The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-09-14
HUSTON WRITES
FROM alaska
Minot Man Tells of Wonderful Coal
and Gold Mines-Scenery Is
Beyond Description
Katalla, Alaska, 8-31-'16.
Editor Independent:

I have almost completed my trip
through the land of magnificent seem
cry, where their harvest, like ours, ia
golden one, but is copper and gold,
instead of wheat.
The scenery is past description. It
grips you and holds you, the snow-cap-
tend up $4,000 to 10000 feet in the
air, the huge glaciers moving on their
slow journey to the sea, the icebergs
floating in the ocean, the long green
and white ghost streamers, the north
ern lights playing fantastically across
the sky, the mountain falls-this is
Alaska, but just a glimpse, for you
must see it to understand it.
There are a great number of quaint
Indian villages with their wierd totem
poles and odd carvings. Their bas-
kets woven from the sea grass show
the true primitive condition Of the
native Alaska.
Alaska is the home of the halibut
industry and has large numbers of
salmon canneries. Their cold storage
and freezing plants are as we'll equip
ped as any on the Pacific coast.
The gold industry is located on the
Gastinean channel. I visited the
Treadwell mine, the second largest
gold producing mine in the world.
Here is found the historical "Glory
Hale" where so many men lost their
lives.
At Thane across the bay is the Alas
ka Gastinean Mining Co. They have
the largest mill in the world, with
capacity of 10000 tons of gold ore
each day. The plant has thousands of
stamps which grind the ore into con-
centrateS.
1t would perhaps surprise you to
know that the present coal fields are
as extensive as the entire state of
Pennsylvania, but as yet are largely
undeveloped. There are two main
fields of this. The Matunaska and the
Bering River coal fields. At Katalla
the gateway of the Bering fields I
found two large, active mines. The
Mcdonald mine, which mines bitumin-
Gus coal, is at decided disadvantage
because Of the fact that they have no
way Of getting their coal out. The
other company is the Alaska Petrol
cum and Coal Co. They have prop
erty embracing several millions of
ecAiS VI SOliiS VI tilS iSleSJ SIdUG du.
thracite coal to be found in the world.
They have completed now IA miles of
a 17-mile railway which connects with
bunkers to be built at Controller Bay.
They are mining now and have force
Of men at work on their property.
They also are owners Of valuable oil
claims. The oil claims show wonder
fIll prospects. The oil may be seen
seeping out all over the entire prop
ertv.
The Alaska Anthracite Railroad Co.
are completing their line here now and
have big crew Of men at work.
The government profess are pro-
crossing slowly but surely. Autos are
unknown practically here and the
judge Of Katalla spoke boastingly
when he told men that there were
three horses in the town. Boats fur
nish the method of Transportation and
before one goes out he must have his
rubber boots.
This country is a paradise to the
hunter. There are many bear and
mountain goats. The geese go in
droves instead of focks. A man often
goes out and kills ten or twelve geese
in three hours.
I will write you more later.
Sincerely yours,
HOWARD HUSTON.