The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-03-08

on the Coast of Alaska are Scafcef than on the coast of any civilized country on earth.
 Why is this? Alaska, which cost the government $7, 200, 900 and has paid 80, 900, 900 royalties on furs alone, or as Senator Piles justly says our billion dollar possession, has the best people on earth today, picked from the whole United Stat es-an intelli- gent, industrious law abiding people. The vessels in the carrying trade are as large and costly as on the easter n coast and are mostly Amervican ships :; then why are we not entitled to the same attention as our brethren on the Atlantic Coast. On the Eastern Coast you are never out of sight of first order light, but very few in Alaska at the present day ever saw first order light and one would attract as much attention here as 50 cent shell marked $2.5 does from an Eastern tourist. Outside of Spire Island Reef where the Str. Portalnd was wrecked year ago there is small, black second class can buoy, which is visible in clear weather without a microscope, and this reef is right in the track of all steamers coming to this part of Alaska. The outer end of this reef is bare at low water, and should have beacon erected there on which would be visib ble at least half mile.
 Then a much needed aid-so much needed in fact that one wonders why it has been overlooked so long-is a buoy to mark the southern extremity of the reef extending in a southerly direction from Chascoal Point, in Tongass Narrows. An eight day lantern on Channel Island would cause smile of satisfaction to over spread our features, as it would serve as a guide in the most dangerous part of the Narrows. It is easy to mistake False Channel Island for the real Channel Island, and that mistake would mean valuable ship and cargo gone in short order,
 Pond Reef, also in Tongass Narrows, lies 31s miles N. ". X w. E w. from Channel Island, and Ii mile from the northern shore of Revil- lagigedo Island, uncovers at half tide, and is unmarked by buoy or beacon, although but little north of the track of all steamers coming to Ketchikan iron the westward. A light on Ship Island, though not badly needed would be a valuable aid as it is the point of deparsure for g mile run up Clarence Straits to Lincoln Rock light. Off Lemesurier Point, the south point at the entrance to Ernest Sound, about one mile N. N. w. E w., lies McHenry Ledge with depth of F feet over it at low tide. A buoy is necessity there as ships go by it to Santa Anna cannery and to Bradfeld Canal where logging is car ried on quite extensively. A very dangerous reef, portion of which shows at low water, lies Ii miles S. E. X E. from the largest of the Wedge Islands in Clarence Strait. This reef is serious danger for vessels bound for Port Johnson, Dolomi, Niblack or Baldwin, from the northward, to quote from the Coast Pilot, and it has been for the past eighteen years to my certain knowl- edge; but it is yet unmarked by buoy or beacon. Cordova Bay extends IS miles in N. w. E N. direction from line between Cape Muzon and Pt. Marsh in Dixons Entrance, and although there are no settlements on it's shores ship must plough through it's waters to reach the shores of Hetta Inlet where are located three val uable copper mines. The Alaska Industrial Company, whose mine, the Jumbo, is located near the head of Hetta Inlet has just made a shipment on one steamer of 5000 tons of high grade copper ore, yet the whole 27 miles of Cordova Bay and Hetta Inlet is without light, buoy or beacon, although pretty accurately described in the last issue of the Coast Pilot. The trade of Alaska is assuming enor- nous proportions and everything is carried in ships, so it is of vital inn portance that those necessary aids to navigation should be in place. If there are not survey boats enough, then buy or build some more and try to keep pace with the growth of the country. As it is, the survey is five years beh ind and the prospect of be- ing speedily finished is not very bright. If some good writer will draw up petition and all the cap- tains and shipowners sign it, perhaps we can get the aids where mos t needed the coming summer. V JAMES J. DOYLE, Master s. s. Vigilapl