Seward daily gateway., 1925-08-28
EASY MATTER FOR
 ALASKA COAL TO
 COMPETE STATES
COAL MINING EXPERT GIVES FIG- URES DISSEMINATING IN
 TERVIEW WITH PRESS
Imported Coal Disappearing
Alaska Coal Industry Represents Half Million Dollars and Is Rapidly
 Increasing Production

In answer to the oft heard statement that Alaska coal operators cannot compete in the States with, outside coal, J. J. Corey, head of the Bureau of Mines department for this district of the Territory who passed through Seward the first of the week, en route on an inspection trip to the Boring river coal field, near Katalla, stated to the Gateway representative that there is no reason why Alaska coal cannot compete with the market in the States, due to the fact operations in the States are so extensive; haul age and the high cost of maintenance, which in some coal mines is almost prohibitive
 The Alaska Bureau of Mines de- partment chose for it's chief for this region, where all the coal mines in the Territory are being operated, a man who knows the coal mining busi- ness from the ground up and then back again. Such man is J. J. Co., with highly technical training, but man who has climbed up from the lowest coal mining job to the highest of positions with successful operat- ing coal mines; man who knows cost and production prices from ev- cry angle, in short, man who thru actual experience knows of what he speaks. And when man of this cali Der discusses coal he is stating facts.
 A Few Startling Figures
 Coal mining in the Matanuska coal field and in the Healy river region have progressed more in the past two years under the guidance of MT. Corey than had previously been accomplish ed since the coal beds were discov- cred and development work begun. Few people realize or have ever talk en the pains to ascertain the amount of coal which has been imported to Alaska from the States, the annual coal consumption, or how much coal is now produced annually in the Ter ritory, and what all this means in dollars and cents to the country As an example last year 175,OO0 tons of coal was consumed of which just a fraction less than 100000 tons were produced in Alaska. In dollars and cents this means if next year all the coal consumed in the Territory was produced in Alaska, figuring the cost of production was placed at $2.50 a ton, which is low average, and with a natural increase of 25,000 tons, bringing the grand total of annual consumption and production up to 100000 tons, it would amount to over S40O000 yearly. Providing mine run coal was figured at $4.50 ton, nearly million dollars annually would be produced and spent in Alaska.
 Thousands of Tons Increase
 In 1923 the amount of coal cOnsum- ed was 120,000 tons of which a great portion of the tonnage was sent to Alaska from the State of Washington and from British Columbia It will be seen that in the brief period of two years coal consumption has increased due in part to the lesser amount of wood burned. MT. Corey said that when the tonnage is increased so the cost of the coal will be considerably reduced, the cost of overhead will re- main the same. Another reason why Alaska coal can and will compete with the outside market, if where coal is mined above water level, hoisting and pumping costs are eliminated, re- ducing the overhead.
 The Main Reason of All
 Alaska coal is superior to many of the grades produced in Washington, MT. Corey asserted In ash content some Alaska coal runs as low as five per cent, and this without washing or cleaning. It carries moisture con tent of less than two per cent and approximately 1900 British thermal units. Many of the coals used by the Northern Pacific and other railroads in the United States run as high as IS per cent in ash and less than 1900 B. T. U. The comparison can be cas- fly reckoned.
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