Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-09
BELIEVES ALASKA'S
/ future IS BRIGHT
Director Holmes of Bureau OF
!. Mines Returns From
14,000-Mile Trip.
LOW GRADE ORE DEPOSITS
NOW AWAIT DEVELOPMENT
Declares. However, That Wealthy
Corporations Are Driving Out
0ld-Time prospector.

Full of optimism for the future OF
Alaska, Joseph \ Holmes. director OF
the bureau of mines. returned yesterday
from 14,"51-mIle journey through that
territory. lie predicts that within the
next two years there viii be developed
il this northwestern territory two of the
largest low-grade ore mines in the world.
There also will be similar large god
mininS operations he continues provid-
cd adequate transportation facilities are
furiished.
While declaring that there is much OF
the old-tgrne prospecting going on IN TINS
territory. the monopolistic octopus, ne
continues is thrustius out its tentacles
and grabbing in claims wherever II can.
This * > condition which should not De
aiIox.ed 10 exist. according to- DR. Holmes
speak:uc Of the prospector. he says;
New Stampede Each Year.
IN the placer regions OF Alaska. the
oId-tirue prospector still has his fields o.
activity Every year he enjoys ne"
s,,,nnade Now and then he makes
staJs. and usually he reinvests all OF
l.,r.,. mart OF his savings i'll another hhd-
II = rho moor mans field with future
a. wei! as past. ,,,a
..In recent StampedeS, noN Nt'' tIiel :
has developed practice which threatens
II inter.ere seriously WIN II - VIC IT.
destroy prospecting of the old type ! httl
IL the practice which | believe To De pom
undesirable and contrary TO the sp.ltt u
the law under which wealthy hoiNioua =
and Iar-t corporations rush tner wen
equipped hired meE to new alseo'tis
10 stoke claims each in his own name,
and then Immediately TRANSFER sum
claims to their employers
.f.omparatively very little attention mas
been paid to the possibilities OF quar-"
ar lode mining IN Alaska. said Dr-
Holmes though the TreadWell one
of the greatest gold mines IN the 'hiteu
states territory. mas ionS gwen re'"ta
ton and stability to Alaskan m nins. IN
the Juneau region. however. TWO otner
DEVELOPMENTS of iow-grade ore deposits
are NOW under WAY. and tits likely that
within a few years there VIII De t"o
other great gold producing mines III that
region outranking the Treadweii
Proper Transportation Neeoec.
IF proper transportation facilities are
developed in Alaska. | believe there Will
he other similar large gold mining opera
tions in many portions of the territory.
and along with such developments We
will. have coal mining land the develop
mefIt of the agricultural resources OF
Alaska more than sufficient 10 support
any; mining population TO be found III
the TERRITORY.
with the exception of the few mines
along the coast, like the Treadwell. min
ing in Alaska has thus far been limited
largely to placer mining of gold. and
Alaska has contributed more than SIT
Vste00 to the gold supply of the United
.stat.s.
Speaking generally of the mining in
tiGStry in the United States, DIR. Holmes
S;,itE '-'rhe speculative and dishonest fea-
tUrss ri mining are disappearins We are
getting farther away from Mark Twain's
definition of mine.
Great ore deposits like those now
being. developed at Juneau Alaska. ex-
telriVe areas OF gold-bearins gravel or
ths. coat fields are preliminary to mining
pPccationS Or the sale of stock. being
ar,rspected today with such care and
thoIpushnesS that mining operations
sa;ls, be entered upon with much GER
;tinty of results as would be true OF
in siiivestment III building. a manufac-
turing plant Or farming. only the in
.stur need see 10 il thdt he is dealing
sth honest and experienced men.
Interests Small Investor
The opening up Of large low-grade ore
hodeS. heretofore generally and necessa-
ily ignored in our great mining states. is
another phase Of mining development.
which will yield more certain returns on
he capital invested. and will. therefore.
give greater safety To the small as well a
- the large investor in mines AMI this
development also will give greater stabil-
itS 10 labor conditions. The discovery
and development of these large Iow-grade
ore bodies. as Is true of iron aud coal
oring about conditions which are no,