The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-08-03
The Untold Wealth OF Alaska.

The Alaska correspondent of the San
Francisco Chronicle writes: when we
consider how little has been done to-
ward exploration in Alaska, together
with the studied neglect by the Gov
eminent at Washington and the per-
sistent efforts to decry hevalue of the
territory and discourage immigration
hither. it will, think, be admitted that
the discoveries of mineral wealth al
ready made are but forecast of very
great and valuable discovelie, yet to
come. Gold, silver, copper, graphite,
lead, iron, sulphur and coal have al
ready been found within the territory
in sufficient quantities to pay for work
ing the deposits. Eight wel-defned
lodges of gold-bearing quartz have been
prospected on Baronof Island, close to
this town; their owners owe their dis
covery and partial development to the
enterprise and energy Of one Haley,
who was formerly a soldier of the gar
rison that was stationed here. He APP
pears to have been the only man in
Sitka of late years who possessed suf-
ticient enterprise and industry to ex-
plore the mountains and encounter
hardship and privations with hope of
lettering his fortunes. Starting out
alone and passing solitary days and
weeks in the mountains. Haley has
gone through many privations and had
various adventures. On one occasion
he had rough-and-tumble fight with
a large brown bear, in which he was
badly punished, but finally came off
victor. He began to utilize his gold
discoveries about three years ago by
quarrying out rock and crushing it in a
common hand-mortar. BY this primi-
tive process he obtained money enough
to support his family and pay the cost
of a visit to Portland and San Fran
cisco in search of capital to develop
his mines. In spite of systematic de-
probation of the county. its advan-
tages, mineral and otherwise, are be-
coming better understood. Little is
known of that section of Alaska which
lies back of the coast between Cross
Sound-where the Alexander Archi-
pelago with its LOO islands, ends -
and Prince Williams Sound. Several
small but good and deep harbors are
found upon the coast, and have been
visited by navigators from the days of
Cook and La Perouse down, but no
white men have ventured into the in
terror, and nothing is known OF the
mineral or other resources of the dis
trict. In Prince Williams Sound are
several Indian villages, and several
tracts of prairie land which NAV be
easily cultivated. Beyond this large
inlet lies Kodiak and Cooks Inlet As
fishing and agricultural district this
is undoubtedly the best section Of the
whole territory of Alaska. The climate
is milder, the winters less sevarp and
the rainfall less than in the southern
counties of Scotland. Both on Kodiak
and the shores of Cooks Inlet are large
tracts of prairie land, which now afford
excellent pasture for cattle and sheep,
and which can be easily cultivated for
all the hardy vegetables, barley and
oats. Timber is abundant and easily
accessible from the water.
"A large deposit of coal has been
prospected, the quality of which is de-
clared by Prof. Newbury, of the Col
umbia College and School of Mines.
New York, to be fully equal IN any
Goals found on the Pacific coost not
excepting those of Vancouver island
and Bellingham Bay. The Indians who
come down to the head of the inlet re-
port large deposits of native copper a
short distance inland, and exhibit or
naments and utensils of the same.
Lead of sufficient purity to be nodded
into bullets is also found there The
waters literally swarm with fsb: mill