. Alaska and the Klondike . f ages, groundoff the sides of the mountains by the sliding, slipping icefield. The western half, before which we have arrived, is alive and is continually dropping pieces of its crum-bling front into the sea. For thirty miles and for nearlyfour hours, we sail along this icy cliff, marvelling at itswonderful extent and at the still more wonderful expanseof the ice field behind it, which reaches back for fortymiles or more up the slopes of the white coast range. Weare eager to catch a glimpse of old St. Elias, but the cloudshang in heavy masses around his head and co
. Alaska and the Klondike . f ages, groundoff the sides of the mountains by the sliding, slipping icefield. The western half, before which we have arrived, is alive and is continually dropping pieces of its crum-bling front into the sea. For thirty miles and for nearlyfour hours, we sail along this icy cliff, marvelling at itswonderful extent and at the still more wonderful expanseof the ice field behind it, which reaches back for fortymiles or more up the slopes of the white coast range. Weare eager to catch a glimpse of old St. Elias, but the cloudshang in heavy masses around his head and conceal it fromour disappointed vision. We have learned by this time that Alaska has so manyvaluable resources that we are not surprised at the claimthat it will soon produce petroleum in merchantable quan-tity and quality. During the night, after leaving Valdez,we passed Kayak, opposite the mouth of the Copper River,where three flowing oil wells are said to have been sunk,while promising indications are found on the adjacent. Sitka Totems 242 ALASKA AND THE KLONDIKE mainland. Analysis of the oil shows it to be of as goodquality as the Pennsylvania product. The United StatesGeological Survey reports indications of oil at variousplaces along the south shore, from Cape Yaktag, east ofthe mouth of Copper River, to the Alaska Peninsula, onthe west side of Cooks Inlet. Deposits of coal have been uncovered on the AlaskaPeninsula and on Controller Bay near the mouth of Cop-per River. Alfred H. Brooks, chief of the division of Alas-kan mineral resources, says this Controller Bay coal is thebest thus far found on the Pacific coast of North of the past year seem to have establishedthe existence on the west side of Prince of Wales Island ofa practically inexhaustible supply of some 26 varieties ofmarble of splendid quality, adapted to monumental anddecorative work. There is one remarkable man, who figured prominentlyon our Pacific coast for nearly thirty years, of whom
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