The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-01-27
FACTS, NOT FANCIES.

When community or section of a coun- try asks for government aid, it is up to who- evei represents that community to come thru wirh facts and figures proving that the aid re- quested is warranted and practical. This is just what the Mining Congress is doing in re- gard to the establishment of a power plant. The local chapter is not only advocating ask ing for an appropriation for the establishment of such plant, but it is also carrying on an exhaustive investigation in order to obtain facts to show that it is needed and that the demand for it would warrant the expenditure required.
 There is a special committee appointed to find out how much of a market there would be for power made by such a plant. This group of men is going over the creeks, claim by claim, trying to get an estimate ot the amount of pay known to. be on it. In this way they will be able to obtain a conserva- tive figure as to how much paying ground would be worked if such plant were eStab- shed. The figure is bound to be conserva- tive, for more often than not, the actual '"ollling figure would exceed the estimate,
 'ch is based on that actually known to st. The results that have been reported :. lis committee SO far show beyond doubt tilat here would be an ample market for the power produced by such plant. For instance, there are known to be from thirty to thirty i've quartz mines in this vicinity, and these onc would take about three thousand horse power. Facts of this sort are proof positive tll.at the Mining Congress is warranted in ask is -or such plant.
 Additional figures found in this pre- lnirary report, show what demand there would be for power on Cleary creek, one of tlle richest gold producers that the country has known The best of that creek has al- really been taken out, but the estimate is made by the committee that it would take eight dredges twenty years to work out Cleary and a half million cubic yards year. They are authority for the conservative figure that there are about ninety million cubic yards, running about forty cents yard, yet to be worked on Cleary creek, that is, about thirty six million dollars worth, or about one and a half times as much as has ever been taken out Of that section. They have not over estimated, they have undervalued if anything And yet tl.ere are pessimistic knockers on every hand who say that Alaska has been worked out, that there is no pay left, etc. These figures are only made concerning one creek out of the many that there are in the district, and cor responding estimates of the other creeks will probably be just as astonishing. How can anyone say that there is no more gold to amount to anything in the country, when such reports show that the mineral resources of the territory have been barely scratched.
 Working in this way, the only logical and practical course, the Mining Congress hopes to put up such strong case to the govern msnt that it will be easily seen how mucl. benefit will come from this particular form of aid for the miner. They are going to pro- duce facts, not fancies; practical working pians not mere theories, in support Of their request for the establishment of such plant. They will prove that there is demand more th'l .,ufficient to warrant such plant, and 1t the initial cost will soon be repaid, and
 plant put on a self-supporting and profit ;,..~ basis.
 The facts that they produce as the re- SUI. If their investigation will prove the truth ol lhe slogan
 ALASKA CAN PAY THE
 NATIONS WAR DEB7"
 ii she but gets her sufficient help from the gov ernment in the form of loan to enable ncr to get upon her working feet again. All s..e asks is that the government advance a comparatively small sum in the place where it is most needed to help the mining industry to get started in the quickest and most profit able way. She is asking the government mere ly for help in solving the difficulties that are now keeping mining at standstill. and which make operations mount to prohibitive price.
 Alaska has given of her best toward winning this war; and as a consequence of this has come to the period of development and reconstruction without sufficient working capital to open the country. The territory is