The Ketchikan miner., 1907-06-08
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS IN
 ALASE X.

ALASKA.
 When Secretary of State Seward. in 1887. bought Alaska from Russia for about s1.00o GOO, the transaction was generally regarded with disfavor in the United States. It was eonsid- cred foolish waste of American money, and the only excuse or eXpla- nation then offered was that the pay ment of this amount for that frozen region was mode of compensation to Russia for friendliness manifested and services rendered to the United States during the civil war.
 The native name Alaska meant great land it was said, and the land was without doubt impressively great in area: but no one attal hed any value 10 that million square miles of supposed barrenness and snow and ice, presumably uninhabitable by civi- lized men far removed from civilized lands. It had been only a burden to Russia, and the Czar and his men oi state were glad to be rid of it. The seals and fisheries had been a source of some revenue, but not enough to defray the cost of administration. Yet forty years later, in 1906, a small faction of that great land' had produced in gold the sum of Sl03, 34S, 100, more than fourteen times the amount of the purchase money. Within the last ten years Seward Peninsula alone has produced over s37, GOO, GOO, about &, 800, GOO of which is credited to the year 1906-more than enough to pay the bill for the Territory.
 At first all the gold mining was done in the gravel of the creeks, but during recent years the pan and the sluice box of the placer miner have in some places given way to the ore mill of the lode miner, who has kept pace with the geologist in his search for the original sources of the golden sands and nuggets of the placers. The search still continues, as may be learned from the United States Geo. logical Surveys report on the prog ress of investigations of the minera resources of Alaska in 1906. just pub lished. This volume, which may bt obtained on application to the Direc. tor of the Survey at Washington, D. C., contains general account of the progress of surveys and the condition of the mining industry, by A. H Brooks, geologist in charge O mineral investigations in Alaska, ant number of detailed reports or various portions of the Territory by other members of the force.
 Investigations were made in south eastern Alaska, in the Yakutat-Alsel region about Controller Bay anC i Cook Inlet, on Seward Peninsula, anC in the Yukon district. These investi gations did not relate solely to gold but comprising examinations of de posits of copper, tin, and other metals. as well as beds of coal, seep ages of petroleum, available supplies of building stone and gypsum,- ant water resource for placer mining.
 Less than one-fourth of the area O. the territory has been mapped out and less one-sixth has been surveyed g eologically. It is worthy of note . that although nearly half million dollars has been spent on Alaskan surveys and investigations, this i: less than one half of one per cent o the value of the gold output during the period covered by the surveys. Tr ansportation problems are stil in the forefront throughout Alaska Steamboat service. both on the river: and on the sea and it's inlets, is being rapidly improved. but except on ; few short railways, overland trans portation is still very primitive. The Alaskan Road Commission is doing much to help the mining interest: in various parts of the Territory by highway and trail construction. Yeal by year the demand for railway connection of the inland region witt open water becomes more imperative and until such roads are built the interior of the Territory can be but