The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-09
Rioh Petroleum Deposits Found
Along the Coast Line.
AN ENGLISH EXPERTS OPINION.
81. r. Barls. RepresentinE . London
Syndicate. Spends Three Months
In the OIL Fields Of Controller
and Icy Bays-RouGh Country, bat
Very Rich in Resources - He
II Most FavOrahly Impressed.

From the delta of the Copper river to
where the giant Malaspina glacier emp
ties its ICY waters everlastingly into the
sea, IS a stretch of country. rough. forbid
ding and mountainous. but, according TO
the accounts OF the infrequent parties of
explorers who have visited the region.
rich in varied resources. Here have been
found the OIL wells and coal feds of the
Alaskan coast, which have attracted the
attention Of capitalists in London and
New York. and which. It Is rumored, have
interested the magnates OF the Standard
oil Company.
Fl. IT. Burls, a distinguished mining en-
gineer ami oil expert, Of London, spent
three and half months in this wild re-
gion this summer. He went north to in
spect the oil fields OF Controller bay and
Icy bay. on the Alaskan coast, as the
personal representative of Boverton Red
wood. the famous oil expert and authority
on petroleum. OF London. Mr.. Burls is to
report on the extent and value OF the coal
and oil fields to a syndicate of British cap
italists who contemplate the development
OF the properties.
The first discoveries Of oil on the coast
Of Alaska were made In the region already
described by X. c. Johnson, OF San Fran
cisco. A group Of Seattle men are inter-
ested With Mr.. Johnson in the properties
at Controllers bay and ley bay, which
were examined by Mr. Burls Indeed, ii
was at the instigation of the Seattle men
that the proposition for the development
Of both the oil fields and coal deposit of
the region was laid before the London
capitalists.
day and yesterday at the Butler he gave a
Post-Intelligencer reporter an interesting
account Of his trip. saying first however,
that he did not desire to make a state
ment as TO the value or commercial utility
of the properties inspected by him. In
describing his trip Mr. Burls said:
In company with Mr.. Johnson, who
made the early discoveries OF oil on the
coast of Alaska, and Mr.. F. A. Shepherd.
OF NanaIno. whose duty it was TO exam
Inc the coal deposits. 1 left for Orca last
April. We were Well supplied with pro-
visions. ammunition and guides. The trip
was rough one, however. the country
being largely UNEMPLOYED and untraveled.
We spent some three months on the coast,
penetrating the interior from Controller
bay a distance Of twelve or fourteen
miles.
II examined the oil deposits on Con-
troller bay in May last. They are situ-
ated about a mile from the coast. The oil
accumulates during the winter on the sur
face, but the melting SHOWS carry the
greater part of it off In the spring fresh
cts. After that, the oil can be found on
the surface of the pools TO a depth of six
and eight inches.
1t is a hard rock oil, commercially
known as petroleum, dark colored and
thick. / have several samples with me.
Cnquestionabiy it is commercially valua-
bic. The oil is there, but whether or not,
on account of the difficulties of transpor-
tation. it can be handled to advantage is
question / do not care to discuss.
1.-THE country along the coast OF Alaska
Is wild and forDiading. l have spent sew
eral years in the tropics, but never have
l seen such dense underground as that in
the timber on the coast of Alaska 1t gets
thinner, OF course, the further the interior
is penetrated. I have no hesitancy in say
ing that the country is one of vast posi-
bilites and great mineral and other re-
sources. There are questions OF transpor-
taton and hdrbor facilities to be dealt
with and these are not in my line. This
is why l do not care to talk about the
feasibility Of the development of the OIL
deposits.
Mr. Shepherd examined the coal depos-
its situa ted six miles from Controller bay
The coal is of middle tertiary age pre-
SumabIy pliocene. Il contains a very high
percentage of fixed carbon and IS good
steam coal and easily marketable"
Upon the report made by Mr.. Burls TO
the syndicate he represents VIII depend
the future operations of the men owning
the oil fields and coal deposits OF Control
Ter bay. As TO the difficulties OF trans
portation, the harbor facilities being me-
docre. II Is said that the plans OF the
owners OF ths property include the con-
struction Of pipe line either to Yakuta,
IA. Tk-ss 49, shA Lii II
either be placed on tank steamers and
taken to Seattle for refining, or else could
be refined on the ground.
Mr. Buris is a member Of the National
(Brtishl Institute OF Mining Engineers
and 81 Fellow of the Geographical Society
tote F1~