SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
r
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
■ $3.00 PER YEAR
iN ADVANCE
VOL 6, NO. 40
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JULY 12,1930.
PRICE TEN CENTS
MOVEMENT FOR
REMONITIZATION
SILVER GROWING
The movement for the remon
itization of silver, launched re
cently in the United States, is
gaining new friends daily and
promises to become virtually a
world issue in course of time.
Canadian mining and finan
cial men and writers now dis
play keen interest in the silver
question and Hon. H. H. Stev
ens, noted Canadian legislat
or, recently brought the silver
problem before the Dominion
legislature in the following
trenchant address:
“ Consider the question of sil
ver. I could take an hour to dis
cuss this question, but I am just
going to say this:
“I believe at the next imper
ial conference Canada ougth to
bring the attention of the em
pire to the great question of
silver, silver coinage and the
remonitization-of silver.
“I am not going into the intri
cate and complex question of
the remonitization of silver,
but its history is a tragedy.
There is no doubt of this in my
mind. In 1873 one billion peo
ple in the orient, in China, in
India, in the Malay States and
in Mexico, w'ere deprived of
two-thirds of their purchasing
power by the action of the na
tions of that day.
“There is one reason for the
agricultural and commercial
depression which exists today
all over the world. One-hali
of the human race is living be
low the margin of decent liv
ing. In fact millions in China,
during the past year, have died
largely because of the inade
quacy of their purchasing pow
er.
“To my mind, Mr. Speaker,
this matter of silver is the big
gest subject before the world
today. I call attention to it be
cause we are a big producer of
silver. Great Britain is a large
importer, having imported,
during 1927, 55,000,000 ounc
es of silver. During the same
period India imported 116,
000,000 ounces, and nothing
would help Canada, Mexico
and the United States so much
as the solution of this complex
silver question.”—Mining Re
view.
-o
Gccrge Copper Closed Down
Development activities of the
Consolidated Mining & Smelt
ing Company on the George
Copper property north of
Stewart were abruptly sus
pended a few days ago on or
ders from the south, which
gave no explanation for the
shut-down. Local dopesters
advance numerous conjectural
reasons for the suspensioa but
nothing definite can be ascer
tained). Certain established
facts, however, suggest that
the shut-down is temporary.
-o
Cemetery Asosciation Revived
The Riverview Cemetery As
sociation was revived and re
organized Friday, with Ofen F.
Hill as president. The associa
tion plans extensive improve
ment in the handling of ceme
tery affairs, details of which
will be ^rivep next we^k.
I PORTER IDAHO MINE
NOW SHIPPING ORE
Inaugurating a new period of
expansion in connection with
its activities in the Marmot sec
! tion, the Premier Gold Mining
; Company commenced Monday
j the shipment of ores from the
: Porter-Idaho property.
The initial shipment is un
; dertood to have been 250 tons
| and was taken out in opening
up new stopes preparatory to
regular mining operations.
It is reliably reported that
the company now has a large
tonnage of excellent grade ore
in sight as a result of develop
! ment 'work during the past
spring season.
With the commencement of
shipping from the Porter-Ida
ho, the Premier has two pro
ducing mines in the Marmot
district, the other being the
Prosperity, which has been in
production since early last
I spring.
■o
I
Activity on Texas Creek.
Emil Davis came in from the
Texas Creek and Chickamin
glacier sections Wednesday and
reported considerable activity.
He met Bob. Andrews, Lou
' isLegge and Mr. Campbell en
I route to the Chickamin, haul
ing about 500 pounds of sup
plies over Chickamin glacier
on a hand sled. He also en
countered C. L. Hibbard and
! M. C. Butler, E. M., and Mess
! rs Metcalf and Fendley in the
| Chickamin. On Texas Creek j
prospecting activities are get-1
ting under way and lumber j
was going up to the Marietta J
group.
The Seims-Spokane Comp-1
any is making excellent prog-j
| ress on the Texas Highway ex- j
j tension and has reached a
i point about % of a mile be
| yond Ibex Creek. Preparations
| were under way for starting on j
1 the first section of rock woi’k !
i near that point and the com- i
pressor was installed in read- :
' iness for drilling,
j Company auto trucks now
travel beyond Ibex Creek.
The vast improvement in trav
' ing conditions in that section
afforded by the new road is
well examplified by Mr. Dav- j
is’ statement that he came1
down from the Chickamin in
8'4 hours. He believes the!
trip can be made in 3*/^ hours
when the road is through to
Disappearing Lake.
-o
Moose Legion Plans Visit.
A large delegation of mem
bers of the Ketchikan Moose
heart Legion are planning to
visit Hyder late next month.
; according to advices received
i by N. M. Traversy, dictator of
the local Moose lodge.
) The visitors expect to leave
i Ketchikan on the last Satur
day in August and will remain
i here over Sunday. There is al
so a prospect that a delegat
ion of Legionnaires from "the
Prince Rupert Legion may also
visit us at the same time.
---o
John Hovland, managing di
rector of the Unicorn Mines
company, came down last week
for the 4th and reported that
summer development activities
are now well under way on the
Unicorn property, adjoining
the Big Missouri.
Buena Vista Company Plans
Concentrator For Big Missouri
..That the Buena Vista Minins
Company has decided to pro
ceed with an aggressive devei
opment pregram on the note<
Big Missouri property, includ
ing the construction of a con
centraticn mill and possibly al
so a power plant, was an
nounced in Vancouver July ^
j following an all-day meeting
of officials of the Consolidated
Mining and Smelting Co. and
of the Big Missouri Mining Co.
the two principals in the Buena
Vista holding company. The
first news of this to us highly
important development was
contained in Vancouver neWi
papers reaching here Tuesday.
The anouncement, made by
F. D. Oakley, Buena Vista di
rector, was to the effect that
the engineers of both groups
had agreed c-n plans for devei.
oping the Big Missouri proper
ty, the full report of which
would be made public in a few
days.
Regarding the projected mill,
Mr. Oakley stated that agree
ment had not been reached
with respect to its capacity and
situation but that these points
British War Vessel
To Visit This Port
A British warship, H. M. S.
Despatch, is scheduled to visit
Stewart, and incidentally Hy
der, during the latter days of
the present month, according
to advices received in Stewart
last week from the British nav
al authorities. The visit of the
war vessel is in response to an
invitation from the Stewart
Board of Trade some months
ago.
The vessel, a battle cruiser,
and therefore a fighting ship
of the first class, with a crew
450 officers and men, is slated
to arrive during the evening of
July 25th and will remain here
until the morning of July 29th.
In addition to providing the
residents of this section with
an unusual opportunity to see
and probably inspect a modern
warship, the visit of H. M. S.
Despatch will be a particularly
momentous event in the history
of the camp by reason of the
fact that it will be the first
time a British War vessel has
visited the port,
camp.
Stewart residents are plan
ning to give the crew a rousing
greeting and entertainment
during their stay.
o
F rantz—Ostergard
Miss Johanna J. Ostei'gard
and Mr. John H. Frantz wer€
united in the matrimonial bond
by Rev. Henry R. Cross at the
M. E. Church parsonage Mon
day evening.
Tre happy couple are resi
dents of Stewart. Mr. Frantz u
a miner by occupation and hie
bride has been for some time
an employee of the King Ed
ward Hotel in Stewart.
-o
Mrs. N. M. Traversy left Mon
day enroute to eastern Canada
where a sister is reported ser
iously ill. Mrs. Traversy wil
probably remain in the east un
til October*
: would be fully determined be
■ fere the public announcement
■ would be made.
I Mr. Oakley's statement ha!
■ since been confirmed in almosl
■ every particular in private ad
- vices which leave no doubt that
the company’s intentions are in
, full accord with the press an
nouncements.
Coming in the worst period
of mining and business depress
ion in the camp’s history, the
new; cf the company’s contem
! plations was received with a
satisfaction ameunting almost
to elation, owing to the proba
bility that the projected devel
opment will give new impetus
to local business and industry,
! as well as increased employ
| ment for labor.
News received from reliable
I sources later in the week indi
! cated that the company is con
templating a concentrator of
moderate capacity and is con
sidering the acquisition of the
Riverside mine mill. This con
centrator is of 60-cdd tons cap
acity and is fully equipped for
operation.
Stewart Voters Elect
First City “Dads”
Signalizing its recent entry in
to the ranks of incorporated
municipalities, Stewart held
last Saturday its first municipal
election under the Village Act
for the purpose of selecting
three Commissioners to handle
the affairs of the town until
the next regular election in
January, 1931. The Commiss
ioners so elected will constitute
what would be termed on this
side of the boundary line the
city council or board of aider
men.
Four well known business
men, H. P. Gibson, Wm. New
ell, W. R. Tooth, and L. S. Dav
idson, were nominated for the
three offices, each being nomi
nated by at least two qualified
voters. The election contest
was spirited and resulted as
follows:
1 H. P. Gibson . 70
2 Wm. Newell .;. 68
3 W. R. Tocth . 60
j 4 L. S. Davidson.47
Midnight Sun Highway
To Pt. Barrow Proposed
A bill providing for an inves
tigation of the feasibility of a
“Midnight Sun Highway”
from Fairbanks to Point Bar
row or some other point in
northern Alaska where the
midnight sun is visible, was re
ported favorably to the Senate
from the Agriculture Committ
ee, according to a press report
from the national capital a few
days ago. The measure, at
tributed to Senator McNeary,
would amend another author
izing the president to appoint
a commission to study the feas
ibility of a highway connecting
the United States, British Col
umbia, Yukon Territory and
Alaska, the report said.
-O
Born—Tuesday in Stewart hos
pital, to the wife of James
Thomas, a son.
Mr .Thomas is a well known
Stewart taaLmao.
FLOOD CONTROL
PLANS OUTLIKEO
Report and recommendations
cf Board of Engineers, U. S.
War Department,' for control
of Salmon River Floods.
-o
(Continued from last week)
Although this solution will
involve carrying floods along
the lace of the entire structure
with attendant destructi v e
erosion, it is believed that a
structure of heavy rock or
brush and rock can be de
signed to successfully combat
this action as is the case with
many such structures built by
the Alaska Road Commission
and are now giving good serv
ice on similar streams elsc
wheie in Alaska.
It would appear advisable to
| locate this structure along the
1 crest T?nd to clear flood ways
! in addition, rather than to lo
j cate it close to town on the low
i side of the valley and carry all
flood waters over the present
open bar (north half) without
cleariiig flood ways because
for the recommended location
there would be a tendency for
the waters to be drawn away
from the levee rather than to
flow toward the levee as would
; be the case for the location
| closer to town.
i Also for the location recom
| mended the higher elevation of
| the center of the bar would ne
i cessitate a lower structure
! throughout. The lower struct
| ure would require less mainte
| nance and would be safer and
more reliable during flood
stages, as well as cheaper to
construct. Furthermore, by
throwing flood waters to the
south side of the crest of the
bar, less length of levee would
be required as the natural ten
dency of the waters would be
to flow away from town as
soon as they had been guided
over the crest, hence from this
i point downstream there would
probably be no necessity for
levee construction. No other
auxiliary works would be re
quired nor could any develop
ments of power or irrigation be
economically combined with
this flood-control work.
Estimated cost (to protect
against 15-year floods) :
Repairs to dike No. 2 and ex
tension .,. $15,000
3,000 feet levee at $15
I per foot . 45,000
| Clearing flood way,
! 40 acres, at $300 per
acre . 12,000
Engineering and con
| tingencies . 8,000
Total
80,000
Annual maintenance. 1,00(
Interest at 4 per cent.. . ..3,201
Amortization (20-year
life) ... 4,000
Total annual charges .... 8,200
Estimated annual sav
ings due to protection .. 9,000
; Cost per acre protected 267
Value of property pro
jected . 750,000
j The United States has the fol
lowing tangible interests to
' consider:
! Value of government property
within path of floods to be pro
tected, less road. $40,000
Relief from necessity of relo
LAND OFFICE DOLES
AGAINST SURVEY AS
ASSESSMENT WORK
_
That the act of the Alaska
Legislature providing that the
cost of an official survey of a
mining claim may be credited
as annual assessment work up
on the property attempts to
grant more favorable terms
than the Federal statute gov
erning performance of annual
assessment work and to that
extent is considered without
force and effect and cannot,
j therefore, be credited as annu
j al assessment or expenditure
j required as a prerequisite to
patent, is the substance of a re
cent decision by the U. S. Land
j Office.
The decision in effect means
1 that, for the present at least,
the Land Office will not recog
nize such application of survey
costs as a performance of an
nual assessment work within
the meaning of the.Federal act
requiring $500 worth of work
on each claim for which pat
ent is sought.
In rendering this opinion, the
Land Office refers to the re
cent decision of the Circuit
Court of Appeals in the well
known case of Wiegand vs
Byrne at Fairbanks, in which
the court, although pointing
out that the act of the Alaska
Legislature is unconstitutional,
nevertheless upheld the appli
cation of official survey costs
on assessment work in connect
ion with that action.
The department contends
that in view of the territorial
act attempting to grant more
favorable terms than the Fed
I eral act, it does not feel con
strained to follow the ruling of
the court in the Wiegand case
and until the court ruling i3
upheld by more persuasive
opinion or by the United States
Supreme Court, will not credit
surveys costs on assessment
performance i n connection
with patents.
The department, to obviate
misunderstanding, calls atten
aion to the fact that it has
nothing to do with the question
j of annual labor upon mining
I locations on mineral lands
which continue to be subject to
■ location, entry and purchase
j under the mining lows, but con
tends it has the right to deter
< mine the question when such
| lands are presented for patent,
i
However, it appears that the
decision will have the effect of
rendering somewhat v hazard
ous the future application of
•urvey costs to annual assess
ment work in the Territory un
til such time as the question is
definitely settled by the courts.
eating road in * case present
road destroyed, savings 30,000
Shifting of Salmon River to
south side of valley will relieve
river action at dock and elimi
nate necessity for repairs, ex
tension, or dredging, estimated
value ... 30,000
Total . $100,000
Or annually for 20 years 5,000
(To be concluded next week)