The Alaska daily empire., 1922-09-27

FEEDERS out into the hills. Don't
worry about the resources along the
railroad. They are many and va
rcd. The Willow Creek mining
camp has developed wonderfully
during .he summer and one of the
largest gold mines in the North has
been opened up during the last six
months. There are seven or eight
mills in the district now and there,
will probably be that many more so
in during the fall and spring. but the
district is terribly handicapped by
lack of good roads.
''There has been great deal of
misunderstanding about the Balm re-
port on the Matanuska coal field
Dr. Balm vigorously denied that he
had ever said there WAS no coal In,
this field He told me that what
he did say was that due to The faulty
conditions and the transportation
costs he questioned whether the field
could compete with Pacific Coast
Goals on the open market. Be that
rs it may, coal experts in the North
are Just as enthusiastic as they ever
We're about the future of the Mata-
nuska coal field: ! would like to
correct another Impression The
navy did not discontinue the Chicka-
loon develrment because of doubt
Of coal existence in commercial guam
titles. The disarmament congress
caused a restriction of operations
for naval purposes. Charlie Dawes
wanted to save some money II there
was going to be a smaller navy
he needed less coal. As a result
Secretary DENLY woke up one morn.
ing and found he had no further
Money to carry out Chickaloon de-
velopment. and consequently he was
compelled to discontinue the work
for the present.
Develop Coal Fields
81 was assured by coal experts
shat the governments opinion of the
Matanuska coal field had not chang
cd in the slightest There will be
much activity next summer in the
Broad Pass district, and at the pres
ent time the Healy coal fields are
being rapidly developed A spur has
been constructed to the fields. This
will be tremendous boom 10 Fair
banks. Fuel costs will be cut at
least s. per cent, and the lack of
cheap fuel has held Fairbanks back
to certain extent. A large de
velopment corporation is spending o
half million dollars prospecting the
Fairbanks placer country with a view
10 putting in operation from 80 to
IS drcdges.
"Sevcnty-six million dollars hss
.rict, and it is estimated by com
petent experts and government geo
logists that $350.000,O00 still re
mains. VI This contention is proven
by the testing that Is now taking
place, Fairbanks will again become
livity in the North. However, Fair
banks has tremendous resources and
the arrival of cheap fuel from the
Healy coal fields will allow many
placer claims to operate that have
been inactive due to high fuel costs.
The Healy coal fields presents a
wonderful sight. The great exposed
veins arc visible in the side OF a
mountain that has the appearance
Of being cut square in two by o
sword The first vein of ground
level is Al feet thick; second, 35
he next one, rs and 13 others rang
ing from 7 to 20 feet. There is
2Gl feet of coal in the l6 veins that
can be traced for long distance.
"The Government Railroad rates
are in my opinion excessive. The
railroad should be treated as q de-
velopmcnt project for few years,
and II, with lower rates Congress
will grant an adequate road building
appropriation there isn't the slight
st doubt about the success OF the
~ailroad from a financial standpoint
There is a great deal OF mining &C
sivity in the Hyder district. Sew
eral properties have been opened up
in the last two weeks that may rival.
# not outrival, thc famous Premier
There Is also much development
work under way ON Chichagoff Island
and at Funter Bay on Admiralty
Island. The properties being de-
yeloped at Funter Bay give. promise
Of being great gold producers. An
|. SO0foot tunnel has been driven and
500 feet more will tell the tale.
Regarding paper and pulp. ! spent
two weeks cruising timber in South
eastern Alaska. II was revelation
70 me. found tracts that run as
high as 100000 feet to the acre.
And while the timber is mostly suit
able for pulp purposes. ! saw many
spruce trees SIX and seven feet in