Coal Leads Gold As Mineral Commodity
In Alaska-Bureau Of Mines Reports
Developments in the oil and gas
fields of the Kenai Peninsula dom
inated the news of the mineral in
dustries of Alaska in 1960, accord
ing to final figures compiled in a
survey by the U. S. Department of
the Interior, Bureau of Mines, and
just released. Gold mining, once
a flourishing industry in Alaska,
is expected to be non-existent in
the near future.
Systematic development drilling
in the Swanson River and Soldatna
Creek units by Standard Oil Co. of
Calif., resulted in 13 new produc
ing oil wells or wells capable of
producing, and one gas well. Union
Oil Co. of Calif., and Ohio Oil Co.
brought in an additional gas well in
their Kenai unit (Kalifonsky
Beach).
In the first significant discovery
by an independent in Alaska in
almost 60 years, Halbouty Alaska
Oil Co. and King Oil, Inc., brought
in gas discovery well No. IB at
West Fork, some 6 miles south of
Soldatna Creek and 16 miles north
west of Union-Ohio’s Kenai unit.
In October, Standard of Calif,
and Richfield Oil Corp. put into
operation the 20-mile crude oil line
from the Swanson River field to
tidewater at Nikiski. Anchorage
Natural Gas Corp’s gasline from
the Kenai unit to Anchorage was
partly laid; unusual difficulties
encountered in crossing Turnagain
Arm forced a delay in completing
this section until Spring.
Value of mineral production in
the State increased almost 7 per
cent over that of 1959. The substan
tial gain in value of petroleum and
natural gas, coupled with increases
in value of coal, sand and gravel,
stone, and mercury, more than off
set a sizeable decrease in gold.
Coal replaced gold as the leading
mineral commodity with 29 per
cent of the total value. Gold, with
27 per cent and sand and gravel
with 25 per cent, were second and
third in rank. Value of petroleum
and natural gas increased from less
than 2 per cent of total mineral
production in 1959 to almost 6 per
cent in 1960. Mercury output, al
most entirely from the Red Devil
mine, Kuskokwim River region,
continued to contribute import
antly to value of the State’s min
eral commodities.
Goodnews Bay Mining Co., op
erating placers near Platinum, also
in the Kuskokwim River region,
Now Available
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Many designs to choose from.
KODIAK MORYOARY
Walt Muller ph- 486—5110
*?%otUien. S&ofi
<x*td S&oe S**
OUT OF BUSINESS ON SEPT. 1
Closing Out at 1/2 Price
All Furniture & Fixtures For Sale
MILLIE MARKHAM OF THE MONTMARTRE
HAS PURCHASED OUR FLOWER BUSINESS
Ph. 486—2925_
Elks
Elks
Special Millionaire Style New York Cut Steak, pound
slab-One inch thick-with flavor. Paul Punyan Baked
Potato — Everlasting Butter — Onion Rings Heaping
Green Salad.
A full piece of Colorado Beef Steak, sliced not a
shade thinner than one-inch thick, with delicious flavor
attached. It’s escort is a baked potato, fully as large as
those which Maine and Idaho both boasting together
make their spuds out to measure. The butter is everlast
ing- when one pat has melted deep down into the potato s
hot flesh, along comes another sweet butter pat to cheer
v®u on to the Grand Finale! A great heap of batter
dipped deep fat fried onion rings madly hls®,nS ™
heat and last but not least, a green salad that will lift
vour taste buds higher than an Alaskan’s opinion of
Alaska. Hot Garlic Bread. The drinks are on us? (Tea or
coffee).
YOU ELK MEMBERS, FAMILY AND GUESTS
RUSH TO THE ELKS CLUB THIS SATURDAY
EVENING, 6 P. M. TO 9 P. M., AUGUST 5
FOR THAT STEAK.
COME ONE COME ALL
ELKS CLUB
_ _^———
maintained its position as the only
producer of primary platinum in
the United States.
The report points to a dismal fu
ture for gold mining operations
continuing in future years in
Alaska. Output of gold dropped
sharply in 1960, the report stated,
despite a slight rise (1 per cent)
in total yards washed; value was 7
per cent less than that for 1959.
More than 99 per cent of gold pro
duced came from placer mines.
Substantial decreases in the
grade of gravel washed by dredging
operations and in yards washed by
non-float operations were respon
sible for the lower output and
value.
Twenty-two dredges mined gold
during the year. United States
Smelting, Refining and Mining Co.,
in the Yukon and Seward Penin
sula regions, and New York-Alaska
Gold Dredging Corp.
Reduction of operations in the
Fairbanks fields, with only four
boats digging compared with six
in 1959, forshadowed an end to an
industry which has contributed im
portantly to the opening and de
velopment of Alaska, the report
stated. The company had sus
pended thawing operations, except
on a few remnants, by the close of
the 1960 season. Estimates were
that dredging at Fairbanks would
be finished by 1963 or 1964.
Of the three boats digging in the
Nome fields, one was retired from
service when the season ended.
Here, too, thawing was confined to
remnants; operations are not ex
pected to run beyond the 1962 sea
son unless there is a change in the
economics of gold mining.
Lt. Gen. G. Mundy
Arrives In Alaska
Lieutenant General George W.
Mundy, USAF, arrived at Elmen
- dorf AFB, Alaska, Monday, July
31st, to, assume command of all
Armed Forces in the 49th State.
The new Commander-in-C h i e f,
Alaska, succeeds Lt. General
Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., USAF,
who retired from active duty fol
lowing an outstanding military ca
reer spanning more than 33 years.
LT. GEN. G. MUNDY
General and Mrs. Armstrong de
parted following ceremonies in his
honor held Saturday. The General
and Mrs. Armstrong plan to reside
in the Tampa, Florida, area,
i It was just five years ago this
month that General Mundy suc
ceeded General Armstrong as Com
mander of the Strategic Air Com
mand’s Second Air Force, Barks
dale AFB, Louisiana, when Gen
eral Armstrong returned to Alaska
to assume command of the Alaskan
Air Command.
In Louisville, Kentucky, the in
credible has happened: The school
children aren’t particularly fond of
ice cream. In fact, demand is so
low, and the price of ice cream is
relatively so high, that the schools
won’t offer it in their lunchrooms
J next year.
Rainbow Girls
Official Here
Next Tuesday
Miss Jeanne Kunz, Grand Worthy
Advisor to the Grand Assembly of
Washington and Idaho and Alaska,
International Order of Rainbow for
Girls, will arrive here Tuesday,
August 8, at 10:05 via PNA from
Anchorage. Plans are for all Rain
bow girls here to meet the plane.
The Grand Worthy Advisor and
her travelling companions will be
guests at an informal social meet
ing at the home of Mrs. Bob Ache
son, that evening beginning at 7:30.
Rainbow Girls requiring transpor
tation are asked to contact Mrs.
Mildred Rextrew at 486—5139.
There will be a closed meeting
on Wednesday, August 9, at 7:30 at
the Masonic Temple, which will be
preceeded by a dinner at 6 p. m.
for the Grand Worthy Advisor. Res
ervations can be made for the din
ner by calling Judy Ann Walker at
487—5523.
« ,
NOTICE
Will person who borrowed my
4-inch belt sander please return it,
as I’ve never used it. tfn
(s) Frank Irick
PRICELESS
There is only one person who can
make little things count today • -
that is a kindergarten teacher.
The younger generation has one
big advantage over the old— it still
has plenty of time to outgrow what
ails it.
KODIAK
Insurance will be real busy next
week hosting the Annual Con
vention of the Alaska Insurance
Agents. Don’t worry about your
insurance coverages;
TO HAVE
them with us is all the safe
guard you need. We always keep
your interest foremost and go
like
SIXTY
to keep up with the latest trend
in this field. Yes, sir, Kodiak
Insurance are the best ]
INSURANCE
AGENTS
Art Brooks
486—2215
Kodiak Insurance
& Bldg Corp
WIVES OF
LEGIONNAIRES
ATTENTION!!!
Chef Martin says:
We Husbands of The American Legion Are
Going to Prove to You That Men Are The BEST
Cooks By Inviting You to Dinner on Us.
WE WILL:
COOK IT
SERVE IT AND
CLEAN UP AFTER IT
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME AND
ENJOY YOURSELVES
Wed., Ans. 9, at 7 P. M.
V. F. W. HALL
THOMPSON TRANSFER
ERIC MUELLER, Prop.
CLEAN HEAT!
Both Standard Furnace Oil
and Standard Stove Oil
are super-refined to burn clean.
o
CALL US TODAY FOR PROMPT SERVICE
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE WE HAVE
Automatic Keep-Filled Service
Home and Office /$nS^d\ Standard Plant
486-2300 486—5115