Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-28

Washington, Dec. 24.-The Coal
Resources OF the Yukon is the subject
of a bulletin Of the United States
geological survey, just published.
The author is Arthur J. Collier, who,
with two assistants, spent the sum-
mer OF 1902 in examining the coal de-
posits along the Yukon river, in
Alaska. This little party Of three left
Seattle early in June and went by
steamer and railway to Dawson,
Yukon territory, where a canoe ana
row boat were purchased. On June
Is they left Dawson and, following the
course OF the river, spent the succeed
ing three months in a study of the
geology and coal resources for l,ZOU
miles along the Yukon. MnIle the
greater part OF the investigation Was
,sUnuueu 10 the actual river DanA, yet
the wOrk was EXTENDED away from me
sIream wnen ume anu circumstance
wOulu permit. Nearly al the AnOwn
cal Deus accessible from the 1uROn
were examined. COlecuOns OF FOSSILS
were made from 55 lOcanues, ana Ia
numerous instances these collections
were sumcIent 10 determine tHe ase
OF me coal JeLs. These studies anu
cOllecI4Ons nave thrown mucn LsnJ On
some OF Ine vexeC problems OF uhon
slralgrapny, out the purpose OT the
present report IS TO summarize the
economic results Of the Investigations
OF me Goals ana TO consider Orleny
their commercial bearing, while the
discussion OF the more purely seen
tine problems Is lett Tor another
report
only a few geOgrapners and traY-
elers realze the greatness OF the
fukOu. AZ Is one OF the mignN
streams OF the continent, having
Iengtn OF ABOUT 2,4UU miles, OF which
l.sUU miles are IL Alaska. AZ IS
ualgaBIe Dy steamer Tor over -,OIv
miles ana IN DOJn winter and summer
Is me great natural highway OF trayel
through the interior o. Alaska. tx
pIulauUn mas naturally started IRON
ITS Uanks ana development mas cen
tered along It's course. The city Oh
Dawson, in Canadian territory, Is the
most important settlement on the
Aukon, and the franc OF the river
consists largely o. freight TO this
point. The steamers plying on the
YukOn-in 1895 and 1899 they mum
bered nearly 1OU-ha-e up TO the
present time depended Tor fuel on
wood cut and piled on the river
banks. A few OF the river steamers
now burn coal altogether; others
burn both coal and wood. Up 10 the
present time wood mas been easily
obtainable near the river banks, but
since the timber OF the Yukon is
small and OF slow growth the, supply
Is limited, and the wood cutters nave
been obliged year alter year 10 BRING
the wood a greater ana greater dis
lance To the river. Coal mines have
been operated at a number OF points.
Those In operation during 1902 are
located at rive Finger rapids and
Gin creek, both in canadian terri
tory, and at several points near
NuIatO, IN American territory. This
coal has been burned with varying
success by Yukon river steamers.
The results obtained depend on a
number OF factors, among them the
character of the coal, the appliances
for burning coal on the steamers, anu
the experience OF the nremen.
The coal deposits OF the Yukon are
discussed under three divisions, those
OF the Circle province, the Rampant
province, ami the NulaJo province
Descriptions Of the beds and analyses
OF samples are given in detail. AL
the Goals that have been mined in the
Yukon basin are either highgrade
lignites or rather lOw-grade bitumi
nous Goals. With only one exception
all the Goals examined in Circle and
Rampant provinces are lignites, or at
least iignitic, those OF the Circle
province probably being OF a little
higher grade than those OF the Ram
part province. All the Goals examined
In the NulatO province fall within
the bItuminOus grade. Many steam
boat men prefer the Ignite COal
from Cliff creek mine. in the Circle
province, To the Goals from the
vicinity OF NulatO, as the former
burns more freely and produces heat
more quickly taan do the Goals OF
the lower river.
The workings OF the mines are OF
very limited extent Timber is con.
yenient, and ventilation is easily oh.
tanned ~ air shafts to the surface
No trouble with gas has yet been ex.
perienced. and safety lamps have not
been required Care must be ex.
ercised with the lignites of the Circle
and Rampant provinces to prevent
spontaneous combustion Of the coal
after il is mined, and instances are