The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-01-17
COPPER IN ALASKA.
1t Is so Plentiful That 1t PoIs0ns tn :
Water of a Great River.

From Lieut.. Henry P. Aliens re-
port of his explorations up the Copper
river we learn the following interest
ing facts about the country:
Cooper river is stream of con-
siderable size, very swift, and difficult
of ascent in boats. 1t is not con-
fined to one channel. thus forming
many large islands, and its volume of
water is so great that the stream.
spreads over nearly the entire bottom
of the valley. Along its banks arc
large gravel bars. and the country
| throughout is marked with extensive
glacial deposits. After passing the
glaciers, which lie about forty miles
back from the coast, the climate in
summer is dry and warm, and in the
winter it is mild and no great depth of
snow falls. The mountain ranges are
very high and are marked by many
lofty peaks. the highest of which is
Mount Wrangel, which is now con-
sidercd the highest mountain in North
America. But few years ago Mount
Wrangel was an active volcano, breath
ing out flames and molten lava, and
she now sends out clouds of smoke and
vapors. The mountain is situated
northeast of Mount St. Elias and about
two hundred miles back from the coast.
and in the very heart nf The mineral re-
gions of Alaska"
| In regard to the mineral resources of
that section, Lieut.. Allen speaks as
follows:
1.-The minerals of Copper river have
long been source Of speculation
owing to pieces of pure copper, knives
and bullets of the same metal having
been brought down To the coast by tho.
natives. Some of the specimens are
supposed tO be associated with silver.
and in fact / have heard of some
brought down which assayed in Boston
$50 per ton silver and 60 per cent of
copper. Nicolai's house, situated ON
the Chittstone, the south branch of the
Copper, aud six miles above the mouth
of the Chittyto river, is supposed to be
in the heart of the mineral region, and
by him we were shown vein near his
house, which. at that season of the
year (ApriD was above the snOw-line.
He gave us, however, some specimens
which proved to be hornite, a sui
phuret of copper and iron. He said
the pure copper was on the Chittyto
river, between his house and the cen
trail branch of Chittyna, as well as on
other tributaries of the same. He had
bullets of pure copper in his possession.
! We found specimens of hOrnite also in
the hands of the natives of Nandellis.
| lust across the divide from the head of
the Copper and on the headwaters of
the Tananah. The waters of the
Shittyto Copper Water) are of a deep
yellow color from flowing through beds
of copper, and the natives informed
mo that the waters were poisonous,
and that salmon would not ascend the
stream, itslength is probably not over
fifteen miles. AT one place on the
main Copper, on an island, were
| springs so strongly impregnated with
mineral that their water could not be
drunk. Even a sip left for long time
a disagreeable taste. In ascending
the Copper river it was observed that
the banks were green hornblendic rock
veins. Up further, these gave way to
Il green basalt, which had at its northern
end fine quality of slate that split
easily, intersected by mineral bearing
| quartz. Miles from the mouth of the
Chttyna il cuts through bluffs of
beautiful green stone, intersected by
white veins, which appeared 10 be
| limestone. The pebbles and boulders
IN this river, bed are much discolored
by copper stains, but not to such II re-
markable degree as those of its tribu..
tary, the Chittystone. The mountains
around the headwaters of the latter are
sandstone, and felspathic granite. A
feature of some of the high banks of
the Upper Copper is the strata of
boulders many feet below the surface"
Wood can be sawed in veneers. only
4...x. Al. Il