.“ 11 ™" <<
AN ALL
ALASKA
N EWSPAPER
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OP ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MIN ING DISTRICT.
* ■" '■ ■
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$5.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 4, NO. 45
OTHER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1928.
PRICE TEN CENTS
PROGRESS ON
PREMIER BORDER
Development activities on the
properties of the Premier Bor
der Gold Mining Co. near 13
Mile are reaching a decidedly
interesting stage. Of the three
tunnels now being driven on
various units of the three large
gi’oups controlled by the com-J
pany, two, the Virginia and
Cascade tunnels, are now in
close proximity to the ore
zones which form their ob
jectives and are expected to
strike the ere very shortly.
The main tunnel on the Vir
ginia has encountered the foot
wall of the iarge ore zone de
veloped in earlier years by a
tunnel driven at a somewhat
higher level. The wall is com
posed of the so-called Salmon
River porhyry and is heavily
impregnated with iron pyrites
From portai to face the tun
nel is now in over 275 feel
and is expected to tap tht
ore zone in a few more rounds
Mine manager Wm. Bunting
informs the Herald that tht
outlook for striking the ore k
excellent and there is everj
reason to expect the samt
Character of ore as found ir
the upper tunnel. The ore bodj
in question has been tracec
on th© surface by open cutting
for a distance of 1000 feel
and ranges around 60 feet ir.
width. The tunnel will give t
depth of 230 feet below tht
outcrops and a vertical deptl
of 450 feet can be obtained bj
drifting to the zone’s farthest
known extensions. Including i
storage drift 14 feet long, tht
underground work so far com
pleted in the Virginia tunne
totals over 289 feet. Other de
velopments completed on tht
Virginia property during tht
short period since activitie.
started include construction o:
a 10 x 80 bunkhhouse; cool
house of the same dimensions
compressor house, blacksmitl
shop and a small tram to tht
tunnel mouth . A crew of 1(
men is employed.
The cross cut tunnel on tht
adjoining Cascade group hat
been hand driven over 110 fee
from the portal and, like tht
Virginia tunnel, is fast nearing
its objective, a well mineral
ized ore zone carrying com
mercial values, which it is ex
pected to tap within 40 feet
or so of the present face.
Activities are also continuing
on the Border group, north
east of the Virginia and Cas
cade properties. The hanc
driven tunnel is in over 85
feet. According to Mr. Bunt
ing there is nothing showing
in this tunnel.
Including the 730-foot uppei
tunnel on the Virginia, under
ground development work
completed on the three prop
erties to date totals over 1225
leet.
Summarizing the develop
ment outlook Mr. Bunting ex
presses the view that th(
chances for making-a mine an
very good. “I feel confident,’
he said, “that we will strikt
the ore in the Virginia tunnel
and when we do, we are on
the way to make a real mine.
We have accomplished a
great deal in the short period
of operation and I am glad to
say the record shows that
those interested in the project
are getting a real run for their
money.”
-O
Max Behmrann left Saturday
for Seattle to secure equipment
for his new Ideal Cafe.
INCREASING BIG
MISSOURI CREW
The final acquisition of the
Big Missouri mine by the Bu
ena Vista Mining Co., subsidi
ary of the Consolidated Mining
& Smelting Co., was accom
plished last Saturday with
payment of $100,000 to the
vending Lindeborg interests
by the Consolidated and the
Big Missourn Mining Co., pre
vious holder of the option.
Latest reports from the south
announce that $25,000 of the
amount was paid by the Big
Missouri Company, the remain
der by Consolidated.
The reports also indicate that
.he two companies will jointly
provide a substantial fund for
che future development of the
property. Furthermore, it is
mid on excellent authority
.hat the deal was concluded
>n practically the identical
;erms of the original agree
ment between the Big Missouri
ind Consolidated companies
which brought into being the
Buena Vista company, in
which Consolidated holds a 53
oer cent interest and the Big
Missouri company 47 per cent.
Culmination of the deal was
eflected locally by an expan
ion of development activities
ind the employment of a lar
ger crew. Operations are con
inuing under the dlrcetion of
Donald F. Knowles. The latest
•eports from the property in
licated that diamond drilling
vas still in progress.
The retention of the property
>y Consolidated is causing uni
versal satisfaction throughout
he Portland Canal district
rnd is in every respect the
nost important happening of
he year for the Salmon Riv
:r section. In addition to insur
ng further development and
u-obable commercial operat
on of the Big Missouri prop
erty, the action of the great
Consolidated company will en
;ender a quality of confidence
n the district which should
esult in the entry of powerful
nining interests and a result
int wide increase of local min
ng activities. More decisive
encouragement to strong min
ng interests to participate in
he development of the dis
rict’s great mineral resources
•ould scarcely be provided. On
he other hand, the retirement
>f Consolidated, after months
>f endeavor and the expendi
ire of $130,000, would un
loubtedly have created a situ
tion which would discourage
.11 but the most courageous
nvestors and probably result
n a general decrease in min
ng activity throughout the
district.
The “one mine camp,” theory
las been by long odds the
nost detrimental factor in the
ipbuilding of the local mining
ndustry and a refusal on the
>art of one of the world’s
,-reatest mining concerns to
ontinue development of one
f the district’s most promis
ng and widely noted proper
ies would appear to most out
iders who do not know the
listrict as a convincing con
firmation of that theory.
Happily this undesirable
prospect has been averted and
we may well congratulate our
selves over the fortunate end
ing of the long period of un
certainty regarding the Con
solidated intentions.
-o
The Norco is scheduled to
sail from Seattle enroute to
Hyder August 3.
MINING NOTES
Official anounncement of the
relinquishment of their option
on the Rufus-Argenta proper
ty has been made in the south
by the Daly-Gerard interests,
following an examination of
the property during recent
weeks.
---0
Further development of the
main ore exposures before pro
ceeding with the contemplat
ed tram construction has been
decided upon by the Bayview
management, according to re
cent announcements. Plans in
clude the running of a drift
tunnel approximately 200 feet
on the lower of the several im
portant veins.
-O—-^- ■ —■
Fred Nothiger left' for his
claims on Texas Creek last
week after successfully under
going a siege of pneumonia in
the Stewart hospital.
-O
Development activities have
been renewed on the Emperor
property on Glacier Creek,
where earlier development has
shown the existence of several
large bodies of milling ore.
Plans for the season include
extensive drifting and cross
cutting on the main vein to
fully determine the extent of
the ore body. The Emperor is
one of the most promising
properties in the Glacier sect
ion and development progress
will be watched with consid
erable interest. Work will be
carried on under the direction
of Gustave Seiffert, managing
director of the Emperor Min
ing Co. — •
-o
F. C. Outland, managing di
rector of the Outland Silver
Bar Mining Company, spent a
few days in town this week.
Mr. Outland informed the Her
ald that development on the
company properties near the
west border of Salmon Glacier
is proceeding in a satisfactory
manner and with encouraging
results.
With a large extent of ore
opened up, Mr. Outland finds
that employement of an assay
er on the property is becoming
a necessity and plans to se
cure the services of a compe
tent man during the summer.
-o
G. d’Edgville, mining editor
of “Canada,” an illustrated
weekly published in London,
visited the camp during the
past week. Mr. d’Edgville is
visiting the mining districts of
Canada in the interest of his
publication.
The body of Wm. Fillier, who
lost his life in a snowslide on
the Porter-Idaho trail last
winter was found last week on
a bar in Marmot River, near
the forks, by Thos. Kirkpat
rick, an employee of the Pre
mier company. The remains of
the unfortunate man were laid
at rest in Stewart cemetery,
after an inquest.
NOYES DISCONTINUES
SATURDAY SAILING
The regular Saturday trip of
1 the Noyes Boat Co. will be dis
continued after today, it was
announced by company repre
sentatives. Lack of sufficient
business to maintain the twice
a-week schedule is described
as the reason for the change.
The Wednesday sailings will
be continued as usual.
Arrivals on the Fairbanks
today included M. J. Lee, Mrs.
M. T. Graham, Carl Hansen
and Joseph Findley,
FINE OUTLOOK ON
iCREST CONSOLIDATE!
Development work on thi
Crest Consolidated propert:
near 8-Mile is proceeding in i
most satisfactory manner ant
with results which fully justi
fy the belief that it will devel
op into a large mine, accord
ing to Wm. Bunting, manage]
and director of both Crest Con
solidated Gold Mining Co. ant
Premier-Border Co. activities.
The tunnel on the Red Rost
claim is now in a distance oi
52 feet, Mr. Bunting says, anc
is in ore from the portal tt
the face. The tunnel is 5 x 1
feet and has shown a full fact
of milling grade ore through
out its length. Should this con'
tinue, the outlook is very fav
orable for the development oi
a large tonnage. The Red
Rose is one of the group oi
claims acquired by Crest Con
solidated from Messrs. Marius
Pederson and Albert Johnson
A new cross cut tunnel was
started this week on the Hobo
claim of the same group and
has as its objective the cutting
of four heavily mineralized
zones, all of which carry good
pay ore on the surface. Owing
to the favorable conditions the
tunnel is expected to cut all
four veins within a distance oi
about 300 feet or so.
Mr. Bunting expresses the
view that this property pos
sesses all the earmarks of be
coming a big mine with ade
quate development.
In addition to the large
amount of development work
accomplished in the short peri
od since operations were start
ed , transportation conditions
have been greatly improved
by the construction of a good
pack trail about 1V6 miles in
length from the Alaska-Pre
mier trail to the Hobo claim.
This will effect a marked sav
ing in transportation costs by
removing the necessity for
ba< K packing supplies to the
property.
-o
JUALIN MINE MAY
BE REOPENED
Possible reopening of the not
ed Jaulin mine this year was
announced recently in Juneau
by Jean Vanophem, general
manager of the Jualin-Berners
Mining Co.
Mr. Vanophem visited the
property a week or so ago for
the purpose of making an ex
amination, prior to reopening
on a big scale, according to a
statement made by him to the
Juneau Empire.
The mine has been closed
down since 1923 and consider
able repair work on flumes,
pipes, etc., will be necessary
before actual development can
be resumed, Mr. Vanophem
said, but it was hoped to get
the repairs completed this
season.
-o
S. C. Hibbard, prominent Se
attle business man who is in
terested in the Outland Silver
Bar, will arrive shortly to vis
it that promising property.
-o
Hugh B. McGuire, left for
the south last week after a
short visit in connection with
his local mining interests.
-o
The Hyder Cock Co. has en
larged the freight storage ca
pacity of the dock by con
structing a 35-foot extension
to the old warehouse structure,
located on the north end of the
dock.
AN UNTRUE“TRUE STORY”
►
Misrepresentation cf Alaska
> has long been a favorite occu
r pation with a certain type of
i magazine romancers. Every
[ thing from the natural condit
• ions prevailing in the Terri
■ tory to the details of our every
■ day lives has at one time or
• another been pictured to the
■ reading public in a manner
[ either badly distorted or in di
rect opposition to the truth. In
i most instances the misrepre
' sentations appear to have been
due primarily to misinformat
1 ion or to the desire of the au
thor to provide an added thrill.
Presented as fiction, this type
of tale usually causes a smile
of amusement to flit over the
visage of the average Alaskan.
But when a story of such char
acter is openly heralded to the
world as a truthful depiction
of Alaskan conditions, a frown
is likely to supplant the
smile; for there are limits to^
even the broadest toleration of
untruths. And when such a
story is not only presented as
truth tmd is inferentially
vouched for as such by the
publishers, and, furthemore,
is awarded a prize of $1,000,
your true Alaskan is not only
likely to frown but also to ut
ter words that are neither de
corous or elegant, although de
cidedly eloquent of profound
disgust.
All of which is a prelude to
remarking that a story de
cidedly the most misrepre
sentative of things Alaskan we
have ever encountered appear
ed in ihe August issue of the
True Story Magazine and is
alleged to have received the
above-mentioned award.
The title of this fantastic tale
is “Both Sides of the Story.”
In so far as it deals with Alas
ka, ihe yarn is fiction of the
most fanciful type, altho ap
parently based to some ex
tent on a recent Alaska inci
dent involving the accidental
shooting of an Alaskan wom
an. Its most amazing feature,
however, is its betrayal of not
only colossal ignorance of
Alaska on the part of the un
named author but also of still
more amazing absence of
knowledge of Alaskan geog
raphy on the part of the edi
tor who accepted the tale as
a “true story” and the judges?
who selected it for the $1,000
prize award.
Briefly related, the story
deals with the adventures of a
doctor’s wife who left her
home in a fit of pique, caught
the first train out and journey
ed on the same identical train
all the way to Juneau, disdain
ing such trifles as steamships
and in total disregard of the
hundreds of miles of ocean
and the total absence of all
rail communications between
Alaska and the States.
Then along comes the doctor
husband in search of his wife
and also lands in Juneau.
Whether he also “took the
train” or not, the story fails
to state. At any rate, after
landing in the Alaska capital
the worthy medico pulls a
stunt impossible as his errant
wife’s rail trip to Alaska. For,
behold ,the gentleman of pills
and potions bought himself
“an old, second-hand flivver
and searched every village and
camp along the Alaska coast,
zigzagging northward” and he
didn’t stop until “nearly to
Nome,” when “the winter
coming on drove him back.”
GEOPHYSICS ATTRACT
MUCH INTEREST
The recent application of
geophysical methods of pros
pecting on the Last Chance
group in the upper Salmon
section has aroused consider
able interest among local min
ing men.
As a result of the test by E.
Bergman, geophysical expert,
Mr. Hallum, owner of the
property, has decided to com
mence a new cross cut tunnel
about 100 feet below the pres
ent tunnel. The new tunnel
will be extended approximate
ly 250 feet and is expected
to cut the vein at 150 foot
depth.
The geophysical methods em
ployed by Mr. Bergman are
based on scientific principles
and are by no means to be
classed with the willow-wand
or divining rod systems of de
termining what is under the
ground. The geophysic method
had its inception in war-time
devices for locating the pres
ence of submarines under wat
er. The success attained at that
time led to the further devel
opment of the system and its
application on land in locating
ore bodies. Briefly explained
the system enables the detect
ion of ore by apparatus which
registers the difference be
tween the elements sought
and their surrounding medium.
Five hundred feet is said to be
the maximum depth at w’hich
the method is effective in de
termining the presence of ore
bodies.
And all this despite the vast
and roadless windings of the
Alaska shoreline; the physical
impossibility of driving an auto
from the lower coast to any
point within 800 miles of re
mote Nome, and the equal im
possibility of covering such a
wide extent of territory in one
season.
The rest of the yarn is made
up of some things that occas
ionally happen in Alaska and
much that could be accomp
lished but has never actual
ly occurred. Saving its un
truthful representations con
cerning Alaska, it is a good
story; interesting, colorful and
written with the deft skill of
an accomplished romancer.
Considered merely as a fancied
tale of mild adventure, there
is no fault to be found with
it. The fact remains, however,
that its representation as a
‘true” story can have no other
effect than to further delude
the world concerning condit
ions in this already overly mis
represented land. Residents of
Alaska have been endeavoring
for years to make known to
the world the true facts con
cerning the conditions and op
portunities of this great unde
veloped territory and can hard
ly be blamed for resentment
at seeing their zealous efforts
so frequently offset by delusive
and untruthful tales in Alas
kan settings.
If every Alaskan reader of
such yarns would write to the
publishers condemning their
inaccuracies and protesting
publication of Alaskan stories
not in keeping with fact, such
action would go a long way to
ward reducing the quantity of
misleading trash foisted on the
public in the guise of Alaskan
tales.
Mrs. Clifford Lee, daughter
of Clay Porter, arrived from
the south today.