The weekly Alaska citizen., 1917-10-29

. Itdu bl Mtu'N' Np tAiN'''''' ''''''' safety. economy, and efficiency in the mining. quarrying. metallurgical. and miscellaneous mineral industries of the country.
 National Need of the Bureau of Mines
 We have seen that the basic pur pose of the Bureau of Mines was to eliminate all wastage, both of human life and health and of min, eraI values and possible wealth. from the mining industry of the country-to make mining safe and |e.uclent. Now there comes man who asks why the National Gov erum.nt should be interested in the mining game and what preceden there is for it.
 The big question ot whether the Rational Government should contrib ute to the advancement of it's basic industries was settled anirmatIyely long ago by Congress. which has been appropriating many millions of dollars each year for the advance ment of agriculture, and this pro gram of good work includes educa- tiOnal, eXperImenta! and research features, as well as general inquiries. More recently, and on smaller though similar scale Congress has authorized series of inquiries and researches looking to the advance ment of the other of the nations two great industries Mining.
 In 1914 pr. Holmes recommended to Congress that, owing to the mag nitude of the country. the distances between the widely distributed min eral regions, and the marked differ cnces not only in the nature ot the mineral resources of this country but also in the conditions under which they must be developed, il d.d not appear to be practicable ip conduct efficiently at any ono cen trM point researches concerning all these varied mineral resources. In addition to one or more central lab otator.cs, it was important that there be established in number of the more important mining regions of the country local mining experiment Stations at which researches might De conducted in keeping with the nature, mode of occurrence and the development of these minerals. He suggested that there be not Iesa han 10 such Stations established, lae .agget number oI winch to be located i'll the pubiic-ldUus states O4 ,ue West, and that these Stations uO for the uln.us industry ol the Ceunuy q @Orh comparable to the a,oIh which IS being done n behalf oI agricultural advancement by the more than 50 agricultural eHper- ment Stations Gone in each State and IcrriIory) for the maintenance u which Congress yearly apptopri- utes about two million dollars.
 Dr. Holmes especially recommend cd that there be established a min .ng and meJaIlursicaI laboratory for t1e assistance of prospectors in the Territory o1 Alaska"
 h 1915 Congress passed an act directing the Secretary of the In ter.or to establish and maintain in the important mining regions of the JQ!,ed States and the Territory of Alaska, under the Bureau of Mines, iU mining experiment Stations and ! additional nine-safety Stations. IAe act states that the province and uaty ul these Stations shall De io Ilittht Ii-N cS u sd lIOuS anu ElS0tih AIe|L Lt information with view to imprOV- Ing conditions in the mining, quarry jng. metaIlurgicaI, and other miner al industries, safeguarding life among employees, preventing unnecesaa}! waste and otherwise contributing to the advancement of these industries IL also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept lands, build ings, or other contributions from these several States offering to co operate in carrying out the purposes of the act. In some places the State universities have co-operated with the Bureau in the establishment Of the experiment. Stations, as i'll Sc attle, where the University of Wash mgton gave the Bureau a fine build ing, with water heat, light, and power, on the University Campus. In other places the city in which the Station is established has fur nished quarters. In Fairbanks the Commercial Club has very public spiritedly guaranteed free quarters