The Alaska citizen., 1914-05-25


 by the Geological Survey for the annual campaign of Investigating tie mineral resources of Alaska. the field plans for the year having been approved by Secretary Lane. The ralties have been made up. and some of the horses and other equip ment purchased.
 Prospecting surveys in the isolat ed parts of the Territory requires preparation long ill advance, and part of the supplies are shipped in over the winter trails on account of the difficulties of summer trans portation For this seasons work supplies were started inland from the coast early last January and are now cached at convenient points located 20O to 300 miles inland for use of the parties during the work ing season, which lasts frome June through September
 Eleven parties will be put in the field this year and as in the past special heed will be given to the investigation of the resources of those districts which are tributary to the several routes that have been advocated for the proposed govern ment railways.
 Exploring New Routes.
 A party under the leadership of j. W. Bagley and Theodore Chapin will undertake the exploration of the region tributary to Talkeetna river and will connect with the sur veys of the Broad Pass region made last year. This party, con sisting of seven men with fifteen horses, will go up Matanuska river the scene of the new gold discov- cry on Albert creek. It will pene- trate a region now but little known, lying in the headwater country of Talkeetna river. On returning, the party will survey the region be- tween the headwaters of Matanuska and Copper rivers that has been ad- vocated as railway route.
 An exploration of the region lying between Lake Clark on the east and the Iditarod district on the west will be undertaken by R. H. Sargent and Philip $. Smith. Here there is a belt of country over 100 miles in width which is almost an entire blank on the map. The party, made up of seven men. with twenty horses, will follow route that has been suggested for a railway into the great kuskokwim basin
 A. G. Maddren will investigate the gOld-placer districts tributary to the lower Kuskokwim. He will ascend Iditarod river, by canoe, portage across the divide to reach the Kus- kokwim, and visit the Anniak, Tul- uksak, and Goodnews bay placer districts.
 Stephen R. Capps and c. E. Gif- fin will carry geologic and topo- graphic surveys across Skolai pass into the White river basin and thence to the international boundary. This is also a region where railway building has been considered. MT. Capps will give special attention to the investigation of the newly dis covered gold district in the Chisana basin This work is an extension of previous reconnaissance surveys In this field.
 Detailed Mineral Surveys. A detailed base map will be made of part of the Juneau district. now the most important gold lode camp in Alaska and promising to become one of the most important on the continent. The purpose of the base map is to make possible an eX haustive study of the occurrence of the gold ores. D. c. Witherspoon will undertake the making of the DdSS Idp, WHICH VIII Oc ol q oSd1C of 3 inches to the mile.
 A detailed survey of the Kotsina experiencing area was undertaken in 1912, but unfortunately, the delay in the appropriation during the last two years has prevented its compile tion. It is planned that F. H. Moi fit and J. B. Mertie now complete this work. B. L. Johnson, with one assistant, will undertake the detailed geologic survey of the Port Valdez gold and copper district. The base map necessary for this work was completed in 1913.
 General Investigations.
 To coordinat eand correlate the various geologic surveys in Alaska it is necessary to continue the