ADMINISTBATIVE BEPOET. 
13 
Progress, of surveys in 
Alaska, 
1898-1906. 
Appro- 
priation. 
Areas covered (square miles). 
Year. 
Recon- 
nais- 
sance 
geologic. 
De- 
tailed 
geologic. 
Recon- 
nais- 
sance 
topo- 
graphic. 
De- 
tailed 
topo- 
graphic. 
Recon- 
nais- 
sance 
hydro- 
graphic. 
De- 
hydro 
graphic. 
1898 
$46, 189. 60 
25.000.00 
25,000.00 
9,500 
6,000 
10,000 
14,912 
8,688 
11,152 
15, 664 
20,304 
15,008 
6,480 
8,176 
10, 768 
1899 
1900 
1901 
35,000.00 
12,000 
17,000 
13,000 
6,000 
8,000 
1902 
60,000.00 
60,000.00 
60,000.00 
80,000.00 
80,000.00 

336 
1903 
336 
1904 
480 
948 
40 
1905 
550 
190G. 
9,000 414 
1,000 
200 
471,189.60 
90,500 
1,300 
111,152 
1,804 1,000 
200 
Although the actual areal surveys are tersely summarized in the 
above table many of the results can not be presented in this form. 
For example, practically every mining camp in Alaska has been 
investigated — some of them in great detail — yet the areal results of 
this class of surveys are very meager. This will account for the fact 
that with increased appropriations there has not always been an 
increase in the areas surveyed. Then, too, in the last three years 
much of the funds has been spent in detailed surveys, which, to speak 
roughly, cost ten times as much as the reconnaissance work. 
The above table shows that nearly 500,000 a square miles in Alaska 
have not been covered by geologic reconnaissance surveys. Until 
this work is much more nearly completed all generalizations on the 
distribution of the mineral wealth must remain largely hypothetical. 
Preliminary topographic surveys, including about 50,000 square 
miles covered by other Government bureaus, have been carried over 
less than a quarter of the entire area of Alaska. The importance of 
the rapid extension of such surveys can not be too strongly empha- 
sized, for they furnish not only a guide to the prospector, but are 
absolutely essential to all engineering enterprises. 
It is worthy of note that although nearly half a million dollars has 
been spent on Alaskan surveys and investigations this is only about 
one-half of 1 per cent of the value of the gold output from the Terri- 
tory during the same period. 
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF INVESTIGATIONS. 
GENERAL. 
As in previous years, much of the time of the geologist in charge 
was given to administrative duties. The general supervision of the 
topographic work continued in charge of Mr. Gerdine. During the 
writer's absence in the field Frank L. Hess looked after the office affairs 
of the division. 
a The area of Alaska is 586,400 square miles. 
