/ "■ ■. *
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OP THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MU' ING DISTRICT.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
83.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
Vi
J
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20,1930.
PRICE TEN CENTS
VOL 7, NO. 11
B, C, SILVER STORING
ORE FROM NEW RAISE
The new 651 raise from the
sixth level of the B. C. Silver
workings was continuing to
show the presence of goo 1
commercal ore up to Novem
ber 24, according to a cabin re
port.from the mine made pub
lic by the Selukwe Gold Min
ing and Finance Company in
London on that date.
In addition to disclosing an
average value of $45 for all
face samples up to that time,
the report also reveals that the
management is storing or.*
for shipment; 115 tons averag
ing $30 being on hand at that
date. Following is the full
text of the report.
Six fifty one raise 38 feet
above the floor of 636 drift.
Average of all face samples
to date $45. The average wid
th is 5 feet 6 inches. Test hole
shows additional width of G
feet.
The best 5 foot 6 inch samp
les this week $21.
Northeast end average $37;
southwest $12; all 5 foot 6
inches.
Have stored on No. 6 level to
date 115 tons of ore, average
$30 from 651 raise.
u
B i g Pulp Plant
Permits Issued
The Federal Power Com
mission has granted the appli
cations of both the Zellerbaek
and Cameron interests foi
licenses to construct power de
velopment projects at Spee:
River and in the vicinity of
Ketchikan. Both projects are
to be used to supply power foi
pulp and paper plants propos
ed to be established near Jun
eau and Ketchikan. Each of
the initial units of both plants
it is estimated, will cost
approximately $15,000,000.
The projects represent to
the Territory a new era of ind
ustrial development and will
provide employment for a
thousand or more persons.
Mr. George T. Cameron
owner of the San Francisco
Chronicle, with whom is asso
ciated Harry Chandler, pub
lisher of the Los Angeles
Times, contemplate develop
ment of 81,000 horse power
from three sources-Long and
Crater Lakes at Speel River in
Snettisham Inlet, and Dorothy
Lake in Taku Inlet, at an es
timated cost of $4,000,000.
The Zellerbaek project is
scheduled to be developed on
substantially the same scale,
employing several water power
sources in the vicinity of
Ketchikan.
-o
Alaska Treasury Balance Low
The cash reserve in the terr
itorial treasuryon November 1
was the lowest for that period
in many years. According to
the monthly financia 1 state
ment of Territorial Treasurei
W. G. Smith, showed the actu
al cash on hand to be $G65,
829.74. Last year on November
1 the treasury balance wat
$785, 961 .18, showing a de
crease of $120,131.74 during
the year. Indications are by
the close of the present bienn
ium the balance will be a hall
million or less.
. _L.
I Construction Engineer is
Studying Power Plant
Construction Features
_
With the completion this
week of the preliminary sur
veys for the Portland Canal
Power Company's big power
development project on the
Davis River, a short distance
south of Hyder, the company
is now directing its attention
to the details of actual con
struction work included in the
erection of the big concrete
power house at the mouth of
Davis River and the huge arch
dam with which it is planned
to impound the waters of Davis
river at a point some 1200 feet
from the beach.
In the development of this
phase of the big $3,000,000
project, the power company
has engaged the services of
Mr. Bayley Hipkins, an emi
nent Pacific Coast construction
engineer, who arrived from
Seattle Thursday morning.
Mr. Hipkins, w’ho is an ex
pert in dam construction wrork
and has directed numerous
important construction pro
jects of that character in the
States, will spend some days
)n Davis River examining the
power house and dam sites
to determine precisely the con
ditions which must be met in
connection with actual con
-truction work. From the data
thus obtained Mr. Hipkins will
determine the exact character
of the dam and power plant
required to meet the com
pany’s plans, which contem
plate the initial development
of not less than 10,000 horse
power, and possible ultimate
increase to several times that
amount of hydro-electro pow
i er.
o
Hoover.. Nominates
Alaska Officials
The nominations of Charles
; B. Jones and Lynn Smith for
1 United States Marshalls of the
Second and Fourth Divisions of
Alaska were sent to the Senate
by President-Hoover a fewdays
ago.
The president has also sub
mitted the nomination of G. J.
Lomen for district judge of the
Second Division. Each of the
three nominees is an incumbent
of the office for which they
have been nominated.
The terms of all four of the
Unitea States Marshalls for the
Territory have expired. United
States Marshall Albert White
of the First Division and Harry
J. Sullivan of the Fourth Div
ision are also seeking renom
jination and reports indicate
that both are practically cer
tain to be reappointed. The re
appointment of Judge Cecil
j Clegg -of the Fourth Division
j district court is also expected
shortly.
•o
i Local Companies Dissolved
| The following local mining
| corporations have been dissolv
ed under the provisions of the
Companies Act of British Col
umbia, according to the Brit
| ish Columbia Gazette:
Argenta Mines, Ltd.; Rufu:
Silver Lead Mines, Ltd.; Beai
River Mining Co.; Ltd.; Atla:
Gold and Copper Mining Co.;
(Ltd.; (successor Bear Rivei
Mining Co.); Marmot Con
jsolidated Mines Ltd.
ISEEK INTERNATIONAL
SILVER AGREEMENT
Important developments with
respect to the silver stabiliza
tion movement are disclosed
in recent press reports from
the south.
The latest to add his voice to
the growing demand is Senator
Robert E. Borah of Idaho. In a
recent statement, the Idaho
senator declared the opinion
that the only solution of the
silver question is through some*
J international agreement,
j The question of a fixed ratio
' between silver and gold, as
I Senator Borah sees it, is not as
I important as steps looking to
an agreement among the pow
ers interested in some means of
increasing the silver market.
Senator Borah said he was
not proposing an international
understanding at this time but
he could see no other way to
improve the price of silver and
at the same time relieve what
financiers described as a
! world gold shortage.
Secretary Lament, of the
department of commerce, be
lieves the low price of silver
is due to foreign selling of sil
ver stocks and only an inter
national agreement to prevent
this can help the situation,
according to a recent statement
l by him to Senator Oddie.
Discussion of silver is spi'fad
j ing to many parts of the United
[States and people are beginn
jing to realize that depreciation
of the value of silver is destroy
ing the purchasing power of
the countries with which we
have export trade, according
to Frank M. Smith, smelter
director of the Bunker Hill
smelter. Mr. Smith’s statement
was made after attending the
American Mining Congress
convention in El Paso, where
[the subject was very much in
evidence.
Senator Key Pittman has also
j arrived at the conclusion that
! foreign silver selling exerts a
■ detrimental influence on the
I silver market and advocated an
international agreement to
abandon the practice of selling
silver among governments in a
recent national broadcast on
the silver question.
The Nevada senator critici
zed the action of the British
government in India in sub
stituting paper for silver
money.
“The abondonment of the
policy of the British govern
ment in India will immediately
permit silver to go back to its
normal price of around 60
cents an ounce,” Senator Pitt
man said, adding that “the ul
timate stabilization will un
doubtedly be around the price
of 60 cents.”
The Senate foreign relation..
; sub-committee headed by Sen
ator Pittman, which has been
I investigating trade relation,
with the Orient with a view of
advancing the price of silver,
issued a statement a few days
ago to the effect that a direcl
loan by the United States of a
large amount of silver to China
might be misinterpreted by
other countries which compete
; for trade with that country.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Moa re
turned Thursday from a visit
in Ketchikan.
KETCHIKAN TRIAL
ENDS SENSATIONALLY
The trial on booze charges
of “Black Matt” Berkovich,
alleged bootleg king of Ketch
1 iikan, culminated late last
week in one of the most sen
sational double killings in the
history of Ketchikan, when
Berkovich shot and killed Phil
Dohm and then ended his own
life.
The startling double trag
edy occured in the Mint Pool
Hall Friday last week between
6:30 and 7 P. M. Berkovich
was recently convicted in the
district court after a sensation
al booze trial, in which Dohm.
who was also indicted for con
spiracy to violate the prohi
bition laws, appeared as chief
witness for the government.
Following his conviction Berk
ovich charged that Dohm had
“framed” him i n turning
state’s witness at the trial,
turning state’s evidense at the
trial.
Dohm, who had been playing
cards in the Mint shortly be
fore the shooting, started to
leave the place, passing Berk
ovich enroute to the door. The
latter, who had given no hint
of his intentions, permitted
Dohm to pass him without
molestation, then made a sudd
den dash for his enemy, pulled
a gun and fired two shots in
rapid succession into Dohm’s
back. As Dohm fell, Berkovich
ran up to him and fired
another shot, the bullet strik
ing the prostrate man in the
v-j ^• a w ui uic uucc wuuiiud
inflicted would have caused
instant death.
Berkovich then ordered by
standers to be quiet, walked
to the bar, pulled out a letter
which he handed to a bystand
er with instructions to give it
to his son and then fired a shot
into his own head, dying in
stantly. A second loaded g_n\
with extra cartridges w.»
found in Berkovic'h’s pocket
after his death. Letters left by
him disclosed clearly he had
planned the murder and sui
icide, the missives giving ex
i plicit directions for the dispos
al of his property and remains
One of the letters was dated
December 4, eight days before
the tragedy, the other Decem
ber 8, following his conviction.
Fearing a gangland war of
reprisal as a result of the
shooting, the Ketchikan
authorities immediately round
ed up many of the supporters
of the two victims after the
| shooting.
o
Christmas Entertainment
I
The colorful pageant, “The
Gift of Pure Love,” will be
! presented at the Hyder M. E.
Church to-morrow (Sunday,
evening by the children of the
I Sunday School. The program
| is scheduled to start at 7:30
j P. M.
The children have been prac
! ticing for the entertainment
for some time and invite their
i parents and friends to witness
' their performance.
Christmas services will be
held at the Church on Christ
mas morning, commencing at
10:30 A. M.
Highway Commission
Is On The Job
The Pacific-Yukon Highway
Commission, appointed by
President Hoover to investigate
the feasibility of the proposed
international highway from the
Pacific Coast to Alaska by way
of British Columbia and Yukon
Territory in conjunction with
a similar Canadian commiss
ion, is actively on the job and
has already issued an excellent
map showing a tentative route
for the highway from Seattle
to Fairbanks, Alaska.
A copy of the map received
by the Herald last week indi
cates the route of the highway
as running from Seattle to Van- :
couver and thence northeast-1
erly to Hope, B. C., via Chilli-1
wack. The route then turns!
northwesterly to Prince George j
via Craig Lodge, William’s
Lake and Quesnel.
From Prince George the map
defines the route as running
almost due west via Burn’s
Lake and Smithers to Hazelton !
From the latter point the route !
heads steadily northwestward
| to Whitehorse and Dawson,
passing within about .°.0 or 4b j
miles east of Stewart. From
Hazelton a branch line is proj
ected southwestward to Prince
Rupert. Two other branch i
projects are clso shown in the
area between Hazelton and
vv mienurse. i lie nisi in uiese
extends southwester 1 y to
Wrangell v i a Telegraph
Creek; the other runs from
Atlin southwesterly to 1 lie j
vicinity of Juneau.
Leaving Dawson, the route
i outlined extends almost due
j west to Chicken Creek and
: thence along the Tanana River
! Valley to Fairbanks.
The map was published by
I the Commission on November
| 15th.
Late press reports from ■
i Washington, D. C., said that j
|the American commission, of!
i which Herbert R. Rice is c.nair
! man and Major Malcolm Elliot
and Ernest Walker lawyer
j associate member*, are await
ing word from Otta\. a while
| pushing preliminary plans for
acting conjointly with the Can
I adian authorities. It was ex
| pected, the reports said, that
Premier Bennett would appoint
a Canadian commission with
in a short time, ano arrange
; ments would then be made for
| a conference.
•-o
i
Premier Dividend I s
Cut Fifty Per Cent
Premier Gold Mining C > •
pany will reduce its next quar
terly dividend from six to three
cents per share as a result of
I the lowered value of metals
combined with a desire on the
' part of the company to set
aside a fund for the acquisition
side a fund for the acquisition
of additional mining proper
ties of merit, it was announced
a few days ago in the south.
The reduction is in line with
a recent announcement of the
company to the effect that a
reduction in the rate of divi
dend payments was necessi
tated by present conditions.
The three cent dividend will be
paid January 3 to shareholders
of record on December 12.
WASSON LEAVES TO
FIND BURKE'S BODY
Pilot Everett Wasson, who
recently rescued Bob Martin
and Emil Kading, survivors
of the Burke party, from the
wilds of the Atlin district,
left Tuesday to complete his
long errand of mercy by bring
ing in the body of Capfc. E J.
A. Burke from the log grave in
which it was placed by Martin
and Kading after Burk* /
cumbed to starvation and ex
posure on the grinding march
through the snow after leaving
Burke’s plane in an effort to
find food and shelter at Mor.se
Lake, fifty miles away.
Wasson plans to land at the
?ame lake where he stopped
on his first rescue mission and
will then mush to Burke’s
last camp in company with
Joe Walsh, his trapper guicl :,
and carry Burke’s body over
the ten miles of hard trail.
Martin and Kading are at
Whitehorse recovering slowly
from their tenable experience.
They report that the plane
was twice forced down by
snow while returning to Atlin
October 11, Once Burke got it
into the air again, but scraped
a hole in a pontoon the second
time.
Alter waiting 7 days at the
plane, they carved a message
on a tree and started away,
sinking every step in the soft
snow and making only four
miles a day. Their only food in
23 days was a duck and four
squirrels. By Nov. 8, Burke’s
condition and kidney trouble
became acute. Kading th n
killed a caribou with one of
the 2 bullets left. The animal
providentially crossed his
path, as he was too weak to
hunt and had to wait for game
to come to him. The food,
cooked on sticks and in an
empty gas can, revived Burke’s
spirits but not his body and he
died soon after in Martin’s
arms.
Kading and Martin went to
bed at 3 P. M. daily to con
serve food and fuel until they
were found by Wasson, who
saw their beacon smoke and
dropped rations before land
ing at a lake 10 miles away.
Alaska Juneau Makes
Large Surplus—October
October, was one of the most
profitable months this year for
the Alaska Juneau Mine, a net
surplus of $137,000 being re
alized from 327,140 tons of ore
mined and trammed, according
to the monthly statement of the
Alaska Juneau Company.
Recovery values were slightly
less than $1 per ton.
Gold receipts totalled $319,
500, an average of 97.67 cents
per ton of ore handled. Silver
and Lead recoveries totalled
$5,500, an average return of
1.68 cents per ton of ore. Total
receipts were $325,000, an
average of 99.35 cents a ton.
Mining and tramming costs
amounted to $97,500, averag
ing 29.30 cents per ton, while
milling costs totaled 74,000, an
average of 22.62 cents per ton
of ore. Other operating costs
and accrued charges amounted
to $17,500,"making the total
expenditures $183,000, or 55.
94 cents per ton. The per ton
operating profit was 43.41
cents.