Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1903-07-15
LAND OF THE
MIDNIGHT SUN
Wonders and Beauties
of North Land.
Return Of R. E. Morrison From a
Visit to Alaska-Impressed With
Its Beauty and Richness.

Hon. r. Z. Morrison returned last
evening from his visit to Alaska. As
attorney for and stakeholder in the
Mitchell Mining company he accom-
panied Geo. Mitchell and other parties
to the ''land of the midnight sun, "
ON mining business. Aside from the
business features of the trip in which
they we're successful, Mr.. Morrison
says it was one of the most delightful
trips that he ever made or that it is
possible to conceive of. From the
time of leaving Seattle until their re-
turn it was one continuous view of
ever changing and interesting scenery.
The steamer took what is known as
the inside route through the almost
interminable chain of islands which
extends along the coast and hence was
never out of sight of land and most
of the time had land on both sides
of it.
Accompanying them on the trip
was a Mr.. Robertson, wealthy man
of New York, who is interested in
copper mines in Alaska and was en-
route to visit them. During the course
of conversation it was learned that he
was a cousin of j. r. Beatson, of this
county, and Mr.. Beatson's brother
was the discoverer of the property and
large owner in them still.
One of the points at which the
steamer touched was Kaiak, which is
near the recently discovered Alaskan
oil fields and where a gusher was
struck last fall, the oil being the
purest ever discovered as it can be
taken right from the we'll and burned
in lamp without refining. Another
we'll is being sunk, and excitement
is running quite high. He tells of
an amusing incident in connection
with these oil fields. When oil was
struck last fall, he says that thousands
of acres we're located and staked off.
Later in the season, after there had
been heavy SHOW fall, new crop of
oil prospectors came along and caught
the fever and proceeded to locate the
ground again, driving their stakes in
the snow, the stakes of the original
locators being buried beneath it and
not visible. Another snow fall occur
red of from three to five feet more
and another corps of locators came
along, and drove more stakes ON the
last crust of the snow. The tangle
had not been settled when they we're
there, but another we'll was being
sunk, and in case of striking oil in
the new we'll, additional excitement
was expected.
One of the peculiar features of the
country, to person from the lower
ATTITUDES was the fact that daylight
was continuous. The party being
there during the month of June wit
messed the longest day of the year, in
that LATITUDE and Mr.. Morrison says he
could see to read plainly at midnight
without any artificial light.
At Valdez Father Quetu and himself
were invited by an army officer to
take trip to Columbia glacier Oh a
government launch. This glacier is
out of the ordinary route of travel,
and while but little is heard Of 1t, he
says it is the grsndest and most awe
inspiring scene he has ever witnessed.
The glacier forms the shore of the
ocean for a distance of several miles,
rising perpendicularly from the wa
ter's edge to a height of 500 feet
Their boat stood out from shore quite
a distance and about every two minutes
he said piece of the glacier, con-
tanning thousands of tons of ice
would break off with a roar like 400
clsps OF thunder, and with a mighty
crash would fall into the sea, the dis
placement of the water from which |
would cause wave OF great height to |
rush seward with mighty force. He
says that during a two hours stay
there from sixty to seventy of these
of ice broke loose from the
glacier, and toppled into the ocean.
This is said to be the grandests glacier
in the world.
During the trip Mr.. Mitchell secur-
ed one fine looking copper property,
the Simentan group on Galena bay,
Prince Williams sound. He states
that only the best reports were heard
in and around Valdez of the copper
river country, which is kfar in the in
terror. In addition to the fabulous
wealth of copper reported there two
new gold placer sections discovered
last year had been productive of great
and rush of prospectors
% them. One is on Slate creek and
he other ON Nazina, both streams
being tributaries of Copper river.
While greatly enjoying the trip,
he sight of the Columbia glacier
lone being worth the time and ex-
,ense of making it, and while being
cry favorably impressed with the
mineral resources of that section, he
avs it does not impress him favorably
IS place of residence compared with
arizona and is glad to return to the .
lace where the sun shines $50 days i
n the year.