The Alaska daily empire., 1918-05-23
GREAT GLACIERS MAY ASSIST IN
 WINNING WAR
Ice Needed to Prepare the Fish and Will Save Use of Ammonia
 for War Uses.
LAW POINTS INVOLVED

Icemills are to be the newest
 things in Alaska industrial life if tentative plans, now under consider ation, can be successfully worked out In such event proving true a new and important field of endeavor and another source of wealth pro duction will be made available in the Northland.
 The scheme so far as outlined, is to establish immense ice quarries at the most accessible glaciers; erect icemilis to crush the ice so that it can be reformed into uniform shape for shipping; and, to provide cheap transportation for the product to the points where in most demand
 The great glacial fields extending back from the coast of Southeastern Alaska can be reached from several fairly good harbors. Economically, it is said, the cost of preparing glac- ial ice for shipment will be unimport- ant The burden of expense will fall to the problem of transportation to the points where most needed. Those who have given thought to the sub- iect believe it can be successfully ac- complished.
 At the present time the cost of ice production is on the increase ow- ing to the urgent demand made on the worlds supply of amonia, anon
 ia being a necessity in the manufac- ture of artificial ice. It is not un- expected under the circumstances that those using vast quantities of | ice should seek relief from the bur densome exactions of rising mar | ket.
 1 Before capital can be interested in
 the project, however, it is conceded that some sort of legal way will , have to be found for obtaining the right to quarry and prepare the ice 1 for shipment, as well as the right to export the same; and a permancy
 of undisturbed occupation and ten
 ure in such localities as may be needful for successful operation. This feature of the situation presents a l curious problem. Lawyers of Juneau | frankly admit that they are puzzled and touch on the subject guardedly. Some hold the view that owing to the fact that there are no general laws or special statutes meeting the case, that no rights can be obtained
 in glaciers extending into the open
 waters.
 Thus far it is pointed out the Gov ernment has created no Territorial reservations in the glacial regions for the specific purpose of conserving the ice stored by nature, nor imposed any regulations concerning glaciers This places ice deposits" said one member of the Juneau bar. lon an even footing with gold mines, with the exception that no means of ob- taining title is provided" But he continued, capital is timid and will be especially shy in cold deal like this, unless some sort of protection is guaranteed"
 The point is raised that while no regulations have been made in re- gard to glaciers of themselves, the fact remains that nearly all of the good ones are situated within the boundaries of either the Tongass or Chugach National Forest reservations Suppose" continued the legal light, ''the Forestry Bureau should be i'm pressed with the belief that the con stant wearing away of the glaciers would affect the rainfall of the coun- try to the disadvantage of the tim Der contained in the forest reserva- tion, is it not reasonable to suppose that the Bureau would combat any plan to utilize the glacial iceY' Moreover" he said, 'the little known, yet very important glacial bear is known to make these ice re-