The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-31
COAL FROM ALASKA.

The arrival of the bark Alexander Nc
Neil with 1850 tons of coal from Cooks
Inlet, Alaska, is attracting some attention
in mercantile circles Any discovery which
viii free California from its dependence on
British colonies for SO essential an article
as coal will be welcomed, and people will
look Gnxiously for a report on this Alaska
shipment from parties who can Judge Of its
value. The existence OF coal in Alaska las
been known for twenty years, but thus far
the samples which have come t. hand have
been tertiary Goals, of small use for steam
or domestic purposes. Discoveries of coal
closely resembling anthracite have been re-
ported from Admiralty Island and from a
point some seventeen miles from Siika, but
exploration did not confirm the original re-
ports: Ten years ago it was positively as
serted that body Of bituminous coal had
been struck in rhis very Cooks Iulet from
which the Mcneil took her cargo. bnt the
assertion did not command belief 1t Is SO
vital to this State TO find anthracite coal. or
good grade of bituminous coal, outside of
foreign territory. that the search for such
finds has been pretty thorough. and new re-
ports OF such discoveries are received with
incredulity.
On general principles, ii is improbable
that ali the good coal on this coast is cou-
fined TO Vancouver Island. The process es
OF the carboniferous era which created the
Wellington coal must, it would seem, have
been exerted at points north and south of
the island; their efforts should be visible on
the islands of the Alaskan archipelago and
On the adjacent coast Of Washington. But
TINS far 1t is due to truth to say that no
trace Of them has been found.
The steadigv iDprpasipu pnoouuons;on -
Washington coal in this market shows.
however. that uses are being found for coal
which was at first considered of small
value. The shipments OF Ignite from the
Lake Washington mines, near Seattle, have
latterly assumed large proportions. and the
Carbon Hill mines maintain an output
which Is considerable. People who claim
to know expect that the best mines in Wash
ington will be found I'm extensions of the
PnyalluD bed, which yields fair grade of
bitBminous coal II does not seem reason
able that excellent coal, as good as they
have in the East should be found on one
side Of Puget Sound, and that none should
be found on the other. Surely some day
vein of coal equal TO The Wellington will be
struck in the northwest counties of Wash
ington.
The prospector for coal in this State has
thus far had little to encourage him. Most
OF the mines have run their owners into
debt. But the last word has not been said
on the subject. There is known to be bed
OF coal In Mendocin0 County, from which
me assays have been had, but which has
never been worked for the want of trans
portation; 1t is confidently asserted by citi-
zens OF that county that if n railroad were
bullt to furnish the mines with an outlet
they would supply San Francisco with a
good deal OF the coal il uses. 1t is not un-
likely that, some day, an extension of the
deposit may be found in the neighborfng
county of Sskiyou. Coal of some grade is
found all along the coast
1t must always be remembered that the
opening of coal mines is slow business. The
Lehigh region of Pennsylvania began to
produce anthracite in 1920, but thirty years
elapsed before its output amounted to mil
lion tons in single year. In 1912 the whole
product OF anthracite from the Lehigh,
Schuylkill and Wyoming regions barely ex-
ceeded million tons year, less than
Washington now ships to San Francisco.
Many Judicious people doubted at that time
whether the Pennsylvania anthractes
would ever become valuable fuels Those
VINO dld believe went on working the mines
ana acquiring new coal land.
1t IS quite possible that Alaska may add
workable coal to her other resources. If so,
an additional reason will be supplied for