AN ALU
ALASKA
NEWSPAPER
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELO PMENT OP ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
$5.00 PER YEAR
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VOL 4, NO. 38
HYPER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1928.
PRICE TEN CENTS
BIDS CALLED FOR
EXTENSION OF TEXAS
CREEK HIGHWAY
Requests for bids for the con
struction of a four mile exten
sion of the present Texas
Creek highway have been
called for by M. D. Williams,
District Engineer for the Bur
eau of Public Roads.
The bids are to be opened in
Juneau July 5.
Details of the project as ex
plained to the Herald by Mr.
Fred J. Hughes, resident en
gineer of the Bureau of Pub
lic Roads, in charge of the en
tire Texas Creek project ,are
as follows:
The proposed extension is to
be 4.34 miles in length and
will begin at the crossing on
the north fork of Texas Creek
and extend along the north
side of the west fork to Ibex
Creek. Actual construction
work should begin by August
1 and the project is expected
to be completed early next,
summer. The road is to built
on the same standards as the
initial section 3.40 miles in
length graded by Seims and
Carlson last season.
Specifications for the new
project call for 18.5 acres ol
clearing; 10 acres of grub
bing; 14,500 cubic yards ol
common excavation; 38,000
cubic yards of solid rock ex
cavation, and 1300 cubic
yards of unclassified excavat
ion for structures, in addition
to 250 cubic yards of hand
laid rock embankment and a
number of small log bridges.
During the present season
Seims and Carlson will sur
face the 3.40-mile section be
tween the Salmon River high
way and the crossing on the
north fork of Texas Creek,
graded by them last year, and
also construct the projected
bridge across the north fork.
Lumber for the latter struct
ure arrived on the Norco.
Respecting the proposed ex
tension of the new highway to
the head of Texas Creek ,Mr.
Hughes said a survey party
will be put in the field about
July 1 to complete the locat
ion survey from Ibex Creek to
the Summit, near the face of
Chickamin glacier.
INSTALLING PLANT ON
MARMOT ENGINEER
The work of installing the
compressor and power plant
on the Engineer group of the
Marmot Engineer Mine Syndi
cate is making good progress,
according to George Bunn,
veteran mining man and chair
man of the board of trustees.
Despite bad trail conditions,
the machinery was landed on
the property without mishap
some days ago by Jack Ren
nie, well known packer, sub
stantial camp buildings are
under construction and active
mining is scheduled to start as
soon as a new drifter drill re
cently purchased from the
Denver Rock Drill Co. can be
installed.
--o —
The motorship Norco arrived
from Seattle via Ketchikan
early Wednesday morning,
bringing 90 tons of merchan
dise ,in addition to 35,000 feet
of lumber for the Texas Creek
bridge and a number of local
passengers.
o
Mrs. Qren F. Hill left Sunday
gnroute to Seattle.
HYDER LEAD MINES
STARTS ACTIVITIES
The Hyder Lead Mines, Inc.,
launched its program of sum
mer activities this week. As
there is still 2 feet of snow at
the upper end of Texas Creek,
where the Hyder Lead proper
ty is located, the company, be
fore resuming active mining,
will construct a 17 x 17 ware
house on the north fork of
Texas Creek at the cable
bridge .The warehouse will be
used as a freight depot for the
pack trains conveying supplies
to the property during the
summer .The trail is expected
to be clear of snow by the time
he building is completed and
supplies will be started up
:he creek at once.
•The company plans to rebuild
the old camp on its own
ground during the summer,
providing accommodations for
3 or 4 men, and will also con
struct an addition to the bunk
house erected last year, to
gether with a cookhouse.
When completed the camp
will provide quarters for a
:rew of about 18 men.
-o
TRAIL WORK ON
GEORGIA RIVER
John F. Coates, mining engi
neer of the Georgia River Min
ing Company, commenced last
week the extension of the old
rail between the mouth of
Gleorgia River and the com
pany property 8 miles or so in
land.
The work will include the
-clearing out of the section of
she trail constructed several
/ears ago but later abandoned
in favor of a somewhat short
er but steeper pack trail.
The proposed trail will later
be widened to sufficient pro
portions to permit haulage by
means of tractors.
r.
EXPLORATION OF
INDEPENDENCE NOW
IN PROGRESS
The projected diamond drill
ing program of the Revenue
Mining Company on the Inde
pendence property in the Bear
River section was launched last
week by Lynch Bros., dia
mond drill contractors .
The hole on which work start
ed was scheduled to extend
between 500 and 600 feet to
tap the No. 2 vein at an ap
proximate depth of 400 feet.
A crew is also engaged in
drifting on the same vein.
The work is being carried on
under the supervision of Regi
nald Hodgson, of Stewart and
Batten, contracting engineers.
-o
RAILROAD WORK
SHOWING PROGRESS
Steady progress is being made
in the task or reconditioning
the Bear River railroad, de
spite disadvantageous condit
ions due to the late season.
The reconstruction of the 800
foot trestle over Bear River, on
which work started several
weeks ago, is practically com
plete, according to Stewart re
ports, and another bridge pro
ject farther up the line is un
der way.
Work is being rushed on the
sawmill, which is to be install
ed at Bitter Creek to cut ties
and other timber materials,
and the plant is expectd to be
in operation within a short
time .
BIG HYDRO POWER DE.
VELOPMENT IN PROSPEC1
W. 0. Scott, a representative
of the International Utilities ol
New York spent a few days ir
the district looking over the
possibilities of hydro powei
development with a view to the
possible entrance of that cor
poration into the local field ii
conditions are favorable.
The International Utilities is
rated as one of the largest util
ities corporations in America
and may be expected to inaug
urate large scale power devel
opment in case it decides to un
dertake a local project.
-- -o
TRAIL TO OPEN
CHICKAMIN SECTION
Prospective opening of the
highly mineralized Chickamin
River section to exploitation is
forecasted in the announce
ment that a party of 15 men
headed by T. C. Parker, Bur
eau of Public Roads engineer,
is now engaged in constructing
a trail from the mouth of
Chickamon River to the mouth
of the LeDuc River, which will
later be extended up the Le
Duc to the international
boundary line.
A party headed by Mr. Park
er completed last year a sur
vey from the mouth of the
Chickamin River to its sotfree
at the Chickamin glacier, the
easterly end of which projects
into the upper end of Texas
Creek valley, and the present
trail building project is a se
quence of the latter activity.
Mr. Fred J. Hughes, resident
engineer of the Bureau of Pub
lic Roads, informed the Herald
that the Parker party began
work on the project last week.
With the completion of the
trail construction at LeDuc,
the party will continue up the
latter stream, making a sur
vey and building trail enroute,
until the boundary is reached.
The proposed trail will great
ly facilitate prospecting in the
Chickamin section and should
prove an important factor in
the early development of that
promising mineralized region.
-o
NEW ALASKA MINING
CORPORATION FORMED
Articles of incorporation of
the Commonwealth Mining and
Exploring Company have been
filed in the office of the Secre
tary of Alaska, according to
Juneau reports.
The new organization, which
has operated on the Common
wealth group stiuated on Port
land Canal about 14 miles be
low Hyder, is capitalized for
51,000,000. B. G. Raymond, of
Seattle, who has directed act
ivities for some years ,is presi
dent; E. M. Sherman is secre
tary.
The reports say that “Miss A.
E. Johnson, who lives near Hy
der,” has been appointed resi
dent representative of the com
pany.
Who the “Miss Johnson” re
ferred to may be could not be
ascertained.
-o
Next Thursday, June 14th, is
Flag Day; widely observed
throughout the Union, but nol
a legal holiday.
--o
Extensive diamond drilling
on the Marlund Mines prop
erty on the south fork of Mar
mot River, is contemplated,
according to R .E. Lundvall
manager.
ANNUAL REPORT OF
SELUKWE COMPANY
The annual report of the Se
' lukwe Gold Mining & Finance
Co., a copy of which was re
ceived from London this week,
gives the following interesting
data relative to the local activ
ities of the company on the
p. C. Silver and Sebakwb
properties during the year
ending March 31, 1928:
B. C. Silver:—
The work done during the
year totaled 2,632 feet of
drifting, crosscutting and sink
ing and was confined to the
North group of claims, north
of and adjoining the proper
ties of the Premier Gold Min
ing Co. No work was done
on the south group, lying south
of the Premier.
During the first 9 months of
the year work was largely con
fined to No. 4 level, 160 feet
below No. 3 level, where the
extension of the Premier ore
zone was drifted on for 700
feet, covering at that horizon
the portion of the ore zone ly
ing from 1,000 to 1,700 feet
from the Premier.
The work disclosed an ore
body 240 feet long and of
greater width than the drift.
This, the report says, is prob
ably the downward continuat
ioft of the “D” ore body on No.
3 level but adds that further
exploration will have to be
done before anything positive
can be stated as to its value
and dimensions, although “it
is reasonable to assume that
this ore body will develop a
large tonnage of milling ore."
The remaining 460 feet of
drifting on No. 4 level follow
ed a wide, silicified and well
mineralized zone. Although
the average values in the drift
were below milling grade, the
report adds that “commercial
values may exist in this area,
however at another horizon.’'
The downward continuation ot
this silicified zone and the ore
body mentioned above will
doubtless be explored later
from the No. 2 shaft, now be
ing sunk from the 3rd level
and close to the Premier
boundary.
The immediate objective ol
the No. 2 shaft is to explore
and open up the rich ore dis
closed by diamond drilling and
a further ore body which
passes in its dip from the Pre
mier to the B. C. Silver ground.
In addition it is the intention
to generally explore the ore
zone through this shaft in a
northerly direction and at a
lower horizon than has hither
to been possible .This work
will be gradually carried
along under the ore body ex
posed in No. 4 level .
Respecting values found in
the No. 2 shaft, the report
says: “The porphyry” (en
countered at a depth of 220
feet) “contained low gold and
silver values throughout-se
lected specimens assayed up
to $105 a ton. This area, how
ever, “is very likely looking
and w ell worth exploring.”
A small amount of work was
done during the year on “C”
orebody 50 feet above No. S
level and 89.86 tons of ore
from this area were shipped,
giving a gross value of $4,
741.60
The work done above No .3
level points to the “C” and “D”
ore bodies being cut off by a
change of formation between
No. 2 and No. 3 levels. A cross
cut was also run from the end
STARTING UP ON
SILVER BELL GROUP
Development activities were
started this week on the Sil
ver Bell group, situated or.
the west slope of Mt. Rainey
directly across Portland Cana)
from Hyder.
Initial operations will in
clude the construction of ap
proximately a mile of trail
along the mountainside from
a point near the Stewart saw
mill, the work to be done un
der contract. Several camp
i buildings, including a large
bunk and cook house, will al
so be erected .
The group comprises twelve
claims and adjoins the noted
Silverado group, controlled by
the Premier Gold Mining Co.,
and is also in close proximity
to the Prosperity group of the
same company. Indications
point to the rich silver bear
ing veins of the Silverado ex
tending into the Silver Betll.
Control of the property is held
by the Silver Bell Mining Com
pany, of which Leroy M.
Backus, Seattle banker and
financier, is a leading figure.
Activities are in charge of
John Haahti, original locator
of the property.
of No. 3 level to connect with
a raise on the Sebakwe, to im
prove ventilation on both prop
erties.
Sebakwe:
Work on the Sebakwe during
the year ending March 31, last,
was principally confined to
continuing 432 drift, running
northeasterly in the general
direction of the continuation
of the Premier ore zone. This
drift was advanced 1,975 feet,
bringing its face 2,170 feet
from the main crosscut, where
ore was encountered the pre
vious year.
The first 45 feet of drifting
was in milling ore, which, com
bined with the ore exposed
during the preceding year, de
veloped an ore body on No. 4
level 220 feet long with an av
erage width of 15 feet and an
average value around $12 per
ton.1 This ore body, the report
states, “probably extends 65
feet vertically above No. 4
level, to where the formation
changes to tuff, and it is reas
onable to assume that it con
tinues at least 100 feet vertic
ally below the level.”
Practically the whole of the
remainder of the drifting
along the ore zone was in tuff,
although a short cross cut run
from the end of the drift “en
countered favorable looking
porphyry.”
The existence of such a large
body of tuff as encountered in
this area is described as disap
pointing.
“It is possible, however,” the
report continues, “that the tuff
is shallow, in which case, bet
ter results may be obtained by
exploration at a lower hori
zon.”
Additional work included a
165-ft. raise to connect with
the B. C. Silver workings and
improve ventilation. Since the
close of the period of the re
port a shaft has been sunk to
open up the ore body mention
ed above 100 below the 4th
level. (Reports reaching Hy
der during the past few days
indicate that ore of consider
able richness has been encount
red in this drift.)
Total development during the
year embraced 2,970 feet of
LESTER GORE
ENDORSEDFOR
JUDGE 1ST DIV.
Lester 0. Gore, of Ketchikan,
former former assistant dis
trict attorney for this division,
has been endorsed unanimous
ly by the Ketchikan Bar As
sociation for the judgeship of
the First Judicial Division, ac
cording to press advices receiv
ed in Hyder Wednesday.
Following the action of tfte
association, a committee ap
pointed by the association tel
egraphed the Juneau Bar As
sociation asking for similar
action there. Telegrams were
sent also to President Coolidg»
requesting the appointment ol
Mr. Gore to succeed the late
Judge Thomas M. Reed.
It is understood that Mr.
Gore has not been an applicant
for the position but might be
induced to accept if the nomi
nation is tendered him. He has
been engaged in law practice
in the Territory for more than
ten years.
The action of the Ketchikan
Bar Association was prompted
by the recent refusal of the
Senate to endorse Edgar J.
Adams, of Oregon, for the pos
ition on the ground that he was
not an Alaskan.
TO DRILL SILVERADO
Extensive diamond drilling
activities on the Silverado
property are contemplated by
the Premier Gold Mining Co.
in connection with its program
for the development of that
noted property during the
summer .
Premier engineers will P
understood, visit the property
within a few days to make an
examination preparatory to
the formulation of develop
ment plans.
-o
PREMIER ACTIVE
ON MARMOT
Activities of the Premier Gold
Mining Company on Marmot
River have converted that
erstwhile quiet section into an
area of bustling activity, ac
cording to late arrivals .
A large portion of the 22
acre tract secured by the com
pany near the mouth of the
river for use as the terminal
of the projected Porter-Idaho
Prosperity ore tramway, has
been cleared of timber, much
of which will be used for pil
ing in the construction of the
proposed wharf and ore bunk
ers. A pile driver is now on
the ground and work on the
wharf structure is reported
under way. The right of way
for the tram is also said to
have been cleared of timber
over practically the entire
length.
-o
Arthur Moa, manager of the
Mountainview Gold Mining Co.
activities on Fish Creek, left
for Ketchikan on the Norco to
attend the annual meeting of
stockholders, to be held in the
First City June 12.
Mrs. Moa accompanied her
husband. The couple expect to
return in about 10 days.
drifting and crosscutting and
165 feet of raising .
An electric locomotive was
installed for underground
haulage during the year, ef
fecting a considerable econ
omy.