The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-01-07

ing, while the discussion of the more
purely scientific problems is left for
another report.
Only few geographers and trav-
.elers realize the greatness of the
Yukon. 1t one of the mighty.
streams of the continent, having a
length of about 2,400 miles, Of which
Il 800 miles are in Alaska. 1t is navi-
gable by steamer for over 1000 miles
and in both winter and summer is
the great natural highway of travel
through the interior o. Alaska. Elk.
'ploration has naturally started from
its banks and development has CEN
tex along its course. The city of
DaM n, in Canadian territory, is the
most important settlement on the
Yukon, and the traffic of the river
consists largely of freight to this
point. The steamers plying on the
Yukon--in 1898 and 1899 they num-
bered nearly 100-have up to the
present time depended for 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 to the pres
ent time wood has been easily obtain
able 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 have been
obliged year after year to bring the
wood greater and greater distance
to the river. Coal mines have been
operated at number of points.
Those in operation during 1902 are
located at Five Finger Rapids and
Cliff Creek, both in Canadian terri
tory, and at several points near
Nulato, 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, and
the experience of the firemen.
The coal deposits Of the Yukon are
discussed under three divisions, those
of the Circle province, the Rampant
province, and the Nulato. province.
Descriptions of the beds and analyses
of samples are given in detail. All
the Goals that have been mined in the
Yukon Basin are either high-grade
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 lignitic, those of the Circle prov
ince probably being of a little higher
grade than those of the Rampant
province. All the Goals examined in
the Nulauo province fall within the
bituminous grade. Many steamboat
men prefer the Iignitic coal from
Cliff Creek mine, in the Circle prov
ince, to the Goals from the vicinity
Of Nulato, as the former burns more
freely and produces heat more quick
ly that do the Goals of the lower
river.
very limited extent. Timber is con-
venient, and ventilation is easily
obtained by air shafts to the surface.
No trouble with gas has yet been
experienced, and safety lamps haYe
not been required. Care must be
exercised with the lignites of the Cir
Gle and Rampant provinces to pre-
vent spontaneous combustion of the
coal after 1t is mined, and instances
are reported Of the beds taking fire.
With one exception, none of the
mines along the Yukon in American
territory are equipped with bunkers
or other conveniences for loading the
coal on the steamers 1t is piled on
the river bank and loaded with
wheelbarrows.
The whole amount of coal produced
in American territory along the Yu-
kon has probably not exceeded 5000
tons, representing a value Of about
$4,000 The future development of
the Yukon coal resources probably
depends not only on the wood supply
but on the practicability of using oil
sas fuel on the Yukon steamers. Some
Of the companies operating steamers
have begun to make arrangements to
use oil from southern California for
steaming purposes.
Because Of the limited extent OF
the coal beds Of the Yukon. of the