The Chitina leader., 1913-02-04
COLD FACTS ABOUT ALASKA

There is no person in Alaska better
posted on the mineral resources of
this territory than our friend, DR..
Alfred H. Brooks, of the U. S. Geo.
logical Survey and also a member of
the Alaska Railroad Commission and
when he declares that not only coal
mining ventures but railway con-
struction and metalliferous mining
and other industries of Alaska de-
pend on an abundant supply of cheap
fuel his remarks are not actuated by
any motives other than desire to
make simple statement of facts.
Only one coal mine in all Alaska
was operated commercially in 1911,
but little coal was mined at several
places in the territory, chiefly by
those who themselves utilized the
product (not even this has been al
lowed during the past year,. The
total estimated output of coal in 1911
was 900 tons; the total output in
1910 was 1000 tons
Nine hundred tons of coal mined in
one year in a territory known to con-
tain more coal than such beds as
Pennsylvania, Fifty-seven hundred
square miles are known to contain
anthracite and high grade bitumin-
GUS coal and half as much again
known to contain low grade bitumin-
Gus coal and this from exhaustive
surveys made by the U. S. Geological
survey in all parts of Alaska What
ever reconnaissance was made coal
was found; at Cook Inlet, Matanus-
ka, Nenana, Boring river, Circle, Col
vile River, as far north as Point Bar
row, Lisbourne, Norton Sound and
down to the Alaska Peninsula.
From 1899 to 1912 there has been
consumed in Alaska 1,440,104 tons
of coal. Of this, 492,066 tons was
imported from the states, chiefly
from Washington; 90S,577 tons,
nearly double, was foreign importa-
ton, chiefly bituminous from British
Columbia, and 1894 tons produced
in Alaska. At the present rate We
can expect to find that there was no
coal produced in Alaska in the past
year and that practically all importa-
lions were foreign.
In 1907 there were 1919 tons
produced in Alaska, 1908 only 3,107,
in 1909 the total was $500 tons, in
1910 but 1000 tons and 1911 only
900 tons. Another startling fact in
this connection is that while the i'm
portation from the states has gradu-
ally become less, being $500 tons
in 1906 and declining by degrees to
only 32,255 tons in 1911, the i'm
portation of foreign coal has grown
from 1850 tons in 1906 to 8S,573
tons in 1911. The importations
from the states ia 1906 were greater
than foreign importations by 1870
tons, while in 1911 this condition was
reversed, the importations being &c.
31S tons less than foreign importa-
lions and this change has taken place
in the past six years.
The policy of hands off" On the
natural coal supply has resulted in a
general holding back on all develop
ment, both mineral and industrial.
The opening of the Alaska coal
beds would mean cheap fuel. There
would be none of the long hauls from
the states or British Columbia which
boosts the price and consequently
cuts into the profits of the metal
mine operators who use it. 1t would
mean a vast new industry employing
more than the balance of the indus
tries put together. A new vast
wealth as great as that of our gold
and silver mines. The railroads
could make it possible for exhaustive
exploration into the interior. Plants
and dredgers which could not now be
operated at a profit in some sections
could then be put on a paying basis
where only small values were taken
out. There are thousand possible
lities-who could name them all?
With this-Alaska could be devel-
oped to its capacity. and who can
picture the result of such condition,
a result that would beyond doubt far
exceed the widest reams of wealth ?
The wonderful lamp of Alladin is in