TAKU RIVER AREA. 838

The situation of the area on the westerly fringe of the Interior plateau or dry belt excludes
seyere or abnormal climatic influences. To the west the high altitudes and extensive ice-fields
of the Coast range assume the role of a watershed and obviate any excessive precipitation in
the bordering region to the eastward. Field observation indicates that rain and snow precipita-
tion is moderate, considerably less than in the coast area to the west, and decreases steadily to
the east. The timbered areas are comparatively free from underbrush. The winters are cold
and dry, the summers moderately warm and sunny. About the beginning of November, slush-ice
begins to form in the Taku river, and navigation is impeded by about November 15th. Towards
the beginning of May the lowlands are reported to be free of snow and river navigation becomes
possible again.

The topography of the country embodies generally those topographic features which are
common with other parts of the Pacific slope and the eastern contact areas of the Coast Range
batholith. The terrain is, however, in general, not so rugged and rough as that of the Kitsault,
Bear, and Salmon River valleys in the Alice Arm and Portland Canal sections to the southward.

The Taku River area east of the International boundary is well supplied with game. Moose
frequent the neighbourhood of the Tulsequah river and the slough and bench areas northward
along the Taku river towards Atlin. Geese frequent the slough areas and are reported to nest
in these localities. The large slough area west of the confluence of the Tulsequah river with
the Taku river is an outstanding beaver region, featured by innumerable dams and colony
houses. Black and brown bear are often seen along the river-banks. In the higher altitudes
mountain-goat abound. F

The operators and prospectors of the area, through their courtesy, hospitality, interest, and
co-operation, greatly facilitated the work of examination.

HISTORY.

Despite the fact that the region is so favourably situated geologically and is so easily
accessible, it was not until the spring of 1929 that its mineral potentialities attracted warranted
attention. A small amount of prospecting, emanating from Atlin, for placer gold had been
carried out in earlier years in the upper reaches of the Taku river, above the confluence of the
Inklin and Nakina rivers. Stories are now told of lode-mineral finds in that section, made by
the old-time placer prospectors, who, as is the way with placer-gold miners, paid little attention
to them. During the past season several aeroplane expeditions were launched in the effort to
relocate these reported discoveries. In 1925 some placer-gold leases were taken up in the
Nakina River area by Kansas City interests. These were, however, not further prospected or
developed.

A limited interest in the lode-mineral possibilities of the area was first germinated by the
discovery several years ago, by W. Kirkham, of Juneau, of copper-zinc-lead ore about 8 miles
above the confluence of the Tulsequah and Taku rivers. This discovery resulted in the staking
of the Tulsequah Chief group. In 1923 this property was bonded to the Alaska Juneau Gold
Mining Company, which did about 60 feet of unsuccessful tunnelling and relinquished the
option. The property was examined in that year by George A. Clothier, at that time Resident
Mining Engineer for the North-western District. In the Annual Report for 1923 he very
definitely pointed out the favourable potentialities of the property and of the area in general.
This is the first recorded official statement relative to the mineral potentialities of the Taku
River region. To Mr. Clothier, of the British Columbia Department of Mines, must be given
the credit for having first definitely recorded the mineral possibilities of the area and for haying
attracted attention to them.

In 1928 a syndicate represented by W. A. Eaton and Dan J. Williams, of Juneau, again
optioned the Tulsequah Chief. These operators, after aligning the two zones of the deposit,
turned the old Alaska Juneau tunnel to the left and within a short distance penetrated No. 1
zone carrying good-grade ore over an exceptionally promising width. In the spring of 1929
this syndicate bonded the property to the United Eastern Mining Company, of Los Angeles, which
has attacked it very energetically, efficiently, and with exceptionally promising results.

This development attracted the attention of prospectors to the promise of the area. In the
early part of May, 1929, a group of eight Juneau business-men grubstaked V. Manville, also of
Juneau, for a projected lengthy exploration trip into the Taku River area. After only about
two weeks in the field, Manville discovered an exceptionally imposing surface outcrop of copper-