Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-09
| THE ALASKA GOLD REGION.
Government Experts Make Reports Of
Their Investigations

Along Geological Lines Source OF
Placer Deposits-It is Found in
! Rock Formations Of immense
Thickness and is Very Old For
maton-Hills Full Of Gold Bear
ing Quartz -Citiz ems Of Copper
City Establish Court Prepare
tons to Take Government Rein
deer to the North
Washington, March S.-Two papers
containing important contributions to
the gold-bearing regions of Alaska
have been issued from the government
printing Office. They are both adj
vance chapters from part three OF the
eighteenth annual report of the direc-
tor OF the United States geological
survey, not yet issued. The papers
give the results of reconnaissance ex-
animation by survey experts, made re
spectively in the summers Of 1895 and
1896, or shortly before the outbreak OF
the klondike gold excitement
The paper entitled reconnaissance Of
the gold fields OF Southern Alaska. a
pamphlet OF Sc pages of text and a
number OF maps and other illustra-
tons records the result of obserya-
tons by Mr.. George f. Becker in
1895, its publication having been de-
layed until this time mainly by reason
OF DR.. Becker's absence during part
OF 1896, making study of the gold de-
posts of the Transvaal
The principal developments of the
coastal region, Alaska. have been made
among the islands of the Alexander
archipelago and on the adjoining shore
of the Panhandle strip of Southeastern
Alaska. In this region are the famous
laska-Treadwell and the Alaska Mex
lean mines, on Douglas island, and a
series of important deposits on the
mainland opposite and not far from
Juneau, and the Funters bay mines,
on Admiralty Island: to the northwest
are the Berners Bay mines, on the
eastern shore of Lynn Canal. and, to
the southwest the Sumdum mines on
Sumdum bay, all of which are in the
same general belt of metamOrphosed
states and intrusive rocks that resem-
Bile in general way the country
rocks of
THE MOTHER LODE
in California, and are supposed to be
of the same general formation. A
second more westerly belt is shown
in the mines near Sitka, which presents
similar geological features Prospect
ing in this region is rendered most diff
ficult by the dense covering of fallen
timber and moss, which everywhere
covers the rock surface The placers
and beach sands of Cooks Inlet and
the mines of Kadiac Islands are also
described and appear to occur in SINH
lar rocks TO those of the Alexander
Archipelago. On Unga Island is the
Apollo mine the largest in the terri
tory next to the Treadwell, which is
eruptive rock.
The report of Mr. ]. z. Spur, which
treats mainly of the valley of the
Yukon. is of more immediate interest
at the present time, since although the
Klondike region did not come within
the limits of its official work, he rec
ognized the probable Importance Of
that region, as a result of his studies
of the districts of Forty Mile and Arc
tic City within American boundaries.
In spite of the difficulties of travel and
the short season OF work. Mr.. Spur
was enabled to get bird s-eye view
of the general features of geological
structure Of this immense interior, and
to determine the position and charac-
teristic features of the goldbearing
rock formations, from the wearing
down of which the unusually rich
placer deposit not only of the already
discovered districts in American terri
tory. but also of those which have
since created so great excitement with
in Canadian borders, were derived.
These rock formations. which he des-
ignated as the Birch Creek, Forty Mile
and Rampant series, are of immense
thickness and very old, dating back
of the -Dalezoic era and resting on
fundamental granite or gneiss.
THE RICHER PLACERS
are all found upon the smaller gulches
heading in the hills formed Of these
rocks. which are very full of gold
bearing quartz veins. There are also
gold bearing conglomerates, formed in
a former geologic period by the wear
ing down of thin rocks along an an
.cient sea beach and since consolidated
into hard rock lifted up and folded,
where abrasion has furnished gold to
some of the placers and which may
prove themselves to be sources OF
wealth in the future.
Seattle, Wash. March S.-The steam
er Alliance arrived yesterday from
Copper river, Alaska Capt. Hardwlck
reports everything quiet when he left.
Prospectors are now going over the
Valdes pass into the interior without
any trouble. The trail is reported to
be in good condition. The citizens OF
Copper City, on Valdes bay, have or
ganized a court for the purpose Of
dealing with law-breakers. set of
laws have been drawn up which pro-
vide that all offenses are to be tried by
Jury of twelve. The accused person
is to have the right of three peremp-
tory challenges in the empanelling OF
the jury. In the case of murder, the
penalty is to be death In all cases OF
larceny Of over 500 the penalty is 70
be the same as that of murder In
der 800 complete restitution IS to be
made and the offender is given ten