r
SPECIALIZING, IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
S
V
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MIKING DISTRICT.
* ...— •
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$300 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 7, NO. 10
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13,1930.
PRICE TEN CENTS
UNICORN LOOKS GOOD
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
With free gold disclosed ov-1
er a length of fifty feet in the
vein proper and also gold val
ues in the adjoining porphyry
formation on the westerly side
of the vein, development work
during the past season in the
No. 3 tunnel on the Unicorn
property, adjoining the Big
Missouri, was distinctly en
couraging, according to John
Hovland, president and mana
ging director of the Unicorn
Mines, Ltd.
Mr. Hovland outlined the |
results of the work done as fol-,
lows:
“The No. 3 tunnel is located 11
at the south end of the Good '
Hope claim of the Unicorn |
group and on the boundary j
line of the Big Missouri and j
Unicorn groups. The portal is 11
located on Union creek. On J
December 1, the tunnel had j
been driven a distance of 350 i1
feet on a course of north 30 de j:
grees West, astronomic. At j
170 feet from the portal the ;
Big Missouri porphyry cut the !
tunnel on the west side, strik-1 ‘
ing north and south with a ver- j
tical dip. The formation in J
the tunnel up to this point was
tuff. The porphyry for a (list- j *
ance of 25 feet is very siliciou|
and slightly mineralized with
pyrite.
from mis point tne tunnel
follows the contact from 170 to
260 feet, when the porphyry
passes to the east of the tun- '
nel. At 292 feet from the port
al a well mineralized vein
about 2 feet wide and striking 1
north and south, astronomic, 1
with a vertical dip, cut the tun- *
nel from the west side. This | *
vein was driven on for a dist- '
ance of 40 feet, when it left the j
tunnel to the east.
At the face of the tunnel and ; ’
about 340 feet from the portal j
a crosscut was driven to the i'
east for 6 feet to cut the vein |
we left a few feet back. The j1
vein at this point was found to >
be 6 feet wide, well mineral- j *
ized with iron pyrite, with tuff j
formation on the east side and 1
porphyry on the west side. (
Specimens showing free gold
were found at the face. Free !
gold had also been found in
this vein for a distance of 50
feet. The free gold, however, i
is not confined solely to the i
vein but has also been found i
in the adjoining porphyry on <
the west side of the vein. I
The last 30 feet, and at the <
face of the tunnel, the porphy- <
ry is well mineralized and sil- ]
icified with quartz stringers.
Moiled samples from this sect-!
ion give very encouraging val-!
ues in gold. j
Judging from the results of j
the underground work in No.
3 tunnel, it appears that the
contact of the porphyry and 1
tuff is favorable for mineral
deposition and encouraging re
sults may be expected from
this section of the property.
Assuming that the srike of '
the porphyry-tuff contact con- i
tinues in the same general di- i
rection, the Unicorn will have
over a mile (5785 feet) on the
strike of the contact. \
Personally, I do not look for ,
any great change in the strike, j
My reason for so believing is
based on the fact that fromji
B. C. Silver Ore Values
Show Two-Thirds Gold
That the mineral values con
ained in the ore recently en
countered in the upraise from
he sixth level on the B. C. Sil
ver property are shown by ass
rys to be two-thirds gold, is
he Selukwe Gold tomstbyNe
iisclosed by a cable report re
garding the new discovery by
3. A. Banks, general manager,
o the Selukwe Gold Mining &
Finance Company, controller
)f the property.
The report, made public in
..ondon November 17, confirms
he earlier report of Mr. Doug
as Rae, mine manager, pub
ished in these columns last
veek, in which Mr. Rae an
lounced that the average of all
lamples across a width of 66
nches was $50, and adds
hereto the significant state
nent: “two-thirds values in
rold.”
This means that of the $50 a
on average obtained, the gold
ontent of the ore would be
(lightly over $33.33 per ton.
This is a remarkable gold
hovving, as compared to most
>f the ores in the district and
ndicates the presence of an ore
leporit with values compara
>le only to the bonanza ores
bund in the Premier in early
lays or latterly in the Big Miss
iuri gold veins.
The report of Mr. Banks also
VtVViUVVU III V 1
he earlier report that test
ides run on the new ore body
how an additional width of
ire amounting to “at least six
eet,” or a total width of 12 | j
eet,” while test holes in 636
irift, 30 feet below the face of
he raise, show ore exceeding
he width of the drift by eight
eet, thus making the full wid
h of the vein on that level 14
eet.
The results obtained in the
aise are characterized by Mi
tanks as “far better than
hown on either 5 or 6 levels.”
The report also announces ad
litional developments of im
>ortance in other sections of
he mine in the statement that
‘the two raises commenced on
hird level also show commer
ial values.”
-o
’remier On Reduced Schedule
A somewhat reduced opera:
ng schedule has been inaugu
rated at the Premier mine, ow
ng, it is understood, to the 1 a
oma smelter having reduced
he quantity of ore it will re
reive at this time. The volume
if available ore or productive
losribilities of the mine are
aid on good authority to be in
10 degree responsible for the
■urtailment of operations. Ore
ixtraction has been reduced .'n
10 more than a relatively small
legree and operation of the
>re tramway is being discon
inued for a day or two a week.
-o
Mackay—Kane
Jack M. Mackay and Olive A.
£ane, Stewart residents, were
inited in marriage Wednesday
norning by United States Com
nissioner Chas. F. Sandford.
vhere the contact was cut in
he Big Mossouri tunnel, some
500 feet lower elevation and
ibout 2000 feet south of the
JrticOrn No. 3 tunnel, it seems
o follow a general course.”
POWER DEVELOPMENT
AWAITING PERMIT
Actual construction work on
the big hydro-electric power
development project of the
Portland Canal Power Comp
any on Davis River will be
started as soon as the Federal
Power Commission grants the
preliminary permit applied for
by the company, according to
Willis T. Batcheller, president
of the company, who spent the
past week in the district in
connection with the prelimi*
nary survey work now in prog
ress.
Mr. Batcheller was unable to
say just how soon the prelimi
nary permit will be granted,
but under ordinary conditions
the permit should be fortjicom- j
ing within a period of three
months after application.
Although manifestly unable
to fix the exact time when op
erations can be started, Mr.
Batcheller expects that Work
on the power tunnel, which
will bring the water from the
dam t<£ the power plant at the
mouth of Davis River, can be
started early in the spring and
completed by the time climatic
conditions are favorable to the
inauguration of other phases
of construction. The entire pro
ject is expected to be fuly com
pleted and the plant in operr
ation not later than January 1,
1932, Mr. Batcheller said.
Preliminary survey work on
Davis River will be continued j
for a few days and will then be
carried to completion in the j
company offices in Seattle.
-o--—
Christmas Entertainment
The Sunday School children
of the Methodist Episcopal
Church will take part in the
Pageant “The Gift of Pure
Love” at the Church on Sun
day evening, December 21, it
was announced this week by
Rev. H. R. Cross, pastor. The |
service is scheduled to start at
7:30 p. m.
The children invite their par
ents and friends to the service. |
Christmas services will also •
be held at the church on
Christinas Day at 10:30 a. m.
■o
Asks Mere Radio Power
For Benefit of Alaska Fans
The Juneau Chamber of Com
merce is making an effort to
| induce the Federal authorities
| to grant more power to radio
' broadcasting stations in the Pa
; cific Coast states, with a view i
;to improving reception in Alas
| ka. The efforts of the Ju
neau organization have also
i been endorsed by the Peters
burg Commercial Club.
This is a movement that i
! might be followed up by other
I Alaska organizations with
highly beneficial effects for |
radio owners throughout the .
North.
- -o-|
John Lindsey, well-known ;
and highly regarded Stewart
resident, passed away Monday
at an advaned age as a result
of heart failure. The last rites
were consummated Thursday,
with interment in Stewart cem
etery.
GOVERNOR'S REPORT
SHOWS PROGRESS
An increase of more than
$2,000,000 in mineral pro
duction, a balance of trade in
favor of Alaska of $36,914,
722, and an increase of
appioximately 4,500 in pop
ulation are outstanding featur
es of Territorial development,
according to the annua] report
to the Department of the In
terior of George A. Parks,
governor of Alaska.
The total value of Alaska
fishing products in 1929,
exclusive of aquatic furs, was
$50,795,819, a decrease of $3,
749,769 from 1928 when the
value was $54,545,588. These
figures represent the value of
the manufactured product. It
is estimated that the value of
the catch to the fisherman was
approximately $16,582,000.
The round weight of the sal
mon catch landed by fisher
man was approximately 442,
501,784 pounds and corres
ponding figures for herring
were about 153,105,752.
The commercial fisheries of
the Territory employed 29,283
persons in 1929 as compared
with 31,036 for 1928. The
herring industry experienced
an unusual condition which re
sulted in a decline in the out
put of pickled fish and an in
crease in the production of
meal and oil. There was an in
creased production of halibut;
1253 persons landing approx
imately 37,456,998 pounds,
valued at $4,422,605, as eo •
pared with 31,567,000 pounds,
valued at $3,094,000 in 1928.
Output from cod fisheries in
creased materially over that of
1928. In 1929 some 233 per
sons were employed in the
whaling industry, and the
total valud'of the products was
estimated to be $502,081.
The census of the seal herds
on Pribolof Islands is comput
ed in August, and the Bureau
of Fisheries estimate the in
crease to be 100,014 for th *
year ending August 10, 1929.
Statistics disclose that since
1918 $4,477,919.26 has been
deposited as net revenue from
the sale of fur seal skins. The
total number of seals in the
herds is estimated to be 971.
527. Fur sealskins taken from
the Pribolof Islands during
1929 totaled 40,068.
Mines in Alaska produced
$16,066,000 worth of minerals
in 1929, as compared with
$14,061,000 in 1928. This
large increase m value is to oe
attributed mainly to the in
creased price at which copper
was sold during the year and
the greatly increased pro
duction of gold by both lode
and placer mines.
The increased selling price
of copper; which was 3.2
cents a pound higher in 1929
than in 1928, alone accounts
for an increase of .$1,165,000,
and the gold output was $916,
000 greater, says the govern
or’s report. Gold from lode
mines in 1929 was valued at
$3,644,000 or approximately
47 per cent of the total gold
produced, the amount recover
ed from placers being $4,117,
000. The value of the copper
output was $7,130,000.
Coal produced showed some
decrease from the record pro
duction of 1928, but the out
Huge Prehistoric Creature
Found In Ice Near Valdez
Discovery of a giant amphib
ian creature of lizard-like ap
pearance incased in ice or. i
Glacier Island, near Valdez,
Alaska, was reported from An
chorage a few days ago.
The great creature, appar
ently a specimen of one of the
gigantic Silurian monste r s
which roamed the earth mar: r
ages ago, was said to be over
forty feet long and with its f."
covering in perfect condition.
The head was said to be six
feet, the body twenty, and the
tail sixteen feet in length. The
creature is believed to have
been preserved since prehis
toric times in the ice in the up
per reaches of the Columbia
glacier, and its ice coffin, it is
assumed, gradually worked ih,
way to the sea. Scientists are
greatly interested in the re
ported discovery and all poss
ible steps are being taken to
secure and preserve the re
mains until they can ba thor
ougly examined.
-o~
James Knight, injured in the
Premier tram accident las!
week is reported progressing
favorably in Prince Rupen
hospital following an operat
ion. The condition of his un
fortunate companion, Roslaeff,
was reported unchanged.
put of 1929 has been exceeded i
in only three years since coai
mining began in the Territory.
The coal produced totaled
100,600 tbns, valued at $528,
000 and was practically all
from three mines, two in the
Matanuska field near the head
of Cook Inlet and one in the
Healy River field north of the
Alaska range.
About 128,788 tons of lime
stone were shipped from Dali
Island during 1929. There are
almost inexhaustible deposit?
of limestone in Alaska the
report says.
The supervision of the rein
deer service was transferred
from the Bureau of Education
to the governor of Alaska, in
November, 1929. The increase
in the number of deer from th.
original herds of approximat e ;
ly 1,300 to the present herds,
estimated to contain more ; 1
than 600,000 animals in about j i
40 years, has already shown <
that they may be made a fac- '
tor in the food supply of the i
country. It is estimated that 1
there are 2,500 native owneish
and that approximately 13,000 1
natives are largely dependent ■
on the reindeer industry.
For the biennium 1929-30. !
the legislature appropriated l
$1,074,000 for the mainten- 1
ance of Territorial schools and i
the Alaska Agricultural Coll- :
ege and school of Mines. Dur- <
ing the past year 93 schools I
employed 195 teachers for an «
enrollment of 3,899 pupils at *
a totl cost of $443,380. I
The governor in his report, 1
recommends that a revenue <
cutter should be stationed in 1
western Alaska to serve the
Prince ^Villiam Sound and <
Alaska Peninsula districts;law i
enforcement agencies should ;
be combined under the Depart- ]
ment of Justice; a squadron i
of U. S. Army airplanes should I
be stationed in the interior of i
Alaska; and new Federal
buildings should be construct
ed in Ketchikan, Anchorage, i
and Fairbanks. !
BURKE, PARTY FOUND!
CAPTAIN BURKE DEAD
The long search for Capt. E.
A. J. Burke, lost Canadian air
pilot, and his two companions,
Bob. Martin and Emil Kading,
ended this week when Pilot
Everett Wasson of the Tread
well-Yukon Exploration Comp
any found and rescued Kading
and Martin from a desolate
section of the Atlin district
about 40 miles from the place
where Capt. Burke’s plane was
found abandoned a week ago.
According to the story told
by Martin and Kady, who were
themselves in a half-starved
and exhausted condition, Capt.
Burke died from exposure dur
ing the long interval since the
party became marooned and
abandoned the plane in an ef
fort to reach Wolf Lake, some
50 miles from the point where
they left the plane. Pilot Was
son brought the two survivors
to Whitehorse.
The reports indicated that
Capt. Burke’s body had been
'nterred in a snow grave fol
lowing his death while on the
tragic march across the snowy
wastes after leaving the plane
and would be brought in by
Pilot Wasson.
■-o
Public Library Elects Officers
Ernest Blue was elected pres
ident of the Hyder Public Li
brary, Incorporated, for the en
ding year at the annual meet
ng held last week. Other of
ficers named included Harold
Johnson, vice-president; Ade
line C. Dale, secretary; T. H.
2vans, treasurer; H. R. Cross,
ibrarian, and B. B. Smith, ass
stant librarian. With the ex
ception of Mr. Smith, all the
ifficers named succeeded
hemselves in their respective
)ffices.
Mrs. J. A. Hall, Mrs. Holger
Johnson and Mr. H. R. Cross
vere named as members of
he Book Committee and will
rave charge of the selection of
lew book purchases for the
'irst quarterly period.
The meeting disclosed that
ibrary is now on a sound work
ng basis, although it is appar
ent that the institution is not re
ceiving the support to which it
s justly entitled as a public
lenefaction, as there were but
56 members enrolled at the
:ime of the meeting and only
24 adults and two children
vere availing themselves of
ibrary privileges, according
o the report of Librarian H. R.
>oss. The estimated circulat
on of books is around 900 per
rear, the report disclosed. The
irrival of 17 new books of a
otal of 26 authorized purchas
es was reported. Mr. Cross al
!o mentioned receipt of a num
ier of additional books given
o the library by friends and
expressed the thanks and ap
ireciation of the board.
Treasurer T. H. Evans report
ed receipts of $114.90 and dis
lursements of $48.03 A bal
ince sheet prepared by the
ioard of trustees showed ass
ets of $1095.03, including
looks, fixtures, equipment, etc.
ind liabilities of $22.03.
-O
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mon
eft Thursday on a visit to the
states.