Valdez daily prospector., 1916-01-20
GOVERNOR URGES
 MINING STATION
Growing Importance of Lode Mining in Alaska Treated Upon in Re-
 port of Governor Strong.

The development of the lode mines of Southeastern and Southwestern Alaska, according to the annual re- port of Gov. Strong, calls for the es- of a station q. or near Juneau, which is the center of a nuAl- Der of great quartz mines.
 To this station ores from all sec tions of, Alaska could be forwarded for assay in order that miners and could secur. reliable as say reports on their ores. He recom- mends that these assays should be made free of charge in order to en- prospectors.
 Mining began in Alaska in 1880, and since that time the territory llac produced mineral wealth to the value of $26S,150,0O0. Of this amount $244,156,O0O has been in gold, $19,- 5000 in copper, $2,251,0O0 in si! yer, s370,000 in coal, and t'.e rest in ton, lead, quicksilver, marble. gyp- sum, petroleum, etc.
 The Bonanza copper mine of ken, necott Mines company, and tue Bes,t son Bonanza and Ellamar ccp;er mines have been shipping steadily during the past summer owing tc the sharp advance in the price of c'r! CT. It is stated that the mines in the Co., per river valley have been shipping from $1,000,000 to $2,OO0,00; w.rth of ore each month. Work h. been resumed at the Midas mine. ct Val deg, and the Mt. Andrew mile near Ketchikan. Many copper properties in the Prince William Sound 1!,:rict are approaching the stage of devel- opment when they will begin to add to the wealth of mineral pro iuct;or of the territory. The report says that two copper mines and five gold lode mines were operated in the Prince William Sound district durin:: the year 1914. These mines were the Cliff, the Ramsay-Rutherford, the Gold King and the Cameron-John- son, and several other properties on a lesser scale. The completion of the mill at the Granite mine, which has been operated steadily during tte past year is noted.
 The report of the governor al.' calls attention to the enormous wa ter powers of the coast sections ot Alaska, and to their importance in the treatment of ores, besides furr- ishing electric power for industries and other purposes, and the wonder full possibilities in the manufacture of electro-chemical products.
 There are sixteen incorporat n towns in the territory: Cinema, Cor dova, Douglas, Eagle, Fairbanks, Haines, Iditarod, Juneau, Ketchikan. Nome, Petersburg, Seward, Skagway Tanana, Valdez and Wrangell.
 Since the purchase of the Territory in 1867 the products of it's fisheries have amounted to $254,000.00O--;l- most equal to the total value of tho mineral output during the same D. riod. The Governor is not of the opinion that serious injury has re suited from what he terms conner cial exploitation, yet believes that the government should operate all hatch cries and at the same time should ex ercise a competent and careful regu- lation of the fishing industry.
 There are five species of salmon in the waters of Alaska, which each year come in from the sea in countless numbers. These five species, in their present. order of commercial impor- tance, are red or sockeye, which is most plentiful in western Alaska; the humpback, which is taken more largely in southeastern Alaska; the chum or dog salmon, also taken more especially in southeastern Alaska; and the king or spring, and the coho or silver salmon. which species are widely distributed throughout Alaska