The Alaska daily empire., 1916-01-01
By BARTLETT L. THANE

in passing that these gold rushes are not the result of modern conditions only. for the ancient records of Egypt reveals the that there was similar rush to that which many witnessed in Alaska into the land of Nubs. or land of Nub. nub meaning gold, seventeen hundred years before Christ The miners from the Caucasus, Asia and India and the records show that through placer mining over a period Of one hundred years. output of many mill lions year obtained
 The classic legend one of the famous Greek myths the sailing of the Argonauts in the good ship Argosy and the reference to the Golden Fleece, insignia of of the greatest orders Europe was nothing more than gold rush by the Greek miners and adventurers into the Black country several hundred before Christi and the reference to the Golden Fleece which has been mysterious to many of tn classic scholars. likewise nothing than the use of sheared sheep wool suice boxes to catch fine gold. practice which is still being used in many placer operations.
 Since the discovery of gold in California in 184s these fields alone have citizens of the United States over sixteen hunderd millions, or about onequarter Of the entire gold supply of the world Before this period the citizens of United States were in a measure 'Hewers of wood and drawers of water" unable to finance themselves and therefore dependent the wealth of other countries for finan cial aid. It has been noted by Fisk and other historians that the output of gold in California made 1t possible for the North successfully the Civil War and to sustain the financial which oc cured immediately thereafter. This close parallel with the present situation far England is con-
 
 preservation of the Union. 70. -..- .-..- .--
 The United States is now the richest country in the world in mineral wealth. We produce the most iron and coal; nftyour percent of the copper thirty percent of the ead between thirty forty percent of the zinc and from one-Quarter to onethird of the gold. The present remarkable prosperity exist ing throughout the United States almost entirely due to the wealth in metals, permitting us to manu. facture the munitions for the Allies the one hand and to sell immense quantities of materials on the other hand.
 Between one.third and onehalf of the annual pro- auction of the United States is in the form of mineral wealth. running between two and three billions of dollars annually, compared with between six and seven bions the value of the agricultural crop Sixty percent of the freight hauled by the today is directly due to the mining industry therefore the prosperity of the United States which Is usually measured by the prosperity of the railroads will seen in reality to be due her mineral wealth.
 It can therefore be plainly that the real wealth Of any country. as we'll as the rapid advance of civilization. Is largely the result the satisfactory development Of the mining industry, and this is pc. cuarly true of Alaska. There can be no doubt that the future of Alaska Is dependant upon de. development of her mineral wealth than any other industry.
 The construction of railroads and other transpor. tstion systems throughout the Territory the building of her cities and the development of her aHri. cultural resources, such as they may be- unques. tonably accessory to mining and the exploitation of the mineral resources of the Territory.
 Outside of the operations of the Treadwell mines and few other smaller mining projects, the growth Of Alaska, just 1t in California, may be marked by the discovery of gold in the Klondike followed by the discovery of gold and other metals generally throughout the Territory. Since that date hundreds of millions In gold, copper and silver been won from her mines, and have been responsible for the growth of her present civilized centers in Juneau and environs. Fairbanks. Nome. Seward, Cordova, Valdez, Ketchikan and other towns. ..-.. .... .
 Following the discovery of placer goid in the various sections of Alaska extensive prospecting was carried out, and Is being continued throughout the entire Territory Such prospecting has followed by study and careful examination of the mineral zone by trained engineers in search for mines, and aso by the highly trained staff of the United States Geological Survey As a result 1t may. be kenerally stated that the greater part of the known mineral outcrops, lode systems and are being studied to degree which their mineral contents seems to warrant. ..' ..r "
 Importance far has been mainly given to gold silver and copper. and the output of these metals from the district has been in sufficient quantities and over such wide definitely to prove Alaska is one of the worlds important areas of mineral wealth. The output of gold has averaged around twenty millions of dollars year, and has probably reached It's maximum point The rapid exhaustion of the high grade placer being offset by the more thorough and systematic and permanent develop ment of the gold lode system well the scientific operation on large scale of the low grade placer . v