The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-01
TIE HAsKIN LETTBR
The Alaskan Opportunity.
Mineral Wealth
By Ereder1s ). Aasldn-

When IL is stated that American
prospectors have washed OUT OF Alas
kan sands. total of $3.50. geo, 900 in
gold, il begins TO look as though I'm
Gle Sam had used the judgment OF a
good Yankee land Spectator when he
paid Russia $7,2oo. 600 for the froZ-
en- peninsula back IN 1867. despite
the fact that he was at the time
4, harshIy criticised for throwing away
good money in purchasing such a
waste.
| When it is borne in mind that this
placer gold has been found at jun
eau. at Seward, at Fairbanks, at
Nome. each OF which points is some
500 miles from any OF the others. the
conclusion must be drawn that the
yellow metal is broadcasted through
out Alaska. When 1t is remembered
that placer gold must always have
| been washed down from the hills
above it. the conclusion is unavoida-
BILE that the rock ribs Of Alaska must
contain great abundance OF the
generally accepted standard of value.
Running a railroad into Alaska
promises to change the method OF
mining gold. Instead of looking for
sands, where q few men may work
a few months each summer With their
pans. the prospector of the future
will seek the mother lode, the rock
OF the mountainside from which the
placer gold came. Having found il,
he will, because of the railroad. be
able to introduce machinery, estab-
lish his stamp mills. sink his shafts,
and work perennialIy in the bowels
of the earth, despite conditions OF
temperature and darkness that may
prevail outside. As placer mining
the world around has always been
merely the prologue before the great
drama of Wrestling wealth from stope.
so may it be- concluded that the cur
tain is just going UP on the real per
Torrance that is to use this chaotic
end of continent as its stage set
ting.
But the federal government. in
pushing a line of railroad from Sc
ward, on the Pacific. ~ miles due
north to Fairbanks, in the interior.
thing rather less of gold mining than
of some other activities. Probably
its mind is most concerned about coal.
Certain il is that the lands which bor-
der on the Pacific ocean have been
strangely without this best of fuels.
Yet there seems no question but that
the crook in the elbow of Alaska con-
tains coal fields that rival those OF
Pennsylvania, and may develop into
the greatest in the world. These coal
fields, so placed that they may have
an advantage in freight rates to ha.f
the world. appear 10 Uncle Sam to be
more stapie assee .a.en - s1te So
mines OF this oIs esi -, s.,s
inefe Is ei.e ~ = "a :" 80, asa>' az.
"hich Is dihons tAe 80 80 ~ - -
be directly tapped by the government
line OF raiirestu- =. .s-s .Sn.a. :
pref eA1 "a tis.tion ~
Henl seoioslsts sne ~
statement tnat seEe!ils mics IN ~
ssctlon We're es.t am ~ 60 % a.I,.
OF this coai - ah' - a.. :, s. aast
Luei OF lts qua.Lls on IIs go
bitu ihlnous - eu9ans -
Do'h are 80 ioe "Ie .h1. .a.:I.1.
ing would De the sliiiplese opei
ne government mas, ds liae.
TACT oeen more ineefe'eu ~ =! ]. - -
nous tnan aHtn .aci'e' ,eta,ls - Las
wanted 70 cefeiop g..
suP2i9 OF soou III
us o;ittieships: ~ aSeoi 80 ~, ~.
tnis deslre, !. nas ii.ao s,... -. .i,a,.
Alaskan coais ana reports thae 80 .Alss
are equai IN quaLIs 70 lne DIse
FennsytVanla OF Nes' = .S1as.
mere are, on lne aetn l' ~ 49,
nun Der OF coais tnat nay ps -
Tor Ordinary purposes, put .h luSta e "
not come up 10 tue fequsts -
the navy. vancouver eoai -
Sooa IN It's way ous II . ~ 49,.
tie. accoronS 10 soNeFnilen. .,s1
and mucn OF its hea'-p l,.,'l 90 90
ify therefore escapes. ne nav 800. ln"s
not use IT. AS result, the s 49, -