The Great Copper River Valley.
*Y Ft* SIN MOTKRIfr* J. ». LRrilT. OF
The agricultural part of the (.’op|sr river
valley lie* between the months of the t’hii
tvna ami Chistuchimi rivers, a distant..
• hout 140 miles and is from 'In to 75 mile*
wide. There isalso much good agricultural
land along the Chittytm ami other smaller
river*.
The suit-soil is sedimentary and shows
that at some time the valley was the bot
tom of a sea. The soil is loam and alluvial
deposits, and is from one to four feet deep;
is very productive and easily worked.
though it will not produce well the first
season for the reason that the ground is
covered with a heavy coat of moss, the roots
of which, like the grass roots on the plains
west of the Mississippi, must have one sea
son to rot, after which it will produce
abundantly.
The first attempt at agriculture was made
in the year 1902 at the Agricultural Exper
nientul Station near Cop|x*r Center, where
oats, barley and rye were raised of good
quality. There were also gardens nt Ton
sina and the Copper River Crossing where
such vegetables as potatoes, cabbage and
turnips were raised in abundance. Red
clover and timothy also grow well there,
the latter being one of tire natural grasses
of the country.
Almost the entire valley is covered with
timber consisting of spruce, cottonwood and
birch. This timber is not large enough to
make it valuable for export, but is sufficient
for the needs of the country, und is easily
cleared for the reason that the roots of the
Bpruee, which is the principal timber, do
not penetrate the ground deeply, and
quickly decay.
The climate is good. There are neither
cyclones in summer nor blizzards in winter.
High winds are exceedingly rare. The
snow and rain fall is about onc>tliird of the
amount that falls on the south side of the
coast range of mountains. The snow in
winter averages aixmt two feet in depth,
und there arc occasional showers in tin*
summer, giving sufficient rain fall to ma
ture the grains and grasses that have been
mentioned. Currants, blueberries, huckle
berries and raspberries grow in profusion.
The extreme ran.'e of the thermometer is j
from one hundred above in summer to I
fifty below it» winter, though, there are hut '
few days in winter when men cannot lalx»r
out d«xirs comfortably.
The vast deposits of gold,copper and coal
that are known to exist in the mountains
surrounding this valley make it certain
that the people who take homesteads in the
valley will always have a market at their
door for everything they can produce, at a
price much above the level of the market
prices of the world.
Miller Gulch Mining District.
■T C. H. ERAEMEK, OWNER VALDES ELECTRIC LIGHT CO.
Miller Uulch is a small tributary of Slate
creek in the Chisna Mining District. The
discovery of this gulch was made in 1900,
and eight 600-foot claims were located.
Mining operations liegan in the spring of
1901 and the output for the same season
was about $95,000. In 1902 the clean-up
reached $200,000; in 1903 $225,000. In
two more years it is safe to say these claims
will produce $500,000 more, making a total
of a million doli.aks in ooLu taken from
a gulch 150 feet wide hy 4800 long.
The mining season in this camp is three
months long. The wages paid have been
and will lie $12.50 per day. After the
creek lied proper has been worked out, there
are still some rich benches to work, on
which have been found 40 to 60 cent pans
in the large deposits of gravel lying all
over the low foot hills. These benches will
undoubtedly yield more gold than has been
produced on Miller gulch and Slate creek
combined.
In the opinion of experienced operators
in that district a very small part of a rich
gold deposit has lieen found. A little more •
hona fide prospecting will undoubtedly un
cover a richer and more extensive deposit
than has yet been found.
8altnon Fisheries Near Valdex.
BY J. C. NABT1N.
One of the oldest industries of Alaska is
that of salmon fisheries, which were estab
lished, in this locality late in the eighties,
and which have increased their production
annually. The demand for the Alaska red
salmon has increased steadily from the in
fancy of the industry until now that com
modity is rated among the highest grades
on the market. The Pacific Packing A i
Navigation t'o. operates a cannery at Orca,
and the Alaska Packer’s Association at
Eyak, with a gross annual output of 8*5,000
cases in the season of 1903, representing a
market value of $395,*500 and employing
about 150 white men, l>eeide native and
Asiatic lalior. The resources of the fishing
grounds in Prince William Sound and ad
joining waters, is beet- illustrated by the
(act that approximately 1,132,000 salmon
are annually taken fmtn the waters, and
during the twelve nr fifteen yurs these
eannerie* have opera?, d, tin re has Iteen no
deereat.e in the run of fish as was at first
anticipated, instead they have increased.
A noteworthy fa» t in tins connection is the
r« port of the U. B. Kish Commission, which
recently visitcil Alaska, in which rceotn
niendalions were made for estnldishing
hatcheries on many of the fishing grounds
to the W cut ward, hut the region around
V alder, called for none of these recommen
dations.
The Bremaer Mining District.
ST JOMS H. VAB IIXIOTISE.
Gold was discovered on the Bremner
river liars and a'numbcr of its tributary
gulches, by Peter Monahan, U. B. Banta
and H. \V. Anderson, in 1901. The bed of
the Bremner pans well in fine gold for a
number of miles. Those looking for dredg
ing places would do well to investigate
tills river. Manvof the bars along the stream
pan equal to five dollars per day by sluice
box method, and immense deposits of gold
lienring gravel on the higher benches would
make profitable hydraulic ground.
The side streams in which jmv prospects
were found are Little Bremner.CMcGreal,
Amy, Golconda, Summit and Standard.
The work done on Summit creek yielded
ten dollars jkt day to the man, shoveling
into boxes. Two men on No. 1 took out
two thousand dollars for one season’s work.
On Golconda the average yield is three
dollars |»er yard for bedrock work. The
depth of gravel is from four to eight feet,
with an average bedrock grade of four to
five per cent. A never failing supply of
water, and a wide, extensive pay streak.
This ground ought to pay handsomely
under hydraulic mining methods.
Wood and saw log timlN-r can he got on
the hillsides and bars of the Bremner, three
miles distant.
The distance from Toneina via the Chit
tyna and Chakina rivers is one hundred
miles.
The Shushitna Placer Mines.
BY JOHN Y. 0*T*AATTORNEY.
In the summer of 1908, a part vof Valdez
prospectors, headed by Peter Monahan, one
of the most relinhle and 1m st informed
prospectors, in Alaska, discovered Valdez
creek, on the headwaters of the Shushitna
ami located the same. Two men working
15 days took out #1750. A cut to bedrock
on N<>. 2 nlsivc showed two feet of gravel.
Twelve pans of gravel averaged #1 per pan.
Provisions glowing scarce, the party re
turned to Valdez in Seplcmlier, via Copper
Center, making the trip in eleven days.
The country about the headwaters of the
Shushitna is many thousand miles in ex
tent, is practically unexplored, and as fav
orably located for carrying placer gold as is
Valdez creek.
It is 200 miles from Valdez to the dig
gings, via the glacier route, and 260 miles
via Copper Center. The government trail
and mail route via Copper Center is kept
open during the entire winter. The glacier
route is shorter and is safe and easy. After
crossing the summit, 35 miles from Valdez,
the trail is over level country. There is
good grass for the entire distance in sum
mer.
The Shushitna is tributary to Cook Inlet
but the distance troin the Inlet is almost as
great, and the country is rough and broken
and is inaccessible from November 1st to
May 1st, because the Inlet is full of ice and
closed to navigation. The distance from
Seward, Resurrection bay, at any season, is
much greater than from Valdez, and lies
over an almost impassible country.
Alaska’s Great Need.
In an interview discussing Alaska Judge
Wickersham said:
“Alaska needs a good many things, and
needs most of them badly. Southeastern
Alaska needs special attention in some re
spects, but northeastern Alaska needs per
haps the most consideration to matters for
its general benefit. The senatorial commis
sion visiting Alaska this year looked things
over very thoroughly, and will bring a
numlter of important matters to the atten
tion of congress.
“Of all things, Northwest Alaska needs
roads unore than anything else. It is ap
parent. and was so recognized hy the com
mission, that, most oi all, Alaska needs a
national road running from Valdez up the
Copper river, and over the mountains and
down to Eagle City on the upper Yukon,
with a brainh road extending from the
crossing of the Tanana river, northward to
the Tanana mining district. The distance
from Valdez to Eagle City hy this route is
•lot) miles, and from the Tanana river
crossing to Tanana 200 miles. There would
U* no difficulty in constructing this road
from an engineering stand point, as the
trail has l**en traveled tack and forth by
hy men and pack trains for the past live or
six years. The present rough trail and
primitive methods of transportation make
the traffic rates excessive and the hack
lying country will never be given the prop
er op|>ortunity for development until such
a road was put through.”
Are there any other natural resources
in that territory besides mineral deposits
to warrant the construction of such a
road?” was asked.
"It doesn’t need any other,"” was the
reply. “That is one of the richest countries
in the world in mineral wealth. Gold in
the Tanana district, copper in the Valdez
and Copp.-r l iver country in immense quan
tities, and coal and oil in the Kayak coun
try a short distance lielow Valdez. The
road would open up vast tracts of rich
territory and facilitate the mails.”
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« “ 8
NEW PROCESS |
STEAM LAUNDRY,i
M. KINLKY STRKKT.
Fineel Work. I’rompt Delivery.!
Fully l{<-i<|iou.«il)le.
_*_ _ |
For Assort* Send Your Ore To
J. H. MORRISON,
Assay er Ellatnar Minins Co.
Gold, Silver and (.'upper $3.50
Gold and Silver - 1.50
Copper - - - 2.00
I tend ... 2.00
Ki.i.amak, Alaska
Ellamar
Mining
Company
Powder, Caps, Fuse,
and all other nec
essaries for the
Prospector.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Prices Reasonable.
EUatnar. Alaska.
lie northwestern Line
Operates the finest trains in the
world every day in the year, t»c
tween
Minneapolis,
St. Paul,
Chicago,
Milwaukee,
OMAHA and KANSAS CITY,
making direct connections with
through trains for all points East
and South.
As cheap as the cheapest and the
best to lie had. For rates or reser
vations, call or write,
F. W. PARKER,General Agent,
151 Yosier Way, Seattle.
Dissolution of Partnership.
The business heretofore existing under the
tirm nmn • «*f Woods Fowlie nt Heward, Alas
ka betw een (»-o Woods and Janies Fowlie ia tills
day dissolved bv iiiUtiial eoosent. lieo. II.
Wood* eoiitiuiu-s tit** biihiuesH, and volleets and
nays all bills of the said firm of Wood* «L
Fowlie.
James Fowlie.
ii. II. Wotids.
Dated Jan 11, l‘.*>4. 2
Notice oi Forfeiture.
Values. Alaska, Jan. 1, 190J.
To Walter L. White ami K. F. Willis:
You are hereby notified ilia! the undersigned.
A. II. ft ley, has extended during the year
1903, four hundred (fliNi) dollurt»aiu labor upon
the Lost Chord, Uie llelen, the Hold Dollar and
the Black Hear miniug claims situated on the
benches of Hlate Creek and Miller Hulch, in
the Chisna mining district, Alaska, in Val
dez Recording District, the location notices
of which claims are now of record in the
office of the I’nitml Hlate* Commissioner at
Valdez, and to which notices reference Is made
fora more particular description thereof, iu
order to hold said claims under provision of
Heel ion 2824. Revised Statutes of the Cnited
States, and the amendment* reluting thereto
concerning annual labor upon mining claims,
being the amount required to hold said claims
during the year 19U3, ending December XI,
1'JuX. And if at llie expiration of, ninety
day* from the publication of this notice, you
fail or refuse to contribute your proportion of
such expenditure, your imerest* in »aid claims
will become the nroi»erty of the undersigned,
your co-owner, who has made the required ex
penditurc by the terms of said section.
A. H. 1'TLEY.
First publication Jau. 7.
Last publication April 7.
R I F A N S Talmil's
Doctors find
A good prescription
For inunkind
The 5-eent package is enough for usual occa
sion. The family bottle (*> cents) -ontains a
supply for a year. All tlrngtfist* sell them.
JkkkMid* BO YEARS'
EXPERIENCE
■ I ^L J J * L j ^1
™ fill j . I IljB
'ii ■ w i itba I
<*a^M
Trade Marks
^■■PC Designs
Copyrights Ac.
Anyone sending a sketch and description may
quickly ascertain our opinion free whether an
Invention is probably patentable. Communis*
tlona strictly confidential. Handbook on Patents
sent free. Oldest agency for securing patents.
Patents taken through ltuun A Co. receive
special notice, without charge, lu the
Scientific American
A handsomely Illustrated weekly. largest cir
culation of any scientific Journal. Terms. P a
year; four mouths, |L Bold by all newsdealers.
tolficraw*
Y£im«lWOj0 -sir^
261 Broadway. Now York_
EVERY WEEK. 108 TO 136 PACES
SUBSCRIPTION, iS 00 A YEAR
(fnakidirtg U S. Caiu'/i cr M x’n postage)
THe E'i£neerir.d and Kuin| Jawaal
IS uow In It* 3Jtk v-ar. Its 2180th caa
•scutn • number will be b*ued shortly,
for a a arts' af a e utlury K has been ue
emlnently the I -alint mlnind periodical,
with _ wurit-arliM .-Irvulatlun. Editorially
the (npr Is porh-ularly strand and broad
:iau:fr stiha-r.iAlou* can begin at anytime.
Hamiila eupiea free.
radar M a»»W»ad<is
Alaska Pacific navigation (osipany
Carrying U. S. Mail and Express.
E. E. Caine, President.
j& Mr
From Seattle lor Valdez, t'ook Inlet and
tfr Fvrpkinr J way ports, 1st of cuch month. From Val
Jll. LAUD1UI dez for Seattle and way ports, 16th of each
____ month.
1* rom Seattle (or Valdez, Cook Inlet and
Cfr Qinh A no j way ports 1 tith of each month. From Val
311. 341114 A114 etc** for Seattle and way ports, 1st of each
__month.
From Vnhlez to Unalaska and way ports
Cfr Npwnnrt 26th of each month, connecting at Valdes
311. ilCW PUII with 8. S. Santa Ana
Company reserves right to change steamers or date of sailing
without notice.
Seattle Office—618 First Ave. J 2. Martin
Agent.
PHONE 16.
A. B lies, Pres. 1*. M. Brown, Preas. F. J. Kinghorn, Sac.
Valdez Dock IS Warehouse Company.
Uonds may he ahlpped In our can- and left in warehouse till
called for. I’artie* going t<> the interior will And it conven
ient to leave consignment* with ns to »*• forwarded to such
points amt At such time as they may direct.
Our storage is safe, being t-4th mile from nearest building
McIntosh & Duncklee
Horseshoeing and Blacksmithing
All work will receive prompt attention. High clasa
blacksmithing made a <pecial feature. Give us a call.
Cor. Keystone axii McKinley. Values
Home Restaurant : •
Keystone Ave. Opp. St. Elias Hotel.
Meals At All Hours From 6 OVlock A.M.
to y OVlock P.M. Regular Dinner From
5 to 7. Sunday Dinner A Specialty.
I ceCrearriand Soda Water Parlor
MRS. E. H. AEEEN.
C. C. B0QARDU5
Assayer and Chemist
Gold and Silver $ 1.00 Gold Silver and Copper $2.50
60 Coj.umbia St., Seattle, Wash.
"10 YEARS STANDARD”
RUBEROlb
(Trade Mark Registered.)
Has demonstrated that it is the most durable and efficient ROOFING
for all sorts of buildings, weathers ami conditions. Made of the strong
est, best wool felt, thoroughly saturated with the well-known Ruheroid
Compound. Proof against heat, cold, water, steam, acids, alkalies,
gases, fumes, etc. Outlasts metal. Fire-resisting. Contains no tar or
paper. Will not melt, rot or tear. Easily laid. Booklets, samples
and prices upon application. A large shipment now on hand at
SHEFFER & BORTON,
McKinley Street.
Valdez Electric Light, Power & Telephone Co.
Incorporated.
We have on hand a large assortment of Electric Fixtures,
Plain and Fancy Shades, Call Bells and Annunciators.
Estimates given on all kinds of elect rical work. Phone 39.
Where Do You Stop? Why of Course at
MINERS* HOTEL.
COMFORTABLE QUARTERS.
McKinley st. and Keystone a? C. Johnson, Prop
McKinley -Hall
Cor. Reservation Av. and Hobart St.
Suitable for Balls, Parties,
Receptions, Banquets, etc.
Dates Booked With
A. M. EDWARDS, White Bloek.