The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-02-15
ALASKA GOALS
ARE DESCRIBED
In a Report Issued by the Geo.
logical Survey of the
United States.
- :
n-. g

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. s.
Like great curved dagger, 100
miles in thickness at the hilt and
trending south and west for a dis
lance of coo miles, the Alaska Pen
insula presents one of the most
striking Of land formations. Beyond
1t stretches the chain of the Aleutlan
Islands thousand miles farther.
The coast line of the peninsula is
ragged and irregular, with innumer-
able indentations and bold cliffs and
headlands.
"The Geology and Mineral Re-
sources of Parts of Alaska PENN
sula" is the title of report by
4 Wallace w. Atwood, recently issued
by the United States Geological Sur
Ivey. During the Russian occupation
I'of Alaska many facts concerning
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 in
vestigation of the mineral resources.
Martin, inl19OS and 1904, made the
first examination of the petroleum
seepages. Meanwhile other investi-
gators had contributed to the knowl-
edge of the general geology.
The prosecution of the surveys
general plan of investigating the
coal resources of.'Alaska led to Mr..
IAtwoods work, which included the
three most important local coal
fields, the Chignik, .Herendeen Bay
and Unga. incidentally he collected
considerable information in regard
i. to the general geology and mineral
resources of the entire peninsula.
Coal Fields Mapped.
Mapping was done in some detail
in the surveyed coal fields and the
results are set forth with, consider
able confidence as to their accuracy.
Far less definite information was
obtained as to the. area and strait
graphic geology and mineral depos-
its of the rest of the peninsula. If
funds are available, more detailed
investigations of the geology AID
mineral deposits will be undertaken
when the mining advancement seems
to demand them. Aspeayly as,1S54
attempts we're made to mine coal on
Cook inlet. Coal claims were
istaked on Unga Island in the early
seventies, and ten years later some
systematic mining at this and other
localities in Southwestern Alaska
was begun. The rapid development
of the more accessible coal fields of
California, Washington and Van
couver Island, which began about
ElS70, supplied the west coast
market, and from that time until
very recently little attention has
been given to Alaska coal. Mining
to supply local demands, has how
ever, 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
Boring river and Matanuska fields,
but the fields are more accessible.
The fields described in the survey
report all near good harbors, loca-
ton that will give them an advantage
over the high-grade Goals of other
Alaska fields. Moreover. their close
proximity to the great circle route
from Puget Sound to Yokohama
will certainly eventually accrue to
their benefit, though 1t must be con-
fessed that their immediate use for
trans-Pacifc shipment 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 without timber.
Some drilling for oil has been
done on the peninsula, but it has
not either shown the presence or
the absence of a commercially val
liable pool 1t appears. however,
that the geological data at hand
warrant the continuation of the
search.
So far as known geological con-
ditnons like those on Unga Island,
where, successful gold mining has
been carried on for many years, may
be found in other parts of the prov
ince, so that there seems to be a
field here that warrants the atten-
ton of the lode prospector.
Except for the absence of timber.
the conditions in Alaska Peninsula
are more favorable for mining than
in many other parts of the territory.
The omen season is longer and the