The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-09
PLENTY 0F TONNAGE
 IN SBSlTNA VALLEY

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 There is plenty of tonnage in sight to warrant the building of inc govern, ment railroad vla susitna valley in the opinion Of Thomas Parker one of tho best known Of the old time ! Alaskans. who has spent much time I in that section and who was engaged with the U. S. railroad commission during the work Of last summer. The resources which arc to furnish this tonnage he says arc still practically undeyeloped although the start that lhaa been made has already given show ing enough to prove that further de- vclopment will open up vast resources, not only In mineral wealth but in ag- ricultural pursuits
 The Broad Pass section seems to offer evidences of prolific mining re- sources. Large deposits of gold ores, carrying values according to assay tests running from SIP Co $500 per ton are known to exist while the con- dltlons for successful farming are more favorable than any other sec ton of Alaska. except perhaps, the Panama valley.
 MT. Parker lolt that section of Ale aska during october Just passed and at chat time development work In tho Broad Pass section was actively un- der way The property of the Wells Brothers is probably the best known and has had the greatest amount of de- yelopment work done on 1t. They have developed three of their six claims to- some extent On one claim they have driven Q tunnel for distance of 70 feet and shown up an ore body car rying values running from SIP per ton to S2O0. The deposit or dyke has been developed to be 600 feet in width and has been traced in length for a distance of twelve miles. The ore is base or semi-base and will mostly have to be smelted.
 On the samo lead Coife and Kelly are doing development work; also the Bowker Brothers. while twenty-five miles west of Broad Pass Wolf and Hicks have developed a lead of theI samo character Of orc on the Chulit- na river. tributary of the Susitna river There were 1f0 quartz loca- ] uons made during the pest year.
 J. w. Strausbetter, the well known mining engineer is on the ground with a force of men representing a l biz Eastern syndicate. They have m option on the Wells Brothers property and will spend the winter investigate ing its possibilities further
 Tt is absolutely necessary that theI transportation facilities be provided ! in order to develop those properties and to operate them This can only be done through the construction of railroad and the building of wagon roads SO that mining supplies and ma cinory may be transported to the ground, says Mr. Parker
 Already" continued Mir. Parker . "there are forty bona fide homestead- | CTS located on the tillable land of the Susima valley and they are engaged ! in building cabins and in clearing land at the present time One ranch own ed and conducted by olson and Lar; son this past summer raised potatoes cn ten acres of ground that is under cultivation. securing yield of 100 tons to the acre. They also raised ! nearly all of the other known veget- | ables that thrive in Alaska
 It is Mr. Parker's belief that coal win be shipped from Ship Creek first becaus this is the point where the railroad will first touch tide water. After running the preliminary lines a party of government surveyors this past summer ran a location line from ship creek to the Mananuska coal fields. This would seem to indicate that Mr. Parker's belief is well found ed. Thes estimates were all turned in and the line is ready for constpc- tion. he says
 Knik is reported by Mir. Parker to be thriving in Q wonderful way. At least 10 new buildings were erected there during the past summer and fall. Mr. Parker. who is aboard the Admiral Evans, will engage in the business at Knik next sprine He eypects Co return Go Se- attle within the next 60 days for the purpose of making arrangements for his new enterprise.
 The mines back of Knik produced ! during the past season approximately S2SO OOO The Gold Bullion alone pro- iucerd S14O,OOO. Everyone around that section is reported to be in cheerful frame of mind. and optimistic for the future.
 
 SHOP EARLY and let tho @eifts