From Introduction: "This condition is likely to be serious, as preparations have been made for opening the Matanuska, Bering River, and Neanna coal fields, and a number of permits granting the free use of 10-acre tracts in other fields throughout the Territory have been issued.The need of a comprehensive inspection law and experienced engineers to safeguard the opening of coal mines by operators who are not familiar with coal mining and are using inexperienced help is obvious."

From Introduction: "The year 1916 broke all previous records of mineral production in the Territory. As a consequence, there has been a noteworthy increase in the number of mines in active operation or under development, though the greater part of the increased output is the result of greater activity at mines already producing rather than of opening new mines.The Territorial inspector covered the districts from Fairbanks to Nome and the Federal Inspector covered those of southeastern and southwestern Alaska."