DEVOTED TO THE DEVELO PMENT OF ALASKA^ AND THE PORTLAI
HERALD
CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
VOL 4, NO. 33
HYDER, ALASKA. SAtDRDAY. HAY 5, 1928.
FIFTY CENTS A MONTH
CLAIM OWNERS ASK FOR
FISH CREEK ROAD
The long standing need for a
wagon road into the Fish Creek
area to assist mining develop
ment was emphasized at Tues
day night's meeting of the Hy
der Chamber of Commerce,
when property owners of that
section appealed to the organi
sation to lend its assistance in
securing the attention of gov
ernmental road building agen
cies.
The property owners’ petition
was presented by Arthur Moa,
manager of the Mountainview
Gold Mining Co., the most ex
tensive operators in the Fish
Creek v section, and by S. P.
Fitzgerald, president and man
aging director of the Titan
Gold Mining Company, which
has conducted its operations
near the head of Fish Creek
for years under great difficul
ties, because of the inadequate
means of transportation. The
present means of access to the
richly mineralized Fish Creek
basin is a pack trail which is
totally inadequate to meet the
transportation requirements of
the district.
The Chamber of Commerce
was asked to present the vari
ous road building department
the urgent need of a road at
least as far as the Mountain
view property. Supporting th(
appeal, Mr. Fitzgerald an
hounced that in the event oi
the government building a
road as far as the Mountain
view, Fitzgerald Bros, would
personally construct an addit
ional mile of highway beyond
that point, provided that pro
jected plans for the develop
ment of the Titan property art
realized.
Secretary S. V. Warren was
instructed to present the ap
peal to the various govern
menal departments with tht
endorsement of the organizat
ion.
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NORTHERN LIGHT
. TO START SOON
Development activities on tht
Northern Light Mines, Ltd., art
Scheduled to start at the earli
est possible moment under tht
direction of G. R. Bancroft, E
M.
The first work to be under
taken will include a geological
survey and mapping of the
surface in addition to the open
ing up of the old workings or
the porphyry zones which trav
erse the property and are be
lieved to be extensions of the
ore bodies of the Premier mine
which borders the Northerr
light on the south. The proper
ty is also said to hold exten
sions of the huge ore bodies
opened up on the Woodbine
property, situated immediately
west of the Northern Light.
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LAKE VIEW ACTIVE
Activities have been renewed
on the well known LakevieWj
property, east of and adjoining
the Dunwell, according to re
ports from Stewart.
A small crew is employed,
with Wm. McNutt, former
Dunwell foreman in charge,
and will be increased as con
ditions warrant Matthew Lit
tle, E. M. has been retained by
the company to direct develop
ment activities, __
RICH ORE FROM
MARMOT RIVER GOLD
Some of the most spectacular
samples of free gold ore so far
found in the Portland Canal
district were brought down
this week from the Marmot
River Gold company holdings
in Magee Pass by G. R. Ban
croft, eminent mining engineer,
who is directing activities on
the company properties.
Free gold in flakes and specks
was visible in all the large
number of samples, while in
some instances the rock was
fairly covered with the aureate
particles.
Mr. Bancroft brought down a
considerable quantity of the
rich ore for shipment south,
where it will undoubtedly cre
ate something of a sensation in
mining circles.
The property comprises 14
claims and was formerly
known as the Ficklin-Hamer
group. It is located at the head
of Magee Pass immediately
above the Marlund Mines hold
ings and 8 miles from tidewat
er. The property is traversed
by two wide quartz veins in the
shattered and decomposed out
crops of which free gold values
have been known to exist for
several years. The upper vein
has been exposed over a con
siderable distance by open
cuts and stripping and about
120 feet of tunnel has been run
to cut the ore at depth. A
tunnel has also been driv
en to tap the lower-or east vein,,
on which a half dozen open
cuts have exposed ore similar
to that found in the upper
vein.
Miners of the Marmot section
are of the opinion that the
property is one of the most
promising in the Magee Pass
district and should develop in
to a valuable producer.
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L. & L. GETTING
GOOD RESULTS
With the main tunnel extend
ed nearly 300 feet on the Col-1
umbia vein, which has develop
ed good working values, the
L. & L. Consolidated Mines,
Ltd., has achieved excellent
results from the develop
ment program carried on dur
ing the winter on its properties
!n the Glacier Creek district.
The Columbia vein is reported
:o show a fine body of ore
ranging up to six feet and more
in width along a large part of
the drift, which has attained
» vertical depth of 280 feet.
Moiled samples taken across
the vein are said to run better
than $30 a ton.
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SNOW DELAYING R. R.
RECONDITIONING
Slow progress is being made
an the proposed reconditioning
if the Canadian Northeastern
Railway line, extending up the
Bear River valley from Stew
art, owing to the heavy snow
till lingering along the light
if way.
Work is continuing on the
Bear River bridge, which is
nearing completion, and ten
ders have been called for the
construction of. a new bridge
over Bitter Creek, some miles
farther up the Bear valley.
Tenders have also been author
ized for renewal of the old cul
verts and clearing of the right
of way but little can be done
on the latter projects until the
snow is gone from the grade.
DEATH CALLS
JUDGE REED
Hon. Thomas M. Reed, judge
of the U. S. district court for
the First Judicial district of
Alaska, passed away Monthly
in Juneau after a brief illness,
according to a radio message
broadcasted from the capital
city. Although the message
contained no details death was
apparently due to gastric
trouble.lt is also probable that
overwork was an important
factor. Judge Reed had been
o n the bench almost continu
ally for many months, with
hardly a rest. Recently he ap
pealed to the Department of
; Justice for assistance in hand
ling the great volume of busi
ness conducted by his court
but no action was taken by the
department The Juneau Em
pire reported that he had sus
pended court on April 18th
and entered the hospital.. A
few days afterward he was re
ported to have improved suf
ficiently to conclude a partially
completed criminal case, after
which he returned to the hos
pital.
The deceased jurist was 68
years of age and had occupied
the federal bench in this' divis
ion over five years. He is sur
vived by his wife, who resides
in Juneau; a daughter, Mrs.
Constance Reed Haller, of Se
attle; a son, Irving McKay
Reed, of Fairbanks, in addition
to other relatives residing in,
Washington state.
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ENGINEER MINE
SYNDICATE MAKING
FINE SUCCESS
Excellent progress in financ
ing the Engineer property on
Marmot River is being achiev
ed by George Bunn and associ
ates in the Marmot Engineer
Mine Syndicate, newest of lo
cal mining organizations. Or
ganized on the identical unit
plan which proved so success
ful in the initial financing of
the noted Porter Idaho mine,
in the same locality, units of
the new syndicate are finding
ready favor among the local
public and a substantial sum
has been raised to initiate large
scale development at the earli
est opportunity. The demand
for units up to the present in
dicates an excellent prospect
that all funds necessary for
initial development will be sub
scribed locally, without re
course to outside sources.
The Syndicate has establish
ed an office on First Avenue,
opposite the wireless station
and is rushing supplies and
equipment to the Engineer as
fast as conditions permit. An
ore car, 500 feet of rails, lum
ber and other supplies and
equipment were started up the
Marmot last week in charge of
Jack Rennie, energetic Marmot
packer. A compressor has also
been ordered and is scheduled
to arrive on the next trip of the
Catala.
It is the intention of - the
Trustees, Mr. Bunn, Clay Port
er and R. L. Stewart, to fully
equip the property prior to in
augurating development work.
--o
Mrs. Oren F. Hill became ser
iously ill Sunday as a result of
what appeard to be ptomaine
poisoning. She is now well re
covered after several days in
Stewart Hospital.
PREMIER PREPARING FOR
MARMOT ACTIVITIES
i
1
The Premier Gold Mining
Company launched its sum
mer development program in
the Marmot River district last
week by dispatching large
quantities of lumber and other
supplies to that section, in ad
dition to a crew of 15 men.
The lumber is to be used
mainly in the construction of
camp quarters near the mouth
of the river, for housing
the crew of the projected
Porter-Idaho-Pro8perity tram
way, on which work is sched
uled to start immediately.
The new camp is situated on
a tract of 20 acres or so taken
up by the Premier on the wide
flat on the north side of the
river entrance. The tract will
also be occupied by the tram
terminal and dockage facili
ties. Some of the new camp
buildings are of considerable
size and easily discernible from
Hyder.
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GEORGIA RIVER CO.
TO START SOON
John F. Coates, mining engi
neer of the Georgia River Gold
Mines, Ltd., arrived recently
from Vancouver to make prep
arations for the starting of the
season’s activities on the com
pany holdings on Georgia Riv
er. Mr. Coates visited the prop
erties last week with a view to
making certain improvements
on tHe 9 mile trail between the
ground and tidewater but
found snow conditions still un
favorable.
The company plans to place
the trail in condition for the
transportation of mine machin
ery and equipment, and will
also commence construction of
camp accommodations for a
good sized crew as soon as
conditions are favorable.
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BUTTE-HYDER CO.
IS ORGANIZED
Articles of incorporation of
the Butte-Hyder Mining Com
pany, which will operate the
Butte group near 9-Mile, were
filed in the office of the Sec
retary of Alaska April 19th.
Details of the recent transfer
of the properties to the new
company were printed in a re
cent issue of the Herald.
The incorporators are J. Ca
rew Boulton, Rodney G. Sar
gent and Henry G. Boulton, all
of Seattle, who with Paul Den
hart and O. E. Sauter, also of
Seattle, compose the direct
orate. The company is capital
ized at $1,000,000 divided into
an equal number of shares at
$1 par value.
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MARLUND OUTFITTING
FOR SUMMER
The Marlund Mines, Ltd., is
contemplating a busy season
on its properties, formerly the
Washington Group, near the
head of Magee Pass and ad
joining the Engineer and Mar
mot Gold properties.
Six tons of supplies, including
mine and camp eqaipment are
enroute to the property by the
Rennie pack train.
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Hugh Murphy, an old-time of
the North, left Wednesday en
route to the Pioneers Home at
Sitka.
NEW COMPANY TO
OPERATE GEORGIA RIVER
Bringing the first details of
the new organization, backed
by Davidson & Davidson, of
Vancouver, which well operate
in the Georgia River section
this summer, Joe Jackson, dis
coverer of the mineral wealth
of Texas Creek, arrived from
Vancouver Wednesday to in
augurate the proposed activi
ties.
The new company, organizat
ion of which is now in progress
will be known as the Portland
Canal Gold Mines, Ltd., and
will be capitalized at $1,000
000, divided into 4,000,000
shares of 25 cents par, accord-,
ing to Jackson, who holds cre
dentials as mine superintend
ent.
The deal made by Jackson
involves three groups of claims
known as the Lucky Strike,
J. J. J. and Rex, each of which
contain six claims. The first
named properties are located
on tidewater about 41/2 miles
from the Georgia River com
pany holdings, while the Rex
group is a short distance in
land. Associated with Jackson
in the deal are Emil Davis, A.
J. Jackson and Harry Boer,
locators of the several proper
ties, and Frank Reichenback,
local business man.
I
The Lucky Strike was located
by A. J. Jackson in 1921 and
has been the scene of consider
able development. It contains a
gold-copper-silver lead of large
extent, in addition to three
porphyry leads of considerable
promise, one of which is said
to be 200 feet in width. The
Rex and J. J. J. groups cover
relocations of older properties
and were staked during the
present year by Joe and A. J.
Jackson, Emil Davis and Harry
Boer.
Mr. Jackson states that the
transaction with Davidson &
Davidson involved no cash con
sideration, the owners receiv
a stock equity for their inter
ests, although a substantial
cash payment is to be made
later.
As a result the completion of
organization will find the com
pany in possession of two
thirds of its entire treasury
stock. Davidson & Davidson
have already provided suffici
ent funds to start development
and a ton or so of mining sup
plies and equipment is now
on the dock awaiting trans
portation to the property. A
speedy power boat has been
purchased and will be used
for transportation purposes.
activities will be di
rected to building and equip
ping a camp on the lower prop
erties, after vdivh a tunid
will be started on an 8-foot
lead of gold-silver-copper ore
which has been stripped for
several hundred feet. Copper
is the predominant mineral el
ement with additional gold and
silver values assaying from
$4.65 to $21 per ton. The ore
also carries a large percentage
of silica, which is required by
smelters for fluxing and will,
practically eliminate smelting
charges. Owing to their situat
ion on tide-water, ore from 12
of the claims can be loaded di
rectly on scows for shipment to
smelter while machinery and
supplies can be landed on the
property by the same method.
I
WORK STARTS
ON 96-GROUP
Development activities on the
promising: Ninety-Six group, on
Mineral Hill, were inaugurated
this week by the Ninety-Six
Mining Company under the- di
rection of Dan Woodmore.
Mr. Woodmore ,who is one of
the most widely known mining
men of the district, has been
appointed mine superintendent
of the Ninety-Six company and
will have charge of develop
ment activities under the di
rection of Harry Townsend,
who has been retained by the
company as consulting engi
neer.
Before leaving for the prop
erty, Mr. Woodmore informed
the Herald that initial activities
will be directed to equipping
the camp and other preparat
ions for the coming season.
Ray Snyder, who negotiated
the recent bonding of the prop
erty to Tacoma interests head
ed by H. A. Henton, general
manager of the Standard
Mines Corporation, will arrive
from the south Sunday.
FLOOD PREVENTION
WORK UNDER WAY
Punctuated by heavy blasting
which at intervals rocks the
town to its foundations, the
flood protection program in
augurated by the Chamber of
Commerce and financed by
generous contributions from
the bulk of Hyder’s citizens, is
now fully under way with a
small crew of men employed.
The work of turning the river
into a new channel is being
conducted under the direction
of Messrs. Wm. Gray, T. H.
Evans and Herman Nichols,
with Mr. Nichols in direct
charge.
Present activities are directed
to clearing out masses of tim
ber and other debris along the
old slough, which extends
along the west side of the pres
ent channel of Salmon River,
and through which it is propos
ed to divert the unruly and ev
er threatening stream into a
new course. Following the
clearing of the slough the riv
er will be turned into it at a
point opposite the lower of the
two small jetties, installed a
few years ago near the north
end of town. This will be ac
complished by filling the pres
ent river channel' with the
numerous stumps and logs lit
tering the river bottom, a
donkey engine and winch be
ing employed to drag the tim
ber to the desired spot.
Should the effort prove suc
cessful, the present serious
danger of a large portion of
the town being swept away
will probably be relieved for
another year or two. By that
time it is hoped that Congress
can be induced to grant a suf
ficient appropriation to throw
the river into its long abandon
ed course a mile or so west of
town.
Subscriptions to the River
Protection Fund have reached
a total of $3,665. The Standard
Oil Company of California re
cently contributed the substan
tial sum of $200 and other sub
scriptions amounting to $45
have been received since the
publication of the list of sub
scribers. Of the total amount
subscribed $2,655 has been
paid in and is available for the
work.