The evening times., 1898-10-25
OUR TERRIqORY IN ALASKA
Late Surveys Show 1t to Be
Greater Than Supposed.
NEWLY DISCOVERED LANDS
Careful Calculations Show the Delta
of the Yukon 10 Extend Twenty
live Miles Further Westward Than
Is Marked on Existing Chnrts-A
New DISTINGUISHING Channel.

| America has more land in Alaska than
the old surveys showed The lately found
territory is not very extensive, to be sure
but there is always the interesting posi-
bility about Alaskan lands, that each
square mile may hold millions Of wealth
Another point of significance in the dis
covery is that is reveals the laxity and
fallibility of ancient surveyors. 1t is just
possible that other errors may be found,
and it is a question of chance as to
whether America may gain or lose by the
rectification of the lines
Henry S. Pritchett, superintendent OF
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, has re-
ceived brief telegraphic report from
John +. Pratt, in charge of a surveying
expedition in Western Alaska, stating
that careful calculations showed the del
ia of the Yukon to extend twenty-five
miles further to the westward than is
shown by existing charts. Another bit OF
information given in the report was that
a new channel, running nearly east and
west, and leading into the Yukon, had
been explored and found navigable for
seagoing craft of moderate draught. This
bound to Yukon points, several hundred
miles sailing, though the exact saving in
distance has not yet been determined.
Indeed the report from Mr.. Pratt is very
meager and the officials of the Coast Sur
vey await the details of the discovery
with interest
The territory which has been projected
into Bering Sea extends from Cape Ro-
manoff on the north, to Anagogmute on
Ia. 10, III ha
lection of the delta to the westward may
necessitate the removal on the map of
Nunivak and St. Matthew Islands TO the
westward. The 10th parallel of longitude
cuts Nunivak Island and the l12th passes
through ST. Matthew Island.
The reconnaissance of the gold fields of
Alaska by George F. Becker makes 1t
appear that all the sands and muds OF
the Yukon delta are auriferous. AS is
well known auriferous beach sands have
been worked at various points along the
Pacific Coast from Lower California
northward Gold-bearing sands are
known to be especially plentiful from
Lituya Bay to Yakutat Bay; that is, be-
tween longitude 13S and 40
According to Mr.. Henry Boursin aurif-
erous black sand was first discovered on
the western beach of Khantaak, a small
island in Yakutat Bay, in 1887. II is said
that $3.0G0 was extracted from the sands
near Yakutat in 1891. In 1880 beach sands
were worked few miles east of Lituya
Bay, and in 1891 the yield in this locality
is said TO have been $4,000 which was OBJ
tained by sluicing. According to reports
received by the director of the mint, Lit
uya sands produced s39. eco in 1896.
Sands from Khantaak Island have been
carefully examined by Mr. ]. Stanley
Brown. He found besides gold, magnite,
garnet, hornblende, pyroxene. zircon,
quartz, calcite, feldspar and mica, associ-
ated with fragments of slaty or schistose
character. Iron. platinum and chromite
could not be detected. and only a trace OF
titanium was found to be present. Mr..
Stanley Brown concludes that the sand is
derived from the destruction of meta
morphic rocks The gold found in these
beach sands is very light and scaly, popu-
larly known as flour gofd.' 1t floats eas-
lily and does not amalgamate well. The
Geological Survey has made prophecies
that by the cyaniding process great riches
will be made from these same neglected
beach sands.