OCR Text |
Show ALASKA PLACER MINES PRODUCE MILLIONS "WASHINGTON". Nov. 7. The value of the placer gold produced in Alaska In IMS was about SI. 900, 000. The production In 1917 was J9.S10.000. The decrease in 191S was general throughout the territory, except In the Copper River and Yentna districts and some of the smaller Yukon districts. The decrease w-as due mainly to curtailment of operations because of shortage of labor, high cost of supplies and uncertainty as to future conditions. Local decreases were due, also, to unfavorable unfa-vorable climatic conditions and to the depletion de-pletion of some of the richer placers. It Is estimated by the United States geological survey, department of the interior, in-terior, that about 574 placer mines were operated in the summer of 1913 and 153 during the previous winter, but many for only a part of the season. About S000 men were engaged In productive placer mining in the summeV and 613 in the winter. In addition, several hundred men were engaged in prospecting or other nonproductive work relating to placer mining. |