Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-03-28

IN ALASKA
NEXT YEAR
OF GREAT ACTIN-
ITY IN THE IDITAROD PLAC-
ERS. THE CHITINA COPPER
REGION AND SUSHITNA'S GOLD
QUARTZ BELT.

Three different mining stampedes
each distinct in character are pre-.
dicted for Alaska next summer, and
one of them is on in the depth of
this present winter. To the Iditarod
placer diggings men are now toiling
over the snow trails in a wild chase
for a share of the undoubted riches
first found there last season. Into
the great copper belt of the Chitina
basin there will be another influx
of miners and prospectors next July
when the Copper River and North
western railroad reaches the outer
edge of the district. Still another
group, the gold quartz miners. will
flock to Kenai peninsula and the
Sushitna valley as soon as the snow
has gone to follow up the recent
Moose pass and Willow creek
strikes.
1t would seem then that Alaska
has finally advanced to the quartz
mining stage, and to this may be ad-
ded in 1910 coal mining in the Ber-
ing river beds. This change really
marks a most important milestone
in the development of the northern
territory. Placer mining produces
much gold. but it is not a permanent
resource, does not make a perman-
ent population or even warrant, as
rule. the building of railroads.
Quartz mining does. The placer
fields of the Iditarod and Innoko
rivers. which are said to be larger
in extent even than the Klondike
fields. are sure to yield many large
fortunes. If the field proves as rich
as the present showing would indi-
cate the district will have a popula
tion of 10000 within a twelve
month. Already there are 1000 meu
where a year ago there were hardly
a dozen. The excitement resulting
will be great, and the romantic story
of the Klondike and Nome will be
repeated. But it would be most eX
ceptional if ten years from now
should see any important placer
mining going on in that now almost
unprospected region. 1t will simply
be worked out.
1t is different with the Chitina
copper region. There is a known
belt of mineralized rock 120 miles
long and eight or ten miles wide,
and, though this belt may also be
said to be not half prospected, there
are thirty-five or more groups of
claims on it. One or two of these
have been so far developed that
there is assurance of a large ore sup
ply for generations. So sure is the
future of this region that capital is
spending $10,000.000 on a railroad
from the sea 200 miles inland to tap
it. Yet there is every possibility
that dozens of other properties still
unknown may equal that one or two.
The Chitina region had never been
entered except by a few miners, en-
gineers and Indians, so that when
the railroad, now 100 miles inland
reaches the mouth of the Chitina
river thirty-five miles farther,
next summer, practically an entirely
new country, the future activity of
which is assured beforehand, will be
opened up. At present ingress is
possible only by long trail trips over
a very rough country, a condition
that will be changed almost in
flash within a few months. The re-
suit to those who know what pioneer
conditions are is apparent.
Another new mining field that
gives great promise of attracting
large numbers of pioneers next sum-
mer is that of Seward. on Kenai pen
insula. This is old placer country,
in which some of the mother lodes
have recently been discovered and
are proving very rich. This country
is still very difficult of access beyond
Cook inlet. as there are not even
trails, but a railroad is
on its way inland to the Matanuska
coal fields, and the Alaska road com
has promised next summer
to build a trail northward in this
valley and across the mountains to
the headwaters of the Kuskoquim
on the way TO the IditaTod diggings
This will give great impetus to
both quartz and placer mining along
the line and viii allow the develop
mert of several quartz propositions.
The railroad ont Of Seward already
crosses the peninsula seventy miles
and with new govornmen' trails has
this last year made available much
gold quartz country Of grent promise
On the whole the most cOnserYa-
tive investigator must admit that
Alaska's greatest mining days are
of the future and that the mineral
wealth production will be in the
steady ascendant from now onward
Easter Plant Legends.