The Alaska daily empire., 1916-01-01

The copper mining has shown splendid improve ment due primarily to the discovery of high grade ore bodies by the Kennecot Corporation and the more eAtehsVe operations carried not alone by pany. but by others which have entered into this particular branch of mining. It has been shown that copper is found wide range of country-in fact in almost every part of the district It is probable that the future output of copper from Alaska will snow gradual increase. following more extensive exploitation and better means of transportation.
 Lead and silver have so far been mined mainly as accessories to gold and copper. and yet or great importance No is being produced in Alaska because at there no opportunity of smelting zinc the Pacific Coast and therefore no incentive to the exploitation zinc minerals Iron marble, antimony. tungsten manganese barte, quick. silver and tin have been shown exist in the Terri. tory but have only been studied and exploited to very limited extent
 It would seem that the future of the mining in. dusry in Alaska would indicate fairly steady supply or gold at about the present total; an immediate iu- crease in copper: the development of coal and more eiaoorae exploitation and development iron mar be. barite. tin and the elements This will be brought aoout oy the increase in population of "nole Pacilc Slope. with attendant greater de- mand for these particular metals and materials Iron smelting will undoubtedly be eventually developed on the Pacific Coast contemporaneousy with the opening or coal fields and the production of good coke The demand for iron the Pacific Coast has already reached point where such industry Is warranted and with the iron industry will come the accessory minerals useful in ferro-aoys such chrome man. sanese, tungsten. yanadium etc. No incentive nor opportunity has yet been offered for the extensive prospecting of these metals.
 The coal fields Of Alaska have been the subject or much political discussion during the past few years ana are now being partially opened up by the con. structon of the government railroad as we'll as by private railroad enterprises. time and with proper encouragement coal mining should become one of the great industries of the country. However this will not be accomplished without honest understanding Of the situation and realization the part of Alas. be fficult prses to exploit these fields under the present teasing system and successfully compete with the fuel produced from the oil fields California and the coal now developed and marketed from the Washing. ton and British Columbia districts. close study of these Alaskan coal fields indicate that the great ma. )ory Of the coal is only little better than the aver. age grade produced in British Columbia mines, and the difficulty Of transportation and long haul to cen. ters of population will be entirely against the ,n Vestor It would seem that consistent effort, on the part of not alone Alaskans but the whole Pacific Coast should be made towards securing a liberal teasing system free from technicaltes and tape At the same time a concerted effort should be made to insist that the United States government should use Alaska coal entirely for Pacific battle fleet and discontinue hauling coal from Atlantic seaports to the Pacific as Is being done. With this as a nucleus the development of the fields could begin almost Immediately and 1t would permit the lessor and operator to have something definite to 20 on pending the period of the building up of local and Pacific Coast markets and also period of depe. tion of the oil fields of California.
 With the exhaustion of the high grade gold placers and richer lode deposits which a rule the first to be discovered and the first to be worked out the natural evolution of the mining industry is towards consolidation of lower grade areas with larger in. vested capital greater and more extensive equipment, larger production and lower working costs
 In brief this means capital operating through large corDorations-the anathema of political dema. gognes, II would that a Alaskans interested in the future of the country must realize that the next phase of mine development in this country will take this natural course. just It has done in all other countries. The proof that have arrived at this point Is evidenced by the operations and results of operation in the district adjacent to Juheau in the Copper River District; Dawson and the Yukon Valley and at Nome Therefore the Alaskan, personally and through the Legislature, should encourage this class of operation to the utmost It right that proper re- strictons should be made in relation to corporations just as 1t Is in regard to the individual, but such restrictions should be developed in spirit of CO operation and fairness and with full appreciation of the necessity of large capital and large corporations in the future development of the TerritofyS mineral resources. ..... .|. ....... ..r Nsa.
 In addition to this there should be every effort made by the citizens and the Legislature, and by the Delegate to Congress to establish at strategic points throughout the Territory properer experimental sta. tlona either by themselves in conjunction with an advanced school system so that prospectorS would