10 PETROLEUM OF PACIFIC COAST OF ALASKA. [bill. 250. 
middle part of the western shore of Cook Inlet, and the Cold Bay field 
is about 160 miles to the southwest on the southern coast of the Alaska 
Peninsula. The Bering River coal fields are from 20 to 40 miles 
from the coast, in the valley of Bering River, which flows into Con- 
troller Bay. (See PL I.) 
All these regions may be reached directly by steamer from Seattle, 
except the Cape Yaktag field, where there is no regular steamer land- 
ing. Controller Bay is from seven to nine days' sail from Seattle, 
Cook Inlet is about three days farther, while Cold Bay is two days 
beyond this. In order to reach the Cape Yaktag fields it is sometimes 
necessary to secure a small boat for the trip, or to walk from Con- 
troller Bay. 
The earliest reference in print to the occurrence of petroleum in 
Alaska was by Ivan Petroft', a who, in 1882, said: " In the vicinity of 
Katmai both coal and petroleum have been found, but not abundant 
in quantity or excelling in quality." 
Dr. W. H. Dall b in 1896 referred to the occurrence of petroleum on 
the portage from Katmai. " The petroleum is said to be a dark lubri- 
cating oil which floats on the surface of ponds and lakes." 
In 1898 Mr. F. H. Oliphant published a brief statement of the 
indications of petroleum c in the Cape Yaktag, Controller Bay, and 
Cook Inlet regions. The character of the oil is described and a few T 
geologic notes are given, and in 1899 d these notes were republished. 
Mr. G. H. Eldridge published in 1899 some observations on the 
Bering coal field and on the Controller Bay and Cape Yaktag oil 
fields, c and in 1900 Mr. J. E. Spurr f called attention to the occur- 
rence of coal and petroleum in the vicinity of Controller and Icy 
bays and published some facts, furnished by Mr. F. H. Shepherd, 
concerning the geology of the region and the composition of the 
coal. 
A brief statement of the progress of development was made by 
Mr. F. H. Oliphant * in 1900, and republished * in 1901. 
The same year Mr. John Kirsopp, jr.,' published an account of the 
petroleum and coal in the Controller Bay and Bering River fields. 
"Alaska, its population, industries, and resources: Tenth Census of the United States, 
vol. 8, p. 87. 
''Coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 1, p. 799. 
' Petroleum, in Mineral Resources U. S. for 1897 : Nineteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, pt. 6 (continued), 1898, p 110. 
" Petroleum, in Mineral Resources II. S. for 1898 : Twentieth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, pt. (continued), 1899, p. 123. 
r The coast from Lynn Canal to Prince William Sound : In Maps and Descriptions of 
Routes of Exploration in Alaska in 1898 ; a special puhlication of the U. S. Geol. Survey, 
1899, pp. 103-104. 
f Spurr, J. E., A reconnaissance in southwestern Alaska in 1898 : Twentieth Ann. 
Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1900, pp. 263-264. 
o Petroleum, in Mineral Resources IT. S. for 1899 : Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, pt. 6 (continued), 1901, p. 107. 
* Petroleum : Mineral Resources IT. S. for 1900, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1901, p. 587. 
* The coal fields of Cook Inlet, Alaska, U. S. A., and the Pacific coast : Trans. Inst. 
Min. Eng., vol. 21, pp. 536-538, 559. 
