Douglas Island news., 1903-10-07

tons day from the three big Tread we'll mines. The saving amounts to S2.25 in gold, of which s1 is free and sl.25 is in the concentrates. Total costs for surface mining and marketing amount to Sl20 ton. In the Alaska Mexican and the Alaska United, where the mining is all underground, the costs run to S16O.-Engineering and Mining Journal.
 The work at the Copper Cliffs prop erty, Niblack Anchorage, is being pushed with vigor and, apparently, with very satisfactory results. The tunnel, for the driving of 150 feet of which Billy Patterson has the contract, had at last reports made about 40 feet along the hanging wall side of the vein or ledge which is about 14 feet wide, and apparently of very good grade carrying, it is claimed, about S5 per ton in gold in addition to it's copper and silver values.-Ketchikan Journal.
 The wealth-producing power of Al aska stands out conspicuous in the latest government reports of domestic commerce. The value of merchandise, not including precious metals from our far northern territory to the United States in July, the department of com merce says, was more than double that of the same month in 1902. The enor- nous importance of this territory, which has only recently gained general recognition at the seat of government, is such that the latest statistical pub lication of the department of commerce devotes no less than eighty big quarto pages to discussion of the phenome- non.
 The latest developments in the work of missionaries among the Northern Indians, is the taking of white waifs and binding them out to life of servi tude and ignorance, by placing their spiritual and physical welfare in the hands of squaws. This has been done repeatedly at Port Essington and Port Simpson. In one case it has been shown that the child which is held by the h. dians is treated with scant considera- tion, if not cruelty, by the Indians who hold the white orphan in what, it ap- pears, is nothing better than state of slavery. According to stories told, the child has been forced to carry heavy loads of driftwood and other burdens, while the offspring of the Indians trot- ! ted alongside goading him as slave.
 Supt. Joseph Macdonald, iu his an- nual report of the Treadwen mine, for the year ending May 30, 1903, says: During the year, the total development work amounted to 6,145 it., including 2,15S it. of drifts, 292 it. cross-cuts, 1879 it. raises, S96 it. intermediate drifts 349 fit. stations, and 113 it. shaft sink ing. The principal incidents of this ! development were the connection of the 220-ft. level with No. open pit; the continuation of the 330-ft. level, per mitting the putting in of chutes and drawing off the ore by gravity. On the 44O-ft. level great deal of work has been done, and stoping is now being carried on, on an extensive scale. Much work was also done on the 600-ft. level, and a connection was made with the lower level of the 7O0-ft. mine of the Alaska United Mining Company. The average value of the ore taken from ! this level was last year greater than on any other part of the mine. On the 75O-ft level a station was finished, and an ore-pocket cut out with capacity of 75O tons. Drifts are being run on this level, and Riedler pump has been installed which, it is expected, will han dle all the water from the 440-ft. level and below.
 Judge J. W. Witten, of general land office, who was sent to Alaska last spring to investigate public land con- ditions in the territory, and to report on affairs in the office of the surveyor general, has returned to Washington, and is preparing his report. Judge Witten says that no further land laws are needed for Alaska at present, the law enacted last winter filling all of the needs. He evidently overlooked the coal land question, for he makes no recommendations on this subject, al- thought it is impossible at present to