.. ■1
AN ALL
ALASKA
NEWSPAPER
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HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OP ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
$5.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVAVr*.
VOL 4. NO. 20
HYPER, Aim SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1928.
FIFTY CENTS A MONTH I
GREAT FIRE DESTROYS
LARGE SECTION
OF PREMIER
One of the greatest and most
costly conflagrations in the
history of the Portland Canal
district occurred Friday after
noon, when fire destroyed a
major portion of the main
buildings of the Premier Gold
Mining Company’s camp at
Premier, B. C., 13 miles north
of Hyder.
Starting about 1:30 in the kit
chen of the messhouse and
fanned by a strong north wind,
the flames speedily devoured
that extensive structure, in
which were situated the kit
chen, dining room and library.
As no water was available for
fire fighting, the efforts of the
mine personnell to check the
onward sweep of the flames
with snow and hand apparatus
were of little effect and the
lire soon spread to the adjoin
ing commissary building, con
taining large quantities bf
clothing and other valuable
supplies.
r rora mis rresn starring point
the fire speedily engulfed the
big community hall and read
ing room, the two-story build
ing occupied by the postoffice
and Killias store and the big,
six-story ' bunkhouse, capable
of housing several hundred
men. Owing to the buildings
being situated close together,
the fire spread from one to an
other with almost incredible
speed and nothing could be
done to stay its progress untii
all were practically consumed.
With the big bunkhouse blaz
ing fiercely, it appeared that
the small bunk house, located
a short distance south of the
large bunkhouse, would also
be consumed; but the open
space between the two struct
ures gave the fire fighters
their first effective opportun
ity to combat the flames and
the blaze was halted at this
point about 3:30 p. m., after
five of the camp’s largest
structures had been consumed
to their foundations.
The residences of general
manager Dale L. Pitt, and as
sistant manager Bert. Smith,
situated north of the fire area,
were untouched and the apart
ment house and mine hospit
al, situated some nstance away
were not endangered.
The big 400-ton concentratoi
was also in the direct path oi
the fire, but fortunately at a
considerable distance away,
and was undamaged, although
it was feared for a time that
the flames might reach the
plant by way of the small
bunkhouse and the adjacent
machine shop and compressor
house.
Aside from the big bunkhouse
none of the dwelling houses of
the camp were involved in the
fire. Owing, it is said, to the
rapid spread of the fire, little
was saved from the contents ol
the burned buildings, even
the personal effects of most of
the bunkhouse occupants be
ing destroyed.
No official estimate of the
loss was obtainable up to the
time of writing, but unofficial
figures indicate a probability
that it will approximate $100,
000 or more- So far as could be
learned the loss is largely cov
covered by insurance.
, Reports from the mine last
night indicated that the disas
ter will not entail a suspension
NEW COMPANY
TO OPERATE
NORTHERN LIGHT
The well known Northern
Light group, in the upper Sal
mon River basin, has been tak
en over by a newly organized
mining concern known as the
Northern Light Mines, Ltd.,
and will be operated on an ex
tensive scale, according to Van
couver press advices, which
have been confirmed locally
by Wm. Bunting, who located
the property in the early days
of the camp and was associat
ed with his brother Chas. Bunt
ing, in the ownership prior to
the present sale.
The property was recently op
tioned by John O’Neill Hayes,
of Victoria, who is a director
and one of the organizers of
the new company. The com
pany has been entirely finan
ced in Canada, although Brit
ish capital is said to have been
offered.
The capitalization is $5,000,
000, divided into an equal num
ber of shares of $1 par value.
A block of 500,000 shares has
been purchased outright by a
syndicate of Vancouver people,
who are behind the new com
I pany. Three million shares of
j the stock will be retained in
! the treasury and the remain
ing 1,500,000 will be placed
on the market, the first offer
ing to be made at an early date.
The Northern Light group is
one of the best known proper
ties in the district and adjoins
several of the most noted prop
erties in the Portland Canal
district, including the famous
Premier, B. C. Silver, Wood
bine, Sebakwe, Mineral Basin
and Glacier.
The new company has retain
ed Mr. G. R. Bancroft, E. M.,
locator of the Sebakwe ore
channels, as consulting engi
neer. Mr. Bancroft will leave
for this section to start devel
, opment activities as soon as
weather conditions warrant.
-n.
Ray Snyder returned Wednes
day on the M. V. Fairbanks
from a visit in Ketchikan.
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Ross Nicholson, who has been
in the employ of the Premier
I company for the past two
or three years, left Thursday
for Vancouver, after resigning
his position.
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The interior of the Bank of
Hyder has been greatly en
hanced by the installation of
beautifully grained, three-ply
wall boarding on the upper
walls during the past two
weeks. The new wall covering
is panelled and fiinshed in nat
ural color and presents a de
cidedly pleasing aspect. Other
sections of the interior have
also been repainted and varn
ished and double windows
have been installed.
I of mining activities, as none of
the mine equipment was in
volved in the fire. Such por
j tions of the crew as cannot be
| cared for at the mine will be
: temporarily quartered at other
; nearby camps of the company
j and the B. C. Silver manage
! ment has offered to provide
! quarters for 50 men in the B. C.
; Silver bunkhouse.
1 For a good time attend the
Library A*#n. dance. Feb. 11.
NEW DEAL FOR
TERMINUS REPORTED
A new mining deal involving
the control of the Terminus
property in the upper Bear
River section is reported in
Vancouver as having been
practically completed during
the past week.
The new controlling element
is reported to be a large min
ing concern operating in East
ern Canada and one that is new
to the local field.
The deal is said to involve
317,000 shares of the treasury
stock of the Terminus Mines,
Ltd. on a basis of 35 cents per
share and also an undesignat
ed portion of the stock hold
ings of Harry Heywood, form
er controller of the property,
sufficient to give the new
people slightly over 58 per
cent.
The Terminus is one of the
best known properties in the
district and consists of six
crown granted claims, situated
near the headwaters of Ameri
can Creek and nearly sur
rounded by the extensive hold
ings of the Vancouver Mines,
Ltd. Considerable development
work has been done on the
property in earlier years, in
cluding over 700 feet of under
ground work, which has dis
closed several veins of consid
erable ’promise. A two-ton
smelter shipment of ore during
1926, is said to have given re
turns of $138 per ton.
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
“Who will be willing to act
in the capacity of Librarian
at the Hyder Public Library
during the forthcoming ab
sence of Col. E. R. Stivers?”
is a question which of late has
been perplexing the officials
of the Hyder Public Library
Association.
Tired of worrying over the
matter, jt was resolved at the
last meeting, of the Association
Tuesday evening to pass the
question up to the members, in
the hope that those who are
in a position to give a few
hours toward keeping the li
brary open two nights a week
will volunteer their assistance.
The duties are simple and no
special knowledge is required,
hence it hoped that enough
help will be forthcoming from
public spirited citizens to keep
the library going on the regu
lar schedule.
Library officials state that
with eight or ten volunteers
available for this service, no
hardship will be imposed on
anyone, as they can serve in
rotation.
All who are willing to volun
teer for this service are re
quested to submit their name
to D. J. Mulcare, secretary of
the association.
In an effort to secure the
books most desired, the associ
ation also decided to request
library patrons to each submit
a list of five books which qre
not now available at the li
brary, and Col. Stivers will en
deavor to secure the new titles
submitted during his vacation
in the south.
Seventy-five books were re
cently added to the library
roster; a partial list of which
will be found in another col
umn. The association has also
arranged to secure the leading
book of each month through
subscribing to a “Book of the
Month Club.”
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PORTER IDAHO
ANNUAL MEETING
The annual shareholders meet
ing of the Porter Idaho Min
ing Company was held at the
company offices in the Fraser
Hotel, Hyder, B. C., Monday,
afternoon and resulted in the
reflection of all officers and
directors, with one exception,
M. Savovich, of Hyder, Alaska,
replacing Joseph Morin on the
directorate.
Clay Porter, to whom is due
the chief credit for placing
this fine producing property
on the map of Portland Canal
mines, was again reelected to
the post of manning director.
Mr. Porter’s report of his ad
ministration of company af
fairs during the past year, as
presented at the meeting, was
as follows:
During the past year we have
done 1,300 feet of develop
ment work, being 500 feet of
cross cut and 800 feet of drift
ing on veins, in addition to the
work done in taking out high
grade ore for shipment. We
shipped 125.374 tons of ore to
the Trail Smelter, averaging
approximately .101 oz. of gold,
519 oz. of silver, and 845 lbs.
of lead per ton.
In the lower level we have
drifted both ways on the vein,
and have passed through sev
eral high-grade shoots, but
most of the ore is of milling
grade. The vertical depth is
425 feet, and the ore is still
1 uaiuc aim caruunaie.
j The surface above the place
i where the cross cut intersected
| the vein is covered with rock
j slide, so we could not tell much
about it, but I don’t believe
| that we have reached the vein
i upon which we worked on top,
; for the strike is not the same
j in drift as it is on the surface.
: We are, however, going across
to cut the vein that outcrops,
known as the Winze Vein,
from the surface of which we
have shipped about half the
tonnage of high-grade to date.
We will reach our objective
about Febraury 15th, and if
nothing has occurred to the
vein, it should contain plenty
of shipping ore. We will also
pick up any veins between.
The Premier Gold Mining
Company is driving a cross cut
tunnel across our property,
and are 538 feet in it. They
have cut several veins, but only
one that out cropped on the
surface. This vein is seven feet
wide, and the vertical depth is
160 feet. We have a shallow
working at the same point on
the surface, from which we
shipped some high grade ore.
I have not seen this tunnel,
nor the vein, but our Superin
tendent reports two and one
half feet of good ore on the
hanging wall, and about the
same amount of milling ore
farther back. At about 100
feet depth they cut a vein re
ported to be four feet wide.
There is some very high grade
ore on the hanging wall, and
judging from the samples 1
have had, it will make ore
across that width.
We had the property survey
ed last summer, and are now
going to crown grant. The
property consists of eight
claims and three fractions,
comprising in all 366.21 acres.
Last fall we built a single
wire tram to the Glacier. It
will now be possible to double
our output and to cut the cost
Continued on Pag.e 2
PREMIER SECURES
SILVERADO GROUP
Sale of the spectacular Silver
ado property on the west slope
of Mt. Rainey, directly across
Portland Canal from Hyder, to
the Premier Gold Mining Com
pany is announced in recent
Victoria press dispatches. Rati
fication of the sale agreement
was scheduled to take place at
a meeting of the Silverado Min
ing Co. shareholders Wednes
day of this week.
Under the terms of the tenta
tive agreement, a new com
pany will be formed to operate
the property with the title of
Silverado Consolidated Com
pany and will be capitalized
at $1,000,000. The agreement
gives the Premier company an
option to purchase 550,000
shares of the authorized 1,000
000, for $500,000, of which the
initial payment is to be $50.
000, the reports say.
The remaining 450,000 shares
of stock will be distributed
pro-rata to holders of stock in
the present Silverado com
pany.
Reports that Premier was ne
gotiating for the Silverado
have been in circulation both
locally and in the south for
weeks, hence the deal was not
unexpected in mining circles,
despite a specific denial of
such negotiations issued by the
Premier management some
time ago.
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LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
TO GIVE DANCE
The Hyder Public Library As
sociation is making preparat
ions to give a big public dance
in Pioneer Hall on the evening
of Saturday, February 11. The
entertaiment will be in the
nature of a farewell to Col. E.
R. Stivers, librarian, who will
leave shortly thereafter on a
vacation trip to the States, but
will also possess the addition
al purposes of increasing mem
bership in the association and
improving its finances. The
price of admission has been
fixed at $2 for gentlemen,
ladies free, including the sup
per charge.
The admission charge will al
so include a full membership
in the association for the
quarter ending March 31st, to
gether with all library privi
leges of a regular member for
that period. In the event that
the gentleman Acquiring a
membership does not desire it
for himself he will be granted
the option of designating an
other person, either relative or
friend. The offer is open to
Stewart residents, to whom is
extended a cordial invitation
to participate in the entertain
ment.
The dance will be in charge
of a committee consisting of
John Hovland, T. H. Evans, D.
J. Mulcare and Mrs. E. D. Had
don. The best of music will be
provided and nothing will be
left undone to insure attend
ants a genuine good time.
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Mr.,E. E. Hall, of Winnipeg,
president of the Riverside Min
ing & Milling Co. and interest
ed in many other local enter
prises, left Tuesday for the
south after a brief visit.
Mr. Hall was accompanied by
his nephew, Arthur Hall.
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Paul Meger returned Wed
nesday from a visit in the Ket
chikan district.
HALLS TO DEVELOP BEAR
RIVER COPPER GROUP
An extensive program of sur
face prospecting and diamond
drilling activities will be
launched next summer on the
old Bear River Mines company
property in the upper Bear
River vallep by the Atlas Gold
Copper Company, a new or
ganization in which E. E. Hall,
Winnipeg financier, and his
brother, J. A. Hall of Van
couver are the leading figures.
During his recent visit to the
district, Mr. E. E Hr 11 who, in
addition to controlling the Riv
erside mine and mill, is also
heavily interested in other lo
cal activities and projects, an
nounced that the new company
is a reorganization of the old
Bear River Mines, incorporat
ed under the B. C. Companies
Act, with capital and reserves
of $1,200,000. Shares are $1
par. The organization is con
trolled by Mr. Hall and his
brother, primarily through the
acquisition last year of a large
block of stock in the Bear Riv
er Company held by , W. R.
Tonkin. This stock combined
with shares already owned by
the Hall brothers was suffici
ent to place them in full con
trol. In the reorganization of
the company, the interests of
other stockholders of the old
company were adequately pro
vided for.
The present headqr . ers of
the company is in the Ma
cauley-Maillapd-Nichols build
ing in Vancouver.
•o
INTERNATIONA? ^7 F‘~TRIC
MAKING PROGRESS
The International Electric
Company, of Stewart, distrib
uted to its bondholders on Feb
ruary 1 the second interest
payment on its bonds, amount
ing to a total of $2,500, accord
ing to Mr. E. R. Workman, or
ganizer and director of the
company.
Mr. Workman says the comp
any is making steadv progress
in its effort to supply the dist
rict with an adequate and de
1 pendable electric service and
is receiving excellent support
1 from the public, as evidenced
by a steady increase in the vol
ume of business during the past
year.
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The Northern Pool Hall and
Barber Shop is preparing to
launch another big pool tourn
j amnet for the amusement of
; patrons Monday evening. Un
• like the recent “straight” pool
| contest, the successful playing
j of which requires much skill,
ithe coming tournament will
be of the “rotation” type,
i wherein luck is an important
factor and “flukes” count a:>
readily as skillful shots. The
contest will be open to all who
desire to enter and the public
| is invited to witness the vari
ous contests.
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Mrs. Ernest Blue and daught
er, Betty, left Tuesday morn
ing on a trip to Vancouver.
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Joe Green, former local resi
dent, was an arrival from the
south Thursday in connection
with his mining interests.
..Every citizen of Hyder should
attend the big dance Feby. 11
and become a member of the
Public Library Assn.