The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-12
GOALS OF ALASKA PENINSULA.
Mineral Resources Described In Report
by United States Geological Survey.


by United States Geological Survey.
Like great curved dagger, 100 miles
in thickness at the hit and trending
/ south and west for distance of nearly
soc miles, the Alaska peninsula pre-
sents one of the most striking of land
| formations. Beyond it stretches the
chain of the Aleutian islands a thous
ands miles farther The coast line of
the peninsula is ragged and irregular,
with innumerable indentations and bold
cliffs and headlands.
'The geology and mineral resources
OF parts of Alaska peninsula is the
title of report by Wallace w. Atwood,
recently issued by the United States
geological survey. During the Russian
occupation of Alaska many facts con-
corning the geology of the peninsula
were collected, but the study by Dali
and Becker of the geological survey,
of the coal and gold deposits of Unga
island and of some of the coal beds of
the mainland in 1895 represents the first
attempt at systematic investigation of
the mineral resources Martin, in 1908
and 1904 made the first examination OF
the petroleum seepages. Meanwhile 9th
er investigators had contributed to the
knowledge OF the general geology.
The prosecution of the surveys gen.
eral plan of investigating the coal re-
sources of Alaska led to Mr.. Atwood's
work, which included the three most inn
portant local coal fields, the Chignik,
lIerendeen bay, and unga incidentally
he collected considerable information in
regard to the general geology and min
eral resources of the entire peninsula.
Coal Fields Mapped
Mapping was done in some detail in
the surveyed coal fields and the re-
suits are set forth with considerable CON
fidenee as to their accuracy. Far less
definite information was obtained as TO
the area and stratigraphic geology and
mineral deposits of the rest of the pen
nsula If funds are available, more de-
tailed Investigations OF the geology and
mineral deposits will be undertaken
when the mining advancement seems to
demand them. As early as 1854 at
tempts were made to mine coal on Cook
inlet. Coal claims were staked on Unga
island IN the early seventies, and ten
years later some systematic mining at
this and other localities in southwest
ern Alaska was begun. The rapid de-
velopment OF the more accessible coal
fields OF California, Washington, and
Vancouver island, which began about
1870, supplied the west coast market,
and from that time until very recent
~ little attention has been given to
Alaska coal. Mining to supply local
demand has, however. continued in the
peninsula to the present day.
Coal Fields Accessible.
The coal of Alaska peninsula is not |
OF as high grade as that of the Bering |
river and Matanuska fields, but the fields /
are more accessible. The fields described I
in the survey report are all near good /
harbors, a location that will give them /
an advantage over the higher grade Goals I
OF other Alaska fields. Moreover, their I
close proximity to the great circle route |
iron, Puget sound TO Yokohama will GER
tainly eventually accrue to their benefit, /
though ii must be confessed that their /
immediate use for trans Pacific ship
mcnt does not seem practicable. On the |
other hand unless petroleum is found |
they furnish the only local source Of |
fuel for Alaska peninsula, which is with
out timber
Some drilling for oil has been done 1
on the peninsula, but it has not shown
either the presence or the absence of
commercially valuable pool. 1t appears,
however, that the geologic data at hand
warrant the continuation of the search.
SO far as known, geologic conditions
like those on Ungn island, where sue
cessful gold mining has been carried on
for many years. may be found in other
parts of the province, so that there
seems to be field here that warrants
the attention of the lode prospector
Except for the absence of timber, the
in Alaska peninsula are more
favorable for mining than in many 9TH
En- parts OF the territory. The open sea
son is longer and the winter is less Sc
we're than in the interior or in Seward
peninsula. Numerous good harbors are
open to navigation throughout the year.
The luXuriant growth of grass in the
peninsula. except in the high mountains,
fayors the use of horses. and the many
streams and lakes render much of the
region readily accessible to small boats.
The report contains a large scale map
Of the peninsula. A copy may be oh
tanned free on application to the director ,
If the geological survey, Washington,
D. c.