Seward daily gateway., 1932-10-10
kENA! MOUNTAINS ONE OF GREATEST QUARTZ
 DISTRICTS N ALASKA

what Is contained in the range Ot Kenai mountains, running from the southermCst tip of Eenai Pe- ninsula to Turnagain Arm, this promises to become one of the greatest quartz mining districts in Alaska !
 This is the opinion of Frank ToWle of Cooper's Landing.
 And Mir. T0WIe should know, as he is one of those who have travel l ed a wide section of the northern slope of the Kenai range, from where the coast ice cap lies, to the Kenia river. He also owns much valuable placer ground along the Kenai river, which he has traveled for many years, and on which nu- merous tests show commercial val ues to exist.
 T have seen lodges ranging from a few to as much as 25 feet in Width,' says Mr. Towle, "and all that is required to make them into possible big mines is prospecting and little developing capital"
 Judged by a reconnaissance re- gently made by c. J. Lincke, geo. logist, in company with Steve Mel choir and Sandy Leach, who re- turned Sunday from 14-day journey to Surprise creek, II miles below Cooper's Landing, the ex- tension Of the COOper's Landing SeldoVi2 roadway beyond where it now ends seven miles below the landing, is the key to what should be a spirited mining revival.
 It will be by this route that ma chInery necessary to work placer and quartz must be conveyed and an outlet given to the Alaska Rail- read. All travel beyond the end of the road must be made by dog team and sled in winter or by ne gOtlating a number of rapids and the swift Curren of the Kenai river in summer. Where the graveIed road ends, the right of way has been slaShed several miles to near Surprise creek. Thenceforward a trail leads to Skilak lake. This. for the most part is impeded by Windfalls and difficult of travel Once this sled road is extended to Skilak lake, access may be had to very promising quartz and placer country stretching back to the main Kenai range.
 According to data gathered by Lincke, and legends supplied by MT. Melchoir and others who know the country, the enrichment of the Kenai river placers has come thru successive glacial action during the ice age when all that portion of the country was overlain by mile or more of ice. The tongues of these glaciers cut deep passes thru the hills, while at the same time SCOUT ing them and piling the detrius and fluvatile deposits in deltaic aprons extending from the Kenai range to the maln trough of the glacier ex- tending from the east end of Ke- nal lake to Cook Inlet.
 The first pronounced evidence of this action is shown at Cooper Creek, again at Russian river, and later on Surprise creek. This lat ter drainage coming from the south, laid down a moraine some three miles in length along Sur prise creek, and approximately one mile in width near it's confluence with the Kenai river, at the first canyon below Surprise creek, where it parted against an intruding hill.
 There are no authentic records of approximate bedrock depth on the lower Kenai river, but the revela- tions on Surprise creek show it to be between 30 and 40 feet.
 There is evidence of several ac- tions on Surprise creek, the pri- mary evidently accompanying the first movement of the ice cap, hav- ing laid down a hardpan, or sili- ciouS bedding, which contains val ues all the way to the original rock surface. The second glacial ac- tion terminated in the morraine. Tn view of the fact that it is pos Sl2le to pan gold above this mor- sine, and in fact high above it's