New-York tribune., 1908-08-10
GREAT COAL RESERVE
flaska Nay Postpone Worlds Fuel
Famine.
LFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

washington Aug e-Alaska may supply coal
enough to postpone the exhaustion of that fuei'
which has been predicted for the end Of the
present century. Or. if the movement started oy
President Roosevelt for the conservation OF Aneri-
can natural resources proIongs the life OF the
coal measures east of the Rockies. the far north
ern territory may supply great fleets that are
destined to navigate the Pacific and the people who
will crowd upon the shores OF that ocean For
the United States Geological Survey. which has
been making definite examination Of Alaska min
eraI resources. has discovered a score or more
OF large coal fields in the peninsular, including
anthracite as well bitumnous. and there is
great promise yet unexplored country there
Fully one-fourth of Alaska. approximately
10000 square miles. is little more than unopened
book TO u.s. so far its precious and useful min
erals are concerned said Alfred H. Brooks. the
chief geologfst of the Alaskan division Of the
Geological Survey. just before leaving Washington
for his annual Swing round the circle in the big
Northwestern Territory I'VE know that there IS
coal in this little explored Possibly there are
large coal fields which will form important part
of the ultimate coal reserve Of Alaska The Cape
Lisburne coal field represents the western end CT
what is probably a large coal area not yet deter
mined. 1t is impossible that the area Of hs-
mite and low grade bitdminous coal may be double
the present known coal in the territory which
is over 1900 square miles. The coal of Alaska
ranges in quality from Ignite TO coal that COM
pares favorab bly, with the famous Pocahontas coal
of West Virginia. Some OF the bituminous Goals
make good coke Coking is the ssverest test of
a soft coal and gives it especial value in metal
Hferous region Some Of the coal seams of the
territory of great thickness have observed
'swels in seams that sixty feet Of solid coal
"As far back 1902 the Geological Survey began
systematic study of Alaskas coal fields. with
geologic reconnaissance of the low grade bittnni-
nous and Ignite Goals of the Yukon region In
1902 1903 1904 and 1905 Investigations made OF
the Nenana fields near Fairbanks In 1908 work
was begun on the coal fields OF the Controller Bay
region and in 1905 the Matsanuska field was stud
led In geologic detail In these two fields there
one hundred square miles OF lands underialn
by workable Goals. containing anthracite and btu
rninous fuels of the highest grade In 1902 the
Herendeen Bay bitun1nous coal region was stud
led by survey geoIogtsts In 1908 coal tnvestss-
tions were made of the Southeastern Alaska coal
fields which have not, however, proved Of economic
Importance. In 1904 the geologic study Of the
Cape Lisburne coal region begun This is a
bituuinous coal field containing soft coal that
ranges from low to high grade, and at present its
boundaries are only partly known In 1so4 survey
work was begun in the large Ignite fields OF the
Kenai Peninsula
The Alaska coal fields particularly those carry
ing high grade fuel. like the Controller Bay and
the Matsanuska fields are destined to play an i'm
portant part in the advancement Of industry of the
entire Pacific seaboard of the North American
continent.
The mineral coal in the ground in Alaska has
not yet been definitely estimated, and, whatever
estimates made. for years to come will
doubtless be subject to wide expansion further
geological explorations carried forward. but IT
is proper to say that the coal resources Of the
territory are very great. and that they will be fig
ured IN hundreds OF millions and billions OF