The Alaska daily empire., 1915-12-20

obtain the material and financial sup port to prospect one season. If he finds mineral other than placer gold, unless 1t is immediately one the coast, it IS almost impossible for him to dispose of 1t.
 Miner Is Trail Blazer.
 Mining is the basic industry on which this country must grow and the men employed in mining will furnish the principal market for years for the agricultural products. It was min ing that first developed the resources of the Great West and paved the way for an empire. To help the miner is Co help the entire country.
 "The Government Railroad now un- der construction from the coast to the interior will open an enormous field to the prospector who will fol- low the construction gangs 10 the new fields. Should an experimental sta tiOn be established to make mineral ogical determinations, to do free as- saying to bona fide prospectors. to train In the mine rescue work, 1t could point out the way to those min erals now neglected. or unknown to the average prospector and when such minerals were found could show him the way to the market for their disposal
 Juneau Logical Location.
 Juneau Is the seat or the govern ment of the entire territory and Is the central point for mail and steam CT service to all parts. All parts of the territory are reached by boats from Juneau, with the exception of the few boats which leave Seattle direct for Nome during the short sum- mer months.
 Furthermore. Southeastern and Southwestern Alaska. and particular ly the immediate coast sections are the heaviest mineralized belts of the territory and Juneau is the center of all
 "If a prospector leaves Seattle for the Westward he stops at Juneau, if for Skagway and the interior by way of the White Pass, he stops at Juneau. If for Nome by way of the river or Seward, Id.tarod trail during the winter. he stops at Juneau. These facts show that Juneau is the meet ing point for people from all sec tions.
 Juneau is the heart of one of the greatest mining districts in the world. This is a proven fact and admits of no argument. Its port Is an excellent one and is open all the year round. It has both cable and wireless service with the states and with all parts of the Territory. About one half of all the miners employed in the entire territory are working within Q few miles of Juneau, which has excellent ferry and stage service with all mines in the section.
 Site Owned in Capital
 The Federal government now owns the ground site for O Federal Building Tn Juneau which site is amply large for the accommodation of a building devoted to the mining industry. In addition to this the city, through the Juneau Commercial Club, has pledg. ed itself to furnish the necessary site free of cost to the Government.
 Such Q station would have the backing and assistance of some of the largest mining companies in the world and also the advice and help of their trained technical stan. The men trained in first aid work in such a station would scatter over the en- tire territory and disseminate the knowledge gained here.
 "At the present time there are but few commercial assayers in the Ter r,tory. and some of them have been sad disappointment to those doing business with them. The experiments al station would not interfere with them for the reason that, while they would make assays and mineral de- terminations for actual prospectors free of charge, as soon as active pros. pecting work had been started on 2