The Alaska daily empire., 1917-01-23
RECOGNIZING VALUE OF ALASKA
(Cordova Alaskan)

Until recent years the United States govern ment, as well the people in the States GencTa'y' looked upon Alaska as being of slight value to 'he remainder of the nation. lt regarded as perhaps desirable for Gurs edible fishes known to nhabit the waters Of the northland and it was known that Territory The people in the United States these things in a general way only. They lacked SpcclllC knowledge on the subject because they did not take the trouble to obtain the facts. The very name Of Alaska suggested and always associated with a
 land Of perpetual and ice, scarcely tt Tor haD tatOn. A person coming from Alaska was regarded especially in the east, something Of a curiosity
 But things changing fast. People Tn the United States beginning 70 realize that Alaska
 S big domain having within its confines vast uhue yeoped resources that needed and that will greatly enrich the nation. The thought or the people or the United States is reflected in the activities or the heads of departments at Washington with respect to Alaska The development of the resources of the Territory
 formed the feature Secretary Lanes annual report Alaska came in for due consideration in the reports of the departments of agriculture, the postmaster gen erGl and the commissioner of the general land office
 t is well for the nation and for Alaska that the true situation be known in the states; 1t is desirable TOT the people of the United States to know that in Alas ka Uncle Sam has possession of potential posSiOI- ties.
 The waters Of Alaska compose the greatest salmon
 fisheries in the possession of the United States Canned salmon to the value of $2OOJOOOO annually taken from the iers adjacent this Territory. No other possession under the dominion of the United States comes anywhere this salmon production It IS apparent then that Alaska leads in the production oi salmon.
 Alaska is the only possession of the United States that attempts anything in the way of the rein. deer industry This TerritOry-hat is, parts of of more importance than most people realize.
 Alaska has greatly developed coal fields. In the opinion of coal experts, they are the greatest in the world The government slow 10 realize the vast wealth in these coal measures but is now engaged
 in meritorOus effort to open them by constructing a government owned railway system to the MatanusNa and Nenana fields, although the Boring River fields, adjacent to COrdova, lie in dormant state We can not claim that Alaska leads in coal production but we prediction within the next 70 years the coal mines Of the Territory will be producing substantial part of the total production in the United
 While the figures are not at hand showing the placer gold production in the various states Of the produces more gold in the virgin form than any otheI single state in the Union. Our annual production is in the neEhbOrhOod of twenty million dollars. l. we not in the lead in placer gold production, we are among the hghliners.
 As to lode mining Alaska has long enjoyed the reputation of possession of one of the great lode mines of the world The Treadwel mines rank with the Com stock, the New Zealand and South African mines as gold producers In copper there is no other mine in the world that is in the same class with the kennecOtt The kennecott produces vast amount Of chaIcocIte ore, commonly called copper glance This ore is very high grade as to copper content, yielding from 6O to co per cent copper An interesting story IS told with reference tO this great property when it was in the possession of the original lOCaOrS One of thCm an Oldmer named Amy took specimens of the to the called upon the big copper of the States. He went O William A. ClarkS office at Butte, showed his rich opeCleua ana tOlu or tue Db AtpOSlL Ild nature du revealed. Clark examined the specimens, noted that they were chalcocte, and haading them back to Amy said: You've been in Alaska too long my friend loul be all right after being in the States awhile What do you meau?" said Amy. "I mean that you're crazy" said the copper king. Those specimens that sOu show from very great depth-prObaby from | ny United Verde mine. That character of copper ore is found the surface" Of course Amy | could do nothing with Clark because of the then | prevailing opinion in mining circles that such high grade copper ores did not show the surface that hey found at great depth.