The Washington herald., 1913-11-09
Bright FUTURE
FOR ALASKA Seen
Director Joseph A. Holmes,
Back from Trip, Makes
Predictions.
GOLD MINING PROSPECTS
Territory May Be Scene Of Extensive
Operations if Proper Transporta-
tion Facilities Are Provided.

DR.. Josept 4. Holmes, director of the
United States Bureau OF Mines, returned
yesterday from trip to Alaska. He
covered more than 1900 miles. Director
Holmes made a survey OF the mineral
possibilities of Alaska, and he predicted
. that within two years Alaska will see
the development of two of the greatest
lcw-grade ore mines in the world. He
also says that II proper transportation
facilities are provided the Territory will
be the scene Of large gold mining oper-
ations.
Comparatively little attention has
been paid to the possibilities of quartz
or lode mining in Alaska" said DR..
Holmes, though the Treadwell, one OF
the greatest gold mines in the United
States territory. has long given rep
utation and stability to Alaska mining.
In the Juneau region, however, two
other developments of low-grade ore de-
posits now are under way, and il Is like
ly that within a few years there will be
two other great gold producing mines ia
that region, outranking the Treadwel.
If proper transportation facilities are de-
veloped in Alaska, l believe there will
be- other similar large gold mining oper-
Htions in many portions of the territory.
Along with such developments We will
DO have coal mining and the development OF
the agricultural resources of Alaska
more than sufficient to support any min
ing population to be found in the Terri
tory.
Has Been Good Investment.
The people of the United States GER
tainly can be satisfied with Alaska as
national investment Alaska was
purchased by the United States in 1867
for the sum of $7,2OO,OOO. Inside that
time il has contributed to our national
to cover the entire cost of building the
Panama Canal.
In the placer regions of Alaska the
old-time prospector still has his fields
of activity. Every year he enjoys
new stampede. Now and then he makes
a stake, and usually he reinvests all,
or a large part, OF his savings in an
other find. 1t is the poor mans field,
with a future as well as a past. In
recent stampedes. however. there has
developed a practice which threatens
to interfere seriously with, if It does
not destroy, prospecting of the old
type That is the practice-which l
believe to be both undesirable and con-
tr8ry to the spirit of the law-under
which wealthy individuals and large
corporations rush their well-equipped
hired men to a new discovery to stake
claims, each in his own name. and then
lmmeQldIeIs IduSItE SuSA Sld4AIIS ~
their employers.
Examined Conditions.
i Travelled along the Yukon River.
stopping at different mining camps be-
tween the Canadian Klondike region on
the west and the Pacific Ocean at
Nome. examining the mining conditions
ut a number of places. Later l visited
the Nenana coal field, about the head
wkater Of the Nenana River, and spent
some time in the region about Fair
banks, and then followed the Fair
banks Cordova trail for a distance OF
more than 400 miles from the interior
Of Alaska to the southern coast.
The first and most lasting impress
sion one receives of Alaska is the vast
ness of that great empire, and the next
II the great extent and permanence or
its resources. In its early history the
fur bearing animals of Alaska repre-
scented its most remunerative resource.
For some years. however, mining and
the fishery industries have become
AIaska's chief resources of wealth.
With the exception of the few mines
along the coast, like tive Treadwell.
mining in Alaska has contributed more
than S2l2.00C,O 900 TO the gold supply of
the United States"