The Cordova daily times., 1917-12-20
GENERAL RESUME
 OF ALASKAN ]. CONDITIONS

governor Strong is possiDiy the best lhlormed man as to the general con ditions in this northland and in his annual report he says:
 To give a complete review of condi- tions prevailing in Alaska and of matters connected with the admins tration of this office, affecting a ter ritory nearly 60O,O0O square miles in extent, entails a great deal of labor and careful research. Conditions vary in the different sections, so each requires special consideration, and there is no hard and fast rule which can be applied to all portions of the territory in dealing with industrial and other matters affecting it's wei. fare and progress.
 In some sections during the past year there has been a slowing up of development and production; in oth. CTS it has been accentuated. War conditions in all cases is the princi. pal cause. In the first place. the Eur. opean war, while stimulating copper production to a marked degree, as we'll as the search for rarer metals demanded by war conditions, had the effect of retarding gold-lode mining The greatly increased cost of sup plies, including provisions as we'll as those materials necessary in the op- eration of gold-lode mines, has had the effect of discouraging the develop mentof mines of this character. Add ed to this was the great shortage of labor. affecting all kinds of mining operations. both in coastal and inter for Alaska. This labor shortage is steadily becoming more acute. Miners l1rsrrctTs, and other workingmer have been lured by the higher wages offered by the copper-mining camps in the copper-producing States. where wage scales are much higher thar ever before known in the history O copper mining.
 The principal gold-lode mines O Alaska are located in the southeastern section. The ores mined are univers ally low grade, and the operators clain that they are unable to meet the wage scales paid by the copper operators and many of the gold-lode mine oper ators elsewhere in the United States There is probably truth in the con tention.
 similar condition exists in some of the gold-placer areas, especially il interior Alaska. where the richer plac CTS have been exhausted. Low-gradt ground can not be mined at a profit under existing circumstances, it is claimed; netheir can a fuel supply bt procured at a price that will enable mine operators to work their ground at profit and at the same time pay increased wages, with shorter work ing hours. This has particular refer ence to the placer mines of the Tana ma region, once noted for their rich ness and prolific yield of alluvial gold. Little can be expected in the way of an increase of the gold pro duct in that section until the prob lem of cheaper fuel has been solved. The timber that was once contiguous 10 the placer mines has long disap- peared and wood (the only fuel avail able) must now be brought long dis tances at greatly advanced prices.
 The opening of the coal deposits on the Nenana river. it is expected, will solve the fuel question, at least in part, If not wholly; but until cheaper fuel and cheaper power are available further substantial development of placer and lode mines in the Panama valley region can not be expected.