The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-03-01
THE DIFFERENCE
Ketchikan District to the Fore
 No Fear of the 0ctupus

spirit of generous rivalry, between the different mining sections of Alaska, plain statement of the truth as affecting the merits of the ketch-
 ikan district, particularly in relation to the extent and value of it's copper deposits in comparison with those of the Copper River region, may not be considered wholly out of place at this time. That this district has passed the prospecting stage, and entered upon an era of successful development as well as profitable production, is abundantly evidenced by the fact that of more than two million dollars worth of copper ore and matte shipp- ed from Alaska last year nearly if not quite. two-thrtls of the whole amount stands to it's credit--a difference in favor of its mines reasonably certain to be largely increased the present year.
 t has taken time to accomplish
 
 mining district was ever more ser iously handicapped from the very beginning in the way of exploration, than was this. Following the pros pector, came the yellow-legged ex- pert who, finding all and even more than was claimed in the way of sur face showings, either wholly condemn ed or damned with faint praise all that he saw, not forsooth because there was not enough but because there was too much to warrant belief in the depth and durability of the veins and deposits of which only the outcrops could be seen. Following the adverse, or discouraging, reports of these wise experts, came unfor- tunate direction and management in two or three efforts at development, and an inconsiderate demand of the price of developed mines for mere prospects,, all combined to discourage capital and drive would be investors away to other fields of mining enter prise. All this time it was evident to those who had given the conditions careful study that but one successful effort at development would suffice to counteract the unfavorable impress ion that had spread abroad concerning the great extent and value of the deposits of the district, and that consummation came almost simultaneously with developments at the Niblack, Mamie, Stevenstown, and one or two other properties that are now profitable producers.
 It could not we'll be otherwise, taking into consideration the great natural advantages of this immediate section for the economical prosecution of mining operations, that one sue cessful effort at development should be speedily followed by others, as indeed it has been by dozen or more producing copper mines, with several others about ready to take their places in the list. That the produc- tion of these mines is likely to be somewhat curtailed the present year by lack of necessary transportation, must not be set down to any deficiency in productive capacity on their part, for it is reasonably certain that, given the necessary transportation, the mines of the district could and would more than double in quantity and value the output of 1906.
 The pre-eminent advantage of the Ketchikan district in the way of copper production will not be found in a more than ordinarily high per- centage of values in its ores, but rather in the natural advantages which will enable the mining and exploitation of those ores at a minimum of cost. These advantages orsist of close proximity to ocean navigation, afford- ing the cheapest of all forms of trans portation and an abundance of water and timber including never failing power for the operation of machinery. Indeed, these advantages are such as to preclude all fears of competition
 from almost any quarter, should the market for the red metal ever fall to competitive stage, since it is quite certain that when our mines are fully equipped with all necessary appliances for the mining and reduc- tion of their ores, they will be able to place their product in the market at price below the cost of produc- tion in any other district in the United States, with possibly one or two ex- captions.
 As compared with copper produc- tion in any other part of Alaska, the Ketchikan district has nothing to fear. It is probably true that the copper deposits of the Copper River section carry ores of higher grade than those of this district but they lie at a distance of from two hundred to three hundred miles from ocean navigation, and for their ex- ploitation will require the construc- tion of railroads at cost of many millions of dollars; and even with them the cost of transportation alone, as compared with that which obtains
 in this section, will be so great as to preclude successful competition, should it ever come to that. This doac not app1v Of cOlrSp tO the con-