Alaska Mineral Industry
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MINING IN 1930
(Mining Congress Journal)
We are all prone to compare
our present with the very best
in our past; prone to think ev
ery setback a major one. Re
cently, a man who had been in
the habit of earning and spend
ing a hundred thousand every
y;ar found himself forced to
accept and live upon one-quart
er of that amount. He saw
nothing short of penury in
325,000 and to avoid it took
his life. To many, $25,000 is a
gigantic sum. It certainly can
bring moderate comfort and
luxury. It’? all in the state of
mmd.
In 1928, the mining industry
7/as healthy, happy and reason
ably prosperous. In 1929, that
Industry suddenly acquired
production climbed We were
on the crest of the wave. But
1930 was just around the cor
ner, standing with a sharp pin
all ready for our beautiful bal
loon; and now 1930 has passed
by us, and as we inventory the
result we pull a long face and
join the great procession of in
dustry howlers and moodily tell
the world that 1930 “did wrong
by our Nell.”
That is true, in a degree. But
if 1929, with its false promise,
had not heaped our hands full
of good things, 1930 would not
have had so black an eye, for
‘ts record compares most fa
vorably with 1928 when none
cf us felt we could not go for
forward because our shoes were
a bit worn at the heel.
All of us would like to see
mining on the boom. When
there is an active demand for
minerals, there is great pros
perity abroad. But because we
are reduced does not give us
icense to cry like spoiled chil
dren.
Let’s tighten up our belts
and go ahead for the mineral
industry of this country is its
Lackbone, producing 54 per
cent of all the freight carried
by the railroad; paying 22 per
rent of the Federal tax income;
spending three hundred and fif
ty millions for equipment and
supplies; empiojdng thousands
of workers. With more than 12
billions invested mining is one
of the most substantial of the
country’s assets.
STUDY OF MINERALS
OF ALASKA PLANNED
-X
Department of Interior to Co
operate in Survey. Geologi
cal Survey will take part;
Coal, Clay, Limestone and
Several others.
x
The department of the inter
ior working through the geolog
ical survey and with the co
operation cf the general land of
fice will make an elaborate sur
vey this summer to determine
the mineral wealth of Alaska a
long the Alaska railroad, accord
ing to advices received by the
Portland Chamber of Commerce
recently from that department.
The recent congress appropri
ated $250,000 “ for continuation
rf the investigation of mineral
and other resources of Alaska”
in addition to the regular ap
priation for work in that ter
ritory. This appropriation has
been placed in ihe hands of
Secretary Wilbur who already
is organizing plans for the sum
mer’s activities, the chamber
was advised.
Although the special appro
priation is not available until
July 1, the geological survey,
considering the short working
reason in Alaska, has arranged
to make advances from its own
funds in order that the work
may be started early and a full
reason of results attained this
year.
Among projects to be investi
gated will be the Anthracite
Ridge coal fields in the vicinity
of the Alaska railroad, where
veins of coal more than 50 feet
thick have been reported. This
it is estimated, will cost $127,
°00. Sixty thousand dollars
uas been allowed for the survey
of the Willow creek. Fairbanks,
Copper mourtain, Girdwood,
Kantishna and Moose pass dis
tricts. Twenty-four thousand
dollars will be used in investi
gating the west fork of the
vhu’itna, VeJdez creek, Til
kectna mountains and Jent.ia
districts. For the investigation
of such non-metalic minerals as
.lay, limestone marl, etc., the
sum of $5000 has been set aside.
“As the purpose of the investi
gation is to develop natural
resources along the Alaska rail
road, it is important that the
result of the examinations shall
be published as quickly as pos
sible after the field work has
been completed,” said an an
nouncement received by the lo
cal chamber “To this end the
geological survey will prepare
at Anchorage memoranda for
publication, setting forth the
principal results of the individ
ual investigations within a few
weeks after the field work of the
parties has been completed.
Complete statements of the field
results of each project, based
on a more thorough study on
material collected and on the
interpretation of many techni
cal observations v/ill follow lat
e**. but will be issued at as ear
ly a date as is compatible with
a thoroughly sound and accur