The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-05
VERY RICH N MINERALS.


One Of the most thorough metallurgisfs
OF the country il registered at the Hofea
Northern In the person OF II. J. foWeFss
OF Chicago He ID hack from Prince OF
Wales island, whittier he went sevefAi
weeks ago AZ the expert representative
of Chicago syndicate. whose purpose =
to invest heavily In mines OF Soutneast-
ern Alaska. While Mr.. Powers declines
TO give out for publication the names OF
the men COMPOSING the combination, yet
enough 10 known Of their identity to wa1S
rant the assertion that there arc severaA
miilionaires interested. And a. further
evidence OF their good tntentions. Nj.
Powers took a working bond while north
on what promises to be . mammoth mine
property. II 10 on Prince OF Wales island
and the surface indications are that an
other Treadwell mine In proportions. but
possibly Of copper product. has been
discovered and will ere long be undergo
ing the process OF active DEVELOPMENT.
OF the many expert miners swarming
through Alaska and the Britain north
west II Is doubtful II any have had .
more extended experience or are possessed
OF more intricate knowledge OF miners
illogical affairs than Mr.. Powers. who.
while disclaiming that he. ID professional
expert. pleads to having studied and fol-
lowed metallurgy for thirty~seven years
For many years he was leading writer
for the Financial and Mining Record OF
New York. now defunct. but long one Of
the recognised authorities on finance and
mining.
From the fact that there Ia not known
mining camp Of note in this or any other
land that he has not inspected III the ca-
pacity OF an expert metallurgist. Mr..
Powers observations and opinions req
specting Prince Of Wales and other ISL
ands Of Southeastern Alaska are OF pecu.
liar interest at this time. He spoke of
these conditions after three trips of In.
vestigation TO the country. not as a booma
er, but discussed them In the light Of
technical facts an he found them.
The islands OF Southeastern Alaska."
he said, constitute the most interesting
mining country I have ever seen. and I
make this statement after having during
my work as metallurgist visited every
celebrated mining camp in the world.
Prince OF Wales island-I am speaking
now OF the southeastern PORTIONS most
peculiar from scientific standpoint.
There is a large belt OF an average width
OF three miles passing through the island
by south forty magnetic. 1t seemed to
be made up of dolomitic material band
ed and at present crevassed. heaved
and considerably distorted, showing EVIL
dence OF at one time much geyser action.
Al present We find some very interesting
bands OF cholpyrite, ranging in width
from ten inches up to three feet, carry
/ ing in values from 5 70 "a per cent. Of
copper with traces of gold and silver.
..Paralleling this peculiar strike Of cholA
pyritic ores and upwards Of quarter Of
mile apart may be found interesting
veins Of peculiar quartz Of a scadoridal
nature with gold values ranging from q
trace to many hundreds OF dollars per
ton. In this same strike the dolymitic
material may also be found m bands rang
ing from ten inches up to three feet veins
carrying gold. silver and copper. the gold
being free. the copper being a glance form
I and the silver as a bromide. ~
I'm other sections OF these interesting
islands may be found very rich ores OF
gold. silver. copper and read. The gold
Is found frequently associated beth me.
chanically and chemically with copper
pyrites. And again We find the gold ar
ISOLATED mechanically with the lead. All
Of these most peculiar finds can't be said
to be over twenty feet from the surface
and they are simply n series OF Pure
artificial work.
Finally. my observation convinc,s me
| that there will be q wonderful amount OF
legitimate mining In these islands in the
next few years"
Mr.. Powers Is the directing hand IN
one CT the biggest mining ventures In the
country. The scene Of the undertaking Is
the head of Wiggings' creek, Wyoming.
where he Is driving a 3,00oSfoot tunnel in
order TO cut two distinct veins, one fifty
and the other thirty-two feet. carrying
| ya.aes az from s. ~ So per ton The
tunnel has been driven a distance Of 1000
| feet and will be completed within six
months. when We expect To fn9 as fine
| a body OF ore as there Is in the land Mr.
Powers observed.
| His financial partners in this venture
are Chicago and Mil*aukee capitalists