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Coal Leads Gold As Mineral Commodity In Alaska-Bureau Of Mines Reports Developments in the oil and gas fields of the Kenai Peninsula dom inated the news of the mineral in dustries of Alaska in 1960, accord ing to final figures compiled in a survey by the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, and just released. Gold mining, once a flourishing industry in Alaska, is expected to be non-existent in the near future. Systematic development drilling in the Swanson River and Soldatna Creek units by Standard Oil Co. of Calif., resulted in 13 new produc ing oil wells or wells capable of producing, and one gas well. Union Oil Co. of Calif., and Ohio Oil Co. brought in an additional gas well in their Kenai unit (Kalifonsky Beach). In the first significant discovery by an independent in Alaska in almost 60 years, Halbouty Alaska Oil Co. and King Oil, Inc., brought in gas discovery well No. IB at West Fork, some 6 miles south of Soldatna Creek and 16 miles north west of Union-Ohio’s Kenai unit. In October, Standard of Calif, and Richfield Oil Corp. put into operation the 20-mile crude oil line from the Swanson River field to tidewater at Nikiski. Anchorage Natural Gas Corp’s gasline from the Kenai unit to Anchorage was partly laid; unusual difficulties encountered in crossing Turnagain Arm forced a delay in completing this section until Spring. Value of mineral production in the State increased almost 7 per cent over that of 1959. The substan tial gain in value of petroleum and natural gas, coupled with increases in value of coal, sand and gravel, stone, and mercury, more than off set a sizeable decrease in gold. Coal replaced gold as the leading mineral commodity with 29 per cent of the total value. Gold, with 27 per cent and sand and gravel with 25 per cent, were second and third in rank. Value of petroleum and natural gas increased from less than 2 per cent of total mineral production in 1959 to almost 6 per cent in 1960. Mercury output, al most entirely from the Red Devil mine, Kuskokwim River region, continued to contribute import antly to value of the State’s min eral commodities. Goodnews Bay Mining Co., op erating placers near Platinum, also in the Kuskokwim River region, Now Available 1 A Complete Tablet and Grave Marker Service » • Many designs to choose from. KODIAK MORYOARY Walt Muller ph- 486—5110 *?%otUien. S&ofi <x*td S&oe S** OUT OF BUSINESS ON SEPT. 1 Closing Out at 1/2 Price All Furniture & Fixtures For Sale MILLIE MARKHAM OF THE MONTMARTRE HAS PURCHASED OUR FLOWER BUSINESS Ph. 486—2925_ Elks Elks Special Millionaire Style New York Cut Steak, pound slab-One inch thick-with flavor. Paul Punyan Baked Potato — Everlasting Butter — Onion Rings Heaping Green Salad. A full piece of Colorado Beef Steak, sliced not a shade thinner than one-inch thick, with delicious flavor attached. It’s escort is a baked potato, fully as large as those which Maine and Idaho both boasting together make their spuds out to measure. The butter is everlast ing- when one pat has melted deep down into the potato s hot flesh, along comes another sweet butter pat to cheer v®u on to the Grand Finale! A great heap of batter dipped deep fat fried onion rings madly hls®,nS ™ heat and last but not least, a green salad that will lift vour taste buds higher than an Alaskan’s opinion of Alaska. Hot Garlic Bread. The drinks are on us? (Tea or coffee). YOU ELK MEMBERS, FAMILY AND GUESTS RUSH TO THE ELKS CLUB THIS SATURDAY EVENING, 6 P. M. TO 9 P. M., AUGUST 5 FOR THAT STEAK. COME ONE COME ALL ELKS CLUB _ _^——— maintained its position as the only producer of primary platinum in the United States. The report points to a dismal fu ture for gold mining operations continuing in future years in Alaska. Output of gold dropped sharply in 1960, the report stated, despite a slight rise (1 per cent) in total yards washed; value was 7 per cent less than that for 1959. More than 99 per cent of gold pro duced came from placer mines. Substantial decreases in the grade of gravel washed by dredging operations and in yards washed by non-float operations were respon sible for the lower output and value. Twenty-two dredges mined gold during the year. United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Co., in the Yukon and Seward Penin sula regions, and New York-Alaska Gold Dredging Corp. Reduction of operations in the Fairbanks fields, with only four boats digging compared with six in 1959, forshadowed an end to an industry which has contributed im portantly to the opening and de velopment of Alaska, the report stated. The company had sus pended thawing operations, except on a few remnants, by the close of the 1960 season. Estimates were that dredging at Fairbanks would be finished by 1963 or 1964. Of the three boats digging in the Nome fields, one was retired from service when the season ended. Here, too, thawing was confined to remnants; operations are not ex pected to run beyond the 1962 sea son unless there is a change in the economics of gold mining. Lt. Gen. G. Mundy Arrives In Alaska Lieutenant General George W. Mundy, USAF, arrived at Elmen - dorf AFB, Alaska, Monday, July 31st, to, assume command of all Armed Forces in the 49th State. The new Commander-in-C h i e f, Alaska, succeeds Lt. General Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., USAF, who retired from active duty fol lowing an outstanding military ca reer spanning more than 33 years. LT. GEN. G. MUNDY General and Mrs. Armstrong de parted following ceremonies in his honor held Saturday. The General and Mrs. Armstrong plan to reside in the Tampa, Florida, area, i It was just five years ago this month that General Mundy suc ceeded General Armstrong as Com mander of the Strategic Air Com mand’s Second Air Force, Barks dale AFB, Louisiana, when Gen eral Armstrong returned to Alaska to assume command of the Alaskan Air Command. In Louisville, Kentucky, the in credible has happened: The school children aren’t particularly fond of ice cream. In fact, demand is so low, and the price of ice cream is relatively so high, that the schools won’t offer it in their lunchrooms J next year. Rainbow Girls Official Here Next Tuesday Miss Jeanne Kunz, Grand Worthy Advisor to the Grand Assembly of Washington and Idaho and Alaska, International Order of Rainbow for Girls, will arrive here Tuesday, August 8, at 10:05 via PNA from Anchorage. Plans are for all Rain bow girls here to meet the plane. The Grand Worthy Advisor and her travelling companions will be guests at an informal social meet ing at the home of Mrs. Bob Ache son, that evening beginning at 7:30. Rainbow Girls requiring transpor tation are asked to contact Mrs. Mildred Rextrew at 486—5139. There will be a closed meeting on Wednesday, August 9, at 7:30 at the Masonic Temple, which will be preceeded by a dinner at 6 p. m. for the Grand Worthy Advisor. Res ervations can be made for the din ner by calling Judy Ann Walker at 487—5523. « , NOTICE Will person who borrowed my 4-inch belt sander please return it, as I’ve never used it. tfn (s) Frank Irick PRICELESS There is only one person who can make little things count today • - that is a kindergarten teacher. The younger generation has one big advantage over the old— it still has plenty of time to outgrow what ails it. KODIAK Insurance will be real busy next week hosting the Annual Con vention of the Alaska Insurance Agents. Don’t worry about your insurance coverages; TO HAVE them with us is all the safe guard you need. We always keep your interest foremost and go like SIXTY to keep up with the latest trend in this field. Yes, sir, Kodiak Insurance are the best ] INSURANCE AGENTS Art Brooks 486—2215 Kodiak Insurance & Bldg Corp WIVES OF LEGIONNAIRES ATTENTION!!! Chef Martin says: We Husbands of The American Legion Are Going to Prove to You That Men Are The BEST Cooks By Inviting You to Dinner on Us. WE WILL: COOK IT SERVE IT AND CLEAN UP AFTER IT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME AND ENJOY YOURSELVES Wed., Ans. 9, at 7 P. M. V. F. W. HALL THOMPSON TRANSFER ERIC MUELLER, Prop. CLEAN HEAT! Both Standard Furnace Oil and Standard Stove Oil are super-refined to burn clean. o CALL US TODAY FOR PROMPT SERVICE FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE WE HAVE Automatic Keep-Filled Service Home and Office /$nS^d\ Standard Plant 486-2300 486—5115