Hi* Salmon River Diatrict la
Marvelously Rich in MineiaU
and Ryder ia the Gateway in
Consequence of Which Hyder ia
(he Fastest Growing Town in
the North.
HYDER ALASKA MINER
Published at the Gateway to the Salmon River, Alaska - British Columbia, Mineral Area
This Paper is Oat ta Pablish all
the Mining News. Keep Your
Friends Posted by Sending them
the Paper after Yen Have Read
it. Boost far Hyder all the
Time.
VOL. 1.
NO. 3.
HYDER, Alaska, Nov. 7, 1919
FIVE DOLLARS A YEAR
Building Activity
All Over The Town
9
Business Houses
and Residences
Coming Into Ex
istence at a Sur
prising Rate.
Hyder is humming with building ac
tivity. The present spell of clear,
bright weather being ideal for outside
operations, is being thoroug' ly utilized.
New buildings are springing up on every
hand, and one is set to wondering what
the town will look like a year from now.
< ren Hill’s big drug store on Premier
avenue is practically ready for occupan
cy, and Mr. Hill is expected over from
Ketchikan on the next trip oftheTaku.
* He has expressed his intention of stay
ing in the camp through the winter but
whether he will put in a s ock of drugs
, before sprng or not is not known here.
Across the street from the dr >g store
and a little to the north, the two-story
bank and real estate building is receiv
ing its finishing touches. The grill work
for the bank is being put i < place and
the p emises has a thoroughly modern
appearance both inside and out.
Small and McDougal have their big
building on Nevada street finished, and
are comfortable at the forge. So far
as they are concerned the snow can
come a'ong whenever it gets ready.
* T» e Premier Gold Mining Company,
. - who own ten lots on Premier avenne
south from Nevada, are getting the
* lumber on ihe ground for their down
** town offices, and Superintendent W.G.
Harris is also preparing to build a res
idence across the creek from Dan Lin
d borg’s abode.
Bill Murphy has his new home on the
Lindeborg townsite about ready for
occupancy. It is modern in every re
spect, and his fire-place will be one of
the sights of Hyder, being construct
ed of Salmon river ore. Nelson and
Poy, the wood men, are building a res
* idence on the townsite, and Gus John
son, who makes concrete chimney-, i
, also building.
« Fob Jamieson is putting up a dry
house at the Hotel Hyder, and the
Alaska hotel is receiving the last of
its weather boarding. Nelson and
Heath are also putting the finishing
touches on their store. W. L. Duff is 1
building an addition to his house behind
the Alaskan hotel, and Bob Gorman is
, building a home between the Hotel
Hyder and the Junction store.
™.“. Backus is clearing a residen
tial lot on the townsite and intends to
* build immediately, and the lumber for
the Hyder Alaska Miner office on the
corner of Nevada and Indian streets
has been delivered on the ground. On
the flat, Sam Potts is building himself
a home.
The big two-story boarding and room
ing house on Main street being put up
by Wm Ralonen, John Nikko and Mrs.
Willard of Wrangell is nearing com
ple ion. The building is 28 by 38 feet
in size. Across ths street W.M. Bread
well is constructing a bathhouse, 20 by
4 feet in size. Bob Keith is building
an additien the full length of his res
* tairant.
These are some of the improvements
noted by the Miner scribe in a stroll
found the town Wednesday. The
ground is not fully covered by any
means but enough of the activity Is
noted to give a suggestion of about
what is doing in Hyder.
Ernie and Jack Crawford packed 61
tons of freight to the Forty Nine in 61
days, which is some packing, consider
ing the number of horses used. They
didn’t lose a horse.
* .
The Miner is $5.00 a year.
ORE HIGHWAY WILL BE PRACTICALLY
COMPLETED WITHIN NEXT TEN DAYS
m—i
J
FJAYLIGHT seems to be insight so far as completion of
the ore highway to the Stewart dock is concerned. The
up er approach was finished early in the week, and the pile
driver is almost down to the middle bridge, vfhere the road
will h ive a shoif of rock oithe inner side to support the
planking. This shelf is now being blasted out, and in conse
quence the old foot bridge is shot away, necessitating a de
tour around the cliffs for foot p issengers. This is alright in
the daytime for those with steady nerves and sure footed, but
is dangerous at night.
The c nnecting link in the rock work just out of Hyder is
nearly made, all the big shots having bsen fired, and the
crew being now breaking up the big loose rocks and getting
the debris down to grade, Quite a lot of people go that way
now, and at low tide one can go across the mud where the
lower bridge will be, but it is kin ! of gioey and rubbers are
needed.
BODY OF MARTIN
LOOATED ON
SANDBAR
Lying on a gravel bar and badly
bruised, the body of Hugh Macpherson
Martin, who was drowned on August 4
in Bitter Creek a short distance from
where it empties into Bear River, was
discovered about half a mile below the
mouth of Bitter Creek last Tuesday bv
San Fitzgerald. The dead man's bro
ther was wired for and may be here to
day to look after the remains.
M :rtin was knocked into the water
while fixing a tempor ry b idge. The
body was not seen by his companions
Bert Olson and Dan Woodmore, after
it disappeared into a pile of driftwood.
They tried to save him but the strong
current swept him away. It was thought
the swift water would have lashed the
body to pieces, but it was evidently
sw pt out into an eddy. Several searrh
ers have tried to find the body since the
river became low. The Fitzgerald bro
thers on Tuesday had finished prospect
ing some gro nd and were on their way
back to town when they made camp.
Sam thought he wou'd look for the body
and took the dog along. The keen an
imal soon had Martin’s body located.
Dr. M. W. Bruner has gone up Sal
mon River to examine some mining
property he is interested in.
H. C. Magee of Vancouver, one of
the Marmot river pioneers, came up
on the Prince John last week and made
a trip up to his properties in company
with P. Byrne, an oldtimer of Dawson.
Mr. Magee will go south again on the
next Grand Trunk boat.
The Miner wants to enrol everyboby
in Hyderon its subscription book. Come1
on with your five spots.
- I
Ernest Bailev is doing the wiring at
the Premier mine for the electric light
system.
WIRELESS OUTFIT
REGOMMENDED
BY REED
A wireless station for Hyder is one
of the things for which John T. Reed,
who was sent here by the Administra
tion to look into the needs of the camp,
intends to work. Mr. Reed went back
to Juneau early in the week, ar d will
have a lot to say about Hyder- He be
came so enamored of the town lhat it
wouldn’t surprise anybody much if he
should come here to live.
Mr. Reed says that the wireless has
beep brought to such a state of perfec
ion that the mountains will be no det
riment to its operation were a station
established here, and he is convinced
that the town is a ready of enough im
portance to warrant the installation of
a plant as soon as possible.
Mr. Reed is going to press for an im
proved mall service, Including a money
order department. He says there are
a couple of submarine chasers loafing
around Seattle with nothing to do, and
if the government wanted to do some
thing for this country they might send
one of these swift boats here to carry
the mail.
He also says that there will undoubt
edly be a commissioner sent here in the
near future, who will be also mining
recorder and probate judge. It will be
welcome news that a recorder’s office
is to be opened, as a number of claims
will be re-located on the first of Jan
uary and heretofore the recording has
had to be dens in Ketchikan, involving
a long and expensive trip. The Ketch
ikan records will immediately be tran
scribed so far as they affect this camp,
and the new books brought^ere.
A1 Chapin has gone to Seattle to look
up his old northern partner, Harry
Panter, and bring him back here. A1
is greatly taken with the camp, and
wants to pass the good word along.
A.C. Whitney, who has been working
on. the telephone line, has received
message that his wife is very sick iji
Wrangel. He will leave for there 0*1
the next boat.
I
FORTY NINE GAMP
IS READY FOR
WINTER
Outside Work is Finished
For Season and Men
Underground
Full Face of Occidentul
Tunnel in Fine Quality
of Mineral
With all the outside wo-k completed
and supplies enough at the mine to last
fifteen men for seven months, the crew
at the Forty Nine have settled down to
a winter of progressive development.
Superintendent Harry Howson came
down from the mine Wednesday eve
ning, and says that affairs there are in
a very satisfactory c ndition. Both the
Occidental and the Forty Nine"; tunnels
are being driven ahead, the former in
hipping ore, and the latter in a good
concentrating gra !e. The Forty Nine j
tunnel wjs driven as a crosscut to tap
the vein, and when the ore body was
reached, was continued as a drift. It1
is heading toward the high g-a e ore
body which shows on the outcrop.
‘‘Had we the facilities for getting
the ore out,” said Harry, ‘‘we could
be making daily shipments right now.”
The superintendent believes in keen
ing a good crew together by providing
them not only with necessities but with
all possible comforts. With this idea
;n mind the camp has been built on a
thoroughly modern plan, with batus,
hot and cold water, oil heaters, the best
of grub and an A 1 cook. The medical
and first aid supplies were specially se
lected by George l raser, and nothing
in this line was overlooked, not even
the hot water bottle.
A complete assay office is also estab
lished at the mine, with Percy Jenns in
charge. The convenience and necessity
of this need not be amplified.
Considering the fact that the first
man went on the ground as late as July
1, and that there were absolutely no
improvements there at that time, the
Forty Nine crew have made a wonder
ful record of accom, lishment. Now
that they are on the underground woi k
a winter of gratifying development is
anticipated.
SALVATION AHNii
DRIVE IS ON
Ensign W.Kerr, organizer for the
Salvation Army in Alaska aud northern
B.C., visited this section during the
week and is organizing committees in
Hyder and Stewart to assist the cam
paign to raise money for the estab
lishment of beneficial institutions in the
United States and Canada. This is a
part of the big drive to place the S.A.
on a firm financial footing, so that they
can eliminate the petty begg ng which
has taken so much of their time, and
enable them to devote their energies to
more useful work. In the cities the
Elks are handling the drive, and all re
turned soldiers’ organizations are sup
porting it.
There is one bear up the Salmon who
has been having somewhat of a snap so
far as beating the high cost of living
is concerned. Some time ago a horse of
Hugh Creelman’s went over the grade
and broke a leg. Jack Crawford put
the animal out of its misery with his
jack knife, and now the above mention
ed bear is laying in a supply of horse
meat to last him through the winter.
The gruesome details were brought to
town by Mickey Graham, the packer.
PeteJepson, of Jepson and Johnson,
merchants of Ruby, was in camp this
week sizing things up. He expects to
return in the spring.
Premier
Deal Is
Finished
MOTORSLEDS FOR
PREMIER MINE
Next week the motorsled ore truck
ordered for a try-out by the Premier
(iold Mining Company should arrive
here on the Prince John, Superinten
dent W. G. Harris having received
word that it has been shipped from
Seattle. Mr. Harris does not antici
pate that a proper test can be given the
new hauling device until around the
middle of December, as the heavy snow
does not come as a rule before that
time. If the tractor proves to be the
success which its makers claim for it,
others will be ordered in sufficient num
ber to handle the tonnage whieh the
company expects to ship this winter.
Barring the depth of snow there are
no difficulties on the road and until the
tractor is in operation the road will be
kept open by teams. One snowslide
crosses the road at Eleven-Mile but no
trouble is anticipated from it.
It is the intention to install compress
or machinery at the mine about the
middle of December and put in power
drills. When this is done the daily ore
tonnage will be materially increased.
Meanwhile everything at the mine
has been put in ship-shape for the win
ter for carrying out the development
program laid out some time ago. An
electric light plant has been insta led
and the bunk house, cook house, com
pressor building and ore sorting shed
are now being wired for fights, and
lines will be carried to the mine entran
ces.
If there has been a deal made for the
sale of the Premier there has been nc
official information of the fact receiver
here, and no change in the working
program already outlined has been made
/ice President R.K,Neill is expected ir
next Thursday, and will perhaps oispe
i or confirm the rumors that have beer
floating about.
BERRY’S BOAT IS
DISCOVERED
That George M. Berry has met his
death by drowning as reported Iasi
week has been practically confirmed bj
the finding of his boat which was float
ing bottom side up almost opposite
Swamp Poi- t, 35 miles down the canal.
The discovery was made by Jim Martir
lineman on the Canadian governmen
telegraph line. How the tragedy occ
urred will undoubtedly remain an un
solved mystery. No trace of the bodj
has been found.
Reports received from Ruby say thal
favorable prospects for a good camf
appear to exist on Hog river on tht
lower Koyukak river. Ernest McLeod
who spent last winter in the Hog rives
country, and who brought the first re
ports to Rnby last spring, believes that
there is a good future in sight there
Several parties of stampeders who wenl
in from Ruby la3t summer report thal
they were able to do vsry little pros
pecting as the ground, while shallow
averaging from four to eight feet deef
is thawed to bedrock and very wet
McLeod sunk several holes by freezing
them down and says the prospects in
dicate a large body of pay running
from 30 to 40 cents to the square foot
of bedrock.
Confirmation of the reported sale of
a big interest in the Premier mine is
contained in an interview- with R. K.
Neill, general manager of the Premier
Gold Mining Co., in the Vancouver
Province. The new blood in the com
pany represents Guggenheim and Sil
I verman interests. Reorganization has
been accomplished and p|ans have been
made for a progressive program of de
velopment. R.W. Wood, of Fernie re
mains as president of the company and
Mr. Neill as genera] manager. Other
officers now are: Vice-president and
managing director, H.A.Guess, north
west manager of the American Refin
ing and Smelting Co.; se ond vice-pres
de nt, Minor C. Keith, a fruit importer
of New York, who has not been in the
i mining business before; secretary,
W.E. Norris of the Guggenheims; treas
! urer, L.A.Chapin. Directors, R. W.
| Wood and W.R.Wilson of Fernie; R.K.
J Neill of Spokane; H.E.Price of the
Silverman group; M. C. Keith, W. C.
Potter and H.A.Guess of New York.
| While Mr, Neill made no announce
ment as to the price, the amount of
money involved is unquestionably so
' large a sum as to make the deal the
largest transaction of the nature which
ever took place in British Columbia.
It is understood that a 40 per cent int
erest changed hands.
With the consummation of this deal
the certain amount of hesitancy which
marred progress in the Portland Canal
; will bi-appear, for the company now
has all the money it requires to under
! take the opening of its great mine on.a
large scale. It is thought that the de
velopment program, which cohtemplat
ed the shipment of ore this winter will
be carried forward. It is expected that
enlarged plans for development con
template a railway to the mine and
ther by a cheapening of shipping costs
and the expense of getting supplies to
the property.
During the past summer many well
known engineers examined the prop
I erty. These men repre ented the
I Guggenheims, Hayden and Stone, Fed
eral and other money groups.
BIG MISSOURI IS
SNUG CAMP
Everything is snug for the winter at
the Big Missouri camp, William Noble,
who is in charge, reports. All of the
supplies are now on the hill and a fine
crew of men have settled down to re
main for the winter. 1 he cabins have
been made warm and comfortable and
the camp is one of excellence and con
venience. Development is progressing
in the crosscut tunnel on the E Pluri
bus claim of the Big Missouri group.
—
A good sign painter could make a
' clean-up in Hyder.
The Up To Date store has received a
great line of fresh chocolates.
John A.Coughlan a pioneer of Hyder
who built the Hotel Hyder and also the
building now occupied by the Ready to
Wear store, has taken over the Hyder
Cafe, formerly operated by Mrs. Stoner.
John isjan old favorite and is doing a
rushing business.
Blondy Charlton took a crack at the
High D.ve club thi - week by building a
fence across the foot of Ma!n street.
Cant take the dive there now without
busting the railing.