Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-15
COAL DEVELOPMENT
BADLY NEEDED
IN ALASKA
Geological Survey Expert
Makes Interesting Report on.
Conditions in Great Northern.
Territory.
Morning journal Bureau,
613 Munsey Building.


Alfred III. Brooks, geolOgist III
charge of the Alaskan work of the
l.. s.. geological survey. has just re-
turned to Washington from his an
nual swing around the circle In the
big territory. He visited the coastal
region OF central Alaska II spent
some time in the M~atanuska "a
field. The most accessible part OF
this important field has been the sub
iect of a detailed survey by g.. e.
| Martin. during the present season.
Previous work in the region had At
lined the general boundaries of the
| Matanuska field, described in Survey
Bulletin No. 327, and the coal Is
known to be high-grade, with a large
\ percentage of good coking coal. y
| production Of cheap coke is a matter
| of great Importance to the metallur-
gica! industry, present and prospec-
tive. Of the entire Pacific ~seaboard.
| Mr.. Martins investigations viii add
much information in regard 70 this
| important district. The working out
of the several problems of the coal
! field and the preparation of his re-
port. will however, require the entire
winter. il will be similar in scope to
the bulletin already published-No.
s35-on the Bering river field, which
is the one other source of Alaskan
high-grade coal
Coal Development Needed.
Mr.. Brooks has recently summar-
lied the coal situation in Alaska in
Survey Bulletin 1872, pointing out the
Importance of making these high
grade fuels available for the use OF
both Alaska and the Pacific coast
states. While the coal is of first m
portance TO Alaskans who are at
tempting to develop the various re-
sources OF the territory. it is also of
| scarcely less national importance, in
asmuch as those fields can furnish
fuel to the industries of the Pacific
coast states and to the Pacific coast
fleet. The development OF these fields
will conserve the Goals OF the east
ern part of the United states, which
are of most value to the nation DC
cause they are nearest the center Of
population.
The manufacture of iron on the
west coast, for which there is album
liant raw material, utilizing Alaskan
coal, will not only cheaper the pro-
duct by overcoming the long rail-
road haul or the trip around the
Horn. but II will diminish the drain
on the eastern iron and Gal fields
Every ship load of coal carried round
the Horn consumes about one-tifth or
its own cargo, while the hauling OF
iron and coal over the Rocky noun
tains results in a still greater fucl
waste.
Mr., Brooks found that in the reg
ions visited the greatest need was
for cheap fuel. all industries being di-
rectly or indirectly dependent upon
il. This. ii may be added, applies
10 much of the territory. At present
practically all the coal used in Alas
ka. and which is not of particularly
high grade, is imported from British
columbia little comes in from
Misunderstanding the consumer in the
Prince william Sound region from
Sl1 to S17 a ton. With these figures
i'm MINI it can readily be seen thar
our present magnificent industrial
advancement In the eastern states
could not exist If manufacturers
mines and railways had to meet such
fnel bills. instead of paying s1.25 or
So a ton for coal. as is actually the
case. II. then, the Alaskan industries
are not making a progress commons
urate with the of the ter
ritory. there is sufficient reason TOT
il i'm this lack of cheap fuel. Ana
with good coal under their very rect
but not "A ton OF which can be useu'
what wonder that the men who are
attempting to develop the northern
lrlTliNtN NilfNlliA nttA AlsAf0A
Gold Mining Fairly Prosperous
Mr.. Brooks saw but little or me
gold fields. but he states that on the
whole the gold mining industry seems
to have been fairly prosperous. sur
vey parties during the season yls!tsu
the scene Of the new discoveries III
both the Idftarod and Kobuk regions,
but these have not yet returned ana
later statements may be expected re-
uarding the conditions. From the IN
formation available it appears u
The placer gold production Of some or
the older camps has fallen OF TINS
wear. ON the other hand. much mas
been accomplished in the way "t m
augurating large placer mining enter
nrises, notably the installation OF
dredges on the seward Peninsula.
These enterprises. designed 10 eNplost
the lower grade deposits, viii assure
a continuation Of mining in the older
camps. where the richest placers nave
been worked by pioneer methods.
Extensive mining developments
have been continued throughout the
wear in the gold lodes OF the Juneau
district. where a large output has re-
suited. Considerable Advancement
has also been made in prospecting