The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-14

me that only about one-ffth of the whole has been geologically explored. The geol- ogists have gone over the most accessi- ble and most desirable parts of it and have tramped across the other portions, making explorations here and there, so that in general they know about what the country contains and have specific knowl- edge of at least one-fifth of it.
 A great part of our conversation today related to the coal fields, which are now attracting so much attention in the minds of the people. Dr. Brooks says there Is coal all over Alaska, and that the beds are of such enormous extent that they probably contain hundreds of billions Of tons, and there is no doubt that they contain at the least 15.000,000,OO0. This can be estimated by the fields which have been more or less carefully tested, but it is safe to say that at the minimum estimate the coal amounts to 10000, ,O0O,000 tons, and that it may be many times that amount. The coal resources are far in excess of those of the Appalachians, although a greater part of the coal Is of a far lower grade.
 Would Supply the World for 15O Years
 | One hundred and fifty billion tons! The | figures are large and the mind cannot comprehend them. All the coal mines of the world are now producing just one billion tons per annunl, and ut this rate 1 if this coal were accessible it would sup ply the whole world for 15o years and probably leave much to spare
 If the coal amounts to only fifteen bill | lions it would heat and move the world for 15 years, and if we had it on ship | board or in the markets it would make | Us rich beyond the dreams of avarice
 l have seen the value estimated in bll- | lions of dollars. It would be worth that | If 1t could be dumped down a few tons | at time in the chief markets of the world but as it lies now the statement | makes one think of the words of the 1 Japanese schoolboy: Tt is to laugh" Oi the fifteen billion tons which are the min | mum figures of the geologists' estimates, | about four and one-half billions are on the Arctic slope, where 1t is locked in ice for most of the year. It is beyond ranges of mountains, which could hardly be crossed. and on seas from where the coal could not be carried to any mSrket on earth. Another four billions or more lie in the interior of Alaska, in the plat eau region of which have written, and 1t Is safe to say that It will never be worth anything except for local consump- tion. The greater part of the balance, comprising more than six billion tons by conservative estimate. Is in southeastern
 
 beds are live working quantity. and they will some day have great part in | the industry and wealth of the world. Coal at Half a Cent a Ton | Tn my talk with Dr. Brooks I asked l him as to the government values of these l lands. He replied that all are now with | held from sale pending the government | Investigation and the trouble concerning the titles, and that he had estimated their | value at half cent a ton in the ground l This seems rieiculously low. but even at | this rate he says the lands near the Pa cific coast would be worth from so to 1 $500 per acre. v | I here ventured a suggestion that If l Pierpont Morgan or one of the Guggen-
 helms wished to perpetuate his wealth he
 might invest s10o.0o0 in such lands with
 the understanding that they were to bs
 mined only by his great-g great grand 1 children 100 years from now.
 l "It would seem so.1 replied pr. Brooks
 "but we have had a discussion concern
 ing prospective values that makes that