The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-06
Government Search for Alaskan Gold.

In the Sundry civil Appropriation bill.
approved by President MCKINLEY on June
4, 1897. is an item, under the title United
States Geological Survey, in these words:
For continuation Of the investigation Of the coal
and gold resources of Alaska, $4,000"
Mr.. CHARLES d. WALCoTT, the Director
of the Geological Survey, wanted five times
this amount; and it is quite probable that
Congress would lave given him the desired
sos, 900 IL the extent and Importance of
the Klondike discoveries had been known
in this part of the world at the time when
the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill was
under consideration.
There was an appropriation of $4,000 in
1895 and another of the same amount in
1896 to enable the Geological Survey to
investigate the coal deposits and the gold
fields in the Territory of Alaska. These
appropriations have suficed for the ex-
ploration of the coast region between Sitka
and Behring Sea, and for one examination
of the gold fields of the Yukon River west
of the British boundary. This was made
by a expedition in 1896.
1t had been represented that the geologi-
cal exploration of thisp part of the country
would prove very difficult, on account Of
the messy swamps and extensive forests in
the Yukon River basin, but the Govern
ment surveying party were most agreeably
disappointed in this respect. "They found
on arrival there" says Mr.. WALCoTT in a
letter to the Secretary of the Interior,
"that they could traverse the country in
all directions, through cahons and over
mountains, by having Indians act as pack
ers." The expedition followed the Yukon
down its course from the British line to the
sea, tracing the gold in the various placer
deposits to the quartz veins on the numer-
GUS tributary streams.
The result Of last years exploration is
stated by the Director of the Geological
Survey in these words:
"Suficient data were secured to establish the pres
ence of a gold belt 800 miles in length in Alaska.
which enters Alaska near the mouth Of Forty Mile
Creek, and extends westward across the Yukon Val.
Icy at the lower Ramparts Its further extent 10 un.
known. II Is the opinion Of the oeolootst IN charge
Of the expedition that u % entirely practicable to
prosecute quartz mining throughout the year In this
region"
The value of this opinion depends upon
the intelligence and experience Of the geol.
ogist from whom it proceeds; but, if cor.
rect, its Importance is manifest. 1t means
that the bulk of Alaskan gold will be accessi'
BILE to the miner in winter as we'll az summer.
If the appropriation available for 1897
had been $4,000. five exploring parties
would lave been sent out in Alaska this
summer by the United States Geological
Survey. Two would have explored the
region bordering the Yukon Valley on the
north and two the region bordering the
Yukon Valley on the south. A fifth party
would have visited that portion of the Ter
ritory from which the Alaska peninsuls
juts forth into the ocean. AS it is, there I:
probably only one Government expedition
in the field.
In view of the recent developments IL
Alaska, Congress will doubtless be more
generous next winter in providing for tn,
geological survey of the gold fields in tina
part of our domain.