Douglas Island news. [volume] (Douglas City, Alaska) 1898-1921, 1905-07-12
THINKS WE'LL OF IT

the past eight years has had charge OF
the geographical survey work being
done by the United States government
in Alaska, reached the city this morn
ing and registered at the Rainier
Grand hotel, says the Seattle Times.
Mr.. Brooks is en- route to tho National
Capital to make report on certain AL
askan coal fields, after which he will
return to Seattle and again go north.
He will be away about a month on his
eastern trip.
For the past eight years Mr.. Brooks
has made an annual trip to Alaska.
While he has worked hard and produc-
ed very satisfactory results, he declar-
ed this morning that the immensely of
the work makes his past efforts seem
almost puny. He says he has been
handicapped in times past owing to
the fact that Senators and Representa-
tives knew virtually nothing about AL
aska and were 10th to appropriate suf-
ficient funds to carry on the work.
"At the present time," said Mr..
Brooks this morning, my department,
known as the division of Alaska miner
al research. is allowed $4,000 year.
That seems, or at least did seem, to
the Congressman a large sum of money;
as a matter of fact it is not nearly
large enough. Fasteners do not be-
gin to realize the immense amount of
territory EN- braced in Alaska. For in
stance, from the furtherest Westward
island to the farthest Eastward bound
airy, it is as far as it is from Savanna,
Ca, to Los Angeles, Cal. Alaska north
aud south, would just about fit in be
tween the Mexican aud Canadian Dor
ders.
"At the present time we are doing
considerable work in the Kayak coal
fields. There is no telling just how
extensive these fields are. We know
they embrace an area 100 miles square,
but that is all. How much further they
go, time alone will tell. The coal there
is beyond doubt the finest on the Pa
cific Coast. 1t is there in commercial
quantities and l predict the time will
come when British Columbia coal will
be passed up entirely for it.
"Some idea of the work we are doing
may be ascertained when l say we have
two parties of men working in the Kay
ak region, three parties in the Tanana,
investigating the placer fields; three
parties about Nome, principally work
ing in the Seward Peninsula; one near
Prince William Sound, looking after
the copper deposits, which are very
extensive; one party in the Matamuski
coal fields, just north of Cook Inlet,
and two parties in Southeastern Alas
ka, around Wrangell and Ketchikan.
We will be ready to make our report
on the mineral resources of Ketchlkan
this year.
"There can be no question that there
are large undeveloped mineral resour
ces in Alaska. Things move slowly up
there, owing to climatic conditions. 1t
often takes two years to do something
in Alaska that could be done in the
States in as many months. doubt if
there is a man living who can compre
bend what is in Alaska and what points
will be reached in the future. | am
sure that the gold output this year will
exceed that of any other and that the
apex has not and will not be reached
for years to come.
''There can be no question, of course,
about Nome. That camp is growing
better every year. They are mining up
there now on a scientific basis aud it
would not surprise me if Nome turns
out to be the best mining region of
them all. There are districts up there
which ought to be rich in the yellow
metal and which have never been
touched.
"Tanana is as yet an unknown guam
tity. Reports received by me so far are
very favorable, however, and it looks as
though the Tanana had come to stay.
1t is very wild and undeveloped, but
the men there are experienced miners
and may be depended upon to develop
the country for all it is worth"
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