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AN ALU
ALASKA
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VOL 5, NO. 5
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20,1928.
PRICE TEN (HITS
PREMIER RACING AGAINST
WINTER ON MARMOT
With the chill hand of winter
threatening to descend at any
moment and block for months
the outpouring of the waiting
mineral wealth in the Prosperi
ty and Porter-Idaho properties,
atop the rugged crests of Mt.
Rainey, 5,000 feet above the
shores of Portland Canal, the
efforts of the Premier Gold
Mining Company to complete
the installation of the Porter
Idaho tramway before the
snow comes has now assumed
the aspects of a race against
time, the ultimate outcome of
which must remain in doubt
until the last bolt of the big
steel towers is tightened and
the straining cables hung.
According to the last report
received from the Marmot
section, work on the last four
towers is under way but two
weeks or more will be required
before the system can be plac
ed in working order. Snow has
already fallen several times on
the mountain peaks, but provi
dentially in quantities too light
to block construction and
transporation of material on
the upper heights; but, with
winter close at hand any houi
may witness a downpour of the
clinging whiteness that will de
stroy the last prospect of fin
ishing the task before next
spring.
To those who can visualize
conditions on the lofty uppei
heights, nearly a mile above
the sea, at this time of the
year, there is a strong element
of the dramatic in the struggle
that is being made by the com
pany and its hardy workers
against chilling frost and the
encroaching snow. The situat
ion is indeed one to delight
the heart of a novelist, for a
more stirring fight has seldom
occurred between man and the
elements than is now being
maintained on those precipi
tous slopes among the clouds.
And the goal of the struggle,
the stream of argent wealth
that will start down the storm
swept peaks when the tram
is in, adds a still more dra
matic touch to the picture of
man’s stirring effort to beat
the gods of storm and cold.
According to recent reports,
the company has speeded up
transportation considerably
above the glacier by stringing
a cable across the ice and tram
materia] is going to the upper
slopes as fast as it can be
handled. The work of install
ing the cement bases of the
towers has been somewhat
hindered by loose ground along
the original route chosen and
to secure the necessary hard
rock foundations a change of j
route is said to have been nec- j
essary.
The main cause of the delay j
in completing construction of j
the upper sections of the tram !
is said to have been the fail
ure of the proper materials to
arrive on time, the parts need
ed for the most difficult sect
ions being the last to reach
here from the States.
Spacious bunk houses are be
ing erected on both the Porter
Idaho and Prosperity groups
and the tram terminal is also
going up on the Porter-Idaho.
The company has also complet- j
ed installation of a telephone
line between the latter group r
BLAST KILLS
. MINE WORKERS
David Davies, 25, and James
Ganter, aged about 35, were
killed by a blast in drift 22 on
the No. 3 level of the Premier
mine early Wednesday morn
ing.
Evidence given at an inquest
' held in Stewart Friday evening
indicated that the fatality was
the result of some unusual in
cident developing after the
fuses of a portiop of the shots
of a 15-hole round had been
fired and which caused the
men to linger in an attempt to
fire the remainder of the holes.
Investigation disclosed that
three “lifters” at the bottom of
the face had not been lighted.
, When found some time after
the accident, Ganter was ly
ing about 17 feet from the
face, dead and horribly man
led, while Davies was 60 feet
or so away, with both legs
broken. Medical opinion indi
cated Davies may have lived
tor a short time and that his
demise was primarily due to
shock and powder gas. Evi
dence given indicated that
with the length of fuse used,
the men had ample time to fire
he entire round and get away.
The jury returned a verdict
of accidental death, caused by
;taying too long after the fuses
were fired. The jury also add
ed a recommendation to the
effect that no more than 12
jhots should be fired by two
men working where the
ground was wet.
Davies was a native of Wales
and is said to have an uncle in
Pennsylvania. Ganter is sur
vived by a wife and three
children, who reside in NeW
Westminster. He was consider
ed one of the Premier’s best
miners.
Funeral rites for both victims
of the tragedy were held in
Stewart this (Saturday) after
noon, followed by interment
in the Stewart cemetery.
-o
OLD TIMER PASSES ON.
James Carter, 70, a well
known and popular resident
of the district, passed away in
Stewart Hospital Thursday
morning after a lingering ill
ness from cancer. Deceased
was of Irish descent but born
in the United States and had
been a resident of this district
since about 1919. He was at
one time the owner of the
Home Restaurant in the Town
site but was later employed as
a cook by the Premier com
pany at the 9-Mile and 13
Mile camp for five years pri
or to being overtaken by his
fatal illness, during which he
sustained two major operat
ions. So far as khown there are
no surviving relatives.
The remains of Mr. Carter
were laid at rest in Riverview
Cemetery today, following
largely attended services at
Pioneer Hall, with Rev. Fr.
Leray, officiating.
and the beach camp at the
mouth of Marmot River. The
big ore bunkers at the latter
point is practically completed.
The structure is situated im
mediately behind the new
wharf and can be plainly seen
from Hyder. The power house
is also said to be practically
completed, as is also a smaller
power plant on the Porter
Tdaho.
FIRST UNIT OF
TEXAS HIGHWAY
FINE ACHIEVEMENT
The first unit of the projected
Bureau of Public Roads high
way to the head of the west
fork of Texas Creek was com
; pleted a few days ago by
Seims and Carlson, contractors,
and was formally accepted by
the Bureau of Public Roads,
October 9.
The new highway, officially
designated as the Salmon Riv
er-Texas Bridge section, is 3
.40 miles in length and extends
from the government bridge
across Salmon River above 9
Mile to a point on the north'
fork of Texas Creek about one
fourth mile below the tip of
Texas Glacier, and includes
the bridge over the north fork.
The latter structure consists
of a single span 122 feet in
length, supported on huge tim
ber trussess. The truss work is
supported by massive re-in
forced concrete piers consist
ing of heavy pillars connected
by a concrete arch which adds
great strength to the piers,
each of which rests on a found
ation cut into the solid rock
of a granite ledge which ex
tends a short distance into the
creek channel on either side.
The truss members, floor
beams and stringers are of
Douglas fir, while the decking,
hand railing and housing are
composed of local hemlock.
The decking is 16 feet in
width, allowing ample room
for two cars to pass each other,
and is of laminated type, being
constructed of two by four tim
bers set on edge, making the
decking four inches thick.
i ms type of decking is some
what unusual and not only
greatly increases the strength
and resistance to wear, but al
so practically eliminates vibrat
ion and noise and makes an es
pecially smooth riding road
way. The truss section of the
bridge is completely housed in,
for protection against the ele
ments, the siding and roof be
ing composed of galvanized,
corrugated iron.
Trestle approaches totaling
82 feet in length and set in
rock and earth filling connect
the truss section with the road
way at either end and bring
the total length of the bridge
structure to 204 feet The
massive truss section possesses
the distinction of being the1
longest span so far constructed
by the Bureau of Public Roads
in "Alaska. The total cost of
the structure will approximate
$12,000, according to Mr. Fred
J. Hughes, resident engineer
of the Bureau of Public Roads,
who supervised construction of
both the bridge and highway.
The total cost of both bridge
and highway will approximate
$92,500, or about $26,000 for
.each mile of distance covered.
A trip over the highway will
be in the nature of a revelat
ion, even to those accustomed
to good roads and it is a safe
assertion to say that there is
no finer or more substantial
mountain road to be found in
the length and breadth of
Alaska. Indeed it may be truth
fully said that the new high
way is excelled by few mount
ain roads in the entire western
section of the United States.
Commencing at the nortji end
of the 9-Mile bridge the new
highway runs in a general
GEORGIA RIVER
TO OPERATE
THRUOUT WINTER
Operations on the Georgia
River properties of the Geor
gia River Gold Mines, Limited
will be continued throughout
the winter season with & crew
of 20 to 30 men employed, ac
cording to local represent
atives of the company.
Supplies sufficient to last dur
ing the snowy period have
been freighted to the property
during recent days and Geo.
Lowe has been engaged in con
structing a commodious bunk
house and other quarters.
The company completed a
good pack trail, approximately
12 miles in length, from the
beach to the property during
the season and has practically
overcome the heretofore diffi
cult transportation problem.
northwesterly direction along
the western slopes of Mineral
Hill. The elevation along this
section is only a short distance
above the wide floor of Texas
Creek valley and the grade is
fairly uniform until the high
way swings sharply to the
westward in the vicinity of the
old “shake” cabin and for a
short distance traverses the
valley floor to the southerly
end of Cantu Mountain. From
the latter point there is a grad
ually ascending grade until
the bridge is reached. Al
though the grade along this
section reaches a maximum of
8 per cent at times, the general
average over the entire route
is not above 6 per cent. Even
at the steepest points, clever
engineering has to a marked
extent avoided tne long, hard
pulls commonly associated with
mountainous highways and
travel is not in the slightest de
gree difficult at any point on
the entire route for either
teams or automobiles. Wind
ing in a general northerly di
rection along the heavily wood
ed slopes of Cantu Mountain,
the highway climbs steadily
upward, revealing on its course
glimpses of matchless scenic
beauty.
Traversing the near precipi
tous eastern slope of the up
per Texas valley, broad em
brasures in the flanking tim
ber disclose magnificient pan
oramas of lofty, far-flung
peaks and deep-clefted valleys
well worth going many miles
to see. Even to one who has
witnessed a large part of the
far-famed scenic splendors of
Alaska, a trip over the new
highway will prove a decided
ly pleasurable undertaking by
reason of the wealth of natural
beauty disclosed on every side.
Indeed it can be truthfully said
that the entire 12-mile trip
from Hyder thru the mountain
flanked Salmon Valley to the
head of the north fork of Tex
as Creek presents an ever
changing succession of scenic
beauties, the equal of which
can scarcely be found within
a similar distance anywhere on
the American continent. And
it may be said with equal ver
ity that a trip over the pres
ent Salmon River road and
the new Texas highway can
be made with as much com
fort and pleasure as on the
famed highways of the Out
side, owing to the splendid
surfacing and almost total ab
sence of anything that can be |
SILVERADO WORKS
LOOMING UP
Although little information ia
coming down from the Silver
ado, visible evidences of the
large development activities of
the Premier Gold Mining Co.
may be seen from Hyder when
ever the weather is sufficiently
clear at the lofty height at
which the noted old property is
situated.
During the daytime the eye
may discern the outlines of
the big bunk house and other
buildings erected by the com
pany a short distance belpw
the glacier, whose recent re
cession revealed the rich silver
veins, which created a sensat
ion slightly over a year ago
and led to the purchase of the
property by the Premier.
The view of the camp by
night is a pretty sight. The lo
cation of the camp structures
is indicated by a cluster of
twinkling electric lights, while
the route of the tramway used
for transporting supplies up
the steep slope from Silverado
Gulch is shown by a line of
brilliant lights descending
sharply from the camp site.
Current for the camp is sup
plied by the International
Electric Co. plant at the foot
of Silverado Gulch, from which
a 3500 foot transmission line
has been run up the hill. The
Premier has also installed a
telephone line connecting with
the main camp..
All that can be learned of
actual mining activities is that
work on the projected 1000
foot tunnel is under way and
is expected to be completed in
three months or so.
Rumors of a body being found
in Portland Canal near the
Premier wharf during the
week proved to be but another
figjnent of some erratic imagi
nation.
termed rough going. Over 99
per cent of the length of both
highways there is an almost
complete absence of ruts or
bumps of a character to cause
the slightest discomfort to the
traveller.
This is particulary true of the
Texas highway, where the
splendid surfacing done by
Seims and Carlson has result
ed in a road the general
smoothness of which is com
parable only to that of a boule
vard.
After once making the trip
to the Texas bridge, few will
doubt our assertion that the
Hyder district possesses some
of the finest highways to be
found anywhere in the North.
Furthermore the district now
contains an extent of govern
ment built roadways exceeded
by but few districts in the en
tire Territory. It will no doubt
surprise many of our readers
to learn that since the com
mencement of road building
activities in this section, the
Bureau of Public Roads has
devoted to local road con
struction an amount closely
approximating one fifth of the
total funds allotted to the Bur
eau for forest road construct
ion in Alaska during that peri
od. The district has indeed
been most fortunate in this re
spect, as will be realized when
it is known that many far old
Cintinued on Page 3.
E. E. HALL TO
MAKE VANCOUVER
FUTURE HOME
E. E. Hall, vice president of
the Qsnk of Hyder and promi
nent Winnipeg financier, has
decided to make his future
home in Vancouver and plans
to make extensive investments
in the British Columbia me
tropolis, according to recent
press announcements.
Included among the more im
portant plans contemplated by
Mr. Hall is a consolidation of
financial interests with Sir
Stephen Lennard, of Lennard,
Poisson & Waghorn, Ltd., for
the purpose of extensive in
vestments in Vancouver, in
cluding the erection of an of
fice building to cost between
$125,000 and $200,000. The
structure is to ocupy a site on
the northeast corner of Pender
and Howe Streets, recently
purchased for the purpose at
a cost of $175,000. The lot has
a 120 foot frontage on Howe
Street and is 52 feet deep.
The building will be occupied
by the firms in which Mr. Hall
and Sir Stephen are interested
and construction will start
about January 1. The Hall
Company, Limited, and ^en
nard-, Poisson & Waghorn,
Ltd., have had offices in the
Macaulay, Nicholls, Maitland
building but proposed expan
sions in their respective busi
nesses are understood to neces
sitate larger quarters.
In announcing the consolidat
ion, Mr. Hall, who is president
of the Hall Company. Limited,
and Hall Investment Corporat
ion, Limited, was quoted as
saying that he had decided
definitely to stake his future
with Vancouver and to trans
fer the bulk of his financial in
terests from Winnipeg to his
new location. Mr. Hall whose
Winnipeg grain business has
assets of more than $1,000,000,
has also purchased a three
acre site in the Point Grey
district on which he plans the
erection of a $30,000 resi
dence.
-o
JINX TACKLES TAKU
The Noyes Boat Co. motor
ship Taku broke down off
Maple Bay Tuesday while en
route from Ketchikan and was
towed into Hyder Wednesday
evening by the Chuqualla, ar
riving many hours behind
schedule. Misfortune continued
to pursue the Taku even after
arrival here, as the vessel went
aground in the darkness and
nearly capsized while the tug
was endeavoring to land her
at the dock. But for prompt
assistance rendered by the
Herbert B. a native owned
power boat, which was tied up
at the dock, it is said the Taku
would probably have rolled
off the mud-bar where she
was grounded into deep water.
During the ensuing excite
ment the Chuqualla went
adrift and the master of the
Taku fell overboard and was
so painfully injured about the
ribs by striking some sharp ob
ject, that he was forced to
seek treatment at Stewart.
There was no damage to either
vessel or cargo by the mishap.
The breakdown of the engine
necessitated the Taku being
towed back to Ketchikan.