The Alaska daily empire., 1922-01-04
Location of Mine

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 Location of Mine
 The Eska coal mine is approximate ly 60 miles from Anchorage, at the terminus of three-mile standard gauge spur from tho Chick aaoon branch of the Government Railroad The mine openings. are on Eska Creek, rather short turbulent stream, which rises in the Talkeetnai Mountains to tqisl north, following, the eastern flank of Wishbone Hillqto it's junction with the Matanuskas sRiv- CT at Mile AIS on fthe rGilreah branch. ,The Talkeetna Mountains, which f6rm the northern wall of the valley, are extremely rough and rug ged, rising to elevations of 5000 feet above the sea, though in the valley proper most of tho hills are well rounded, the lower slopes being fairly we'll covele d wiiA spruce, birch and cottonwood, which furnishes a good supply Of ti;piner for the mines
 Sor,e Early History
 The natives who lived In this val lev knew Of the existence of coal for many years and mention is made of these beds in 1898 by w. c. Menden- haJ. who accompanied Capt Edwin F. Glenn as geologist on the military ogpedj5ion honi,. Prince William Sound toward gthe Tanana River by way of Matapliska. The earliest re- corded locations were made" about 1903 and sconsides'iblas prospecting was undeItaken on Moose rs Eska, Goal ald OBrlen Creeks, Chickaloon River and Kingsi'River. Prospecting Harties from the United States Geo. logical Survey made investigations in 1905. 1906 and 1909, and., in 1910, q detailed study of the lower portion Of the valley was made by Dr. c. G. Martin. geologist for the Geological Survey.
 In 1906 all the coal lands in Al asfsa were wbthdi+awn from entry by an executive order cf the President, and not restoreds spntil. 1916s following a subdiyisional survey by the United States Land Office in 1915. when the areas believed to contain coal of commercial importance were laid out in leasing units.
 Leased Ir 1916
 In the fall of 1916 William Mar tin, an attoTneysof Seattle, who was interested in lode gold mining in the Willow Creek district, applied for and was granted a lease on Unit No. [, the greater rortion of which lay on the western side of ESka Creek on the eas.ern flank Of W!shbore Hill. This lease was later assigned to the ESka Creek Coal Company. which corporation. commenced. work in Jan ilary. 1917, erecting log buildings for use as dining room and bunkhouse. wi'h several tents for living quarters and warehouses .4<1 H .-t-
 Five entries were started, three on the west and two on the east side of the creek. and open cuts made which exposed several additional seams. The company secured contract to supply a portion of the fuel used by fAihohah iiCCi HI and hauled the coal in sleds from the mine ito the railroad, distance of approximately three miles. With the advent of spring, it was impracticable to haul coal in sleds or wagons, so a standard gauge spur was construct. cd to the property and another con. tract let for coal delivered in rail. road cars at the mine.
 Purchased by Commission
 Shortly after the completion of the spur. the coal in the entries driven by the lessees was cut off by a somewhat complicated series of faults. and as the company did not care to assume the expense of open ing other beds. the outcrops of which indicated an abundant supply of fuel, the property was sold to the Alaskan Engineering Commission in June. 1917.
 Upon taking over the property. the Commission enlarged the dining room, constructed an additional Ibunkhouse, warehouse and change room, an office. warehouse. store. powerhouse, first-aid hospital, and six cottages for married employees Water, sewer, light and telephone systems were in- stalled and work started on a hand sorting plant to remove the coarser refuse from the coal. This and a railroad yard were completed in 1918, since which time three cottages. a staff house and a 48-room dormitory have been added to the living guar ters.
 Geology of Field
 The coals Of the Matanuska Valley are of the same geological age as those of Cook Inlet. and normally, should have the same lignitic struc- ture. Coal Is made up largely of fixed carbon. volatile matter. mois-