AN ALL
ALASKA
NEWSPAPER
(
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$5.00 PER \ EAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 4, NO. 17
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1928.
FIFTY CENTS A MONTH I
DEVELOPMENT OF CANTU
GROUP IN PROSPECT
The purchase of the interest
of Mrs. F. W. Cronholm in the
well-known Cantu Group, on
Cantu Mountain, in the uppei
Salmon basin, by outside par
ties represented by W. J. Lee,
is reported in late communi
cations from the south.
Mr. Lee, as will be recalled
by Herald readers, spent sev
eral weeks in the district last
summer examining the Cantu
and other properties. Before
leaving for the south in Sep
ember, he is definitely known
to have secured an option on
the Cantu interests of T. W.
McDonald, who is associated
with Mrs. Cronholm in the
ownership of the property.
Whether the latter option has
been exercised is not indicated
by the reports received, al
though recent letters from Mr.
McDonald intimated that he
was contemplating an early
visit to Los Angeles in con
nection with the Cantu.
Although not definitely stat
ed, the reports regarding the
Cronholm deal indicate that
the Lee interests contemplate
extensive development work
on the property as soon as lo
cal conditions are favorable.
The Cantu property includes
a total of 21 claims situated
along the east slope of Cantu
Mountain. The property it
traversed by an immenst
-quartz-porphyry belt and also
displays a number of large ga
lena showings, from which ap
proximately 15 tons of ore was
mined in 1926, without the
use of powder. Samples taken
from the quartz-porphyry zone
gave returns as high as $14 pei
ton, while assays of the ga
lena ranged from $75 to $150.
The property was bonded by
the Premier Gold Mining Com
pany in April, 1926, but the
option was later relenquished
after a short period of diamond
drilling and surface prospect
ing. As the volume of develop
ment work done by the Pre
mier was surprisingly small
the view is held in local min
ing circles that it revealed
little or nothing regarding the
actual potentialities of the
property.
■o
Writing to local friends from
Seattle on January 6th. formei
U. S. Commissioner T. W. Mc
Donald stated that he was al
ready tired of city life and in
tended to proceed to Los An
geles by auto in company with
Gene Bartholf and Dave Mc
Vay, preparatory to spending
a month or two prospecting in
the Piute Hills, about 260
miles northeast of that city.
At the conclusion of the trip.
Mr. Bartholf will return to the
Broad Pass section of Alaska,
where he is now engaged in
mining, while Messrs Me Don
ald and McVey will return to
Hyder.
Mr. McDonald spent the hol
idays in Vancouver with the
J. A. Hall family and stated
that both Mrs. Hall and Miss
Helen Hall wish they were
back in Hyder.
BANK DEPOSITS
SHOW INCREASE
OF PROSPERITY
That Hyder enjoyed a pros
perous season last year, despite
the claims of the calamity
howlers, is shown in convincing
manner by an increase of 51
per cent in the deposits held
in the Bank of Hyder, accord
ing to Manager E. D. Haddon.
“There could be no clearer
evidence that Hyder is going
ahead and growing in prosperi
ty, than is provided by this in
crease in the deposits,” said
Mr. Haddon. “It demonstrates
| conclusively that the district is
advancing both commercially
and industrially and is in a
healthy financial condition as
a whole.”
In addtion to increasing its
deposits during the year, the
bank also increased its surplus
fund from $8,500 to $12,500.
-o
FATE OF NORTHWESTERN
STILL UNCERTAIN
The ultimate fate of the ill
fated Alaska steamship North
western is still uncertain, ac
cording to late reports. Up to
the start of the present week
.he chances for saving the big
vessel were considered fair by
salvage officials, but every
thing depends upon weather
conditions during the next two
or three weeks. The steamer is
lying in an exposed place on
the southern end of Quadra
island, designated on old maps
as Valdez island, about two
and a half miles from Cape
Mudge and it is feared that the
first heavy southerly storm!
may damage her beyond re
pair. The ships lies on an even
keel and at high water there
is about three feet of water in
the dining room. Salvage of
ficials say it tfill be necessary
to remove the entire cargo be
fore the damage can be fully
estimated and considerable
dredging must be done before
she can be released after the
actual damage is repaired..
-o
“The Heart of the Rockies’’
an old time western melo
drama, of the “blood and thun- i
der” type, such as regaled ;
theatre goers in the nineties,
was presented at Pioneer Hall
Monday evening by a traveling
dramatic company headed by
Chief Lone Eagle, popular
Canadian Indian actor. The en
tertainment also included a
number of between-act vaude
ville specialities several of
which were of a class not often j
seen in this neck of the woods, j
the violin imitations of one, ‘
Sandy McNabb and the danc
ing of Helen Thorne being1
particularly effective.
The show was witnessed by a
good sized audience, who ap
peared to greatly enjoy the |
unusual entertainment.
Col. E. R. Stivers, who has
been on the sick list for several
days and confined to the Stew
art hospital as a result of an
attack of pleurisy, is improv
ing rapidly and is expected
home today (Saturday).
MANY NEW CLAIMS
, LOCATED LAST YEAR
That the possibilities for lo
cating valuable mineral land's
in the Hyder district are by
no means exhausted, is disclos
ed by the filing of 119 new lo
cations in the Recorder’s of
fice during 1927. This is con
siderably below the number
filed during the preceding
year, which, however, was fai
above the average of preced
ing years, owing to the stam
pede for claims in the vicinity
of the Cantu Group.
The 1927 locations cover a
large part of the district, al
though a majority were made
in the Texas Creek and Sal
mon river areas.
In addition to the new locat
ions, a total of 53 amended lo
cations were filed during the,
year, a majority of them in
conection with mineral surveys
made last summer on several
large groups by U. S. Mineral
Surveyor Frank A. Metcalf.
Two patents to mineral lands
were also filed for record dur
ing the year and one water
pre-emption notice.
-o
HARD TIMES DANCE
A small but enthusiastic crowd
of dance fans attended
the Hard Times dance given
by the Melody Kids orchestra
in Pioneer Hall Saturday even
ing and enjoyed an exceeding
ly good time. The music was
excellent and other arrange
ments were of a character to
please the most exacting. Some
of the costumes depicting
“hard times” bespoke consid
erable ingenuity on the part of
their wearers and attracted
much attention.
The prizes for most originally
costumed lady and gentleman
donated by the Hyder Drug Co.
were awarded to Mrs. Harold
Johnson and Mr. Frank Reich
enback.
Just why so many dance go
ers failed to attend the enter
tainment is something diffi
cult to understand. Costume
dances held heretofore have
generally been marked by un
usually good attendance, even
when weather conditions were,
far more severe than was the
case Saturday evening. As a
result of this second failure of
the local dancing public to ex
Lend sufficient encouragement
and support, the Melody Kids
have decided to abandon the
scheduled series of winter
dances, according to an an
nouncement this week by Man
ager Don Mills.
-o
Attorney Ernest Blue plans to
leave for Vancouver Monday
to attend the annual meeting of
the Hyder Lead Mines, Inc., of
which he is secretary-treas
urer. Following the meeting he
will visit other southern cent
ers and wall probably be absent
from Hyder two or three
weeks.
--0
The motorship Norco arrived
from Seattle Monday evening
with a good sized load of gen
eral cargo for this port.
NEW GAME LAW
AMENDMENTS
Annulments to the Regulat
ions under the Alaska Game
Law to become effective April
1st, 1928, have been adopted
i by Secretary Jardine and made
j public by the Department of
| Agriculture.
Most important of the pro
visions is one continuing the
closed season on beaver on the
Kenai Peninsula, which was
to have opened on April 1st,
1928. This action was taken
because of the present scarcity
■of beaver in that region; a con
dition that has come to light
thi'ough recent investigation.
Another provision requires that
all skins of beaver and marten
legally imported or taken
shall be sealed by the Alaska
Game Commission or its au
thorized representative within
ninety (90) days after taking
or importing. This amendment
was made to clarify the in
tention of the existing regu
lations which had been inter
preted in some quarters to re
quire the attachment of a seal
within ninety (90) days after
a skin came into a person’s
possession; the intent is to have
the attachment within ninety
i (90) days after legal import
ation or taking.
When skins are to shipped
the packages containing them
must hereafter be marked on
the outside to show the serial
numbers of the seals on any
beaver or marten skins in the
package and these numbers
must also be entered on the
reports of shipment that are
required by law.
The new amendments were
adopted on the recommendat
ions of the Alaska Game Com
mision as concurred in by Of
ficials of the Biological Sur
vey.
-o
“ JIMMIE” DALY
PASSES AWAY
Janies Daly, brother of Pat.
Daly and well known local
miner, passed ajvay recently in
the south, according to a letter
from H. H. Tanner received by
Bert. Edmonds. Mr. Tanner
failed to state either the time
or place of Mr. Daly’s demise,
which presumably occurred at
Vancouver and shortly before
January 5th,the date of writ
ing.
Tanner stated that Pat. Daly
took the remains of his late
brother to some undesignated
point near Sumas, Washingon;
for interment.
-o
Born, Sunday evening to the
wife of M. Savovich, of the
Golden Gate Hotel, a boy,
SVi pounds. Dr. Whillans in
attendance. And “Papa” Sav
ovich smiles, and smiles, and
smiles.
-o
Carl Brendible, 15, was fatal
ly inured recently at Ketchi
kan as the result of colliding
with a truck while coasting
down Steadman street. The
boys’s shoulder was dislocated
and his skull fractured. An
operation revealed a clot of
blood pressing on his brain.
LONE TRAPPER, BEAR
VICTIM, UNDERGOES
FRIGHTFUL SUFFERING
—
A harrowing tale of frightful
and long continued suffering
sustained by a lone trapper,
following an attack by a huge
brown bear in the Alaska
wilds near Copper Center, is
reported in recent Alaska
newspapers.
The victim of the pitiful epi
sode was Dick Wentworth,
wlfo was trapping on the Klu
tina river, about 40 miles from
Copper Center. Wentworth j
was attacked by the bear on
November 1, and knocked in
sensible, after the bear had
killed one of his dogs. Went
worth fell over his campfire
and laid unconscious for fif
teen hours, receiving frightful
burns on the feet.
After regaining consciousness
I Wentworth, with the flesh al
most burned off of one foot,
managed to reach one of his
cabins some distance away, bui
as there was not sufficient food
there to last more than brief
time, was compelled to pro
ceed to another of his cabins
about fifteen miles away, aftei
resting and dressing his in
juries as best he could. Al
though his injured leg was in
frightful condition and he was
suffering terrible agony, he
somehow managed to gain the
isolated cabin and remained
there bedridden for more tha ■
a month, until discovered by i
passing native. Wentworth wet
by this time practically, help
less and in a very serious con
dition and facing a horrible
death.
After discovering Went
worth’s plight, the native made
his way to Copper Center fo
help and the injured man wat
brought to town, landing there
on December 16, more than
six weeks after his encountei I
with the bear.
Wentworth’s burned foot wac j
found to be in such condition !
that amputation will probably
be necessary to save his life.
i
S. S. GRIFFCO IN
TROUBLE AT SEA
Helpless in a raging Pacific
storm as a result of engine
trouble, the steamer Griffco,
engaged for several years in
taking Prmier ore to Anyox, i
sent out distress signals Wed
nesday and Thursday indicat
that the vessel was in grave J
danger off the California coast.
Some of the signals were
heard by E. L. Dale of the Ry
der radio station and indicated
that the vessel was having a
hard time and unable to hold
her own against the storm.
The steamer was sold by the j
W. J. Griffith Company to a i
Hawaiian steamship firm re
cently and was enroute to Hon
olulu when overtaken by the
gale. Eighteen hours after the
first S. O. S. signals were pick
ed up, the vessel was still hav
ing difficulties with her en
gines. Nothing further was
heard from the steamer until
Friday morning, when a mes- j
sage received at Anyox indicat-1
ed that the vessel was all right
and proceding on its way.
The storm in which the1
DECEMBER EXPORTS
SHOW LOSS FROM
ORE AND SALMON
The value of Alaska products
shipped to the United States in
December was more than a
half-million less than for the
same month last year, accord
ing to the monthly statement
of Collector of Customs J. C.
McBride. Exports for Decem
ber 1926 totaled $1,786,002,
against a total of $1,232,040
for the past month. The reduct- *
is ascribable mainly to the re
ductions in salmon and copper
shipments, which have been
heavily curtailed for some
months: Following is the list
of exported commodities:
Animals:
Blue foxes .$ 300
Other animals. 3,455
Curios . 1,659
Fish: fresh & frozen
(except shellfish)
Halibut . 303,266
Salmon . 99,377
All other. 13,445
Canned: (except shell
fish)
Salmon . 3,145
Cured or preserved (ex
cept shellfish)
Cod . 2,370
Herring . 111,198
Salmon . 46,469
Shell'fish:
oiams .
Crabs . 980
Shrimps . 19,818
’’uvs and Fur-thins ■
31ue fox . 4,845
'Clack-fox . 14,550
led fox . 6,774
White fox . 50
Mink . 4,146
Muskrat . 83
\11 other. 18,933
Manufactured furs 1,472
lie, matte and reg
ains :
Cooper . 464,717
bead .!.* 7,771
■'tone including mar
ble . 23,628
Trophies, specimens, 1,300
111 other articles. 180
Total value of pro
ducts of Alaska . 1,156,958
Products of United
States returned ... 74,982
Total value of for
eign products." 100
Total value of ship
ments of merchan
dise .. 1,232,040
— -o--—
The General Petroleum Com
pany drill crew, which has
been operating on the Sullivan
claims in the Yakataga oil dis
trict, left for the south recent
ly. It is said that the well is
down 2,500 feet and encount
ered lots of oil seepage, gas
and water during the boring
process. It is understood that
company plans to resume oper
ations in the spring.
-o
Felix Brown, widely known
Anchorage merchant and Pi
oneer Alaskan, who went to
Nome in the days of the great
gold rush to that locality, died
recently in Seattle.
steamer was involved is said to
have been the worst in a long
peripd and covered the whole
Pacific coast.