The Cordova daily times., 1915-05-11
A COMPARISON OF ALASKA COAL
 IN MATANUsKA AND BERING FIELDS

T first only patent that has thus far been granted
 for any coal claim in the Boring River feld recent
 issued to T. F. Mcdonald, of Kaalla, and in this tion desire present few facts relative Alaska fuel and draw comparisons between the Matanuska and Boring River fields tonnage producers for railroad In the first place of interest to review the different tests made by the navy department of coal from these fields
 In 19OS by permission of the government, Mr. Mcdonald caused thirty tons of coal to be mined from his claims the Boring River ed which put aboard the baeshp Nebas k for test This the first actual test made of Alaska coal for naval purposes and herewith give excerpt from the report of Lieutenant Crenshaw senior engineer showing the result of the test:
 ''There enough of the on board to make test in all the seamng bolers boilers used for this coal and the three remaining boers under another stack using coal supplied the navy yard. Pocahontas
 'The Kaalla coal is smokeess coal of fair steamng quality It did not cnger and will stand very little working This coal must be fired very light worked with light to boiler compared with 187 tons of coal boiler during the same period of time.
 'In my opinion this coal is well worth further and extensive test the quantity tested board here not sufficient to determine its efficiency steaming coal
 Following this test Mr. Mcdonald made proposition the government furnish 1000 coal from his claims m the Beng River field in order to make thorough and complete test His offer accepted reason that the administration in power at that time had withdrawn all coal lands from entry and prohibited the mining any purpose whatsoever pending the settlement of the Alaska coal question.
 Three years later appropriation of $7500O was made for the purpose making of the Boring River
 
 water divided between representatives of the eror departments with the natural result jealousy arose and quarres ensud the echoes of which heard Wash lngton On attempting to land their supplies Kataa the the which they using to transfer ad and much of the equipment and many of their scientific instruments lost The loss of this equipment and instruments was great handicap in determining the best veins from which to select the coal However after time and after fashion, between 700 and 800 tons of coal mined finally transported twenty miles to dewater where was piled on the beach and lay until the next summer with the tide ing and going it each day After lying this condition for several months it taken aboard the cruiser Maryland and the result of the tes we'll known sasfac tory 1t has been admitted by the heads of all departments having to do with this that the was inadequate and not fair showing of the Boring River field.
 year later it determined to make test of the Mat anuska coal The work placed under one department One of the best authorities coal in the United States was selected to supernend the work Expert coal miners were employed to mine and handle the coal The most likely seams were selected and everything done it would be the Poca hontas held m order to produce coal that would conform the requirements of naval contract result of course satisfactory.