«■ " ■' "" _lr''
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OP THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
>• J
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
t
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$5.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 6, NO. 20
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22,1930.
PRICE TEN CENTS
TRAIL TRAGEDY JIT
GEORGIA RIVER
Worn to the limit of his en
durance- by a terrific struggle
through the deep snow on the
P-mile trail between the Geor
gia River mine and the beach
camp on Portland Canal, 18
miles south of Hyder, Harold
Heaton, only son of Wellington
Beaton, Vancouver financier
and president of the Georgia
River Mines Co., lost his life as
a result of exhaustion and ex
posure either late Saturday
night or early Sunday morning.
Beaton, who was but 24 years
old, left the mine at 12:45 Sat
urday morning and was last
heard from when he tele
phoned back to the mine at 3:
30 p. m. the same afternoon
from a trail cache located one
and one-half miles from the
mine, according to evidence
given at a coroner’s inquest
held in Stewart Thursday even
ing. The hard traveling en
countered by the unfortunate
young man is shown by the fact
that he had consumed two
hours and forty-five minutes
in covering the short distance
between the mine and the
cache. He was advised on re
porting from the cache to stay
there over night, but replied
that he believed he could make
it through, although the going
was hard.
i. ue UUU) Ul Ul’3 yvung mail
was found Tuesday forenoon
by J. H. Peterson about one
and a half miles from the
beach camp. The body lay un
der a tree a few feet from the
ti ail. Peterson testified that it
took him over two and a half
hours to reach the place where
the body lay, after leaving the
beach camp to break the trail
to the mine. As the telephone
line was down between the
cache and the beach, Mr.
Beaton’s failure to arrive at the
beach was not known to those
at the mine, while those at the
beach, who included his young
wife and child, were not aware
that he had left the mine.
The discovery of the body by
Mr. Peterson was due to his
finding footprints in the snow
and following them. Aftei
finding the body, Peterson re
turned to the beach and rowed
to Stewart without advising
Mrs. Beaton of his tragic dis
covery. The evidence indicated
clearly that the deceased had
become exhausted by his strug
gle through the deep snow and
also revealed that he had lost
one of his snow shoes, thereby
adding to his difficulties. The
jury returned a verdict of
death from exhaustion and ex
posure.
The senior Mr. Beaton is ex
pected to arrive hero Saturday
and will probably take the
body south.
-o
A list of new companies in
corporated in British Colum
bia during the past few days
discloses the name of the
Northwestern Aerial Prospect
ors, Inc., the headquarters of
which are located in Stewart.
The company is capitalized for
$50,000.
! I -
PEACE B, OUTLET
RECEIVING SERIOUS
! ATTENTI0N-8EATTY
i —
j In a special dispatch to the
| Peace River papers from Mon
treal after an interview with
President Beatty of the C. P.
R., Charles W. ' Frederick,
Peace River publisher, report
ed Mr. Beatty as having said:
“First and foremost, the pro
vision of a coast outlet when it
J is built, must be with a view to
the greatest possible benefit of
the Peace River country itself,
and not with regard to the as
pirations of any particular
ocean port.”
“The I aeific ports of Vancou
ver and Prince Rupert both
1 have aspirations in this regard
for which both are to be com
mended, but it is essentially for
the benefit of the Peace River
country ttfht the outlet will ul
timately be provided Where j
the terminus will be it is not ]
possible now to say. I am as !
firmly of belief in the necessity
of a coast outlet for the Peace
River country as are the peo
ple of Peace River, but it will
be impossible for any announ- ^
cement of such an outlet to be !
made until we have had an op-1
oortunity for checking up the j
nformation on routes available
tor tms purpose, uur uesi en
gineers are going into the
j Peace River country early this
j rummer to determine definite
; iy what is necessary in that re-j
»ard.”
Mr. Beatty also assured Mr. :
Frederick that a big program
is contemplated in rehabilitat
ing the Northern Alberta Rail
ways and the extension of j
branch lines.
“'We hope to keep always a
little ahead of actual require
ments,” he said, but we cannot
jndertake to rush too far
ahead with lines that might not
ray more than a small propor
ion of fixed charges for many
/ears to come.
“Should conditions arise
which demand it we hope to i
be in a position one year from
now, with the knowledge we
.vill then have gained from the
engineers, to be able to make
i definite announcement re
garding your outlet to the
coast.”
Mr. Beatty said that so many
engineers’ reports have been
made which appear to be at
vaiiance with regard to the
possibility of a rail crossing of
the Peace at or near Hudson’s
Hope, that the best engineers
will be sent out this summer to
determine definitely the actual
conditions and also to check up
on the desirability of the dif
ferent passes
Asked if it would not be pos
i sible to encourage the people
! of the north country by stating
j that the construction of a coast
■ outlet would be undertaken
within a definitely stated time,
Mr. Beatty replied that it
wrould be impossible, for the
leason that if such a promise
were given now the informat
ion to be gathered by the work
of the engineers during the
summer might set aside all
COL. E. R. STIVERS TO
TAKE NOME POST
Col. E R. Stivers, deputy col
lector of customs at this port
since 1921 and one of the dist
rict’s best known citizens, an
nounced Thursday that he has
accepted the position of deputy
collector of customs at Nome,
made vacant by the transfer of
R. W. J. Reed to Wrangell.
Col. Stivers was tendered the
position by J. C. McBride, cus
toms collector for the Alaska
district, a few days ago and de
cided to accept, although he
is somewhat loath to leave
Hyder after so many years ol
residence.
As the port of Nome is closed
during the winter season and
will not reopen until June, Col.
Sti%reis expects to remain here
until shortly before the open
ing of navigation in Bering Sea.
Col. Stivers is well acquainted
with the Nome district, having
resided there for some years
during the famous gold rush
days.
o
NEW BOAT SCHEDULE
Commencing next Thursday,
February 27, the C. N. R. line
steamers will arrive here twice
a week, according to Prince
Rupert papers. The Prince
Prince George will alternate
with the Prince Charles under
(he new schedule for three
weeks and will then give way
to the Prince Rupert, which
will be overhauled in the inter
val. The George will arrive
here Thursday morning at the
usual hour, while the Charles
will appear on Sunday morn
ings. Both will leave at the us
ual sailing hour.
-o
Ernest Blue, local attorney,
delivered an interesting ad
dress on the proposed Intei'
national Highway and the
Peace River railroad situation
at the weekly meeting of the
Stewart Board of Trade in
Stewart Tuesday evening. In
addition to offering much inter
esting information on the rail
and highway topics, Mr. Blue
who is Hyder’s most accomp
lished and entertaining public
•speaker, also touched upon fi
nancial conditions in the south
and presented an optimistic
view of conditions as observed
during his recent visit in the
States.
Respecting the highway pro
ject, Mr Blue said it is attract
ing immense interest Outside
and the view is general that the
highway will be staited in the
not distant future. The con
struction of the road will bring
millions of dollars to British
Columbia and Alaska and with
a branch to Stewart will bring
an immense tourist traffic to
this district.
-o
The steamer Bellingham ar
rived from Ketchikan late
Tuesday evening with a good
sized cargo of merchandise for
1 local business houses, most of
which was transfered from the
motorship Northland at Ketch
ikan. The vessel also brought
a number of local passengers.
presently conceived opinions
; as to both route and destinat
! ion of such an outlet.
I
JAS. ROBERTS WRITES
OF NEW CAMP
In a letter from Sheridan,
Manitoba, to Edgar Provinse,
James Roberts, former local
resident, describes in a vivid
manner the new mining camp
which has come into existence
at that point in connection with
the development of the Sherr
tt-Gordon mine. Mr. Roberts,
who is accompanied by his
biide of a few weeks, is in
charge of a large meat market
and cold storage plant erected
by Burns & Company to supply
the Sheritt-Gordon and Flin
?lon mines, both of which are
located near Sheridan.
Sheridan. Mr. Roberts ex
plains, is located about 90
miles north of The Pas. and is
a typical “boom” camp of the
North.
“Everybody wears buckskin,
parkies and moccasins,” the
'otter says, “and dog teams are
much in evidence. Dog teams
leave here for the trading posts
and prospecting camps and a
•earn came in yesterday (Jan
uary 22) from a place 200
miles north of here. Every
thing started here since No
vember. Most of the buildings
are constructed of logs but
modern construction is now un
der way. The Flin Flon mine
is just about 40 miles across
country from here. There are
3,000 men working there. The
Flin Flon has invested 35 mil
lions in the mine already and
are building a smelter too. The
Sherritt-Gordon will send their
ore there for treatment.
'I he steel was just finished
here last November, so you can
imagine what the place is like.
The old name of the place was
Kissinning, or Cold Lake, and
it can get cold; for it was as
cold as 60 below two weeks
ago. The country is rocky
bluffs and hills, with lakes and
swamps and is covered with
pines of small size. Burns &
Co. have a plant here of about
the size of the one in Prince
Rupert. It is sure a dandy. They
have a plant at the Flin Flon,
too, and have a contract to sup
ply meat to both mines.
We are staying in two rooms
built in the plant. They are
double - windowed and the
walls are insulated like an ice
box. With two big heaters in,
you would never imagine it
was cold outside. The place
has cost about $10,000 so far
and the machinery is to be put
in yet. So far I am just sitting
around, keeping the fires going
and listening to friend wife’s
advice. She came with me and
we are having lots of fun. I
will have a carload of meat in
Tuesday. One thing I have not
| iced here is that the trades
people who are already estab
: lished have no hold-up prices.
: You can buy just about the
| same as you would in a city.
I You might show this letter to
| the folks in Hyder and remera
i ber me to all.”
-o
Wm. Gray, head of the Hy
der Lumber Company, re
turned Thursday from a visit
of several months in the south.
-O--—
E. D. Haddon, manager of
the Bank of Hyder, left Thurs
day for a visit in Vancouver,
accompanied by Mrs. Haddon.
ALASKA COMMERCE
SHOWED HEALTHY
GROWTH IN 1929
Exports of Alaska commodi
ties to the United states during
1929 developed substantial in
creases in the value of almost
every major commodity with
the exception of canned sal
mon, herring and reindeer,
as compared with 1928, ac
cording to comparative fig
ures contained in the annual
statement of Collector of Cus
toms J. C. McBride.
Gold shipments during the
year overtopped those of 1928
by $775,520; copper exports
totaled $8,710,576, an increase
of $1,928,912 over the preced
ing year; halibut gained $222,
812 in value; shipments of
fresh and frozen salmon over
topped the 1928 figures by
$53,857, while cured or pre
'erved salmon showed a pleas
ing increase of $289,175 in val
ue.
.L iic ucuiuies in uamieu sal
mon and herring amounted to
$6,980,719 in the case of sal
mon and to $730,637 with re
spect to herring and are attrib
jutable to the short runs of both
varieties of fish.
Furs and fur skins shipped
during the year possessed a col
I lective value of $5,226,422, an
increase of $578,588. Live ani
mals shipped during the year
possessed a total value of $156,
695. Included among the live
animals were 1,644 sheep, 788
blue foxes and 729 mink.
Despite a decrease in the to
tal value of merchandise ship
ments the grand total of all ex
ports, including gold and sil
ver, was but $2,772,613 lower
than for 1928, while there
was a satisfactory trade bal
ance in favor of Alaska of
$37,403,950 for the year. Ship
ments of merchandise and gold
and silver from the United
States and Canada to Alaska
amounted to $34,655,723, an
increase of $2,018,890 over
1928.
Following is a complete list
of the year’s .shipments and
their several values:
Fish:
Fresh and frozen:
Halibut .:. $ 1,909,213
Salmon . 817,678
All Other. 50,053
Canned:
Salmon . 38,568,165
Cured or preserved:
Cod . 75,885
Herring . 943,038
Salmon . 1,467,859
195
184,752
74,312
208,070
All Other.
Shellfish:
Clams.
Crabs .
Shrimps .
Other fish products:
Meal.
Oil . 1,379,912
All other fish and
fish products. 70
TOTAL FISH .$46,507,725
828,523
Whale oil.
Live blue foxes .
Other live animals
Curios .
Furs & fur skins:
Seal .
375,330
69,830
86,861
13,108
734,560
EIELSON--BORLUND
BODIES ABE FOUND
The battered bodies of Carl
Ben Eielson and Earl Borlund,
long missing Alaskan flyers,
were located early this week
in the snow near their shat
tered airplane on the bleak Si
berian coast near North Cape.
Borlund, with his head badly
crushed, was found about 60
feet from the wrecked plane,
while the body of Eielson was
found in the wreckage. His
neck was broken Both were
apparently killed instantly in
the crash of their ship,
Eielson’s body is now enroute
to the States for burial at his
home. Borlund will be interred
at Fairbanks, the reports say.
-o
CENSUS RETURNS SHOW
SLIGHT INCREASE IN
LOCAL POPULATION
The population of the town
of Hyder, as shown by a pre
liminary count of the returns of
the Fifteenth Census, taken as
of October 1, 1929, is 254, ac
cording to an anouncement by
! Governor George A. Parks.
J The announcement indicates,
| however, that the figures are
j preliminary and are subject to
correction, which means that
j the final, official count will be
! announced later.
The smallness ot the tigures
will doubtless be a surprise to
many, but is probably due to
the enumeration having taken
place in the late fall, when a
considerable number of those
who make their homes here
had left for the winter without
registering for the census. The
figures nevertheless show a
small increase in the local pop
ulation since the census of 19
20, when the population was
237, according to the govern
! or’s statement.
The population of the entire
Hvder district is placed in the
preliminary report at 313 at
the time of the enumeration
Blue fox . 876,363
Silver or black .. 138,027
Red fox . 1,055,066
White fox. 638,236
Mink'. 637,882
Beaver . 36,533
All other . 825,742
Manufactured furs 7,684
Ore. matte, regulus:
Copper . 8,697,975
Lead . 177,512
Tin ore and con
centrates . 52,020
Reindeer meat. 141,195
Stone, marble. 109,640
! Trophies, specimens 19,090
Wood, timber, &
Lumber. 140,031
All other articles .. 140,228
Total value of prod
ucts of Alaska . 61,763,350
Products of United
States returned .... 1,584,734
T'otal val of for
eign products . 219,093
Total value shipments
of merchandise .... 63,763,350
Domestic Gold .. 7,126,724
Domestic Silver ..' 281,771
Foreign gold
and silver. 479,049
Grand Total
$71,454,721