The Alaska daily empire., 1920-12-08

summers work. is the opinion oi Livingstone Wernecke, geologist and mining engineer for the Treadwe.l and allied companies, who has re gently arrived here after superin tending prospect work for his com pany on it's property at Nixon $ Fork on the Kuskokwim.
 According to MT Wernecke there is nothing there yet to cause stam pede or great influx of people IS the labor market is well filled although the future for McGrath, the nearest town to the mines, appears ! at this time to be bright
 i Assays of one definitely defined ore body in the district has run as I high as $60 a ton in gold and silver while another goes to $50 and all. other to s30 These values, whi;e high, do not mean so much thel 0, where transportation is the big prob, lem and the bringing in of supplies turing the four summer months by way of boats from Seattle that must travel not only the great distance from Seattle to the mouth of the Kuskokwim, but to the head oi navigation on that river
 'f Problems Set Forth. [, In an interview yesterday, NJ. | Wernecke gave the following sum mary of the Nixon country and of the problems that face operators who aie trying to develop the district:
 "The town of McGrath. situated 570 miles above the mouth of the Kuskokwim River is 70 miles below the junction of the North and South Forks, the head of steamer navi- gation on the Kuskokwim. McGratn 5 at the mouth of the Tacotna River which is slow, sluggish stream averaging 400 to 800 feet from bank to bank
 | "MeGrath, although originally a Fur trading post, is, rapidly becoming I supply point for miners and pro5i pectors. Previously Ophir, then Ia. cotna, furnished most of the sup plies to placer miners but with the i installation of a dredge atl Candle Creek four years ago McGrath be, came the supply point.
 'The discovery of lode deposits of gold, silver and copper in 1918 ol l Nixon Fork of the Tacotna, brought additional trade to McGrath. Now, with the advent of three more iredges, two on Yankee Creek and )ne on Canes Creek, and the recent development of the Alaska Tread | we'll and allied companies on the ode properties, McGrath is about to )e put on the map to stay, provided he flood waters of the Kuskokwim 1 To not wash the townsite down to Bethel, which almost occurred last ;pring. Although the prospects may ,e bright for McGrath. there is no
 ause at present for a stampede CT Sufficient and excellent help is avail i tble locally and is all American. I .e Transportation
 Transportation to McGrath al present. is a problem. Three summer
 nd two winter routes are available. I | Seattle to Bethel and up the KuskC- lwim is the only practical freiG 1t 1 'oute The tonnage that can be car
 jed over this route, although small 1t present is limited only by the size of the boats which the 'olume of business demands. Ocean going boats drawing fifteen 'eet of water or less can reach Bethel, 70 miles above the mOdth ot the Kuskokwim. The Kuskokwjnn is the easiest of all Alaska rivers to navigate; the water is confined to one channel, containing neither rap Lids or rocks. The open season fof l 'reighting is during the month of I June, July, August and SepteE.ber 4 "The other two routes are via tine Yukon river either down from White horse or up from St. Michaels. One route leaves the Yukon at Holy Cross thence up the Iditarod River to Idit. arod, thence overland afoot or on horseback 120 miles to Tacotna ! thence down the Tacotna to McGraLh The summer route leaves the Yukon ' at Russian Mission, thence across a portage to the Kuskokwim al Bethel and then up the Kuskokwim Some of the summer mail comes over this route and the remainder via the ocean-going boats, but all goes on the same river boat to Me Grath.
 "A fourth summer route is being I contemplated which is via the gov ernment railroad to Nenana; thence down the Panama river, up the Kan I tishna river to Lake Minchumina across a twenty mile portage to the !: head of the North Fork of the Kus l. kokwim and down the Kuskokwim tC l McGrath. When opened this will Dc the most direct route for passengers and mail.
 Two winter trails lead to this : district One Is via the old mail trai over Rainy Pass which leaves ths U. s. Railroad at Wassilla. This is the quickest and most direc