The Cordova daily times., 1915-05-14
VALUE OF CoRDovA's COPPER OUTPUT
 GREATER THAN ALL OTHER MINERALS


4 \ bo mines tributary to Cordova This production will almost equal the entire mineral output of all Alaska and IS only orernner of the rich copper glance that would be marketed from this section if the government had decided build its railroad to provide transportation and per init of the opening up and development of the quartz properties in the interior of the territory.
 As has been frequently pointed out in these columns Cor dOva offers the only tonnage route in Alaska The known copper deposits of the Copper river valley and Prince Will liam Sound will produce enough alone to establish market for 500000 tons of coal for mining and smetng poses This fue together with the and supplies the Copper River & Northwestern would haul annually would make proposition that would pay interest at the vestment Another reason trunk line from Cordova Fairbanks with the building of the necessary spurs which vast economic well National importance, is that this line would the petroleum oil fields of Kataa
 In the government system of railroads in Alaska the terminus is another important matter, We assert the authority of captains ranging from those employed sailing vessels to commanders United States cruisers there is habor north of Puget Sound equal to Cordova harbor In this harbor may be- anchored than 100 vessels in not less than IS feet and not exceeding 20 fahoms with swing of 400 yards each The harbor itself is far from the that the most powerful guns of enemys warshp could not reach it. While the approach to the harbor easily fortified that it could be made abo utey mpregnabe with but little expense. In 1910, Gen eral James H. Wilson, of Wilmington, Delaware visited Alaska and reported this harbor His report to the effect that could be fortified and mined with comparative ease that foreign enemy could not enter In the same year reservations made by the president at different points around the harbOr for naval and military purposes These reservations comprise in all about 50000 At different points these may be found splendid
 
 dry dock site is included in while the generay topog aphy of the country is such that Notifications be ed and maintained with
 The first Alaska Railway Commission appointed in 1912 had this say about this harbor: After its study of all available harbors the commission of the opinion that the at COrdova s without question, the best It has disad vantage not by all and great advantage pos sessd by other namely ample of good anchorage
 The habor at Seward could be fortified, but it has anchorage and subject the great drawback namely that
 railroad terminating there must traverse long stretch of of Tnlo least not mined because of its great deph and account of the and fall of the td the extreme being 40 feethe second greatest in the world It is practically impossible to fOrtfy Cook Inlet that foreign enemy could not enter and should the Maanska coal be brought the at Seward by of Ship creek, all times be subjected to danger from foreign foe Another great drawback to Ship Creek and Cook Inlet terminus and that makes it impossible harbor is that the is filled with ice ordinarily each year from November until late in April
 its known and tonnage prOcves was only given a cursory investigation by the Alaska Engineering Commis- slon whose members appointed for the purpose of gathering and furnishing President Wilson with all avail best route for the construction of government trunk line Tn this Northland We all know the result, but judging from the comments of the press and the people there IS considerable conjecture to why the Copper River
 Northwestern railroad which offers the only tonnage route and its extension to interior Alaska would open up vast of highly mneralzed and agricultural land had been passed That mistake has been made to be gen orally admitted and the big newspapers of the country declare that Cordova destined to be big mining industrial and railroad center although Uncle Sam may have been the means of delaying for short time ony the dawn of an of prosperity for this particular section of Alaska
 Everybody should bask in the Lords good sunshine as much they while lasts Health conentment rest largely upon it.
 The government deficit for the fiscal year will be about $l0OOOOOO0 and 1t will take than half dozen German