The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-03-05
Total production to January

1, IVA .................. $599,OOU
-Four mines have furnished the bulk
Of the output: The Rhoads-H Hall, the
Newsboy, the mine of the Reliance
Mining company, and that of the Chat
ham Mining company. The Rhoads-
Hall heads the list with an estimated
production of nearly 100000
Although production Increased in
1913, the lode mining industry as a
whole did not make so satisfactory a
showing as had been hoped. The most
discouraging features of present con-
lack of capital for development work
and the high cost Of mining. No out
side capital has yet found it's way into
Fairbanks quartz mining, due chiefly
to the comparative isolation of the dis
trict, the small size and great irregu-
larity Of the ore bodies, and geological
conditions regarded as unfavorable by
the mining engineers who have visited
the district. These difficulties have not
been sufticen to deter local capital,
but with the depletion Of the richest
placer deposits, there is less and less
local capital available. Under the
present conditions the mines must pay
their own way from the beginning, and
they are therefore forced to lead a pre-
carious hand-to- mouth existence that
can not fail to induce a high mortality
rate. An extensive campaign of pros
pecting and development work previ-
Gus to actual mining, such as is neces-
sary to any well regulated mining in :
dustry, is obviously impossible Evil
dence is not lacking that there are
bodies of low grade ore larger than
those now being worked, but these
must necessarily be idle for a time.
AIaska's Views Of the Railway Bill
In regard to the cost Of mining the
outlook is no better. Until better
transportation is provided-until, in
short, railway is built from Fair
banks to tidewater-costs must newt
ably remain excessive. And, in view
of the limited amount of business to
be expected from the Fairbanks end Of
such railway it must be run solely
In the interest of the public and not
for revenue, if it is to benefit those it
serves At this writing there is bill
before congress providing for the
building and operating of government
railways in Alaska, and if it becomes
a law the transportation problem will
be happily solved. Great opposition to
the bill is expected to develop on one
pretext or another, however. and it's
passage is doubtful. 1t is
feared that many congressman, while
endorsing the project of gov
eminent railways for Alaska, will de-
lay action and in the end defeat the
Dill. because, ostensibly, they object to
some minor detail of no real import
ance In Alaska, the people are prac-
tically a unit in favor Of government
for the territory.
In the rest of the United States, the
people wish to see Alaska developed
as rapidly as possible; but through
engendered by lack of
Information in regard to the resources
and conditions Of the territory. and by
the storm Of criticism, the charges and
following the cancella-
ton Of the Cunningham coal entries,
their IDEAS as to what should be done
are as hazy as their notions of Alas
ka's climate and geography. Mean
while there are believed to be power
'ul interests at work in opposition to
he expansion Of government partici-
patton In industry, whether in Alaska
,r elsewhere. 1t is believed, too, that
here is effective, though unobtrusve,
opposition being exerted by those in
crested in the California petroleum
ields, the eastern coal fields and the
that transport the oil and
,oal to Pacific coast markets. oS It is