Douglas Island news., 1910-10-19
MINING CONDITIONS IN
 ALASKA

ALAOIN-fA
 Alfred H. Brooks, geologist in charge of the Alaskan work of the U. s. Geo. logical Survey, has just returned to Washington from his annual swing around the cirtle in the big Territory. He visited the coastal region of Central Alaska and spent some time in the Mantanuska coal field The most ac- cessibIe part of this important field has been the subject of detailed survey by c. O. Martin, during the present season. Previous work in the region had outlined the general boundaries of the Mantanuska field, described in Survey Bulletin No. 327, and the coal is known to be high grade, with a large percentage of good coking coal. The production of cheap coke is matter of great importance to the metallurgi- cal industry, present and prospective, of the entire Pacific seaboard. Mir. Martins investigations will add much information in regard to this important district. The working out of the sever al problems of the coal field and the preparation of his report will, however, require the entire winter. It will be similar in scope to the bulletin already published-No. 335-on the Boring river Reld. which is the one other source of Alaskan highgrade coal.
 COAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDED
 MT. Brooks has recently summarized the coal situation in Alaska in Survey Bulletin .442, pointing out the import ance of making these high.grade fuels available for the use of both Alaska and the Pacific coast states. While the coal is of first importance to Alaskans who are attempting to develop the various great resources of the Territory, it is of scarcely less national importance, inasmuch as those fields can furnish fuel to the industries of the Pacific coast states and to the Pacific feet. The development of these fields will conserve the coals of the eastern part of the United States, which are of most value to the nation because they are nearest the center of population.
 The manufacture of iron on the west coast, for which there is abundant raw material. utilizing Alaskan coal, will not only cheapen the product by over coming the long railroad haul or the trip around the Horn, but it will dim finish the drain on the eastern iron and coal fields. Every shipload of coal car ried around the Horn consumes about one fifth of it's own cargo, while the hauling of iron and coal over the Rocky Mountains results in still greater fael waste.
 Mr. Brooks found that in the regions visited the greatest need was for cheap fuel, all industries being directly or in. directly dependent upon it. This, it may be added, applies to much of the Territory. At present practically all the coal used in Alaska, and which is not of particularly high grade, is i'm ported from British Columbia-a little comes from Japan-costing the con- sumer in the Prince William Sound region from S1l to ST ton. With these figures in mind it can readily be seen that our present magnificent in- dustrial advancement in the Eastern States could not exist if manufacturers, mines and railroads had to meet such fuel bills, instead of paying S1.25 or S2.O0 d ton for coal, as is actually the case. If, then, the Alaskan industries are not making progress commensu- rate with the resources of the Territory there is sufficient reason for it in this lack of cheap fuel. And wite good coal under their very feet, but not ton of which eau be used, what wonder that the men who are attempting to develop