The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-05-20
DIRECTOR Balm
VISITS MILL OF
ALASKA JUNEAU
Head of Bureau of Mines Goes
to West-To Return Here
About July Fifteen.

En- route to MatanlISka, Fairbanks
and other Interior and Western Al
aska points. DR.. H c. Balm, Director
of the Bureau of Mines, was a local
visitor while the Alameda was in
spend sometime going through the
Matanuska coal fields, going from
there to Fairbanks and making a
short run down the Tanana River
possibly to Hot Springs, back to Fair
banks and out over the. automobile
road to Chitina, thence to Kennecott
Cordova and the Boring River dis
trict and then back here for a week
or 10 days stay.
Dr. Balm is accompanied by his
secretary, Ed. B. Swanson, who gave
the Directors itinerary and the pur-
poses Of his visit. In the party is
also H. C. George, government pc
troleum exSert, who is proceeding
direct to the Katalla oil district.
While here the party, accompanied
by Gov. Scott c. BoneNef9xxo. do
by Governor Bone, P. R. Bradley and
E. T. Stannard, went through the
Alaska-Juneau mill, spending most
Of the time there while the Alameda
was in port.
Test at Washery
A test run OF coal will be made
at the Sutton washery, recently com
pleted by the government, during the
Directors visit in the Matanuska dis
nr lot &c Itr
familiar with the situation in the
coal fields there, 1t is his intention
to study conditions on the ground,
according to Mr. Swanson. At pres
ent two engineers-Amos Slater and
Major Bucholz--representin the
Lake & Export Coal Company, one Of
the big companies of the East, are
making a thorough examination of
the field.
This was undertaken after Score
tary Fal had asked five large coal
mining Corporations to look into the
field and make a proposition for leas-
ing and operating the workings here.
tofore operated by the government.
The Lake & Coal Export Company
was the only one to take up the
proposition 1t has until July Is in
which to make its examination and
submit a proposition for a lease.
The Directors examination will be
entirely separate from that being
made by the company'5 engineers.
1t is said that on his findings and
report will be based the terms of any
lease. entered into between the De
partment of Interior and private in
forests for mining in the former gov
eminent workings.
Visit Placer Fields
Director Balm, after finishing hi
work In the Matanuska district, will
go to Fairbanks. possibly making a
stop at Healy River to look over
the coal mining operations there. At
Fairbanks he will inspect the Alaska
Mining Experiment Station main
tanned by the Bureau of Mines and
visit several creeks where placer
mining Is carried on. II time per
nits the party will also make a
short run down the Tanana River
possibly as far as Hot Springs, to
look over the placer diggings in that
vicinity.
Out by Automobile
Returning to Fairbanks. DR.. Balm
and Mr.. Swanson will como out by
automobile over tho Richardson High
way to Chitina, going from there to
the Kennecott mines for weeks
stay They will then go to Cordova
and from there so to Katalla and
the Boring River coal field A few
days visit will BIO made there Dr.
Balm will then return to Cordova and
come back here for a brief visit. He
expects to arrive here about July Is.
The Director had planned to visit
Seward Peninsula points and study
the placer mining conditions there
However. in view Of the extensive
work outlined in the other districts
mentioned, this idea has virtually
been abandoned and it is now ex
rected that the party will return to
Seattle en- route TO Washington after
concluding its visit here.