Douglas Island news., 1914-05-13
The Douglas Island News
WEDNESDAY. MAY l3, l9l4
Bering River Coal Tests

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 The tests of Boring river coal con- ducted on the battleship Maryland have not proved satisfactory, says Railway and Marine News. According to press dispatches the coal falls far short of U. s. naval requirements. Without any official announcements de tails cannot be intelligently discussed, but the mere statement that Boring river coal is not good, opens up a world of interesting argument and places an entirely new light on the great ques- tion. It has been charged iu the press of Alaska and by certain parties resid ing near Katalla, that the coal brought down in sacks from Che Boring River field was first taken from the open face of the mine and not from any devel- oped properties; that it was allowed to lay in the open, exposed to all weather for many months; aud fualy it was re- sacked and some rock and slate man aged to get into the consignment. Of these alleged charges, definite knOwl- edge is lacking but certainly, if the charges have been made no matter by whom, it is up to the government to have the Boring River coal properly mined and loaded, sent to the seacoast and tried out in Prince Vii. liam sound This is an important mat. ter, owing to the fact that the Boring River coal is only 3S miles from a rail road point and the construction of the 38 miles requires the least amount of grading, bridging and general cOnstruc tion work of any suggested line in Alaska.
 If the Boring River coal ia no good, as evidenced by this casual test, what becomes of the abatement of Clifford Pinchot to the effect that the Boring River coal field represented the most valuable and the largest undeveloped fuel supply known Go the worldY
 If the Bering River coal is not valu able, why should irresponsible state ments have been made for the last ten years covering that deposit, statements which thought about the entire period of stsguation and suffocation in South eru Alaskan Win The Eastern theorists and muck rakers for once be manly enough Go admit their errOr2
 FoI years this country has rung with the statement made without reserva 1 tiou of the fabulous extent and unheard of wealth represented by the Boring River coal fields. LocatOrs have prao tically their entire fortune tied up in claims in Alaska, which claims were absolutely denied aud to date none has been able Co get refund of bis money. If the Boring river coal is not good, the Uuirrd States government should not hesitate a moment about ordering a refund of tbe amounts paid by all the coal claimants iu that district.
 The truth of the matter is that the . tests of Beriug River coal on the U. S. S. Maryland were not fair nor just to . Boring River coal and the only fair way to test that coal is to develop the mine ! during the very early summer and as quickly as possible get the coal to the ] seacoast under guard and have it given . a preliminary test right on the ground. 1 The mining, loading and shipping of the small consignment which eveu- tually was tested in the Maryland's boiler room, was conducted in a most unbusinesslike and lax manner. It ! can here be stated that the Boring River fields produce an excellent qual- ity of various grades of coal, but as no mine has ever been opened in that dis trict the actual efficiency of the coal cannot be determined except by anal ysis of coal taken from the outcrOp ping or from a point but a short dis tance into the veiu Heretofore all :. analyses from the surface have given every indication of an exoell, nt grade of coal lying underneath.
 It is now pretty generally understood T