The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-09

Washington. D. c.. March S.-Two
papers, containing important contribu-
lions on the gold-bearing regions of
| Alaska, the publication Il Itch has
been awaited with great io'el 4st for
nearly year. have just is I'd rom
| the government printing office. The.
are advance chapters from the part III
of the 18th annual report of the direc-
| tor of the United States geological sur
| vey, not yet issued. The papers give
the results of reconnaissance examina-
tions by survey experts. made respec-
lively in the summers of 1895 and 1856.
or shortly before the outbreak of the
Klondike gold excitement. The paper
entitled Reconnaissance of the Gold
Fields of Southern Alaska" a pamph-
let of Sc pages of text and a number of
| maps and other Illustrations, records
the result of observations by Mr.. Geo.
F. Becker in 1925, its publication hav-
ing been delayed until this time mainly
by reason of Mr.. Becker's absence dur
ing part of 1894. making a study of the
gold deposits of the Transvaal.
ALEXANDER ARCHIPELAGO
The principal development of the
coastal region of Alaska has been made
among the islands of the Alexander Ar
chipeiago, and on the adjoining shore.
The Pan Handle strip of southeastern
Alaska In this region are the famous
Alaska-T readwelI and the Alaska Mex
lean mines on Douglas Islands, and a
series of important deposits on the
main land opposite and not far from
Juneau, and the Funter's Bay mines on
Admiralty Island; to the northwest are
the Berner's Bay mines on the eastern
shore of Lynn, canal, and to the south
west the Sumdum mines on Sumdum
Bay, all of which are in the same gen
eral belt of metamorphosed states and
intrusive rocks that resemble in a gen.
eral way the mother lode of California,
and are supposed to be of the same
general formation. A second more
westerly belt is shown in the mines
near Sitka. on Baronof Island, which
presents similar geological features.
Prospecting in this region is rendered
most difficult by the rense covering of
fallen timber and moss which every
where covers the rock surface TIE
placers and beach sands of Cooks IN
let and the mines of Kadiak Island are
also described, and appear to occupy in
similar 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
errotive rock.
VALLEY OF THE YUKON.
The report of Mr.. ]. E. Spur 1892
pages of text. with maps and other il
lustrations), whics treats mainly of the
valley of the Yukon, is of more inrne-
date Interest at the present time since,
although the Klondike region does not
come within the limits of his work, he
ka -
that region as result of his studies of
the district of the Forty Mile and Arc
tic City, within American boundaries.
The report is entitled. Geology of the
Yukon District of Alaska. by j. Ed
ward Spurr.' with an Introductory
chapter on the history and condition of
the district to 1897. by Harold b. Good
rich.
In spite of the difficulties of travel
and short season of work. Mr. Spur
was enabled TO get birdseye view of
the broad general features OF geologi-
cal structure of this immense interior,
and to determine the position and char
acteristics of the features of the gold
bearing rock formations from the wear
ing down of which the unusualI-r rich
placer deposits. not only OF the already
described districts in American terri !
tory. but also of these which have since !
created so great an excitement within !
Canadian borders were derived.
IMMENSE THICKNESS.
These rock formations, which he I
desisnates as the Birch creek, Forty |
Mile and Rampart series, are of i'm +
mense thickness and very nd. dating 1
back beyond the paleozoic era and rest I
ing on fundamental granite or gneiss. /
The richer placers are all found among !
the smaller eulches heading in hills .
formed of these rocks. which are very
full of go!d-bearing quartz veins. There /
are also gold-beaTing conglomerates, +
formed in a former geologic period by /
the ewaring down of thin rocks along /
an ancient sea beach and since con-
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 il the future.
MINING MAPS.
Mr. Spurr's report is accompanied by
geological maps of the mining district
visited, and contains a full discussion
Of the manner in which placer deposits
are formed. He effectually disposes of
the statement made by the late director
Of the coast survey, General Duffield,
that the placers are of glacial origin.
by showing that the region where they
are found in great richness was never
covered by the continental ice sheet.
The paper will undoubtedly prove of
great value in affordipg to those who
may visit the region in the future. a
more correct understanding Of the geo.
ogicaI formations prevailing there. and
will be in great demard
OF each of these papers the geo,oCi-
,al survey has about 1900 copies for
general distribution