The Alaska daily empire., 1919-02-03
Alaska.
(S. F. Mining and Scientific Press)

5. F. ie0S''
 Alaska is a beautiful country and the photographs that we publish in this issue bear testimony to the Alaska is also health giving country as those who have sojourned there know full well. The in- teror or inside beyond the coast range, enjoys comparatively dry and extraordinarily vitazing eli mate. In days to come this part Of the world Will be recognized as a santarium for those in need Of tonic To be in Alaska is to feel that the world IS young and life epic" We are glad therefore to the suggestion of the writer Of the article on the Kennecott district and to commend this region to the attention of the young of the profession, es- peciay those returning from the War and unwilling to resume the humdrum existence of ordinary rou- tine. To the young man with a little money, some knowledge of mining, and lot of energy there IS no better occupation today than exploratory work in the North. The official statistcis show that in 1918 the mines of Alaska produced $28,9Oo0oO thus the output s20000 900 less than in 1917, but it is exhaustion of resources but to the ad- verse of the War chiefly shortage of labor and shipping The production of gold was only $1O- 900 0Oo against s14,671,400 in 1917, and of last years yield $61OO,OOO came from the placer mines Copper is the principal product of Alaska at this tme the output having been 69,426,000 pounds worth $171S0,000 during 1918. We note that the tin production was valued $9O,OOO, this serving a reminder of Alaska's potentialities Since lSSo Alaska has produced $302 100000 in gold and $1O5- SOO,O ,OOO in copper The figures are impressive. For this Territory the United States paid Russia the sum of S7 POO 900 in 1867. an region, not less than 5S4,700 square miles, with a population of barely 50,00O most of whom are collected in num- Der of small communities, leaving large tracts unn- habited and hardly explored although mention of exploration prompts instant recognition of the splen did work done by the U. 5. Geological Survey under the leadership of Alfred H. Brooks whose many re- ports bulletins of the utmost practical value those engaged in the search for deposits of ore Anybody going to Alaska obtain maps and other
 information of the most helpful kind simply by writ ing the Director of the Geological Survey at Wash ington No mining region has been we'll served in the matter of geological reconnaissances and re- ports all of which are available either gratis at nominal price. Besides giving this geologic aid the Government has undertaken to build a railroad which will traverse the coast range and reach the interior through the Broad Pass.
 The Government Railroad has its principal termn- us at Anchorage, Cook Inlet, although the outer rail head is at the harbor of Seward, the Gulf of Alaska. It taps the Matanuska coalfed, the Ke- na Willow Creek, and Talkeetna goldfelds; it will serve the Nenana coalfield, well the gold districts and the agricultural tracts in the Tanana valley. This railway will afford direct entry into the heart of Alaska, instead of necesstating the roundabout journey either down the Yukon from Whitehorse or up that river from St. Michael.
 The finding of palladium in copper ore near Ket chikan and of platinum the Seward peninsula em phasizes the possibilities of this remote part of the continent and should provoke further search for the rare metals The exploitation of tungsten and may lead to something permanent in the ore is rich enough to lower prices for the ferro alloys. Juneau has suffered by the closing down of the Treadwell group except the Ready Bullion mine, owing to the caving of the surface and the drown
 ing of the workings One of Alaskas chief its coal the exploitation of which has been hindered by political and other troubles, but is destined to prove an important factor in the industrial develop of the Pacific Coast. We glad therefore to the recent work done the Nenana, Boring river and Matanuska coalieds because it appears
 indicate renewed effort to develop these Any consideration of Alaskan mining makes clear the great variety of mineral deposits distributed this enormous region and justifes drawing at tention at this time to part of the world for which by reason of personal experience, have warm spot in our heart.