The Ketchikan miner., 1907-12-07
THE MINING INDUSTRY IN ALAS
 KA IN 1907

KA IN 1907
 A. H. Brooks, chief of the United States Geological Surveys division of Alaskan mineral resources, has just returned from Alaska to Washington, and reports that various unfortunate conditions have led to such curtail- ment of gold mining in Alaska during the last summer as to result in a very material reduction in the gold output as compared with that of the previous year. Accurate statistics will not be available for several months, but the preliminary estimates indicate that the value of Alaska's entire gold pro- duction for 1907 will be between Sl7,- 900, GOO and SIS, GOO, 900, as against more than $21, GOO, GOO last year. This 'oss must he charged for the most part to the decrease in the production of the placer mines.
 It is not to be supposed, however, that Aaska's placers have passed the zenith of their production. According to Mir. Brooks all the evidence points to the conclusion that greater an- nual prodcution than that of 1906 will yet be attained. The mining industry has therefore received only tempor- ary set back, but it is one from which it may not recover in lesi than year or two.
 Mir. Brooks says:
 The curtailment of placer operations can be assigned to certain definite causes, of which the difficulty of ob- taining adequate labor is the most important. The Fairbanks district is the one that suffered most from labor troubles. A strike was started there on April 27, just when the gravel ac- cumulated by the winter mining oper- atons was ready to be sluiced by use of the water of the spring freshets. As result many of the winter dumps were not finally washed out until fall. This not only prevented the mine op- orators from continuing work, but also put many of the smaller operators into financial difficulties, because they had counted on the winter production to finance the work during the sum- mer. Labor conditions iu the camp finally adjusted themselves during the summer, but throughout the open sea- son there was lack of experienced miners. When the strike began about 12OO men, it is said, left Fairbanks, most of whom started for the newly discovered Innoko district. As re- suit very few new enterprises were begun and many of the established mines were not operated during the summer. Had there been laborers enough the Fairbanks district would no doubt have produced more gold in 1907 than it did in 1906. As matter of fact its production was probably s3, GOO, 000 less than it was in the pre-. vious summer.
 Among the last summers important developments were the noteworthy production of Esther Creek, the open- ing up of considerable placer ground on Vault Creek, and the discovery of prospects on Eldorado and Our creeks. These discoveries, together with those on Smallwood creek, indicate that the Fairbanks district proper is more ex- tensive than has been previously sup posed. The finding of gold in an ad- jacent area, on the Upper Cinema riv- CT, is also significant, as this region appears to lie in the same general belt as the Fairbanks district.
 The railroad from Fairbanks has now been extended to the mouth of Cleary creek, and this road and the numerous wagon roads that have been built make all parts of the district ac- cessible. The high charges on freight from Puget sound ports and the uncer- tainties.. and delays in its delivery still discourage all mining enterprises. These discouragements can only be re- moved by the esta blishment of rail- road communication with some coast point.
 Important developments were made in the Rampant district, notably in its southern part, on the tributaries of Baker creek, where two ditches were built and some successful hy- draulic operations were carried on. Noteworthy, too, is the installation of three dreoges in the Fortymile dis trict. Two of these were in operation for part of the season.
 Seward Peninsula also had its labor troubles during the past summer. Though they were not so serious as those of Fairbanks, yet they consider ably hampered mine operators, and as consequence the production will probably be less than it was last sea- son. The old beach lines continued to be the center of mining activity, though much of their extent has now been mined out.
 The second beach line has been trac- ed east of Nome river to Cunningham and Hastings creeks. The third beach