REVIEW OF MINING IN ALASKA
DURING YEAR JUST CLOSING BY
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MEN
9
The annual report on mineral re
sources and production in Alaska for
1919 is now in preparation under the
direction of Alfred H. Brooks, of the
United States Geological Survey, De
partment of the Interior. Some of
the important features of this report
relating to mining development dur
ing the year are abstracted in the
following statement. Complete sta
tistics for the mineral production oi
Alaska can not be collected within
less than three or four months after
the close of the year, but meanwhile
it appears advisable to give prompt
publication to preliminary estimates,
which are believed to be within 5 per
cent of the actual figures.
General Statement
The mining .of some $20,000 worth
of gold from placer mines near Ju
neau in 1880 marked the beginning
of the great mining industry of Alas
ka, the value of whose total product
up to the close of 1919 is $437,400,
000. Alaska’s developed mineral de
posits are chiefly gold and copper.
Hence, her mining industry in 1919
was subject to the same depression
that effected gold and copper mining
throughout the world. This fact ex
plains in large measure why the value
fef Alaska’s mineral output in 1919 is
only about $18,850,000, while that of
1918 was $28,254,000.
Alaska’s mineral output in 1919 is
ti e smallest made in any year since
1910, and its mineral value is less
than half that of the output in 1916
f $48,600,000.) The abnormal produc
tion in 1916, chiefly that of three large
mines, was due to the high price of
copper during the war, which great
ly stimulated copper mining. With
the fall in the price of copper the
Alaska copper industry reverted to
normal pre-war conditions. Mean
whiie the world-wide depression in
gold mining consequent upon high
operating costs brought on by the war
has seriously crippled the other im
portant Alaska mining industry. As a
consequence, the value of the annual
output of gold from Alaska declined
from $16,700,000 in 1916 to $9,000,000
ui i ne Alaska gold-mining in
dustry is particularly sensitive to pre
sent conditions because many of the
enterprises were not on a very sound
economic basis. Gold production has
seen kept up for many years by ex
ploitation of bonanza placers rather
than by the systematic development
oi large deposits of lower grade. The
mining of the placer gold has been
carried on as a gamble rather than
as a business venture. As the pur
chasing power of their product was
reduced many gold-mining operators
The outlook for gold mining in Alas
ka under present economic conditions
is not hopeful, yet the continued suc
cess of certain larger ventures, like
dredging, shows that it is by no
means hopeless. Such operations and
the mining of bonanza deposits will
continue. Alaska still contains large
reserves of gold-bearing gravels that
can be mined profitably when trans
portation conditions are improved. No
one can foretell whether any more
bonanza camps will be found, and
therefore the only certain future lies
in the development of deposits of
Sower grade. Therefore the most im
portant event of the year for the fu
ture of mining operations in Alaska i
was the continuation of the work on
the government railroad and the as-|
suranee by congressional action of
the money needed to complete the
line. It is now certain that in three
years there will be a standard-gauge
railway connecting tidewater on the *
Pacific with Fairbanks and navigable
waters on the Yukon. To give its
full benefit to the mining industry,
however, the Alaska Railroad must be
connected with mining canters by
good wagon roads.
Except for the railroad construction
during the year the transportation
conditions in Alaska have been worse
in 1919 than in any previous year.
The costal steamboat service has
been unable to meet the demand for
freight and passenger transportation,
and the river steamer service on the
Yukon and its tributaries has been
worse than ever. These conditions
have tended to discourage those who
were planning new ventures.
Approximate Value of Alaska's Min
eral Products in 1919.
Gold .$ 9,000,000
Copper .-. 8,500,000
Silver _ 650,000
Coal . 350,000
Lead . 100,000
Tin .:. 50,000
Platinum, palladium, quick
silver, petroleum, mar
| ble, and gypsum...^.. 200,000
i __
; Total .$18,850,000
Placer Mining
During 39 years of mining Alaska
has produced gold to the value of
$311,000,000 and $218,000,000 of this
amount is to be credited to her placer
mines. For reasons already discuss
ed there Avass less placer mining in
1919 than in 1918, and the outlook for
a revival of the industry as a Avhole
under present economic conditions is
not hopeful. In the folloAving table a
comparison is made betAveen the plac
er mining industry in 1919 and In
1918.
Alaska Placer Mining in 1918 and 1919
Summer Winter
Miners Val. of Outp’t
1919 .420 2100 65 275 $4,790,000
1918 .574 3000 153 613 5,900,000
| Decrease
in 1919 ....154 900 88 342 $1,110,000
A most unfortunate effect of the
decline in gold, especially in placer
mining, is the discouragement of the
prospector. Though many prospectors
devote their attention to the search
for copper and other minerals, they
as a class are said to be devoted to
their vocation by the hope of finding
rich placers which they can develop
by individual effort. The loss of 900
men to the placer-mining industry, as
shown by-the above table, means the
less of an 'equal number of at least
potential prospectors. Many prospec
tors have been drawn away from Alas
ka by the high wages and good bus
iness opportunities which war condi
tions have created in the states. It
is, indeed, no longer necessary to go
to Alaska to obtain high wages. As
a consequence probably half, possibly
three-quarters of the pre-war Alaska
prospectors have sought other fields.
Gold dredging continues to hold an
important place in Alaska placer min
ing. In 1919 there were 28 dredges
in operation for the whole or part of
the season and they produced gold to
the value of about $1,100,000, compar
ed with an output of $1,425,000 worth
of gold by 28 dredges in 1918. Two
of these dredges were operated in
1919 in the Fairbanks district, two in
the Iditarod district, one in the Birch
Creek district of the Yukon basin,
one in the Georgetown district of the
Kuskokwim basin, and the rest on
Seward Peninsula. One of the Fair
banks dredges and the Kuskokwim
dredge were first operated in 1919 and
had successful seasons, showing that “
dredging can be profitable even under ”
adverse conditions. This fact and the
successful gold dredging in Seward
Peninsula during the last fifteen years
proves that this type of mining has an
important future in Alaska. In nearly
every placer-mining district of Alas
ka there are large areas underlain by
auriferous gravels which justify ex
haustive prospecting for the purpose
of finding dredging ground. The suc
cessful use of cold-water thawing in
connection with dredging enterprises
should give a further stimulue to this
form of mining.
The Yukon camps are the most iso
lated of the important Alaska
districts and are therefore the places
where the cost of mining is highest,
30 that they are the most sensitive
to present economic conditions. This -
fact is reflected in the comparison of Z
their gold output for 1919 and 1918,
made in the subjoined table. Fortu
nately the loss at the Yukon camps
was in part offset by a somewhat
greater production of gold at the
mines on Seward Peninsula.
(Continued tomorrow)
Scarborough Pictures that please at
prices that are right Over Cordova
drug store. Phone, 140—3 rings.
Which
Direction? j
In morals, are you nearer your ideal “
than a year ago? Some people float
with the moral current or follow the
crowd, seldom making an effort to
heed thdlr conscience. Give your con
science a chance in 1920! Folfsw
your best Impulses and attend church
for at least six months and see if you
don’t get a new grip on the worth
while things of life. Begin now and
attend the homelike church, the
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
“The Church with a Message"
11 a. m. 8 p. m.
i *
Beautiful
Hair
can be made more so by the constant use of our
hair tonics, scalp cleansers and other aids to
hair growth and beauty. By their regular use
fine hair is made finer and all hair is much im
proved. You’ll find in our toilet help depart
ment every requisite for proper hair care.
%
■ * f • —— ♦
NO ITHERN DRUG CO.
“THE DRUG STORE OF ALA8KA”
“SERVICE” Is our motto
^_. _*
MilllllllllllliiilliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilificMMiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiitHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffliiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiriiiiiliiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiioiiniiiMiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiwiiiwiiniito-;
I THE TWO THINGS \
\ NECESSARY 1
e= fc=i.
to possess a Bank Account are: B;
| First, the Desire or Inclination. Every one ■*
»j has a wish for money. That is human na- U
| ture, for it takes money to possess the com- It
j forts and necessities of life. §|
jg Second, One Dollar or more. Afterwards jj
the size of your bank account rests with you. jj
I Bank of Alaska I
B CAPITAL $170,000.00 B
■ Branches at Skagway, Wrangell and Anchorage ' |
ALASKA TRAM COMPANY]
TRANSFER AND STORAGE
GOAL AND WOOD [
<
AUTO SERVICE
DAY OR NIGHT
Office, Northern Hotel Bldg. Phone 85
ARE YOU GOING OUT THIS FALL?
Visit San Francisco and Stop with
Mark C. Thompson
at his new hotel in the heart of the city between
Powell and Mason Streets.
The Dale- Tallac Hotel
140 ELLI8 STREET
v Special Rates and Headquarters for. Alaskans.
0 ~~
.... ... %
CITY BAKERY LUNCH ROOM
Special Carefully-Prepared Lunch served from 11:30 a. m. Our Fine
French Rolls with every meal
Big Variety of Pastries and Cakes, Always Fresh
Sanitary Machinery of Ln*^f M'^del. Patent Brick Oven. ’Best Ma
terials used by Expert V ,1 * producing our Famous Cream Loaf
Best Lei fee in Town
Frenck Bread Rye Bread
I---—---—- 1
V^lY Alaska' '
Y Steamship Company
Y -J Regular Sailings Between Seattle,
\\ Ketchikan, Juneau, Cordova, Valdez,
\\ Ellamar, Liscum, Latouche, Seward
-♦---—-_____
FROM SEATTLE— SAILS SOUTH r
f DEC. 20. ALASKA DEC 28
DEC. 30.... NORTHWESTERN JAN. 8
JAN. 10. ALASKA jAn! 18
JAN. 20. ALAMEDA JAn! 2S
JAN. 30. ALASKA FEb! 8
FTequent sailings of freighters carrying explosives.
This schedule subject to change without notice. ’ <
F. B. TRACY, Agent
■nPACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANYp *
*
Alaska—Washington—California ALASKA ROUTE
8afety Courtesy Service Speed
OFFICE EMPRES8 BUILDING , ^
WEST BOUND SOUTH BOUND
LEAVE CORDOVA LEAVE CORDOVA
JAN- 2. WATSON .JAN. 7
1 Three Sailings per Week from Seattle for San Francisco, Los An
geles and 8an Diego. For further Information call
L. A. COUNTS, AGENT Res. Lathrop Apts,
Phones: Office 223, Residence 2 23—2 rings.
• — - ■ ^
J fl
I topper River and j
N irthwestern Ry.
Trains leave Cordova for Chitina Monday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Kennecott Tuesday and Friday.
Trains leave Kennecott for Chitina Sunday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Cordova Tuesday and Friday.
Dinting Car in Connection with all Regular
Passenger Trains between Cordova and Chitina.
Freight received and delivered at Cordova
YY harf trom 9 a. m. to 5 p- m., except Sundays.
Tickets on sale at Second Street Depot office
one hour before departure of trains.
CALEB CORSER Superintendent
D. L. LEATON, Ticket Agent
»
THE NORTHERN CLUB
FRED HAEF, PROP.
POOL, CARDS, TOBACCO
Soft Drinks of All Kinds
The Popular Comer
PHONE 47 CORDOVA, ALASKA
JUST RECEIVED, A LINE OF j
MASTER-MADE
DRESS SHOES
FOR MEN. CALL AND GET THE PRICES AT
THE BARGAIN STORE
JOHN RAWSON
———— ■■ — '
__
| p - ■ ■ ■ ■———_ r U
Sixty Steam-Heated . Rooms, Electric-Lighted
Hot and Cold Water in Every Room
With or Without Bath
Cordova House
DOOLEY & GREENIG *
Headquarters for Railroad and Mining Men
Satisfaction Guaranteed :: Rates Reasonable
I" ' . - ■■ —T-T.T7;