The Alaska daily empire., 1914-08-12
ALASKA TO PROVIDE
 GREAT TONNAGE


 That the Alaska Railway Commits sion win be able to report amazing figures on the commerce of Alaska is indicated in a compilation made by Robert ". Baxter. president of the Alaska Steamship company and vice president of the Copper River and Northwestern Railroad. According to Baxters figures. merchandise valued at more than S1S,7OO,0OO has been shipped from Seattle to Alaska during the past ten months. This, in round figures. is more than sS,5OO.OOO in ex- cess of the shipments made for the banner year of 1912,
 The total output of Alaska's mineral wealth last year was estimated at S1S,- 5OO,OOO, decrease of nearly SS,OOO,OO0 from the value of the 1912 yield. The decrease is accounted for in lack of operation in the gold mines of Fair banks and Nome caused by an unpre- cedented shortage of water and by decrease in the copper production caused by temporary closing down of several of the mines in the Prince William Sound country.
 In copper production this year Al aska is expected to break all records. The continuous operation of several mines that were closed down part of last year. and the opening of new prop critics, notably the Mother Lode and the Jungle mines in the Copper River valley, will make the production of copper for the year more than 35,000,- 900 pounds of metal, valued, according to the market fluctuation at something between 14 cents and IS cents a pound.
 Full cargoes of Copper.
 Many ships coming from Southwest ern Alaska this year are carrying full cargoes of copper ore, the average out put of shipping ore being in excess of 1000 tons day. It Is estimated that the copper ore tonnage will reach total of more than 25OO0O tons.
 Increase of gold production this year is looked for in the fact that numbers of small mills have been placde in op- eration during the past six months. From Valdez alone the output of gold from three of these small mines will average more than 5000 a day, while large addition to the gold yield Is expected from Seward, in the vicinity of which several small mills have been kept in continuous operation all sum- mer.
 Another increase of mineral produc. ton Is expected from Seward penInsu- la, where, according to reports receiv- ed, there ise now an abundance ow wa ter and several new dredging machines are in operation. This region also will produce considerable quantity of tin this year.
 Big Works at Juneau.
 While tremendous sums are being ex. pended at Juneau in the development of mining properties. no material in- crease in production of gold is expect ed in this section until next year, when the big plant installed by D. c. Jack ling will be placed in operation.
 The Treadwell and other properties also are increasing their crushing ca pacity These properties, operated by the giants of the mining world, already show enough ore in sight to keep the crushing plants busy for about a cen tury and in some cases even longer.
 All of these matters are being care fully investigated by the Alaska rail. road commission, and while the road will be built primarily for the purpose f furnishing coal for the United States navy, the engineers will recommend the construction of branches and spurs to points where the greatest develop nent is in progress.-(J. J. Underwood, in The Seattle Times.)