Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
Black Sand Investigation.

The work of black sand investigation car
red on On the Pacific coast has already
been alluded to in The Star. 1t has been
found that not only gold and silver. but
platinum and many of the rarer minerals
from which gas NANTES are made and
which are coming into use in modern
chemistry can be separated from these
sands at small expense and make hitherto
valuelesS deposits of immense commercial
Importance. This work has been carried to
an important point on the Pacific coast
and the survey intends this year to estab
lish a similar station for the Investigation
Of black sand in North Carolina In con-
neetion with state geological survey. Work
will also be carried on at the jamestown
exposition.
The work in Alaska Is almost a separate
division and comprises some very impor-
tant investigations. 1t has been mapped out
more in detail than the work of the United
States proper. and includes not only the
location of gold reefs and placer beds. but
of coal and OIL which are of the utmost
Importance In Alaska and in which the ter
rtory is known to be rich.
There will be work carried on in ,,ennec-
ton with the glaciers of Glacier bay ard
the lower course of Alsek river. Both OF
these have been seriously disturbed by
EARTHQUAKES in recent years, and it will be
interesting to ascertain what effect was
had on them by the recent shake in Cali
fornia- The coal investigation will be car
ried on in the Yakutat bay region, and
toi. dii VI N>olHcH SulNeISlty VIII fnake
a special Investigation Of the oil-bearing
rocks of Controller bay. There are also
indications of oil at Yakatag and all around
Controller BAY there are large fields OF
high-grade bffumfnous and semi-anthracite
coal to be investigated. This field is the
ob1ectNe point OF railroad from Orca,
and promises to be of great commercial
Importance.
There will be as thorough study made
as possible of the great Sushitna BASIN
winch. besides containing placer beds, en-
braces the largest area of agricultural land
In Alaska Maps and "Reminiscences will
also be made in the Yukon Porcupine re-
gion, and detailed Topographic surveys will
be made of the Seward peninsula.
Many Years of Work.
The topographic work in the United
States is of a nature to consume many
years. Up to date about three-tenths of
the area of the United States has been
mapped on a scale Of one mile to the inch
with twenty foot contours. This is a very
slow work, but possibly thirty parties will
be engaged on 1t during the coming sea-
son. special investigation will also be
made of the base lines and triangular
marks of California and the mountain re-
gion which may have been disturbed by
the recent earthquake.
The work Of the photographic division is
OF much more Importance than people gen.
orally realize. and has been greatly inter-
fered with this year from the fact that
Congress cut down the appropriation OF
$200,00o which would have been devoted to
this work. by 10000, thereby necessitatinR
abandoning some OF the stations This
work Is OF Importance to municipalities In \
its relation to water supply and water avail
able for power plants OF various sorts. II
Is alse related to river and harbor Inn
proyements. and the abandoning OF any sta /
ton even for single year makes break
in the record which It takes ten years Of /
work to replace Included In this work 4
there II the study OF underground water 4
dow, artesian wells and the like, which
many cities In their relation to water sun
ply. but tt a1so has been Of the utmost Inn