The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1934-01-06
A TIMELY ALLOTMENT.

The allotment recently of a sizeable sum OF money
to the United States Geological Survey by the
Public Works Administration, from which Alaska
will get $4,000, most timely for the Territory
The Alaska division of that highly useful and eff
cent organization has been hard hit during the
current fiscal year due to a reduction to $4,000
in its regular appropriation The Alaska budget
contained in the Presidential budget shows that
the allowance for the next fiscal year has been
shaved from that figure to $29,150. Obviously,
little work be done in the field with such a
small sum.
Yet the need for complete geologic mapping
Of the Territory is greater today than it ever has
been in the past. Men who are searching for
mineral deposits particularly gold and silver under
the stimulus of today's augmented prices, demand
reliable information to the naturalization OF
areas heretofore UNEMPLOYED and in which deposits
of gold and silver might be expected to be found
The Territory has not been more than one-half
mapped by biologists. Yet the information acquired
by them in surveying and mapping is the most
valuable assistance that be rendered to pros
pectors
The $4,000 PwA funds allotted already COM
bined with the regular appropriation carried in the
budget estimates will increase the available to
s79150 This will be sufficient to put several
parties of biologists and topographers in the field
and keep them there all Last season the
few individuals who in the field conducted
one-man Investigations carried their equip
ment and food their backs because they didn't
have enough money to organize properly equipped
parties. Thanks to the PWA this should not be
the case next Summer.
In recently stressing the need for geological
Investigations in Alaska the Anchorage Times point
ed out the contrast between the lack of such work
Alaska and the manner in which British Columbia
studies its mineral lands and chances for their
profitable development. In this connection it said.
At one time the Government had less
than 20 Geological Survey parties in the
field Now the appropriations have been
cut to the bone and the number of parties
sent out annually throughout this vast
Territory almost be counted the
fingers of hand
With mining giving promise of the great
est expansion of any industry of the Ter
ritory it is tragic that the geological work
is curtailed rather than increased. Strange
to say, that British Columbia, region far
less in than Alaska, has than
SO geological parties at work annually. The
results plainly visible. British Columbia
is enjoying such boom in mining today
she knew before Her increase in
gold yield alone within the last six months
has been 20 per cent far outstrippng any
stride that Alaska may boast. British Co.
lumbia also has today 10 Government min
ing engineers and mining bureau, some
LllIg tIldI Is enIrely hacking IN CnlS lerrl-
tory The Canadian Provinces of Ontario,
Manitoba and Quebec, with their vast gold
yields, many times that of Alaska, also are
generously supplied with biologists and Gov
eminent mining engineers and advisers.
The Times correctly points out that the Canadian
Provinces mentioned maintain their own engineering
and geological staffs The Dominion Government Il
not concerned in that work Alaska ought to par
tcipate in mining Investigations on larger seal,
than has been the for several years. 1t doe
cooperate with the Federal Government to som,
extent but it should have its agency at leas
on limited scale. The value of its mining industr,
is sufficient to justify the necessary expenditure
SO long as they are reasonably proportionate to thu
other Government expenses
There is ample reason for the Federal Govern
ment to maintain far larger corps of geologist
and engineers here than it has for many years
1t owns most of the land and resources in tn
Territory Only by aiding in their development
can it rid itself of the expense incident to thei
retention in undeveloped state.