'■■■' ■' —'7'
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
>■ J
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 7, NO. 27
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1931.
PRICE TEN CENTS I
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE LEGISLATURE
General measures proposed
in the Alaska Legislature since
the last report of legislative
activities include the follow
ing :
Senate:
By Diamond, amending the
Compiled Laws of Alaska rel
ative attachments.
By Diamond, three bills for
school houses, Afognak, Long
wood and Uzinkie.
By Hess, Fairbanks, levying
gross general sales tax of *,4
to 1 per cent on all commodit
ies or manufactured goods sold
except agriculture, dairying or
petroleum products.
By Hess, providing for one
per cent a gallon tax on diesel
fuel and other oil and gasoline,
regardless of manner used.
By Shattuck and Sundquist.
establishing a system of ab
sentee voting.
By Diamond, authorizing
postmasters to administer and
take and certify oaths, acknow
ledgments and affidavits in
certain cases.
House:
By Nerland, amending Ter
ritorial Compensation Act.
By Johnson. Fairbanks, ex
tending aid to protect Fail
banks from flood encroach
ments and appropriating $20,
000.
By Ziegler, appropriating
$6,000 for new school ai
Ward’s Cove.
By Johnson, Ketchikan, to !
reimburse town of Petersburg
for transporting pupils from
Scow Bay to Petersburg, $1,
610.
By Boyle, providing for ro
tative ballot system in Alaska
By McCutcheon, Anchorage
to provide Territorial publicity
by purchasing 12,000 copies oi
All-Alaska Weekly for two j
years, $6,000.
By Ziegler, to amend Com
piled Laws relating to publi- ;
cation of summons.
By Boyle, relative to muni
cipal taxing powers.
By Boyle, relating to appeal
from municipal courts.
By Boyle, for enforcemen
of judgments rendered in mu
nicipal courts.
By Ziegler, providing laboi
liens for making or altering
chattels.
By Hellerich, alloting $2,
500 annually for maintenance
of Nome harbor.
By Ziegler, memorial seek
ing regulation of fish traps by
Territory.
General measures passed by
Senate:
House bill providing for re
covery of public money oi
property illegally paid or di
verted.
Memorial urging modifica
tion of Yukon fishing regula
tions.
Senate bill providing for
mortgaging of personal prop
erty and growing crops.
Senate bill repealing statu
tory requirement for married
women to file statements of
their personal property.
Senate bill authorizing com
pilation of all Alaska laws. '
Senate bill to license persons
making collections for char
itable or elemosynary purposes
and curb indiscriminate circu
lation of subscription lists.
Piemier to Suspend
Marmot Activities
Mining operations of the Pre
mier Gold Mining Company on
the Prosperity and Porter
Idaho properties in the Mar
mot River section are to be
entirely closed down, pending
a revival of silver prices, it be
came known here Thursday.
At the time of writing a por
tion of the crews employed had
been laid off and the remain
der are expected down within
a few days, leaving only
watchmen to safeguard the
company property. The shut
down will involve a total of
about 80 men and will be the
most severe set-back to the
camp since the silver slump
began.
It is understood that the com
pany made no more than an
even break on its Marmot op
eration last month, owing to
low silver prices, and this fact
is believed to have been the
primary cause for the order to
suspend activities, although
Lhe recent annual report of the
Premier company intimated
that such action might be
found necessary if silver prices
continued low.
0
Moose Memorial
The annual Moose memorial
service will be held in Pioneer
Mall tomorrow (Sunday) cven
ng. A splendid musical and vo
jal program will be presented,
in addition to the beautiful rit
tualistic ceremonies of the
Moose order in memory of de
ceased members.
The complete program follows:
Prelude Mrs. H. P. (libson
nvoeation Rev. (1. Moody, St. Marks
''hurcli.
Solo: “O Love That Will Not Let JUe
!o." Mrs. 11. R. Cross
Lodge Ritual. Dictator Bro. Noel M.
Praversy, Prelate Bro. Cross.
Hying: “Nearer My God To Thee."
Assembly
solo and Quartet. Chorus from “Thu
Crucifixion" S. A. McPherson. W. I).
Smith, Mrs. W. T. Esselmont, Mrs.
II. It. Cross, P. S. Jack
Solo: “God That Madest Earth and
Heaven,” Miss Betty Jack
Lodge Ritual, Dictator and Secre
ary Bro. P. S. Jack.
Solo: ‘‘There is no Death.” S. A. Mc
Pherson.
Responsive Reading: Ijeii by Rev.
2van Baker United Church of Canada
Solo and Quartet.
Scripture Reading Father Lelta.v
). M. I. St. Felix Church.
Oration Father LeRay
Niue O’clock Ceremony Assembly
Lodge Ritual Dictator and Prelate
Hymn: "Onward Christain Soldiers"
Assembly
Lodge Ritual Dictator
Benediction: Rev. Evan Baker
Public Invited. Service will com
mence at S: 0-0 P. M.
-o
Movie Show Saturday
In deference to the Moose
memorial services, the local
movie show will present the
usual Sunday evening pro
gram this (Saturday) evening.
By House:
House measure authorizing
municipalities to sell or lease
municipal property not needed
,'or public use after approval
by voters.
Senate bill repealing sections
of compiled laws relating to
limited partnerships.
Senate bill relative to suits
on contracts by foreign corpor
ations.
i House bill relative to jury.
House bill for labor liens on
1 chattels.
House memorial asking Ter
ritorial control of fish traps,
j House memorial urging Con
gress to grant 160 acres of
! land, or one lode or placer
claim to World War veterans
of Territory.
Permit for Big Portland Canal
Power Plant is Granted
The Federal Power Com
mission has granted the appli
cation of the Portland Canal
Power Company to utilize the
waters of Davis River for its
big hydro-electric power pro
ject, according to radio news
reports from Washington, D.
C., Wednesday evening, which
were later confirmed by a tel
egram received by Oren F. Hill
! from Willis T. Batcheller, pres
I ident of the Portland Canal
Power Company.
I The message, forwarded
j from Washington, D. C., said
i the permit had been granted
and also announced the trans
i fer of the permit from the
Commonwealth Mining Com
pany, original applicant for the
right to use the water of Davis
River for power development
1 purposes, to the Portland Can
al Power Company, actual de
j veloper of the big project.
The telegram stated further
that Mr. Batcheller was going
to New York to close the con
tracts. The meaning of the lat
ter phrase is somewhat ob
! scure, as it may refer either to
the financing of the project or
to the contracts covering the
large electrical equipment nec
essary to the contemplated in
itial development of 10,(TOO
horse power.
No more gratifying news has
ever come to the camp than the
announcement that the way is
now clear for the commence
ment of actual construction
work on a project which prom
ises to have a vast influence
on the future mining and in
dustrial development of the
Portland Canal mining district.
Just how soon the projected
activities will be started is not
determined at this time. Mes
sages received from Mr. Bateh
eller by the Chamber of Com
merce in February said the
company expected to inaugu
rate active work on Davis Riv
er within 30 days after the
granting of the permit, which
was then expected to be forth
coming about March 1.
As the issuance of the per
mit was delayed much beyond
the anticipated time, it is prob
able that the company has al
ready completed much of the
preliminary arrangements in
the interval and will get into
action on Davis River within
a brief period.
Recent reports from reliable
sources indicated that the com
pany had purchased creosoted
piles for use in the construct
ion of its projected dock at
Davis River and also that Capt.
R. E. Stickler, owner of the
power boat used by the com
pany last year, has been em
ployed to bring the piles here
on a scow.
Little Prospect for
Early Cable Transfer
A prominent Army official
expresses the opinion that
there is very little prospect, at
least for several years to come,
of the sale to private interests
of the Washington-Alaska mil
itary cable and telegraph syst
em, according to advices from
Washington, D. C. An act
permit this sale was introduced
in the last session of Congress,
but the bill was not reported
out of committee in either the
'Senate of House, and of course
died with the adjournment of
J Congress on March 4. While it
may be reintroduced in the ses
sion to convene next December,
t is expected that the protests
and objections from Alaska
and Seattle will be sufficiently
j strong to prevent favorable
action upon the part of Con
gress.
! Alaska Officials Holding Over
The Judiciary Committee of
the Senate failed to report on
the nominations of Judge G. J.
Lomen and Marshal Charles D.
Jones, both of Nome. As a re
sult no action was taken on
j their appointments and they
will continue to serve in their
respective capacities. Altho
the terms of Judge Cecil H.
Clegg of the Fourth division,
and Marshal Harvey Sullivan,
; of the Third division, expired
a year ago, they have not yet
j been reappointed and neither
have their successors been
named. As a consequence they
! will continue to serve until
> their successors have been
named and confirmed.
Alaska Officials
Get Salary Increase
In the closing of the last ses
sion of Congress the salaries of
the Governor of Alaska and
Secretary of the Territory were
increased from $7,000 and $3,.
800 to $10,000 and $5,600 re
spectively. The bill for in
creasing the Governor’s salary
was first passed in the Senate
but failed of passage in the
House because of the opposi
tion of Delegate Sutherland.
He did not object to the in
crease but objected to the pres
ent incumbent receiving the
higher emolument. The salary
of the Secretary was increased
in the House, without object
ion, to $4,400. When the bill
reached the Senate an amend
ment passed to make the sal
ary $5,600. It was then that a
fui ther amendment was of
fered increasing the salary of
the Governor to $10,000, which
passed. When the bill was re
turned to the House Delegate
Sutherland agreed not to ob
ject to its passage. In addition
to the salary, the Governor
has the use of a “Mansion” and
receives several thousand dol
lars annualy to maintain it.
-o
Influenza Hits Nome;
Public Gatherings Stop
Influenza is sweeping Nome,
| and about 40 per cent of the
| inhabitants are affected. No
: deaths or serious cases report
jed. All public gatherings have
| been cancelled as a precau
1 tionary measure.
-o
Robert Emmet Jordan, for
mer United States Marshal at
Nome, dropped dead recently
in Seattle.
He was United States Mar
shal at Nome for nine years,
prior to 1922.
r - - . . a. rv ..
Starling Work on Chickamin
Messrs. George Lemmons, Ol
iver Thornton, C. N. Crone and
W. W. Metcalf left Thursday
for the Chickamin Glacier sec
tion to start development act
ivities on the promising Met
calf and Eendley free milling
gold property on Banded Mt.
Joe Fendley, Bert Bobo and
Ole Twedt went ont to the
property a week or so ago with
supplies.
A recent letter to the Herald
from C. L. Hibbard, Seattle
capitalist, who is financing the
development activities, says it
is the intention to go ahead on
the property this summer and
he hopes to open up something
that will benefit the district.
First Airplane
Passengers Arrive
The Washington-Alaska Air
ways seaplane Petersburg ar
rived Tuesday morning from
Ketchikan with three local ard
two visiting passengers, the
first to arrive here by plane
this year. The local people in
cluded Oien F. Hill proprie
tor of th Hyder Drug Co.,
Mrs. M. Lindegaard and Mrs.
A. J. Mayer. The other two
passengers were commsr'.ial
travelers. The plane was pilot
ed by Robt. E. Ellis, with
Frank Wadman as mechanic.
The arrivals reported a
pleasant and uneventful trip
by way of Portland Canal.
Owing to the development of
severe weather following ar
rival, the plane did not leave
for Ketchikan until about 1
a. m. Wednesday morning.
-o
Alaskan Snow Cover
The following amounts of
snow, in inches, were reported
on the ground Monday, March
30, at various Alaskan sta
tions: Barrow 7, Bethel 7, Cor
dova trace, Eagle 17, Fair
banks 6, Fort Yukon 15, Nome
11, Tanana 8, Juneau, Ketch
ikan and Sitka none. The
amounts are less than last
week at nearly all reporting
stations. The ice in Chena
Slough at Fairbanks has in
creased four inches to a thick
ness of 39 inches and has re
mained stationary at 26 in
ches in Snake River at Nome, j
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C. N. R. To Increase Sailings
The C. N. R. steamer Prince
Charles is scheduled to return \
to the Vancouver-Stewart run j
next Sunday morning, accord
ing to Prince Rupert advices j
It is understood that the i
Charles will continue on the
run alternating with the Prince
George in a twice-a-week ser
vice from Vancouver.
-o
A1 Carey Wins
Nome Derby Race
Repeating his triumph of
last year, and coming within
three and one-half minutes of
beating the record, A1 Carey
won the annual John Borden
marathon dog derby at Nome,
negotiating the 26Va miles in
one hour, 53 minutes and 45
seconds.
Pete Olsen won second place
in one hour, 54 minutes and
21 seconds, and third place
was won by Amos Statuk, Es
kimo, in one hour, 56 minutes
and 21 seconds. Statuk won the
race in 1928.
BILL WOULD AMEND
COMPENSATION ACT
A bill carrying amendments
to the Territorial Workmen’s
Compensation Act designed to
raise compensation to depend
ants of unmarried employees
to the same base rate as now
provided for married employ
ees, has been introduced in the
Alaska Legislature by Rep.
Nerland, o* Fairbanks. The
measure also requires the pay
ment of the same amounts of
compensation for injured or
killed employees with foreign
dependants as for Americ m
citizens.
The first amendment pro
poses to raise the amount to bp
awarded to dependants of de
ceased unmarried employees
from $1,800 to $4,500; the
last sum being the amount al
lowed to married employees
without minor children.
The second amendment seeks
to change the amount award
ed to dependents of unmar
ried employees not citizens of
the United States and residing
in foreign countres, now fixed
at 50 per cent of the amount
for unmarried Americans and
60 per cent for married ones.
The Nerland measure proposes
full payment in both cases.
The bill also provides for the
escheatment of compensation
to the Territory when no heirs
appear within one year.
-o
C. P. R. Engineers to
Survey Peace Route
The Canadian Pacific Rail
way is intending to send a sur
vey party from Hazelton east
ward in the direction of the
Peace River Block, according
to an article in a recent issue
of the Prince Rupert News.
The announcement has attract
ed attention here and in Stew
art, as indicating another step
in the much-talked of Peace
River outlet. The report states
that the survey party will fol
low the water route most of the
way, with the object of secur
ing information relative to an
outlet via Hazelton, supposed
to extend from Finlay Forks
by way of the Amineca, Fall
Creek, Takla and Babine
Lakes, Kispiox and Skeena Riv
ers, and connecting with the
C. N. R. at Skeena Crossing.
Locally the report is inter
preted as indicating a possible
hooking up with the C. N. R.
survey from Stewart through
Bear River Pass into the Nass
valley.
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Special Movie for Kiddies
The kiddies of Hyder and
Stewart were the guests of the
Hyder motion picture show,
Loyal Moose and Pioneers of
Alaska at a special all comedy
motion picture display in Pio
neer Hall , Hyder, last Satur
day afternoon.
The show was the second
given for the little folks under
the same auspices during the
winter and most of the young
sters from both sides of the
boundary line attended. The
picture program was provided
by proprietor Nagle of the pic
ture show, the Pioneers don
ated the use of the hall, and
the Moose provided free trans
portation for the Stewarr
children.