Mr. Sutherland. The total cost,
as reported by the Secretary of
the Interior, is almost $10,000,000
& year.. Of course, that takes in
to account the various War De
partment operations, the naval op
erations, the Geological Survey, and
the sort of hting, which reach in
to considerable money. Then, of
course, there is the railroad which
is now in process of construction
or completion. That has been a
large item. If that were taken
out, the amount would be reduced
materially.
Mr. Carpenter. Does not Alaska
need trails more than roads?
Mr. Sutherland. That is what
I am saying. Perhaps they should
not be exactly trails, because they
would need roads so that in
frozen weather they could haul
with their sleds. A horse path
might be considered a trail.
Mr. Robinson, I think you should
have dirt roads and bridges.
Mr. Sutherland. Yes, sir. When
you consider this appropriation and
this situation, you must bear in
mind that the States that are bene
ficiaries of this act have road sys
tems that were established years
ago and that are much superior to
anything that we have in Alaska.
For instance, if you take the State
of Iowa, that State has had a
system of roads for probably 40
or 50 years. I know that 40 or
50 years ago the roads of Iowa
were far better than the roads we
have in Alaska today. All that
they need to expend to-day is
money for repairs and small Im
provements to make them perfect
roads, while we are asking for
nothing of that kind here in Al
aska. We have no cement roads
there, and we do not need any.
We will probably never ask for
any cement roads, but we do ask
for a system of roads into the min
ing sections and the mountain
sections of Alaska that will aid in
our mineral development.
I want to say, gentlemen of the
committee, that I think this com
mittee ought to express its sent!
ment on tms matter oi taking away^
m
Horn one little remote section oi/f
tlio country tne little appropria
tion tiiat we iiave had.” t!
Mining conditions
mining conuitions in aiusku are
encouraging not only lor continu
ation oi production at present rate
but tor gradual increase, according
to a statement issued December
‘10 by tlie Department oi tlie inter
ior through the Geological Survey.
The value oi Alaska’s mineral out
put in ii>20 was $17,400,000 as
compared with $li>, 2,20,092 in
1 925.
The Department points out that
there are large areas in Alaska that
Qave not been adequately prospect
ed, and many promising properties
are now lying idle because of lack
of capital for the necessary equip
ment.
“The shortage of enterprising
prospectors,” it is stated, “is a ser
ious drawback that has resulted
because wages for comparable work
are actually lower in Alaska than
in the States, though expenses are
higher. As a consequence, Alaska
does not attract or hold the class
of prospectors it formerly did.”
The statement, in full text, fol
lows:
Mines in Alaska produced miner
als to the value of $17,490,000 in
1926, as against $18,220,692 in
1925. The total value of the min
eral output of Alaska since 1880
is over $570,000,000.
The figures for 1926, which are
estimates and consequently subject
to revision, are taken from the Geo
logical Survey’s annual report on
mineral resources of Alaska, now
in preparation. The source of this
mineral wealth is approximately as
follows:
Value of mineral output of Alas
ka in 1925 and 1926.
1925 1926
Gold $6,360,281 $6,620,000
copper
►Sliver
?,ou v,uvu
'ibA,-±i>u 4iU,yvv
Ouai 4U4,0xi -*uo,uuu
jtiier minerals
t-Leau, peiroieum,
rnaroie, Un,
piaunum etc.; 611,966 6o0,0oo
ioi,ais. . $>16,226,662 $>17,466,660
liven the current reduced annual
value of the mineral production
from Alaska is practically two and
a half times the price originally
paid for the entire Territory.
Viewed broadly, the mining con
ditions throughout the Territory
are encouraging, not only for the
continuation of production at the
present rate but for a gradual in
crease. Many of the operators have
important development work in pro
gress to put their properties into
more efficient working condition,
and capital for this work and for
new equipment is being made avail
able.
The improvements already^
brought about are reflected by some
increase in the production of gold,
and further developments under
way that should be still more pro
ductive in 1927, though it will be
several years before all these pro
jects will have full effect in in
creasing the production.
HOGUE & TVETEN .
Dealers in
General Merchandise
“The Best of Everything for
Everybody
I &
j We appreciate yoor business
Operating
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I in connection.
| PETERSBURG ALASKA
Grand Terminal Club
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Corner 2nd Ave. at 6th
Prince Rupert, B. C.
When in Prince Rupert droj
in for a visit.