The Nome daily nugget., 1916-08-07
NOME, ALASKA, AUGUST 7, 1916.

The granting of patent rights to the owners of coal claims in the Cape Lishurne fields is d development of cNtrordinurAk importance 10 the peo- ple of Nome and Northwestern AL askd. So also is the announcement that the parties interested in the claims are preparing to perfect title under the dispensation granted and will institute development work as speedily as possible. Probably no de-
 Nelopment of greater importance to this section has occurred since the original gold discovery, as through it may come what will be in every sense a new era of mining exploitation.
 one who is familiar with the gen. eral conditions and requirements of this district will at once perceive that the prospect of early development and operation of the local coal fields opens up q wide vista of possibilities for the future of mining development in this section Of the territory as they will ultimately become primary factor in supplying what is unquestionably 1hc most imperative need of the dis tricJ-cheaper coal.
 Coal next to food supplies, is the | most important requisite of existence | n this section of Alaska. In the ab- sence of an hut very limited fuel sup phes of other character. the country Is practically uninhabitable except 10 a very limited number of people Ex- eepung the unexploted coal fields of fhe district, such fuel supplies as are obtainable are utterly inadequate to dn he domestic needs of even the | meager population existing here at the present tune. Without coal there can be neither comfort, enjoyment or prosperity for the people of Nome and the adjacent communities Even ex- isten ecis nearly impossible.
 Aside from it's importance in this respect coal is also the great neces- sity in he development and exploita- ton of the most important resources. With inc reduction of the shallower mineral deposits. mining development has become largely a question of me- chanics. Machinery is the most im- .#.t.nt factor in the extraction of the mineral values contained in the soil steam power forms the basis of prac- ticaly three fourths of the present gold extraction methods. Fuel is. therefore. quite as important to the | prosperity of the mining industry as 1 il is To inc physical well being Of those who exist by and through min ing development Not only ls fuel the great desiteratum in the affairs of the country generally but there is also an imperative demand that if be
 a price more moderate than neccs- sarily prevails where the supply mar ket is thousands of miles away Both III the operation Of the mechanical adjuncts of mining generally and in tac development of the vast areas of low grade mineral deposits particu- larly cheaper fuel is the most im- portant necessity. Tens of thousands of acres of valuable low grade gray els cannot be profitably exploited without a reduction in the price of fuel deposits. As these deposits form by far the larger portion of the min eral resources of the district, the ab- scnce of moderate priced fuel means that the country cannot reach the ultimate of that prosperity to which it is entitled by reason of it's vast latent wealth until cheaper fuel SUD- plies are obtained. Unless this is ac-