HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YUKON » ALASKA HIGHWAY
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SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
L /
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
*3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL. 8, NO. 23.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1932.
BY THE YEAR $3.00
SILVER CAUSE IS
GAINING PUBLICITY
Greater unanimity of opinion has
been noted in the United States dur
ing the past month than ever beforeon
the necessity for some form of silver
stabilization, according to the Mining
Congress Journal, which says:
,‘The various plans now under con
sideration range from free and unlim
ited coinage of silver on a 16 to 1 ra
tio, through all phases and applicat
ions of bi-metallism; others providing
lor an international world bank, for
an international silver conference;
lor a western heinispliere-and-China
conference; for optional payments of
war debts in silver and for the recall
of paper currency and one issue of
metallic silver money only.
“Upon one tiling, however, opinion
seems crystalized; and that is, that if
silver can be stabilized, foreign trade
will begin to flow, factories will re
sume production, and unemployment
will be lessened.
A committee of western represent
atives in tlie house, headed by Repre
sentative Colton, of Utah, is now hold
ing hearings on silver stabilization,
before which proponents of many of
these plans are appearing in an effort
to evolve a satisfactory solution upon
which constructive legislation may be
predicated.”
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Stewart Adopts Snow
Protection By-law
With highly commendable
regard for the welfare of citi
zens, the Stewart village coun
cil passed last week a new ord
inance or by-law which makes
it an offense to permit snow to
accumulate on a building to
such extent that it may be shed
upon a sidewalk or street in a
way to endanger life or ob
struct traffic.
■o
New Money Order
Conversion Rates
New money order conversion
rates on foreign remittances
became effective on March 11,
according to postal advices re
ceived by Postmaster Oren F.
Hill. The new exchange rates
are as follows.
For Great Britain, North Ire
land and Irish Free State, the
pound equals $3.80. For New
Zealand the pound equals $3.
40. The Danish, Swedish and
Norwegian krona equals 21
cents.
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Quickstad Judgement
Affirmed By Appeal Court
John McNeill and Jas. A.
Connors will be compelled to
pay damages in the sum of
$10,000 to Harry Quickstad,
Vancouver mine promoter, for
breaking a contract for the
sale of the Red Top property,
north of Stewart, under a de
cision handed down this week
by the B. C. Court of Appeal.
The court’s decision affirmed
a judgement given in the lower
courts in favor of Quickstad
some months ago by dismissing
an appeal by McNeill and Con
nors. Quickstad alleged he
was negotiating a sale of the
property to J. F. Duthie, Seat
tle millionaire, when the de
fendants broke their agree
xnept to sell him the property,
Davis Bill Draws Many
Protest From Alaska
The Davis bill, introduced
recently in Congress and which
i would practically exclude pass
enger traffic to and between
I Alaska ports on Canadian
steamers, is the object of wide
protest from Southeastern
| Alaska communities, accord
ing to Washington, D. C., re
ports, which state that Dele
gate Wickersham has received
dozens of protests from S. E.
Alaska ports against the pass
age of the bill.
The bill is strongly supported
by interests on the Atlantic
coast but the Delegate hopes
to have an amendment adopted
that would exclude Alaska
from the jurisdiction of the bill
in the event of its passage.
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Local Aliens Reported
Under Investigation
Complaints have been made
to the United States Depart
ment of Labor of the alleged
unlawful residence in Hyder
of certain aliens and the de
partment is now engaged in in
vestigating the cases of sever
al, according to late Washing
ton, D. C., advices.
The investigation is to deter
mine whether they have been
lawfully admitted t o this
country. The alleged unlaw
ful residents are said to be em
ployed in this vicinity, but no
indication is given of the place
or character of their employ
ment.
Alaska Whale Worth
Considerable Sum
The Bureau of Fisheries re
poits that 355 whales taken
in Alaskan waters by two
whaling stations during 1930
yielded products worth $470,
265, making the value of each
whale more than $1,300.
Whale oil, sperm oil, fertiliz
er, pickled meat and whale
bone were the commodities se
cured from the animals, says
the report. Seven steam whal
! ers were employed in the Port
Hobron and Akutan stations of
I the Pacific Steam Whaling
! Company, the only operating
| company. Employment was
i given to 190 whites, 14 natives,
and two Japanese, a total of
206 persons, or a decrease of
27 from the number reported
employed in the industry in the
previous year. The whales
taken included 50 finbacks,
; 191 humpbacks, 78 sulphur
bottoms, and 36 sperm whales.
This was a decrease of 30
from the number taken in
j Alaska water sin 1929.
Palm Sunday Service
Easter falling on March 27
this year will make next Sun
day Palm Sunday, the opening
: of the Holy Week. This being
a period in which most Christ
ians are more thoughtful re
, garding spiritual things, there
| will be a special service in the
Methodifit Episcopal church at
7:30 p. m. tomorrow evening,
j A ladies’ duet will sing the
! well known Palm Sunday song,
“The Palms,” and a solo, “Op
en the Gates of the Temple.”
The pastor will speak on
“Darkness that is Past.” An
other interesting musical num
ber will be the “Hymn Story
of the Cross,”
FLOOD BILL MAY
HAVE EARLY ACTION
Five bills have been intro
duced in the House of Repre
sentatives by Delegate Wicker
sham authorizing the improve
ment of Stikine River, Dry
Pass, Wrangell Harbor and
Kodiak Hahbor, all of which
have been referred to the Riv
ers and Haibors Committee,
according to Washington re
ports, which say it is expected
they will be given prompt at
tention when the general Riv
ers and Harbors bill is intro
duced.
Hyder, however, may be
given attention first, as the
local project has been recom
mended by the War Depart
ment and has been referred to
the Committee on Flood Con
trol. The report says that the
document setting forth facts
for the necessity for this dyke
construction is now in the
hands of the printer but will
not be considered by the com
mittee until printed copies are
available.
Ketchikan Radio Phone
Station Authorized
The Federal Radio Commiss
ion has granted ithe application
of the Telephone Bond and
Share Company to construct
a new general experiment rad
io telephone station at Ketchi
kan, according to Washington
reports.
The applicant is a Delaware
corporation with assets of $42,
000,000 and associated with it
in the new enterprise are two
Canadian corporations who op
erate an extensive network of
telephone lines and radio stat
ions, including one at Camp
bell River and one at Ocean
Falls, B. C.
The establishment of this
service in British Columbia
came to the knowledge of the
citizens of Ketchikan, who
asked that radio communicat
ion he established between
Ketchikan and Campbell Riv
er. Should the proposed ex
periment station prove suc
cessful and operation be per
mitted on a commercial basis,
the applicant intends to pur
jsue only radio telephone com
| munication activities and does
not intend to make application
for authority to employ radio
telegraphy for any purpose.
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Wolfle Sentence Postponed
Gus Errickson, who was
called south some weeks ago
as a witnes in the Wolfle case,
returned Saturday via Ketchi
kan. Mr. Errickson reports
that Wolfle, who was recently
convicted on four counts of al
leged misuse of the mails in
connection with his promotion
of the local Cantu property,
has not yet been sentenced, as
the date of judgement was
postponed from March 7 to
March 21. Wolfle has also
asked for a new trial, Mr. Er
rickson said, and if his appli
cation is not granted will ap
I peal the case to the highei
jcourta. ^
ALASKA COMMERCE
S/Sfflll) IN 1931
The total commerce of Alas
ka for the past year amounted
to $76,125,410, according to
the annual statement of Col
lector of Customs J. C. Mc
Bride.
Of this total trade, $52,850,
660 represents merchandise,
gold and silver shipped from
Alaska to the United States
and foreign countries; while
$23,274,750 represents the val
ue of shipments to Alaska dur
ing the same period. The bal
ance of trade in favor of Alas
ka for the year amounted to
$29,575,910.
An increase of over one mil
lion dollars in shipments of do
mestic gold and an increase in
shipments of fresh, frozen and
canned fish over the previous
year, are encouraging figures
noted in the report.
The total shipments of do
mestic gold for the year 1931
amounted to $9,018,378; or an
increase of $1,206,335 over the
shipments for 1930. Ship
ments from the First division
of domestic gold and silver
amounted to $4,000,819, or an
j increase of $759,504. Third
division shipments amounted
to $677,820; or an increase of
j $487,408. Fourth division ship
j ments amounted to $3,282,051,
i or an increase of $47,265. The
only decrease in shipments was
noted from the Second division
where total -shipments amount
ed to $1,057,688, which was a
decrease of $118,292.
Heavy losses are shown in
both pounds and value of cop
per ore shipped during the
year. Total shipments amount
ed to 22,055,271 pounds valued
at $2,080,338. This is a de
crease of 15,719,698 pounds
and $3,260,697 in value from
the corresponding period of
1930. A large per cent of the
decrease in value is attributed
to the lower average price of
copper in 1931 than in 1930.
The average selling price of
copper during the year, as
computed bj' the Bureau of
Mines, was 8.3 cents, against
13 cents in 1930.
Increases are noted in ship*
ments of fresh and frozen hali
but and salmon, also in canned
salmon. Fresh and frozen hal
ibut shipments totaled 13,634,
083 pounds of a value of $1,
462,778, which represents an
increase of 2,053,733 pounds
and $60,509 in value. Ship
ments of fresh and frozen sal
. mon amounted to 8,060,972
pounds at a value of $838,568,
or an increase of 1,068.178
pounds and and $27,640 in val
ue. Total shipments of canned
salmon amounted to 267,293,
021 pounds, valued at $31,
161,504, which was an increase
of 28,084,451 pounds and and
j an increase of $1,077,176 in
| value.
i Total shipments of fish and
j fish products for the year
'amounted to $36,322,861, or
| within $396,568 of the total
| shipments for 1930. The slight
decrease was caused principal
ly by the falling off of ship
ments of fish fertilizer, meal
and oil. (
Lost Predictions of
Last Four Years
February, 1930. United States
Employment Service: “Within
the next 60 or 90 days, the
country will be on a normal
employment basis.”
James J. Davis, Secretary of
Labor: “Let us be thankful
that we are getting back on
our feet again.”
March, 1930. Senator Guy
Goff of West Virginia: “The
tariff has accomplished won
j ders and it will achieve the
! marvelous. It has fostered our
industries, built up our manu
factures, elevated our man
hood and dignified our labor,
j It has touched our barren, rug
| ged hillsides and caused the
! waters of commercial prosper
ity to flow all over the land. It
has illuminated our valleys
with the leaping flames of oui
furnaces and caused them to
kiss the mountain-tops in
their ascent to prosperity. If
these American standards con
: tinue, then the republic will be
■ come the great altar stairs that
i will slope through the mortal
struggles and disappointments
of life up to God.”
Secretary of Commerce La
mont: “Business will be normal
I in two months.”
Washington dispatch: Presi
i dent Hoover predicted today
| that the worst effect of the
i crash upon unemployment will
have passed during the next 60
days.”
| May, 1930. President Hoover,
j before United States Chamber
| of Commerce: “While the
j crash took place only six
months ago, I am convinced
j that we have now passed the
| worst and with continued unity
: of effort we shall rapidly re
• cover.”
Dr. Julius Klein, assistant sec
retary of commerce: “Business
is gradually but unmistakably
coming out of the depression.”
Some more lost predictions
i for 1930 will appear in a later
! issue. Watch for them.
•o
1 . .
Miner Reported Missing
Andrew Johnson, well-known
miner, who has made his home
at a cabin in the upper Salmon
valley near the Cantu property
during the past two or three
years, has not been heard from
for about three months and his
i friends are becoming alarmed
lover his long absence. Visits
; made to his cabin and other's
| in the same locality have re
vealed no evidence of his occu
j pancy during the winter and
i it is surmised that he has either
' met with some mishap or has
(gone to some cabin farther up
I the valley, possibly to the Out
I land Bar, on the Salmon glac
Jier. Gus Errickson and Marius
1 Pederson left yesterday for the
i upper Salmon to hunt for the
missing man.
i Johnson is understood to have
i had an ample supply of food
. last fall to carry him through
the period of his long absence
and no fears are entertained
regarding his welfare in that
respect. Johnson is said to have
a penchant for secluding him
self in some isolated spot for
long periods and made a simil
ar long disappearance a year
or two ago.
FEBRUARY EXPORTS
SHOW SMALL GAIN
I
Shipments of merchandise
from Alaska to the United
States in February were valued
at $408,211, according to the
monthly statement of Collector
of Customs J. C. McBride.
Gold and silver shipments for
the month totaled $74,560 for
gold and $3,657 for silver,
making a grand total for all
exports from the Territory of
$486,424.
The merchandise shipments
exceeded by $69,189 those of
January, due largely to in
creased volume of fur exports,
which totaled $96,129 for the
month, as compared to $52,495
in January. Fresh and frozen
?almon and halibut shipments
also showed substantial gains
compared to those of the pre
ceding month. Copper ore ex
ports declined from $65,341 in
January to $19,465, while lead
shipments increased from $6,
261 in January to $10,719 last
month. Following is the list of
all exports:
Blue foxes .. $ 100
Other animals . 400
Curios . 400
Fish: fresh and frozen
(except shell-fish)
Halibut . 61,450
Salmon . 77,683
All other. 5,231
Canned (except shell
1 fish)
Salmon . 48,971
Cured or preserved (ex
cept shell-fish)
Cod .,. 225
Herring . 103
| Salmon . 22,674
3hell-fish:
Clams . 709
Crabs . 703
Shrimps . 23,494
Furs and fur-skins:
Blue fox . 43,949
Silver or black fox .... 7.055
Red fox. 3.910
White fox . 60
Mink. 25,913
Muskrat . 765
Beaver . 5,204
All other . 9.075
Manufactured furs .... 200
Ore, matte, regulus:
Copper . 19,465
Lead . 10,719
Trophies, specimens .. 1,025
All other articles. 233
Total value products
of Alaska . 369,716
Products of the United
States returned . 38,415
Total value of foreign
products . 80
Total value shipments
merchandise . $408,211
Gold . 74,560
Silver . 3,657
Grand total . $486,428
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Fire Destroys Clegg Home
The home of J. V. Clegg, well
known Stewart mining man,
was destroyed by fire with all
its contents Wednesday even
ing.
Mr. and Mrs. Clegg were out
visiting at the time and by the
time volunteer fire-fighters ar
rived on the scene the building
was a mass of flames and
doomed to destruction. The
loss is estimated at annrov'
mately S9 '
covered by insurance.