The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-23
MINING INDUSTRY OF
ALASKA IN 1905

ade is attested by the increase in the
value of it's annual output from ST.
10000 in 1895 to over $15,000,O00 IL
1905. The gold production Of 100;
according to the recently published
report of Mr.. Alfred H. Brooks Of the
United States Geological Survey, con.
the Survey in that far-away Territory
during 1905, showed an increase Of
probably so per cent over that of 1904
1t is very likely that over 80 per cent
of this increase came from the Fair
banks placers. Nearly all the other
districts, except some in the Seward
Peninsula, enlarged their output. Nc
exact figures are yet available, but on
the basis of >most reliable data, Mr.
Brooks estimates that the production
Of the Pacific coastal belt amounted
to $3,4O0,O00, that of the Copper river
and Cook Inlet region to 100000, the
output Of the Yukon basin to $500. 600
and that of the Seward Peninsula to
$4,5OO,OOO. Under the heading PA
cific coastal belt" is included the out
put of the lodes and placer mines OF
southeastern Alaska and of the bench
diggings to the east as well as that of
the Apollo Consolidated on Unga is
land. The production Of the Sunrise
district of Cook inlet and of the Cop
per river district are grouped together
and come entirely from placers. In
the Yukon basin are included the
Fortymile, Birch Creek, Fairbanks
Rampant and Kayukuk placer dis
tricts. The output Of Seward PENN
sula is practically all from placers
though one lode mine has been in op-
Grafton for several years. The esti-
mate of the output for 1905 is based
on the data gathered by field parties
of the Geological Survey, as the sta
|
able.
An important factor in the advance
ment Of Alaska's mineral industry dur
ing the last decade is the great reduc-
ton in mining costs which has taken
place during this period. The pioneer
miners of the Yukon could not afford
to handle gravel averaging less than
SO or SIS to the cubic yard. In the
same district good wages can now be
made, even by crude methods, in ex-
tracing gold from pay streak averag.
ing less than IS to the cubic yard. In
Seward Peninsula gravels running
less than 81 to the cubic yard can ir
many localities be handled at a profit
by the men working only with the
pick and shovel. In some of the int.
rior districts and in parts of Seware
Peninsula, even present costs can be
reduced to less than so cents to the
cubic yard by introducing machinery
or the use Of water under pressure
| Nor is there reason to believe that this
| is the limit in the reduction of costs
In lode mining the reduction of costs
has been analogous, though not by
any means striking, nor are exac
general figures available. It is thus
evident that the prosperity Of tine
mining industry must be measured moi
only by the increase of output, but also
by the increase in net returns from
mining ventures.
The value of the copper ore produc.
ton has shown very marked increase
1905 being more than double those il
1904. This will bring the value of tn.
annual copper production of Alask,
up to over 100000. The annual pro.
duction of silver incidental to mining
for other ores is about 100000.
| Work has been continued on the til
deposits, but these are not yet on {
productive basis. The coal fields
though extensive, have been but lit.
tie exploited, the entire production
for 1905 being probably less than 200
tons. Prospecting for coal has beer
very active in the Controller Bay re,
gion and in the Mantanuska valley
The only other developed mining in.
dustry is marble quarrying, which &C.
cording to the returns of the custom.
officials, has shown an exported pro.
duction Of about $4,000 in value.
Notable advances have been made IL
three mining regions, and practically
all the others have shown healthy
growth. In southeastern Alaska the
copper deposits of Prince of Vale.
island have reached a productive stage
and auriferous lode mining in the Ju.
neau district has made considerable.
progress. The two copper mines or