beds have been determined to be of Upper Silurian age. The series is, therefore, provisionally assigned 

to the Lower Paleozoic. This series has commercial importance, as in its more crystalline form it is known to carry gold and copper deposits. 

Reference has already been made to a coral which was found on the moraine 

of Dirt Glacier by Professor. Stevenson, who describes the locality as follows: ° 

" The `Dirt Glacier,' or first eastern tributary of the Muir, must head up against 

an outcrop of this limestone, for one of the passengers on our vessel picked up a 

form like Acervularia, which, taken in connection with some Leperditia obtained by 

Mr. Cushing in 1890 [Drake Island], tends to show that the limestone [of Glacier 

Bay] is not younger than Middle Devonian." 

Through the courtesy of Professor Williams, Mr. Schuchert was enabled to 

examine the coral secured by Professor Stevenson, and he reports as follows: 

" Later this coral was sent to Professor Williams, and Cushing reports that he 

identified it as a Lonsdaleia, ' and regards it as demonstrative of the Carboniferous 

age of the horizon whence it came.' 

" I agree with Stevenson that the coral in question is an Acervularia, since it 

has no columella, as is demanded for species of Lonsdaleia. It is a species near A. 

davidsoni, a coral characteristic of the Middle Devonian of the Mississippi Valley. 

It may prove to be a new species when sections are made. The genus Acervularia, 

however, is unknown above the Devonian. Another Acervularia is known from the 

Mackenzie River country ( Cyathophyltum arcticum Meek), so that the genus may be 

expected to turn up elsewhere in the far North. 

a See pp. 41-42, and P1, IL4 bSeottish Geog. Mag., Vol. IX, 1893, p. 70, 
PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 21 

" Since Acervularia of the A. d,a/vidsoni type is so characteristic of the Middle 

Devonian, it seems safe to assume that beds of this age occur in the Glacier Bay 

region, and that it is the same general horizon discovered the past summer by Mr. 

Brooks at Long Island, Kasaan Bay, and Prince of Wales Island." 

Mr. Schuchert's determination shows that this coral is from a bed which is an 

entirely different horizon from the limestones at Drake Island, which he determined 

as Silurian. In view of this fact it is interesting to note what Professor Cushing 

says in regard to the limestone beds from which the coral must have come: 

" However, further light has been shed upon this point by the discovery, 

chronicled by Professor Stevenson, of a piece of fossil coral on one of the moraines 

of the Dirt Glacier. A single one of these peaks amid which the Dirt Glacier has 

its source is capped by the limestone; otherwise the drainage basin of this glacier 

lies entirely in argillites or eruptive rocks, so that the locality whence this coral was 

derived is pointed out beyond question."a 

All this evidence points to the conclusion that there is a younger limstone in 

the Glacier Bay region, which is of Devonian age. This limestone has not been 

identified at any other locality in the vicinity. In the southern islands of the 

archipelago, however, Devonian beds have been found at several places. Mr. 

Schuchert identified as Devonian some fossils b contained in a white crystalline 

limestone collected at Saginaw Bay, Kuiu Island, by Mr. Brightman. It is interesting to note that some fragments of sandstone from this same locality contain Lower 

Carboniferous fossils. This is the only locality in southeastern Alaska where this 

horizon has been identified. 

In the Ketchikan district, as will be shown below, Middle Devonian fossils 

were found at Long Island, Kasaan Bay, and at Vallenar Bay, Gravina Island. At 

these localities the evidence goes to show that the Devonian rests unconformably on 

the older beds. These Devonian limestones, together with some associated slates, 

have been grouped together as the Vallenar series. 

The presence of Devonian fossils in these widely separated localities goes to 

show that beds of this period are probably well represented in southeastern Alaska. 

At the Prince of Wales Island locality the Devonian beds are almost entirely 

unaltered, and this rather unsafe criterion has been used to differentiate them from 

the older white crystalline limestone series. When more detailed examinations are 

made it may be found that some of the crystalline limestones are of Devonian age. 

On the map the Devonian limestone and associated beds are grouped together as 

Upper Paleozoic. 

The Upper and Lower Paleozoic beds east of the Coast Range have not been differentiated, as they have been to the west, and they are therefore grouped together 

on the accompanying map. Dawson's work has thrown much light on the general 

a Trans. New York Acad. Sci., Vol. XV, p. 26. 


b Report on Paleozoic fossils from Alaska, by Charles Schuchert, in Appendix II of Coal and lignite of Alaska: 


Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, p. 902. 
22 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

relations of the Paleozoic rocks east of the Coast Range, and the following is quoted 

from his description: a 

" East and northeast of the Coast Ranges the interior region traversed is, for the 

most part, floored by Paleozoic rocks of very varied appearance, and probably referable to several of the main subdivisions of the geological scale. In so far as the information obtained in the region here in question enables conclusions on the subject to 

be formed, the lowest part of the rocks (1) consists of greenish and gray schists, 

generally feldspathic or hornblendic, but often quartzose and including distinctly 

micaceous and talcose schists, with some bands of limestone, the lithological character of this subdivision being exceedingly varied. Apparently overlying these are 

(2) gray and blackish often lustrous and sometimes more or less micaceous calc-schists 

and quartzites, including beds of limestone of moderate thickness, which are often 

more or less dolomitic. These are associated with, or pass up into (3) black argillites 

or argillite-schists, also containing thin beds of limestone, which, at one locality on 

the Dease, have afforded a small number of graptolites of Cambro-Silurian age. 

Next above these is a series (4) consisting chiefly of massive limestones, generally of 

gray or blue-gray color where unaltered, but often locally changed into white or 

variegated crystalline marbles. These are closely associated with quartzites, which 

usually show the peculiar fine-grained cherty character of those of the typical Cache 

Creek series on the Fraser and Thompson rivers. The thickness of this subdivision 

can not (any more than that, of those previously mentioned) be stated with precision, 

but that of the limestones alone must be several thousand feet in some places. ' On 

the Dease, on the Frances, and again on Tagish Lake fossils of Carboniferous age, 

including more particularly a species of Fusulina, have been detected in some beds 

of this limestone series, probably belonging to its upper portion. Forms of the 

genus Fusulina are characteristic in certain zones of the Carboniferous limestone in 

California. They have been found by the writer in a number of places in British 

Columbia, which, with the discoveries here reported on, occur at intervals along a 

belt of country to the northeast of the Coast Ranges for a distance of over 800 miles. 

The limestone last mentioned appears to be conformably followed or even in part 

interbedded with (5) a great mass of more or less evidently stratified rocks of volcanic 

origin, comprising amygdaloids, agglomerates, and other more massive materials, 

which apparently represent old lava-flows. All these are highly altered, so much so 

that in some cases their original physical character is scarcely demonstrable, while 

they have suffered changes also in constitution, having been converted for the most 

part into diabases. 

"Analogy with the southern portions of British Columbia which 1 have examined leads me to believe that the greater part of these volcanic materials are also to 

be classed as of Carboniferous age, but it is quite probable that here, as to the south, 

they comprise as well rocks of similar appearance which are of Triassic age, but 

which we are at present unable to separate from them. This is further rendered 

probable by the occurrence in certain black argillites at Glenora, on the Stikine, of 

Triassic fossils and by the discovery by Mr. McConnell of fossils of this age on the 

Lower Liard River, some distance to the east of the region covered by this report." 

A comparison of this succession with that found on the west side of the range 

suggests certain correlations. The black argillites (3) and heavy limestone (4) seem 

a Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. III, Pt. I, 1887-88, pp. 32-33 B. 
PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 23 

to correspond in a measure with the argillites which underlie the Upper Silurian 

limestones of Glacier Bay. In Dawson's section the heavy limestone member is 

continued through to the Carboniferous without a stratigraphic break such as is 

found at the base of the recognized Devonian beds in the Ketchikan district. This 

unconformity at the base of the Devonian beds has not been established except at 

one locality, and may be of a local character. Dawson's highest member of this 

series, which included much volcanic material, has been here provisionally placed in 

the Mesozoic. 

The limestones were first noted by Dr. Dawson a at the lower end of Tagish Lake, 

where they were also observed by the writer and found to be rather coarsely crystalline and, as a rule, heavily bedded. To the southwest of these limestones, and 

apparently underlying them, there are quartz-schists and quartzites of undetermined 

age. Since, however, they seem to be conformable with the white limestone, they 

probably belong in the Upper Paleozoic. The white limestone was traced by the 

writer toward the southeast nearly as .far as the Teslin River, where it has been 

noted by Dr. Hayes. Through all this belt the Paleozoic rocks occur in irregular areas, since they are in part buried beneath sediments which overlie them 

unconformably. 

On the Taku River Dr. Hayes b found a section in which there were black slates 

overlain by crystalline limestones succeeded by bluish limestones, the whole rather 

closely folded. No determinable fossils were found in these rocks, but an overlying 

conglomerate, carrying pebbles derived from the limestones, contained corals, about 

which Mr. Schuchert furnishes the following memorandum: 

"The two pebbles collected by C. W. Hayes in 1891 from `conglomerate, head 

of Taku River,' have a coral, possibly Acervularia (this is the pebble you first sent); 

another coral, on the order of Cyathoph,yllum cwspitosum, associated with a bryozoan—Fenestella near F serratula. If these identifications can be depended upon, 

then the conglomerate is more recent than Lower Carboniferous, since the bryozoan 

and associated coral seem to be of Lower Carboniferous age. The first-named. coral 

points rather to Middle Devonian." 

While this information is rather indefinite, it goes to show that the Taku beds 

are Upper Paleozoic and belong to the same general horizon as those of the Tagish 

Lake region. In point of fact, Mr. J. C. Gwillim c and the writer have traced 

these beds through from Tagish Lake nearly to where Dr. Hayes saw them. 

At the Stikine River section Dr. Dawsond found dark schistose quartzite 

overlain by gray and blue massive limestone, in part crystalline. No fossils were 

observed in place, but near Telegraph Creek a bowlder of limestone was found 

containing Carboniferous fossils. It is evident that these Stikine River beds are, 

broadly speaking, equivalent to those described farther north. 

a Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. III, Pt. I, 1887-88, p. 170 B. 


b Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, p. 138. This information is in part gained from Dr. Hayes's unpublished notes. 


c Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, Report for 1901, p. 51. 


dGeol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. III, Pt. II, 1887-88, pp. 53-58 B. 

24 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

The Unuk is the next river which gives a cross section of this region, but 

unfortunately its geology has not been studied. Prospectors report black slates 

with some limestone beds lying close to the Coast Range granite. 

Along the Skeena River Dawson a found black and gray mica-schist imme, 

diately east of the Coast Range, and then a belt of massive gray limestone which 

in general appearance corresponds to that found to the north. No fossils were 

found in this region, but it seems probable that this limestone is the same that 

has been described in the region to the north. 

These facts go to show that there is a belt of Paleozoic rocks lying east of 

the Coast Range granite, stretching northwestward in British Columbia and Alaska 

close to the international boundary and to the east of it. These rocks include sediments of various descriptions, but are predominantly calcareous. Such paleontologic evidence as has been obtained points toward the conclusion that these 

Paleozoic beds range from Silurian or older to Carboniferous. They are cut by 

igneous rocks of various descriptions, only a few of which are represented on the 

accompanying geologic map. 

A RGILLITES. 

Immediately west of the Coast Range granite a belt of argillites, containing 

some arenaceous beds and intruded by many masses of greenstone, has been 

traced northwestward from Dixon Entrance to Lynn Canal. The rocks making 

up this belt are schistose throughout, and the argillites are often highly graphitic. 

They are well developed in the vicinity of Juneau and Taku Inlet, and were also 

observed to outcrop along the lower regions of the Chilkat River and at various 

localities to the south. In the Ketchikan region these rocks, which have been called 

the Ketchikan schists, occupy a broad belt upon the western side of Revillagigedo 

Island. The relation of these beds to the Paleozoics lying west of them is undetermined, but in the Ketchikan region there has probably been faulting along the 

line of contact. Farther north no opportunity was presented for studying the 

boundary. Some limestones which are associated with the argillites are believed to 

be an integral part of the series, though they may be portions of an older series 

exposed by erosion. The only fossils found in these rocks were some crinoid stems 

from George Inlet in the Ketchikan district, which have little determinative value. 

The folding and alteration of the argillite series is probably due to the intrusion 

of the Coast Range granite.6 The series has usually been regarded as of Mesozoic 

age, though there is no definite proof of this, except that its geographic distribution 

suggests that it overlies the Upper Paleozoic series, but this may be due to faulting. 

Portions of the series, including the associated greenstone-schists, are often heavily 

mineralized, and often carry commercial gold ores. 

a Rept. on an exploration from Port Simpson on the Pacific Coast to Edmonton on the Saskatchewan, embracing a 

portion of the northern part of British Columbia and the Peace River country, by Geo. M. Dawson: Geol. Nat. Hist. 

Survey Canada, 1879-80, pp. 1-177 B. b Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. HI, Pt. I, 1887-88, p. 32 B. 
GEOLOGY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 25 

MESOZOIC SEDIMENTS. 

The eastern belt of Paleozoic rocks is overlain unconformably by a sedimentary 

series. This series at its base is usually a conglomerate, and is made up of sandstones, 

arkoses, tuffs, and quartzites. It is typically developed at the upper end of Marsh 

Lake, where it includes many beds of volcanic tuff. At this locality.the basal member, as determined by the writer, is a conglomerate whose pebbles are derived from 

the Upper Paleozoic rocks. Mr. Gwillim a has mapped the region lying between 

Marsh Lake and Atlin Lake, and finds a considerable development of these rocks. 

He is inclined to assign them to the Cretaceous; but Dr. Stanton, in a personal letter, 

says: "I have recently seen a few fragmentary fossils collected by Mr. Gwillim in 

the Atlin Lake region, and they seem to be of early Jurassic age." 

In the Taku 6 section this horizon is represented by conglomerates whose pebbles 

are derived from Upper Paleozoic limestones. In the Stikine River section Dawson e 

also found a conglomerate series which he provisionally assigned to the Mesozoic. 

Dr. Dawson d reports some Jurassic fossils from the vicinity of Telegraph Creek. 

On the Skeena River Dawson e found Mesozoic fossils associated with gray argillites 

and sandstones containing impure coal. 

The above facts point to the conclusion that the eastern belt of Paleozoic rocks is 

overlain by a elastic series, the basal member of which is a conglomerate usually 

derived from the underlying beds. The age of the series is Mesozoic, and in part at 

least Jurassic. It probably does not occur as a continuous belt, but rather in isolated 

areas. Gwillimf reports its thickness as 5,000 feet in the vicinity of Atlin Lake. 

Still farther to the east and beyond the area under discussion Dawson g found 

fossiliferous Cretaceous beds at many localities on the Lewes and Pelly rivers. 

These now occur as gently folded beds in isolated areas. 

On the western side of the Coast Range the Mesozoic rocks have nowhere 

been positively identified. At a few localities, however, heavy conglomerates 

were found overlying unconformably what are believed to be Paleozoic beds. 

Such an occurrence was found at the southern end of Gravina Island, in the 

Ketchikan district, where the conglomerates are overlain by black schists, and the 

whole series has been called the Gravina series. Mr. Schrader reports a heavy 

conglomerate at Hunter Bay, on the southern end of Prince of Wales Island. 

Conglomerates are also reported by prospectors at Union Bay, on the northern 

side of the Cleveland Peninsula. When the geology of southeastern Alaska is 

studied in greater detail, no doubt other localities of this horizon will be found. 

Broadly considered, this conglomerate is probably equivalent to that found at the 

base of the Mesozoic series on the eastern side of the range. 

a Summary Report of the Geological Survey Department for the year 1900, Ottawa, 1901. 

b Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, p. 138. Also from unpublished notes by Dr. Hayes. 

e Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, 1887-88, p. 57 B. 

a Op. cit., p. 56. 

e Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, 1879-80, p. 102. 

f Summary Report of the Geological Survey Department for the year 1900. 

Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. III, Pt. I, 1887-88, Sec. B. 
26 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

TERTIARY SEDIMENTS. 

On the accompanying map a number of areas of Tertiary sediments are represented. These have been noted by prospectors and others because they sometimes 

carry workable coal beds. They consist of conglomerates, sandstones, and shales, 

usually slightly indurated and only gently folded. They have been studied in some 

detail by Dall,° who assigned them to the Kenai division of the Oligocene. At 

Lituya Bay the Kenai beds are overlain by Astoria beds, (Miocene). 

At Sitka some highly feldspathic sandstones were observed, whose stratigraphic 

position was not determined. These were described by Becker b as pyroclastic diorites. In thin section they show many minerals derived from crystalline rocks. In 

the field they are sometimes massive, but more often thin bedded. Their stratigraphic 

position has not been determined, but they may provisionally be assigned to the 

Tertiary. 

IGNEOUS ROCKS. 

The granite of the Coast Range forms the best-defined belt of igneous rock in the 

region. It extends northward from British Columbia throughout southeastern 

Alaska and crosses the international boundary again northwest of Chilkoot Pass. 

The granite usually contains hornblende and biotite, but has various local phases. 

It is typically massive, but frequently contains shear zones. In places it has been 

altered to a gneiss. The gneissoid phases seem to be more typical in the southern 

part of the belt, in the Ketchikan region, than in the north. Dawson has suggested 

that the gneissoid phases might be of Archean age. 

In the section exposed along White Pass, as determined by the writer, the 

granite is entirely massive except for a few very narrow shear zones. It is 

frequently cut by dikes, usually of a dioritic or diabasic character. Rhyolitic and 

andesitic rocks were also observed in the vicinity of Skagway. The intrusive character of the granite has been proved by Dr. Dawson and others, and is well shown 

in the Ketchikan region along its contact with the argillaceous schist. Here belts of 

granite and schist alternate irregularly. 

East of the Coast Range there are a number of extensive areas of granitic rocks, 

apparently belonging to the same age of intrusion as those of the Coast Range. To 

the west of the mountains smaller granite stocks are not uncommon. 

Greenstones are the most widely distributed of the igneous rocks of the region. 

This term is made to include various igneous rocks of a rather basic character and of 

varied composition. The oldest intrusion seems to have taken place in early Paieozoic time and was of a diabasic nature. These older greenstones are usually schistose. Diorites and quartz-diorites are both massive and schistose. Among the less 

common types are gabbros, pyroxenites, and amphibolites. The older greenstones 

are usually much altered and made up chiefly of secondary minerals. In the Ketcha Coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, pp. 763-908. 

b Gold fields of southern Alaska: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. III, p. 43. 
CORRELATION OF FORMATIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 27 

ikan district the diabases form the latest intrusions. Syenites have been found at a 

number of localities, notably at the Treadwell mine, near Juneau. 

In this connection reference must be made to the effusive rock of the Ketchikan 

district, where there are large developments of andesitic and rhyolitic rocks, believed 

to be.of Mesozoic age. Basalts and rhyolites occur in isolated patches in this district. A few of the larger areas east of the Coast Range are shown on the map. The 

more recent volcanic phenomena, so far as known, are limited to Mount Edgecumbe, 

a volcano on Kruzof Island, just west of Sitka. 

CORRELATION. 

The stratigraphy of the regions lying adjacent to the province under discussion 

is too imperfectly known to enable correlations to be made with confidence. It will 

be of interest, however, to draw attention to certain analogies of stratigraphic succession and lithologic character. This is especially true of the field to the south, 

where the. Canadian geologists have done some more or less detailed mapping. 

In a previous report(' the writer grouped the Carboniferous and Devonian beds 

of the Upper White and Tanana rivers together under the name Nutzotin series. 

This Nutzotin series would in a measure correspond to the subdivision called Upper 

Paleozoic on the accompanying map, but would probably also embrace a part at least 

of the argillites which lie adjacent to the Coast Range. In the report cited the limestones of Glacier Bay were all put in the Nutzotin, as they were then believed to be 

Carboniferous. In the same report the pre-Devonian sediments were grouped together 

as the Kotlo series, which would include the rocks of the ,Lower Paleozoic as defined 

in this report. As in southeastern Alaska, the two series are separated by an unconformity, and there are, broadly speaking, certain lithologic similarities in the rocks 

of the two regions. 

In the Copper River district Schrader and Spencer b have described two formations which probably fall in the Upper Paleozoic. These are the Chitistone limestone, believed to be of Carboniferous age, and the underlying Nikolai greenstone. 

This limestone can be provisionally correlated with the Upper Paleozoic beds of 

southeastern Alaska. The subdivision made by Schrader and Spencer of the beds 

below this limestone finds but little analogy in the older sediments of the region under 

discussion. 

The comparison of the Mesozoic beds of the Copper River region and of southeastern Alaska allows of certain tentative correlations. The Kennicott formation, 

occurring in the Copper River region, is generally of a sandy nature. It rests unconformably upon the upturned Paleozoic and Triassic strata, and contains fossils which 

prove its age to be Jura-Cretaceous, so that there are both paleontologic and structural 

grounds for correlating it with the recognized Mesozoic formations of southeastern 

Alaska. As regards the Lower Mesozoic rocks, the Triassic is well developed in the 

a A reconnaissance from Pyramid Harbor to Eagle City: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. II, p. 359. 

bGeology and mineral resources of the Copper River district, Alaska; a royal octavo pamphlet published by the 

United States Geological Survey in 1901 by authority of a joint resolution of Congress. 
28 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Copper River district, while in the southern region it has not been differentiated, 

although strata of this age may be, and probably are, included in the rocks which 

have been grouped either with the Upper Paleozoic Vallenar series or with the 

Ketchikan series, to which no age has been assigned. 

The Tertiary sediments of southeastern Alaska are chiefly equivalent to the Kenai 

series, which has been identified in many localities in Alaska. 

Dawson's last investigation a on the geology of this northern region is embodied 

in a report on the Kamloops district in southern British Columbia. This work was 

done in much more detail than any which preceded,b and resulted in a definite determination of the stratigraphic succession of all the formations involved. 

The Kamloops region is too distant from the province under discussion to make 

correlations possible at present, but it is interesting to note that the Cambrian period 

is represented by beds aggregating a thickness of 40,000 feet. It seems probable that 

some of the Lower Paleozoic beds of southeastern Alaska may eventually be found to 

be of Cambrian age. The absence of Silurian and Devonian in the Kamloops region 

is noteworthy in comparison with the southeastern Alaskan section. Dawson finds 

definite evidence of the existence of pre-Cambrian rocks in this southern district. 

In describing the geology of the Queen Charlotte Islands, Dawson groups the 

Triassic and Carboniferous beds together, and states that these are unconformably 

overlain by Cretaceous rocks. After the close of the Triassic, folding took place, 

and it was probably during this general period that the great granitic intrusions 

occurred. From the descriptions of Dawson these Triassic and Carboniferous rocks 

are believed to show a striking analogy to the metamorphic argillites which lie 

adjacent to the Coast Range granites in southeastern Alaska. Dawson finds a large 

amount of volcanic material in the southern part of Vancouver Island in a series of 

rocks which he believes to belong to the Carboniferous. These volcanic effusives 

seem to have the same stratigraphic position as the Kasaan greenstones of southeastern Alaska, which have been provisionally assigned to the Mesozoic and probably 

belong to its lower portion. 

The Mesozoic sedimentary rocks in the province under discussion would seem to 

correspond to the Cretaceous of the Queen Charlotte Islands, both in stratigraphic 

position and in lithologic character. Dawson notes a period of folding which succeeded the deposition of the Cretaceous. The Tertiary rocks described by him are 

chiefly volcanic, and are provisionally assigned to the Miocene. 

On' the Lower Skeena River and in the vicinity o f Port Simpson Dawson found 

a metamorphic series made up of mica-schists and some limestones closely associated 

with gneisses. These would seem to be the southern extension of the Ketchikan 

a Report on the area of the Kamloops map sheet, British Columbia: Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, Vol. 

VII, 1894. 

b Dawson summarized the results of his twenty-five years of investigation of northwestern America in a presidential 

address to the Geological Society of America, entitled, Geological record of the Rocky Mountain region in Canada. 

Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. XII, 1901, pp. 57-92. 

cReport on the Queen Charlotte Islands: Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, 1880, p. 45 B. 
DYNAMIC HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 29 

series, which is part of the belt of argillites that lies adjacent to the granite of the 

Coast Range throughout southeastern Alaska. 

DYNAMIC HISTORY. 

The history of the deformation of the rocks of the region is complex, and has 

not yet been worked out. In the western belt of Lower Paleozoic beds the strata are 

intensely metamorphosed and defoirned. To the east, in the Upper Paleozoic beds, 

there has been little dynamic action, while still farther to the east, in the belt of 

argillites, the metamorphic action has again been intense. To the east of the Coast 

Range the Paleozoic rocks have all suffered about the same degree of alteration, with 

the exception of those which lie immediately adjacent to the intrusive granites. It 

is evident that the observed metamorphism has been of two kinds, assignable to different causes—the regional metamorphism, which is due to deformation, and the 

contact metamorphism, which has been brought about by the intrusion of igneous 

rocks. 

The phenomena of contact metamorphism are commonly regarded as confined to 

chemical effects produced by the heat and accompanying gases of igneous intrusions, 

but many cases are on record where the mechanical effect caused by the pressure of 

the invading rock has been of great importance. Such is the case in the vicinity 

of the granite masses of the Coast Range, where the mechanical alteration of the 

rocks is quite comparable to the regional metamorphism noted in neighboring 

localities; and, since the intrusion occurred after the greatest regional disturbance, 

the effects of the latter have been to a certain extent obscured by the former. 

There are three zones in the region. which are marked by more or less intense 

metamorphism. One includes the rocks of the Lower Paleozoic, extending through 

the western group of the Alexander Archipelago, while the other two lie on either 

side and adjacent to the granite of the Coast Range. The two westernmost of these 

zones, in the southern part of the region at least, are separated by a belt of Upper 

Paleozoic beds, which are folded, but only slightly indurated, while the Coast Range 

granite separates the two eastern zones. 

In the western belt the sediments are intensely folded and plicated and are generally metamorphosed to such an extent that the limestones appear in the form of 

marble and the argillaceous strata as phyllites. The broad structural lines are in 

general parallel to the axis of the belt—that is, northwest and southeast—but the 

axes of minor folds are extremely variable in direction. 

The period of mountain building during which these rocks were crushed and 

metamorphosed is the earliest of which we have any tangible record in southeastern 

Alaska, and in the Ketchikan district its date can be definitely recognized as preDevonian. It was during this epoch that the injection of the igneous rocks included 

under the designation " greenstone" commenced, though later intrusions of similar 

basic rocks are known to have occurred, as shown by the relatively massive character 

of certain of the greenstones when compared with others which are highly sheared. 
30 THE KETCHIK AN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

In the southern part of the province it will be shown that Paleozoic sedimentation was interrupted by mountain building, and also that a period of erosion ensued, 

probably in early Devonian times. The Devonian beds are much less altered than 

those of the Lower Paleozoic, and the folding which they exhibit is of a broad, open 

type. Tracing these Devonian beds eastward, they are found to become metamorphosed as the zone of the Coast Range intrusives is approached. 

The alteration observed in the two eastern zones adjacent to the intrusive granite 

belt of the Coast Range may be assigned, in part at least, to contact metamorphism. 

On the west side of the range most of the rocks are greatly altered argillites, and 

to the east of the range there is a succession of sediments whose basal members are 

also considerably altered. This metamorphism is in part plainly due to igneous contact, but must in part be assigned to the mechanical stress brought about by the 

intrusion of the granite. The intrusion of the granite has been shown to be Mesozoic, 

and probably post-Triassic. The evidence of contact metamorphism is the presence 

of minerals such as garnet and micas, which are developed in a limited contact zone. 

Mechanical metamorphism evinces itself in the development of shear zones, and of 

foliation as the granite mass is approached. 

During Mesozoic times, and after the injection of the granite, large extrusions 

of volcanic rocks took place. These rocks, as well as the granite, were subsequently 

somewhat subjected to deformation, which was most intense along the axis of the 

Coast Range, where the granites were in part changed to gneisses and mica-schists. 

Subsequently another intrusion of igneous rock took place, which, though widely 

distributed, was not great in bulk. This epoch is represented by the large number 

of dikes, usually quite massive, which are found in different parts of the region. 

Deformational movements since Kenai time have been only of minor importance, as 

shown by the very gentle folding found in the Tertiary beds. So far as known, there 

is absolutely no evidence of a southern extension of the post-Tertiary disturbance 

which Russella noted in the Mount St. Elias region. The most recent evidences of 

dynamic activity are the volcanic rocks of Mount Edgecumbe and some basalt flows 

which have been found in various parts of the region. 

One of the effects of crustal movements has been the production of lines of weakness in the rocks, which have been sought out by erosive agencies. These structural 

lines, which are represented by joint planes, fissures, shear zones, and foliation, have 

affected not only the bedded, but also the massive rocks. They may be grouped into 

two systems, one of which trends nearly north and south, while the other runs northwest and southeast. Both of these systems find expression in the position of the 

channels and inlets of this coastal belt. (Compare map, Pl. I.) 

SUMMARY. 

In the province under discussion Paleozoic terranes ranging from Silurian or 

older to the Carboniferous have an extensive development. Large masses of greena Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. III, 1891-92, p. 167. 
GLACIAL PHEMOTtIENA OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 31 

stones are intruded in the lowest members of the Paleozoic series. In part of the 

region, at least, a stratigraphic break is known to occur somewhere in the Devonian. A series of argillites occurs which seems to belong to the Upper Paleozoic 

horizons, but its stratigraphic position was not determined. The Mesozoic is 

represented in one part of the region by sedimentary strata, whose basal member 

is a conglomerate, overlying the Paleozoic rocks unconformably, and in another 

part by large extrusions of volcanic rocks. There were injections of granite in 

large masses along the Coast Range axis, probably during Middle or Later Mesozoic 

times, and in smaller masses elsewhere in the region. The Tertiary is represented 

by lignite-bearing sediments of Oligocene age, which are only slightly disturbed or 

indurated. Some volcanic rocks have been extruded in post-Tertiary times. 

Besides these, dikes of various rock types are present in all the pre-Tertiary beds. 

The earliest epoch of intense disturbance was in pre-Devonian time, and was 

accompanied by large intrusions of basic igneous rocks. The next period of 

metamorphism was probably in Middle Mesozoic time, when the intrusion of the 

granite of the Coast Range took place. The alteration of the sediments adjacent 

to the mass of granular igneous rock is assigned jointly to contact metamorphism 

and to the mechanical effect of injections. The granite itself shows the effect of 

deformation, having been locally changed to gneiss and mica-schist. No evidence 

has been found of any post-Tertiary disturbances commensurate with these ancient 

revolutions. 

GLACIAL PHENOMENA. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Southeastern Alaska is par excellence the region of the world in which to 

study glaciers, and in the Territory more attention has been given to this branch 

of geology than to all others. There is a large literature which, directly or 

indirectly, bears on Alaskan glaciers, but many of the investigations have been 

rather superficial, and the descriptions have often been scenic rather than technical 

and accurate. There have been, however, a number of earnest workers who have 

made detailed studies and investigations. John Muir was the first to call attention 

to the magnificent scenery of what is now the much-traveled Alaskan tourist 

route.a In 1879 he, in company with the Rev. S. Hall Young, discovered and 

explored Glacier Bay. Muir subsequently spent several summers in this region, 

and has written very delightful accounts of it. The Rev. G. Frederick Wright 

was among the early students of the glaciers of the region, and there have 

been many others. The more technical studies have been made by Russell,c Reid,a 

Gilbert,e and others. 

a The discovery of Glacier Bay: The Century Magazine, June, 1895. 

b The Ice Age in North America, 1889, Chapter III. 

c Expedition to Mount St. Elias: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. III, 1891-92; Second expedition to Mount St. Elias: Thirteenth 

Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. II, 1893, pp. 1-91. 

d Studies of the Muir Glacier: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, 1892-93; Glacier Bay and its glaciers: Sixteenth Ann. Rept. 

U. S. Geol. Survey, Pt. I, 1896, pp. 421-461. 

e Gilbert's results have not yet been published; they are to appear in a forthcoming volume of the Harriman 

expedition. 
32 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Of the regional glaciation of southeastern Alaska not many details are known, 

and the lack of topographic data makes it a problem difficult of treatment. It has 

been discussed by Hayes,a Tyrrell,b and more especially by Dawson.° In the present 

sketch the writer will not attempt to summarize the literature, but will only present 

a few generalizations. 

EXISTING GLACIERS. 

The existing glaciers of Alaska are particularly limited to the westernmost 

of the four geographic provinces—the Pacific Mountain system—and the largest 

development of glacial ice is found on the seaward slope of the St. Elias and 

Coast ranges. 

The average altitude of the St. Elias Range probably exceeds 10,000 feet. On 

the Pacific side the limit of perpetual snow on this great mountain mass is at an 

altitude of about 2,000 feet, and it is probably something over 6,500 feet on the 

inland slope. The interior of the range has never been explored, but is known to 

include vast snow fields, which Russell viewed from Mount St. Elias and described as 

" limitless in expanse." A similar description applies to the northern part of the 

range, which the writer viewed from a point on its inland margin almost due north 

from Mount St. Elias. 

These large neve fields give rise to many glaciers, which discharge on both sides 

of the range. The glaciers on the inland slope of the range are comparatively 

insignificant compared with those on the Pacific slope. The largest ice fields of 

Alaska are to be found along the coast between 'Cross Sound and the Copper 

River delta, and they are, in fact, among the largest in the world. The development of glacial ice in this coastal belt is only equaled by that of Greenland. The 

larger glaciers, which are of the piedmont type, spread out on emerging from 

the mountain valleys and form those large seas of ice which are such characteristic 

features of this coast line. The Malaspina Glacier, which is west of Yakutat Bay, 

presents a front of over 40 miles and is a good example of this type. Besides 

these piedmont glaciers there are also many of the alpine type, which do not reach 

the coastal plain. Those of the inland slope of the St. Elias Range are of the 

alpine type and seldom even reach the floors of the larger valleys. 

In the Coast Range glacial ice is developed to a much less extent than in the St. 

Elias Range. The altitude of the range is not so great and the snow fields are much 

smaller. The precipitation from the moisture-bearing winds of the Pacific is much 

more largely in the form of rain than of snow. This is in part owing to climatic 

variations due to difference in latitude. To the tif4thward the line of perpetual 

snow rises rapidly, so that near Dixon Entrance it stands between 5,000 and 6,000 

a An expedition through the Yukon district: Nat. Geog. Mag., Vol. IV, pp. 117-162. 

bGlacial phenomena in the Yukon district: Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. X, pp. 193-198. 

On the late physiographical geology of the Rocky Mountain region in Canada, with special reference to the change 

in elevation and the history of the Glacial period: Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada, Vol. VII1,1890, sect. 4. Report on the exploration in the Yukon district, N. W. T., and adjacent portions of British Columbia: Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Canada, new series, 

Vol. III, Pt. II, 1887-88, pp. 1-277 B. 
FORMER GLACIATION OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.4 33 

feet on the seaward side of the Coast Range. The mountainous basin of the 

Alexander Archipelago, which intervenes between the mainland and the open ocean, 

probably also has an important effect on the precipitation in the Coast Range. 

The glaciers of the Coast Range are of the alpine type, and are almost all on the 

seaward slope. Lynn Canal receives several glaciers from the Coast Range, but 

none of them reach tide water. Taku Inlet and Stikine River receive a number of 

glaciers of considerable size, which have been described by Dawson and others. 

The coast line between the Stikine and the Taku has many indentations, and large 

glaciers are tributary to the heads of a number of these. South of the Stikine the 

glaciers are much smaller. Several are said to drain into the head of Portland 

Canal. No glaciers exist on the islands of southeastern Alaska. The glaciers of 

Alaska, as far as known, are all retreating. In the Glacier Bay region this fact has 

been definitely established by actual measurements made by Professor Reid. 

Near the southeastern end of the St. Elias Range is a large neve which is the 

source of glaciers that radiate in three directions. Of these the glaciers of Glacier 

Bay are best known, since they are on the well-known tourist route of southeastern 

Alaska. The Davidson Glacier, emptying into. Lynn Canal, has its source in this 

snow field, as have also a number of smaller glaciers which discharge into the 

southern tributaries of the Chilkat River. 

FORMER GLACIATION. 

The investigations of the past season contributed but very little to the glacial 

history of the region. It is worth while, however, to record such observations as 

were made, so that they may be available to those who study the region in future. 

Evidence of glacial action was found at low altitudes in nearly every part of the 

Ketchikan mining region, where the more detailed work was done. This evidence 

was chiefly in the character of the valleys, the distribution of glacial bowlders, and 

in a few instances glacial striations. At only a few localities was any morainic 

material observed, and this only in very limited quantities. 

The valley floors and the walls of the fiords near sea level usually show evidence 

of glaciation, but in only a few cases was evidence obtainable in regard to the 

mountains. Near the western end of Moira Sound, on Prince of Wales Island, 

evidence of glacial action was found at an altitude of 2,200 feet. Near Niblack 

Anchorage, on the other hand, the topography suggested at least that the upward 

limit of glacial action had not been higher than 2,000 feet. In general, however, it 

can be said that the mountains of the southern part of the Alexander Archipelago 

have the appearance of having suffered glaciation up to a height of at least 2,000 

feet. In the northern part of the area under discussion only a few random observations were made bearing on glaciation. Glacial bowlders are found at Juneau at an 

altitude of 3,200 feet, and there is also a moraine at the mouth of Gold Creek, on 

which the town of Juneau is in part located. On the Chilkat River, which is tribu9210—No. 1-02--3 
3 4 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

tary to Lynn Canal, terraces were observed at an altitude of about 1,000 feet. 

On the Klehini River, a southerly fork of the Chilkat, similar terraces were noted at 

an altitude of 1,400 feet. These terraces usually slope toward the axes of the valley. 

Their material, as far as determined, is sand and gravel, with some silt and occasional 

bowlders. It seems probable that these terraces were built along the valley walls 

when the valley was occupied by glacier ice. Evidence of glacial action has been 

noted by a number of observers along Lynn Canal, Taku Inlet, and the Stikine River. 

Among the noteworthy topographic features observed in this region are the rockcut basins occupied by lakes, which are of not uncommon occurrence, especially in 

the Ketchikan region. On the east side of Niblack Anchorage, on Prince of Wales 

Island, is a lake about a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, which is entirely 

surrounded by a rock rim. Soundings showed that the bottom of the lake is about 

200 feet below sea level, while its surface is now about 100 feet above tide water. 

Lakes similarly located were seen at other places, but were not sounded. It seems 

probable, however, that the bottoms of these rock basins frequently reach below sea 

level. An examination of the Coast Survey charts of the region shows similar 

depressions in the floors of some of the inlets. There seems to be no other explanation for these basins than that they have been excavated by glacial scouring. 

In general it can be stated that all of the valleys and lowlands of southeastern 

Alaska, including the islands of the Alexander Archipelago, show glaciation. 

Whether the ice sheet which produced this glaciation overrode the higher mountains 

of the archipelago or simply occupied the valleys has not been determined, for no 

definite evidence was found to show that the entire region has been occupied by ice. 

Dawson a described the glaciation of the northern Cordilleran region at some 

length. He has shown that the locus of ice accumulation was in northern British 

Columbia, and that from that center the ice flowed in every direction. Since Dawson made his observations the northern limit of this ice sheet has been more accurately determined by different observers, but, on the whole, there has been but little 

added to the general knowledge of this glacial epoch. 

The following quotation has a bearing on the glaciation of southeastern Alaska:b 

"A certain proportion of the ice, however, during the maximum phase of this 

great glacier flowed through passes in the Coast Ranges, and uniting there with ice 

derived from the western slopes of these ranges, filled the great valley between 

Vancouver Island and the mainland, impinged upon the shores of the Queen Charlotte 

Islands, and still farther north reached the ocean across the coast archipelago of the 

southeastern coast strip of Alaska." 

Dawson, therefore, regarded the ice sheet of the coastal belt of southeastern 

Alaska and British Columbia as being the result of the accumulation of ice and snow 

on the western slope of the Coast Range. This was distinct from the ice sheet of 

the interior, but was connected with it by glaciers which occupied the valleys and 

rivers that break the Coast Range. 

a Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada, Vol. VIII, 1890, sec. 4. b Dawson, op. cit., p. 27. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE KETCHIKAN DISTRICT. 35 

Gilbert,a who is familiar with this region, is inclined to assign the present 

coastal topography of southern Alaska to glacial action rather than to depression. 

He has adduced some evidence which goes to show that since the glaciation there has 

been no depression in the region. On this point the writer has no evidence to offer. 

He is, however, very strongly impressed with the fact that ice action has played a 

very important part in producing the present topographic forms of this part of 

Alaska. 

THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 

The Ketchikan mining district embraces an area of about 7,200 square miles in 

southeastern Alaska, and is the southernmost of the several recording districts into 

which southeastern Alaska has been divided. The district (see map, Pl. II) includes 

Prince of Wales, Revillagigedo, and many smaller islands, as well as a part of the 

mainland. It lies between latitudes 54° 40' and 56° 20' and longitudes 129° 50' and 

134°. The international boundary marks its southern and eastern limits. The 

northern boundary of the district follows Sumner Strait, Clarence Strait, Ernest 

Sound, the Eastern Passage, and Bradfield Canal to its head, from which latter point it 

runs due east to the international boundary. To the west the district is bounded by 

the Pacific Ocean, and includes all of the small islands lying adjacent to Prince of 

Wales Island. A little less than a third of the area of the district is mainland, the 

rest being included in the islands. Prince of Wales Island is the largest of the 

islands, and Revillagigedo Island is second in size. The following table shows the 

approximate areas: 

Approximate areas of principal islands of Ketchikan district. 

Square miles. 

Prince of Wales Island 4 2, 800 

Revillagigedo Island 4 1, 043 

Dall Island 4 200 

Annette Island 4 142 

Gravina Island 4 100 

Kosciusko Island 4 100 

Duke Island 4 60 

Bell Island 4 19 

Hassler Island 4 12 

Betton Island 4 8 

From a topographic standpoint the Ketchikan district falls naturally into two 

subdivisions, one lying east and one west of Clarence Strait. The easterly portion 

embraces Gravina, Annette, Duke, and Revillagigedo islands and the adjacent portions of the mainland. The westerly portion includes Prince of Wales and the 

smaller adjacent islands. 

a Gilbert's results have not yet been published, but were briefly summarized in a paper read before the Geological 

Society of Washington, March 27, 1899. 
36 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

The easterly part of the district falls within the Coast Range province. This 

part of the Coast Range consists of a rather rugged mountain mass having no welldefined crest line. The highest peaks reach altitudes of 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Among 

the higher mountains glaciers are not uncommon, but they are insignificant in size 

compared with those in the northern part of the range. 

Prince of Wales Island is 140 miles in length and has an extreme width of about 

40 miles. With its contiguous islands on the west it forms a distinct group, which 

has a rectangular outline and is separated from the islands and mainland to the east 

by Clarence Strait. The coast line of Prince of Wales Island is broken by many 

deep embayments which run far inland. At a number of localities such embayments 

approach each other from opposite sides of the island and reduce its width to but a 

few miles. At many places broad valleys with very low divides connect these opposing fiords. A depression of a few hundred feet would flood these divides and resolve 

Prince of Wales Island into an archipelago. The relief on the island varies from 

1,500 to 3,600 feet. The shore line is generally abrupt and the mountains have very 

steep slopes. The huger valleys have the U-shaped cross sections typical of glaciated 

regions. In the valley bottoms the streams have incised post-Glacial gorges. Lakes 

occupying rock-bound basins, which have been scooped out by glacial action, are 

found throughout the district. Of the drainage but few details are known, as the 

interior of the island is entirely unmapped. Generally speaking, the streams have 

east-west courses. The drainage system seems to be very irregular, the watershed 

being in some places near the eastern, in others near the western coast of the island. 

The mountains, the highest of which reach altitudes of about 3,500 feet, form no 

well-defined ranges, but, broadly speaking, have,a' northwest-southeast linear arrangement. The islands on the west side of Prince of Wales were not visited by the writer 

and but little information was obtained in regard to them. Their relief is probably 

less than that of Prince of Wales. 

rhe easterly- province, in its relief and general topographic character, can 

not properly be separated from :the Coast Range. Minor ranges extend in a 

northwest-southeast direction through Gravina, Annette, and Duke Islands. The 

mountains of Revillagigedo Island and the mainland in general parallel the coast, 

and also the dominant structural lines. They are divided into many minor groups, 

within which there is no systematic arrangement or correspondence to rock 

structure. On these islands and on the Cleveland Peninsula to the north the 

drainage follows northerly and southerly courses, parallel to the trend of the 

mountains. • On the mainland to the east the principal water courses lie transverse to the axes of the ranges as a whole. The chief rivers empty into the 

heads of the fiords, whose directions are the continuation of their approximately 

northeast-southwest courses. The Unuk River is the largest of these transverse 

streams. Only a part of its course has been mapped, but its source must lie 

near the eastern limit of the Coast Range or within the Plateau region beyond. 
HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT. 

In its upper course it is said to occupy a narrow, rock-floored valley, but about 

20- miles from the coast it broadens out, and is floored with gravel to its mouth 

at the head of Burroughs Bay. Twenty miles south of Burroughs Bay the Chickamin River enters Behm Canal from the east. It has a broad delta at its mouth, 

and for some miles up a wide, gravel-floored' valley. Its source lies within the 

Coast Range among high mountains which give rise to a number of glaciers. 

The other mainland streams of the Ketchikan district are comparatively small 

and rise within the Coast Range. The largest are those which are tributary to 

the head of Portland Canal. 

HISTORY. 

During the Russian occupation of Alaska, then known as' Russian America, little 

or no attempt was made to investigate its mineral resources. A little coal mining 

was done on Cook Inlet, but, while it seems certain that the Russians had knowledge 

at least of the existence of the deposits of chalcopyrite ore, which form extensive 

outcrops along the beach on the north shore of Kasaan Bay,, the development of this 

and other metalliferous deposits was consistently avoided. 

Gold is said to have been discovered on the Stikine River in 1861, but it was 

not until after the transfer of Alaska to the United States that any attempts were 

made at placer mining. In 1865 the Russians sent an expedition to the Stikine 

River for the purpose of establishing the boundary between the Russian and English 

possessions. Prof. W. P. Blake accompanied this expedition as' a volunteer, and 

made notes on the geology of the region, which were subsequently published as a 

Congressional document,a and which constitute the first authoritative information 

in regard to the mineral resources of southeastern Alaska. Blake noted the presence of placer gold on the Stikine River. The workable deposits were chiefly on 

the Canadian side of the international boundary. 

During the early seventies many miners went to the newly discovered Cassiar 

gold district of British Columbia, and at that time a little prospecting was done in 

southeastern Alaska. The main route of travel to the Cassiar diggings was via 

Wrangell and the Stikine River. About the same time gold was reported from 

the Unuk River, but there was no systematic attempt to develop the field. 

It is said that a party of prospectors, attracted by the reports of the Russian 

traders concerning the occurrence' of copper on Kasaan Bay, visited Prince of Wales 

Island during the years 1870 to 1874 and discovered valuable deposits of copper. 

The comparative isolation of the district, and the fact that such enormous quantities of native copper had been found in the Lake Superior region, are probably the 

reasons that these sulphide deposits of Prince of Wales Island attracted but little 

attention. Moreover, the gold deposits of the northern part of southeastern Alaska 

attracted most of the prospectors. Gold-bearing quartz veins had been discovered 

a House Ex. Doc. No. 177, Pt. 2, Fortieth Congress, second session. 
38 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

near Sitka in 1873,a and systematic development was begun in 1877. This was followed in 1880 by the discovery of the gold placers and gold-bearing quartz veins near 

Juneau. 

During the succeeding years, while the mines near Juneau were being opened 

up, the Ketchikan district was entirely neglected. It was reported that valuable ore 

deposits existed on Prince of Wales Island, but prospectors seem to have regarded 

the rumors as not sufficiently definite to warrant any attempt at verification. In his 

Tenth Census report Petrof b mentions a mine which had been opened on Prince 

of Wales Island but which had subsequently closed down. Though he does not 

give the location of the mine, it is probable that he refers to abortive attempts at 

the development of the copper deposits on the north side of Kasaan Bay, near the 

present location of the Copper Queen. Miner W. Bruce, in his report to the Eleventh Census, states that " surface indications" on Prince of Wales Island indicate 

that it contains important mineral resources. The following is quoted from his 

statement: 

" The indications on the surface are that Prince of Wales Island contains much 

mineral. Gold, both free milling and in sulphurets, silver, galena, copper, and iron 

have been found in many places, but as yet no extensive efforts have been made to 

demonstrate whether any of the ores mentioned exist in paying quantities. If minerals exist in other portions of the district, the very limited prospecting done has 

failed to show it. Annette Island may be an exception, and also Dall Island. Some 

of the finest specimens of gold-bearing ore I have seen in my journey are said to 

have been taken from Dall Island." 

Whatever may have been Mr. Bruce's authority for making the above statement, 

it is certain that at the time of his visit but little prospecting had been done on 

Prince of Wales Island. 

It was the men who were engaged in salmon fishing who were next to interest 

themselves in the presence of ore bodies in the Ketchikan region. These men, whose 

vocation of hunting and fishing led them to explore the coast line of the region, had 

their attention called to the numerous quartz veins, and the more intelligent and 

energetic among them were led to do a little prospecting. They met with favorable 

results and were encouraged to continue. Prominent among them in 1892 was 

James Bowden, who discovered what he believed to be workable gold deposits on the 

eastern side of Annette Island. In 1897 discoveries were made on Gravina Island 

and near Boca de Quadra.d In the succeeding year a number of important locations were made, notably the Gold Standard property on Cleveland Peninsula, and 

some of the copper prospects at the northern end of Gravina Island. 

During the Klondike excitement of 1897-98, Wrangell became an important 

transshipment point, as, during the Cassiar rush many years before, the Stikine 

a Population and Resources of Alaska, Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, pp. 229, 230. 


b population, Industries, and Resources of Alaska, by Ivan Petrof, Tenth Census of the United States, 1884, p. 77. 


c Population and Resources of Alaska, Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, p. 39. 


a Report of the Governor of the District of Alaska, 1897, p. 31. 

HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT.4 39 

River was used as one of the routes into the interior. Some of these prospectors 

founcl their way into the Ketchikan district. A party of these disappointed 

argonauts which landed in Johnson Inlet, on Prince of Wales Island, learned of the 

discovery of gold in the vicinity through Paul Johnson, an Indian boy. The members of this party made many locations, and began some preliminary developments. 

During this period exploitation was going on actively at Helm Bay and on the 

Sea Level property near the head of Thorne Arm. Also some preliminary work 

was being done at several localities on Tongass Narrows, and at Seal Bay and Da11 

Head, both at the southern end of Gravina Island. In 1898 prospecting was begun 

at Copper Mountain, on Hetta Inlet, Mount Andrew and Copper Queen, on Kasaan 

Bay, and in the following year discoveries were made at Hollis, Niblack Anchorage, 

and on Skowl Arm. The last two years have seen great activity in the Ketchikan 

district, and probably several hundred claims have been staked. At a number of 

localities systematic mining has been undertaken. More detailed descriptions will be 

found in the succeeding section of this report. 

The mineral products of the district which have thus far been marketed are 

gold, silver, and copper. In spite of the fact that hardly a single mine can be said to 

have yet reached a shipping basis, the district to the end of 1901 produced probably 

over $100,000 in gold and upward of $20,000 worth of copper. 

The town of Ketchikan, which is the general distributing point for the district, 

is located on the west side of Revillagigedo Island and on the east side of Tongass 

Narrows. With a population of 600 to 700, and ample stores and hotels, it makes a 

good outfitting point for those who wish to examine the district. It can be reached 

by steamer from Puget Sound ports in two or three days. As Ketchikan is the port 

of entry for southeastern Alaska, all the steamers, both from Puget Sound and from 

Canadian ports, have to make landing. It has therefore excellent steamboat 

connections and ample wharf facilities. A small but comfortable steamer makes 

regular trips from Ketchikan to the various mining camps on the east side of Prince 

of Wales Island. There are also a number of small launches and sloops at Ketchikan 

which can be chartered for cruising among the islands. 

The prices of provisions and supplies are not much in advance of those of Seattle. 

In 1901 freight rates were quoted to the writer as follows: From Seattle to 

Ketchikan, $8 a ton; from Ketchikan to points on Prince of Wales Island, $3 per 

ton. Coal retails at Ketchikan for $11 a ton. Lumber varies in price, but for small 

lots sells for about $15 or $16 per thousand. Wages in 1901. were $2.50 to $3 per 

day and board, but experienced miners were very difficult to find. 

Up to the time when the mining excitement began salmon canning was the chief 

industry of the region. Canneries are located at Ketchikan, Loring, Metlakatla, 

and at a number of points on the west side of Prince of Wales Island. There are 

also many salteries within the district, where the salmon are salted instead of canned. 

The canneries and salteries are usually in operation from about the middle of June 

until the 1st of October. 
40 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

GEOLOGY. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The greater part of the two months which were devoted to the study of the 

Ketchikan district was given to an examination of the ore deposits, and the flapping 

of the geology was necessarily made incidental to the economic work. For this 

reason, and because there are no topographic maps of the region, the distribution of 

the formations can be represented only in the most general way. The general geologic 

observations which have been made are in many cases not sufficient to warrant more 

than tentative conclusions, but it is believed that the descriptions and the general 

succession of formations as here presented will not be materially modified when the 

region is studied in detail, though the formations will undoubtedly be more minutely 

subdivided and many structural features will be found which were entirely overlooked 

in the work of last season. 

The oldest rocks of the district are crystalline limestones and phyllites, which 

occupy a large area on Prince of Wales Island and have been called the Wales series. 

They are believed to be of Silurian or pre-Silurian age. 

Succeeding these is a series of bluish limestones, calcareous schists, and black 

slates, which was found along the western part of Gravina Island. It has been 

named the Vallenar series, from its typical exposures on the bay of the same name. 

Fossil evidence goes to show that this 'series is, at part at least, of Middle Devonian 

age. 

- The name Ketchikan series has been applied to a succession of argillites with some 

limestones and arenaceous beds which are found along the eastern margin of Gravina 

Island and along the western margin of Revillagigedo Island. These rocks are believed 

to be in part Paleozoic and in part Mesozoic. 

On the southern end of Gravina Island massive conglomerates were found unconformably overlying the Vallenar rocks. These have been termed the Gravina series, 

and are provisionally assigned to the Mesozoic. At Coal Bay, an arm of Kasaan 

Bay, some lignite-bearing beds occur, which are believed to be Tertiary. 

Igneous rocks have a wide distribution in the region, granite being among the 

most abundant. The eastern part of the district is occupied by a broad, batholitic 

belt of granite, which is the principal constituent formation of the- adjacent portion 

of the Coast Range. This is found cutting the Ketchikan series. At various other 

localities granite stocks were found. Pegmatite is not uncommon in dikes, and 

syenite was found at one locality. Diorites are widely distributed as stocks, dikes, 

and sills. Gabbros and amphiboles also occur among the intrusives. Greenstoneschists are widely distributed and are found associated with all the sedimentary 

beds except the Gravina series. They are made up chiefly of chlorite, with some 

actinolite, epidote, and other schists. Diabases are very common, and belong to the 

latest intrusions in the region. Of the effusive rocks, which are also well repre-
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SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE DISTRICT.4 41 

sented in the district, the most abundant is the porphyritic rock which has been 

termed the Kasaan greenstone. Its general character is that of an andesite, but 

it shows great local variations, and probably includes some intrusive rocks. 

Rhyolites, trachytes, and basalts were also noted at a few localities. 

BED-ROCK GEOLOGY. 

SEDIMENTARIES. 

Wales series.—A belt of argillites and white limestones extends in a northwestsoutheast direction through Prince of Wales Island, and these, with the possible 

exception of some gneisses found associated with the granite, are the oldest rocks of 

the district. These argillites and limestones, together with closely associated greenstones, have been provisionally grouped as one formation under the name Wales 

series, although eventually the series will unquestionably be further subdivided. 

This belt is interrupted in many places by areas of younger effusive rocks, which will 

be referred to hereafter. 

The series as a whole can be divided into two parts, one of which is prevailingly 

argillaceous, while the other is essentially calcareous. Both the argillites and limestones are intensely folded, and they are frequently much metamorphosed. The 

reconnaissance did not allow the definite establishment of the age relations of the two 

portions of the series, but the greater part of the evidence points to the conclusion 

that the argillites are older than the limestones. This' idea of the relative position of 

the two portions of the Wales series is supported by the known succession of argillites 

and limestones probably of the same age at Glacier Bay. 

In the Ketchikan district the argillaceous part of the Wales series is well developed west of Twelvemile Arm, in the vicinity of Hollis. At that locality the rocks 

are typical clay slates and phyllites, often carrying graphite and including some 

interbedded arenaceous strata. Intrusives of a basic character are not uncommon. 

To the east of the argillites is a belt of white crystalline limestone apparently over­ , lying the argillites. From notes obtained from prospectors it seems probable that 

these argillites extend to the northwest and form the country rock of the gold-bearing 

region southwest of Karta Bay. Similar argillites were found at the western end of 

Moira Sound, where they also appear to underlie the crystalline limestones which 

outcrop to the east. Schrader reports that argillaceous and arenaceous sediments 

outcrop on Hunter Bay, near the southern end of Prince of Wales Island, which are 

probably of the same series. 

The limestones of the Wales series are much more extensively developed in 

the Ketchikan district than the argillites. They are traceable as a broken belt 

from Moira Sound northwestward to the western part of Kasaan Bay and westward to Hetta Inlet, which was the limit of the reconnaissance. Marble is 

reported at the northern end of Prince of Wales Island. The limestone is typically white or bluish white, crystalline, and often dolomitic. It is usually much 
42 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

jointed and sometimes schistose. Basic intrusives are everywhere closely associated with the limestone, occurring as narrow sills and dikes and also as broad 

belts within the limestone area. These greenstones are always schistose . and 

sometimes finely foliated. They are apparently of an intrusive character, though 

it is possible that some of them are tuffaceous. Narrow belts of graphitic slates 

and phyllites occur within the limestone area, locally producing a resemblance to 

the underlying argillites, which made it impossible to differentiate the upper and 

lower members of the Wales series. 

No measurement of the thickness of this series was obtained. It seems 

probable, however, that the limestone alone is several thousand feet thick. 

The age of the Wales series was not determined. It will be shown below 

that the succeeding rocks, which overlie them unconformably, are of Middle 

Devonian age. The northern extension of what is believed to be the same series 

has been shown to carry Upper Silurian fossils, and it will therefore be provisionally assigned to the Silurian. 

The rocks of the Wales series carry important ore bodies. The phyllites are 

fractured, and in several localities are cut by true fissure veins containing ores 

which sometimes carry good values in silver and gold. Similar veins are found 

intersecting the crystalline limestones. As will be shown below, some of these 

seem to be replacement. Another form of ore-bearing veins, which carry both 

copper and gold, occurs at the contact of crystalline limestone and intrusive 

igneous rocks. Mineralized zones containing copper and gold are found in some 

of the schistose intrusives which cut the Wales series. Workable beds of marble 

are reported to have been found in this series. 

Vallenar seri es.—The next succeeding horizon is the Vallenar series, so named 

from its type exposures on Vallenar Bay, at the northern end of Gravina Island. 

The series is composed essentially of limestones and calcareous schists with some 

black slates. 

The distribution and metamorphism of the Vallenar series are somewhat 

puzzling. At Long Island in Kasaan Bay blue limestones carrying Devonian fossils 

are well exposed. These are only gently folded and appear to unconformably 

overlie a quartz-schist which contains much feldspar. At Vallenar Bay, on the 

other hand, is exposed a similar fossiliferous limestone which has been much 

crumpled and considerably altered. It will be shown that this increase in 

metamorphism to the east is probably due to the action of the intrusive Coast 

Range granite. Such local variation in the amount of metamorphism makes it 

probable that the Vallenar series will eventually be identified in other localities, 

among certain of the metamorphic limestones which have here been assigned to the 

Wales or Ketchikan series. 

The Vallenar series has been mapped as a broad belt on the western side of 

Gravina Island. It was positively identified, however, only at Vallenar Bay. At 
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE DISTRICT.4 43 

the southern end of the island were found calcareous schists and black slates 

which are provisionially assigned to this horizon. The correlation of the beds at 

the two ends of the island rests upon a very slender foundation. 

The Vallenar rock, like the underlying beds, contains intrusions of greenstones 

of various character. These are usually schistose and often highly contorted. At 

Da11 Head, in Seal Bay, occurs a system of pegmatite dikes cutting both the 

Vallenar series and the associated greenstones. These are of interest because of 

the close association of the ore bodies with them. 

On Gravina Island the eastern limit of the Vallenar rocks is marked by what 

is believed to be a fault, and no determination of their thickness could be made. 

At Long Island the blue limestone which there forms the basal member of the 

series is probably 200 feet thick. 

The discovery of fossils at Long Island definitely determines the age of a 

part, at least, of the Vallenar series. These fossils were referred to Mr. Schuchert, 

who reports as follows: 

"The specimens from Long Island are Favosites near F. epidermatus in abundance; Callapora ?; Pugnax sp. undet., a small species; Gypidulasp. undet., a strongly 

plicated small species; Atrypa retieularis Linne; Parazyga apparently near P. h,ir­

&act; Campophyllum sp. undet., a large species with a very deep cup; and Acervularia with large coralites. The specimens from Vallenar Bay include a rhomboporoid 

bryozoan unknown in rocks older than Devonian. The age may be the same as the 

coral-bearing strata of Long Isldnd. 

"The age of the fossils from the above-mentioned localities is Middle Devonian. 

While each lot has a different association of species, all are of Middle Devonian age, 

but may represent different horizons. 

" Similar Alaskan coral faunas of Middle Devonian age are known on the Upper 

Kuskokwim at latitude 63° 10', longitude 154° 56', and near Cape Lisburne, on the 

Arctic coast. 

"From Kuiu Island, in southern Alaska, a few fossils of Middle Devonian age 

are known, but the fauna is quite different in that it contains no corals. A different 

horizon, possibly a lower one, may be indicated." 

As has been shown, Schuchert regards these beds as in general synchronous 

with the horizon from which a coral was secured in the debris of Dirt Glacier of 

Glacier Bay. 

A broad depression, which connects Vallenar Bay on the north with Bostwick 

Inlet on the south, divides Gravina Island into two distinct parts. The western 

part is believed to be occupied chiefly by the rocks of the Vallenar series; to the 

east are slates and greenstones which belong to the Ketchikan series. While there 

is no positive evidence„ the topographic features suggest that there has been faulting 

along this depression. 

At the southern end of Gravina Island important copper deposits have been 

found in rocks which were correlated with the Vallenar series. These occur associated with the pegmatite dikes which have been referred to. 
44 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Ketch,ikan series.—The rocks, of this series are argillaceous and arenaceous schists, 

forming a belt which lies between the Vallenar rocks and the granite of the Coast 

Range. They were found in the vicinity of Ketchikan, on both sides of the Tongass 

Narrows, on the western part of Revillagigedo Island, on the Cleveland Peninsula, 

along George Inlet, and on the eastern side of Behm Canal as far as Traitors Cove. 

They are also found in Thorne Arm, George Inlet, and in the lower part of Carroll 

Inlet. They are for the most part finely foliated slates and phyllites, usually carrying considerable graphitic or carbonaceous matter. East of Ketchikan they include 

some arenaceous beds which are more or less flaggy. While for the most part 

argillaceous, they also include some limestone areas, which seem to be an integral 

part of the series. As far as could be determined, the limestones belong to the upper 

part of the series, and the lower part is practically devoid of calcareous matter. 

The limestones which were observed in this series are limited to two or three 

belts in, the vicinity of George Inlet, and Throne Arm. These limestones are white 

or bluish, usually quite crystalline, much jointed, and sometimes foliated. It is 

possible that the structure in the vicinity of these limestone beds has been misinterpreted, and that they, as a matter of fact, belong to an older series which has been 

infolded with the argillites. 

The beds of this series strike northwesterly and southeasterly with varying dips. 

Usually they are closely folded. Going eastward across the strike, one finds the 

argillites to be more metamorphosed and the folding more intense as the granite is 

approached. Near the contact the rocks are altered to phyllites and sometimes to 

mica schists. This fact suggests the possibility that the mica-schists which occur 

within the Coast Range granite belt may belong to the Ketchikan series. 

The eastern limit of the Ketchikan series is formed by the Coast Range granite 

mass. These granites are intrusive, and near th6 contact there is usually an irregular 

succession of slate and granite belts. 

Neither the thickness nor the age of the Ketchikan rocks could be determined, 

but near Coon Island, on George Inlet, the limestones of the series were found to 

contain many crinoid stems, which, suggests that the limestone at least belongs to 

the Upper Paleozoic. In the sketch of the geology of southeastern Alaska a belt of 

argillites is described (p. 24) which includes the Ketchikan series and which lies 

adjacent to the granite on the west. Evidence is there presented which tends to 

show that these rocks are in part Mesozoic; an, attempt to correlate them with the 

described formations• of adjacent portions of British Columbia suggests that the 

limestones of the Ketchikan series are Carboniferous, and that the argillites may be 

Triassic, and therefore younger than the limestones. However, the structural relations of the limestone beds, as far as determined, lead to the conclusion that the 

argillites are the older. At present, therefore, it is impossible to state definitely the 

age of the Ketchikan series, or its relations to the. Wales and Vallenar series.. 

Intrusives are very common throughout the' area occupied by the Ketchikan 
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE DISTRICT.4 45 

series. Besides the main mass in the. Coast Range, smaller stocks of granite are 

occasionally found, and intrusive greenstone is of very common occurrence. A belt 

of fine-grained greenstone-schist, which the microscope shows to have been derived 

from a diabase,-is exposed on both sides of Tongass Narrows, and is again found 

on Betton Island and Cleveland Peninsula. Granular rocks resembling diorite also 

occur, and these were observed to cut the diabase. 

Th3 Ketchikan series is important from an economic standpoint. The phyllites 

are jointed and fissured, and the fissures are sometimes filled with gold-bearing veins. 

Within the greenstones of this series there are mineralized zones which afford gold 

ores. Notable examples of the latter are the ore deposits of Cleveland Peninsula. 

Gravina series.--This is a series of massive conglomerates overlain by black 

shales or slates and closely infolded with the rocks of the Vallenar series. It was 

observed at Da11 Head and elsewhere on the southern side of Gravina Island, and 

although it has not been identified with certainty elsewhere in the region, more 

detailed investigation will doubtless reveal its presence. At Niblack Anchorage, on. 

Prince of Wales Island, at an open cut on the Lookout claim, a small outcropping of 

heavy conglomerate was observed, which may be of the same age as that on Gravina 

Island. Schrader reports a similar conglomerate on Hunter Bay, at the southern point of Prince of Wales Island. Notes obtained from prospectors indicate a 

similar occurrence at Union Bay, on the northern side of Cleveland Peninsula. The 

basal bed of the series is a massive conglomerate composed of usually rounded pebbles representing the various types of rock occurring in the adjacent formations. 

Above the conglomerate there are black shales and slates. Both the conglomerate 

and the shales have been intensely squeezed, and the former is much jointed and 

fissured. The evidence points toward the conclusion that previOus to the deposition 

of the Gravina series the region over which it was laid down had existed as a land 

area, subject to subaerial erosion. The coarse conglomerates at the base of the series 

mark the advance of the sea over this ancient land. In the general discussion of the 

geology of southeastern Alaska it has been shown that this series is probably the 

equivalent of the Mesozoic beds on the Stikine River, the Taku River, and the 

Upper Lewes River, and of the Kennicott formation of the Copper River district. 

On the Queen Charlotte Islands Dawson has shown that a comparable stratigraphic 

break occurs near the base of the Cretaceous. It is thus probable that the placing 

of the Gravina series in the Cretaceous is correct. 

Tertiary beds.--It has already been shown that Tertiary beds, chiefly of Kenai 

age, have a wide distribution in southeastern Alaska, though they aggregate no 

great thickness. Within the Ketchikan district the Tertiary has been found at only 

one locality, and there its age could not be definitely determined. At Coal Bay, a 

southern arm of Kasaan Bay, some lignite-bearing beds were found, and are believed 

on general grounds to be of Kenai age. These beds consist of soft feldspathic sandstone with some shale, which is almost horizontal. The lignite seams thus far 
46 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

discovered in these beds have no commercial value. These rocks were probably 

deposited in an isolated basin. 

ICNEOUS ROCKS. 

Granite.—The eastern part of the Ketchikan district is occupied by a part of 

the great Coast Range granitic batholith. Granitic rocks also occur as stocks in 

other parts of the district. The granite of the Coast Range of southeastern Alaska 

and British Columbia consists usually of orthoclase, quartz, and biotite, often with 

considerable hornblende. It is medium to coarse grained in texture, and has a 

marked uniformity throughout the belt, which is many hundred miles in length. 

In the Ketchikan district it is usually a massive rock, but at many localities it 

has suffered considerable shearing and is altered to mica-schist and to gneiss. The 

gneissic belts within the Coast Range granite to the south were considered by 

Dawson a as possibly belonging to an older crystalline schist series. In the Ketchikan district the evidence points toward the conclusion that they are local alterations 

of the typical granite of the Coast Range, or, as has already been suggested, that 

some of these mica-schists are of sedimentary origin and belong to the Ketchikan 

series. The western boundary of the Coast Range granite extends northward from 

near the southern end of Behm Canal through Revillagigedo Island, crossing the 

northern arm of Behm Canal near the mouth of Traitors Cove. The contact between 

the granite and the phyllites of the Ketchikan series is a very irregular line. Masses 

of the granite are found entirely within the area occupied by the schists, and again 

bands of the schists appear within the area of the granite. Near the contact the 

granite has been considerably sheared, ana frequently has the form of biotite-gneiss. 

Dawson and others have shown that the Coast Range granite was intruded, in 

Mesozoic time, after the deposition of the Triassic and previous to the deposition 

of the Lower Cretaceous. 

The granite is cut by intrusions of various rocks, the most common being coarse 

white pegmatites, which occur in small dikes and veins. Diabases and basalts are 

also not uncommon. 

In various parts of the Ketchikan district granite is not uncommonly found in 

stocks. In these the rock is sometimes of the same lithologic type as that of the 

Coast Range, and in other cases of a distinct character. The stocks vary from a 

quarter of a mile to several miles in diameter, and have usually produced considerable 

local metamorphism. Such a stock, in which the granite carries augite as a dark silicate, was observed west of Smuggler Cove. Another occurs between Niblack 

Anchorage and North Arm, on Prince of Wales Island. Another stock, also of 

augite-granite, is located on the east side of Thorne Arm. Near the western end of 

Moira Sound there is a large mass of granite, apparently cutting the slates of the 

Wales formation. This granite carries a dark-green hornblende and considerable 

plagioclase, besides orthoclase, microcline, and quartz. 

a Geological record of the Rocky Mountain region in Canada: Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. XII, p. 64. 
IGNEOUS ROCKS OF THE DISTRICT.4 47 

As far as known the granite of the Coast Range is all of one period of intrusion. 

More detailed field work may show, however, that there is a younger massive granite, 

which was intruded after the deformation of the gneissoid granite. The evidence 

also points toward the conclusion that the granite of the isolated stocks is of the same 

age as the massive phases of the Coast Range granite. 

The granite itself has no economic importance, unless possibly some of it may 

some time be used for building purposes. The distribution of the granitic rocks, 

however, has a close relation to ore deposits, for the mineralization of the adjacent 

sediments seems to occur more often within the zone affected by the intrusions. An 

examination of the map of southeastern Alaska and adjacent portions of British 

Columbia which shows the location of the mining districts indicates that a certain 

class of deposits are found only in the two zones of metamorphosed sediments which 

flank the granite belt. 

Pegmatitic and aplitic rocks.—Reference has already been made to the pegmatite 

veins and small dikes which are found cutting the Coast Range granite. These have 

more the appearance of segregations than true injections. In thin section a specimen 

from one of these was seen to be composed essentially of orthoclase and plagioclase 

more or less idiomorphically developed and containing many gas or fluid inclusions, 

together with allotriomorphic quartz. Muscovite occurred as an accessory mineral. 

Another occurrence of pegmatite typically developed was found at Seal Bay and at 

Dail Head, in the southern part of Gravina Island. Here a coarse, white, pegmatitic 

rock cuts the greenstone-schists which form part of the Vallenar serie. In thin 

section these pegmatite dikes show an allotriomorphic intergrowth of plagioclase, 

orthoclase, and quartz. Many of the dikes have been mineralized and much altered. 

They are frequently brecciated and constitute the host of the ore body. 

Syenitic rocks.—Intrusions of rock belonging to the syenite family were found 

at only one locality in the Ketchikan district. On Copper Mountain a large intrusive mass of a granular rock cuts the white crystalline limestone of the Wales series. 

This rock is greenish white, and rather fine grained in the hand specimen. In thin 

section it is seen to be an allotriomorphic aggregate of orthoclase and augite with 

hornblende and some plagioclase, together with various secondary and accessory 

minerals. It is provisionally classed as an augite-syenite. 

Dioritic rocks.--Diorites are among the most common of the igneous rocks in 

the region, and occur as small stocks and as dikes. The typical diorite is a holocrystalline rock made up of plagioclase and hornblende with usually a little quartz 

and considerable magnetite. The variation from this type is a rock carrying more 

quartz and some orthoclase, which is classed as a quartz-diorite or granodiorite. 

These diorites are often porphyritic. Often they can not be differentiated, in the 

field from the effusive rocks, such as the Kasaan greenstone, which will be described 

below. 

Diabase.—This is the most widely distributed of the massive igneous rocks of 
48 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

the region, and its unaltered occurrences belong to the latest intrusion. The typical 

diabase usually occurs in small dikes and carries olivine. The olivine7diabase 

usually shows its characteristic mineral in the hand specimen. The olivine is contained in a dark-green crystalline groundmass. In thin section the olivine occurs 

as well-developed phenocrysts, with a groundmass having an ophitic structure and 

consisting of plagioclase, brown pyroxene, and small irregular olivine grains, 

together with leucoxene, magnetite, etc. These olivine dikes seem to have been the 

feeders for the basalt flows which are• not uncommon in the region. Another type 

of diabase is similar in character except that it does not carry olivine. 

The diabases which are described in this section are all massive, and have been 

intruded since the latest deformation of the region. Among the greenstone-schists, 

however, there are many rocks which are apparently altered diabases, and which 

will be referred to later. 

Gabbroic rocks.—Rocks of this type are very uncommon in the district. On 

Moira Sound was found a small exposure of coarsely crystalline basic rock which is 

much weathered but is probably an altered gabbro. In thin section large semi-idiomorphically developed plagioclase individuals were observed, with a cement of 

amphibole, chlorite, and epidote, probably derived from the original dark silicates. 

A similar type of rock was observed on the West Arm of Cholmondeley Sound. This 

contained pyroxene as a dark silicates 

On Copper Mountain, in Hetta Inlet, a finer-grained rock was found in contact 

with a crystalline limestone. This rock was made up of plagioclase and pyroxene 

and various other minerals. It is provisionally classed with the gabbros. 

Amphibolite.—At Copper Mountain and at several other localities dikes of a 

pale-green aphanitic rock were observed, which in thin section was found to be made 

up almost entirely of a granular aggregate of a highly refractory mineral, probably 

an amphibole. 

Gree9zstone-8chists.-,--The most common igneous rocks of the region are schists, 

made up of various minerals but having the common characteristic of being igneous 

and green in color. They are here grouped together because of lack of detailed Work 

to differentiate them. They are usually highly schistose, though sometimes more or 

less massive. One type is directly traceable to alterations of fine-grained diabases; 

others, again, are altered diorites. They occur in the Wales, V allenar, and Ketchikan series. They probably belong to different periods of intrusion, but these can not 

be differentiated without further studies. A very common type is a quartz-chloriteschist carrying some feldspar and often some amphibole. Some few also carry considerable pyroxene. W here amphibole predominates they can be classed as amphiboleschists or as actinolite-schists. The more basic types are epidote-• and zoisite-schists. 

With these are also classed some talc-schists, which are evidently alterations of still 

more basic rocks, and which were found at only a few localities. While most of 

these schists are believed to be alterations of intrusive rocks, it is possible that some 

are of extrusive origin. 
IONE° S ROCKS OF THE DISTRICT.4 49 

Another type of schistose rock was found at Niblack Anchorage. This is essentially a quartz-feldspar-schist, ften containing considerable chlorite and sericite. In 

its least altered form it consi' s of a crystalline aggregate of orthoclase and quartz, 

often with chlorite and sericit , but it has usually been sheared, altered, and reduced 

to a quartz-sericite-schist. ese quartz-sericite-schists consist essentially of fine 

mosaics of quartz and serici with occasionally some feldspar. They are most 

likely an altered rhyolite. T e schist forms a belt probably half a mile or threefourths of a mile in width, w ich is traceable for at least a mile in a northwesterlysoutheasterly direction. It is intruded in the greenstone-schists, which in turn are 

intruded in the Wales series. A similar schist was found on the South Arm of Cholmondeley. It is of special in erest because it contains important bodies of copper 

and gold. Most of the rhyolitic rocks of the region belong to the more recent 

intrusions, and it seems probable that their extrusion took place in Mesozoic or later 

times. The rhyolitic schist at Niblack Anchorage is a much older intrusion, and has 

no connection with the more assive rhyolites. 1

Kasaan greenstone. Of the igneous rocks in the Ketchikan district the Kasaan 

greenstone has the most exten ive development. It occurs in a variety of types, but 

as a rule it is a pale- or dark- reen massive rock, more or less jointed, usually with 

well-developed phenocrysts of lagioclase feldspar. The groundmass has considerable 

variation in its lithologic con tituents, but it is usually microcrystalline and made 

up essentially of plagioclase f ldspar and hornblende or augite. It frequently contains orthoclase and considers le quartz, and thus approaches a rhyolitic type. In ,t.

other cases augite is not an u common constitutent of the groundmass. Magnetite 

is a common accessory. Som phases of this rock are apparently diorites, both in 

structure and in composition. They differ, however, from the other diorites of the 

region in being much freshet and in being always porphyritic. As the Kasaan 

greenstone is believed to be largely effusive, these dioritic phases probably represent 

the central portions of large ows which have been exposed by erosion. - Intrusive 

rocks are, however, probably i eluded in this greenstone complex. 

The Kasaan greenstone s typically quite massive, with, however, marked 

systems of jointing. In some localities well-developed shear zones are found in 

it. These seem to be of rather local character and to follow lines of faulting. 

On the accompanying ma , Pl. II, the approximate distribution of the Kasaan 

greenstone is shown. More etailed work will probably show many errors in 

this mapping, as it is often. mpossible in the field to distinguish the Kasaan 

greenstone from the older greenstones associated with the Wales series. 

The belt of this rock whic occupies the western part of Cleveland Peninsula is 1 

of the dioritic phase. In the eninsula lying between Clarence Strait and Kalaan 1:.

Bay, and also on the eastern branch of Skowl Arm, the greenstone contains a 

number of shear zones. 

Within the greenstone are found some narrow belts of limestone, which are 

9210—No. 1-02-4 
50 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

too small to be represented on the geologic map. These limestones are usually 

crystalline, but are not as much sheared as those of the Wales series. Their 

origin and age is an unsolved problem, but they probably represent the land 

floor on which the greenstone was poured out, and can be provisionally correlated 

with the Devonian of the Vallenar series. 

The Kasaan greenstone was extruded after the deformation of the Wales and 

Ketchikan series. It seems probable that it is of later origin than the Coast "v.,4 — -- Range granite, for it show s„evidence of having suffered during the crustal 

disturbances which accompanied this intrusion. The greenstone can therefore be 

assigned to a date later than the Triassic. It has been shown elsewhere that 

there was volcanic activity in the Queen Charlotte Islands during Lower Cretaceous time, and the Kasaan greenstone is probably a manifestation of the same 

period of eruption. 

This formation possesses considerable economic interest from the fact that it 

contains copper ores, and possibly nickel ores as well. The peculiar copper deposits 

of Kasaan Peninsula are associated with this rock, as are also the copper and nickel 

deposits of the Skowl Arm region. 

Rh,yolites.—Rhyolites are not uncommon in the Ketchikan region. They were 

found as dikes and small flows in all parts of the district. At most localities they 

were so much altered that it was difficult to determine their original character. On 

the east side of Twelvemile Arm, near the Lavinia claim, some exposures of rhyolite 

were found which showed flow structure and other evidence of their extrusive character. In this rock phenocrysts of quartz and orthoclase are scattered through a 

finely laminated groundmass of cryptocrystalline character. The groundmass 

consists of kaolin and other secondary minerals, and is probably a devitrified glass. 

These rhyolites probably belong to the same general period of extrusion as the 

Kasaan greenstone. Mention has already been made of a quartz-feldspar-schist 

which is believed to be an altered rhyolite. 

Trachytes.—Trachytic rocks were found at only two localities, and in both cases 

the exposures were so much weathered that the identification was doubtful. At the 

head of the South Ann of Moira Sound are exposures of a bluish, fine-grained, 

crystalline rock which in thin section showed small phenocrysts of orthoclase in a 

groundmass made up chiefly of orthoclase with some calcite and sericite. A similar 

rock was found in the Southwest Arm of Moira Sound. 

Basalts.—Basalts are not common in the Ketchikan district, though they have 

been described from many localities in adjacent areas. Those that were found differ 

very little in character from the diabases which have already been described. They 

occur as small flows, and all those that have been studied carried olivine. 

SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC HISTORY. 

The strata of the Ketchikan district comprise both sedimentary and igneous 

rocks, representing sedimentary deposits and volcanic activity since early Paleozoic 
SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC HISTORY.4 51 

time. At various periods there have been important crustal adjustments within the 

region, some of which have been wide reaching, while others have been quite local 

in their effects. The final result of these disturbances and the subsequent erosion 

of the region has been to leave the formations, as they outcrop at the surface, 

disposed in belts having a general northwest-southeast strike. Along any one of 

these belts the rocks are characterized by lithologic uniformity, while in a direction 

at right angles to this they are extremely variable. 

The earliest records of sedimentation in the Ketchikan district are contained in 

the Wales series, which forms the country rock of the greater part of Prince of 

Wales Island. It is possible that certain of the gneisses and mica-schists found 

associated with the granite of the Coast Range represent a still older series, though 

these are in part known to be derived from the surrounding sediments or from the . granite itself. 

The lower part of the Wales series is predominantly argillaceous and the 

upper part calcareous. The calcareous beds are believed to be of Silurian age, and 

the underlying argillaceous beds are presumably Lower Paleozoic. The fact that 

Cambrian rocks have an extensive development in a province not far distant suggests 

that these Lower Paleozoic sediments may include Cambrian strata. After their 

deposition these beds were indurated and then intensely plicated by crustal movements. During this period of disturbance, which was probably in early Devonian 

times, extensive injections of igneous rocks of a basic character took place. These 

igneous rocks were in part subjected to the same deformation as the sediments with 

-which they are associated. 

The close of this cycle left a part of the land mass above water and subject to 

stream erosion. After partial degradation submergence followed, and the deposition 

of the Middle Devonian limestones and carbonaceous shales took place. These two 

latter are grouped together under the name Vallenar series. 

The general facts of the geologic history of the region are fairly clear up to 

and including the deposition of the Vallenar series. The records of the succeeding epochs are obscure, and the stratigraphic succession has not been determined. 

East of the Vallenar series is a belt of more or less altered argillites and beds 

of crystalline limestone, which constitute the Ketchikan series. What evidence 

there is points toward the conclusion that this series contains strata of both 

Upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic (Triassic?) age. The eastern boundary of the 

Ketchikan series is formed by the granite rocks of the Coast Range. These 

granitic rocks occupy a large area in the eastern part of the district. They include 

both massive and gneissoid, and even schistose, phases. The former are plainly 

intrusive in the argillites to the west, while the gneisses and schists are believed 

to be sheared portions of the massive granite. The intrusion of this great batholith would cause not only extensive contact metamorphism but also considerable 

mechanical deformation. The metamorphism caused by this intrusion affected the 
52 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

entire Ketchikan series, and probably caused more or less disturbance among the 

rocks lying still farther to the west. 

Subsequent to, or possibly during, the granitic invasion large masses of effusive 

rock were poured out in the western part of the district. The most important 

effusive type has been termed the Kasaan greenstone, which is of an andesitic 

type. These volcanic rocks are provisionally assigned to the Mesozoic.. 

During Mesozoic times (probably early Cretaceous) the Gravina series, made 

up of fragmentary material, chiefly conglomerate and slate, was deposited unconformably upon the Ketchikan series. Its position in the stratigraphic column is 

inferred mainly from its analogy to the beds of Cretaceous age found on the 

Queen Charlotte Islands. All of these Mesozoic rocks, both sedimentary and igneous, have suffered more or less deformation. Indeed, the granite, Kasaan greenstones, and Gravina series were all affected by the crustal movements which 

followed the depositions of Mesozoic times. The disturbance seems to have been 

most intense within the Coast Range granitic area, and to have decreased to the 

westward. It was probably during this period of deformation that the later dike 

rocks were injected and many of the ore bodies formed. Record of deposition 

during Tertiary time was found at only one locality, though beds of this period 

are not uncommon in other parts of southeastern Alaska. These beds have been 

only slightly deformed. 

The crustal movements in later Tertiary times were principally continental 

in their character, but the knowledge of the region is too limited to warrant 

definite statements concerning them. During Tertiary times much of the land 

mass was reduced to a peneplain, out of which during subsequent elevation the 

present land forms were carved. The position of the major drainage channels was 

dependent on structural features. Subsequent to the development of a topography 

very similar to that we see to-day, the ice invasion took place and scoured out 

and deepened the preexisting valleys and fiords. This was probably followed by 

a slight depression. 

The salient facts in the geologic history of the region are as follows: The 

Wales series was first deposited. The district was then uplifted, folded, and 

subjected to erosion and again submerged. Then followed the deposition of the 

Vallenar, Ketchikan, and Gravina series. The district was then again uplifted 

and folded and the Coast Range granite was intruded. The land was then again 

subjected to erosion and was then probably slightly depressed. 
METALLIFEROUS DEPOSITS OF THE DISTRICT.4 53 

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 

GENERAL RELATIONS. 

In the character and mode of occurrence of its economic products the Ketchikan 

district offers greater variety than any other mining region which has thus far been 

exploited in Alaska. The metalliferous deposits of the district show the presence in 

commercial quantities of gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and perhaps nickel. Other 

possible mineral values lie in the marble, which has received a limited development, 

and in the granite and the limestone. 

Gold placers have been found in the district, but they are not extensive and do 

not form an important source of gold. Gold occurs in veins and mineralized zones, 

both free and in pyrite, and td a limited extent in tellurides. Silver is closely associated with gold deposits in galena, and in limited quantities in tetrahedite. The 

copper ores of the region, in the order of their importance, are chalcopyrite, malachite, 

bornite, chalcocite, and cuprite. Of these the first four form the important ore 

bodies thus far discovered. The copper deposits show a great variety of occurrences, 

both in veins and in mineralized zones. The zinc occurs as sphalerite (zinc blende) 

and in association with both copper and silver-lead ores. Nickel has been reported 

to occur in some of the pyrrhotite, which is associated with chalcopyrite ores. 

- On the map, Pl. II, the principal mining localities of the Ketchikan district are 

shown. For convenience of description these localities are arranged in groups, to 

which local names have been applied, and these are printed in red on the map. The 

following are the locality names, arranged in the order in which they will be 

described: Cleveland Peninsula, Tongass Narrows, George Inlet, Thorne Arm, Seal 

Bay, Dall Head, Vallenar Bay, Niblack Anchorage, North Arm of Moira Sound, 

Dolomi, Kitkun Bay, South and West arms of Cholmondeley Sound, Twelvemile 

Arm, Hetta Inlet, Skowl Arm, Kasaao Peninsula, and Tolstoi Bay. 

The deposits of Cleveland Peninsula occur in gold- and silver-bearing fissure 

veins and mineralized zones. The gold ores are both free milling and refractory. 

They occur in greenstone-schists, which are altered intrusiv es in the Ketchikan 

series. The Tongass Narrows deposits are similar in character and represent a 

southern extension of the same belt. As far as present developments show, they 

do not compare in richness with those of the Cleveland Peninsula. The Thorne 

Arm ore bodies are true fissure veins, usually closely associated with porphyry 

dikes which cut greenstone-schists belonging to the Ketchikan series. The ore is 

chiefly gold, which occurs both free and combined. The veins, which follow the 

dikes, are characterized by their persistence, and seem to carry rather uniform 

though not high values. In George Inlet one class of veins carries chiefly pyrite 

bearing gold and free gold, and another galena and zinc blende. The veins 

apparently follow fissures, and the country rock is an argillite, belonging to the 

Ketchikan series. At Seal Bay and Dall Head the ores are chalcopyrite, and occur 
54 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

along zones of brecciation near the contact of greenstone-schists and pegmatites. 

They carry some gold values. The Niblack Anchorage deposits carry chiefly 

copper, with some gold. They consist of immense mineralized zones, carrying 

persistent though low values, in a feldspathic schist, which is probably an intrusion. 

This feldspathic schist cuts greenstones, which in turn are intrusive in the Wales 

series. 

On the west side of North Arm there are gold-bearing quartz veins which 

follow fissures in a dioritic and also in a granitic rock. Those to the northeast 

of the Arm are zinc blende and galena ores, occurring in white crystalline limestones of the Wales series. The Dolomi region is gold and silver bearing. The 

ore bodies are in part true fissure veins and possibly in part replacements in the 

white crystalline limestone. The Kitkun Bay region is a northern extension of the 

same class of deposits. In both regions the gold is in part free and in part combined. 

In the South Arm of Cholmondeley Sound are found copper deposits which 

are similar in many ways to those of Niblack Anchorage. They occur as mineralized zones in a feldspathic schist. The Twelvemile Arm region has true 

fissure veins, which are similar to those of Thorne Arm. The ores are gold and 

silver, the former in part free milling. Some of these veins, like those of 

Thorne Arm, are closely associated with porphyry dikes. The Karta Bay deposits 

are probably a northwesterly extension of the belt. 

The Skowl Arm, Kasaan Peninsula, and Tolstoi Bay regions contain copper 

deposits, chiefly sulphides, which are similar in character. These are in part 

irregular masses of ore contained in massive greenstones, and in part form better 

defined zones in schistose phases of the greenstone. In the Hetta Inlet region 

only the Copper Mountain deposits were examined. These, which yield high 

copper values, occur along the contacts of white crystalline limestone and intrusive rock masses. 

The detailed descriptions which follow do not by any means include a complete list of all of the claims of the district. The work was so planned as to 

permit of the examination of those localities in the eastern part of the district, 

where the greatest developments had been made. During the progress of the 

work many claims of minor importance were examined because they lay near the 

route of travel, and descriptions of many such are included in this report. It is 

the province of the geologist to describe the types of the ore bodies, and the 

detailed descriptions of properties should be left to mining engineers and experts. 

In the Ketchikan district, however, the developments have been so insignificant, 

and our knowledge of the geology is so small, that the writer has been forced 

to present detailed descriptions in lieu of broad generalizations and conclusions. 
METALLIFEROUS DEPOSITS O1 THE DISTRICT.4 55 

DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCALITIES. 

CLEVELAND PENINSULA. 

General description. The Cleveland Peninsula is the rugged land mass which 

separates Ernest Sound from Behm Canal (see Pl. II and fig. 1). The mountains 

which make up the peninsula are transverse to its longer axis and parallel to 

Clarence Strait and to the general strike of the bed rock. 

1.31°4 sg 

\ 

5g 55 

o 

56 So 

o0 

'le 

Qs* \-4,4 A''' ci 

GOLD STANDARD. 


illik 


4110 


• 

g 

GOLD MT GROUP X x 

RA/NY DAY 'X 

x 0 It',NG •TON GROUP 

HEY:97:0N. . •GLORY 

x LA CHAN • /7*Th.E MAUMEE 

%MA -Y T. *U. SerALL ■ 

o tr 55 45 45 ....c,

? Scale.4 e,, a4 04 3mile. C°Pe 

132°4 55' 

FIG. 1.—Sketch map of Cleveland Peninsula, showing claim locations. 

The northern part of the peninsula is occupied by granitic rocks (see geologic 

map, Pl. II), which, near their southern boundary, are more or less gneissoid. To 

the southwest of the granite is a belt of closely folded argillites, with some 

calcareous beds, which belong to the Ketchikan series. Intercalated greenstone-
56 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

schists, derived from igneous rocks, are very plentiful in the slate series, occurring 

in belts up to half a mile in width. They consist chiefly of secondary minerals, 

chlorite, epidote, and actinolite, with occasionally some primary minerals, such as 

plagioclase, amphiboles, and pyroxenes. The foliation of the schists is parallel to 

that of the argillites. Previous to their deformation and metamorphism they were 

probably intercalated sills of diabases and allied rocks. The greenstones every where 

carry considerable pyrite. The argillites and associated greenstone-schists are 

intruded by massive dikes, which cut across the foliation, and which also carry 

considerable pyrite. There are also masses of greenish porphyritic rock, made up 

of plagioclase, amphibole, and pyroxene, which may be provisionally. classed as 

diorites. West of Helm Bay there is a considerable mass of pyroxene-granite, 

whose outline is approximately indicated on the accompanying map. 

The western part of the peninsula, which borders Clarence Strait, is formed 

of a green, porphyritic rock, which has been mapped as a part of the Kasaan 

greenstone. It is not unlike the porphyritic dikes which have been described. 

Mining operations have thus far been confined to the southeast coast, on the 

southwest side of Helm Bay and Smuggler Cove. The values are chiefly gold, with 

some silver, and in some claims possibly copper. The gold deposits which have 

thus far been exploited are chiefly free milling. The common association of minerals 

is free gold, iron pyrite, with a little galena, and a quartz gangue. In some veins 

chalcopyrite and bornite occur as accessory minerals, as does also telluride. Pros 

pectors report the occurrence of gold-bearing quartz veins on the north side of the 

peninsula, but these have not been developed. 

The mineralized zone, as far as determined, includes a belt at least a mile In 

width lying on the west side of Helm Bay, which stretches in a northwest-southeast 

direction. In this zone at least half of the country rock is greenstone-schist. The 

results of the investigation seem to show that there are two distinct systems of quartz 

veins. The older system follows lines of fracture running about parallel to the foliation of the schists, which varies in direction from N. to N. 20° W.; the younger 

veins follow fractures running N. 20°-40° E. Movement took place after the deposition of the older quartz veins and previous to the deposition of the second series. 

As far as could be determined, the richest deposits occur where the two systems intersect. The first system of veins usually has fairly well-defined walls, while the second 

system sends off shoots into both walls. The ore bodies are for the most part mineralized zones in which the country rock has been sheared and brecciated and then 

permeated by the mineral-bearing solutions. In some of these deposits the gold is 

irregularly distributed in extraordinarily rich pockets; in others the ore is low grade 

but the distribution more uniform. Many beautiful specimens of native gold have 

been found in the region. In deposits of this nature it is very difficult to obtain 

commercial samples for assay. The pockety character of some of the ore bodies 

makes it desirable that they should be very carefully prospected before a large 
CLAIMS ON CLEVELAND PENINSULA.4 57 

amount of capital is invested in their development. On the whole the district promises to yield returns for systematic development. 

United States claims.—This group is located about three-fourths of a mile east 

of the head of Smuggler Cove. A quartz vein on one of the claims has been stripped 

for a width of 5 or 6 feet. The country rock is a green chlorite-schist. The vein is 

well defined across a width of 10 to 20 feet and is said to have been traced for some 

distance. Its strike is about northwest and southeast, and the dip 70° NE. The 

quartz carries pyrite and free gold, and colors were obtained by panning material 

scraped from the surface of the vein. 

Mary T. claim.—This claim is located about 100 yards to the northwest of the 

United States claims. The ore occurs in a mineralized zone in chloritic schist carrying quartz blebs. The development has been insufficient to determine anything 

concerning the character of the vein. On the surface the ore is a malachite, with 

copper and iron pyrite. The strike is northwest and southeast, parallel to the course 

of the United States vein. The owners report that the vein carries 15 per cent 

copper and $11 in gold. 

Last Chance claim.—This claim is located about 1 mile from Smuggler Cove and 

three-fourths of a mile west of Helm Bay. The development consists of a drift about 

25 feet in length. The country rock is a chloride schist, which strikes about north 

and south. Two systems of veins occur; one is parallel to the foliation of the schist, 

and the other strikes N. 60° E. At the face of the drift is a lenticular vein, very 

irregular, with a maximum thickness of 1 foot. In a width of 4 feet there are 

several lenticular quartz masses in which chalcopyrite and bornite can be seen in 

hand specimens. It is said to carry gold values. 

Glory claim.—This prospect is located about 2 miles from Smuggler Cove. A 

2-stamp mill is in process of erection. The workings at the time of the writer's visit 

consisted of a tunnel about 20 feet long, cutting across the foliation of chloritic and 

calcareous schists. Both of these rocks are mineralized in a zone which follows 

their contact and locally reaches a width of perhaps 100 feet. Along the whole 

length of the tunnel blebs of quartz are very irregularly distributed, but the pyrite 

is present in the schist and quartz alike. The gold contents are chiefly in the schist 

in the free state, and in the last 10 feet of the tunnel the values are reported as $10 

to the ton. 

_Keystone claim.—This is located about 1 mile northWest of the western arm of 

Smuggler Cove. The developments consist of a shaft 120 feet deep, with drifts 

and crosscuts. The shaft is between 400 and 500 feet above tide water. At the time 

of the writer's visit development work was being rapidly pushed. The country rock 

is a green schist, the color being due in part to chlorite and in part to actinolite. 

The ore is iron pyrite and gold, which occurs in a mineralized zone 20 to 40 feet 

wide. The schistose rock from this zone is impregnated with iron pyrite. The 

values, according to the superintendent, run from $3.20 to $20 in gold, the average 
58 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

being about $8, 5 per cent of which is in the concentrates. The values seem to 

be rather evenly distributed. The concentrates are valued at $140 a ton. In the 

mineralized zone are many irregular quartz veins and quartz blebs, and probably 

both generations of veins are represented. It is a source of great regret to the 

writer that he was not able to study this occurrence in greater detail. 

The systematic manner in which this property has been developed reflects great 

credit on the superintendent, Mr. J. A. Bradley. He has deliberately gone to 

work to find out the size and value of the ore body before investing money in 

an expensive mining plant. Mr. Bradley's example might well be followed by 

many of the other property owners of the Ketchikan district. The locality is 

exceedingly favorable for cheap mining, and excellent water power is near at 

band. 

Little _Maumee claim.—This name has been given to a small vein which cuts a 

porphyritic diorite on the west side of Helm Bay. The vein follows a shear zone in 

the diorite and is about 12 inches in width. It carries both copper and iron pyrite, 

and is said to carry gold values. At a number of other localities in this vicinity 

small veins are found in the diorite, or the diorite itself is found mineralized along 

shear zones. One of these mineralized diorites is said to have shown, on assay, a 

gold value of 96 cents. The general strike of these veins is nearly east and west. 

Kingston claims.—This group of claims, on which no development has been 

made, is about a quarter of a mile from tide water, near the entrance to and on the 

west side of Helm Bay. The country rock is a chloritic schist associated with a 

graphitic schist. The ore body is a mineralized zone in chloritic schist, varying 

from 6 to 30 feet in width. In this mineralized zone vein quartz predominates, 

with some masses of the country rock. The widest quartz vein observed was about 

6 feet. Assays of material from this group have shown variations in gold values of 

from $2.50 to $600. 

Rainy Day elaim.—About a half mile north of the Kingston group is a mass 

of granite-porphyry, a quarter to a half mile in width, apparently intrusive in black 

slate. The Rainy Day claim is located in the granite on a quartz vein which strikes 

northwest and southeast and which has a width of from 3 to 3i feet. It is said to 

have been traced 300 to 500 feet, and carries pyrite and free gold. The occurrence 

is of interest as it shows that the quartz veins were introduced subsequent to the 

granite. 

Gold lifountain, elaims.—This group is located west of Helm Bay, about threefourths of a mile from tide water. A shaft 1,100 feet above tide water has been 

sunk to a depth of about 20 feet, and some stripping has been done elsewhere. 

The country rock is a chloritic schist, which- strikes northeast and southwest, nearly 

at right angles to the veins which lie nearer to the entrance of the bay. The vein 

exposed in the shaft averages from 2 inches to 2 feet in width. It is irregular 

and sends out many stringers into the country rock. The assays range from $4 
CLAIMS ON CLEVELAND PENINSULA.4 59 

to several thousand dollars in gold values. Both the hanging and the foot wall of 

the vein have been mineralized, and are penetrated by small quartz stringers. In a 

second opening, about 200 yards to the southwest, a mineralized zone about 10 feet 

wide is exposed, in which there are numerous small quartz veins. The veins and 

mineralized rock carry pyrite, galena, free gold, and some tellurides. Besides the 

quartz, the vein also carries considerable calcite. About $5,000 was taken out of 

one pocket during the sinking of the shaft. The value of the property must, 

however, be sought in gold more evenly disseminated in the mineralized zone, 

and pockets must be regarded as bonanzas. Both systems of veins seem to be 

present. The claims are well located for deirelopment. Since the claim was visited 

activities have been renewed and a tunnel has been started which will cut the ore 

body 80 feet below the surface. 

Alaskan Gold Standard Xining Company.—The property belonging to this 

company embraces about 16 claims, which lie on the west side of Helm Bay, while 

the mine proper is about 2 miles south of the head of the bay and half a mile from 

tide water. Messrs. Dyer and Johnson located this property in 1898, and from a 

pocket near the surface took out gold ore which, being treated in an arrastre, yielded 

about $20,000. 

The developments consist of a shaft which follows the vein to a depth of 125 feet, 

a tunnel, and two levels. The plant includes a steam hoist, a 10-stamp water-power 

mill, and concentrators. The mill is connected with the beach by an iron tramway. 

There are also a number of substantial buildings, including boarding house and an 

assay office. No work was being done at the time the mine was visited. 

The country rock is a greenstone, both massive and schistose, and made up 

entirely of secondary minerals. The more massive rock is probably an altered diorite, 

and exhibits remnants of porphyritic structure. The secondary minerals are chiefly 

chlorite, calcite, quartz, and muscovite. The vein which has been opened up has a 

width of 7 inches to 5 feet. The vein follows the foliation of the schists, strikes 

about N. 20° W., and belongs to the first generation of quartz veins. The dip is 

85° NE. The foot wall is well defined by a plane of movement along which there 

is a seam of gouge. This movement was subsequent to the first vein filling. After 

the movement a second intrusion of quartz took place, which cuts the first at a considerable angle. Where the two systems intersect there has been an enrichment. 

The ore is free gold and gold-bearing iron pyrite with a little galena. The gangue is 

chiefly white quartz, with considerable calcite and some chlorite. The quartz and 

calcite are often intergrown in coarsely crystalline masses. The pyrite- is both in 

granular aggregates and in well-formed isolated cubes. The hanging wall of the vein 

is ill defined and has been impregnated with ore-bearing solutions for some distance 

from the quartz vein. It is said to carry values. Time did not permit sampling the 

vein, for the presence of specimen gold necessitated doing the work very thoroughly 

for results of any value. 
•• 

60 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

A number of veins have been stripped on adjacent claims which were not visited. 

These are said to strike about north and south. On the same property, about onehalf mile south of the mine, there are quartz and calcite veins cutting a schistose 

diorite. These veins, which strike about north and south, are from 10 to 14 inches 

wide and carry free gold, with which some tellurides are associated. The values are 

said to run from $5 to $15. 

TONGASS NARROWS. 

• General description.—Tongass Narrows is the waterway which separates 

Gravina from Revillagigedo Island (see Pl. II and fig. 2). Near its southern end 

131040' 

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FIG. 2.—Sketch map of Tongass Narrows and George Inlet, showing claim locations. 

Pennock Island divides the Narrows into two channels. The mountains on either 

side rise either directly from the shore line or from a narrow, rocky beach. They 

are parallel to the channel, and reach altitudes of 2,000 and 3,000 feet. 

From a geologic standpoint this region can be considered a southern extension 

of the area lying adjacent to Helm Bay. Greenstone-schists outcrop on both sides 

of Tongass Narrows. Under the microscope this rock is seen to be an altered 

diabase. On either side of the greenstone-schist belt are argillites belonging to the 

Ketchikan series. Numerous dioritic dikes cut across the foliation of the schists, 
CLAIMS NEAR TONG-ASS NARROWS.4 61 

which strike northwest and southeast, parallel to the course of the waterway. The 

dips are usually steep and to the east. 

Many claims have been staked adjacent to tide water in this belt, but little 

attempt has been made at development. The ore deposits include mineralized 

-zones, which usually lie parallel to the foliation, and quartz veins, which cut across 

it. The ore is free gold and gold-bearing iron pyrite. The gangue is usually 

quartz, with some calcite. There seem to be two generations of ore bodies, as in the 

Helm Bay region. The first injection followed the foliation of the country rock 

along lines of shearing, while the second cuts the first at various angles. As far 

as the evidence goes, it seems that the ore bodies of the second generation are richer 

than those of the first. 

Typhoon claim.—This claim is located on the beach near the Spindle, on the 

west side of Tongass Narrows. It is a 6- to 8-inch quartz vein, striking N. 30° E. 

and dipping 70° SE. It cuts across blue and green clay slates, which strike N. 60° 

W. and dip 60° NE. The ore is a white quartz, with iron pyrite disseminated 

through it. 

Tongass claim.—This is 200 feet south of the Typhoon. The vein is about 12 

inches wide, strikes N. 40° E., and dips NW. It cuts across the slates, and is similar 

in character to the Typhoon. The ore is iron pyrite in white quartz. 

About a mile southeast of this claim, and nearly opposite Wards Cove, is a small 

pit, near the beach, for which no name could be found. The pit is about 6 feet 

square and 6 feet deep, and has been sunk on a quartz ledge. The presence of water 

prevented close examination, but the quartz must be at least 12 inches in width. 

The ore is iron pyrite, and the country rock is a finely laminated green schist. 

Wildcat claim.—This claim is 1i miles north of Ketchikan and a half mile from 

the beach. The vein occurs in a diorite which is intrusive in black slate and is 

itself considerably mineralized. The vein evidently belongs to the second epoch of 

mineralization. It was traced for about 300 yards, and the owners are said to have 

followed its outcrop for 4,500 feet. If this be the case, it is remarkably persistent 

in horizontal extension, which argues well for its continuation in depth. The 

width, where examined by the writer, varied from 12 to 15 inches. The vein itself in 

places splits and is ill defined, but in these cases the wall rock is mineralized. The 

ore carries free gold and iron pyrite, with some copper pyrite. 

The workings consist of a few strippings and a short prospect tunnel. The 

owners, who are men without capital, have shown commendable energy in building 

an arrastre and testing the ore, which is said to yield $20 to $30 per ton. 

A short distance below, on the creek, is a second vein, which carries iron and 

copper pyrite, and which is reported to carry antimony and bismuth. 

To the southeast of this claim and to the east of Ketchikan a number of claims 

have been staked, but no important discoveries have been made and practically no 

development work has been done. Small quartz veins carrying iron pyrite are not 
62 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

uncommon in the greenstone-schists and in the argillaceous and arenaceous schist's 

which form the country rock east of Ketchikan. Values of $10 in gold to the ton 

are reported. 

Birdseye elaim.—This is located on the beach, on the east side of Tonglass 

Narrows, aboutli miles southeast of Ketchikan, and was one of the first localities at 

which mining was done. The developments consist of a 35-foot shaft, which was 

filled with water when visited. The vein, which apparently consists of a series of 

lenticular quartz masses, occurs in a feldspathic rock, which is believed to be 

sedimentary. The feldspathic sediment lies between a belt of black slate and 

chloritic schist which belong to the Ketchikan series. Small stringers of quartz 

carrying pyrite are not uncommon in the black slate. It is said that the ore taken 

out at the Birdseye claim, which was obtained chiefly from the bowlders at the 

surface, yielded about $30 in gold to the ton. 

Bell elaim.—This claim, located on the east side of Gravina Island, adjacent to 

Tongass Narrows and nearly opposite the south end of Pennock Island, was also one 

of the earliest to be developed. The shaft, filled with water at the time the writer 

visited it, is about 50 feet deep, and a crosscut is said to be 40 feet in length. The 

bed rock is a chloritic schist. The ore body seems to have been a mineralized zone 

which carried many small veins of quartz and calcite. The veins cut across the 

foliation of the schist. These veins and blebs carried sulphurets, and the best assays 

are said to have yielded $18 in gold to the ton. The schist, which is itself mineralized, 

it is claimed will run from $1 to $2. 

Reckman's claim.—This claim, on Gravina Island, adjacent to Tongass Narrows, 

about 1 mile southeast of the Bell claim, is practically a continuation of the same 

zone. The bed rock is a chloritic schist, with numerous quartz and calcite stringers 

and veins. The development consists of an open cut 30 feet wide, which is more or 

less mineralized throughout. The quartz and calcite veins carry iron pyrite. A 

mill test is said to have yielded $3.50 in gold. 

Easter claim.—This is located near the upper end of Gravina Island, not far 

from the Spindle, and about half a mile inland from tide water. The group includes 

three claims, which lie along the strike of the vein. The development consists of a 

pit about 6 feet deep. The ore, which is a gold and iron-pyrite bearing quartz vein, 

with some arsenopyrite, is said to run from $3 to $400 per ton. As given by the 

owner the values of one lot of assays ranged from $157 to $301, and of a second 

lot from $7 to $301. The strike of the vein is about N. 70° W., with a dip of 

700 N. The vein has been traced for 3,800 feet. The country rock is a much 

sheared clay slate and greenstone-schist, the latter forming the hanging wall. The 

foliation of the schist is cut by the vein, which seems to follow a fissure. At the 

time of the examination the prospect pit was filled with water, but it was stated that 

the vein is divided into two parts by a layer of blue slate. The upper vein is said 

to be 18 inches wide near the surface, and pinches to 8 inches in 10 feet. The second 
CLAIMS NEAR GEORGE INLET.4 63 

vein has been penetrated to a depth of 2 feet, but its bottom has not been reached. 

White quartz stringers occur in the hanging wall, but while these carry pyrite they 

do not seem to carry gold. The best ore is a blue quartz with a gray sulphide, which 

is probably arsenopyrite. 

GEORGE INLET. 

General description.—George Inlet is a deep indentation of the southwestern 

coast line of Revillagigedo Island (see Pl. II and fig. 2). The bed rock is chiefly 

black phyllite and slates of the Ketchikan series. The boundary of the granite 

of the Coast Range is probably 2 or 3 miles to the northeast of the upper end 

of the inlet. The argillite series is often graphitic, and usually closely folded. 

Some belts of limestone occur with the Ketchikan series near the upper end 

of the inlet. Greenstones were found not to be so prevalent a rock type as 

elsewhere in the Ketchikan series. Near the entrance the two shores of the inlet 

are formed by granite, which occurs in the phyllites as an intrusive stock. The 

ore deposits are of two classes—first, the gold-bearing veins, and second, the 

galena- and zinc-bearing veins. As far as could be determined from the limited 

exposures, both classes of veins cut the foliation of the country rock. At only 

two localities has any prospecting been done. 

Telegraph group of claims.—These claims are located on the west side of 

George Inlet, about 6 miles from Tongass Narrows. When visited no one was 

at the claims, and all of them could not be found. The country rock is for the 

most part a graphitic schist, associated with some diabasic schist. The quartz 

veins are well defined, cutting in an east-west direction across the foliation of the 

schists. The claims lie within 11 miles of the beach, and some of them are as 

high as 1,000 feet above tide water. The largest vein visited had a width of 12 feet 

and carried pyrite. Most of these veins also carried considerable argentiferous 

galena. A monster vein which is said to have been found in this region could 

not be visited. It is said to run $4 to the ton. 

Mr. James Bowden, who is the locator of this group, informed the writer 

that the average mineral values of these claims was about $12 to the ton, the 

gold contents varying from $2 to $6, the remaining values being in silver. The 

claims are well located for development, and there is ample water power near 

at hand. 

Adze's claim.—The name of this claim was not learned, so it is given under 

the name of the locator. It is on the beach on the west side of George Inlet, 3 

miles north of the Telegraph group. The country rock is quartzite and quartzschist, carrying considerable graphite. 

A short tunnel exposes a mineralized zone of irregular extent, with a 

thickness of 2 or 3 feet. This shear zone is parallel to the foliation of the schist. 

Fifty feet above this tunnel is an open cut which exposes another shear zone. 

This mineralized shear zone is 2 feet 8 inches in thickness, and cuts the foliation 
64 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

of the quartz-schist at an angle of about 60°. The bed rock is nearly horizontal, 

dipping to the north. The shear zone in the cut has well-marked fault planes, 

and there is apparently some brecciation. The ore is galena and zinc blende. 

THORNE ARM. 

General description.—The upper end of Thorne Arm (see Pl. II aad fig. 3), 

an embayment which cuts into the southern shore of Revillagigedo Island, has been 

131'10' 

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TITUNNEL 


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Fm. 3.—Sketch map of Thorne Arm, showing claim locations. 

the scene of considerable mining activity. The inlet has a northerly-southerly 

course, transverse to the general trend of the adjacent mountains, which reach altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 feet. Except at the delta mouths of some of the larger 

streams the shore line is abrupt and rocky. 
CLAIMS NEAR THORNE ARM.4 65 

The salient features of the geology are not complex, though but little is 

known of details. The western boundary of the Coast Range granite belt lies 

within a few miles of the upper end of Thorne Arm (see geologic map, Pl. II). 

To the west of the granite are the rocks of the Ketchikan series, which form the 

country rock of the upper half of the inlet. The sediments of this series are 

argillites, with some limestones. Both the phyllites and the limestones are considerably altered, and, as this metamorphism increases as the granite is approached, 

the alteration may be assigned to the contact metamorphism as well as the 

mechanical deformation caused by the intrusion of this vast granite mass. A number of smaller granitic stocks occur within the sedimentary belt. Most of them 

are too small for representation on the accompanying map (Pl. II), but one at the 

entrance to Thorne Arm covers a considerable area. 

The Ketchikan series is typically made up of argillaceous and calcareous sedi— 

ments, but in the Thorne Arm region it includes large amounts of igneous rocks. 

These are for the most part greenstone-schists, occurring as intercalated bands which 

have suffered the same deformation as the sediments. In many cases the igneous and 

sedimentary rocks are so intimately associated that it would be impossible to define 

their separate areas even with the most detailed work. The greenstone-schists are 

plainly igneous, and are chiefly altered diabasic rocks. Similar sheared greenstones 

also occur in belts, sometimes half a mile or more wide, in the Thorne Arm region. 

Massive dioritic rocks occur as more recent intrusions. These cut both the sedi­ t, 

ments and the greenstone-schists. Dikes of a bluish porphyritic rock form another 

series of intrusions, which are of great economic interest because of their intimate 

association with some of the ore bodies. These dikes were found cutting the 

greenstone-schists which form the country rock on some of the claims at the upper 

end of Thorne Arm. In the hand specimen this rock shows rounded porphyritic 

crystals in a bluish-gray groundmass. The more weathered varieties have a reddish 

color. The original character of this rock could not be determined, as it was only 

found in association with ore bodies and where it had been permeated with the orebearing solutions. In thin section the phenocrysts (porphyritic crystals) were found 

to be made up entirely of secondary minerals, chiefly quartz and calcite, with some 

muscovite. The groundmass (cement) consists essentially of a finer aggregate of the 

same minerals, together with various other secondary minerals, such as epidote and 

biotite No specific determination of this rock could be made, but it is probably 

an altered aporhyolite. In the following description it will be convenient to use 

the miners' terminology and refer to it as porphyry. Some basaltic rocks carrying 

the silicate mineral olivine, which are apparently surface flows, were observed in the 

vicinity. The areas occupied by these rocks are too small to be represented on 

the geologic map. 

The mineral values of the Thorne Arm region lie in its gold- and silver-bearing 

quartz veins. The veins, which cut across the foliation of the country rock, vary in 

9210—No. 1 02 5 
66 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

trend from N. 20° to 45° E., and are usually persistent, with well-defined walls. 

They carry free gold, gold-bearing pyrite, and galena. Some are said to carry 

sphalerite, though this mineral was not observed by the writer. The gangue is 

usually quartz, with some calcite. While there are some very good prospects in the 

Thorne Arm region, there are many pyrite-carrying veins which contain only very 

small values. 

Sea Level mine.—This property, which was among the first to be developed in 

the district, is located on the eastern shore, at the upper end of Thorne Arm. The 

country rock is chiefly greenstone-schist. It is made up of actinolite, chlorite, and 

quartz, often contains also garnet and some calcite, and is always impregnated with 

considerable pyrite. This altered igneous rock is associated with sedimentary rocks, 

which are chiefly calcareous schists. The strike of the bed rock is from north to 

•N. 20° W., and the dip of the foliation is variable, but is most often steep to the 

northeast. 

The ore at the Sea Level mine is found in and near two parallel veins which 

folloiw a 25-foot intrusive dike of bluish porphyry. In the area examined the veins 

do not leave the dike, which cuts across the foliation of the country rock. The 

course of the dike is about N. 40° E., and its dip, together with that of the quartz 

veins, is about 80° SE. The veins are not quite parallel, the average distance 

between them in the first level of the mine being probably 15 feet. Near the shaft 

the easterly vein is about 5 feet wide, the westerly about 2 feet wide, but these 

dimensions do not represent the full width of the ore bodies, as the dike rock is 

itself heavily mineralized and carries gold values near the vein. The quartz veins 

themselves are well defined, but send numerous offshoots into both walls, which 

accounts for the dike being more or less mineralized throughout its extent. However, it is said to carry commercial values near the vein only. Some of the quartz 

stringers penetrate the chloritic schists which form the walls of the dike, and, while 

they contain pyrite, it is said that they carry no gold values outside of the porphyry. 

The quartz veins themselves do not seem to have suffered deformation, except near 

the north end of the claim, where the quartz is somewhat crushed. The dike and 

veins are traceable by surface outcrops for about 1,200 feet on the Sea Level claim, 

and the same zone of mineralization extends northward into the Sea Breeze property. 

The ore is free gold, gold-bearing iron pyrite, and galena. The gangue is 

usually white quartz, with occasionally some calcite. The pyrite occurs as wellformed isolated cubes and as granular aggregates. In the latter form it seems to 

carry the higher gold values. The preliminary development of the mine has yielded 

a good deal of-specimen gold. The average of the ore body is said to run $5.35 in 

gold values, but it is not uncommon to get assay returns of $20 to $30. The concentrates are said to run from $300 to $500 a ton. Some fragments, chipped 

more or less at random from the vein by the writer, were assayed by Dr. E. T. Allen, 

of the Geological Survey, and found to contain $65.12 in gold and 3.25 ounces of 

silver to the ton. 
CLAIMS NEAR THORNE ARM. 67 

The development at the time of visit consisted of a small steam hoist over a 

shaft 125 feet deep, with tunnels 400 and 500 feet in length, respectively, at the 50­

and 125-foot levels, both having several crosscuts. Besides the underground workings there were also some open cuts at various points along the outcrop of the vein. 

The results of this development seem to have satisfied the owners that they were warranted in making a considerable investment, as they are now installing the most 

extensive mining plant in the Ketchikan district. According to latest reports 

the shaft is being enlarged to a 3-compartment working shaft. The collar of this 

shaft is about 100 feet above tide water. The steam hoisting equipment has been 

installed and a 30-stamp mill has been erected on the beach, together with an ore 

crusher and 6 Frue vanners. The stamp mill is connected with the shaft by a rail 

tramway operated by gravity. The power for the mill is furnished by 6 pelton wheels 

of different sizes, the water being brought from the falls a mile distant. 

Sea _Breeze claim. —This vein is a northeasterly extension of the one already described, and can be traced almost continuously through the two properties. Near the 

southern end of the claim the vein is faulted about 10 feet. The workings consist of 

one open cut. The country rock at the cut is a greenstone, similar in character to that 

at the Sea Level, only more massive. The vein is 6 to 7 feet wide, and carries iron 

pyrite, gold, and some galena. Where the sulphurets are plentiful the vein carries 

high values. The gangue mineral is chiefly quartz. The porphyry in this case occurs 

only to the southeast of the vein, while on the northwest it comes directly in contact with the greenstone-schist. In this respect the Sea Breeze vein differs from the 

Sea Level, where the porphyry forms the casing. No definite information was obtained 

in regard to values, but it is reported that while there is some rich Ore the values 

are more spotted than on the Sea Level claim. 

Golden Dream claim.—This claim is about a mile from the beach, and adjacent 

to the Sea Breeze. The vein is nearly 20 feet in width, and is wade up of white 

quartz and calcite, carrying some sUlphurets. It seems to be a large lens, which 

pinches out, and extends as smaller quartz lenses that carry pyrite and zinc blende. 

The country rock is greenstone-schist. It has been traced on the surface about 

300 feet by the outcrop of a succession of lenticular quartz masses. The strike is 

N. 70° E., and the vein cuts across the foliation of the schist. Assays are said to 

have run as high as $4 in gold. 

ilfother Lode claim. This vein runs about N. 25° E., and consists of 8 feet of 

glassy quartz, which carries pyrite and a little gold. Picked samples gave assay 

values of about $30. The claim lies adjacent to the Sea Level claim, and the vein 

has been traced 400 to 500 feet. The country rock is diabase-schist and quartz-calcite-schist. 

Golden Tree claim.—This claim, which has received but very little development, 

is located on Gokacheen Creek, about a mile from the beach. It consists of a series 

of lenses that carry small pockets of gold, some of which run very high in gold 

values. The quartz veins are about 6 inches in width, and cut across the foliation 
68 • THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 


of the country rock, which is quartz-calcite-schist. The strike of the vein is about 


N. 70° W. 

Tide Water claim.—This is a well-defined vein, 18 inches in width, situated close 

to the Golden Tree. It cuts diabase-schist, and carries a small amount of free gold. 

Monster elaim.—The ore body is a large pegmatite dike, having a width of 12 to 

20 feet. It has been regarded as a quartz vein by the prospectors, but under the 

microscope is seen to be made up of an intergrowth of quartz and feldspar. Pyrite 

is every where disseminated through it, but its gold values are said to be very low. 

The wall rock is a diabase-schist. Near the contact the schist itself carries considerable pyrite. 

Keystone claim,.—This claim lies to the east of the upper end of Thorne Arm. 

Unfortunately the writer was unable to visit it. It is said to be about 1i miles from 

the beach, and to carry pyrite, galena, and zinc blende. The country rock is granite, 

and the vein is said to be 5 feet. in width and to have been traced 150 to 200 yards. 

The assays are said to show a gold content of $12. Since the writer visited the 

region the Ketchikan Gold Company, after further prospecting, has undertaken 

the systematic development of this claim. 

SEAL BAY AND DALL HEAD. 

General desertPtion.—Considerable prospecting has been done in a copper-bearing 

region lying near the southern end of Gravina Island, where the first liscoveries were 

made in 1898. The prospects of this locality are divisible into two groups, one lying 

adjacent to Seal Bay, the other near Dall Head. As the geologic conditions are the 

same in both regions they will be described together. 

A bold ridge, with a north-south trend and an altitude of 2,000 feet, stretches 

along the western shore of Gravina Island. Near the southern end of the island 

this ridge impinges on a group of mountains which trend northeast and southwest, 

parallel to the southeastern coast line of the island. The mountains in this second 

group have very abrupt slopes. Though time did not permit the study of the structural features of these mountains in detail, their outline and their relation to the 

north-south ridge are strongly suggestive of considerable faulting, especially as small 

faults are of very common occurrence. 

Seal Bay is a minor indentation of the southeastern coast line of the island (see 

Pl. II and fig. 4). At low tide a reef of rocks almost completely cuts off the bay 

from the strait. At high tide there is no shelter from the southerly storms which 

sweep northward from Dixon Entrance. Dall Bay, a few miles to the south, is a 

deeper indentation, and has a small, fairly good harbor. Some claims have also 

been opened up on the Clarence Strait side of the island, nearly due west from Dall 

Bay. Although the coast line is there very irregular, there is no shelter except for 

small boats. 

The bed rock of this region is chiefly greenstone-schists, which are intruded 

into a calcareous series. Both the igneous and the sedimentary rocks have been 
CLAIMS NEAR SEAL BAY AND DALL HEAD. 69 

intensely folded. The calcareous beds, which are in part of Devonian age, have 

been provisionally assigned to the Vallena r series. This correlation has been made 

on a very slender foundation of fact, and may eventually be overthrown. 

After the deformation of the calcareous schists and greenstone-schists, a considerable injection of pegmatite in the form of large dikes took place. This intrusion 

was succeeded by a period of erosion, when heavy conglomerates were deposited 

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unconformably on the schistose rocks. With the conglomerates there are some black 

slates, and these detrital beds have been named the Gravina series, and are believed 

to be Mesozoic. The rocks of the Gravina series have also suffered intense deformation and are closely folded and faulted. The strike is usually about north and south 

and the dip steep toward the east. 
70 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

The ore bodies are found along zones of brecciation, which most commonly occur 

near the contact of the pegmatite and greenstone-schists. In these zones the country 

rock has been broken by fault movement. The brecciated zones have been penetrated by the mineralizing solutions which have recemented the broken rock. 

The ore is chiefly chalcopyrite, usually accompanied by considerable pyrite, and 

usually carrying some gold values. The gangue is chiefly quartz, often with some 

jasper or calcite. Sphalerite (zinc blende) is commonly associated with the copper 

pyrite. The ore bodies include some small veins which are very rich and some 

large deposits which are of low grade, but are probably more uniform in their mode 

of occurrence, and therefore of greater importance from a commercial standpoint. 

During a rather hasty visit the writer found only a few of the owners or their 

representatives at these properties, and their absence prevented a study of many of 

the occurrences with as much thoroughness as their importance demanded, and also 

precluded the collection of exact information in regard to values. 

Seal Bay. Two test pits have been sunk on the beach close to tide water. The 

more westerly one is in a green, contorted schist which carries some pyrite. The more 

easterly is in a mineralized pegmatite which carries copper pyrite with a quartz and 

calcite gangue. 

Bay View claims.—These claims are about a half mile to the west of Seal Bay. 

At No. 2 an open cut of 20 feet exposes a dark-green diabase-schist, and, next to and 

grading into it, a brecciated form of the same rock, which has been recemented by 

quartz and some calcite. With this infiltrated quartz occur iron and copper pyrite 

and some bornite. The mineralization occurs at intervals for 30 to 40 feet. At the 

No. 3 claim of this group there is a 20-foot drift. The bed rock is a dark-greefi 

schist, which is slickensided and brecciated, with a recementation by ore-bearing 

solutions. One fault zone runs N. 30° E., another about N. 60°.W. The ore from 

this locality is copper and iron pyrite, with some zinc blende. The drift was driven 

along a vein carrying pyrite, about a foot in width, which runs about N. 60° W. 

The Bay View claims belong to the Victory Mining Company. 

War Eagle claim.—At this locality there is a shaft, probably 40 feet deep, and 

near at hand two tunnels, which are about 100 feet apart vertically. The country 

rock is a greenstone-schist, which has been sheared and brecciated, and the ore occurs 

along the shear zones. Near the breast of the lower tunnel about 3 feet of the breccia 

and ore are shown. The strike of the vein is approximately N. 30° E. The fault 

plane dips about 85° E. and is approximately parallel to the strike. The ore is a 

chalcopyrite and is said to carry gold values. This claim, together with the Big Joe, 

where an open cut exposes the extension of the same mineral-bearing zone, belongs 

to the Patterson Company. The same company also owns the Hobo claim, which 

joins the War Eagle on the west. The latter was not visited. 

Grotto claim.—This claim, together with the O'Brien, Trio, and the Big Three, 

which lie to the north, belong to the Victory Mining Company. When the exami-
CLAIMS NEAR SEAL BAY AND DALL HEAD. 

nation was made there was no on6 on the property, but since then developments have 

been actively pushed. 

The mine workings were found to consist of a tunnel about 100 feet long, located 

about 600 feet above tide, and a second tunnel, 50 feet higher and. 30 feet long. The 

lower tunnel cuts across the foliation of the greenstone-schist which forms the country rock. The greenstone-schist is all somewhat mineralized, but probably does not 

carry values, except along shear zones, where the mineralization has been more 

intense. These shear zones occ r at irregular intervals in the inner 30 feet of the 

tunnel, which is near a mass of intrusive pegmatite. The upper tunnel has penetrated a brecciated greenstone-s c ist, which is more or less mineralized for the full 

length of the tunnel, or about 30 feet. 

Since our examination the 1 er tunnel has been driven 100 feet farther, and the 

company is reported to be now drifting on the ore body. It would seem from this 

that the writer's observations were at fault and that the mineralized zone observed 

at a depth of 100 feet in the lower tunnel was not the same ore body which is 

exposed in the upper tunnel. The company reports the lead to be 25 feet wide 

where the tunnel intersects it. The croppings average 11 per cent copper across 5 

feet. The walls of the ore body where the drift is being driven are said to be well 

defined. About one-fourth of a ile in a northerly direction from the lower tunnel 

a small shaft, probably 50 feet d ep, had been sunk, at the time of our visit, in some 

mineralized schists. 

Jumbo claim.—This is about half a mile from the beach and not more than 50 feet 

above tide water. A small crosscut exposes 5 to 10 feet of a zone in part heavily 

mineralized with copper and iron pyrite. . In its occurrence it is similar in character 

to the ore bodies already described. The opening is in a flat, and there are no 

outcrops in the vicinity. 

Rosslan,d and Deer Park ning Company.—The claims belonging to this company are adjacent to Dall Ba . The company has erected several substantial 

buildings and has sunk two sh ts, with crosscuts, and a number of test pits. The 

two shafts are in the southern corner of Dall No. 4. One is located just at tide 

water, and said to be about 30 feet deep; the other is 20 feet higher, and 50 or 60 

feet deep, with a crosscut at the bottom. Both of these shafts were filled with water 

when visited. The deeper shaft is provided with a steam hoist. The ore observed 

on the dump is chalcopyrite, with quartz gangue. The waste dump contained 

fragments of mineralized pegm tite and also of chloritic greenstone-schist. About 

50 feet to the east of the shaft i an outcrop of brecciated porphyry. 

In a small Crosscut located On Dall No. 5, near the mess house, is exposed a red 

pegmatitic rock. Close at hand is a mass of diabase-schist. The pegmatite is more 

or less mineralized. 

It was very unfortunate tha the mine workings were not accessible when visited. 

The interruption of the devel i pment of the property was because of a lawsuit. 
72 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Enough was seen by the writer to convince him that the ore body in its general character is similar to those which have been described in adjacent localities. The position 

of the ore body makes it more difficult to work than those where the topographic 

conditions permit of crosscutting by tunnels. 

The writer is indebted to Mr. C. H. Hunt, manager of the Rossland and Deer 

Park Mining Company, for the following information, which is extracted from a 

letter dated Portland, Oreg., December 27, 1901: 

" I regret that no one representing the interest of the company was on the 

ground at the time of your visit, as the real merits of the property could be shown 

only by one familiar with the ground, to point out the places where the ledge is 

exposed for a distance of several hundred feet from the beach in a northerly direction. There are also several places where considerable prospecting has been done 

other than at the shafts which you visited. At all the points where prospecting has 

been done on this ledge the same character of ore has been found, showing that the 

ore body is continuous. * * * 

"From the many assays made from time to time, values were shown in gold, 

copper, and silver, fluctuating sometimes as high as 30 per cent copper, $10 in gold 

and $3 in silver. This showing was from ore taken from the ore shoot, 'the same in 

both shafts, beginning at the surface, gradually increasing in strength to the depth 

of 60 feet in one shaft and 100 feet in another. In the latter a crosscut was run at a 

depth of 90 feet a distance of 25 feet, showing a defined ledge thoroughly mineralized. 

In the pay shoot, which is 3 feet wide, the ore is highly mineralized. As I have 

stated, the values change, but a careful estimate made from the whole shows an 

average of 11 per cent copper, $6 in gold, with slight values in silver." 

Washington claim.—This is located about three-fourths mile west of Dall Bay. 

A prospecting drift about 20 feet long is the only development work. The country 

rock is a reddish pegmatite, which is cut by a diabase dike and rendered more or 

less schistose. The diabase in this instance is plainly the later intrusion. The 

relations between the acid and basic rocks in this locality seem to be different from 

those studied elsewhere. The mineralized zone occurs along the contact of the 

diabase and the pegmatite, along which there has been shearing, and both. rock 

masses have been more or less brecciated. In this brecciated zone some iron and 

copper pyrite is developed, with quartz and jasper gangue. 

Apex group.—This group, embracing about a dozen claims, lies a mile to the 

north of Dahl Bay. The highest is on the top of the mountain, 1,000 feet above 

tide water. The ore bodies contain chalcopyrite with zinc blende, and often carry 

gold values. 

On the Concord No. 2 a tunnel has been driven for about 10 feet. The ore 

is mineralized breccia, occurring at the contact of coarse pegmatite and banded 

green schist. It contains chalcopyrite, with quartz and calcite gangue and a little 

manganese. 

The uppermost claims of the group, Concord Nos. 3 and 4, are near the top of 

the mountain. These deposits lie at the contact of the greenstone-schist and 
DEVELOPMENTS ON VALLENAR BA Y. 

pegmatite. The rocks dip steeply 800 SE. One open cut shows 2 feet and another 

18 inches to 2 feet of pyrite and zinc blende. The veins cut the greenstone-schist. 

The walls of this latter vein are silicified. 

On the Blue Jay claim of this group a tunnel has been driven about 50 feet. 

The tunnel intersects some brecciated zones near the contacts of greenstone and 

pegmatite, along which mineralization has taken place. 

At the Old Man claim a mineralized zone several feet in thickness, carrying 

copper pyrite, is exposed in a small open cut. It is in a brecciated zone and carries 

considerable zinc blende. 

A quarter of a mile to the east of the Old Man is the Sunrise vein, which has a 

thickness of 12 to 18 inches. It has been traced on the surface for several hundred 

feet. Its strike is N. 75° W., dip S. 80°. Near the contact with the greenstoneschist the country rock is a pegmatite. This vein seems to be better defined than 

many of the others, and shows a beautiful mass of chalcopyrite ore. The ore is said 

to carry values of $72, which is chiefly in copper, with a little silver and gold. 

Grenadier elaim.—This property is located about 1 mile west of the upper end 

of Dall Bay. A prospecting cut about 10 feet deep shows greenstones, schists, and 

pegmatite more or less brecciated near the contact, Some mineralization has taken 

place along the shear zones. 

Erhart's elaim.--This locality is on the west side of Gravina Island, nearly 

opposite Dall Bay. The name of the claim could not be learned, so it has been 

designated by the name of the owner. An open cut has exposed a small vein, 

which is apparently in a shear zone of porphyritic rock. The mineralization extends 

over a width of 4 to 5 feet, but the richer parts of the vein are less than 2 feet in 

thickness. The vein is rather ill defined. The ore is copper pyrite. 

Starlight claim.—This locality is half a mile to the east of Erhart's claim. Here 

a tunnel has been opened up for about 50 feet. The ore body occupies a brecciated 

zone about 3 feet in thickness in a porphyritic rock. The ore is chiefly chalcopyrite, with calcite and quartz gangue. 

VALLENAR BAY. 

General deseription.—Vallenar Bay is an embayment in the northwestern shore 

of Gravina Island (see Pl. II). It affords good shelter from southerly storms, but 

is not protected from the north or west. Some developments have been made on 

the bay at the Six Point property, and some at a locality about 3 miles south of 

the bay, lying adjacent to the strait. The bed rock of the shores of the bay 

includes some limestone and quartzite, probably of Devonian age, overlain by 

fragmental rocks which are probably tuffs, associated with carbonaceous slates. 

These beds have been grouped together and called the Vallenar series. 

The so-called Six Point property has received some development, but has apparently been abandoned. The workings consist of a three-compartment shaft and some 
74 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

drifts, which were filled with water when visited. As far as could be determined, 

the ore body lies along the contact of a slaty limestone and quartzite and an 

intrusive rock. The intrusive is considerably altered, but seems to have been of a 

diabasic character. Along this contact there has been considerable shearing and 

brecciation, and subsequently mineralization has taken place. The ore is chiefly 

pyrite and the gangue chiefly quartz. 

At a locality about 3 miles south of \Tallenar Bay, on the west coast of Gravina 

Island and 200 yards from the shore, a tunnel has been driven about 50 feet. 

This tunnel follows a shear zone which is in part mineralized. A vein carrying 

quartz and pyrite seems to be continuous in this mineralized zone, but swells out 

and narrows down, leaving a series of lenses connected by very small veins. At 

the face of the drift the vein is about 2 inches wide. The country rock on both 

sides of the vein is a sheared diabase, intrusive in graphitic slates, which are exposed 

close by. The mineralization is not entirely confined to the vein, but also permeates both walls of the diabase-schist. The name of this claim was not learned. 

NIBLACK ANCHORAGE. 

General description.—Niblack Anchorage is an almost landlocked harbor on 

the southeastern coast of Prince of Wales Island, and is connected with Moira 

Sound by a waterway which permits of the entrance of the largest ships (see Pl. 

II and fig. 5). It is bordered on the north and south by mountains, which rise 

abruptly almost from the water's edge to altitudes of 2,000 and 2,500 feet. The 

bed rock along the shores is chiefly of igneous origin, but has suffered intense 

deformation, being rendered schistose, and in many ways resembling sedimentary 

beds. These igneous rocks are intrusive in the Wales series, which - in adjacent 

regions consists chiefly of white crystalline limestone. The limestone itself is 

found to the north and south, but does not outcrop near the anchorage. Immediately north of Niblack there is a belt of siliceous schists, which are also a part 

of the Wales series. Greenstones outcrop on both shores of the inlet. In their 

more massive phases these rocks are dioritic in character, while the schistose 

phases are made up chiefly of chlorite, actinolite, and quartz, with other secondary 

minerals. The greenstones are believed to be intrusive in the sedimentary beds. 

To the south of this greenstone-schist belt is a zone of quartz-sericite-schist, whose 

southern boundary was not determined. These quartz-sericite-schists are typically 

bluish white, but near•their contact with the greenstone-schist they contain considerable chlorite, and then it becomes difficult to distinguish the two rock types. The 

intrusive character of the sericite-schists in the greenstones was definitely established. The sericite-schist is believed to be an altered rhyolite. The strike of the 

foliation of the schists is northwest and southeast, and the dip predominantly 

steep to the southwest. 

The ore bodies occur in both the greenstone-schist and the quartz-sericiteschist, and include veins and mineralized zones. The former veins carry the richest 
 

��

CLAIMS NEAR NIBLACK ANCHORAGE. 75 

ore, but the mineralized zones are more extensive and are probably of greater 

commercial importance. Both forms of deposit are, however, sometimes found in 

the same ore body. The ore is covellite, chalcopyrite, iron pyrite, gold, and a 

little galena. While they are primarily copper deposits, they often contain such 

large gold values that they could be worked for gold alone. 

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FIG. 5.—Sketch map of Kitkun Bay, Dolomi, North Arm, and Niblack Anchorage, showing claim locations. 

Lookout group.—This is a group of six claims, controlled by one company, 

which lies to the south of and adjacent to Niblack Anchorage. The ore deposits 

on these claims are all similar in character, being mineralized quartz-sericiteschists, which carry a considerable percentage of copper pyrite and also of gold, 

together with iron pyrite. The character of this quartz-sericite-schist has already 
76 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

been described. The schist is usually somewhat mineralized, but this mineralization 

is more intense along certain zones, which afford the commercial ore bodies. 

A day was spent in visiting the various claims of this group. At the time 

of the examination the developments consisted of one tunnel and a number of open 

cuts. Within the zone are bands or veins of covellite, copper, and iron pyrite, 

with gold-bearing vein quartz. A sample taken across one of these bands, which 

had a width of about 15 feet, was assayed by Dr. Edward Fink, of Milwaukee, Wis., 

and gave the following returns: Copper, 5.2 per cent; gold, 0.20 ounce; silver, 

2.31 ounces. 

This ore body has only been stripped, so that we do not know what its 

character would be below the leaching action of water, Mit it is not likely that 

the values decrease. 

The Conundrum claim has been opened by a tunnel about 30 feet long, of 

which about 25 feet are impregnated with iron and some copper pyrite. At this 

locality both chloritic schists and quartz-sericite-schists are exposed, and both are 

mineralied. The mineralized zone carries considerable quartz in places, and 

wherever the quartz is present it is accompanied by higher gold values. About 50 

feet above the tunnel is an open cut, exposing 25 feet oi mineralized zone, about 

10 feet of which carries 9 per cent copper. The strike is N. 45° W. The dip is 

about 75° N. 

One hundred feet higher, at an altitude of about 1,600 feet, on Lookout claim 

proper, an open cut shows a large mass of mineralized schist. This is made up 

largely of quartz and feldspar, and pyrites are pretty well disseminated. The 

country rock away from the zone is a foliated feldspar schist, similar in character 

to the ore except for the absence of pyrite. This upper mineralized zone is about 

300 feet wide. Another series of assays, made from what may have been picked 

samples from this lead, showed values of 9 per cent in copper and from $4 to 

$8 in gold. Slipping planes are everywhere present in the ore body, and masses 

of covellite, copper, and iron pyrite ore, varying from a few inches up to a foot 

or two in width, alternate with chloritic schist lenses and bands. Along the walls 

of these bands of ore evidence of Movement is always noticeable. The schist is 

highly silicified in bands parallel to the ore. Quartz blebs, carrying iron pyrite, 

occur cutting across the foliation of the schist, but are not found cutting the 

pyrite ore, and seem to belong to the same period of intrusion. 

Near the western margin of this exposure the material passes into a 

metamorphic conglomerate. The pebbles of this conglomerate are largely of the 

feldspathic rock and of quartz. Some of the pebbles are well rounded, and there 

seems to be no doubt of the sedimentary character of this rock. The cement of 

the conglomerate is chloritic. The conglomerate was evidently formed previous 

to the deposition of the ore, as the ores penetrate the pebbles. The matrix is 

chiefly iron pyrite, chalcopyrite, covellite, chlorite, and quartz. It was unfortunate 
CLAIMS NEAR NIBLACK ANCHORAGE. 77 

that this peculiar conglomerate could not have received further study, as its position 

and origin are exceedingly puzzling. 

Near and including this conglomerate is a mineralized zone, about 6 feet in 

width, which was sampled and assayed by Dr. Edward Fink with the following 

results: Copper, 2.69 per cent; gold, 0.12 ounce; silver, 1.3 ounces. 

The Mammoth claim of this group is 500 feet above tide water, to the north of 

and adjacent to the Lookout claim. The mineralized zone is here about 20 feet 

wide. Copper and iron pyrite and covellite occur in bands and also dissemilated 

through the rock. The widest band of fairly pure ore is 3 feet. This mineralized 

zone is said to have been traced for 500 feet, and it is believed to be an extension of 

the Lookout ore body. Chlorite-schist lies to the west of the ore body and fOrms 

the foot wall. The contact relations show that the quartz-sericite-schist is intrusive. 

The Lookout group of claims is well located for development. The ore body 

is very large, and though not of high grade, it offers very good opportunities for 

exploitation. Its topographic position permits of its being mined at low cost. The 

physical character of the ore makes it well adapted for concentration. A water 

power, controlled by the same company, to the north of Niblack Anchorage could 

be converted into electric power, and would be ample for the purposes of mining 

and reduction. 

Trio claims —This group, comprising several claims, lies to the north of the 

Conundrum. Some preliminary developments have been made at various localities. 

At one place visited a crosscut exposes an ore body about 10 feet in width. The ore 

is similar in character to that of the Lookout group, and carries both copper and gold. 

This same belt of deposits is said to extend to the south, toward Moira Sound, 

and many claims have been staked in this region; but little development work has 

been done, and the party's time was too limited to visit these claims. The best 

information obtainable went to show that the ore bodies were similar in character to 

those of the Lookout. 

Copper Chief claim.--This property lies adjacent to the west end of Niblack 

Anchorage. A shaft about 60 feet deep has been put down near the beach, but was 

filled with water when visited. The country rock is a greenstone-schist, which at the 

shaft is heavily mineralized for a width of 20 feet or more. The strike is about 

north and south, and the dip is 80° E. The ore is chiefly chalcopyrite, and appears 

to be of excellent quality, but is not so good for concentration as that of the Lookout 

claims. The mineralization is in irregular zones, with included horses of greenstone. 

A crosscut about 100 feet beyond the shaft shows a mineralized zone nearly 60 feet 

wide. The money spent on this claim was unfortunately used in sinking a shaft 

almost at tide water. Assays of the ore are said to have run as high as 2 in gold 

and copper values, of which $7 or $8 was in gold. 

Edith M. claim —This property is located close to the beach on the south 

side of Niblack Anchorage. A 20-foot tunnel has been driven into a mineralized 
78 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, AL ASKA. 

greenstone-schist. A zone of iron and copper pyrite about a foot in width is 

exposed in the tunnel, and is said to carry $5 in gold and copper values. Another 

zone, about 8 feet in width, carries chiefly iron pyrite. A second mineralized zone 

is said to occur on the same claim. 

NORTH ARM OF MOIRA SOUND. 

General description.—This is an indentation of the southeastern coast of Prince 

of Wales Island, situated just north of Niblack Anchorage (see fig. 5). A belt 

of limestone associated with intrusive greenstones is found outcropping on both 

shores of this arm. The general strike is in a northwesterly direction. South 

of this limestone belt is an area of granite. The greenstones are usually schistose, 

though sometimes massive. The limestones belong to the Wales series, and the 

greenstones are intrusive in them, and both have been closely folded. Massive 

dioritic rocks also occur in some abundance. The ore bodies are of two types: 

First, quartz veins, which carry gold values, and which cut chiefly the dioritic 

rocks, but also cut the granite; second, veins found in the limestones. The ores 

of these are chiefly galena, sphalerite (zinc blende), and some copper pyrite. At 

one locality chalcocite was found. 

Iioniestake claim.—This is located about 1i- miles to the south of the North Arm. 

The developments consist of an open cut. The country rock is an altered granite, 

which is cut by a porphyritic dike, andesitic in character. The ore body consists of 

a zone 6 feet in width, in which are small stringers of quartz carrying iron pyrite. 

These small veins are usually less than 1 inch in width, but widen out to 3 or 4 

inches in places. The rock itself appears to be mineralized. No data were obtained 

in regard to the values, which are probably all in gold. The claim is located about 

1,200 feet above tide water. 

Bluebird and Little _Annie claims.—These claims are about 11 miles to the 

south of the Homestake. They were not visited, but the following information 

was obtained from Mr. John G. Westlake. The ore is said to occur, at a contact 

of chloritic schist and granite. The ore body consists of 5 or 6 feet of smoky vein 

quartz, and assays show it to run $40 to $60 in gold. A specimen obtained from 

Mr. Westlake carries visible free gold. 

Hope claim.—This claim is about half a mile northwest of the North Arm. 

The country rock is a porphyritic diorite, very highly silicified. A tunnel about 

20 feet long has been driven on the vein, which consists of white quartz containing iron pyrite, some free gold, and a little chalcopyrite. The vein is about 

2 feet in width at its widest part, but it narrows down again to a few inches and 

then broadens out. Two systems of jointing determine the position of the quartz 

veins. Near the surface an assay of the vein showed $40 in gold. This vein 

occurs in a shear zone which cuts the foliation of the country rock. Two hundred 

feet above the tunnel is a small exposure of granite 12 feet or more in width, 

which is said to carry gold values as high as $38 to the ton. 
CLAIMS - NEAR DOLOMI.4 79 

Excelsior claim.—This property is about 1 mile to the west of the head of North 

Arm, near Mineral Lake. It consists of a mineralized zone, 10 to 12 feet wide, in 

white crystalline limestone. This mineralized zone contains two veins of iron and 

copper pyrite, one about 2 feet and one about 3 feet in width. One hundred yards 

beyond the first exposure a crosscut opens up the same vein with a width of 3 feet. 

The ore is iron and copper pyrite. The limestone lying adjacent to the ore shows 

evidence of faulting and shear zones. 

Vesta claim.—This is located about 2 miles to the west of the North Arm, on 

Mineral Lake. A tunnel 30 feet in length has been driven in white crystalline 

limestone. The ore body is a mineralized chloritic schist, which is contained 

between limestone walls. The ore is iron and copper pyrite. 

Frisco claim.—This property is about 2 miles farther west and half a mile from 

the western end. of Mineral Lake. It consists of a mineralized zone 8 feet wide, 

carrying zinc blende, iron and copper pyrite, and galena. It has been stripped at 

several places. 

DOLOMI. 

General description.—Under this heading the mining region adjacent to the 

town of Dolomi will be considered. The town of Dolomi, which included a store, 

a small wharf, sawmill, and post-office when visited, is well located, on Johnsons 

Inlet, a minor indentation of the eastern coast line of Prince of Wales Island, which 

affords a fair anchorage (see Pl. II and fig. 5). The ore bodies thus far discovered 

nearly all lie in the drainage basin of a stream which flows into the head of the 

inlet. Several lakes drain into this stream. The valleys are broad, and the mountains, which rise to 1,800 feet, have rather gentle slopes. The shore line and 

the surface are less rugged than in districts previously described. The rocks are 

chiefly limestones containing some magnesia, usually highly crystalline, striking in 

a northwesterly-southeasterly direction. These limestones, with which some 

graphitic phyllites are associated, belong to the Wales series, and are probably 

coextensive with those of Kitkun Bay, an arm of Cholmondeley Sound, which lies 

to the northwest. They also form a part of the same belt which has been described 

in the region of the North Arm of Moira Sound. The series is closely folded, and 

contains many intrusive greenstones, which have been usually rendered schistose. 

Lithologically the limestone varies from a blue, semicrystalline rock to one which 

is white and coarsely crystalline. The ore bodies of this region were among the 

first to be exploited in the district, the first prospecting work having been done 

in 1898. They are quartz veins which cut the foliation of the country rock, and 

must be for the most part regarded as true fissure veins. The ores, which are 

free milling for the most part, carry gold, iron pyrite, galena, and sometimes 

chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite (gray copper). In the Golden Fleece mine the 

relation of the ore body to the country rock suggests that the vein may be in 

part a replacement. 
80 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Salmon claim.—This is located about a quarter of a mile north of Dolomi. 

The vein has been opened up by a small crosscut and a prospecting pit. The wall 

rock is crystalline limestone, which is much sheared. The vein is 5 feet wide at 

the surface, and pinches down to 1 foot at the bottom of the pit. The gangue is 

chiefly bluish quartz, and carries free gold, iron pyrite, and galena. The average 

assay is said to run $8 to the ton, the lowest being $4 arid the highest $22. 

Beauty claims. —This group includes two claims about half a mile north of 

Dolomi, lying adjacent to the Salmon claim. Beauty No: 2 shows a mineralized 

quartz vein, 12 to 18 inches in thickness, in a micaceous limestone. The vein carries 

pyrite, and is said to carry gold. The strike is N. 20° W., the dip 30° SW. The 

development consists of two shafts, 45 feet deep, with a connecting drift, which 

were filled with water when visited. The vein carries tetrahedrite, in which the 

silver is said to be the main value. The wall rock is a crystalline limestone. The 

gangue mineral is chiefly quartz, and the vein carries a little copper pyrite. Assays 

are said to have shown values of $600 in silver and $20 in gold. These values are 

said to continue in depth. The silver seems to decrease in depth, and the gold to 

increase. The strike is N. 20° E., the dip 30° SE. 

Triangle No. 2 claim.—This claim lies adjacent to Beauty No. 1 on the north. 

A quartz vein 4 to 5 feet in width is exposed in a pit, in which the quartz is interbanded with crystalline limestone. The mineralization seems to be confined chiefly 

to the bands of quartz. The strike of the vein is N. 40° W., the dip 35° NE. The 

gangue minerals are quartz and calcite, which form a coarsely crystalline intergrowth. Values are reported as high as 0 to the ton. 

Welcome claim.—This lies adjacent to the Triangle on the north. A small pit 

has been sunk at a contact of limestone and graphitic schist, where there is a 

shear zone which has been mineralized. Both the graphitic schist and the limestone are silicified. The vein carries pyrite and is said to carry free gold. 

Fortune claim.—This property lies near the south end of James Lake. There 

are three veins; one is well defined and is about 2 feet in width, the others are 

about 1 foot and about 18 inches in width. They are separated by the country 

rock, which is a graphitic schist. Smaller veins cut across the larger ones. The 

gangue is chiefly quartz, and the ore for the most part is tetrahedrite. The vein 

carries some graphite. The strike is about N. 60° W., the dip 10° NE. About 

100 feet away the strike turns abruptly to N. 30° W., with the same dip. The 

development consists of a small pit. 

Jumbo claim.—This claim is west of the Welcome. A shaft has been sunk to a 

depth of 40 feet. The strike is N. 45° E., the dip undetermined. The vein consists 

of a bluish quartz, fractured and recemented by white quartz, and is 2 to 3 feet 

thick. The ores are gold and tetrahedrite. The values were not learned. The mine 

workings show many planes of movement in the country rock, which is graphitic 

phyllite. 
CLAIMS NEAR DOLOMI.4 81 

Matilda claim—This lies adjacent to the Fortune on the north. It has a welldefined quartz vein, 3 feet in width, with strike about east and west, dip 60° S. 

A decomposed mica-schist forms both walls. The quartz carries pyrite and is said 

to carry gold. The schist is slickensided, and along these slickensided surfaces 

mineralization has taken place. 

Golden Fleece mine.—This is one of the most extensively developed mines of 

the Dolomi region, but unfortunately only a couple of hours could be given to its 

examination. It is connected with Dolomi by a tram, which was not completed when 

visited. A prospecting stamp mill has been erected, and the property includes a 

number of substantial buildings. The country rock includes dolomitic white and 

blue crystalline limestone, the ore being usually found near the contact of the two. 

The transition between the two limestones, though rather abrupt, at the same time 

appears to be one of metamorphism. The limestones are cut by diabase dikes, which 

cut across the foliation and are unaltered. The earlier developments of this property 

were made under a misconception of the character and position of the ore body, and 

much of the money was wasted. The mine workings which are now being used 

consist of two tunnels and several shafts. The vein apparently cuts the lamination 

of the limestone. The ore, which occurs in lenses, varies from a few inches to 5 or 

6 feet in thickness. These lenses sometimes nearly pinch out, but they are always 

connected by vein matter. The ore is closely associated with dikes of a diabasic 

character, which it cuts. The strike of the ore bodies varies from north and south 

to N. 45° E.; and the dip, as a rule, is low, varying from 10° to 45°. The ore body 

is usually well defined. The hanging wall is most often a blue crystalline limestone, 

and the foot wall a white crystalline limestone. Near the contact with the vein the 

hanging wall is broken and brecciated and the mineral-bearing solutions have 

penetrated it, as they have also some of the diabase dikes. 

In the development of the mine use has been made of the limestone caverns, 

which the ore bodies seem to follow, in a rough way. This suggests that the ore 

was deposited along channels of solution and may be a replacement. Unfortunately 

the limited time spent at this mine did not permit of solving the interesting problems connected with the occurrence of the ore. As far as could be determined, the 

mine workings show that there are two distinct veins, separated by a considerable 

thickness of limestone. These veins are roughly parallel, bend in their strikes, and 

have low dips. Their outcrops form a curved line, and their general form is probably that of a broad basin. The northern rim of the basin has not been found, so 

that it is quite likely that the dip becomes steep underground beyond the present 

mine works. The veins are formed of a series of lenticular ore bodies, which are 

connected by narrow necks. 

The ore is free gold, tetrahedrite, and pyrite. That which was being mined 

when visited is said to have yielded, with some sorting, $40 to $60 at the mill. Two 

specimens were collected by the writer, which were not commercial samples, but 

9210—No. 1 02 6 
82 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

were taken more or less at random. These were assayed by Dr. E. T. Allen in the 

Geological Survey laboratory. The one from the leanest ore yielded 2.36 ounces in 

silver and 0.05 ounce in gold. The other was from the highest class of ores, and 

yielded 9.96 ounces of silver and 4.17 ounces in gold. 

Copper Lake group.—This is a group of claims lying east of the Golden Fleece, 

on which but little development work has been done. On one claim a zone of 

mineralized quartz was seen, 5 or 6 feet in width, carrying copper-bearing minerals. 

The vein occurs in limestone which is much sheared and slickensidecl. The vein 

shows brecciation, similar to that of the Golden Fleece vein, and resembles the 

Golden Fleece in character. The ore is iron and copper pyrite and tetrahedrite, 

with probably some free gold. 

Beulah claim.—This lies to the south of and in part overlaps the Golden Fleece, 

and was in litigation at the time of our visit. A small cut exposes a mineralized 

zone 5 or 6 feet in width. The zone is made up chiefly of vein quartz, including 

some of the mica-schist which forms the foot and hanging walls. 

Welfleet claim.—This claim lies to the west of the Jumbo. It consists of a very 

large quartz ledge, 20 to 25 feet wide, carrying graphite and occurring in graphitic 

schists. It carries pyrite, and its gold values are said to run from $2 to $4. What 

is said to be the western extension of this has been staked under the name " Sarah 

claim." 

Home elaim.—This lies north of the Welcome. It is a quartz vein, 12 to 18 

inches thick, cutting coarse limestone beds. The limestones are faulted and slickensided. The strike is N. 60° W., dip questionable. The development consists of a 

pit about 8 feet deep. At the surface the vein has a width of 2 feet, but it narrows 

down to 18 inches near the bottom of the pit. It carries pyrites and tetrahedrite. 

Alpha claim.—This lies near the coast, northeast of the Home claim. The strike 

is N. 20° E. dip 80° NW. It is an 18- to 24-inch quartz vein in white crystalline 

limestone, apparently somewhat mineralized. No development work has yet been 

done. White crystalline limestone forms both walls. The vein cuts across the stratification of the limestone. 

A small cut has been made on what appears to be the same vein, 200 feet from 

the above outcrop. At this point a 3-foot vein is exposed, with strike N. 40° W. 

Both walls are crystalline limestone. Ore is chiefly vein pyrite. According to the 

owner, assays show values running from to $25 in gold. 

House elaim.—This claim is located a mile north of Dolomi, near Paul Lake. It 

is a quartz vein, 12 to 24 inches thick, carrying iron pyrite, copper pyrite, and gray 

copper ore, exposed in a small pit. The vein has been faulted, the throw being 

about 12 inches. The strike is N. 15° E., the dip 30° NW. The wall rock is a 

white crystalline limestone. 

Pauline claim.—This claim is about 1- miles from Dolomi and a quarter of a 

mile north of Paul Lake. The developments consist of a pit 10 feet deep and a cross-
CLAIMS NEAR DOLOMI.4 83 

cut 6 or 8 feet wide. The ore body is a small fissure vein which cuts banded blue 

and white crystalline limestone. The vein in the pit has a width of 4 to 6 inches and 

strikes N. 50° W. The limestone has the same strike and dips 20°, while the vein dips 

80° to the south. The vein cuts the bed rock at about right angles. The limestone 

shows banding and faulting parallel to the vein. In the cut a mineralized zone 6 to 8 

feet wide is exposed. In this mineralized zone are numerous quartz stringers and 

also mineralized country rock. The quartz is sheared and banded. The strike is 

about N. 60° W., the dip 45° NE. At a third locality on this vein there is a crosscut 

tunnel about 40 feet long, which intersects the vein at right angles to its strike. 

The hanging wall is well defined, while the foot wall was buried under debris, but 

the width of the vein is probably 3 feet. Some mica-schist occurs within the vein. 

The ore is similar to that described. 

Valparaiso mine.—This mine lies to the northeast of Paul Lake, about 2 miles 

from Dolomi. It has been extensively developed and some gold ore has been shipped 

from it. There are two shafts, about 100 feet apart and about 40 to 60 feet deep. 

At the westernmost shaft the dip of the vein is about 34° N., the strike being N. 60° 

W. The hanging wall is slickensided and is separated from the vein by a thin seam 

of gouge. The hanging wall seems to be well defined, but the foot wall carries some 

ore. The distance between the walls at the bottom of the westernmost shaft is about 

6 feet. Only a part of this, however, carries values. Brecciation has taken place 

along the foot wall, with more or less recementing. Like the Golden Fleece, this 

vein, in a general way, follows a series of cavities. The vein carries tetrahedrite, 

galena, pyrite, and sometimes zinc blende, besides the free gold. The vein matter 

in the western shaft, according to the superintendent, is blocked out by seams which 

are lines of movement. The mineralization seems to follow a line of brecciation, and 

it is along this line of brecciation that the solution of the limestone has taken place 

and cavities have been formed. 

In the easternmost shaft the dip is 350 to the north. The hanging wall is well 

defined. The mining operations are in a mineralized zone 5/ to 6 feet in width, 

from which ore was being shipped at the time of our visit. The vein at the surface 

shows a maximum width of 12 feet, with limestone forming both the hanging and 

the foot walls. Values as high as $70 and $80 a ton are reported from the picked 

ores of this mine. Since it was examined one shipment of ore is said to have yielded 

$185 per ton. 

Wednesday claim.—This is located on the south sid of Paul Lake, northwest of 

Dolomi. A small cut has been made, which exposes a v in 3 feet wide at the surface. 

The country rock is a micaceous calcareous schist, which is much faulted, the mineralization seeming to be along the fault planes. The'gan ue mineral is chiefly calcite. 

The strike is N. 50° E., the dip 45° to 60° S. A tunnel as been driven about 20 feet. 

The country rock is white crystalline limestone containi ng bands of mica-schist. 

Jessie claim.---This is located on the north shore of Paul Lake, adjacent to and 
84 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

east of the Valparaiso. The strike is about N. 60° W. and the dip 20° N. The vein 

proper is about 1i feet in thickness; above this occurs about 11- feet of silicified limestone and quartz, above which the hanging wall is composed of limestone. The foot 

wall is a chloritic schist. The vein minerals are chiefly iron and copper pyrite with 

free gold. 

Paul claim.—This lies adjacent to the Jessie on the east, and is an extension of 

the same vein. The strike is N. 60° W., the dip 10° N. The vein is partly under 

the lake, and seems to have a thickness of about 3 feet. White limestone probably 

occurs below as well as above the vein. The vein, which is well defined, carries free 

gold and pyrite. Along the contact of the vein and hanging wall the limestone is 

brecciated and recemented by quartz. This is the place where gold was first discovered in the Dolomi region. The discovery was made by Paul Johnson, an Indian 

boy, who first found the bright particles of gold on the shore of the lake. 

KITK UN BAY. 

General description.—Kitkun Bay is an almost landlocked body of water, which 

nas not been charted, and is connected with Brennan Bay, a southerly arm of the 

western part of Cholmondeley Sound, by a narrow neck of water. The accompanying maps (Pl. II and fig. 5) are based on a rough traverse-made during the course 

of the work. The entrance to the bay is by an inlet not over 50 yards wide, which, 

except at high and low water, has a very strong current. The deepest water is on 

the east side of the channel, which is apparently free of rocks. The west side of 

the channel has many rocks in it, some of which are exposed at low tide. No 

soundings were made, but there is probably considerable depth of water even at 

low tide. 

The shores of the bay are low and the topography is a rolling upland. The 

mountains near the bay do not reach altitudes of more than 1,200 feet. A broad, 

flat depression connects it with Mineral Lake to the south. 

The geology of the ore deposits of the Kitkun Bay region is very similar to that 

of the region adjacent to Dolomi, the former being, in point of fact, a northwesterly 

extension of the latter. 

The bed rock of the region is a crystalline limestone, with some phyllites, and 

belongs to the Wales series. It has a general northerly-southerly strike, with 

many variations in dip. Associated with these limestones are many bands of 

chloritic schist, which are often highly contorted. The relation of the schist to the 

limestone shows that the schist is an altered intrusive. The schist sends tongues 

into the limestone and includes fragments of the limestone. Since this intrusion the 

series has been intensely folded, and while the broad structures run nearly north 

and south, the minor folds stand at all angles. 

The ore bodies contain free-milling gold ores. They consist of true fissure 

veins, which often carry high values, and of mineralized zones in greenstone-schists, 
CLAIMS NEAR KITKUN BAY.4 85 

which are usually larger, but do not have so large a got d content. Small blebs of 

quartz and calcite are common in the schist, and these often contain pyrite. In 

the region adjacent to Brennan Bay many of these quaff tz veins have been staked, 

but, so far as the writer knows, no developments have b ten made. On Kitkun Bay 

some work has been done at three or four localities. 

Tomboy claims.--This group lies about a mile east of Kitkun Bay and about 

300 feet above tide water. A series of quartz ledges, hich the owner claims to 

have traced about 3,000 feet, strikes N. 30° W., and forms conspicuous knolls. The 

walls of the vein are not always determinable, but where exposed the vein has a 

minimum thickness of 20 feet. Much of it is a barren-looking quartz, somewhat 

stained with iron. Where exposed in a small stream which cuts across the vein 

it contains granular pyrite. At this locality the wall rock was determined to be 

white limestone on the west and chloritic schist on the east, with a dip of 70° to 

80° S. Both walls of the vein seem to be more or less mineralized. If it carries 

any values they are probably concentrated near one of the walls. 

Maggie May claim. This property is located about one-fifth mile from the 

beach, nearly due east from the central part of Kitkun Bay, 275 feet above tide 

water. The vein is of vitreous quartz and carries granular pyrite. The strike is 

N. 30° E., dip 75° NW. The foot wall is crystalline limestone, and chloritic schist 

forms the hanging wall. Near the contact with the hanging wall the quartz has permeated the country rock. The contact with the foot wall is not exposed. One assay, 

it is said, gave $4.80 to the ton. No developments have been made, except a small 

open cut. 

Fawn elaim.—This is located about half a mile east of the Maggie May and 750 

feet above tide water. Six feet of mineralized quartz are exposed, cutting chloride 

schist. The vein stands about perpendicular and strikes N. 40° E. It sends one 

offshoot 18 inches in width into the wall rock, and the country rock near the ledge is 

permeated with small veins. The best-looking ore is about 2 feet wide, near the west 

wall. The minerals are pyrite and galena. An assay of what was probably a picked 

sample is said to have given $26 in gold. This vein is said to have been traced 

through three claims and to widen out locally to 14 feet. 

One hundred feet to the east of this is a second vein on the same claim, which 

is said to have been traced for 1,500 feet. A width of 4 to 5 feet is exposed in a cut. 

It is similar to the first vein, but does not seem to be so heavily mineralized. It 

carries fragments of the wall rock, which is a chloride schist. 

Crcesus group.—This group embraces a number of claims near the southern end 

of Kitkun Bay. Of these the San Juan, 900 feet above tide, shows a vein of 

quartz 3 to 4 feet thick, striking east and west and dipping 20° N., both walls of 

which are formed of chloritic schist. The quartz vein itself, according to Mr. 

Eugene A. Knapp, superintendent of the property, does not carry gold, but a mineralized zone about 4 feet thick, lying under the quartz vein and consisting of schist and 
86 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

quartz veins and stringers, carries values. The gold contents have not been determined, but the ore is of low grade, the values probably running from $8 to $10. 

The larger vein of quartz is barren, and the mineralizing solutions seem to have 

come in after it was formed. Mr. Knapp states that the gold is always accompanied 

by manganese. A short distance to the northeast of this vein limestone is exposed. 

The schists in which it occurs are mineralized, folded, and probably much faulted 

The zone of mineralization, according to Mr. Knapp, seems to follow a small anticline of schist which underlies the limestone. 

The Croesus claim proper lies about one-half mile to the northeast of the San 

Juan, and is about 1,100 feet above tide. A fissure which has been filled by mineralbearing solutions cuts chloritic schists and limestones. The pay streak varies in 

thickness from 4 to 8 inches. According to Mr. Knapp, there has been faulting 

along the fissure, with a downthrow toward the hanging wall. Gold occurs associated 

with a black mineral, probably manganese, and with iron minerals. The ore carries 

some metallic copper. The fissure cuts across both schist and white crystalline limestone, and in places follows the contact between the two. It seems to be richest 

where it is in contact with the schist. The limestone near the vein is somewhat 

silicified. The developments consist of a small shaft and two tunnels. 

Some interesting exposures occur a quarter of a mile to the west, where a schist, 

heavily charged with magnetite, is exposed. These magnetite-schists are apparently 

a part of the greenstone-schist series. The magnetite seems to be secondary after 

sulphides of iron. Near at hand is an open cut, in which the highly crystalline limestone carries many metamorphic minerals. Among others, hematite, epidote, and 

chalcopyrite were noted. 

SOUTH ARM OF CHOLMONDELEY SOUND. 

General description.—The South Arm of Cholmondeley Sound has a length of 

about 8 miles and averages less than a mile in width (see Pl. II). Its head is 

said to be connected, by a portage of not more than 6 miles, with the upper end of 

Klukas Inlet, on the west side of Prince of Wales Island. The land rises abruptly 

from the water, and the mountains, which trend parallel to the inlet, reach altitudes 

of 3,000 fret. 

The bed rock in this region is crystalline limestone, striking about north and 

south. With it there are associated schistose greenstones and some massive intrusives. 

The former are quartz-sericite-schists, which contain considerable chlorite, and belong 

to the Wales series. The massive rock occurs in the form of dikes cutting across the 

foliation of the sedimentary beds. Specimens from two of these dikes were studied 

under the microscope; one proved to be an olivine-diabase, and the other is probably 

an altered andesite. 

The ore bodies are of two types: Mineralized zones in quartz-sericite-schist, 

carrying copper and gold values• and veins in white crystalline limestone affording 

ores of silver, lead, and zinc. 
CLAIMS ON SOUTH ARM OF CHOLMONDELEY SOUND. 87 

Friendship group.—This group lies on the west side of the South Arm of Cholmondeley Sound, 21 miles from the entrance. The developments which have been 

made are close to the shore, and include a small cut and a shaft about 15 feet deep, 

The mineralization has taken place along a contact of greenstone-schists and white 

crystalline limestone, and the mineralizing solutions have penetrated both walls. 

The contact between the schist and limestone is apparently a line of movement, as the 

rocks show evidence of faulting. The greenstone-schist seems to be intrusive, though 

this could not be definitely determined. At one end of the claim a small cut shows a 

vein about 2 feet in width. Six hundred feet to the north, in a small shaft, a vein, 

which is probably the same, is exposed and shown to have a thickness of from 3 to 

3i feet. The ore is distributed in bunches and layers and is not evenly disseminated. 

The gangue minerals are coarse crystalline calcite and white quartz. Samples of ore 

are said to have run as high as 26 per cent in copper, with a gold content of $1. The 

ore is chalcopyrite and bornite. 

Ketehikan Copper Company.—This company owns a group of 12 adjacent claims, 

which lie on the west side of the arm and join the Friendship group on the south. 

When visited there was unfortunately no representative of the company on the 

property. Since then the writer is informed that development work is being pushed 

vigorously. 

The ore body, as far as determined, is a mineralized zone, which occurs in a 

quartz-sericite-schist. This schist is made up essentially of bluish quartz and sericite, 

and it is often banded. Chlorite is a very common accessory mineral. While it has 

many of the characteristics of an altered sediment, yet it strongly resembles the 

schists found in association with the ores at Niblack Anchorage, which are believed 

to be altered rhyolites. It seems likely that more detailed studies will show that this 

schist has been intruded into the sedimentary series as a massive rock and subsequently rendered schistose by crustal movements. During this deformation, or 

possibly in part subsequent to it, the ore-bearing solutions were injected. The strike 

of this schist belt is about north and south, parallel to the inlet, while its dip is 

variable. Its boundaries were not determined, but the belt must be several hundred 

feet wide. Nearly all of the schist belt contains more or less pyrite, but the commercial values seem to be confined to certain zones, where the movement has been 

most intense. 

About a mile from the beach and 900 feet above tide water a tunnel has been 

driven for about 300 feet. The tunnel is' intended to cross the ore bodies, but, as 

these vary considerably in their trend, the tunnel in part runs parallel to the ore. A 

number of mineralized zones, which carry iron and copper pyrite, are exposed in the 

tunnel. Owing to the changing courses of these veins it is impossible to estimate 

their thickness from a cursory examination, but it must be considerable. The 

mineralized zone is impregnated by pyritic minerals, which occur in small veins. 

In a small gulch lying southwest of the tunnel, at an altitude of 950 feet, a 
88 4 

THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

mineralized zone was seen, occurring in a soft chloritic schist striking N. 40° 'W. 

and dipping 75° N. The siliceous mineralized rock is of a dark hue and is heavily 

charged with pyrite. This zone was observed at several localities, and found in each 

case to carry copper and iron pyrite and copper oxides. The larger veins are cut 

by smaller ones, which are also ore bearing. The dikes which cut the schistose series 

have already been described. They are of economic interest, because near their 

margins the mineralization of the schists is usually more intense. The mineralization of the schists has taken place since the intrusion of the dikes. The owners 

report the ore body exposed in the tunnel to carry values of copper, gold, silver, 

and lead of from $2.50 to $25. They estimate the average of the ore bodies exposed 

to be to $5. The fact that the ore body is large, and is in a position to be 

cheaply mined, will probably make it possible to handle even ores of the lower 

grades, especially since they are well adapted for concentration. 

Sitver-lead prospects.—These are said to be located on the west side of the arm, 

2 miles from the beach and 2,000 feet above tide water. The trail leading to them 

could not be found, so the locality was not visited. The veins are said to occur in a 

white crystalline limestone, and to be chiefly galena bearing. Mr. Eugene A.-Knapp, 

who has opened up one of the properties, reports an ore body 12 feet in width. 

WEST ARM OF CHOLMONDELEY SOUND. 

General description.—No discoveries of importance have been made in this 

region (see Pl. II), though, as in other parts of the district, a great many claims 

have been staked, but no attempt has been made at their development. The 

country rock of the region is chiefly a greenstone-schist, with bands of crystalline 

limestone and phyllites into which the greenstone was intruded. These rocks belong 

to the Wales series. In some cases mineralized quartz veins and blebs have been 

found in the greenstone-schist, but none of these have thus far been exploited. 

At the west end of the arm, near the beginning of the trail to Hetta Inlet, a 

number of claims have been staked. One of these, entitled Earl No. 1, is about half 

a mile from the beach. The country rock is a quartzitic schist, associated with 

graphitic phyllite, and in it are some disseminated quartz blebs which carry iron 

pyrite. 

About a mile north of Sunny Point, near the entrance of the arm, some prospecting has been done, and a claim, usually known as the Anderson property, is said 

to carry copper values. We were unable to visit this claim, but it seems very likely 

that it is a southern extension of the copper-bearing rocks of Skowl Arm. 

TWELVEMILE ARM. 

General description.---Twelvemile Arm is a narrow inlet which makes off in a 

southwesterly direction from Kasaan Bay. (See Pl. II and fig. 6.) At the head of 

the bay is a broad flat the delta at the mouth of a stream of considerable size. At 

other points the mountains rise abruptly from the water. 
���

CLAIMS NEAR TWELVEMILE ARM. 89 

The bed rock lying immediately adjacent to Twelvemile Arm is chiefly crystalline 

limestone, with considerable intrusive greenstone, both massive and schistose. The 

massive greenstone is of a dioritic character. The schistose phase is chiefly chlorite 

and actinolite-schist. 

West of the limestone belt there are black graphitic schists, with which greenstones are likewise associated. The beds have a general northwest-southeast strike, 

with variable dips. The phyllites seem to underlie the limestone, and together they 

have been thrown into open folds. These beds belong to the Wales series, which 

is usually more closely folded. 

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FIG. 6.—Sketch map of Kasaan Peninsula, Twelvemile Arm, and Skowl Arm, showing claim locations. 

Dikes of a bluish-gray porphyritic rock were found in the phyllites at several 

localities. This rock, with which some of the ore bodies were found to be closely 

associated, is too much altered to admit of a definite determination, though it 

resembles the dike rock of the Thorne Arm region, which was also indeterminable. 

At one locality some rhyolitic rocks were observed, but their relation to the bedded 

series was not determined. The ores of the region yield gold (in part free milling), 

lead, and a little copper. The ore bodies occur in true fissure veins, which cut the 

country rock at various angles. One set of veins is found in the phyllites, another 

occurs along shear zones in the diorite. The veins in the phyllites are closely 
90 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

associated with the gray porphyry dikes which have been described. These resemble 

the deposits at the head of Thorne Arm. In general, it can be said that upon the 

surface the veins are characterized by persistence, which argues well for their continuation in depth. Some of the veins, though small, carry very high gold values. 

Hollis, which is located on a small embayment on the western side of the arm, 

is the distributing point for the region. It has a post-office, assay office, and store. 

and steamboat connections once or twice a week with Ketchikan. IVlining developments have been confined chiefly to the vicinity of Hollis, but some claims have been 

opened up on the east side of the arm, and also near its head. Hollis is connected 

by tramway with the Puyallup mine and by trails with the Crackerjack and the 

Commander group. 

Copperplate elaim.—This is located about half a mile from the beach, near the 

wooden tramway to the Puyallup mine. When visited stripping had uncovered a 

small vein which was traceable for about 100 feet. The vein carries copper pyrite 

and is said to carry gold. The country rock is a diorite-porphyry. The strike is 

north and south and the dip west. 

Puyallup group.—This group includes several claims located about a mile from 

Hollis. The developments consist of two shafts, one of which connects with a tunnel 

about 50 feet long, and some short crosscuts and open cuts. The vein strikes N. 30° 

W. and dips NE. 20° to 40°. It follows a true fissure, and has a width varying 

from 4 inches to 2 feet. The course of the vein has been traced by outcrops along 

the strike for 1,000 to 1,500 feet, and is thought to have been identified at a locality 

3,000 feet to the northwest. There seems to have been two periods of intrusion in 

the vein. In the first white quartz was deposited along a fissure, and then this was 

shattered and sheared and a second deposition of quartz took place. This second 

deposition took place along both walls of the original vein and also in the fractures. 

The country rock is greenstone of a dioritic character and very much altered. It is 

jointed both parallel to the vein and at right angles to it. Close to the vein the 

greenstone is often mineralized. A belt of black slate or schist runs parallel to the 

vein about a quarter of a mile to the southwest. 

In the second shaft, located a quarter of a mile to the northwest of the tunnel, 

the vein shows a thickness of 6 to 18 inches. The ore is chiefly iron pyrite, with 

considerable free gold, some telluride, some chalcopyrite, and bornite. The gangue 

mineral is chiefly quartz with some calcite. The vein, though small, is extraordinarily rich. The best returns from assays show 3 ounces of silver and $1,100 in 

gold; the poorest assays are reported to carry $20 to $30 in gold. The owners 

informed the writer that it is easy to sort the ore and get returns of $100 to $300 a 

ton, leaving a balance worth $30 to $50 a ton. There is little free gold in the vein 

except in the oxidized ore. Since our visit 14 tons of ore have been shipped from 

this mine, which, according to current reports, yielded $159 per ton net. A 5-stamp 

mill is in process of erection. The property includes a good water power. 
CLAIMS NEAR TWELVEMILE ARM.4 91 

Crackerjack claims.—This group embraces several claims which are about 2 miles 

west of Hollis. At a number of localities on this property sufficient prospecting has 

been done to show something of the character of the deposits, but no systematic 

mining has been undertaken. 

Two veins have been discovered on the Crackerjack claims, which are separated 

by at least 100 feet of the phyllites which form the country rock. The lower vein 

has a width of about 18 inches to 2 feet at the outcrop, which is 1,000 feet above tide. 

The country rock is a siliceous phyllite, sometimes carbonaceous, which is much 

contorted, but has a general northwest-southeast strike. Dikes of gray porphyritic 

rock, which are probably altered diorites, cut the phyllites, as do also diabase 

dikes. A tunnel which has been driven to intersect the lower vein passes through a 

mass of slates with instrusive porphyries. Some of these porphyry dikes are considerably sheared. In the face of the tunnel is exposed a small dike of this gray 

porphyry, which is permeated with vein quartz and mineralized and carries high 

gold and silver value's. Near the dike the slates are much contorted. The mineralization apparently follows the dike, which is permeated with pyrite, and there is 

some free gold, and considerable galena. The latter is said to have very high silver 

values—in some cases as high as 2,000 ounces of silver to the ton. The superintendent 

reports that an average of 30 samples from the surface yielded $14.57 in gold to 

the ton. 

Three hundred feet above this tunnel, across the strike of the rock, another vein 

is exposed, from 2 to 2i- feet in thickness. It follows a porphyritic dike similar to 

the first vein. In places the mineralization follows the dike strictly, but sometimes 

the vein lies on one side and sometimes on the other side of the dike. The best 

values in the vein have been found where it cuts the porphyry. A tunnel, which has 

been driven for about 50 feet, follows the vein. In this tunnel 'the vein locally narrows down to 18 inches. The superintendent informed the writer that at the tunnel 

the vein has the minimum thickness observed throughout its length. Its course is 

N. 30° W., and it dips 20° SW. The ore carries high gold values, but except in 

the oxidized zones the gold is not free. The associated mineral is principally iron 

pyrite, but cha,copyrite was observed. The gangue is chiefly quartz. This vein has 

been followed through four claims. To the westward the vein is exposed at several 

localities. About one-fifth of a mile west of the tunnel it showed a thickness of 3 

to 4 feet, and there sent many small stringers into the country rock. One hundred 

yards to the west is another exposure, where the vein exhibits a thickness of 12 to 

14 feet, and the second vein of this claim is exposed on the hill slope below. At this 

locality the most heavily mineralized ore is next to the hanging wall. 

Hollis claims.—This group, which belongs to the company that owns the Crackerjack, embraces six claims lying southeast of the Crackerjack and occupying the 

crest of Mount Hollis, about a mile west of the settlement of the same name. At an 

altitude of 1,600 feet, near the crest of the mountain, a small stripping showed a 
92 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

vein 2 to 2+ feet thick, with wall rock of slate, and similar in character to the Crackerjack vein. The vein strikes in a northwest-southeast direction and dips about 

20° N. It seems to follow a true fissure, and is said to have been traced a mile to 

the west. One hundred yards to the east the vein has a thickness of 4 or § feet. At 

this point a gray porphyry dike splits the vein. The dike itself is mineralized and 

carries gold values. Assay returns give $6 to the ton in gold. At the first locality 

described assays have shown values as high as $100 to the ton. 

Last Chance claim.—This is believed to he located on an extension of the Hollis 

vein, and lies about a mile southwest of the town of Hollis. The developments consist of a small cut, exposing a vein 3 to 5 feet in thickness, in a country rock made 

up of curly slate. Greenish porphyry is associated with the vein. The vein is said 

to have been traced through the Keokuk claim to the Hollis. About 50 feet below 

the principal opening on this same claim there is a smaller vein, 12 to 18 inches in 

thickness, cutting a porphyry dike. 

Commander group —This group of claims lies about 7 miles to the northwest of 

Hollis. At the time of our visit the only communication was by a rather primitive 

trail. 

The Flora claim of this group has been developed by a tunnel about 50 feet in 

length, following a vein which strikes about east and west. The vein follows a zone 

of shearing which is from 1 foot to 18 inches in width. Small calcite veins are found 

in this zone of fracture, and some of these follow joints which run at right angles to 

the plane of shearing. The rock in this shear plane is mineralized. At the entrance 

to the tunnel the zone is 2+ feet in width, and in its greatest width it is probably not 

more than 3 feet, and it gradually pinches down and runs into one of the fault zones 

noted above. The vein matter is well banded and the vein seems to follow a true 

fissure. Both walls are more or less mineralized. The country rock is a dioriteporphyry, which is in places very much sheared. At this locality the foot wall is 

formed of a sheared porphyry, while the hanging wall is composed of more massive 

rock. 

Adjacent to the Flora is the Nellie claim, which has been opened by means of a 

30-foot tunnel. This is an extension of the Flora vein. The foot wall is formed of 

sheared porphyry, and the hanging wall of a more massive variety of the same rock. 

The vein follows a line of movement along the contact of schistose and massive porphyritic diorite. The vein itself, however, is chiefly in the more massive rock, which 

is brecciated. At the entrance to the tunnel it has a width of about 2 feet, and at 

the breast of the tunnel 3 to 4 inches. The foot wall is slickensided and striated. 

Fifty feet below this vein a small one is exposed in a stream bed, which, however, has not been developed. It follows a brecciated porphyry dike, and consists 

of a number of quartz stringers. The zone of mineralization is probably 3 feet in 

width and contains 3 quartz veins. The ore in all these veins is iron and copper 

pyrite and galena, with quartz gangue. It is currently reported that the averages 
CLAIMS NEAR TWELVEMILE ARM.� 93 

show values of $20 to $40 in gold. The writer was informed that the average from 

one lot of assays yielded $50, chiefly in gold values. 

Monday claim.—This is located about three-fourths of a mile north of Clark 

Bay, a small embayment lying immediately north of Hollis. The country rock is a 

black slate, striking about northwest and southeast. The developments consist of 

two small cuts, about 100 feet apart and 650 feet above tide. In the first cut the vein 

shows a thickness of 4 to 12 inches in black slate. In the second the vein is found 

to follow the contact of a black slate and an andesite dike, along which there has 

been considerable shearing. The rocks have been sheared for about 3 feet, parallel 

to the foliation of the slate and to the vein. The vein itself is 12 to 14 inches thick, 

with some smaller offshoots within the fault zone, within which the slate is reduced 

to a fine carbonaceous mass and the andesite dike to a clay. A vein of vesuvianite 

is found in this mineralized zone, apparently introduced at a later date than the orebearing vein. The ore is galena and pyrite, and the gangue is made up of quartz 

and vesuvianite. Values were not definitely learned, but are reported to run from $5 

to $8 in gold and 15 to 40 ounces in silver. 

Lavina claim.—This is located on the east side of Twelvemile Arm, about 2 miles 

south of Hollis and a quarter of a mile from the beach. A 30-foot tunnel and a cut, 

located about 900 feet above tide water, reveal an ore body about 6 feet wide, contained in a brecciated zone in a rock which is probably rhyolite. The strike of the 

vein is nearly east and west and the dip 65° N. Considerable country rock is 

included within this brecciated zone, which has been permeated by small quartz 

veins. The ore is chiefly iron pyrite, with some copper pyrite. Its gold contents 

were not determined. 

_Marble Heart claim.—This lies about 2 miles to the southwest of the southern 

end of Twelvemile Arm. The country rock is a crystalline and semicrystalline gray 

and white limestone, with some argillaceous layers. The developments consist of a 

shaft, probably 20 feet deep but filled with water at the time of our visit, and a small 

tunnel about 25 feet below. The tunnel followed a small vein of galena. The exposures in the tunnel showed the limestone to have been intensely squeezed and metamorphosed. 

Dolly Darden claim.—This is located about 1- miles southeast of the head of 

Twelvemile Arm.. We were unable to visit this claim, but learned that the country 

rock is a white limestone, and that the ore is copper pyrite and malachite, carrying 

some gold values. It is also reported that other veins in this vicinity have been 

developed. One carrying copper and gold is reported on an unnamed inlet which 

connects through to the west side of the island, about 6 miles to the southwest of 

Twelvemile Arm. 

K ARTA BAY. 

General description.—During the summer of 1901 important discoveries 

were reported from a region lying 8 or 10 miles southwest of Karta Bay (see 
94 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Pl. II and fig. 6), which we were, unfortunately, hot able to visit. Karta Bay is a 

western arm of Kasaan Bay. The best evidence available suggests that this is 

an extension of the mineral belt lying in the Hollis region of Twelvemile Arm. 

Mr. Samuel Lichtenstadter, who is exploiting a property which is part of the 

Constitution group of claims about 10 miles from the coast, reports that the vein 

is well defined in country rock of slate, and is from 2 to 3 feet wide, with an 

inch or two of gouge next to both walls. He reports that by using a lake he 

was enabled to obtain about 5 miles of water transportation. The values are 

both free and combined gold, reported to run from $4 to $200. Some galena 

deposits have also been reported from this region. 

SKOWL ARM. 

General description.--Skowl Arm (see Pl. II and fig. 6) is a western branch 

of Kasaan Bay. A high land mass divides its upper part into the Western Arm 

and what is usually known as McKenzie Arm. The shores are abrupt and the 

mountains reach 2,000 feet or more. Both channels are studded with small, 

rocky islands, and navigation is rendered dangerous by the fact that there are a 

number of uncharted rocks. 

The country rock of the region is for the most part igneous, except along a 

few miles of the northern shore, where phyllites and limestones of the Wales series 

outcrop. It is probable that a more careful search would reveal other areas of 

these sediments. The igneous rocks offer considerable variety in composition, 

but they are here all grouped together as the Kasaan greenstone. Among the 

more massive rocks of this group diorite-porphyry or andesite predominates. The 

schistose greenstones are chiefly epidote- , actinolite- , or chlorite-schists. These 

schistose phases seem to be altered phases of the massive rocks and to be confined 

to certain zones of shearing. 

The ore bodies are chiefly copper and nickel deposits, which often carry gold 

values. These occur in bunches and in irregular shoots in the massive rocks, also 

along zones of shearing in the schistose phases. The first are irregular in their 

occurrence, and even the second are in no way comparable to veins. The ores are 

chiefly chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite, associated with magnetite and iron pyrite. The 

gangue is the country rock itself, epidote, calcite, and some quartz. 

In the Skowl Arm region only. one claim was visited in which the country rock 

was sedimentary. The vein in this case was inclosed in graphitic phyllite. 

The developments thus far have been confined almost entirely to the McKenzie 

branch of Skowl Arm. Claims have been staked elsewhere, but have had little or 

no work done on them. 

Rion group. This group is located about 4 miles south of McKenzie Arm, with 

which it is connected by a trail. The mine workings, at an altitude of about 2,200 

feet, consist of a crosscut tunnel, about 300 feet long at the time of our visit, which 

has. since been extended 100 feet farther, but had not at last reports reached the ore 
CLAIMS NEAR SBOWL ARM.4 95 

body. Near the crest of the mountain a body of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite is 

exposed at the surface. The trend of the outcrop is about east and west, and the 

vein has a width of about 20 feet. In this width of 20 feet are included some masses 

of the country rock, which is an altered diorite-porphyry or andesitic rock. The 

walls of the deposit are ill defined, there being more or less gradation. Below the 

top of the mountain, at an altitude of about 2,250 feet, a tunnel has been driven 

across the vein at a depth of about 50 feet, and exposes ore for nearly its entire 

length. The ore is copper pyrite with some pyrrhotite. The latter is said to carry 

nickel. The country rock is nearly massive, but shows some foliation. The strike 

is N. 60° W. The assays reported by the owners show copper values from 5 to 30 

per cent and nickel values of $35 per ton. The ore contains some sphalerite (zinc 

blende) and iron pyrite and a little gold. 

T1- e surface showing of this property is excellent, it being as fine a body of 

pyrite ore as has been found in the region. The fact that there are shear zones 

in the greenstones makes it probable that the mineralization will extend in depth, in 

spite of the fact that the ore body is not a well-defined vein. 

Red Rose, Heela, and Bertha elaims.—These were not examined by the writer, 

but are said to lie about three-fourths of a mile southwest of the Kiam. The 

deposits are described as consisting of three parallel veins, aggregating 50 feet of 

ore, which is chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. The occurrence and ore are said to be 

in every way similar to those of the Kiam deposit. 

Mammoth and Lake View claims.—This .group is about a mile southeast of the 

Kiam group, 1,000 feet above tide water and 2 miles from the beach. The country 

rock is of dioritic or andesitic nature, but in the vicinity of the ore body has been 

sheared and changed to an actinolite-schist. At the outcropping of the vein, where 

some stripping has been done, an ore body with a width of 8 to 10.feet is exposed. 

Near at hand another exposure shows the mineralized zone to have a width of 20 feet. 

The ore, which is chiefly chalcopyrite and some pyrrhotite, occurs in solid masses 

separated by angular horses of greenstone, more or less schistose. These horses, 

which are lenticular in outline, occur in various parts of the ore body. The general 

strike of the ore body is about east and west, and the dip is about vertical. 

A crosscut tunnel has been driven, which intersects the ore at a depth of 20 feet, 

exposing it for 6 to 8 feet, and passing through it into a mass of schistose greenstone, 

which seems to be a horse, since there is ore beyond it. So far as could be determined, the crosscut, which has been driven about 8 or 10 feet beyond this horse, had 

not reached a well-defined ore body, though all the rock contains considerable 

chalcopyrite. The crosscut is 50 to 75 feet below the surface outcropping, which 

shows ore for a breadth of 8 to 10 feet. The owner states that ore had been found 

at four different places along a width of 400 feet, and claims to have traced the vein 

through five claims. It is claimed that the Anderson property, which lies near 

Cholmondeley Sound, is on the extension of this vein. 
96 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

The ore is chiefly chalcopyrite, with some pyrrhotite and iron pyrite, and some 

pyritiferous vein quartz in small blebs. There can not properly be said to be much 

gangue, though there is some calcite and epidote. In parts of the deposit the ore is 

disseminated through the wall rocks. The wall is usually not very well defined, 

though sometimes marked by a shear zone. From samples taken near the surface 

the owners report values as follows: 191 per cent copper, 3 ounces silver, $4.80 in 

gold, and traces of nickel. The presence of so much silver suggests that galena may 

be present, though none was observed by the writer. A qualitative examination of 

a specimen of the ore showed the presence of zinc blende. 

Anderson's claim.a—This claim lies 100 yards west of the lower end of Mackenzie Arm. A tunnel .in chloritic schist shows a zone about 3 feet in width carrying 

copper pyrite. The strike is about east and west, and the dip about 90°. The country rock, which is a chloritic schist, bears evidence of having been much sheared. 

Hatchet claim. ThiS claim is about half a mile north of Skowl Arm and 300 feet 

above tide. The country rock is a black, carbonaceous, pyritiferous slate, striking 

N. 60° W. and dipping 50° NE. A small cut exposes a fissure vein, which strikes 

about N. 60° W. and dips 70° N. At its widest point it has a width of about 4 inches. 

This vein sends numerous offshoots into the country rock, and the collection of stringers gives a mineralized zone about 4 feet in width. Along the fissure there is evidence 

of abnormal or reversed faulting. Near the plane of movement the schists are much 

crumpled. The ore is chiefly iron pyrite. An assay showed gold contents amounting 

to something less than $1 a ton. 

KASAAN PENINSULA. 

General description.—This peninsula (see Pl. II and fig. 6) lies between Clarence 

Strait and Kasaan Bay, and is cut out from the eastern coast of Prince of Wales 

Island by Kasaan Bay on the south and by Tolstoi Bay and Thorne Bay on the north. 

A low mountain range forms the backbone of the peninsula, with altitudes ranging 

from 1,500 to probably 2,000 feet. The southern and western shore line is abrupt 

and almost unbroken, and has practically no shelter from southeasterly storms which 

sweep up Kasaan Bay. The northeastern coast of the peninsula also rises abruptly 

from the water, but is broken by a number of indentations, some of which form small 

harbors. 

The first discovery of copper deposits in the Ketchikan district was made by the 

Russians near the present location of the Copper Queen mine, on the southern side of 

the Kasaan Peninsula. They seem to have attached little importance to this discovery of a chalcopyrite ore body, and the exact date of the find is not known, though 

it probably occurred in the early part of the nineteenth century. 

At present mining and prospecting operations are going on at a number of 

localities in the region. Kasaan is the largest settlement on the peninsula, and 

includes a post-office, sawmill, store, and hotel, and there is a small native village 

a This claim must not be confounded with the one located near Cholmondeley Sound. 
CLAIMS ON KASAAN PENINSULA.4 97 

close by. This town is the distributing point for the region tributary to Kasaan 

Bay. It is not to be confounded with the old Kasaan Indian village, which is located 

on the north shore of Skowl Arm. _ Grindall, situated at the southern point of the 

peninsula, on a small harbor, includes several buildings, post-office, and one store. 

The bed rock of the peninsula is largely a massive green porphyritic rock, which 

is sometimes of a dioritic and sometimes of an andesitic character. The predominant 

phase is a rock which in hand specimen shows porphyritic feldspar crystals in a 

light-green groundmass. The phenocrysts are usually labradorite, but in some cases 

andesine or oligoclase. The groundmass consists of a crystalline aggregate of plagioclase, hornblende, augite, with usually considerable magnetite and often titanite, 

together with numerous other accessory minerals. In a more acid variety which 

approaches rhyolite in composition, orthoclase and quartz occur. 

The lack of detailed studies has forced the writer to group all of these rocks 

together, and they have been termed the Kasaan greenstone. Their geologic relations are not well known. The lithologic structure of the predominant type is 

that of a rock which has crystallized at or near the surface, but the field relations 

often suggest intrusive masses. The probability is that when detailed studies have 

been made the Kasaan greenstones will be found to consist of an intricate complex of 

many types of igneous rocks, embracing both effusive and extrusive phases. Besides 

the Kasaan greenstone proper, some dikes of a true diabase were observed. Of 

especial interest are some belts of white and blue crystalline limestone which occur 

within the greenstone area and whose age was not determined. 

Within the peninsula the Kasaan greenstone is usually quite massive, but has 

two well-marked systems of joints. In this respect it differs from the Skowl Arm 

region, where well-marked shear zones, which are traceable for considerable distances, have been found in the greenstone. One system of jointing trends about 

northwest and southeast, parallel to the longer axis of the peninsula, and the other 

runs about east and west. In some instances considerable movement has taken place 

along these joint planes, developing local shear zones. The joints are also lines of 

weakness along which dikes have been intruded. 

The ore deposits of the Kasaan Peninsula are very remarkable, and in many 

ways extremely puzzling. As the mining operations have been limited to shallow 

open cuts, and have in no case gone more than 50 feet below the surface, there is but 

little to guide the investigator besides the surface exposures. 

The outcrop of the ore bodies usually shows an irregular mass of copper, iron 

pyrite, and magnetite, which is sometimes sharply defined, but often grades into the 

country rock by imperceptible transitions. In some cases joint planes form the 

boundaries of the deposits, and in this event they have well-defined walls. The 

various types of the Kasaan greenstone form the wall rocks of the ore deposits, and 

in the vicinity of the ore contain much epidote, and as a rule are so generally altered 

that their original mineral•constituents can not be determined. The ore bodies vary 

9210—No. 1 02 7 
98 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

in size from small bunches a few inches in diameter to masses which reach 50 feet or 

more in width. In their distribution these deposits are irregular, but seem to occur 

sporadically in zones, which, with a general northwest-southeast trend, are in some 

cases half a mile or more in width. 

As far as can be determined by the existing excavations, there seems to be more 

or less of the same irregularity in the vertical distribution of the ore, as is shown 

horizontally by the surface outcrops. Bodies of ore have been followed to depths of 

20 to 50 feet, and then found to give out completely. Again, in drifting, other ore 

bodies have been found which did not reach the surface. One important: fact is, 

that, as far as the observations of the writer go, these ore bodies, while apparently 

pinching out completely, are in fact extended by ore occurring in small bunches in 

the country rock. In other words, while from a commercial standpoint the ore 

bodies are isolated, from a scientific point of view they are connected by the ore 

contents of the country rock; the masses of minable ore are bonanzas occurring in a 

mineral-bearing zone. This is an important point for the mining interests of this 

vicinity, because it argues well for the continuation or recurrence of the ore bodies 

in depth. 

In some of the mine workings the percentage of magnetite decreases very rapidly below the surface. In these the place of the magnetite is taken by copper and 

iron pyrite, showing that the occurrence of the former mineral depends upon the 

alteration of the sulphide minerals near the surface. In certain of the thin sections 

examined under the microscope pyrite grains were observed, surrounded by secondary 

magnetite. 

The ores of the region are copper pyrite and some bornite. These occur in solid 

masses, which often carry very high percentage's of copper. They are closely associated with iron pyrite and magnetite. The gangue, as far as there is any, includes 

amphiboles, epidote, vesuvianite, and considerable calcite, together with chlorite and 

jasper. Some of these deposits resemble true veins, inasmuch as the chalcopyrite 

and iron pyrite are contained in a coarsely crystalline calcite gangue. Vein quartz, • carrying iron pyrite, is found in some of the ore bodies, though it is not very 

common. 

The ore bodies are of two types. In the one, solid masses of chalcopyrite and 

pyrite are associated with epidotized country rock; in the other, the chalcopyrite and 

pyrite are cemented by a gangue consisting chiefly of calcite, with some quartz and 

chlorite. Zinc blende occurs sparingly with the copper pyrite. No pyrrhotite was 

observed, though it seemed as if it ought to be present, because of the analogy 

of these deposits to those of Skowl Arm. The ores carry low gold values. It is 

difficult to give in general terms a fair idea of the values of the ores. It would 

seem to the writer that there were probably broad blebs of the pyritiferous greenstone which would yield from 11-- to 3 or 4 per cent of copper, with probably several 

dollars a ton in gold. The ore bodies proper yield from 5 to 30 per cent copper and 

$2 to $6 in gold. 
CLAIMS ON KASAAN PENINSULA.4 99 

Tie origin of these ore bodies offers an interesting field for speculation, but 

one which it is not worth while to enter with the present meager knowledge of the 

facts of their occurrence, relations, and distribution. The writer would, however, 

call attention to their possible analogy with deposits to which an origin by 

magmatic differentiation has been ascribed.a It should be noted, however, that the 

evidence -points toward the conclusion that in the deposits under discussion there 

has undoubtedly been mineralization subsequent to the cooling of the rock in 

which they are contained. The quartz and calcite veins can not be explained by 

magmatic differentiation. The linear arrangement of the ore bodies, together 

with their parallelism to the planes of movement, leads to the conclusion that they 

exist in zones of secondary mineralization rather than that they are separations 

from a cooling magma. 

It should be noted that some ore deposits occur at the southeastern end of the 

peninsula which are quite different from those described above. These seem to be 

true fissure veins; they occur near the contact of crystalline limestones and intrusive 

rocks, and carry values in copper and gold. 

It would not be advisable to attempt to prophesy as to the future of these 

deposits. Many who have observed the enormous outcrops of these deposits have 

been altogether too optimistic as to their value and extent. Others, again, after a 

very limited amount of prospecting, have become too easily discouraged because 

the rich ore bodies were not continuous. Much of the money spent has been largely 

wasted, either because the managers were entirely ignorant of proper mining 

methods or because they have been over anxious to begin shipping ore before a 

mine had been developed. The consequence is that on some of the properties the 

excavations come as near being a mining development as those of a prairie-dog 

colony. One of the difficulties that has confronted the mine owners is their 

misapprehension of the real nature of the deposits, which they have regarded as 

true fissure veins. For this reason their energies have been misdirected in attempts 

to develop the ore bodies. The deposits are peculiar, and besides plenty of capital 

they require the management of experienced mining engineers for their exploitation. 

Copper King claims.—This group is located on the southern shore of the peninsula, near the head of Kasaan Bay, about half a mile from the beach and 100 feet 

above tide. The developments consist of a shaft about 20 feet deep, a tunnel 30 feet 

long, and an open cut 35 feet. The country rock is the greenstone of the peninsula, 

which has already been described. The ore deposit consists of this greenstone, in 

which disseminated bunches of iron and copper pyrite and magnetite occur, with 

calcite, epidote, and some quartz as accessories. The limits of the ore body are ill 

defined, and it passes by gradual transitions into the country rock. Immediately to 

the south of the shaft there is a very large body of magnetite, whose limits could not 

be determined. At the crosscut, 100 yards to the west, the following section was 

exposed: Near the surface 20 feet of greenstone, which is deeply weathered; then 10 

a For references, see Lehre von den Erzlagerstatten, Richard Beck, Leipzig, 1901, pp. 37-48. 
1004 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

feet of weathered greenstone carrying pyrite; below this 10 feet carrying iron pyrite 

and magnetite, with some copper pyrite. The gangue of this latter zone is hornblende and calcite. The copper pyrite seems to be closely associated with the calcite. 

The surface stripping above the crosscut shows a mass of magnetite, copper, and 

iron pyrite lying in greenstone. The pyrite occurs in irregular blebs and masses, 

and the whole is cut by small veins of calcite. Twenty-five feet below the open cut 

is a crosscut tunnel about 30 feet long. In the first 10 feet of this tunnel greenstone is exposed, carrying copper and iron pyrite. With this are many calcite blebs 

and small calcite veins, the latter following the joint planes. The last 10 or 15 feet 

exposed in the tunnel are made up chiefly of iron pyrite, with some copper pyrite, 

the former apparently taking the place of the magnetite, which occurs on the surface 

in much larger amounts than underground. In the roof of the tunnel there is a 

greater proportion of magnetite than in the floor. A width of about 6 feet within 

this mineralized zone is made up of fairly good ore. About 50 feet to the northeast 

of the tunnel are surface exposures of magnetite, iron pyrite, and copper pyrite, 

which have been partly altered to carbonates. Assays reported by the owners give 

12 to 13 per cent copper and $8 to $10 in gold. 

Morning Star claims.—The claims making up this group lie to the north of the 

Copper King. The development at the time of our visit consisted of a shaft 20 feet 

deep, located about 250 feet above .sea level. At the surface a mass of magnetite is 

exposed, carrying iron and copper pyrite. This iron deposit apparently has a width 

of 30 or 40 feet. As far as could be determined, the character of the ore body is 

very similar to that of the Copper King. Considerable coarsely crystalline calcite 

is found associated with the ore.. The ore is said to carry gold values, though exact 

analyses were not obtained. Five claims are said to be included in this group. 

Copper Queen claims.—This name is applied to a group of claims lying about 

a mile east of Kasaan post-office and close to the beach. On the beach there are a 

mi.mber of small shafts, and a quarter of a mile inland about 200 to 300 feet of 

tunnel have been driven. The country rock in all the workings is a massive greenstone which shows some jointing. Near the beach, and in part below tide water, 

a number of rich copper pyrite ore bodies have been found. The outline of these 

deposits is very-irregular, though the boundary with the greenstone is fairly clear. 

About a quarter of a mile from the beach and 250 feet above the sea a stripping has been made which reveals an irregular body of ore. The boundaries of 

this ore seem to be formed by the joint planes of the greenstone, which here 

run nearly north and south and east and west. Taken as a whole, the Copper 

Queen property probably contains many irregularly distributed ore bodies. The 

ore pockets, when found, are very rich, and careful prospecting with diamond 

drill might lead to commercial success. 

Poor 111an's claims.—This property was not visited, and the writer is indebted 

to Mr. Blaimy Stevens, of Ketchikan, for the following notes. It is located 
CLAIMS ON KASAAN PENINSULA.4 101 

north of the Copper Queen and about a mile from Kasaan Bay, at an altitude of 

about 1,200 feet above tide. The developments. consist of a 15-foot tunnel with 

some open cuts. The country rock is similar in character to that of the Copper 

Queen and other claims in the vicinity. It is cut by a diabasic dike, which forms 

the foot wall of the ore body. The deposit is a mineralized greenstone ,mass, 

carrying copper and gold, with calcite, fluorspar, and quartz. The ore breaks 

freely next to the dike, but the other wall is not well defined. It has a width 

of about 15 feet. Throughout this width there are mineralized streaks from 2 

to 10 inches thick. The gold values are considerable. 

White Eagle claim.—This property lies to the east of the Copper Queen, the 

chief workings being about half a mile distant from it. Considerable money has 

been spent in constructing a tram, a wharf, ore chutes, buildings, etc. The chief 

workings are at two localities one-fourth of a mile apart and, about half a mile 

from the beach. The easternmost tunnel, about 50 feet in length, is located 750 

feet above the sea. It is connected with the tramway by a chute. The country 

rock is greenstone, which is jointed, and movement has taken place along the 

joint planes. Two systems of jointing were observed, one striking N. 45° W. and 

dipping 80° SE., the other striking N. 45° E. and dipping 75° NE. The ore 

bodies, consisting of copper pyrite, seem to be limited by joint planes. Within 

the limits of these ore bodies solid bunches of copper pyrite, separated by 

gangue, epidote, and vesuvianite, are found. One of these masses, which was 

said to have been solid ore, had been mined out and an opening 20 by 10 by 10 

feet was left. A second tunnel, a quarter of a mile to the west and 550 feet 

above the sea, was driven for the purpose of cutting an ore body which is exposed 

on the mountain 75 feet above the tunnel. The deposit is similar in character to 

that in the eastern tunnel. The ore has been crosscut by a small tunnel which lies 

in a zone striking N. 50° E. and dipping 45° NW. The jointing strikes northwest 

and dips 80° SW. At the entrance to the tunnel a diabase dike 8 or 10 feet wide 

cuts across the country rock. The ore body exposed on the mountain above the 

tunnel is chiefly magnetite. The sulphide ores from the White Eagle are reported 

to run 25 to 30 per cent copper. 

Skookum and Elm City claims.—These claims belong to the same property as 

the Copper Queen. They are located about a half mile east of the White Eagle, 

a quarter of a mile from the beach, and 500 feet above the sea. In general 

character the occurrence is similar to the White Eagle. A tunnel which has been 

driven a few feet shows that the country rock is dioritic, partly replaced by epidote 

in the vicinity of the ore body. The ore consists of iron and copper pyrite and is 

said to carry $10 in gold values. At the face of the tunnel 3 feet of ore, including 

some country rock, are exposed. Both sides of the ore body seem to be fault 

planes. The mineralized zone shows evidence of movement. Small veins of 

calcite are not uncommon. 
102 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Ikount Andrew claims.—This property is located about 2 miles southeast of 

Kasaan post-office. It embraces about 20 claims, and extends from the beach for 

half a mile or more inland. The principal developments include a number of open 

cuts, three shafts, and several tunnels, and are about a half mile from the shore. 

A corduroy horse trail connects these with a small wharf and several buildings 

located on the shore. 

The country rock belongs with the Kasaan greenstone. At the lowest tunnel, 

located about 500 feet south of the offices and boarding house and on the Mayflower 

claim, an ore body in the greenstone consists of massive copper pyrite with much 

magnetite. The ore occurs in bunches and masses, probably through a width of 50 

feet or more. The limits of this ore body are ill defined, but seem to follow joint 

planes running northeast and southwest. Near the limits of the ore body the 

country rock is largely altered to epidote. The tunnel at this locality has a length 

of about 100 feet and is about 1,000 feet above the sea. For a distance of 50 to 100 

feet the tunnel was driven through a mineralized greenstone carrying copper pyrite 

and much magnetite. The inner boundary of this zone is limited by a joint plane, 

along which there has been movement. Commercial samples are said to run about 

2 to 6 per cent in copper and from 30 to 60 per cent in iron. A shaft near the 

entrance to this tunnel passed through an ore body 13 feet in depth, which ran 

from 6 to 9 per cent in copper, with several dollars in gold. 

The upper workings on the North Star claim include a tunnel about 300 feet in 

length and a shaft about 60 feet deep connecting it with the surface. Along the 

tunnel and in several crosscuts the whole rock is more or less ore bearing, and 

several ore bodies are exposed by crosscuts and winzes. Much epidote and some 

calcite are associated with the ore. The boundaries of the ore bodies are often joint 

planes which cut each other at right angles. In many cases, however, the ore body 

gradually passes into the country rock, which contains irregularly distributed 

bunches of copper ore. The copper contents of the ores from the tunnel workings 

are said to run from 1 to 5 per cent. The shaft revealed an ore body 17 feet thick, 

which carries 4 to 7 per cent in copper and $3 to $5 in gold. Another shaft was 

sunk in ore to a depth of 42 feet, with 2 to 14 per cent copper. 

About a quarter of a mile to the southwest of the shaft is a large exposure of 

magnetite which, we were informed by the superintendent, had been traced for 1,000 

feet. This magnetite occurs in greenstone which is more or less schistose. It is said 

to contain only 0.02 per cent of phosphorus, but to run high in sulphur. Disseminated through it is considerable copper pyrite, and even when there are no visible 

copper minerals the magnetite is said to carry about 0.1 per cent copper. 

In a crosscut on the Peacock claim of this group there is an occurrence of copper 

similar to the other ore bodies, which runs 5 per cent copper and $1 to $2 in gold. 

The gold values from the lower tunnel are reported to run from $2.50 to $2.75, 

from the upper tunnel, $3.07 to $3.75; from the Peacock claim, $5 to $6. The aver-
CLAIMS ON KASAAN PENINSULA.4 103 

age copper content is said to be from 3 to 5 per cent. It is interesting to note that 

a small belt of white limestone is exposed between the upper and the lower tunnel. 

It is much to be regretted that our limited time prevented the study of these 

interesting deposits in greater detail. The ore bodies are larger than any which we 

visited, and enough excavating has been done to show something of their character. 

Whatever subsequent developments may show in regard to the richer leads on this 

property, enough has been done to prove the existence of large bodies of low-grade 

mineral. As the gangue is very largely magnetite, it ought not to be difficult to find 

a method of concentration which will give a good shipping ore. In the opinion of 

the writer the magnetite is, however, a result of chemical action which has taken 

place near the surface and probably diminishes in depth. It seems not improbable 

that in these magnetite-bearing deposits a part of the copper has leached out, and the 

evidence points toward the conclusion that there will be an increase in copper values 

at greater depths. In this connection it is interesting to note that films of native 

copper are often found along the joint planes of the magnetite-bearing rock. 

Big Six claims.—These are located about a mile west of Grindall, in the southern part of the peninsula. The developments consist of a few cuts, which were 

filled with water at the time of our visit. At the principal cut the strike of the 

vein is about east and west, the dip 70° S. The ore occurs at the contact of greenstone and a much altered limestone. The mineralization follows the limestone 

rather than the greenstone. The greenstone forms the foot wall, and this limit is 

well defined by a fault plane. On the hanging wall the ore grades into the limestone. The ore body is a mineralized zone rather than a vein, but no idea was 

gained of its dimensions. The greenstones occur on both sides of the limestone 

belt: The ore is copper pyrite, with native copper occurring in films along joint 

planes. One hundred feet to the west of this crosscut is a small test pit about 15 

feet square. The occurrence is similar in character to the first, consisting of copper 

and iron pyrite with calcite and quartz gangue. Five hundred feet to the west is 

another small crosscut which exposes a contact of a ferruginous and a feldspathic 

rock, all deeply weathered. The contact seems to be a fault plane, which strikes 

about east and west and dips 80° S. The ferruginous rock is a dark porphyry with 

iron developed along the seams. Microscopic examination of the feldspathic rock 

suggests that it is probably an altered pegmatite. The mineralized zone is about 20 

feet wide and is said to have been traced for half a mile to the west of the pit. 

Cach,elot claim.—This is located about 1 mile north of Grindall, near Clarence 

Strait. The development consists of an open cut 10 feet deep. The vein, which is 

about 12 inches at the surface, widens to 2i- to 3 feet at 10 feet below the surface. The 

vein seems to be faulted at the bottom of the pit, and is slickensided. The hanging 

wall strikes east and west and dips 70° N. The vein sends offshoots into both the 

hanging and the foot wall. The country rock is a diorite, much sheared and jointed. 

Epidote is developed along these shear zones. A small diabase dike cuts the diorite 
104 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

and seems to have been intruded previous to the ore. The ore is copper pyrite with 

quartz gangue, and is said to carry gold values. A specimen taken more or less at 

random gave 0.41 ounce in silver and 0.14 ounce in gold. 

Tolstoi Bay.—Tolstoi Bay lies north of Kasaan Bay and marks the northern 

limit of the Kasaan Peninsula. A number of claims have been staked in its vicinity, 

but at only one has much development been done. The country rock is of greenstone, similar to that forming the southern part of the peninsula. The ores are 

copper, probably similar to those which have been described. Tolstoi Bay offers a 

fair anchorage, but as yet there is no settlement on the bay except a small cabin on 

the eastern shore. 

The Iron Cap is a group of claims lying adjacent to and east of Tolstoi Bay. 

The country rock is greenstone with some limestone belts. The developments have 

been chiefly with diamond drill, but we were unable to get the records of these investigations. About a half mile from the beach is an open cut showing a mass of copper 

pyrite and magnetite scattered through a greenstone. The greenstone is jointed and 

epidote is developed along the fracture planes. The deposit includes copper pyrite, 

magnetite, and bornite, with considerable epidote as gangue. It was close to this 

outcrop that the diamond-drill borings were being made at the time of our visit. A 

number of similar occurrences of copper-pyrite ore have been found irregularly 

distributed through this group of claims. The drillings have extended to a depth 

of several hundred feet, and yet do not seem to have reached below the zone of 

alteration. A drill core shown the writer consisted of a hard greenstone rock, and 

carried epidote similar in character to that at the surface, except that it was not 

porphyritic. As far as could be told from limited exposures, the occurrence is 

similar to that of the Mount Andrew property. Since our visit it is reported that 

a shaft has been started. HETTA INLET. 

General deseription.—Hetta Inlet .

(see Pl. II) is a deep embayment in the 

southwestern coast of Prince of Wales Island, which connects with the Pacific 

Ocean through Cordova Bay. The inlet has not been surveyed, and the accompanying map is simply a sketch and must contain many inaccuracies. The head of the 

inlet is separated by a 200-foot divide from the West Arm of Cholmondeley Sound. 

A trail across this divide is a link in the mail route to Coppermount and Sulzer. 

Freight is delivered by small steamers from Ketchikan, and also by Puget Sound 

vessels, which occasionally call at the camps along the inlet. The limited time at our 

disposal did not permit us to make an investigation of the mineral deposits of the 

west side of Prince of Wales Island. For the sake of comparative study, however, 

a hurried trip was made to Copper Mountain, and such information about the other 

deposits was collected as could be obtained from prospectors and other persons. 

Like other parts of the coast, the shores are abrupt from the water's edge, and 

the channels and inlets are deep. The slopes of the mountains are densely timbered 
CLAIMS NEAR HETTA INLET.4 105 

up to an altitude of about 3,000 feet. The higher peaks are somewhat over 3,000 

feet in height. The precipitation is probably a little greater than at Ketchikan, and 

the mean annual temperature is slightly higher. Accessibility, abundant timber, 

and water powers make the conditions on the west side of Prince of W ales especially 

favorable for mining enterprises. 

The white crystalline limestone of the Wales series, striking nearly north and 

south, is the predominant country rock of Hetta Inlet. In it are 'intruded many 

igneous rocks, some schistose, some massive. The white limestones are closely 

folded and have great variation in dip. The igneous rocks, so far as determined 

from the small collection made, include gabbros, diorites, amphibolites, diabases, 

and pyroxene-syenites. All these are comparatively massive. The greenstoneschists, which occupy considerable areas, are chloritic, and their original character 

has not been determined. 

Copper Mountain group. This property comprises a group of fifteen or twenty 

claims located north of and adjacent to Copper Harbor, a small eastern arm -of 

Hetta Inlet. The more important of these claims lie along the crest and north slope 

of a mountain, about 3,300 feet high, whose summit is three-fourths of a mile 

distant from the north side of the harbor. A gravity cable tramway connects the top 

of the mountain and the more important workings with the wharf on the north shore 

of Copper Harbor. Near the wharf are a sawmill and a number of substantial 

buildings. A part of the excellent water power which is on the property is being 

utilized for running the sawmill. 

The developments have been chiefly made on a claim located at the crest line. 

Here there is an open cut, about 40 feet deep, which follows a copper vein. About 

1,000 feet below there is an old tunnel, which was, however, located without much 

judgment and failed to reach the ore body. There are a number of small cuts and 

drifts in the various claims which make up this group. 

At the New York claim, on top of the mountain, there is a copper vein varying 

from a few feet to 30 feet in width. Since our visit this vein has been reached by a 

tunnel 60 feet below the cut. In this tunnel the ore persists in width, and is made 

up of copper carbonates, with some nodules of sulphides. The strike of this vein 

is N. 54° E., and the dip is nearly vertical, probably about 85° E. This vein 

is said to have been traced nearly to the shore line of the bay by a zone carrying 

chalcopyrite. The hangin wall is an igneous rock, made up of orthoclase, pyroxene, 

hornblende, and some plamoclase, and is provisionally classed as an augite-syenite. 

The foot wall is a white cr, stalline limestone. The relation of the igneous rock to 

the limestone seems to b one of intrusion. Near the contact the limestone is 

considerably altered. The ein is well defined, but sends offshoots into the limestone 

foot wall, and includes sou e limestone horses. The ore at this point is for the most 

part malachite, with som t. azurite. The gangue is siliceous, with much calcite. 

The material which was be'ng mined was almost pure ore, with a very little gangue. 
106 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

The shipments from this open cut are said to have netted $60 to $100 a ton. It is 

reported that the shipping grades of ores yield 20 per cent and upward of copper 

and carry considerable values in gold and silver.a Much of the ore that was being 

mined at the time of our visit must run much higher than 20 per cent in copper. 

The igneous rock which constitutes the hanging wall at the above-described ore 

body forms a considerable mass, 600 or 700 feet in width, to the northeast of which 

is another limestone belt, also metamorphic at the contact, containing a second 

zone of mineralization. This zone affects a belt of limestone probably 100 or 200 

feet in width. Within it the limestones are in places entirely recrystallized and 

carry copper pyrite and bornite. An open cut on the mountain crest reveals an 

exposure of ore and country rock about 50 feet in width and 50 feet in depth. This 

cut is near the boundary of the Indiana and Oregon claims of this group and about 

1,000 feet east of the first cut. On the face ore is seen, occurring in Irregular 

bunches in a zone with considerable honeycombed vein quartz. Horses of limestone 

are plentiful. While the zone is mineralized as a whole, the individual veins seem 

to cut across the bedding planes of the limestone. The division planes between the 

horses of limestone and the ore are well defined. The ore is chiefly chalcopyrite and 

bornite. This zone of mineralization is said to have been traced through four claims 

to the east. 

There is a small cut on the Indiana claim, 200 feet below the crest and on the 

east slope of the mountain, which seems to be in the extension of the second or 

northern mineralized zone. As far as could be determined from the limited exposures, this locality is near the contact of the syenite and limestone. The cut shows a 

metamorphosed limestone which is very siliceous, carrying chalcopyrite and bornite. 

The gold values in this ore are said to run from $8 to $10. 

Close by, on the Oregon claim, a small cut has been made which at the time of 

our visit was filled in. It is said to have exposed a vein of ore 2 feet in thickness. 

The dump shows copper pyrite associated with limestone. This ore occurs near the 

contact of a diabase and crystalline limestone. 

The examination of the Copper Mountain region was limited to one day, and 

the conclusions presented must therefore be regarded as provisional. The country 

rock is a white crystalline limestone which is cut by an intrusive mass provisionally 

classed as a pyroxene-syenite, and on both sides of this intrusion mineralization has 

taken place. The zone on the northeastern side of the intrusive is the wider, but 

the 9re in it seems to be more disseminated. The northwestern zone is better 

defined and seems to be richer. These deposits must be regarded as contact 

phenomena. The ores which have been reached in the shallow mine workings are 

mostly copper carbonates, with some bunches of copper sulphides. The evidence 

points toward the conclusion that the ore bodies will continue in depth, but 

how deep the carbonates will go it is impossible to foretell, and it is the belief of 

a Min. Sci. Press, September 7, 1901, p. 100. 
CLAIMS ON UNUK RIVER.4 107 

the writer that speculations in this matter are idle. In better developed regions 

the lower limit of the carbonate ores has been determined by mining operations, but 

at Copper Mountain no such criteria are available. Many of the mining experts 

who have visited the Copper Mountain property have been ready to express definite 

opinions as to these depths, but these gentlemen must have had sources of information 

which were not open to the writer during his hasty visit. The writer, therefore, 

while not desiring to prophesy in regard to the depths of the carbonates, would call 

attention to three important facts. First, the topographic position of the ore body 

is most favorable for a downward extension of the carbonate ore; second, the 

humidity of the climate is also favorable for this; third, the presence of considerable 

sulphide ore near the surface, on the other hand, would seem to indicate that the 

alteration has not been very complete, and that it may not extend to any great depth. 

Miller Brothers' claim.—This claim is said to lie north of Copper Bay. It is 

reported to consist of a large body of rather low-grade copper and gold ore. 

Jumbo claim.—This claim lies north of Copper Mountain and about 2 miles east 

from Hetta Inlet, with which it is connected by trail. The occurrence is believed to 

be an extension of the Copper Mountain ore body, from which it is distant less than 

half a mile. 

Beaver claim."—This claim is said to be located a mile from Hetta Inlet, on the 

north side, near Sulzer. It is said to carry gold and copper values. Sulzer is a postoffice and steamboat landing about 3 miles below the head of the inlet. 

Green Monster elaim.—This lies about halfway between Copper Harbor and 

Cholmondeley Sound. It is connected with Copper City by a trail 5 or 6 miles long. 

Considerable development is going on, and values are reported to run from $8 to 

$10 in gold and from 30 to 40 per cent in copper. 

UNUK. RIVER. a 

Unuk River is a stream of considerable size, which rises well back in the Coast 

Range and flows into Burroughs Bay with a southwesterly course. In the lower 10 

miles of its course the Unuk River is said to traverse the belt of granite which makes 

up the Coast Range. Above the granite the country rock is said to be slates, with a 

few thin limestone beds and intercalated masses of intrusive granite. The description suggests that these beds belong to the Ketchikan series. The strike of the rocks 

is northwest and southeast. 

Placer gold was reported on the Unuk River during the Cassiar excitement in 

the early seventies, but it received little attention. It is only during the last few 

years—since the Ketchikan district has come into prominence—that prospectors 

again turned their attention to this region. These placers are said to be about 40 

miles from the coast, and hence in British Columbia, but probably lie close to the 

international boundary. The gravels are reported to be very heavy. Rich goldalt has been thought best to compile the most trustworthy information available about those parts of the Ketchikan 

district that were not visited by the party. 
108 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

bearing quartz veins are said to have been found in the vicinity of Sulphur Creek. 

During the summer of 1901 a company made use of a small stamp mill to test the 

quartz veins. The tests seem to have been satisfactory, as the same company is now 

installing a more elaborate mining and milling equipment. 

The supplies are taken to the head of Burroughs Bay by steamer, and there 

transported up the river to Sulphur Creek in scows. There are said to be three 

canyons on the Unuk River below Sulphur Creek, which are formed by lava flows, 

through which the river has cut its course. 

BOCA DE QUADRA. 

This channel reaches about 30 or 40 miles inland and has many divergent channels. Its upper course must lie largely within the granite belt. Sulphide deposits 

have been reported from near its mouth, and workable gold placers on one of its 

confluent channels. PORTLAND CANAL. 

Portland Canal is a long, deep waterway which runs about 100 miles inland rom 

the eastern end of Dixon Entrance and marks the international boundary. At its 

southern end Wales and Pearse islands break it into two divergent channels. Its 

shores are rocky and abrupt, and the neighboring mountains rise to heights of 2,000 

to 7,000 feet. 

Almost nothing is known of the geology of the region, but it is probable that 

much of the canal lies in the granite belt of the Coast Range. A little prospecting 

has been done, but nothing of importance has been reported on the Alaskan side 

of the boundary. That the region is ore bearing is shown by the fact that copper 

deposits (chalcopyrite) have been found on the Canadian side of Portland Canal, 

on the peninsula which separates it from Observatory Inlet. The country rock in 

which these pyrite deposits occur is said to be a mica-schist, and they have been 

described to the writer as impregnated zones. There is a rumor of the occurrence 

of coal near the head of the canal. 

ANNETTE ISLAND. 

Annette Island lies between Duke and Gravina ;slands. Its length is about 18 

miles, extreme width about 10 miles, and area approximately 140 square miles. The 

island, which is an Indian reservation, is uninhabited except for the Indian settlement 

of Metlakatla, on the west side. The Indians have a thriving village, including 

about 500 people, a. sawmill, cannery, school, church, and many well-built houses. 

The story of Metlakatla has been told many times, and need not be repeated here. 

Everyone in southeastern Alaska owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. William Duncan, 

who, through his own unaided efforts, has brought these Indians up to a high plane 

of civilization. He has shown what can be done by teaching the natives to be 

self-supporting and self-reliant. 

The shores of Annette Island are rather low compared with other parts of the 
ANNETTE ISLAND AND THE METLAKATLA INDIANS. 109 

region. Its central part is occupied by mountain peaks, which run to heights of 

2,000 and 3,000 feet. The geology of the island was not studied by the writer, but 

from best accounts it would seem probable that the eastern part is occupied by the 

rocks of the Ketchikan series. Metamorphic limestones have been found on the 

island, and also' gneous rocks. The first discoveries of ore in the Ketchikan district 

were made on Annette Island in 1891 or 1892. The deposits are quartz veins 

carrying free gold, pyrite, and silver-bearing tetrahedite, and are said to resemble 

those of t e Dolomi region, which suggests that the Wales series may be represented. I
 

Assays h e shown high gold and silver values in some of the ores. There can be v


no doubt that a part of Annette Island at least lies within an ore-bearing zone. 

By act of Congress Annette Island was reserved for the exclusive use of the 

Metlakatla Indian community. When the act was passed it was supposed that the 

Indians would become an agricultural people and gradually bring the island under 

cultivation. This expectation has not been realized, and their occupation of land is 

confined to 2 or 3 square miles near the village. Under the able guidance of Mr. 

Duncan they have become an industrial people, owning and operating sawmills and 

canneries, and engaging in many other occupations, though not in farming or mining. They are prohibited by law from developing mines on the island. The Indians 

are not required to remain on the island, but leave it and return to it at their own 

volition. A number have established industrial enterprises in the neighboring 

region, and have thereby fully proved their ability to hold their own in direct competition with the white man. In fact, the developments of the last few years go 

to show that their prosperity is dependent on their coming into commercial relations with the white man. Being an industrial community, Metlakatla can not 

isolate itself from the rest of Alaska. Among its members are many sturdy, selfreliant men, who would be the first to resent the idea that they needed the fostering 

care of the Federal Government to protect them when they come in touch with the 

white race. 

In view of these facts it would seem only just that a portion of the island, say 

the region lying tributary to Port Chester, be given to the Metlakatla Indians, and 

the remainder of the island, which is not now and never will be used by the Indians, 

be thrown open to mining locations. The Indian side of the controversy which exists 

between them and the prospectors has been ably presented by others, and the writer 

has felt impelled to present the side of the prospectors. The latter are represented 

as a body of adventurers, ready to swarm down on this little community, rob the 

Indians of their lands, and teach them the vices of modern civilization. In point 

of fact, many of the prospectors have lived in the region nearly as long as the 

Indians, who came from British Columbia in the eighties. As a class the prospectors 

are hpnest and industrious, and have the greatest sympathy for the good work which 

has been done at Metlakatla. All that they ask is to be allowed to develop such 

portions of the island as are not now and never will be used by the Indians. 
11 04 THE KETCHIK AN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

DUKE ISLAND. 

This is the southernmost of the group of large islands which forms the central 

part of the Ketchikan district. The position of the island would indicate that the 

bed rock probably belongs in the Ketchikan series. Little prospecting has been 

done on the island. Galena deposits are reported, as are also gold- and sulphidebearing quartz veins. On Marys Island, which lies a short distance to the northeast, 

copper- and iron-sulphide deposits are reported. 

SOUTHERN END PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND. 

To the south Prince of Wales Island narrows down gradually to Cape Chacon, 

which marks its southernmost point. The'coast line is broken by many embayments, 

and the relief is probably lower than in the central part. The geology is unknown, 

but the strike of the beds to the north makes it probable that the region is largely 

occupied by the Wales series. 

Some prospecting has been done, but very slight developments have been made. 

Galena deposits are reported from Cape Chacon, and copper sulphides from Nicholas 

Bay. Mr. F. C. Schrader showed the writer some specimens of mineralized vein 

quartz containing pyrite and some galena, which came from the neighborhood of 

Hunter Bay. 

DALL ISLAND. 

Dall Island lies west of Prince of Wales Island. Its coast, which has not been 

charted in detail, is very irregular. The relief is probably not over 1,000 or 1,500 

feet. Limestones and granite are reported to occur on the island. Some prospecting 

is said to have been done, but no considerable mining developments have been 

made. The Alaska Industrial Company owns the Mount Vesta group of claims, 

which are said to be located along a contact of limestone and granite. The ore 

body is said to be very large and to carry high values in copper, gold, and silver. 

COAL. 

• In the region visited by us coal has been found at only one locality, and there 

not in workable quantity. This locality is adjacent to Coal Bay, an indentation of 

the smithern shore of Kasaan Bay. Coal outcrops about a quarter of a mile south 

of Coal Bay, in a creek bottom. The coal is lignitic, of jet-black color, and finely 

foliated; it contains resin and some sulphur. The vein as exposed is about 8 inches 

thick, and the dip is 5 to 10 degree's. The floor is a fine micaceous and argillacebus sandstone through which are scattered small fragments of lignite. A coarser 

green sandstone 4 to 5 feet thick overlies the coal. The rocks associated with 

the coal are feldspathic and of such character that the local origin of their materials is suggested. It seems probable, therefore, that this coal was laid down, in 

a local basin with sediments which were derived from the green schists of the 

neighborhood. No other coal exposures were found in this neighborhood, but the 
COAL, BUILDING STONE, AND LIME.4 111 

soft character of the rocks with which the coal is associated makes it unlikely 

that they would be found except by excavation. It seems improbable that this 

coal has any commercial value. There are also unverified rumors of the occurrence 

of coal on Duke Island and on Portland Canal near the international boundary. 

BUILDING STONE AND LIME. 

Little attention has been paid to the nonmetallic economic products of the Ketchikan district. These embrace marble, granite, and limestone. Much of the limestone 

of the Wales series has been altered to a finely crystalline marble, but much of the 

marble has been so sheared and jointed that it has no value for building purposes. 

At one locality, at least, it has been found sufficiently massive to quarry and has 

been developed on a commercial scale. An anonymous writer describes the locality 

as follows:a 

" Kosciusco Island, like Dall Island, one of the Prince of Wales Archipelago, is 

commonly spoken of as if it were part of the principal island. The settlement of 

Shakan is on Kosciusko Island and not on Prince of Wales Island. At this place 

there is a large sawmill, a halibut and herring fishery plant, a marble quarry, and a 

gold-bearing quartz mine equipped with a stamp mill. This locality has not been 

developed from Ketchikan, but from Wrangell. It has been a port of occasional 

call for Alaska steamers, and is on a local steamer mail route from Wrangell to fishing stations and Jackson, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island. The marble 

quarry is being prepared for exploitation on a considerable scale by a Fargo, N. 

Dak., company, for which M. Cronin is manager. It is less than half a mile from 

the steamer landing. A plant of marble-cutting machinery has been put in place. 

The quality of the rock is claimed to be superior. It is sound, even at the weather 

exposed surface, and is expected to enter the Pacific coast market in competition with 

marble brought from Italy in sailing vessels. The gold-quartz vein, owned by Castle 

& Co., was discovered in 1898. It is a wide vein of low-grade ore, most of the values 

being carried in pyrite." 

It is probable that when the region has been examined in greater detail other 

areas of the Wales series will be found which contain workable beds of marble. 

The granite of the region, as far as known to the writer, has never been examined 

with reference to its utility as a building stone, and some of it is quite likely to prove 

of commercial value. A description of the character and distribution of the various 

granitic types will be found in the discussion of the general geology. The granite 

of the Coast Range is often considerably sheared, which would make it less favorable 

for exploitation than the isolated stocks where the rock is more massive. In prospecting for granite it will be desirable to examine those parts of the stocks which are 

farthest away from a contact with sedimentary beds. Near the contact the granite 

is liable to contain pyrite, which injures its value for building purposes. 

The matter of finding building stones has, in the opinion of the writer, not 

received adequate attention in southeastern Alaska. The rugged character of the 

aMin. Sci. Press, September 7, 1901, p. 99. 
112 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

region and the many waterways are favorable for opening quarries. .The glaciation 

has removed the debris and weathered portions of the rock. The cheap water transportation gives access to an excellent market in the States bordering the Pacific, 

where building stone is not at all plentiful. The limestones of the region will sometime undoubtedly be exploited for lime, which would supply the local market, and 

also Puget Sound and other parts of the Pacific coast. 

CLIMATE AND TIMBER. 

The conception of Alaska as a region of ice and snow has so strong a hold 

on the popular mind that it is difficult to remove it. The climate of southeastern 

Alaska is characterized by mild winters, cool summers, and abundant rainfall. 

The lowest temperature recorded at Sitka is —3° F., at Juneau —4°. The a 

highest is 80° at Sitka and 88° at Juneau, and these extremes are very exceptional. The precipitation in southeastern Alaska, except at high altitudes, is 

almost entirely in the form of rain. In the Ketchikan district snow seldom lies 

on the ground more than a few .hours. There are almost no meteorologic data 

available for the Ketchikan district proper, though records have been kept for 

many years in Sitka. Ketchikan, which lies about 300 miles south of Sitka, is 

somewhat warmer, and probably has a greater precipitation. The following tables 

summarize the meteorologic data available in regard to this region, and make 

comparisons with better-known regions of the world.' 

a A report to Congress on Agriculture of Alaska, Bull. 48, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Experiment 

Stations. 

b Op. cit., pp. 7 and 8. 
TEMPERATURE IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 4 113

Average temperatures in southeastern Alaska and other regions. 

[In degrees Fahrenheit.] 

Locality. 

January. 


February. 


,-. 

April.

August. 

Wrangell a 4 26.2 30. 8 31. 6 42. 7 49.3 55. 3 58.2 57, 5 

Sitka a 4 32. 9 33. 6 37. 1 42. 1 47. 6 51. 9 55. 1 56. 4 

Juneau a 4 27. 5 24. 7 33. 5 40. 1 47. 6 53. 6 56. 6 55. 0 

Killisnoo a 4 27. 7 26. 8 33. 1 36.9 45. 6 51. 6 55. 2 54. 4 

Port Angeles, Wash. b 4 34. 7 36. 7 41. 7 45. 6 50. 6 54. 0 56. 6 56. 8 

Trondhjem, Norway C 4 27. 4 26. 8 28. 6 37. 9 45. 8 53.6 57. 2 56. 3 

Tlergen, Norway C 4 34. 1 32.2 35.4 43. 7 48. 9 55.0 57.9 57. 5 

Christiania, Norway c4 24. 1 23. 9 29. 5 39. 9 50. 9 59. 9 62. 6 60. 6 

Helsingfors, Finland d � 20. 9 18. 8 26. 2 34. 8 44. 1 56. 9 61. 9 58. 3 

Stockholm, Sweden e 4 33. 5 29.5 33. 8 39. 5 .52.5 57. 0 59. 1 59.3 

Scotland! 4 37. 1 38.4 39. 4 44. 1 49.0 54. 8 57. 1 56. 6 

Orkney Islands g � 38. 5 38. 2 40. 3 43. 3 47. 8 52. 8 55. 1 55. 0 

Locality. g

a.) 

E

a) 

a)

m 

October. November. 

.December. 

Average. 

Total temperature 

May 1 to Sept. 30. 

Sum of effective tem­ peratures May 1 to 

Sept. 30. 

Wrangell a 4 52. 3 45. 9 33. 5 32. 9 43. 0 8, 343.0 1, 764. 0 

Sitka a 4 52. 3 46. 2 38. 9 35. 8 44. 2 8, 058.1 1, 479.1 

Juneau a 4 49. 9 41.9 31. 2 29. 3 40. 9 8, 040.2 1, 461.2 

Killisnoo a 4 47. 8 41.1 33. 4 30. 1 40. 3 7, 793. 2 1, 214. 2 

Port Angeles, Wash. b � 52. 7 47. 7 42. 4 38. 2 46. 1 8, 285. 0 1, 671. 0 

Trondhjem, Norway c4 50. 0 41. 1 32. 7 27. 5 40. 6 8, 046. 3 1, 465. 3 

Bergen, Norway C4 52. 7 45. 1 38.5 34. 7 44. 6 8, 324. 3 1, 745. 3 

Christiania, Norway C 4 52. 7 41.9 32. 1 25. 6 41.9 8, 775. 1 2, 196. 1 

Helsingfors, Finland d � 50. 5 43. 9 33. 7 21. 7 39. 2 8, 315. 3 1, 736. 3 

Stockholm, Sweden e 4 53. 6 40. 6 35. 6 27. 3 43. 4 8, 615. 9 2, 074.9 

Scotland!4 52. 8 46.4 40. 6 37. 8 46. 1 8, 271.7 1, 692.7 

Orkney Islands g � 52. 5 47. 5 42. 6 40. 9 46. 2 8, 053.9 1, 474.9 

a United States Weather Bureau compilation. 

b Monthly Weather Review, United States Weather Bureau, 1893. 

c Landrugsdirekt. Beretning, 1893. 

d Ofver. Finska Vetenskaps Soc. Forhandlinger (average, 1869-1878). 

e Meteror. Iaktag. i Sverige k. Svensk Vetens. Akad., 1890. 

Trans. Highland and Agl. Soc. Scotland, 1895. 

g Trans. Highland and Agl. Soc. Scotland, 1874. 

9210-No. 1-02 8 
114 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

Average precipitation in southeastern Alaska and other regions. 

Locality. 

Wrangell 4 

Sitka 4 

Juneau 4 

Killisnoo4 

Port Angeles, Wash 4 

Trondhjem, Norway 4 

Bergen, Norway 4 

Christiania, Norway 4 

Helsingfors, Finland 4 

Stockholm, Sweden 4 

Scotland 4 

Orkney Islands 4 

Novem

4 


ber.

E 


Locality. 

7.3 

0 
 OQ 
 O &"1

Inches. Inches. 

9.44 67.01 

8. 52 90. 54 

7.38 86.77 

5.84 

5.35 

4.25 

7.44 

1.26 

1.61 

0.69 

3.97 

4.33 

55.92 

29.35 

35.60 

69.13 

22.56 

22.25 

25.22 

38.83 

36.95 

Wrangell 4 

Sitka 4 

Juneau 4 

Killisnoo 4 

Port Angeles, Wash 4 

Trondhjem, Norway 4 

Bergen, Norway 4 

Christiania, Norway 4 

Helsingfors, Finland 4 

Stockholm, Sweden 4 

Scotland 4 

Orkney Islands 4 

ca 0 ai 

44 


Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. 

3.43 5.70 2.58 3.87 3.06 3.56 3.98 

7.95 8.02 7. 78 5.03 3.89 3.87 4. 14 

10.59 4.80 6.49 5.25 7.36 4.99 5.25 

I 5.26 5.03 4.39 2.56 2.80 2.00 3.53 

4.90 3.33 2.53 1.90 1.05 1.50 0.27 

3.36 2.28 2.52 2.20 2.32 2.48 2.56 

6.93 5.55 4.33 3.78 4.09 4.37 6.06 

1.22 0.94 1.06 1.10 1.77 2.04 3.34 

1.47 1.20 1.16 1.39 1.67 1.72 2.09 

0.88 0.44 1.34 2.85 3.12 1.58 2.62 

3.95 3.00 2.78 2.15 2.29 2.50 3.11 

4. 29 3.11 2.71 1.86 1.55 2.17 2.62 

Inches. Inches. 

2.62 9.58 

6.67 10.94 

7.35 10.04 

4.80 6.39 

0.85 2.10 

2.59 3.27 

6.85 8.26 

2.87 2.99 

2.71 2.20 

4.57 1.27 

3.55 3.67 

2.84 2. 72 

Inches. 

8.16 

12. 96 

8.49 

6.92 

2.91 

4.29 

8.78 

2.56 

2.57 

3.28 

4.05 

4.85 

Inches. 

11.03 

10. 77 

8. 78 

6. 43 

3.52 

3.50 

6.73 

1.89 

2.42 

2. 65 

3.82 

3.89 

Inches. 

22. 80 

29.51 

34. 99 

19.52 

5.77 

13.22 

29. 63 

12. 92 

10. 39 

13.16 

15. 12 

11.94 
CLIMATE AND TIMBER OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 115 

Many years ago some records were kept at Fort Tongass, a military post of 

the United States, on Tongass Island, at the mouth of Portland Canal, in the 

southern part of the Ketchikan district. These have been summarized in the 

following table and a comparison made with more northerly lying localities of 

southeastern Alaska: 

Meteorologic observations in southeastern Alaska. 

Mean temperature. 

Mean precipitation. 

Degrees. Inches. 

Fort Tongass a 4 46. 5 118. 30 

Fort Wrangell a 4 42. 2 60. 54 

Juneau b � 40 67. 82 

Sitka a •4 43. 3 81. 69 

a Dr. William H. Dall, Pacific 'Coast Pilot, Alaska, Appendix I, Meteorology and Bibliography, Washington, 1879. 

b Fourth Report on the Agricultural Investigations in Alaska, 1900, by C. C. Georgeson, Bull. No. 94, U. S. Dept. of 

Agricult., Office of Experiment Stations. Observations of temperature Jan.-Dee., 1899. Observations of precipitation 

Jan.-Oct., 1900. 

The facts stated show conclusively that the climatic conditions in the Ketchikan 

region leave little to be desired for the development of mining enterprises. While 

the abundant precipitation is rather trying to those who are accustomed to a 

more arid climate, yet this rainfall, though a drawback to the prospector, does 

not interfere with mining developments. In fact, it is an advantage, as it gives 

ample water. Water powers can be used and all mining operations can be 

continued throughout the year. Except at high altitudes there is no snow to 

interfere with transportation or excavations. 

Southeastern Alaska is heavily forested up to an altitude of about 3,000 feet. 

The diameters of the larger trees vary from 3 to 5 feet, though trees with a diameter 

of 6 feet, or even more, are to be found in the Ketchikan district. Hemlock is the 

most common species, but spruce trees are almost as plentiful and of greater commercial value. Red cedar is common in the Ketchikan district, and the valuable yellow 

cedar is also found, but more sparingly. Of the deciduous trees, only black alder 

and a cottonwood (balsam) are plentiful. At one locality in the Ketchikan district 

a few white birches were observed. The undergrowth in the region is often very 

dense and the ground is heavily carpeted with moss. Those who have occasion to 

penetrate the southeastern Alaskan forests have their attention most frequently and 

unpleasantly called to the prickly "devil's club." 

Everywhere in southeastern Alaska, and especially in the Ketchikan district, 

there is an ample supply of timber for all local use, including mining. The spruce, 

while it does not afford a particularly high grade of timber, is extensively used for 

building purposes. The hemlock has been less used up to the present time. The 
116 THE KETCHIKAN MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA. 

cedar has an export value, but the law permits the cutting of timber on Government 

lands only for local use. 

While it is not within the scope of this report to treat of the agricultural possibilities of the region, yet it seems worth while to draw attention to the fact that the 

influx of a mining population will undoubtedly lead to agricultural development. On 

Prince of Wales Island two small farms have been cultivated, and, in spite of the 

cheap freights, have successfully competed with the vegetables brought from Puget 

Sound. Both climate and soil are adapted to certain kinds of farming. While the 

topography is such that there are few large arable tracts, there are untold opportunities for the development of small farms and gardens. Those interested in this 

matter are referred to the able reports of Professor Georgeson, of the Department of 

Agriculture, who has made a special study of the agricultural possibilities of Alaska. 
INDEX. 

Page. Page. 

Agriculture, prospects for 116 Bluebird claim, description of 78 

Alaska, geographic provinces of 14 Boca de Quadra, gold near 38,108 

Alaska, southeastern, argillites of 24 Bowden, J., acknowledgments to 13 

bed-rock geology of 16-31 discovery of gold by 38 

dynamic history of 29-31 information furnished by 63 

formations of, correlation of 27-29 Brayton, C. C., aid by 12 

general description of 18-19 Brewer, W. T., work of 18 

geography of 14 Brooks, A. H., cited 27' 

glacial phenomena in 31-35 work of 17 

igneous rocks of 26-27 Bruce, M. W., quoted 38 

map of 14 Building stone, occurrence and character of 111-112 

Mesozoic sediments of 4 25 Burkhart, A. Z., acknowledgments to 13 

Paleozoic sediments of 19-24 Cachelot claim, description of 103 

Tertiary sediments of 26 Carboniferous rocks of southeastern Alaska 22-23 

Alaskan Gold Standard Mining Company, claim of, Chickamin River, character of 37 

description of 59-60 Chilkat River, course and character of 16 

Alexander Archipelago, glaciation in 33 glaciation on 33 

islands of 15 Chitistone limestone, correlation of 27 

Allen, E. T., acknowledgments to 13 Cholmondeley Sound. See South Arm of CholmondeAlpha claim, description of 

assays by 66,82 

82 Christiania, Norway, rainfall at 

ley Sound; West Arm of Cholmondeley Sound. 4 

4 

114

Alsek Basin, character of 15 temperature at 4 113

Amphibolite, occurrence and character of 48 Cleveland Peninsula, economic geology of 53,55-60

Andersen, L., work of 12 map of 4 

55

Anderson's claim, description of 96 Climate, discussion of 4 

112-116

Annette Islands, area of 35 Coal, occurrence and character of 4 110-111

gold on, discovery of 38 price of 39

industrial and economic conditions on 108-109 Coast Range, extent and character of 14

Apex group of claims, description of 72-73 glaciers of 32-33

Aplitic and pegmatitic rocks, occurrence and charac- granite of 4 26

ter of 47 Paleozoic rocks east of 22

Argillites of southeastern Alaska 24 Commander claims, description of 4 92

Ashe's claim, description of 63 Concord claims, description of 4 

72-73

Basalts, occurrence and character of 50 Conundrum claim, description of 76

Bay View claims, description of 70 Copper Chief claim, description of 4 

77

Beauty claims, description of 80 Copper King claims, description of 99-100

Beaver claim, description of 107 Copper Lake claims, description of 4 

82

Beck, IL, cited 99 Copper Mountain claims, description of 105-107

Becker, G. F., cited 26 Copper Queen claims, description of 100

work of 11,17 Copperplate claim, description of 90

Bell claim, description of 62 Coughran, G. H., acknowledgments to 13

Bell Island, area of 35 Crackerjack claims, description of 91

Bergen, Norway, rainfall at 114 Crcesus claim, description of 4 

85-86

temperature at 113 Cushing, H. P., cited 19

Bertha claim, location and character of 95 quoted 21

Betton Island, area of 35 work of 17

Beulah claim, description of 82 Dall, W. H., cited 26

Big Six claims, description of 103 work of 16,17 

Bird's-eye claim, description of 62 Dall Head and Seal Bay, economic geology of 53,68-73 

Blake, T. A., work of 16 map of 69 

Blake, W. P., work of 16,37 Dall Island, area of 35 

Blue Jay claim, description of 73 mineral deposits on 110 

117 
118 INDEX. 

Page. Page. Davidson, G., work of 17 Home claim, description of 82 Dawson, G. M., cited 23,24,25,28,46 Homestake claim, description of 78 quoted 22,34 Hope claim, description of 78 reference to 14,16 House claim, description of 82 work of 17 Hunt, C. H., information furnished by 72 

Devonian fossils of southeastern Alaska 20-21 Igneous rocks of Ketchikan district 46-50 

Diabase, occurrence and character of 47 of southeastern Alaska 26-27 

Dioritic rocks, occurrence and character of 47 Indiana claim, description of 106 

Dirt Glacier, fossil coral from 20-21 Iron Cap claims, description of 104 

Dolly Varden claim, description of 93 Jessie claim, description of 83 

Dolomi, economic geology of 54,79-84 Johnson, P., reference to 4 39 

map of 75 Johnson, T. F., acknowledgments to 13 

Drake Island, fossils from, age of 19 Jumbo claim (Dolomi), description of 80 

Duke Island, area of 35 Jumbo claim (Hetta, Inlet), description of 107 

description of 110 Jumbo claim (Seal Bay), description of 71 

Easter claim, description of 62 Juneau, glaciation near 33 

Edith M. claim, description of 77 gold near, discovery of 37 

Elm City and Skookum claims, description of 101 rainfall at 114,115 

Erhart's claim, description of 73 temperature at 113,115 

Excelsior claim, description of 79 Kamloops region, rocks of 28 

Fairweather Mountains, altitude of 15 Karta Bay, economic geology of 93-94 

Fawn claim, description of 85 Kasaan greenstone, correlation of 28 

Fink, E- "say by 76,77 occurrence and character of 49-50 

Flora cla__ , description of 92 Kasaan Peninsula, economic geology of M, 96-104 

Fort;tongass, rainfall and temperature at 115 map of 89 

Fort ?Wrangell, rainfall and temperature at. 115 Kenai series, correlation of 28 

See also Wrangell. Kennicott formation, correlation of 27 

Fortune claim, description of 80 Ketchikan, population, industries, etc., of 39 

Friendship claims, description of 87 Ketchikan Copper Company, claims of, description of 87-88 

Frisco claim, description of 79 Ketchikan district, economic geology of 53-116 

GaM)roic rocks, occurrence and character of 48 general description of 35-37 

Garside, G. W., work of 18 geologic history of 50-52 

George Inlet, economic geology of 53,63-64 geology of 40-53 

map of 60 history of 37-39 

Gilbert, G. K., work of 31,35 islands of, areas of 35 

Glacial phenomena in southeastern Alaska 31-35 map of 40 

Glacier Bay, fossil from, age of 19 Ketchikan series, correlation of 28 

Glory claim, description of 57 occurrence and character of 4 44 45,51-52 

Gold Mountain claims, description of 58-59 Keystone claim (Cleveland Peninsula), description of. 57 

Golden Fleece mine, description of 81 Keystone claim (Thorne Arm)elitescription 68 

Golden Tree claim, description of 67 Kiam claims, description of 44' ''i.e.. 94-95 

Granite, occurrence and character of 46-47 Killisnoo, rainfall at 114 

of southeastern Alaska 26 temperature at 113 

Gravina Island, area of 35 Kingston claims, description of 58 

gold on, discovery of 38 Kitkun Bay, economic geology of 54,84-86 

Gravina series, occurrence and character of 45,52 map of 4 75 

Green Monster claim, description of 107 Klehini River, glaciation on 33 

Greenstones of southeastern Alaska 26-27 Knapp, E. A., information furnished byy 85,88 

Greenstone-schists, occurrence and character of 48-49 Kosciusko Island, area of 35 

Grenadier claim, description of 73 Kotlo series, correlation of 27 

Grotto claim, description of 70-71 Lake View and Mammoth claims, description of 95-96 

Gwillim, J. C., cited 23,25 Last Chance claim (Cleveland Peninsula), description 

Hart, J., acknowledgments to 13 of 57 

Hassler Island, area of 35 Last Chance claim (Twelvemile Arm), description of 92 

Hatchet claim, description of 96 Lavina claim, description of 93 

Hayes, C. W., acknowledgments to 13 Lichtenstadter, M. L., acknowledgments to 13 

cited 23 Limestone of southeastern Alaska 19-23 

reference to 14 Little Annie claim, description of 78 

work of 4 17 Little Maumee claim, description of 58 

Heckman's claim, description of 62 Logan, Mount, altitude of 15 

Hecla claim, location and character of 95 Long Island, fossils from 43 

Helsingfors, Finland, rainfall at 114 Lookout claims, description of 75-77 

temperature at 113 Lumber, price of 39 

Hetta Inlet, economic geology of 54,104-107 See also Timber. 

Hollis, Wales series near 41 Maggie May claim, description of 85 

Hollis claims, description of 91-92 Malaspina Glacier, extent of 32 
INDEX.4 119 

Page. Page. 


Mammoth claim (Niblack Anchorage), description of 77 Rossland and Deer Park Mining Company, claims of, 


Mammoth and Lake View claims (Skowl Arm). de- description of 4 71-72


scription of 95-96 Russell, I. C., cited 30 


Marble Heart claim, description of 93 work of 17,31


Marsh Lake, Mesozoic sediments at 25 St. Elias, Mount, altitude of 4 15

Mary T. claim, description of 57 St. Elias Range, extent and character of 4 

15

Matilda claim, description of 81 glaciers of 4 

32

Mellen, H. W., acknowledgments to 13 Salmon claim, description of 4 

80

Mesozoic history of southeastern Alaska 30 San Juan claim, description of 4 

85

Mesozoic sediments of southeastern Alaska 25 Schrader, F. C., reference to 4 

110

Metamorphism in southeastern Alaska 29-30 Schrader, F. C., and Spencer, A. C., cited 4 

27

Metlakatla Indian community, economic condition Scotland, rainfall in 4 114

of 109 temperature of 113

Miller Brothers' claim, description of 107 Schuchert, C., acknowledgments to 13 

Moira Sound, glacial action near, evidence of 33 cited 21,43 

See also North Arm of Moira Sound. quoted 4 

 19,20-21,23

Monday claim, description of 93 Sea Breeze claim, description of 4 67

Monster claim, description of 68 Sea Level mine, description of 4 

66-67

Morning Star claims, description of 100 Seal Bay, test pits at 4 

70

Morse, E. C., acknowledgments to 13 Seal Bay and Dall Head, economic geology of 4 53,68-73

Mother Lode claim, description of 67 map of 4 

69

Mount. See next word of name. Sedimentary rocks of Ketchikan district 41-46 

Mount Andrew claims, description of 102-103 Silurian fossils of southeastern Alaska 4 . 19-20

Muir, J., work of 31 Sitka, gold near, discovery of 37

Nellie claim, description of 92 rainfall at 4 +4,115

New York claim, description of 105-106 sandstones at 4 

26

Niblack Anchorage, economic geology of 54,74-78 temperature at 4 113,115

glaciation near 33 Six Point property, description of 4 73

map of 75 Skeena River, mica-schist and limestone on 24 

schistose rock at 49 Skookum and Elm City claims, description of 101

Nikolai greenstone, correlation of 27 Skowl Arm, economic geology of 54' -96

North Arm, map of 75 map of 89 

North Arm of Moira Sound, economic geology of... 54,78-79 South Arm of Cholmondeley Sound, economic.geology 

North Star claim, description of 102 of 54,86-88

Nutzotin series, correlation of 27 Spencer, A. C., and Schrader, F. C., cited 27

Old Man claim, description of 73 Spurr, J. E., work of 17

Oregon claim, description of 106 Stanton, T. W., quoted 25

Orkney Islands, rainfall in 114 Starlight claim, description of 73 

temperature of 113 Stevens, B., information furnished by 100

Paleozoic hiF;cory of southt 'stern Alaska 29-30 Stevenson, J. J., cited 19

Paleozoic sediments of sou„a,sastern Alaska 19-24 quoted 4 

20

Paul claim, description of 84 Stikine River, conglomerate on 25

Pauline claim, description of 82-83 course and character of 16

Peacock claim, description of 102 gold on, discovery of 37

Pegmatitic and aplitic rocks, occurrence and char- quartzite and limestone on 23 

acter of 47 Stockholm, Sweden, rainfall at 114 

Petrol, I., cited 38 temperature at 113

Poor Mans claim, description of 100-101 Sunrise vein, description of 73

Port Angeles, Wash , rainfall at 114 Syenitic rocks, occurrence and character of 47

temperature at 113 Tagish Lake, limestone at 23 

Portland Canal, gold on 108 Taku River, conglomerate on 25

Powell, J. W., cited 14 course of 16

Prince of Wales Island, area of 35 slates and limestones on 23

mineral deposits of south end of 110 Telegraph claims, description of 63 

prospecting on 38 Temperature in southeastern Alaska and other retopographic features of 36 gions 113 

Provisions, prices of 4 39 Tertiary beds, occurrence and character of 45 

Puyallup group, description of 90 of southeastern Alaska 26 

Queen Charlotte Islands, geology of 28 Thorne Arm, economic geology of 53,64-68 

Rainfall in southeastern Alaska and other regions 114 map of 64 

Rainy Day claim, description of 58 Tide Water claim, description of 68 

Red Rose claim, location and character of 95 Timber, occurrence and character of 115 

Reid, H. F., cited 19 See also Lumber. 

work of 4 17 ,31 Tolstoi Bay, claims near, description of 104 

Revillagigedo Island, area of 35 Tomboy claims, description of 85 

Rhyolites, occurrence and character of 50 Tongass claim, description of 61 
1204 INDEX. 

Page. Page. 

Tongass Narrows, economic geology of 53,60-63 Vesta claim, description of 79 

map of 4 60 Wales series, occurrence and character of 41-42,51 

Trachytes, occurrence and character of 

Transportation, means of 

Triangle No. 2 claim, description of 

Trio claims, description of 

Trondhjem, Norway, rainfall at

temperature at 

Twelvemile Arm, economic geology of 

map of 

Wales series near 

Typhoon claim, description of 

United States claims, description of 

Unuk River, course and character of 

gold on 

Vallenar Bay, economic geology of 

Vallenar series, correlation of 

occurrence and character of 

Valparaiso mine, description of 

50 War Eagle claim, description of 70 

39 Washington claim, description of 72 

80 Wednesday claim, description of 83 

77 Welcome claim, description of 80 

114 Welfleet claim, description of 82 

113 West Arm of Cholmondeley Sound, economic geology 

54,88-94 of 88 

89 Westlake, J. G., information furnished by 78 

41 White Eagle claim, description of 101 

61 White Pass, granite of 

57 Wildcat claim, description of 

36 Williams, H. S., aid by 

107-108 fossils determined by 

73 Wrangell, rainfall at 

28 temperature at

 42-43,51 Wright, G. F., work of 

83 Young, S. H., work of 

O 

26 

61 

20 

19 

114,115 

113,115 

31 

31 
PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

[Professional Paper No. 1.] 

The serial publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annual Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral Resources, (6) Water-Supply and Irrigation 

Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of the United States-folios and separate sheets thereof, (8) Geologic 

Atlas of the United States-folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at cost of publication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists may be had on application. 

The Bulletins, Professional Papers, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety of subjects, and the 

total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified into the following series: A, Economic 

geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; I, Irrigation; J, 

Water storage; K, Pumping Water; L, Quality of water; M, Methods of hydrographic investigations; 

N, Water power; 0, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports. This paper is the 

sixteenth in Series A and the twentieth in Series B, the complete lists of which follow. (B = Bulletin, PP = Professional Paper, WS = Water-Supply Paper. ) 

SERIES A, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 

B 21. Lignites of Great Sioux Reservation: Report on region between Grand and Moreau rivers, Dakota, by Bailey Willis. 

1885. 16 pp., 5 pjs. 

B 46. Nature and origin of deposits of phosphate of lime, by R. A. F. Penrose, jr., with introduction by N. S. Shaler. 1888. 

143 pp. 

B 65. Stratigraphy of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, by Israel C. White. ' 1891. 212 

pp., 11 pls. (Exhausted.) 

B 111. Geology of Big Stone Gap coal field of Virginia and Kentucky, by Marius R. Campbell. 1893. 106 pp., 6 pls. 

B 132. The disseminated lead ores of southeastern Missouri, by Arthur Winslow. 1896. 31 pp. 

B 138. Artesian-well prospects in Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton. 1896. 228 pp., 19 pls. 

B 139. Geology of Castle Mountain milling district, Montana, by W. H. Weed and L. V. Pirsson, 1896. 164 pp., 17 pls. 

B 143. Bibliography of clays and the ceramic arts, by John C. Branner. 1896. 114 pp. 

B 164. Reconnaissance on the Rio Grande coal fields of Texas, by Thomas Wayland Vaughan, including a report on 

igneous rocks from the San Carlos coal field, by E. C. E. Lord. 1900. 100 pp., 11 pls. and maps. 

B 178. El Paso tin deposits, by Walter Harvey Weed. 1901. 15 pp., 1 pl. 

B 180. Occurrence and distribution of corundum in United States, by J. H. Pratt. 1901. 98 pp., 14 pls. 

B 182. A report on the economic geology of the Silverton quadrangle, Colorado, by F. L. Ransome. 1901. 266 pp., 16 pls. 

and maps. 

B 184. Oil and gas fields of the western Interior and northern Texas Coal Measures of the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary 

of the western Gulf coast, by George I. Adams. 1901. 64 pp., 10 pls. 

B 193. The geological relations and distribution of platinum and associated metals, by James Furman Kemp. 1902. 95 

pp., 6 pls. 

B 198. The Berea grit oil sand in the Cadiz quadrangle, Ohio, by W. T. Griswold. 1902. 43 pp. 1 pl. 

PP 1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of the geology of southeastern Alaska, by Alfred Hulse Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pls. 

SERIES B, DESCRIPTIVE GEOLOGY. 

B 23. Observations on the junction between the Eastern sandstone and the Keweenaw series on Keweenaw Point, 

Lake Superior, by R. D. Irving and T. C. Chamberlin. 1885. 124 pp., 17 pls. 

B 33. Notes on geology of northern California, by J. S. Diller. 1886. 23 pp. 

B 39. The upper beaches and deltas of Glacial Lake Agassiz, by Warren Upham. 15387. 84 pp., 1 pl. 

B 40. Changes in river courses in Washington Territory due to glaciation, by Bailey Willis. 1887. 10 pp., 4 pls. 

B 45. The present condition of knowledge of the geology of Texas, by Robert T. Hill. 1887. 94 pp. 

B 53. The geology of Nantucket, by Nathaniel Southgate Shaler. 1889. 55 pp., 10 pls. 

B 57. A geological reconnaissance in southwestern Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1890. 49 pp., 2 pls. 

B 58. The glacial boundary in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kenucky, Indiana, and Illinois, by George Frederick 

Wright, with introduction by Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin. 1890. 112 pp., 8 pls. 

9210-No. 1-02-9 
1I PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

B 67. The relations of the traps of the Newark system in the New Jersey region, by Nelson Horatio Darton. 1890. 82 pp. 


B 104. Glaciation of the Yellowstone Valley north of the Park, by Walter Harvey Weed. 1893. 41 pp., 4 pls. 


B 108. A geological reconnaissance in central Washington, by Israel Cook Russell. 1893. 108 pp., 12 pls. 


B 119. A geological reconnaissance in northwest yoming, by George Romans Eldredge. 1894. 72 pp., 4 pls. 


B 137. The geology of the Fort Riley Military Res rvation and vicinity, Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1896. 35 pp., 8 pls. 


B 144. The moraines of the Missouri Coteau and t eir attendant deposits, by James Edward Todd. 1896. 71 pp., 21 pls. 


B 158. The moraines of southeastern South DakOta and their attendant deposits, by James Edward Todd. 1899. 


171 pp., 27 pls. 

B 159. The geology of eastern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, by B. K. Emerson. 1899. 139 pp., 9 pls. 

B 165. Contributions to the geology of Maine, by Henry S. Williams and Herbert E. Gregory. 1900. 212 pp., 14 pls. 

WS 70. Geology and water resources of the Patrick and Goshen Hole quadrangles in eastern Wyoming and western 

Nebraska, by George I. Adams. 1902. 50 pp., 11 pls. 

B 199 Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by Israel C. Russell. 1902. — pp., 25 pls. 

PP 1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of the geology of 

southeastern Alaska, by Alfred Hulse Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pls. 

Correspondence should be addressed to 

The DIRECTOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 

LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS. 

[Take this leaf out and paste the separated titles upon three of your catalogue 

cards. The first and second titles need no addition; over the third write that 

subject under which you would place the book in your library.] 

United States. Department of the interior. (U. S. geological survey.) 

Professional Paper No. 1 Series{A' Economic geology, 16 

B, Descriptive geology, 20 

Department of the interior I United States geological survey I 

Charles D. Walcott, director I — I Preliminary report I on the I 012� Ketchikan mining district, Alaska I with I an introductory sketch 

of the geology of I southeastern Alaska I by I Alfred Hulse 

Brooks I [Vignette] I 

Washington I government printing office I 1902 

4°. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

Brooks (Alfred Hulse.) 

Professional Paper No. 1 Series/A' Economic geology, 16 I B, Descriptive geology, 20 

Department of the interior United States geological survey I 

Charles D. Walcott, director I — I Preliminary report I on the I 

4.1 Ketchikan mining district, Alaska J with an introductory sketch 

of the geology of I southeastern Alaska I by I Alfred Hulse 

Brooks I [Vignette] I 

Washington I government printing office 1 1902 

4°. 120 pp., 2 pls. 

Professional Paper No. 1 Series {A; Economic geology, 16 I 

B, Descriptive geology, 20 

Department of the interior I United States geological survey I 

Charles D. Walcott, director I — I Preliminary report I on the 

Ketchikan mining district, Alaska I with I an introductory sketch 

of the geology of I southeastern Alaska I by I Alfred Hulse 

Brooks I [Vignette] I 

Washington I government printing office I 1902 

4°. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

III