HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YUKON - ALASKA HIGHWAY
'
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING N&WS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
i - J
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOLUME NO. 8, NO. 37
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1932.
BY THE YEAR $3.00
JOHNSON VICTIM OF
FIRE TRAGEDY
That Andrew Johnson, local
miner, met an agonizing death
in the destruction of the Out
land Silver Bar assay office l
some time during the past win
ter was revealed Thursday
morning when his fire black
ened and animal mutilated re
mains were found by a search
party from Stewart headed by
Constable Potterton and in- !
eluding E. E. Charlton and Gus
Erickson,
ine pariy leu Wednesday,
evening and arrived at the Sil
ver Bar Thursday morning af
ter traveling all night and was!
just in time to find the remains
of the unfortunate miner in the
possession of a large grizzly
bear, who evidently had had j
one meal on the body and
was starting another.
Being without firearms, the |
party had considerable diffi
culty in driving the animal
away, but finally succeeded.
It was then found that the
body had been dragged from
a point about 10 feet away
from the burned cabin, where
Johnson evidently fell after es
caping from the burning build-1
ing. The condition of the body j
indicated that it had been un-1
covered by the melting snow
only a few days before. The
remains were clad only in a
shirt and were badly burned on
the back, limbs and feet, show- j
ing that Johnson had been in
contact with the flames. All
indications pointed to the prob
ability that Johnson was in:
bed when the fire broke out, j
but managed to escape after
sustaining severe burns. After!
getting out, he apparently was j
unable to proceed more than
ten feet or so before falling in
the snow to rise no mere. De- j
spite mutilation, the remains!
were easily recognizable as j
those of the long-mis«{ng min-!
er.
The remains were brought |
down to the foot of Salmon
glacier and interred after in
spection by Dr Vosburgh, cor
oner for the Stewart district.
o
Rivers and Harbors
Bill Favored By Senate
Hope that some action may
be taken by Congress toward
carrying out the local flood
prevention plans of the War
Department was increased this
week by an announcement i
from Washington that the sen-1
ate finance committee had vot-;
ed a favorable report on the |1
Shipstead bill for river and j
harbor development.
The bill seeks to finance |
through a bond issue rivers and ;
harbors projects authorized j
now or in the future and would i
enable the local project to be j
carried out if authorized by j
Congress. The bonds would be j
issued as needed to pay for the i i
projects on which work was
undertaken.
New Free Gold Vein
Cut On Unicorn Group
Recent development work on
the Unicorn property has dis
closed another vein iof free
gold ore to the westward of the
No. 3 tunnel, according to John
Hovland, president and mana
ger of Unicorn Mines, Ltd.
In a statement to the Herald
regarding the new discovery,
Mr. Hovland said:
“A cross cut to the west from
the No. 3 tunnel at a point 372
feet from the portal was start
ed last fall, with a bearing
north, 60 degrees west. The
purpose of this cross cut was to
explore a large outcrop on the
hillside to the west of the tun
nel and which had been traced
on the surface for some 2000
feet. At a point 37 feet west
of station 5 in the main tunnel,
the east boundary of a well de
fined mineralized vein striking
north, 20 degrees west and
with a westerly dip of 70 de
grees, was cut. Five feet of
this was heavily mineralized
with pyrite showing visible
free gold. The east wall of the
vein was well defined, but the
westerly boundary is more or
less intermixed with the quartz
porphyry. Stringers of quartz
ai-e numerous. [
“This vein is no doubt a part
of the large outcrop along the
hillside west of the camp, and
which has been exposed by op- j
en cuts in the large outcrop on 1
the Unity claim some 1200 feet:
to the north of the cross cut. !
“A cross fracture striking ■
north, 60 degrees west, with a i
southerly dip of 60 degrees is j
visible at the face of the cross j
cut. Indications are that this I
is one of numerous east-west
cross fractures exposed on the
surface to the west of the cross
cut. Some of the higher grade
ore was found in these cross
reins on the surface.”
— —. ... n.
i
Potterton Has Narrow Escape
Constable Potterton, of Stew- j
wart. while returning' from the :
Dutland Silver Bar Thursday,
lost his footing while crossing
i slide near the Silver Bar and
>vas precipitated down a steep j
dope which ended at the brink i
if a precipice several hundred
feet high. As he plunged j
town the slope with increasing |
nomentum, he was provident-!:
ally able to roll on to his stom- 1
ich and stop himself by grasp- M
ng a handful of heather be-!
"ore reaching the jumping-off j
ilace. Two bunches of the
leather tore out by the roots11
jnder his weight before a third i (
dump enabled him to stop his j i
iescent. Had the third one not !
leld it is probable that he
would have gone over the cliff. 1
-o
Georgia River To Renew
Operations—Report
Reports circulating in Van- I
louver are to the effect that
Georgia River Gold Mines, i
Ltd., is planning an early re- j:
sumption of development activ- j:
ties on their Georgia River 11
oroperties down the Canal. ‘
PITTMAN BILL IS
REPORTED FAVORABLY
The Pittman bill, authorizing
the United States to buy up the
annual production of domestic
silver up to 60,000,000 ounces,
was favorably reported last
Monday by the Senate Banking
committee, it was reported in
Washington news dispatches of
that date
This bill is now the principal
hope of silver supporters for
bringing about increased use
of silver as a monetary basis in
the United States and for in
creasing the present excessive
ly low price of the metal.
As the measure now stands,
the government is authorized
to buy domestic silver at the
current market price at the
time of purchase. Purchases
are not to exceed 5,000,000
ounces per month and the
measure as reported fixes a
price limit of 50 cents per
ounce. This price limit was
evidently inserted by the com
mitte, as no price limit on
purchases was fixed in the
original measure introduced
by Senator Pittman.
The silver bullion purchased i
is to be paid for by issuing sil-;
ver certificates and subsidiary !
metal coins backed by coined
silver dollars retained in the
Treasury. The notes would be
legal tender in payment of all
debts, public and private, in
cluding customs and public
dues.
While the measure has yet to
receive the approval of the
House, its endorsement by the
Senate committee constitutes
:he first definite step so far
achieved toward inducing the
rovernment to do something to- 1
ward the rehabilitation of sil- :
jr.
Maintenance Wcrk On Roads
M. D. Williams, district en
gineer for the Bureau of Pub
ic Roads in Alaska, arrived 1
Torn Juneau on the bureau 1
notorship Highway Tuesday '
ifternoon to look over the local
•oad situation.
Mr. Williams was unable to 1
lold out much hope for extens- '
ve road operations this sum- '
ner, owing to the action of *
Congress in greatly curtailing
he bureau’s annual appropri
ttions for road work. Mr. Wil- 1
iams intimated that necessary J
naintenance work was all that !
:ould be expected under the £
■onditions, although a few ^
nore men may be added to the 1
ocal road crew after July 1,
vhen the new appropriations j1
recome available. I{
-o-!
Pioneer Dance July 4th.
A public dance for the even- J
ng of July 4th in Pioneer Hall i!
vas announced this week by 1
he Pioneers of Alaska. The
nice of admission has been
ixed at $1 for gentlemen, in
ducting luncheon, and ladies
vill be admitted free.
HIGHER TAXES UNDER
NEW RFVENUE BILL
Fallowing is an abbreviated
summary of the new Revenue
bill passed recently by Cong
ress :
Income Tax Provisions
The old income tax law im
posed a normal rate of 1 \/> per
cent on the first $4,000 of net
Income, 3 per cent on the next
$4,000, and 5 per cent on any
remainder. Surtaxes were 1
per cent on net income between
$10,000 and $14,000, rising to
a maximum of 20# on net in
come over $100,000. Former
individual exemptions were (
$1,500 for single persons, $3,
500 for married persons, and
$400 for each dependent. A
credit of 25# on earned in- J
come was also allowed.
The normal tax under the .
new law is 4# on the first $4,- \
000; 8'. on the remainder.
Surtaxes begin with 1# on net ,
income between $6,000 and j
$10,000, rising to a maximum
of 55 per cent on net income j
over $1,000,000. Individual (
exemptions are reduced to $1,
000 for single and $2,500 for t
married persons, with $400 al- j
lowed for each dependent. No. ^
credit is allowed on earned in
come.
Ihe corporation rate is in
creased from 12% to 13%%;
the former $3,000 credit grant
ed to small corporations is
eliminated.
Manufacturers sales tax on
domestic goods are levied on
the manufacturer and produc
er. In the case of imports,
they are levied on the importer
over and above the old tariff;
rates. They are aimed to fall
on the finished product and are
imposed o n the wholesale
pi ice. Those applying to the
more commonly used articles j
are as follows:
Lubricating oils, 4cts. per gal- j
lcn; automobile tires, 2l/> cts. :
per pound; tubes, 4 cts. per i
pound. Cosmetics, 10 per cent,
except mouth washes, dentri
fiees and toilet soaps, which j
are taxed 5 per cent; furs, 10 •
per cent; jewelry, with minor '
exceptions, 10 per cent; auto
mobile passenger cars, 3 per
cent, trucks, 2 per cent, access
oiies, 2 per cent.
Radios and phonographs, 5 |
per cent; mechanical refriger
ators, 5 per cent. Sporting
goods, except playing cards
and children’s toys, 10 percent;
firearms, shells, cartridges, 10 :
per cent; cameras, 10 per cent, j
Matches, 1 per cent for 1000 |
wooden, \U per cent for paper. J
Candy, 2 per cent; chewing;
gum, 2 per cent; soft drinks, as!
cereal beverages, 1% cts. per!
gallon; grape juice, 5 cts. per,
gallon; other fruit juices, 5 cts.
per gallon.
Electrical energy, domestic
and commercial consumption, I
3 per cent, to be paid until July j
1, 1934. Telegraph messages!
are taxed 5 per cent, cable and i
Tidal Wave Hits Mail Boat
Struck by what appeared to
. be a tidal wave while enroute
here from Ketchikan early
Tuesday morning, the maii
boat City of Anacortes came
perilously close t o found
ering, according to statements
by passengers and members of
Ihe crew.
The huge wave struck the
vessel while it was off Tree
Point near the entrance to
Portland Canal, at 1:30 a. m
Capt. Ed. Williams, who was a*,
the wheel, caught a glimpse o!
the great wall of water sweep
ing across the otherwise calm
sea and attempted to turn the
bow of his vessel to meet the
oncoming mass, which ap
peared in the dim light as a
long, dark wall. He succeed in
getting the vessel partially
turned before it was literally
engulfed byr the rushing flood
and thrown on its beam ends
Capt. Williams was knocked
out of the pilot house door and
would have been carried over
board had he not been able tc
grasp the pilot’s stool, which
had jammed in the narrow
doorway. Oren F. Hill, of Hy
der, who was a passenger or.
the vessel, was thrown violent
ly from his berth and drenched
j by the water on the cabin floor.
The engine room was flooded,
causing the engine to stop and
virtually the entire deck cargo
was swept overboard. The ves
sel remained on her beam ends
for several minutes after the
wave passed but finally re
gained an even keel after ev
eryone on board had all but
given uphope that she would
right herself. Later, with hei
engine disabled, the vessel
became stranded on the rocks
at Tree Point and was hung up
for seven hours until released
by the next high tide. Later,
while coming up Portland Can
al, the bearings of the disabled '
engine burned out. <
As a result of the numerous i
misadventures, the vessel ar- 1
lived here on two cylinders !
over 24 hours behind schedule <
and was compelled to lay over (
for some time while the engine <
was patched up sufficiently to '
return to Ketchikan.
■o
Matthew Little, well known ;
mining engineer, arrived from 1
Victoria Monday evening on
mining business. i
-()
Oren F. Hill returned Wed
nesday from a business trip to
Ketchikan. (
JUJ-JJ-1
radio dispatches, 10 cts. each, i l
Admission tickets are taxed i
1 cent for each 10 cents or 1
fraction over 40 cents. Stock i
transfers 4 cts per share on
shares selling for less than $20, t
5 cts. per share over $20. (
Bank checks, drafts or orders t
are taxed 2 cts each, to be col- i
lected by the bank on present- c
ation^for payment. i
First class postage rate is in- j
creased from 2 cts to 3 cts. un- t
til July 1, 1934. s
SENATE PASSES
UNEMPLOYMENT BILL
Radio reports Thursday even
ng announced the passage by
-he United States Senate of a
$2,500,000,000 unemployment
relief bill modeled on the same
ilan as that introduced by
speaker Garner, of the House,
tor which it was substituted.
The Garner bill was designed
to give direct unemployment
relief throughout the nation by
means of public works.
It is understood that the Sen
ile measure will now go to the
House for ratification by that
body.
The reports said the demo
crats fear president Hoover
might veto the bill and have
declared an intention to hold
Congress in session until he
either approves or rejects the
measure. In the latter case, an
effort will probably be made to
pass it over his head.
■O'
Alaska Items Proposed For
Garner Bill By Delegate
With the remote possibility
ihat the Garner bill might pass
Congress, Delegate Wicker
sham has sought to have varous
Alaska projects favorably con
sidered and recommended to
Speaker Garner for inclusion in
tiis bill, according to late re
ports from Washington.
As a result, the bill as intro
duced carries the following
Alaska items recommended by
he various committees t o
.vhich the Delegate’s suggest
ons were referred:
Construction of a postoffice
mildng at Anchorage to cost
[>425,000, and a postoffice and
:ourt house at Ketchikan, to
:ost $400,000; improvement of
•ivers and harbors and other
vaterways; Dry Pass in south
eastern Alaska. $79,000; Kodi
ik harbor, $77,000; Nome har
)or, $235,000; Sitka harbor,
>67,500; Tolavana river, $40,
>00; Wrangell harbor, $56,
100; Wrangell Narrows, $142,
>00, all making a total of $1,
>39,500.
The total amount to be ap
iropriated by the bill is two
lillion and one hundred mill
on dollars.
-o-r
Alaska Plank in C.
O. P. Platform
As a result of the endeavors
f Karl Thiele and Albert
Vhite, Alaska delegates to the
epublican national convent
on, the platform of the repub
ican party contains an Alaska
dank reading as follows:
“We favor a policy giving to
he people of Alaska the wid
st possible form of self-gov
rnment; the selection, so far
.s possible, of bona fide resi
lents of the Territory for posit
ons in that Territory; and
dacing its citizens on a basis
qual to those in the several
tates.