The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-09-13

neld vary in quality from . sub-bitu-
minous to semi-bituminous. with
some anthracite, and are included in
folded and faulted Tertiary (Eocene?)
shales. sandstones, and some con-
glomerates. aggregattng 5000 feet in
thickness.
The coal beds vary from to SO
feet In thickness, and the total area
known to be underlain by coal ag-
gregates 46h square miles. However.
as much of the field Is covered by
gravels and none of It has been sur
veyed in detail. the coal bearing area
may be much larger. The total area
Of what may prove to be coal bear
Ing rocks is approximately 900 square
miles. Up to the present time there
has been no means Of transporting
this coal to market. so that no mining
has been done. but many beds have
been opened In prospecting.
The anthracite from Matanuska and
Boring MYERS has no equivalent on the
Pacific coast. and 1t compares favor
ably with the Pennsylvania anthra-
cite. 1t ought to be put into the San
Francisco and other Pacific coast mar
kets at a cost far below that Of east
ern coal. In which case 1t should have
no difficulty In entirely supplanting
the latter. "
The Boring river semi-anthracite
and part Of the semi-bituminous coal
from Matanuska is also better than
anything that Is being mined in the
west. These Goals are the equivalent
Of the Pocahontas, New River. and
Georges Creek Goals Of the east. and
are eminently adapted for use on war
ships and for other purposes for which
high grade. pure, "smokeless" steam
Ing coal Is required. and for these pur-
poses will command a considerably
higher price than any coal now being
mined on the Pacific coast. or II Of
Tered at equal prices. should read
lily drive the latter from the market.
Part Of these Goals will produce
an excellent quality of coke-better.
In fact Except possibly In content OF
phosphorus. regarding which no data
are available), than coke which can
be produced from any Of the Wash
lngton or Vancouver island Goals, and
equal to the coke from Crows Nest
pass. II an important smelter indus
try grows up in Alaska. as now seems
possible, the Alaska coking Goals
should have the advantage. both Of
quality and of transportation.
Mining developments in the Berine
river cold fields of the Controller bay
region and In the Matanuska Goa
fields Of the Cook inlet region have
been practically confined to survey,
for patents. assessment work, ant
trail building. The most importan
features are connected with the prob
lem Of railway construction.
No patents for coal land have ye
been granted.
The value Of these high grade fuel
of Alaska probably exceeds that o
the gold deposits. and the exploita
ton Of these coal fields Is Of the great
est importance to the entire western
seaboard Of the continent These coal
will furnish not only the high grad
steam Goals needed for various indus
tries, but also the coke for metallul
gical enterprises. II the iron ore
Of the territory prove valuable. tn
west coast may yet BE- supplied fror
this source with the raw material
for the manufacture Of iron and stee
In any event, the copper smelters ca
be provided with coke Of = hig
grade.
The Goals from other known Alask
fields than these are 20 situated Q
are Of such quality that they can I'm
markets only whore excessive rate