AN ALL
ALASKA
NEWSPAPER
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DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OP ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
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V6L 5, NO. 18
HYPER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1929.
PRICE TEN CENTS
PREMIER BOWER
RESUMES UNDER
GROUND ACTIVITIES
Underground development
work has been resumed on the
Premier Border company hold
ings at 13-Mile, according to
late reports from the property.
With the location and trend
of the ore bodies on the Vir
ginia group definitely fixed,
as a result of the recent dia
mond drilling activities, it is
understood that the company
plans to rush development
to the utmost to fully deter
mine the extent and probable
commercial value of the ore
deposits. Word came from the
south Thursday that a com
plete new power plant has
been ordered to replace the
engine and compressor outfit
destroyed by fire last week.
Work is now proceeding in
both the upper and lower tun
nels, with two shifts driving
on the latter level. One shift
is employed in the upper tun
nel.
Activities are under the di
rection of F. J. Crossland, com
pany engineer, with Alberi
Johnson, well known miner, ir
charge of the work in the ab
sence of mine superintendent
Wm. Bunting.
•o
COMMISSIONER MULCTS
PRO. LAW VIIOLATORS
Fines for liquor law violations
totaling more than $500 were
collected by Judge W. C. Arn
old in the U. S. Commissioner’s
court Monday.
Felix Seppi, well known trans
fer man, enriched Uncle Sam’s
treasury to the extent of $500
while Nels Fogerly, miner,
contributed $10 and the costs
of prosecution, amounting to
an almost equal sum. In ad
dition to paying substantially
in cash for his infringement ol
the law, Seppi will also be
compelled to spend 4 months
in the federal bastile in expiat
ion.
Fogerly was picked up by
Marshal Don E. Martin while
packing a skin-fpll of red-eye
and charged with being drunk
and disorderly. Seppi was ar
rested in connection with an
alleged attempt to ship out on
the Norco a large packing case
marked “household goods,”
but which is said by the offici
als to have contained a large
assortment of choice brands of
Scotch and other varieties of
wet goods. The arrest is said
to have been made as Seppi
was preparing to sail for the
south on the same vessel. He
was charged with possession of
intoxicants, and entered a plea
of guilty on arraignment.
Fogerly was released after
paying the fine, while Seppi
was taken to Ketchikan by
Marshal Martin Wednesday.
Wellington Beaton, head of
the Hyder Lead and Georgia
River Gold, local companies,
has taken over the Van Roi
group ,noted old producer of
the Slocan district, near Silver
ton, for one of the several com
panies with which he is identi
fied.
ABANDONMENT OF
WOODBINE SAID TO
BE IMPENDING
The Woodbine property, cent
er of what is generally regard
ed as the outstanding mining
fiasco in the history of the dis
trict, will probably be aband
oned by the present manage
ment of the Woodbine Gold
Mining Company, according to
reports from Vancouver.
Discusing the Woodbine sit
uation, a prominent Vancouver
mining publication says that
while the directors have not
definitely announced the a
bandonment of the property,
the recent diamond drilling
activities failed to locate com
mercial ore in a single instance,
according to the engineering
reports, and in view of the fact
that another payment is due
this month it is deemed inad
visable to go ahead further.
Crosscutting started after the
suspension of the diamond drill
vork was not considered by
he engineer as likel y to yield
'avorable results, according to
he same authority.
The company is understood to
have ample funds in its treas
ury to meet the February pay
ment but, owing to the unfav
>rable outlook, will probably
elinquish the property and
devote its energies elsewhere.
Whether such action will con
stitute the final chapter in the
history of the Woodbine re
mains to be seen, as many well
informed mining men profess
confidence that the property
will yet become productive.
•o
PIONEERS INSTALL
OFFICERS
The delayed installation cer
emonies of the local Igloo of
the Pioneers of Alaska were
held in Pioneer Hall Tuesday
evening, with approximately
40 members of the order and a
few invited guests as wit
nesses.
Following the induction of
new officers, the pioneers and
their guests were regaled with
a splendid supper, followed by
speechmaking and general
conviviality . Those attending
report experiencing the most
pleasant evening they have
spent in many moons.
The officers installed includ
ed: R. L. Stewart, past presi
dent; Thomas Kelley, presi
dent; W. R. McDonnell, first
viee-pres; George Bunn, sec
ond vice-president; Clyde Hag
er, secretary; T. H. Evans,
treasurer; Frank Nagle, chap
lain; Lon Doggett, historian;
Bob. Matheson, sergeant-at
arms; Alex. Fraser, E. M.
Reynolds, Geo. Divine, trutees.
Shares of the American Min
ing & Milling Co., successor to
Fish Creek Mining Co„ have
1 been listed on the Vancouver
j Stock Exchange, Quotations
| are ranging around 6 cents.
- , o
, Emil Davis, pioneer mining
| man left Thursday on a busi
! ness trip to Seattle. Mr. Davis
j plans to return early next
! month,
I
MtKy NEW FACES IN
1979 LEGISLATURE
The 1929 legislature, which
will convene at Juneau next
month, will bring a number of
new faces to the capital. Only
seven of those who served dur
ing the last sessiop will return
this year,, including the three
hold-over senators from the
First, Third and Fourth Divis
ions, and of the remainder not
many have had previous legis
lative experience, says the
Anchorage Times.
Charles Benjamin of Wrang
ell, who represented the First
Division in the 1927 legislat
ure, will return to Juneau this
year as senator, serving with
Will A. Steel, hold-over sena
tor. The house delegation will
be made up of Grover C. Winn
of Juneau,' A. H. Zeigler of
Ketchikan, Allen Shattuck of
Juneau and P. C. McCormack
of Wrancpll
Two new senators will go to
Juneau from the Second Divis
ion, Richard N. Sundquist of
Candle, having been elected
for the long term and J. H.
Anderson for the short term.
Sundquist served as a member
of the house two years ago.
The following will compose
the 1929 house delegation:
Alfred J. Lomen, Andy Ny
land, Clarence J. Woofter and
Henry H. Burgh. All except
Sundquist are residents of
Nome. ,♦
Arthur Frame, who defeated
A. J. Dimond for the senate
two years ago, will return to
the 1929 session accompanied
by E. R. Tarwater, Anchorage
banker; Frank Foster, Cordova
attorney; H.H. McCutcheon of;
Anchorage .member of the j
Alaska Railroad maintenance
force.
Harry E. Pratt, Fairbanks at
torney, is the hold-over sena
tor of the Fourth Division, and
his colleague will be Luther C.
Hess, prominent mining man.
The representatives will be:
Walter Fisher, miner, who:
served in the 1927 legislature; 1
Joe McDonald, merchant and
mine owner; Harry Donnelley,
banker and mining operator of
Flat; Richard C. Rotherburg,
miner of Fairbanks.
o
1928 MARRIAGES
BREAK RECORD
The past year witnessed more !
marriages than occurred in any
previous year in the camp’s
history, a total of 14 couples
being united in the matrimoni
al bond during that period, ac
cording to the vital statistics
records in the Commissioner’s
office.
As is usually the case here, a
majority of the nuptial knots
were tied by U S. Commission
er W. C. Arnold, while most
of the contracting parties were
residents of Stewart, who de
sired to escape the formalities
attending weddings on the
Canadian side of the boundary
line.
The records also disclose
that 4 births and one death oc
curred in the camp during the
same period.
HUBER DISTRICT
STILL FIRE FIELD
FOR PROSPECTOR
New mineral land locations
embracing 203 claims were
made in the Hyder section of
the Portland Canal mining dis
trict during 1928, according to
the records of the United States
Commissioner’s office. This
number exceeds by 84 the new
claim record of 1927, when a
total of 119 new claims were 1
staked and recorded.
In addition to the strictly new ;
locations recorded, a total of
17 amended locations of exist- <
ing claims were also filed for 1
record last year, bringing the ]
grand total of all claim locat- 1
ions to 220, as against a total i
of 172 new and amended lo- i
cations in 1927. 1
Assessment work returns cov- i
ering a total of 408 claims <
were also filed during the year.
As the annual labor law re
quires the performance of not I
less than one hundred dollars
worth of labor and improve
ments on mining claims annu
ally before patent, the 408
proofs of labor filed represent
expenditures of money and
labor totaling $40,800 in value.
The 1928 locations cover
practically every section of the
Hyder district, although a ma
jority were made in the rich
ly mineralized Texas Creek
district, where the projected
government wagon road, now
partially constructed, promises
vastly increased opportunities
for mining and prospecting.
The location of such a large
lumber of claims discloses
Nearly that opportunities for
acquiring valuable mineral
lands by location are by no
means exhausted, despite the
fact that the Hyder district has
been the scene of extensive
prospecting and mining devel
opment for nearly a decade. It
is also well known that most
of the claim locations so far
made are situated in the sect
lions most easy of access. As a
result thei*e are still large
areas of territory in the dis
trict which are practically un
explored and offer'a most in
citing field for the prospector.
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“FATHER” OF CAMP VISITS
Dan Lindeborg, pioneer min
ing man, and original locator j
of the Hyder townsite, was a ^
visitor in camp between Mon- .
day and Thursday this week.
Mr. Lindeborg was not in the
best of health, having but re
cently recovered from an at- '
tack of pneumonia, but is !
steadily regaining his former ,
vigor. He was accompanied on “
the trip by Mr. Barbrick, of ‘
Vancouver.
F. J. Crossland, E. M. left for 1
the south Monday after in- 1
specting the results of recent1J
development activities on the
properties of the Premier Bor- 1
der company, of which he is '
the directing engineer.
-o
i
The steamer Amur discharged
a large consignment of coal
for the Hyder Dock Co. this i
week. i
GOLD 1HD SILVER
PRODUCTION STILL
00 DECLIOE
The high cost of production
ind the low price of metals has
caused a continuance in the
iecline in production of gold
ind silver, according to Robt.
J. Grant, director of the mint,
rhe use of other metals has
10 relation to the reduced out
put of gold and silver, Mr.
jrant says. The United States
s importing gold, but not ex
jorting the metal.
Mr. Grant says the mint has
liscontinued the coinage of sil
ver dollars, having 500,000,000
lieces of that denomination on
land. Because of their weight,
silver dollars are going out of
ise The 50 cent piece is also
roing out of use in the East and
s being replaced by quarter
lollars.
n.
BIG GAME HUNTERS
BENEFIT TO ALASKA
That big game hunters are a
mighty asset to Alaska was
the substance of a statement
made recently by H. W. Ter
hune, head of the Biological
Survey in Alaska.
Mr: Terhune said that records
of his office show that 119
non-resident hunters of big
game visited Alaska in 1928
and that they spent an average
of from $1,000 to $1,500 each
in the Territory for license,
guides, outfits and miscellan
eous supplies, a total of some
thing like $150,000 which is
over $500 for every head tak
en He stated that in some lo
calities and with some people
big game hunters are unpopu
lar, the argument frequently
being heard that the game of
the Territory should be con
served for the residents, but
he asserted that the supply of
game can be kept up to its
present standard by proper
policing and care after a por
tion of it has gone to the share
of the non-resident hunters,
the majority of whom are as j
anxious to conserve the game ;
as are the residents and who !
seldom kill for the mere love ,
of killing.
—.— — ■. n
A medicine or magic lamp, a
relic of an early-day Indian
custom, has been acquired by
Lynn Smith, United States
Marshal for the Fourth Divis
ion. The lamp, which probably
was used by some medicine
man in his weird ceremonies is
carved from solid stone. It
measures 10Va by 9 Vi inches.
The lamp was found in the
Shugluk Slough .district, by a
squaw in 1920. The native
woman, said to have been
perturbed at finding it, and
fearful of some dire result if
it remained in her possession,
disposed of it to a trader. One
of the remarkable features of
the- relic is the smooth uniform
carving of its surface. The bowl
is beautifully concaved, with a
wick post projecting from a
point near its center. Wicl<
grooves radiate out from the j
post and are cut in a slight re
lief base. A uniform groove if
cut along the outer rim foi
ornamental purposes. Consid
LOCIL SYNDICATES
HOW WCORPOHATED
Units of the Marmot Engineer
Mine Syndicate are now being
exchanged for shares in the
Marmot Engineer Mine, Ltd., a
limited liability incorporation
in which the original unit syn
dicate has been merged.
The new organization has a
share capitalization of $1,500,
000; divided into 3 million
shares with a par value of 50
cents per share.
The units are exchanged on
the basis of 200 shares for
each unit. The management of
the company is identical with
that of the syndicate, George
Bunn, original locator of the
Engineer, being president and
managing director of the com
pany. R. L. Stewart, secretary
of the syndicate, is also secre
tary of the company.
L,ate reports from the com
pany property on Marmot Riv
er indicate that good progress
is being made on the main tun
nel, although the loose char
acter of the ground has neces
sitated considerable timbering.
Supplies sufficient to last un
til spring were freighted to
the Engineer during recent
days and the property is other
wise splendidly equipped for
operation.
The present objective of the
tunnel is a strong vein of chal
copyrite which prospecting
has shown to contain a foot or
so of shipping grade ore, in ad
dition to eight to ten feet of
ore said to be of good milling
grade.
The Melvin Syndicate will be
converted into an incorporated
company of limited liability
with a capitalization of $500,
000 and shares of $1 par value,
as a result of a decision made
by the shareholders at a meet
ing held January 25th.
The $5 units of the syndicate
will be exchanged for shares
in the new company on the
basis of 20 shares per unit. The
company management will re
main the same as under the
syndicate and development on
the Melvin property will be
continued by Marmot Metals,
which holds an option cover
ing a large portion of the synd
icate units.
o
The Norco arrived from Se
attle and Ketchikan Saturday
with a good sized consignment
of local cargo.
--o
Carrier pigeons, for carrying
messages of distress in case of
accident, have been trained to
operate this winter in Alaska,
with airplanes for their bases.
All planes doing winter flying
are now equipped with com
partments in which the little
messengers live while touring
the North by air. The intro
duction of carrier pigeons was
.he result of several near-trag
adies when aviators were
forced down in remote places.
;ring the hardness of the stone
and the crude implements at
he disposal of the carver, in
finite patience must have been
equired in shaping the lamp.