COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY
The Daily Times is in receipt of a
copy of the annual report of Dr. E.
Lester Jones, superintendent of the
U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, ac
companied by a personal letter from
Dr. Jones in which he says:
“First I would particularly call your
attention 'to pages 63 and 65 inclusive
of the report whereby text and illus
tration and effort has been made to
show with some precision within the
limits of the space allowed just what
has been accomplished in Alaskan
waters, and wTiat remains to be done.
“As you probably know, I have tried
by every possible means to center at
tention on the need of the develop
mnt of Alaska through more accurate
and more comprehensive surveys of
her navigable wraters, over which the
commerce to and from her ports must
pass. "When these are made safe and
her natural resources are developed
tl:re is no reason to believe that Alas
ka shall not take her place and be
as important as the northern nations
of Europe, and I believe that the most
fruitful means of bringing this about
is continually keeping before the pub
lic the nee'd of these surveys and of
this development, and in this the
press of Alaska can lend a powerful
influence.”
The reference to Alaska, in the re
port is as follows:
Alaska, general.—An important dif
ference between Alaska waters and
those of continental United States is
that scarcely enough work has been
done to let us know just how much
must be done to complete the charts.
The development of the country has
far out-stripped the progress of sur
veys, not only because of the few
vessels and parties engaged in the
work, but because of the great length
of coast over which the various acti
vities are 'scattered and the intricate
system of channels for so much of its
extent. In order to appreciate the
need of rapidly extending the surveys
of these waters, it should be clearly
understood that Alaska’s only connec
tion with the rest of the wrnrld is by
water routes. The amount of natural
resources of Alaska ripe for exploita
tion has been so great and the prize
they offered so tempting that trans
portation could not wait for the
government to mak^ the way for
them secure. It has gone ahead, find
ing its own paths to new fields, suf
fering big losses in so doing, but con
tent to suffer them because the re
turns were so immensely greater.
Steamer routes, southeastern Alas
ka.—In Southeastern Alaska the first
and most obvious need is to complete
the wire-drag work. Most of these
waters have been sounded, so that
only dragging is necessary to com
plete the survey. This drag work
should be taken up in the order of
its importance, beginning with the
main steamer route through the re
gion and then taking up the various
tributary waters leading to the areas;
of commercial importance. For some
years past, two parties have been ac
tively engaged in dragging the main
steamer routes, and this work is now
about 55 per cent complete.
TV»n ahI oirln ortoof mrnforc! fhn ic.
lands bordering on the open Pacific.
■—These and their connecting chan
nels are largely unsurveyed and
should be navigated with great cau
tion. A navigator, seeing a chart on
which the shore line is stretched, 00'
soundings, several rocks and shoal
hanks, notes as to rocks and breakers
reported, and a statement on the
chart to the effect that the area is
unsurveyed, is, to say the least, un
able to proceed with confidence; and
this situation is by no means unusu
al. The same pressing need of such
regions is a complete hydrographic
survey followed later in places by
wire-drag work. The rapidly in
creasing commercial importance of
this region and the exceptionally dan
gerous character of the waters
through which traffic must pass, ren
der surveys in the near future imper
ative.
Cross Sound to Prince William
Sound.—From Cross Sound the north
ernmost channel from the inside
waters to the sea, to Prince William
Sound, the coast has few features of
present or prospective importance.
There is, however, urgent need for
surveys to insure the safety of ves
sels approaching and passing along
this coast. In this region the charts
are very defective in the manner of
showing sounding and prominent
coastal mountain peaks and headlands
that would enable the navigator to ob
tain his position on approaching from
seaward. The only important break
on this coast, Yakutat Bay, has some
canneries, and additional surveys are
needed here on this account.
Prince William Sound to Unimak
Pass.—A very important section of
the Alaska coast extends from the
waters of Prince William Sound west
ward to Unimak Pass. Not only are
the industries of present importance,
but there are extensive mineral re
sources largely undeveloped through
lack of cheaper transportation. The
point to be emphasized is that this is
not an old, settled country with its
needs in the matter of transportation
fixed, but it is still capable of great
future development, and in consider
ing the needed surveys its future must
be taken into account. The approach
es to Prince William Sound have
been surveyed and no surveys for the
present are needed except in the vi
cinity of Cape St. Elias and Middle
ton Island. Wire drag work will be
needed in both these localities as
reefs and pinnacle rocks exists. Prince
William Sound needs additional
soundings over most of its area, and
many of its branches need original
surveys. Cordova is the terminus of
the Copper River & Northwestern
Railway which gives access to the im
portant copper mines on the Copper
River. The approaches tb Gordova
have been surveyed, except for wire
drag surveys needed to insure com
plete safety. Seward, on Resurrection
Bay, is the terminus of the Alaska
Railroad now being built by the Gov
ernment. The surveys of its approach
are now completed except for wire
drag work. It is probable that much
of the trade originating along the
line of the Government railway will
be transhipped at Anchorage at the
head of Cook Inlet. Not only this
will make it necessary for many ves
sels to navigate these waters, but
there are now very large salmon
canneries along its shores, as
well as considerable mining. The
present surveys are inadequate and
wire-drag work is needed over much
of its area. Kodiak Island, with a
number of canneries and some cattle
grazing, is largely unsurveyed. From
Kodiak Island westward to Unimak
Pass only a comparatively small part
has been surveyed at all. While the
amount of present traffic is small it is
sufficient to need protection. At pre
sent the coast guard vessels and the
freight and passenger vessels run
grave risks in using the protected
natural channel leading along the
coast inside the island. This is a
particularly bad stretch of coast with
many reefs and islands. Only in the
vicinity of the Shumagin Islands and
from Unimak Pass to Unalaska Is
lands have surveys been made, and
they are inadequate. It is not now
practicable to drag the entire area,
but it is important that the immed
iate needs of navigation, even though
of limited amount, be met by dragging
a selected channel to insure the safe
ty of vessels from Shelikof Strait to
Unimak Pass. Unimak Pass is the
almost universally used channel into
Bering Sea. It has been surveyed
but it is probable that it should be
dragged or at least further soundings
taken.
Aleutian Islands.—The Aleutian Is
lands have comparatively little traf
fic and are without survey. It Is
necessary that this region be patroll
ed by coast guard vessels. The loss
of one of the vesels of this service
a few years ago was wholly due to
the lack of adequate surveys.
Bristol Bay.—A large part of the
salmon shipped from Alaska comes
from Bristol Bay. This is jvithout
surveys except in Nushagak Bay and
Kuskokwim Bay and River. Both of
these have recent surveys, but as the
bottom is subject to change on ac
count of the large rivers, future ad
ditional surveys will be needed. As
an example of what surveys mean
in a new region, the discovery of an
entrance to the Kuskokwim River
suitable for moderate vessels opened
up an immense area for grazing and
also in places for general agriculture.
Norton Sound.—The Importance of
Norton Sound is due to the gold min
ing on its northern shores and as be
ing the outlet of the Yukon delta on
the southern shore. In all of Norton
Sound additional surveys are needed.
It is curious that in this sound, which
according to all available information
is of quite level, sandy, or muddy
bottom, Besboro Island arises very
abruptly to a height of 1,012 feet.
With such an occurance it is not ab
solutely certain that no pinnacle rock
exists.
Fresh Ever-Ready Flashlight Bat
teries, all sizes. Blum-O’Neill Co. 3-tf
"» :• ■ -- 1 —r
Let the New Year
Bring Your Baby
better things in the way of foods to
nourish and toilet accessories to keep
beautiful the delicate little body. You
can get them all here — everything
good for baby’s health and comfort.
NO AHERN DRUG CO.
“THE DRUG STORE OF ALASKA”
“SERVICE” is our motto
I ALASKA TRANSFER COMPANY^
* ^
TRANSFER AND STORAGE
GOAL AND WOOD
I 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
i Powell and Mason Streets.
The Dale- Tallac Hotel
140 ELLIS STREET
| Special Rates and Headquarters for Alaskans.
CITY BAKERY LUNCH ROOM I
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 \lodel. Patent Brick Oven. Best Ma
terials used by Expert V. .. u* educing our Famous Cream Loaf
Best wdifee in Town j
French Bread Rye Bread
- ... . ..... 4- r -_
Alaska
Steamship Company
Regular Sailings Between Seattle,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Cordova, Valdez,
Ellamar, Liscum, Lafbuche, Seward
FROM SEATTLE— SAILS SOUTH
DEC. 20. ALASKA ....DEC. 28
DEC. 30. NORTHWESTERN .JAN. 8 /
JAN. 10. ALASKA .JAN. 18 **
JAN. 20. ALAMEDA .JAN. 25
JAN. 30. ALASKA .FEB. 8
Frequent sailings of freighters carrying explosives.
This schedule subject to change without notice.
F. B. TRACY, Agent
_aPACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY,? J
Alaska—Washington—California ALASKA ROUTE \
Safety Courtesy Service Speed »
OFFICE EMPRESS BUILDING
WEST BOUND SOUTH BOUND
LEAVE CORDOVA LEAVE CORDOVA
JAN. 25. WATSON .FEB. 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 223—2 rings. „
■— ' . - .. ..., -
JUST RECEIVED, A LINE OF |
MASTER-MADE
j DRESS SHOES
FOR MEN. CALL AN» GET THE PRICES AT
THE BARGAIN STORE
JOHN RaWSON
I •---1
Sixty Steam-Heated Rooms, Electric-Lighted i
Hot and Cold Water in Every Room
With or Without Bath
Cordova House
DOOLEY & GREENIG '
i
Headquarters for Railroad and Mining Men
Satisfaction Guaranteed :: Rates Reasonable