HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YUKON - ALASKA HIGHWAY
r
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
SUBSCRIPTIONS
•3.00 PER YEAR
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VOLUME NO. 8, NO. 32.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY MAY 21, 1932
BY THE YEAR $3.00
BRITISH BATTLESHIP
TO VISIT DISTRICT
H. M. S. Belhi, flagship of
the Commander in Chief of the
British West Indian squadron,
will visit Stewart and Hyder
during the latter days of Aug
ust, according to a letter from
the Department of Defense at
Ottawa, received this week by
H. P. Gibson, chairman of the
Board of Commissioners of
Stewart.
The communication, signed
by G. C. Youle, secretary of
the Department o f Defense,
states that the war vessel will
arrive here Friday, August
26th and remain until Monday,
August 29th.
While no definite informat
ion as to the size and classific
ation of the warship is avail
able in Stewart, it i s under
stood that the Belhi is a cruiser
of the same type as H. M. S.
Despatch, which visited the
district in 1930.
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Alaska To Be Heard On
Bird Season Regulations
Alaska s views regarding the
regulation of the hunting seas
on on migratory birds this year
will be presented to the Advis
of Agriculture by John M.Bow
Agriculture by John M. Bow
les, representative of the west
ern district, of which Alaska
was recently made a part at
the request of the Juneau
Chamber of Commerce.
The Advisory Board is sched
uled to meet in Washington
about June 15 to decide on this
year’s policy and the Depart
ment of Agriculture is expected
to announce the new regulat
ions about July 1.
The Juneau Chamber of Com
merce has requested Mr. Bow
les to urge the Advisory Board
not to curtail the open season
in Alaska. It is contended that
there is no justification for
shortening the season in the
Territory, as the supply of mig
ratory birds is abundant and
the annual kill so small as to
be without effect on the gener
al conditions. It has also been
recommended that if a 60-day
season is adopted applying to
the Territory, that Alaska be
divided into two areas with dif
ferent hunting periods, an in
to three areas if the 80-day
season instituted last year is re
tained.
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Primary Vote Over 9,000
The total vote cast in the recent pri
mary election was well over 9,000, ac
cording to the latest election reports
from Juneau.
Up to a few days ago the reported
vote of each party was over 4.000, the
Democratic figures being 4,979, the
Republican 4,213, giving the former a
majority of 766. The election was the
first since 1918 in which the Demo
cratic party received a majority vote
In the Territory.
The standing of the various leading
candidates of both parties has not
been materially altered by the more
recent returns from outlying districts
and their nomination is conceded, al
though a few scattered precincts are
still to bo heard from.
Change In Ministerial
Service Is Scheduled
Reductions in the scope of church
activities necessitated by present ec
onomic conditions will result next
month in the placing of the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Hyder and the
United Church of Stewart under one
pastorate and the transfer to other
station of Rev. Henry R. Cross of the
Hyder and Rev. Evan Baker of the
Stewart church, it became known this
week.
Rev. Frank Buslifield has been
named as the successor of the local
ministers. Rev. Baker will be trans
ferred to Anyox, B. C., but no assign
ment for Rev. Cross has so far been
announced.
The consolidation of ministerial
functions has been under consider
ation by the Outside church authori
ties for some time and is in line with
i a policy of reduction in missionary ac
tivities necessitated, it is understood,
by decreases in revenues necessitat
ing conservation of church resources.
Although not yet advised as to his
future location. Rev. Cross, who has’
been in charge of the M. E. Church
here since October 1929, expects •>
leave for the south some time next
month. Efforts to have him retained
as pastor of the two churches were
not approved by the Outside church
authorities, who preferred under the
circumstances to substitute a new
minister without local contacts. Their
decision is deeply regretted by Hyder
residents, as Rev. Cross is not only
exceedingly well liked personally but
has so closely identified himself with
every movement affecting the wel
fare and progress of the community
that his departure will be a distinct
loss to the camp.
Whether his successor will reside
here or in Stewart is not known at
this time.
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Stewart Plans Celebration
Stewart residents are prepar
ing to celebrate Empire Day in
gala manner next Tuesday,
May 24th.
The festivities will include
the crowning of a May Queen,
a parade, Maypole dance,
sports and football and soft
ball contests. The celebration
will close with a dance in the
North Star Hall in the evening.
■o
Predatory Animal Control
Work May Be Discontinued
Immediate discontinuance of
j predatory animal control work
i in Alaska by the United States
Biological Survey is proposed,
according to a communication
j from Paul G. Redington, chief
! of the Survey, received by Gov
ernor George A. Parks.
Lack of finances was as
signed as the reason for dis
continuance of the work, Mr.
Redington said.
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; James J. Cole Passes at Atlin
James J. Cole, Atlin mining
man, who has many friends in
the Hyder and Stewart dis
tricts, passed away in Atlin B.
I C., March 18 at the age of 46
! years, according to a letter re
I ceived by the Herald from Mrs.
; John Tintingen, of Spruce
j Creek, Atlin, wife of Cole’s
j mining partner. Deceased had
; been ill for two years with
! heart trouble. He was a native
: of Kilkiel, Ireland and hai
| been associated in placer min
ing on Spruce Creek with Mr.
Tintingen since August 2,1915.
He is survived by relatives in
California and Ireland. Among
his local friends and former
associates are Alex McDonald,
Dan Canavan and others.
•»
PROTESTS TRANSFER
ALASKA ROAD WORK
The Hycler Chamber of Com
merce has forwarded to Dele
gate Wickersham a telegram
of protest against the proposed
transfer of the road construct
ion activities of the Alaska
Road Commission to the Inter
ior Department, and requesting
him to resist passage of such an
enactment on the score that it
will probably mean the aban
donment of a large part of the
present Interior Alaska road
system, with resultant detri
ment to Territorial develop
ment.
The message also endorses a
territory-wide protest byCham
bers of Commerce throughout
Alaska submitted to the Dele
gate recently by the Territorial
Chamber of Commerce and in
which it is declared that the
proposed transfer would not
result in economy to the Feder
al government and would cause
partial or total abandonment
of the splendid Alaska road
system maintained by the Com
mission.
The proposal to make the
transfer is said to emanate
from the Interior Department
and appears to have as an un
derlying object the elimination
of the famous Richardson
Highway as a traffic bearer in |
onnosition to the Alaska Rail
road, which is under the con
trol of the Interior Depart
ment. Increased traffic charg
es on the railroad are said to
have forced much traffic to the
Highway that would go to the
railroad under more moderate
schedules, with resultant loss
to the railroad.
A move to transfer the High
way from the control of 'the
Alaska Road Commission to
the Interior Department was
made recently when an execu
tive order with that object in
view was made by President
Hoover. It was found, howev
er, that the transfer could not
be legally made in this manner
and the order was withdrawn.
The view is held that transfer
of the Commission activities
would result in the loss of fed
eral road appropriations for
most if not all of Interior Alas
ka. Thi.s would leave the Terr
itory to bear alone the great
cost of maintaining some- 2,000
miles of highway. As the Terr
itorial revenues are inadequate
to bear such a burden, most of
the roads would have to be
adandoned and would soon be
' claimed by the wilderness.
Fear is also felt that abolit
I ion of the Commission would
also cause the Territory to lose
| its status as an independent
Rivers and Harbors district,
1 with resultant detriment to riv
er and harbor improvement
projects. The local district
was created in 1921 and the
president of the Alaska Road
I Commission also acts as district
engineer in connection with riv
COSTLY FIRE SIN
FOREST TOWNSITE
The spacious and well ap
pointed home of John Hovland
in the Forest townsite was to
tally destroyed late Saturday
evening by one of the costliest
fire outbreaks occuring in the
Hyder district since the big
fire of June 28,1928.
'Mr. Hovland, whose family
is Outside at present, was at
tending the Friendship Club
dance when the blaze started
and is totally unable to account
for its origin. The fire was dis
covered by passers by a few
minutes before midnight.
The men-folks at the dance
turned out enmasse to fight the
blaze immediately after the
alarm was given, but the in
terior of the structure was
found a mass of flame and
little could be done, save t o
protect adjoining property.
A bucket line was hastily form
ed and the crowd of fire fight
ers battled heroically against
intense heat for more than an
hour in an effort to check the
flames. Mr. Hovland’s assay j
office, situated close to the res- i
idence and containing valuable j
equipment, was saved, as was i
also a n adjoining chicken '
house, but the dwelling house j
was totally destroyed with all
its contents. The origin of the
fire is made doubly mysterious
by the fact that Mr. Hovland
had made the building as near
ly fire-proof as possible at the
time of its construction about
9 years ago. Prior to leaving
for the dance Mr. Hovland had
built a w’ood fire in the heating i
stove but does not consider;
there was enough fuel in the
stove at the time he left to
overheat the stove or pipes or
otherwise endanger the build
ing.
In addition to the building
and furnishings, the loss in
cluded numerous valuable pos
sessions of the Hovland family
which cannot be replaced. Mr.
Hovland places the total prop
erty loss at close to $10,000,
which is only partially covered
by insurance.
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Prince Rupert Has Big Fire
The P. R. Kaien Hardware and Mon
teral Importers buildings in Prince
Rupert were destroyed and the Boston
Cafe block was damaged in a $60,000
lire Tuesday.
er and harbor operations in the
Territory.
Although road construction |
and maintenance in the Hyder i
district is not under the juris-!
diction of the Road Commiss- j
ion, being conducted by the!
Bureau of Public Roads of the j
Department of Agriculture, it1
is the view here that the pro-j
posed transfer is certain to
prove seriously detrimental to
the Territory-and may also af
fect the local flood prevention
plans, now under the jurisdict
ion of the District Engineers
office.
VOLUNTEERS TO OPEN
PREMIER ROAD SUNDAY
In what may be not inappropriately
termed an "international” effort to
hasten the opening of highway com
munication between Premier. Hyder
and Stewart, residents of the Ameri
can and two Canadian communities
will turn out Sunday to clear a pass
age through the several big snow
slides which are seriously impeding
traffic to and from Premier.
The movement, which originated
among Stew'art business men, is said
to be an outgrowth of a recent order
from the Bureau of Public Roads au
thorities reducing the local road main
tenance crew to Supt. T. H. Evans and
one employed man. It is understood
that the reduction is necessitated by
shortage of funds.
As it is manifestly impossible for
much work to be done under such
circumstances, the Stewartites hav«
arranged with the immigration aud
road authorities to send over a crowd
of volunteers to help open the high
way, which otherwise would reman
its present almost impassable condit
ion for days to come.
The Stewart aggregation will be
composed almost wholly of business
men and will include no paid labor
ers or persons on ilie government
dole list, as such are barred by immi
gration restrictions. It is also un
derstocd that this will apply like
wise to whatever delegation may
come down from Premier to assist in
the work
As the opening of the road will b.
of much benefit to Hyder in a busi
ness way, a movement was started
here Friday to enlist a crew of Hydei
volunteers to help the Canadians ir.
their self-eleeled task and a large lo
cal delegation is expected to turn out
Transportation will be provided foi
the workers, who will leave for tilt
scene of activities at 8 a. m. Sttnda>
morning. All who can are urged tc
lend a hand and bring along a shovel
Mr. D. L. Pitt, manager of the Pre
mier, has signified his desire to pro
vide lunch for the workers, and a hoi
lunch will be served at the Nin.e-milc
camp of the company.
Spokesmen Tor the Stewartites saj
it is recognized as unfair to expect
the United States to bear alone the
burden of maintaining and keepint
the highway open to traffic, inasmuch
as it serves far more Canadian than
American traffic, and an effort will
probably be made to induce the B. C
government to at least help to keei
the road open in future under sonu
form cf coperative agreement with
the American government or road au
thorities, if such arrangements can In
made.
A
Three Winners In Ice Pool
Three groups comprising ten
or possibly more persons, di
divided the $60,000 Nenana Ice
Pool this year, according to the
Fairbanks reprots. One group
was composed entirely of Jun
eau people, headed by Capt.
Heinie Berger, master of the
motorship Discovery, plying
between Seldovia, Anchorage
and Seward; the second win
ing ticket was in the name of
D. Chilseris and Company, of
Suntrana, and the third was in
the name of Capt. J. M. Clark,
of Juneau, Steamboat inspect
or. A man named Gallini, who
was one of the winnei’3 of the
pool some years ago, was on
the Chilseris ticket.
Included on the Clark ticket
were the following well-known
Juneauites: J. C. McBride, J
T. Petrich, John Newmarker
M. H. Sides, G. M. Simpkins,
and M. S. Whittier.
All three groups are said to
have guessed the exact day,
hour and minute when the ice
moved out at Nenana on May
1 at 10:15 a. m.
This was the earliest date on
which the ice broke since 19
26, when the breakup occurred
on April 26, at 4:03 p. m. Last
year the break-up come on
May 10 at 9:32 a. m.
B.C. SILVER-PREMIER
AGREEMENT REMOTE
The annual report of the Se
lukwe Gold Mining and Fi
nance Company for the yea"
ending March 31, indicates
that there is scant hope for a
working agreement between
Selukwe and Premier Gold
Mining Company relative t o
operation of the B. C. Silver
property.
A copy of the Selukwe re
port received from London this
week quotes the recent annual
report of Premier, to the effect
that some further correspond
ence had passed between the
two companies regarding B. C.
Silver operation, but that “no
basis acceptable to the Seluk
we Gold Mining and Finance
Co. Ltd., has been found that
would at the same time be
beneficial to Premier” and
adds as follows:
“ On receipt of the report,
(of Premier) the Seluwke dir
ectors again intimated to Mr.
H. A. Guess, *****
* ..* .. * their readiness to en
tertain proposals for an amal
gamation of interests under
the auspices and management
of the Premier Co.
Whether any definite propos
als will be brought forward by
either side in these long drawn
out negotiations remains to be
seen.
The Seluwke statement both
in wording and tone leaves no
other inference than that the
company is n o t inclined to
make any particular effort
toward reaching an agreement
with Premier, which i s most
unfortunate for all interested,
is the valuable E. C. Silver
oroperty, with its large pi’oven
ore resources, is now idle and
unprofitable.
The Selukwe report states
that advances to B. C. Silver
have amounted to £188,311,
or slightly more than $937,000
on the basis of sterling value
last year.
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Urge Alaska Plank In
Natl. Democratic Platform
A movement for the inclusion
of an Alaska plank in the Nat
ional Democratic platform was
launched at a recent Democrat
ic meeting in Seattle, it was an
nounced in recent reports.
The plank would call for the
development of Alaska and
would point out that the entire
West would be benefitted by
proper exploration of the Terr
itory’s mineral and other re
sources.
Resolutions favoring the
Alaska plank proposal were
adopted and the Washington
state delegation to the Demo
cratic convention were urged
to work for its inclusion in the
convention platform.
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P. J. O’Rourke returned
Monday after spending several
months in the south.