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MINING NEWS OF THE
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HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
83.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
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VOL 6, NO. 38
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 28,1930.
PRICE TEN CENTS
CANNOT BUILD PACK
TRAIL TO BANDED MT,
UNTIL NEXT YEAF
That there is no more than e
slight prospect that the pro
jected Forest Service pack trai
into the Banded Mountain min
ing section will be constructed
this year is indicated by an in
terchange of telegrams be
tween the Hyder Chamber oi
Commerce and officials of the
Forest Service trail bureau ir
recent days.
The reason sascribed by tht
Forest Service for its inability
to provide the much needed
means of ingress into the Band
ed Mountain and upper Chick
amin River areas, is that the
government has not sufficient
data on hand to undertake con
struction this summer.. The
bureau further avers that the
requisite information cannot
be obtained in time to under
take the construction this year.
As the present approach t<
Chiekamin Glacier has been
obliterated as a result of ice
recession, the present trail ovei
the glacier is practically irr.
passable. This not only renders
the district inaccessible to pack
trains but works a decided
hardship on the miners and
prospectors of that region
through their inability to
transport adequate supplies
for their seasons’ operations.
Meetings on the situation
were held by the Chamber of
Commerce on June 16th and
24th and a committee consist
ing of E. D. Haddon, Malcolm
Smith. O. F. Hill, W. W. Met
calf, D. E. Martin and C. J.
Davis was delegated to urge
upon the Forest Service the im
perative need for immediate
construction. The following
self-explanatory correspond
ence ensued and discloses the
situation up to the present
time:
Telegram to C. H. Flory,
chief forester, and R. A. Zell
er, chief supervisor:
“We understand that you
intend dropping Banded Mt.
trail project this year. This
will be a great hardship to tj
ery one interested in upper
Chickamin and Banded Mount
ain mineral district, consisting
of 200 claims and 25 owners,
as change in ice face of Chick
amin Glacier makes it abso
lutely impossible to get sup
plies over Chickamin glacier tc
these districts without trail.
Capital is available for much
development work but cannol
be used unless this trail built
and even annual assessmenl
work will be greatly hamp
ered. Only a short distance ol
rock work on trail. It woulc
cost more to put compressor or
job than to do it by hand
Amount of supplies needec
would not exceed 5 ton anc
could be packed to job in £
days at cost not to exceed $20(
more than when Texas road i:
completed.
Not to finish this trail wil
retard development two year:
but if trail can be completer
this year with Texas road i
will give us a clear swing a
1931.”
Mr. Flory replied that tr*i
projects of the bureau wen
handled by Mr. Zeller and h<
PUBLIC LIBRARY
WILL INCORPORATE
| With a view to placing Hy
I der’s excellent public library
on the most permanent and
substantial basis possible, the
governing board of the Hyder
Public Library Association de
cided at a recent special meet
ing to incorporate the library
j under the laws of Alaska as a
! joint stock company, with a
! capitalization of $1,000, divid
ed into an equal number of
shares of the par valufe of $1
each.
The proposal was ably dis
cussed at the meeting by At
torney Ernest Blue, who point
i ed out the many advantages of
1 the proposed change, especial
! ly with respect to perpetuation
and financing. Trustee Harold
Johnson also urged adoption of
incorporation as a desirable
basis for future existence and
' activity.
I Following endorsement of
i the proposal by vote it was de
| eided to adopt the name of
: “The Hyder Library.” Trust
1 ees Mrs. E. D. Haddon, Mrs. N.
M. Travergy and Harold John
3011 and Messrs Ernest Blue and
H. R. Cross were delegated to
sign the articles of incorpor
ation and a committe consist
ing of Mr. Blue, Mr. Cross and
secretary D. J. Mulcare were
appointed to draft by-laws for
| the new organization. The
| final meeting of the Library
j Association will be held on
iJuly 15th. Additional mem
j bers of the library board pres
j ent at the meeting were T. H.
Evans, president, James Jack
son and Mrs. A. J. Mayer.
: had requested further inform
mation from him. and on June
23 the following reply was re
ceived from Mr. C. W. Griffin,
executive assistant to Mr. Zell
er at Ketchikan:
“Reference your wii-e Juneau
office Banded Mountain trail.
This project has been consid
i ered carefully and government
does not feel sufficient data at
| hand nor have we facilities to
| obtain it in time to undertake
construction on taril this seas
on. Further investigation will
j be made as soon as possible.”
The finality of this message is
apparent; but the prospect of
i an almost complete abandon
ment of mining activities in the
, Chickamin section if nothing
! is done to provide means of ac
cess, caused the committe to
make a final plea for relief in
the following message:
“Replying your message 23rd
we understand your situation
regarding trail and will not
press matter further for im
mediate construction. Howev
| er, we ask that your investi
gations be made earliest poss
j ible with view making start
later this season, materially
helping prospectors taking in
I materials this fall for next
1 season’s work. Impossible now
1 to get horses on glacier and we
> would ask if a small appropri
ation will be made to prepare
I and keep open for about two
s months suitable access to glac
l ier and also appropriation not
t to exceed $250 to open up old
t Chickamin foot trail from
Banded Mountain Point to toe
I of glacier going down Chicka
s min side. Your cooperation
s will be-appreciated.”
FLOOD CONTROL
PLANS OUTLINED
(Contihued from last week)
The town-site area is occu
pied by frame structures and
streets with the usual board
sidewalks and other improve
ments common to small isolat
ed towns. The total private in
J vestment in property in Hyder
is estimated to be $700,000.
There is little- livestock in the
vicinity, there being only a
few teams and several small
flocks of barnyard fowl. It is
doubtful if many lives would
be lost in floods if protection is
; not provided, but much de
I struction of property and per
sonal hardship from exposure
and privation would ensue.
The average annual amount
j of flood damage to private
I property in Hyder, based upon
i the record of the last eight
years is estimated at $1,000.
; The average annual cost of
1 flood protection in the locality
has been, for the past 10 years,
$3,000. The United States
owns property within the area
| and subject to destruction by
floods, as follows: One-half
| mile road, $10,000; buildings,
I etc., $10,000; dock approach,
j $30,000; total, $50,000.
If the existing United States
j road should be destroyed by a
: flood, it is estimated that a
side-hill relocation would cost
$30,000. At present both
I floods and low-water deposit
| silt at the face of the Hyder
| dock. There is also scouring
j action taking place at the rear
| corner of the dock, directly un
1 der the gasoline and oil stor
age tanks. Damages from
these causes (which would ne
cessitate either dredging by
the United States or extension
of the United States dock ap
proach) during the next 2 •
I years are estimated at $30,00o.
If adequate protection is as
| sured it is estimated that prop
erty values would increase and
stabilize at about 20 per cent
over the present valuation; ad
ditional business houses would
be opened up, traffic would in
crease somewhat, destruction
of property and personal hard
ship would be eliminated, ani
the property and interests of
the United States would be
i protected. Annual savings over
a 20-year period are estimated
as follows:
Local: Damages to property
per year, 51,000; flood control
work, 53,000; total per year,
54.000.
United States: Real property,
less road, 540,000; road relo
cation, 530,000; extension to
dock approach or dredging,
530.000. Total, 5100,000. Or
per year for 20 years, 55,000.
Total annual savings due to
protection, 59,000.
Existing protective works:
Three short dikes have been
constructed as shown in map
and photographs herewith.
Dike No. 1 is of rock. Dike
Nos. 2 and 3 are of pile bent
construction with brush and
rock fill. The pile structures
are 10 feet wide with bents
spaced 10 feet apart, with
cross bracing between bents
These three dikes have a
limited effect in deflecting the
current away from the
The two pile structures were
installed by local interests
INDEPENDENCE DAY
I COMMITTEES NAMED
Hyder will celebrate the glo
rious Fourth with pomp and
splendor next Friday; it was
decided at a well attended
meeting at Chamber of Com
merce Hall Tuesday evening.
E. D. Haddon, president of
the Chamber of Commerce,
presided.
Following a discussion of a
tentative program, it was de
cided to hold the usual pro
I gram of field sports for the
children at the baseball park,
commencing at 1:30 p. m., to
be followed by a base ball
game between Stewart and Hy
der teams. Cash prizes will
be given the winners of the
juvenile contests, while the
victorious ball team will re
ceive tickets to the big Inde
pendence day dance, to be giv
en by the Pioneers of Alaska in
the evening.
The following committees
were named to work out the
details of the celebration pro
gram :
Sports:— Holger Johnson,
N. M. Traversy, D. J. Mulcare.
Decorations:— D. E. Martin,
A. J. Jackson, Tom. Walters,
Paul Oien, Arthur Hall, Edgar
Provinse, Hubert Thomas, W.
R. McDonnell.
Deputy U. S. Marshal Don.
E. Martin was named for Mar
shal of the Day and the follow
lowing committee was appoint
ed to assist the Pioneer dance
committee in connection with
the dance: Holger Johnson
Oren F. Hill, D. J. Mulcare,
j E. D. Haddon, D. E. Martin, C.
i J. Davis and Paul Oien.
A financial statement by Mr.
Haddon disclosed that there
are funds on hand from last
year amounting to $90.64. The
Moose lodge has also appropri
ated $10 toward the children’s
I sports prizes.
o
More Money For Alaska Roads
The Colton Act, authorizing
annual increase of $5,000,000
in the Federal Forest Highway
Fund for three years, begin
ning July 1, has passed both
branches of Congress and has
been approved by the presi
dent. It is said that the meas
ure will increase by about
$300,000 yearly funds avail
able for road construction
and trail work in the forested
areas of Alaska. This will be a
big help in opening up the terr
itory that will surely be appre
ciated by Alaskans.
-Q
L. H. Dennison, of the Pre
mier dock staff, is back from
his annual vacation.
during the 1921 flood and at
that time were directly across
the current. They no doubt
served to save the town at that
time as they cross a low swale
down which the waters were
flowing into the town.
Dike No 1 was installed in
1925 by the United States Bu
reau of Public Roads to protect
the road and incidentally to
1 prevent the pile dikes from be
1 ing flanked. It has been reas
onably successful, but is now
deteriorating due to current
action and has a remaining
! useful life of not over three
, years at the present rate of ct
' terioration due to erosion,
i (Continued jiext week)
i
FIRE THREATENS GOVT.
DOCK APPROACH
Timely discovery of a smoul
dering fire in the interstices of
the heavy planking of the gov
ernment dock approach Tues
day afternoon, prevented what
might easily have become a
serious and damaging blaze.
When discovered by passen
gers from the motorship Nor
co between the dock and the
Ilyder Dairy, the fire had
worked its way through the in
flamable debris packed be
tween the planks and was
gaining a rapid foothold on the
dry timber when the alarm
was given. Immigration in
spector D. J. Mulcare, who was
at the dock, and Johnny Bar
ron, hurried to the scene after
arming themselves with a
piece of rope and a water buck
et. Luckily the tide was in
at the time and they speedily
quenched the blaze with sea
water. Thanks to the early
discovery of the fire, the dam
age Avas slight. Had the tide
been out at the time, the blaze
would have presented a diffi
cult and dangerous problem.
The presence of charred spots
at various points on the mile
long approach disclose that the
structure has been the scene of
quite a number of smouldering
fire which, fortunately, failed
to gain a sufficient hold on the
planking to become dangerous
These fires can be attributed to
no other cause than the care
less dropping of cigar and cig
arette butts, or matches, and
should serve as a warning to
smokers to toss their lighted
stubs over the railing, instead
of on the planking, where they
will endanger a structure cost
ing many thousands of dollars.
-o
Moose Improve Swim Pool.
i Representatives of the Moose
order devoted a large part of
Friday to cleaning out and oth
erwise improving the swim
ming pool at the public park
| and picnic ground established
! by the local Moose lodge a
| short distance north of town.
Logs and brush were removed
from the lake, which is now in
excellent shape for swimming
and wading. A number of log
platforms and walks were al
so installed for the convenience
i of bathers.
Adding still further to the
facilities for pleasure, Mr Gus.
Johnson has very generously
placed a row boat on the lake
for the use of park patrons.
•-o
Stewart Planning Celebration
Stewart is planning the usual
big celebration for July 1 and
her energetic citizens plan to
discount the prevalent “hard
times” spirit by making it one
of the outstanding celebrations
of the camp’s history.
A big feature of the program
will be a balloon ascension and
parachute jump; the first to
take place this far north, so far
as known.
-o
Cemetery Meeting
: Citizens interested in the
proper maintenance and inv
I provement of the cemetery are
i requested to attend a meeting
| to be held at Chamber of Com
merce Hall Tuesday evening,
July 8th, immediately follow
ing the monthly meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce on
that date.
LOCAL ENVOV SK
INT'L RDM) OUTLOOK
VERY FAVOURABLE
That Premier Tolmey’s “Gold
en Twilight” international auto
caravan from Vancouver to
Hazelton will be an immensely
important factor in bringing
about the consummation of the
great Alaska - Yukon - Pacific
highway project through the
continent-wide publicity it will
provide, is the view expressed
by Frank Reichenbach, vice
president of the Hyder Cham
ber of Commerce and repre
sentative of that body at the
convention held by the caravan
at Hazelton June 21 and 22,
In addition to a notable array
of governmental officials, both
American and Canadian, press
representatives from leading
newspapers on both sides of
the international boundary
formed a large portion of the
large party making the trip to
Hazelton, Mr. Reichenbach
says, and were unanimous in
the view that the highway pro
ject is not only practicable but
that its construction will be an
immense influence in the prog
ress of the sections traversed.
This opinion was also ex
pressed by the official mem
bers of the party, who includ
ed Lieut. Governor Bruce, of
British Columbia, Premier Tol
mie, E. W. Sawyer, assistant
| secretary of the interior, of the
United States, Governor Geo.
A. Parks, of Alaska, Dr. Doo
little, president of the Eastern
Canacl Automobile Association
and many other notables.
Fifteen cars and a baggage
truck, led by an ancient tour
ing car which made the first
recorded auto trip to Hazelton
back in 1911, participated in
the 800-mile journey from
Vancouver.
From the remarks of the var
ious speakers at the convention
Mr. Reichenback says it is
clear that every possible effort
will be exerted to make the
great highway a reality. The
greatest enthusiasm was ex
pressed by all and everyone
appeared agreed that it can
and ultimately will be built.
The local proposal to create a
short route into Alaska by way
of Stewart, B. C. and Hyder,
as presented by Mr. Reichen
bach and Mr. H. W. M. Rols
ton, representative of the
Stewart Board of Trade, was
received with interest by Pre
mier Tolmie and other caravan
^embers, and the panoramic
views of the wonderful scenic
features of the Hyder district
attracted marked attention and
comment.
It was the general view,how
ever, that it will be necessary
to get the main highway pro
ject under way before consid
eration can be given to branch
projects, however attractive
and worthy of consideration.
-i'While we could obtain no
definite statement regarding
construction of a local branch
road,” Mr. Reichenbach said,
“I feel that our efforts at the
convention have left a definite
impression of the possibilities
of the local proposal in the
minds of the officials inter
viewed and have thus laid an
excellent foundation for future
efforts in that direction."