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
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HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
f
SUBSCRIPTIONS
*3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
J
X.
VOLUME NO. 8, NO. 36.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1932.
BY THE YEAR $3.00
BLUE PARTY REPORTS
DEATH OF COMRADE
Bearing visible evidences of
severe hardships endured on
their 115-mile journey over
the difficult and almost unin
habited region north of Mezia
din lake, Ernest Blue, local at
torney,and Tom Walters, who
left March 8 enroute to the lit
ile known Taylor creek section
north of the Bell-Irving river,
in company with ,T. M. “Black- j
ie” McRitchie, returned to
town Tuesday afternoon to re
port the sudden death of Me- \
Ritchie while the party was
still a considerable distance
from their objective on what is j
known as Taft creek, an easter-!
ly tributary of the Bell-Irving.
Bronzed by sun and wind and with 1
their normally robust frames worn to j
almost attenuated thinness by their i
struggle against the changing ele- j
meats, both men showed plainly they ;
had undergone tremendous hardships '
cu the long journey back to eivilizat-i
ion after McRitchie had been laid at
rest in a lonely frost-bound grave be
side the ragiug waters of Taft creek.
Owing to the difficulties of travel
incident to the spring break-up, the
trip from Taft creek required 27 days
of the hardest kind of traveling—an !
average of less than five miles per
day.
According to Mr. Blue, McRitchie
first showed indications of the illness
which apparently caused his death on j
April 16th, while the party was at
Bowser Lake enroute up the Bell-lrv-!
ing. However, he did not become ac- J
cutely ill until April 26th, after they ,
had reached Taft creek, after hasten
ing across the Bell-Irving, which was
already showing signs of breaking up.
Proceeding a mile or so up Taft
creek, they decided to camp, as Me- i
Ritchie was in no condition to under
take further travel. Up to this time
McRitchie apparently did not consid
er his condition serious and insisted
that he would be all right in a little
while. On April 26th lie suffered a
violent attack of pain in his stomach
which continued several hours before
he w'as relieved. Death came to him
suddenly two days later, while he was
lying on his bed and apparently in no
danger of immediate dissolution. Al
though both were only a few feet
away, neither of his companions were
aware of his passing until Mr. Blue,
turned to tell him that some broth he j
was preparing for the sick man was j
ready. Judging by the symptoms die- j
played, McRitchie's death was the re- |
suit of long standing stomach trouble, '
for which he took large quantities of
baking soda, at times consuming as
imuch as a package a week
Following McRitehie s demise Mess
rs. Blue and Walters attempted to
reach the No. 8 cabin on the Yukon
telegraph line, situated about 27 miles
away, but found the country so wild
and rugged and traveling conditions
so bad that progress was next to im
possible. Teu days of the hardest
kind of traveling found them only 10
miles from their starting point. Real
izing the futility of trying to continue
under such conditions, they reluctant
ly decided to return to the Taft and
make their way back to Stewart after
caching their outfit. Before leaving
for the telegraph cabin they buried
McRitehie in a well constructed coif
fin of hewed balsam poles and parts
of one of the three toboggans on
which their supplies were trasported.
The grave was dug in frosty ground
and covered with stones to prevent
depredations by animals. Later a large j
wooden cross was erected to mark the I
grave.
The return trip to Taft creek re-'
quired five days of difficult travel, de
spite the fact that they were then
better acquainted with the route.
Arriving at the Taft creek camp on
Premier To Repair
Marmot Mine Tram.
Damage done to the Porter
Idaho ore> tramway by the un
usually heavy snows last win
ter will necessitate extensive
repairs during the present seas
on. A recent survey of the 4*4
mile conveyor system made by
representatives of the Premier
Gold Mining Company is said
to have revealed that two of
the big stel towers which sup
port the cables had been
pushed considerably out of line
by snow slides, in addition to
other damage.
It is understood that as soon
as practicable a crew of men
will be employed to make the
needed repairs, particularly on
the shifted towers, which are
located near the upper end of
the tramway just below the
Porter-Idaho mine, which, with
the adjacent Prosperity mine,
was closed down last summer
owing to the silver decline.
So far as can be learned, the
rehabilitation of the tram is in
no degree animated by pros
pects of an early change in the
silver situation, as has been
generally surmised, but is
aimed merely at keeping the
system in proper shape and to j
prevent further deterioration.
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STANDING OF THE BALL TEAMS
The standing of tiie soft ball league '
teams up to Friday was as follows:
I> W I. D Pis.
Stewar . 2 2 0 0 4
School . 1 1 0 (t 4
Premier B . 110 0 2
Moose . 2 110 2
Hyder . 2 110 2
Premier A . 10 10 0 |
Legion .. 2 0 3 0 0 i
i
May 16th, they cached their outfit |
and set out on the long trip back to j
Stewart. By this time the break-up |
was well under way, the streams
were flooded with water and the soft
snow rendered travel inceraslngly dif
ficult. To cross the Bell-lrving they
were compelled to build a raft. Em
barking on this improvised craft they
became a veritable plaything of the
raging waters and were two miles be- j
low their starting point before reach- ]
r.g the opposite shore. Several times !
during the journey the raft ran on i
the rocks and was completely sub- j
merged but luckily held together.
Although prevented from reaching j
the Taylor creek district by the death .
of their comrade, Mr. Blue succeeded j
in gathering enough information re-1
garding the geology of that section
to confirm his belief that it is a likely
country to prospect in. For about lrt
miles up the Taft and along the east
slope of the Bell-lrving the formation
is slate, but this appears to terminate
somewhere near the upper reaches of
Taft creek, changing to greenstone,
graywacke and andesite. Float found
in the creek also contained consider j
able quartz, in addition to large piec j
es of iron. As a result of these find j
ings, he is convinced that a contact J
extends across the country near the j
headwaters of Taft creek, in the j
Strata Range, which lies along the
east side of the Bell-lrving River and
forms the western slope of the Tay
lor creek valley.
* *1
LOCAL DEMOCRATS
ASK SILVER PLANK
Declaring that the general
contraction of credit and de
flation of commodity prices
have gone to disastrous lengths
and that a few financiers are
able to establish and control
prices of commodities and reg
ulate wages through control of
our monetary system based on
the single gold standard, the
local Democratic organization,
at a well attended meeting
held in the Ideal Cafe building
Saturday evening passed a
resolution calling upon the
Democratic National Convent
ion to adopt a plank in its plat
form remonetizing silver at a
fixed ratio of 16 to 1.
The resolution was directed
to the Alaska delegation to the
convention with the request
that it be given to the Platform
committee.
In addition to adopting the
silver resolution, the meeting
also transacted various party
business, including the election
of Robert Doggett as a member
of the local Democratic com
mittee to succeed W. C. Blan
ton. The committee is now;
composed of Mr. Doggett, B. B.
Smith, Joe Green and N. M.
Traversy.
The silver resolution, in full,
follows:
vv nereus, cue general con
traction of credit and the defla
tion of prices of commodities
have gone t o disastrous
lengths, causing the greatest
number of unemployed in our
history:
“Whereas, a few financiers
are able to establish and set the
price of all commodities, and
regulate the wages of all work
ers, through the control of our
monetary system based on the
single Gold Standard:
“Whereas, the United States
is able to act independently in
stabilizing silver, without fear
of being overloaded, as all the
available gold and silver in the
world could not redeem the
money in the American Sav
ings Banka:
“Whereas, the demonetizat
ion of silver in the United
States was accomplished by
foreign intrigue and corrupt
politicians, and has been nour
ished and carried to an exr
trerne monoply by the Repub
lican Party:
“And Whereas, The Demo
cratic Party has always fol
lowed the principles of Jeffer
son in legislation beneficial to
the greatest number:
“Therefore Be It Resolved,
That the National Convention
of the Democratic Party of 19
32 be requested to adopt a
plank in its' platform remone
tizing silver at a fixed ratio of
16 to 1.”
ATTY. GENERAL CLEARS
MOTOR LAW MUDDLE
In an opinion rendered at the re
quest of the Hyder Chamber of Com
merce this week, Territorial Attorney
General John Rustgard cleared up the
misunderstanding regarding the oper
ation of Canadian autos as goods
and passenger carriers between Hyder
Stewart and Premier by declaring that
cars used only to carry freight and
passengers from Canadian points to
points in Alaska, or vice versa, are
operating purely in interstate com
merce anil are under no necessity of
paying automobile license on the Alas
ka side of the boundary, as the Alas- I
ka Legislature has no legal jurisdict
ion over such traffic.
Mr. Rustgard's opinion was in reply
to specific questions as to whether or
not Canadian cars coming to Hyder to
deliver merchandise or passengers
front Canada, or to purchase commodi
ties in Hyder or pick up passengers
for Canadian points, are subject to
tax under the motor law passed by the
1931 Alaska Legislature, which pro
vides that licensed foreign cars may
be used in Alaska for periods of 90 t
days after entry, provided they are
used “for pleasure only.”
Mr. Rustgard's interpretation re
veals that this provision does not ap
ply to licensed Canadian cars engaged |
in commercial traffic across the ;
boundary either way, although they
are not permitted to engage in carry
ing either merchandise or passengers
between points inside of Alaska terri
tory without payment of tlie license,
in other words, they may not pick up
freight or passengers in Alaska for
livery at another point in Alaska.
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Potterton Recalled
From Johnson Quest j
Constable C. Potterton of
Stewart left Tuesday morning
for the Outland Silver Bar to
make a further search for the I
remains of Andrew Johnson, j
local miner, who is presumed
to have lost his life in the de-!
struction by fire of one of the
Silver Bar cabins some time
during the winter. The Const J
ble was authorized to bury the |
body if found but was recalled
to Stewart Wednesday and did
not complete his mission.
Constable Potterton was accompan
ied on the trip by K. E. Charlton and
jtts. Erickson. !
-o—
Hyder Wins Soft Ball Contest
The Hyder softball team car- j
lied off their first game of the |
scheduled series of the Port-j
land Canal Soft Ball League on
Ihe local grounds Wednesday
evening, beating the Canadian
Legion team from Stewart by a
score of 8 to 4.
The game was a fast one
hroughout and was marked
oy some excellent playing by
ooth teams. The most spectac
alar of these occurred in the
uxth inning, when, with the
oases full and two out, Thomas
of the Hyder team made a re
markable shoe-string catch of
a long fly. thereby breaking up
a lively rally by the Legion
naires which might have- re
sulted in a victory for the Can
adians.
The next games of the ser
ies to be played in Hyder will
:ake place Sunday, June 2G,
when Hyder will meet the Pre
mier No. 1 team and Stewart
will cross bats w7ith Premier!
Independence Day
Meeting Is Called
Plans for the celebration ot
Independence Day, July 4th,
will be discussed at a public
meeting to be held in the
Chamber of Commerce build
ing next Tuesday evening, June
21.
All who are interested in the
patriotic duty of observing the
nation’s birthday are requested
to attend and assist in formu
lating a suitable program.
Still Winter On Texas Creek
Frank Blasher and Henry
Hummel returned Tuesday
from a visit to the head of Tex
as creek and reported that win
ter is still very apparent in that
section, with about 3 feet of
snow still on the ground. They
found no great difficulty in
getting in, although there are
numerous snow slides along
the narrow and precipitous val
ley. One huge slide from the
Hyder Lead hill, at a point
where slides were never known
to have occurred before, swept
across Emerald Lake creek and
almost to the lake. Many rock
slides were found along the
Texas highway, which ap1
peared to have been consider
ably damaged, especially near
the Malcolm Smith cabin. The
Hyder Lead camp appeared to
have been struck by a slide
which separated the wing
from the main building. As
they did not visit the camp, the
extent of the damage was not
ascertained.
Hiam Cup Series To
Start Next Week
A baseball team composed of
Hyder and Stewart players will
battle this year with Premier
for the Iliam Cup, premier
trophy of the local baseball
world, according to an an
announcement made in Stewart
this week.
The series will include a to
tal of five games, one of which
will be played in Hyder. The
series is scheduled to start next
Saturday, June 25th, at Stew- j
art and the succeeding sched
ule will be as follows:
Friday, July 1; Monday
July 4; Saturday, July 9; Sat
urday, July 23.
The July 4th game will be
played in Hyder, the others in
Stewart.
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No. 2, both on the same day.
The Hyder team will meet
the Stewart school team in
Stewart June 22.
MM COMMERCE
SHOWS GOOD GAIN
Substantial gains in fish, fur,
copper, gold and silver ship
ments in May brought the ex
ports of Alaska for that month
to the highest figures attained
n any month since November,
1932. The total for the month
was $1,277,997, to which gold
and silver contributed $472,
352.
I loll CA[JUU5 iur Uie II1UULI1 1UL
’.led $529,995, as compared
o $378,026 in April. Fur
shipments were valued at $48,
988, a gain of more than $45,
000 over April, while copper
and lead exports reached a to
tal of $170,686, the highest fig
ures reached by that commod
ity since September, 1930.
The complete list of exports
and their values, as shown in
the monthly statement of Cus
toms Collector J. C. McBride,
is given below:
?ish: fresh and froz
en (except shell-fish)
Halibut. $ 55,957
Salmon. 68,916
-All other . 973
Canned (except
shell-fish)
Salmon . 274,564
Cured or preserved
(except shell-fish)
Cod . 2,969
Salmon . 22,287
Shell-fish:
Clams. 95,153
Crabs . 4,663
Shrimps . 1,292
All other fish and
fish products. . 3,221
Furs and fur-iskins:
Seal skins . 8
Blue fox. 23,365
Silver or black fox .. 1,010
Red fox . 3,250
White fox . 510
Mink . 4,157
Muskrat . 2,622
Beaver . 7,947
All other. 5,499
Manufactured furs .. 350
Ore, matte, regulus:
Copper. 163,919
Lead . 6,767
Trophies, specimens .. 250
Wood, lumber, etc. .. 1,842
All other articles. 10
Total value products
of Alaska.,. $751,771
Products of United
States returned. 53,874
Total value of ship
ments merchandise $805,645
Gold . 463,897
Sfilver . 8,455
Grand Total
$1,277,997