HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YUKON - ALASKA HIGHWAY
f' ' '
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOLUME NO. 8, NO. 35.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1932.
BY THE YEAR $3.00
STEWART BABY
IS FIRE VICTIM
Another of those grewsome
fatalities involving destruction
of human life by fire, which
have been so remarkably fre
quent in the district in recent
years, occurred this week in
Stewart. This time the victim
of the fire demon’s rage was a
tiny babe, Maxine Young, 4
months old daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Young, who
was burned to death in her
cradle when the Young resi
dence was destroyed by fire
about 8 a. m. Sunday morning.
An added pathetic feature of
the tragedy was that the fire
was started by two small broth
ers of the little victim, Jack
and Charlie Young, aged 23
months and 31/> years, respect
ively, as a result of playing
with matches.
According to the story told
by Mr. Young at a coroner’s in
quest held Monday, he was
awakened about 7:30 by
smoke in his bedroom. The
door to the room occupied by
the children was closed but he
could see flames in the room
through an open stovepipe hole
in the partition. Arising hast
ily, he opened the door and
found the room filled with
flame. After arousing Mrs.
Young, he ran out the front
door to a side door in an effort
to get into the children’s room
but found the flames coming
out of the window. He then
ran to the back door and after
kicking it in found the two
boys, who had fled from their
bedroom after setting fire to
their bedclothes, but were un
able to unbolt the back door.
Mr. Young testified that he
made three attempts to reach
the baby before he was com
pelled to abandon his efforts.
A pet puppy belonging to
the family which was shut up
in a closet was also burned to
death. Efforts of the Stewart
fire department to check the
blaze were unavailing and the
building was destroyed with all
its contents.
The funeral of the little vict
im of the pitiful tragedy was
held Monday afternoon, with
Rev. Evan Baker conducting
the services, followed by inter
ment in Stewart cemetery.
DEMOCRATS TO HOLD CAUCUS
At the call of N. M. Traversy, local
committeeman, the Democrats of Hy
der will hold a caucus in the Ideal
Cafe building at 8:30 p. m. this even
ing, according to posted notices about
town.
Steamer Schedule Changes
The summer schedule of the
Canadian National steamers
will become effective here on
June 18 and there will be no
further visits by vessels of that
line until that date. After June
18th the Rupert and George
will arrive here on alternate
Saturday mornings.
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Idaho Camps Dwindle
Greatly In Population
A letter from Harry Marsh,
head engineer for the Day
Brothers of Idaho, received by
Postmaster Oren F. Hill dis
closes a very large reduction
in the population of Idaho min
ing camps as a result of the
low metal prices and resultant
decadence of mining.
| Mr. Marsh, who spent several
months in the Hyder district in
1924, states that Idaho normal
ly supports about 5,000 miners
but has less than 700 at the
present time.
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Rev. Cross Transferred
To Juneau M. E. Church
Rev. Henry R. Cross, pastor
i of Hyder Methodist Episcopal
| church during the past three
! years, has been transferred to
Juneau. A letter to this ef
j feet was received this week
from Dr. Torbet, superintend
ant of the Alaska district. The
transfer will become effective
on July 1. Mr. Cross and his
family expect to leave Hyder
June 27 enroute to their.new
location.
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ALASKA PROHIBITION
ENFORCEMENT COSTLY
Prohibition enforcement work dur
ing the current year will coat each
person in America 8.9 cents, as the
total cost of enforcement work will
be $11,069,500, according to informat
ion made available by the Hitreau of
Prohibition.
The per capita cost of enforcement
in Alaska, where $26,555 is expended
on a basis of 58, 758 population, aver
ages 45 cents. This is the highest per
capita cost in any state or territory,
j The next highest is in Nevada, where
I $32,915 is expended for 9ft,981 people,
| or an average of 3G cents.
The lowest costs are in Porto Uieo,
| where $52,194 is spent for 1.543,913
j people, an average of 3.4 cents, and in
i Ohio, where $250,895 is expended for
j 6,639,837 people at a per capita of 3.7
j cents. The largest amount is expend
ed in New York, with a population of
I 12,019,503 and a per capita of 12.fi
j cents.
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j Alex N. McDonald has gone
I to the Bridge River district of
B. C., where he is reported as
sociated with Jack Ryan.
ASSESSMENT WORK
NOW SUSPENDED
In an effort to ascertain the
situation regarding the per
formance of annual assessment
work on mining claims during
the current assessment year,
the Herald wired to Alaska
i Delegate James Wickersham
| asking information relative to
j the Swing bill, passed recently
by the House of Representa
tives and at last definite ac
counts awaiting action by the
Senate.
The reply of the Delegate
reads a,s follows:
“Suspension of assess.nen.
work is for year ending July 1,
1932.”
This means that the perform
ance of annual assessment
work for the current assess
j ment year is not required.
Although the full text of the
suspension act is unknown ai
present, it is probable that it
! will require claim owners to
j record an affidavit of intent
i ion to hold their ground, ^as
was required when assessment
| work was suspended during the
I World War. However, this
i
j cannot be fully determined un
! til copies of the suspension act
I are received.
I
MOOSE DOING FINE
WORK AT MOOSE PARK
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The Moose are still actively
engaged in placing Moose Park
in shape for the picnic s aso.u
and many fine improvements
are being made. An addition
to the men’s bath house and a
new spring board have been in
j stalled and the big swimming
I pool is being cleare t of logs
! and other timber debris with
the aid of a caterpillar tractor.
| With the completion of the
! improvement program the park
| will be in fine shape and the
! equal of anything of the kind
, in the north.
The indefatiguable efforts of
: the Moose and their friends in
! maintaining this splendid re
! sort for the public entitles
! them to the warmest commend
ation and thanks of the com
I munity.
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New Gas Stations
N. M. Traversy and Hubert
Thomas have installed gasoline
pumps at their places of busi
ness, the Malamute cigar store
and Boundary Gift Shop, for
! the convenience of motorists.
NEW MOTOR LAW
CAUSES TROUBLE
The arrest this week of a Can
adian taxi driver on charges of
violating the new Alaska mot
or license law has created wide
discussion on both sides of the
international boundary line, in
addition to arousing much re
sentment and protest on the the
part of local tradespeople.
The law provides that licens
ed cars belonging in the Unit
ed States or Canada may enter
Alaska for periods of 90 days
without obtaining Alaska licen
se, provided that such cars are
used, to quote the exact word
ing of the law, “for pleasure
only; thus expressly prohibit
ing their use for business pur
poses within the Territory.
This provision is unquestionaly
aimed at preventing foreign lic
ensed cars allowed in the Terr
itory by courtesy from engag
ing in transportation business
in competition with Alaska
cars. As a preventative of pos
sible unfair competition the re
striction is unquestionably a
wise and just provision and
elsewhere in the Territory will
probably cause no difficulties.
InThe local situation, however,
conditions are such that strict
application of the term “for
pleasure only” to Canadian
cars tends to create difficulties
of serious importance to local
business, inasmuch as many
residents of Stewart, Premier j
and Hyder, B. C., purchase
supplies and commodities in
the local market and convey j
them to their homes in their j
own cars. Most of the lumber |
and ice used in Stewart, for in
stance, is purchased in Hyder,
with the purchasers in most
cases employing their own cars
as means of conveyance.
Especially at the present time, !
when the Canadian business!
constitutes a large portion of,
the business of Hyder, this traf
fic is of decided advantage to j
local tradesmen. However, it j
is apparent that Canadian cars j
coming to Hyder for supplies j
are not being used “for pleas- j
lire only,’’ as provided by the
law, and are subject to tax if
that provision be enforced, as
was done in the case of the taxi
driver, who maintains an estab
lished taxi and delivery service
between Hyder and Stewart.
The Territorial Treasurer, in
a letter of instuction to the U.
S.
es
' i n transportation betw eeii
| Stewart and Premier incur no
j tax liability, provided that they
handle only “through busi
ness,” but indicates that those
who pick up business in Hyder
for either Premier or Stewart
Con^missioner’s office advis- j
that Canadian cars engaged
Soft Ball Game Schedule
The following schedule of
soft ball contests during the
summer has been announced
by the Portland Canal Soft Ball
League, of which Howard
Campbell is president and Ar
thur Hall secretary:
June 5— Moose vs Hyder.
June 5—Legion vs Stewart.
June 8—School vs. Stewart.
June 12—Stewart vs. Premier
No 1.
June 12— Moose vs. Premier
No. 2.
June 15—Hyder vs. Legion, at
Hyder.
June 17—School vs. Stewart.
June 19—Legion vs. Premiei
No. 2.
June 19—School vs. Premier
No. 1.
June 22—School vs. Hyder.
June 26—Hyder vs.Premier
No. 1, at Hyder.
June 26—Stewart vs. Pre
mier No. 2 at Hyder.
June 28—Moose vs. Legion.
July 3— Premier No. 1 vs.
Premier No. 2.
July 3—School vs. Moose.
July 6— Hyder vs. Stewart at
Hyder.
July 10—Legion vs. Premier
No. 1.
July 10—School vs. Premier
No. 2.
July 13—Moose vs. Stewart.
July 17— Premier No. 1 vs.
Moose.
July 17—Premier No. 2 vs.
Hyder.
The first three games of the
series were postponed. Stew
art on June 8 won the first
game, beating the Legion 5-4.
Sunday afternoon Stewart
will play Premier No. 1 and
the Moose team will meet Pre
mier No. 2 at Stewart. Wednes
day, the 15th, the Legion will
meet the Hyder team in Hyder
at 7 p. m.
The schedule was arranged
by a committee composed of
H. W. Thomas, W. Sellers and
James Morrice.
S. G. Lawrence of Stewart has
donated a cup for the team
winning the series.
should be compelled to obtain
Alaska license.
While the law indicates no
distinctions, the view is held
that the “for pleasure only” re
striction was not intended to
apply to other than those motor
vehicles customarily engaged
in the business of transportat
ion and does not apply to pri
vate or other cars not so used.
In an effort to determine
this point, the Hyder Chamber
of Commerce is taking up the
question with the Territorial
Attorney General for an opin
ion. As the situation stands
at present, enforcement of the
“for pleasure'only” provision
against Canadian cars appers
distinctly unjust and will work
a severe injury to local business
establishments.
CHAMBER COMMERCE
HOLDS DIKHEH
The monthly dinner meeting
of the Hyder Chamber of Com
merce was held Wednesday
evening in Pioneer Hall, with
24 members and visitors pres
ent from both sides of the
boundary line. Aside from the
acceptance of the resignation
of Rev. H. R. Cross as secretary
md the appointment of two
new committees, the business
of the session was largely of
routine character.
Hubert Thomas was nominat
ed to succeed Mr. Cross, whose
resignation was tendered in an
ticipation of his early depart
ure to Juneau, but was not
confirmed owing to Mr. Thom
as not being present. A new
entertainment committee, con
isting of O. F. Hill, chairman,
L. C. Thornton, N. M. Traver
iy, Frank Reichenback. D. J.
Mulcare and E. D. Haddon
was named to conduct enter
tainments in the interest of the
Chamber finances. A special
committee composed of Holger
Johnson, chairman, Richard
Wirth, N. M. Traversy and L.
C. Thornton was also appoint
ed to investigate the condition
of the sidewalk in the upper
townsite and devise means for
rehabilitation.
The Chamber also passed a
vote of thanks to Chas. Fehr
ing for repairs made to the
walk on his own initiative.
At the conclusion of the bus
iness program, short addresses
on various topics were made by
Messrs. Clay Porter, E. M. Rey
nolds, Don Esselmont, D. J.
Mulcare, and also by Messrs.
W. D. Smith and Mr. Thomp
son of the Northern B. C. Pow
er Company, and Mr. Murphy,
Burns Company manager in
Stewart.
The ladies of the Friendship
Club served a splendid home
cooked dinner which won the
commendation o f everyone
attending.
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New Alaska Postoffices
The Postoffiee Department has an
nounced the following changes in the
names and locations of Alaska post
offices between June 1, 1931 and April
30, 1932:
Postoffices established were Bald
win, Fanshaw, Galena, Ferry, Gakona.
Good News Bay, Kwiguk, Bakeview,
Lawing, Old Harbor, Saint Timothy*,
Selawik, Tolovana, Warton.
Cape Fanshaw was changed to Fan
shaw and McCord was changed to Old
Harbor. Offices discontinued were:
Chorniy. Kantishna and Speel River,
and mail for those points should bo
directed to Ketchikan, Nenana and
Juneau, respectively.