The Cordova daily times., 1922-11-01
MAJOR COTWALS
 MAKES CIRCUIT FAST TIME

Returning from what might almost be termed a whirlwind trip covering a large expanse of territory, and yet one marked by notable accomplishment, Major John c. Gotwals, engineer of ficer of the Alaska Road Commission, arrived on the Victoria Monday night from the westward. Leaving Cordova only three weeks ago, Major Gotwals has traversed the distance to Kodiak and the Kanatak oil fields, to various points in that section, back to Seward, north to Fairbanks, south again to Seward and back to Cordova, during which time he has settled up the work of the Road Commission for the past summer and prepared for that of the coming winter. Major Got walls trip has not been without it's adventures. Going from Seward on the Starr, he was accompanied to Kodiak and Kanatak by Jack McCord, familiar to Alaskans as the original of
  Trail-the man who cut the cable in the fight for right of way. To MT. McCord, incidentally, is due most of the credit for the development of the Kanatak field, since it was through his securing of options on oil claims in the Cold Bay district and the or ganization of the Northwestern Devel- opment Company, that he was able to have sufficient holdings to interest the Associated and Standard Oil com panies in prospecting there. Starting out from Kodiak on small gasboat, , to make two attempts before they were able to reach Cold Bay, being driven back the first time by heavy storms, Shelikof Straits being very rough, and swept by the full force of the North Pacific gales and bitter s1eet. Landing at Cold Bay was serious problem-the worst one con- nected with the district, says Major Gotwals, for getting about the coun- try, once ashore, is a simple matter, the journey to the oil fields, dis tance of 14 miles, being made on horseback.
 That the Cold Bay district is at present proposition only for the in terests with money and equipment at hand, is the emphatic statement of Major Gotwals. Others are in danger of suffering disappointment and seri- ous privation.
 "The Standard and Associated Oil companies" said Major Gotwals," have landed supplies and equipment at Kan atak, where they are busily at work under adverse conditions for freight ing. Caterpillar tractors are used for this. Drilling will begin next spring Numerous persons have located at Kanatak and built up settlement of about fifty houses. There is no other work in progress except that carried on by the oil companies. It is the in- tention of the Alaska Road Commits sion to do some road work here next summer to relieve the present freight ing difficulties.
 sThe oil prospects of the district are scattered over wide area, nearly all sof the promising ground having been taken up The quality of the seepages is that of a high-grade paraffine base oil, valuable on account of it's high gas oline content and lubricating resi- dunn. Every expectation exists that oil will be found in commercial quan- titles. The region is bare of timber; shelter is costly; the whole region is .windswept and tents are occasionally ' torn to bits by the storms. There is difficulty in finding safe harbor. At present Portage Bay is used, but it is an open indentation and not a bay Coastal charts up here are largely obsolete and worthless. Considerable loss or llfe IS lneSi'ao'e III any '''nn pede that might occur to this region. The work at Cold Bay is such as to call for all the technical and financial resources of the large interests hay ing it in hand. The further develop ment of the region will deserve and receive considerable road and trail work on the part of the commission, but fundamentally progress there de- nends upon the finding of a harbor in which vessels may anchor and dock under all conditions of weather"
 Returning from Portage Bay to Kodiak by the Starr, Major Gotwals went from Kodiak on the Watson to