The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-06
Mineral Combinations Rich in
Gold, Silver and Copper.
GOV. BRADY TAKEN TO TASK.
Uriticisms Of Mining Engineer
Respectins the Statements That
the mineral Deposits of the Isl-
and Are valueless-smelter Re-
ceipts Tell . Different story
Exceptionally Rich showings.



TO ne Editor: note in the por-
<,on Of GOV, Brady's annual report on
Alaska. published in the Post-Intein-
wancer Of late date, o reference 70
mineral discoveries on Annette island.
The Rev. Duncan 10 quoted a. saying tina,
his experts have pronounced these mineral ,e.
deposits valueless. Undoubtedly the Kew.
Duncan got what he paid his experts TOT,
but 1t seems TO me either that he was
mistaken in his selection OF experts OF
that the experts were mistaken. some
times mining experts mako MISTAKES %
sometimes do reverends.
Ny own opinion Is that the mineral de-
poCits present many geological and miner
alogical phenomena indicative OF value and
permanence. The ores are rich In soic,
silver lead and copper In combtnatiQns
that have distinguished some OF the ricn-
est mining districts OF Nevada ana Col
orado. These ores, taken right from the
surface by the miners who discovered them,
have been paid for by the smelters at rates
OF over $500 ton. not in assay samples OF
selected ore. but in commercial ton lots.
Notwithstanding the opinion of Rev. Dun
cans experts the claim Of the miners that
ores that they can sell on the Ketchikan
dock for $500 ton Is valuable mineral
discovery seems reasonable.
1 have been for the last eight months
almost continuously in the Ketchikan min
Ing district. and have had some opportunt-
Ties OF examining the Annette island min
eral discoveries. In certain distinctive phe-
nomena there are resemblances that sug-
gest the wonderfully rich mineral district
OF Cripple creek in Colorado. The veins
and ore deposits are adjacent to dead vol
canic cones Of tho same age as the vol
canic conc around the base Of which the
Cripple creek veins are set Like the
Cripple creek veins. these Annette island
veins, of equal and even greater richness
in gold and silver, fill the old fumaroie
channels that succeeded the subsiccnce
OF activity of the volcano Some, indeed, of
these ancient geyser vents are still open
as caves close to the ore-bearing lodes,
and will, when studied. show additional
light on the obscure phenomena Of ore
formation.
While OF course 1t cannot be said yet
that these mineral discoveries are another
Comstock or another Cripple creek, 1t Is
possible to say that the indications are
such that they may be. The surface evil
dence of value ia Ear more than exists at
the surface OF the Republic district, and
the character of the ores and their situa-
ton Ia such that the district can make a
great output of gold and silver, not from
one mine. but from many in a much less
period of time than 1t is taking In the Re-
public district.
Local Interest in the Island.
Seattle Is more than any other place In
terested in the throwing open to mineral
exploration of Annette island. 1t is just
within the border of Southeastern Alaska,
and every steamer taking the inside route
to Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway passes
within cannon shot range of the already
discovered mineral deposits of Annette ISL
and. 1t Is naturally part of the Ketchikan
district, and all the remarkable develop
mont OF that district will be repeated ON
Annette island, once thrown open. am
not making an extravagant statement in
the assertion that there is every reason
to belisve that within three years of the
opening to settlement these mineral dis
coveries, dismissed with few lines in Gov.
Brady's report, would support the largest
permanent population of any mining dis
trict in Alaska; would receive the largest
Investment OF capital. compared with area.
and make the greatest output of gold and
silver.
The Rev. Duncan's reason for wanting
the miners to stay away. as 1t is pathetical-
ly expressed, will hardly, I think, stand
close analysis. In the first place his In
dams, whom he has unquestionably made
worthy of citizenship cannot support them
selves. and do not. on the island. With the
Dement'S or civilization have come to them
Its necessities. To satisfy these they leave
the island and go among the miners on the
adjacent islands. On Annette island they
occupy only one town, separated by an
impossible mountain range from the dis
Srlct Oh tne valuable mineral discoveries.
If. as the Rev. Duncan claims, the deposits
are worthless miners would no: go there.
and such restraint as Is applied now by the
reservation would be unnecessary II they
are valuable discoveries the people should
have the same right to search for and pos
sess them as they have elsewhere In Alas
ka- 1t is certainly against public policy
to close this valuable country for a senti-
ment which has not even the slightest basis
OF fact to sustain it What the state of
Washington lost for the many years that
the Colville reservation remained closed
should not be repeated with far greater un
reason In the case Of this Annette island.
RUSSELL L. DUNN. M H.
AMERICAS JOHANNESBURG.
sampler District Proving tn H.