f
%
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
V /
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MIMNG DISTRICT
r~-—- -n
SUBSCRIPTIONS
83.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
.. ■ -/
VOL 7, NO. 26
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, APRIL 4; 1931.
PRICE TEN CENTS
RICH FIND ON BIG
MISSOURI REPORTED
Discovery of a high grade
gold vein ranging around four
feet in width on the Big Mis
souri property of the Buena
Vista Mining Company during
the past week is currently re
ported in Hyder and Stewart.
As it is the policy of the Con
solidated (Mining and Smelt
ing Co., controller of the prop
el ty, to refrain from giving
out information concerning de
velopment results, no official
confirmation of the reports i
obtainable; but sufficient in
formation regarding the dis
covery has leaked out as to
leave no doubt that a strike of
unusual magnitude and rich
ness has been made.
The big gold vein appears to
have been cut in one of the
northeilv'drifts off main tun
nel in the Buena Vista claim
It is understood that the vein '
runs in a northwesterly di
rection and is a part of the
large silicified porphyry zotm
which extends practically the
whole length of the Big Mis
souri property. The ore is un
derstood to be of the same free
milling type characteristic of
the rich but narrow gold vein
previously found on the prop
erty and is heavily impregnat
ed with stringers and blebs of
of the yellow metal over the
full width of the vein.
Although it has been defin
itely known that some very
rich ore has been passing
through the mill during leceni
weeks, indications point to the
new ore body being by far tic
richest and most important sc
far discovered in the mine cr
district. High gold values are
known to be carried in numer
ous narrow quartz stringers
scattered in belts of varying
width through the silicified
zone, which is said on reliable
authority to range up to 300
feet wide in places. It appear..
however, that the new vein i.
the first extensive and compact
ore body so far revealed in the
company’s long extended d
velopment activities.
-O
Premier Dividend * to
Be Paid Today
The first quarterly dividend
for 1931 of the Premier Gold
Mining Company will be paid
to shareholders today.
The distribution will aggre
gate $150,000, being a divi
dend of 3 cents on each share
of the $5,000,000 capitaliza
tion, according to ar recent an
nouncement by managing di
rector H. A. Guess. Payment
will be made to shareholdei
of record March 13 and will
increase the grand total of
payments to shareholders in
the 10 years of operation to
$15,450,000.
-o
Senate Vacancy
To Gc Unfilled
The legislature vacancy
created by the death of John
W. Dunn of Ruby will go un
filled until the next general
election in 1932, it was an
nounced by Governor George
A. Parks after a conference
with members of the Fourth
division delegation regarding
filling the vacancy by special
election, according to the Ju
neau Empire.
Jchn Hcvland is
Painfully Injured
John Hovland, pioneer min
ing man and managing direct
or of the Unicorn Mines, Lttl..
sustained a painful injury
Thursday by being struck in
the eye by a steel rod and is
now in Premier hospital under
the care of Dr. J. II. Robinson.
Mr. Ilovland was using the
steel rod to rerape some snow
from under the ceiling of the
Unicorn blacksmith shop,
when he lost his balance and
fell backward to the floor. In
falling he lost his hold on the
rod, which descended point
first, the end, which providen
tially had been slightly turned, i
striking him on the eyelid, al
most tearing it to pieces. The j
accident was witnessed by
Arthur Moa, who says the rod
fell several feet and but for
the rounded end would prob
ably hare gone through the ;
eyeball.
Examination at the hospital
indicated that in spite of sc
rere laceration of the eye lid,
the eye ball had sustained no \
serious injury and Mr. Hov
land’s sight will probably not
be impaired. Whether the eye
lid can be eared is still some
what doubtful, as it isalmost :
tom to pieces, but Dr. Robin
son is hopeful that it can be ;
sewed together when the se
vere swelling subsides. Mr ;
Ilovland will be confined to
the hospital for some days.
Mr. Hovland is one of the
camp’s most highly regarded
citizen? and the news of his
misfortune was received with
universal regret.
„-:—?—•
Fcreii Service in Alaska
Given $945,548
Forest Service has announc-'
ed tlie allocation of $9,500,-;
000 of forest highway funds
for ?>1 States, Alaska and
Porto Rico.
Alaska’s allotment is $945,
548.
Riverside Equipment
To Ketchikan
The Puget Sound Bridge and >
Dredging Company, holder of j
the Thomas Basin harbor im
provement at Ketchikan, has'
been authorized by Joseph:
Black, of Seattle, one of the i
Riverside mine owners, to use
fhe mine drill sharpener and :
t'oige, according to a telegram
received Wednesday by Arvid
Hill, mine watchman. The
equipment, which will be re
turned here next fall when the
Thomas Basin project is com
pleted, will be shipped to Ket
chikan next Tuesday.
-o
Marshal Martin Departs
Deputy United States Mar
shal Donald E. Martin left
Tuesday for Ketchikan en
loute to Juneau, where he will
be stationed in the future.
No information has been re
ceived regarding Mr. Martin’s
successor in the local office.
It is probable, however, that
a new man will arrive here
next Tuesday.
Uyder Igloo, Pioneers of
Alaska, during the past week,
[further improved the facilities
of their big public hall by in
j stalling a new' side walk be
tween the hall and Interna
tional Avenue.
i The new improvement will
be especially appreciated by
picture show and dance at
i tendants, as well as others who
! use the walk after nightfall.
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE LEGISLATURE
The present Alaska Legisl -
ture is displaying a decided in
clination to conform to the ad
age about making haste slow
ly and comparatively few mea
sures had been introduced up
to March 27, the date of the
last reports.
Exclusive of the several
measures previously reported
here, the following general
bills have been introduced.
Senate Bills:—
By Hess, prescribing fees for
Commissioner’s and witnesses
in cases coming under Che
Board of Children’s Guard
By Diamond, repealing cer
tain sections of the federal
statutes relative to property
and pecuniary rights of mar
ried women.
By Shattuek, providing for
reorganization of the Territor
ial school system, including
the creation of a 5-man Board
of Education, to be appointed
by the Governor, with broad
powers of administration
The Senate passed a business
corporation act modeled after
that of the state of Delaware,
which largely liberalizes the
present corporation code.
House Bill:
By Winn, to establish 44
hour week for Territorial of-,
fice employees.
By Johnson, providing for
creation of a school survey
commission and a survey by a
competent authority of the
Territorial school system.
By Winn, providing for re
vision of the Alaska jury syst
em and codifying all existing
jury statutes.
By Allyn, exempting from
municipal taxation property
owned by associations of vet
erans, and not used for com
mercial purposes.
By Winn, relative to appeals
from Commissioner’s courts to
district courts in certain cases.
By Foster, excluding movie
theaters and baseball games
from the operation of the Ter
iitorial Sunday Closing Law,
which liars such Sunday
amusements.
By McCuteheon, defining
what fees may be paid by ad
ministrators or executors for
legal services.
By AIcCutcheon, providing
for Territorial subsidies for
commercial radio broadca sting
stations in Alaska.
T he Senate passed a resolu
tion by Foster creating a com
mute of four men from each
house to probe into the con
duct of Territorial officers,
The resolution recites that
“there have arisen certain con
flicts in the Laws of the Ter
ritory’’ and is ostensibly de
signed to enable adjustments
necessary to more efficient
management of Territorial
business. .
A memorial by Foster at
tacks the policy of the Inter
ior dcpaitment relative to
Alaska Indians and charges
that the department “seeks to
avoid the responsibility of a
great proportion of its wards”
and “to place said burden upon
the Territorial government.”
A resolution by Johnson,
Ketchikan, urges preference
to Alaska labor on public
work, as a public policy.
SAY SILVER MAY
ADVANCE TO 40 CTS,
Recent undercover develop-1
ments in connection with the
rilver situation have led
authorities to anticipate a fur
ther recovery in silver prices,:
according to New York repurc
hased on Wall Street rumors. *
The reports indicate the pos
j ibility that efforts will be made I
to advance the price of silver
i io 40 cents within the present
| month, which would bring the
| white metal to the approximate
: level at which producers may
(operate with a small profit.
It is pointed out that such an
increase would enhance the
pm chasing power of countries
where silver is the basic cur-1
rency—a factor of utmost im
portance in world economics.
-—-o
McDonald Indicted
For Ketchikan Murder
Bert McDonald was indicted
for the murder of George P. !
Marshall, aged Ketchikan fish
buyer, by a special grand jury !
called by the district court in
Ketchikan last week.
The indictment charged Mc
Donald with “willfully, unlaw- '
fully, maliciously, feloneously
and purposely striking one i
George P. Marshall upon the
head with some blunt instru
ment* * * * * *with the pur- '
pose of thereafter committing i
robbery. ' j
The jury also returned a <
second true bill against Me-!.
Donald charging him with the 11
theft of an oxy-acetylene torch ;
and other articles from the i i
Alaska-Pacific Salmon Pack
ing corporation.
The jury also returned one
secret indictment before being .
discharged.
McDonald was arrested re- j
cently in Portland, Ore., and ’
returned to Ketchikan.
Lloyd Close, who was arrest-j;
ed for the same ciime, was not ,
indicted for the murder but he
diew an indictment for lar-;,
cency in connection with a
theft of dynamite from a road
crew.
-o
Fourteen Air Mail Contracts
Lei In Alaska
The Postoffice department ■
has announced the letting of j.
fourteen contracts for star air!
mail routes in Alaska. Miner
were awarded to the Alaska j
Airways and five to the Dor-!,
bandt and Cope Aviation Com-: <
pany.
■n
Local Defendant Gets
Ninety Days
Mrs. Elvira Frandle, Hyder,
B. C., resident, charged with
assault with a dangerous wea
pon on the person of Cus
Erickson, local resident, was
given a 00-day sentence in the
district court Thursday, after
pleading guilty, according to
I radio reports from Ivetchi
! kan Thursday evening
I In testimony given at the pre
liminary hearing held here last
week, Erickson charged that
the Frandle woman had at
tacked him with a bread knife,
j sutting his fingers and cloth' lg
before being overpowered by
; Erickson and Gust Johnson.
-o
O. F. Hill of the Hyder Drug
. Co., left Tuesday on a busi
I ness trip to Ketchikan.
Attorney General Rustgard
Urges Law Changes
Compilation of the Federal statutes,
changes in the taxation laws relative
to income from mining properties,
amendment of the Territorial pro
bate laws relative to estates of indi
cants and provisions to enable the
Territory to hold escheated mining
properties by performing annual as
sessment work therein, were the
[lincipal recommendations made to
he Alaska Legislature by Attorney
General John Rustgard.
The report was the briefest ever
•antlered by that office since its est
ablishment in 1017, according to the
hineau Empire.
Relative to the need for a com opt
ion of (lie Territorial status. Mr.
lustgard said:
“Wo have now reached the point i
,vhere it is next to impossible for one j
tv Iso does not specialize upon know
ng tlie present statutory law of the
Territory to find from the books the
treseuf. statutory provisions on any
lartictilar subject. I suggest that a
nitride apptopriation be made and
lined at the disposal of the govern
>r for the purpose of paying the is
tense of tlie undertaking.”
With reference to proposed changer
n the probate laws, the Attorney Gen
ral pointed out that chapter 15 of
lie Laws of 1921 provided a sum
nary method for disposing of estates
eft by persons who die as inmates
>f the Pioneers' Home or who have I
sen receiving an allowance from tin i
Tctritory. This provision was dim
tinted by a later Legislature and
here is now no method provided for
Imposing of property left bv decoder
leneficiaries (xcept by adminUtra
ion in the probate court.
Proposed amendments to the gen
ral taxing laws of the Territory re
ate to a provision of the 1921 law
evying a tax of one per rent of th :
tet income in excess of §5,000 on
nining.
The last provision of this subsec
ion, the report say3, "provides that
vhere a lesser receives royalties
rom more than one mining property
ic shall pay the tax on the aggregate
nc-orne over §5,000.” The opening
entenee of that subsection has been
.mended so as to provide that the
tet income tax shall apply only t<
tet incomes in excess of 810,000. Gut
io amendment was made to the last
irovision of the subsection relative
0 royalties from two or more prop
•rties.”
The report points our that ns a re
ult of Hits Incongruity the attornei
teneral’s office has been forced t<
told that where a person received :
oyalty ivom only one property hr
ias an exemption of .'-10,000, but
vhere he receives a royalty fron
nore than one property he has at.
■xemption of only 85,000.
The report points out further that
section 4 of the General Taxation
let referred to provides for a fine
if not to exceed $1,000 for violatin'
if tin* statute Lilt fails to stat-- who
• liould crevive the fine. Section 7 ol
he same act provides, t h.vepoi:
ays, "that prosecution for th > vio
ation of any other provisions of tlii.
ict may lie by information filed lit !
lie Attorney General or other autli
irized legal eouusci of the Territory
ector is "authorized legal conns: 1
if tlie Territory.,. An am •ndnwnt !■
ilarifv this section is recommended 1
md should authorize any deputj
narslial to file complaints.
The report also recommends that j
uuds be made available to do annual
assessment work on unpatented min
ng claims turned over to the Ter
itcry as escheated property. A- ;
here are no funds available for thi:
)ut pose at present, unless such ■
daims can lie sold before the time i
or asses, ment work expires, they i
ire lost to tile Territory.
Relative to this situation the report 1
tat: s that the Territory lost in 1929 1
1 mining claim which “coud probably 1
lave been sold for some 510,000.” i
Mr. Kustgard also recommended an
intendment to tlie incorporation laws :
>1 the Territory in which another in
ongruity appears; one portion pro-J
iding that articles of incorporation!
nay lie amended “when authorized
>y tlie holders of a majority of the
lock given at a regular meeting of j
lie stockholders,” while the same ,
•hapter provides that a vote of “two
liiid.s of all its stock,” shall be nee- j
:ssary for such amendment,
it times as to whether such tax col- i
nany prosecutions are instituted by
he tax collector working under the
Territorial Treasurer, the report j
dates, and the question has arisen j
Alaskan Snow Cover
The following amounts of
mow, in inches, were leported
)n the ground at various Alas
kan stations Monday, March
22: Bethel 7. Eagle 22, Fair
banks 9, Fort Yukon 17, Nome
12. Except in the case of Fair
banks, this was less than re
ported the' previous week. The
.hickness of the ice had re
mained unchanged during the
veek at the two reporting sta
.ions, Chena Slough at Fair
banks 35 inches . and Snake
River at Nome 26 inches.
WOULD REPEAL
PRIMARY LAW
The complete repeal of the
Alaska primary election law is
the object of two bills intro
duced in the Alaska Legisla
ture by Representative Boyle
of the First Division.
One measure provides for the
wiping out of the direct nom
inating primary system now in
vogue, the other would repeal
the statute under which na
tional committemen and dele
gates to the national conven
tions are elected.
In the event of passage, the
measure would leave ail mat
ters relative to the choosing of
party candidates entirely in
the hands of the political or
ganizations and restore the
convention system.
-o
Easier Services Sunday
Easter Sunday services at
the Hyder Methodist Episco
pal Church will include sunrise
service commencing at 7:30
a. m., followed by a public
baptism of local children, and
an evening service commenc
ing at 7:30 p. m.
The sunrise service will last
about one hour and will in
clude the administration of the
Sacrament of the Holy Com
munion to all who desire to
take part in this beautiful
ceremony.
This will be followed by the
baptism of several local child
ren.
Easter Evening Service 7:30
P. M. will be as follows:
Piano Prelude Mrs. W. Reid
Prologue Billy Reid
Call to Worship Congregation
Hymn Congregation
Prayer Led by Pastor
solo Henry R. Cross
Responsive Reading Pastor
Song Tell me the Story of
Jesus Children
Story The Caterpillar’s Jour
ney Reginald Crozier
Solo Mrs. Hubert Thomas
Pantomine: “Spring in the
Brown Meadow Children
Offeratory Service Congre
gation.
Hymn Congregation
Benediction.
Knowing the urge which
comes at Easter time for a
thought of the Spiritual Life,
and knowing the interest in
the children’s message in song
and pantomine, this Church ex
tends a cordial invitation to
all to join in these services.
-o
Pdscse Memorial Service
The annual Memorial Serv
ices of the Moose lodge will be
held in Pioneer Hall Sunday
evening, April 12, commencing
at 8 p. m.
The Moose Memorials are
held each year in memory of
departed brothers of the order
and are both impressive and
beautiful.
The memorial oration will be
delivered by Rev. Fr. E. M.
Leray and Rev. Moody and
Rev. Evan Baker, of Stewart,
will assist with the services.
Details of the program will be
announced later.
In deference to the Moose
Memorial services, the Hyder
motion picture show will pre
sent its usual Sunday program
on Saturday evening, April 11.