Omaha daily bee., 1920-06-20
ALASKA HAS
new GROWTH
IN EXPORTS
OF PLATINUM
U. S. Road and Oil Help Re.
cent Gold Strikes and Dis
C0very Of Precious White
Metal.

Scattls. Wash, Junel9-The rapid
commercial strides made by Alaska
during the last year have been such
that no longer do imports far out
distance Alaskan exports.
This is the nucleus Of a report
made public recently by ]. l.. Nc
Pherson, manager of the Alaskan
bureau of the Seattle Chamber OF
Commerce. To prove his conten-
ton that Alaska has seen the most
substantially progressive year in its
history, Mcpherson outlines the
various industries of the northern
country, embracing reports on min
ing, timber, agriculture, furs and
fisheries, and gives a brief summary
OF the business outlook for the land
of the midnight sun"
Mcpherson states that the big dis
covery for the year 1919 was a rich
deposit of silver opened at the Pre-
mler Mine, near the head of Port
land canal. This mine is located in
British Columbia, about a mile from
the Alaskan boundary, but the nat
ural outlet, however, is across
Alaskan territory. A new town has
sprung up close by the Premier
Mine. on the Alaskan side, and~is
called Ryder Discoveries also OF
very large deposits of high-gradc
silver ore have been made in this
district.
Other Important Finds.
Still another important mining de-
velopment i'll Alaska during the past
year is that of the gold quartz dis
coveries on Nixon's Fork, tribu-
tary of the Takotna river, which
joins the kuskowim river at Nc
Grath, 500 miles above its mouth.
These mines give every promise of
becoming rich producers, McPher-
son states.
The discovery of platinum about
eight miles from Valdez has resulted
in considerable activity and de-
velopment in this region. Shipments
of ore will be considerably enlarged
also as a result of the good work
done at the La Touche copper mine.
Ihe completion of the government
railroad from Fairbanks to the Ne
mana coal field will give an added
impetus to Mining in this district, the
report points out. Oil developments
have continued at Katalia, and the
company operating this property has
a local market for all its output. the
oil being refined on the ground.
Fishing Products Decrease,
However the output of fishing
products for the year 1919 proved
less than that for 1918 due to the
shortage of the run of salmon in
the Bristol Bay and southwestern
regions. Restrictive measures are
being devised to protect this valua-
bic fishing section. At Seldovia. a
new clam cannery has been estab-
lished, while at Petersburg two new
firms are engaged in the business
Of canning crab meat.
The timber industry in/ south
eastern Alaska has most successful
year. Mcpherson, reports, the mills.
IN most instances, running to full
capacity. The timber feature OF the
year was the contract secured by
the Petersburg mill to furnish be-
tween 100000 and 100000 feet
of lumber for shipment to Aus
tralia. n
The fox farming industry has in
creased with leats and bounds. Nc
Pherson says. He estimates that
there are now about forty-five fox
farms in Alaska. One of these farms
he estimates to have value of $780,
O0O
The government shipment of seal
skins from the .Pribilof islands to-
tailed 2S,l85 skins, with a value in
excess of $2,350,000. The erection of
by-products plant on the ST Paul
island by the government, McPher-
son says, marks the beginning of
new and valuable industry. The fur,
trade at Nome with the coast OF
Siberia experienced a great increase
over previous wears.