I
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS pF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
1 .. ■ ■<
SUBSCRIPTIONS
*3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
VOL 7, NO. 13
RYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3,1931.
PRICE TEN CENTS
B, C, SILVER MILL IS
UNDERCONSIDERATION
That the B. C. Silver proper
ty has been developed to a
stage where mill construction
is warranted; that mill erect
ion is now under consideration,
and that present development
is being carried on with a view
to preparing the developed
ore bodies for commercial ex
ploitation, are the salient state
ments of the annual report of
president and general manager
C. A. Banks, of the B. C. Silver
company, presented at the an
nual meeting in Vancouver a
few days ago.
In addition to confirming in
every respect the ore develop
ment results published by the
Herald during the past year,
the report states that the “Av
erage value of the orebodies
disclosed to date will make a
good grade mill product.
Development during the fis
cal year ending August 31,
last, all work having been con
centtated on No. 6 level, dis
closed the ore zone for a total
length of 2400 feet, four on
bodies having been found ii
the process, the report states.
Continuing, the report say.
that the possibilities of the ore
zone were by no means ex
hausted by the work done and
it was considered probable
that additional important ore
shoots would be revealed by
further exploitation. Thi
prospect has been substantially
confirmed by the opening ur
of at least two important on
bodies since the period of the
report; one on No. 6 level, the
other on No. 3. -Editor.)
Drifting, crosscutting and
sideswiping during the period
of the report was equivalent
to 3850 feet of drifting, the re
port says. A total of $91,929
was expended on development
during the year, bringing total
development costs on the prop
erty to Aug. 31, 1930 to $677,
888.94. Total general expense
to that date, including insur
ance, salaries and deprecia
tion, amounted to $120,201.39.
of which $15,769 represents
expenditures under that head
for the current year. Current
liabiities amounted to $4,101.
67, compared with $10,766.97
for the previous year.
Value of the mine property
at cost is placed at $956,015.
50, and buildings, machinery
and equipment, less deprecia
tion, at $87,268, as against
$105,033.26 the preceeding
year.
Loans and advances from the
British Canadian Silver Cor
poration, subsidiary of the Se
lukwe Gold Mining and Fi
nance Company, which holds
$879,599 out of an authorized
and issued capital of $1,500,
000 of the B. C. Silver Mines,
Ltd., are placed by the report
at $804,246.37, of which $134,
601.67, was advanced during
the year of review.
-o
Wendell Fehring, son of
Charles Fehring, arrived last
week to spend the holidays
with his father. Wendell is
now a student at the Univer
sity of Washington, where he
is taking a course in engineer*
____
Alaska Juneau Mine
on Dividend Basis
Entrance of the Alaska-Jun
eau Gold Mining Company in
! to the dividend paying list
was signalized at the direct
ors’ last meeting in San Fran
cisco. The amount was $140,
000 or 10^ a share on the issue
! of 1,400,000 shares. It is ex
j pected that a quarterly rate
! of 40(* a share will be main
tained.
A bond issue of $893,400
was retired out of earnings
before the dividend was de
clared.
Alaska-Juneau has been op
erating at a profit since the
| middle of 1928. No dividend*
i had been paid, however, since
; 1897.
_„_
Ncn-Resident Troller Tax
Is Declared Illegal
The United States Circuit
Court of Appeals at San Fran
t cisco has handed down a de
cision declaring invalid the
non - resident troller’s tax
passed by the 1929 session of
:he Alaska legislature.
The Appelate Court held
hat the tax in question is in
direct conflict with the Act of
Congress, and was an attempt
by the Alaska legislature to
destroy rights conferred by
Congress upon citizens.
The decision reverses a de
cision handed down several
months ago by Federal Judge
Justin W. Harding, in the
First Division which upheld
the territorial law imposing a
tax of $1 on resident and $250
on non-resident trollers.
The case was brought by
; Wood Freeman, Seattle troller,
i who sued the territorial treas
urer, asking that he be re
i strained from collecting the
| tax. It is said the case affected
j more than one hundred fisher
! men.
I
; Indian Bureau May
Take Over Schools
—
Transfer of education of
Alaska Indians and Eskimos
! from the Office of Education,
where it has always been, to
I the Federal Bureau of Indian
j Affairs, is provided for in the
! regular Interior Department
• appropriations bill which was
i passed by the lower house of
Congress, according to a press
dispatch from Washington.
It is understood that the
: change was first proposed by
Representative Louis C. Cram
ton, and was approved by
Secretary Ray Lyman Wilbur
of the Interior Department.
Alaska delegate to Congress
i Dan Sutherland fought vainly
on the floor of the House to
prevent transfer of the schools,
| offering an amendment to the
j department of the interior sup
ply bill striking from the bill
the words Bureau of Indian
Affairs and substituting Office
of Education. The amendment,
i however, was rejected by the
House.
-o
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Mar
tin, well known former resi
i, dents of the camp, are now lo
,'cated at Port Angeles, Wash.,
' where Mr, Martin, who was
i assistant cashier of the Bank
1 of Hyder during his stay here,
is now connected with the As
sociated Oil* Company.
FINAL CHAPTER BURKE
TRAGEDY IS CLOSED
The final chapter in the
Burke airplane tragedy wan
written Monday in the little
settlement of Atlin, B. C.,
when the body of Capt. E. J.
A. Burke was laid at rest in
the local burial ground.
The recovery of the dead
Canadian aviator's body from
its temporary grave near the
west fork of the Leard Rivev
was successfully accomp
olished by Pilot E. Wassop
Guide J. Walsh, and Sergeant
Leopold of the Royal Canad
ian Mounted Police, last week,
press reports said that con
siderable difficulty was ex
perienced, as the remains had
to be carried 10 miles over
soft snow to the landing place
of Wasson’s plane.
The body was returned to
; Whitehorse, where an inquest j
was held, after which the re- j
mains were turned over to
Capt. Burke’s widow and j
taken to Atlin.
The story of the rescue con- j
stitutes one of the great epic’s j
of the Northland and cannot
be fully completed without a j
tribute of honor to the fearless ■
young pilot, Everett Wasson, j
and his equally daring guide
and companion, Jack Walsh.
Flying almost steadily for
I more than a month over the
i snow-covered barrens of the
i desolate Atlin region, battling !
[the relentless winter elements,;
taking big chances at every ,
turn, and never giving up hope '
j of a successful culmination of
| their difficult and dangerous
[quest, these two men as
I suredly earned for themselves j
[the title of heroes and are i
j well entitled to the world’s j
acclaim for their dauntless j
! courage and selfsacrifice
j Great credit is also due the
'Treadwell Yukon Company
and their manager, Living
j stone Wernecke, for the use of
j the company plane, as without
j their generous assistance, it is
j probable that two more lives
| would have been sacrificed in
I the grim air tragedy.
«•
. Pregress in Game Stocking
The game re-stocking pro-1
gram made possible through
funds provided by the Alaska
Legislature and carried out
under the Alaska Game Com
mission by direction of the
| Governor, is proving of con
i siderable value. Recent re
ports indicate that the elk
brought from the Olympic
Peninsula in the State of
Washington and placed on
Kruzof and Afognak islands,
I are well satisfied with their
j new homes and satisfactory
I increases are reported from
the herds this year.
The herd of buffalo brought
from Montana and released in
the Big Delta region east of
Fairbanks, is ranging over a
considerable area. An increase
of eight animals is reported in
it since its introduction there.
Reports have also been re
ceived to the effect that the
beavers transplanted to Baran
, of and Kodiak islands are in
i creasing. The muskrats plant
ed on Prince of Wales Island
, and the islands of the Kodiak
• Afognak district are, also, be
coming well established.
HEW SEARCH ON
FOR CARMAN
To search for traces of Robin
Renehan, Frank Hatcher and
Sam Clerf, aviators missing
since October 28, the halibut
schooner Dorothea, with Larry
Parks, captain, and a volunteer
crew of 20 experienced sea
men arrived recently at
Ketchikan.
The mission of the Dorothea
will be to scan carefully the
various b'jaeh lines in the hope
of obtaining either from
wreckage or from Indians,
fishermen or ranchers some
evidence of the whereabouts
or the fate of the unfortunate
airmen. The idea of the ex
pedition is that a closer search
can be made by the slow mov
ing boat than by a fast flying
plane.
The first suggestion for a
boat search of the kind started
by the Dorothea was made by
Phil Jolie of Juneau when he
was in Seattle recently. He
spoke before the Rotary,
Kiwanis and numerous other
[service chibs. His talks and
efforts resulted in contribu
tions totaling $3,000, to be
used in putting his plan into
effect. The money was turn
ed over to the Alaska-Wash
ington Airways, with which
the missing aviators were as
sociated and with which Larry
Parks is connected.
- n_
Unemployment.. Aid Is
Provided For Alaska
The Unemployment Emerg
ency Construction Bill, passed
by the House of Representa
tives a few days ago, provides
unemployment relief for Alas
ka in three items, according to
press reports.
These include an appropri
ation of $272,000 for the im
provement of Ketchikan Creek
at Ketchikan; for a harbor
refuge at Seward, $45,000:
and $17,000 for habor im
provements at Port Alexander.
•n
Big Time at Premier
The Winter Carnival given
at Premier on New Years
| Eve under the auspices of the
1 Community Club was one of
j the most enjoyable winter
events of recent years and
w'as attended by considerable
number from Stewart and
Hyder, despite somewhat dif
ficult traveling conditions.
The program included a song and
dance act by Miss Evalyn Blanton
and S. A. McPherson; a song and
dance duo by Mrs. Smurthwaite and
Mr. Paul Wals; a vocal duet by
Misses Elizabeth Pitt and Hav:el
Wilson; a toe dance by Miss Evalyn
Blanton with song accompaniment by
Mr. McPherson; a Spanish dance by
Miss Maybelle Bancroft; violin and
ukelele solos by Joe Arseneau. The
numbers were excellently rendered
and were applauded to the echo. The
big Community hall was handsomely
decorated in a manner betokening the
winter season, particularly the orch
estra pit which resembled bn ice
grotto, with a background of North
ern lights adding a most unusual and
charming effect. The realism was
further enhanced by the wearing of
white parka’s by the orchestra mem
! hers.
The program was concluded by a
slendid full course cold turkey
dinner.
With the advent of midnight,
Father Time appeared on anowshoes
and expired at the twelfth stroke of
the hour. A dog team bearing the
New Year, represented by llttfe
Leward Manning, next appeared and
was given a vociferous ovation by
the gathering. Dancing continued
throughout the evening. All who at
tended are a unit in declaring the
entertainment one of the most Inter
esting and novel ever witnessed.
Improper Radio Tuning
Causes Much Complaint
The failure of some local
radio users to set Iheir sta
tion selector properly when
tuning in is causing consider
able complaint among fellow
radio fans of late, and a word
of advice on the subject ap
pears decidedly in order at
this time.
As an indication of the prev
alence of this discord produc
ing penchant, it may be said
that the writer heard three ex
cellent programs in one even
ing virtually Spoiled by the
steady whistling and droning
caused by improper setting
of station selectors somewhere
in town. Inquiry disclosed'that
no less than four other radio
owners, each with a different
type of radio, had noted the
same trouble at the same time
Inquiry also developed the
fact that most radio owner?
take very little care in tuning
in, merely turning the station
indicator to a point where they
can hear a program distinctly
and leaving it there, regard
less of whether their instru
ment is properly tuned in 01
not. To help overcome this dis
cord producing practice, radio
owners should take care to
have the indicator set at the
point where the incoming tone
volume it loudest.
When tuning in on a station
don,’t merely move the indica
tor to where the tone volume
sounds loud enough to suit
your liking. Move it slowly
still farther until the tone vol
ume commences to diminish.
Then stop and move it slowly
back to where the volume is
loudest. Then if the .volume h
too loud, reduce it by turning
the volume reducing knob un
til the tone is agreeable to your
ear. By following this simple
method of moving the indi
cator back and forth a trifle,
it is easy to find the point
where the volume is loudest
and you will then be not only
perfectly tuned in, but you
will also spare others consider
able obnoxious discord. And if
you don’t your ears are very
liable to burn, for some ot
y'our neighbors will probably
be saying unmentionable
things about y'our carelessness
or ignorance of how to operate
a radio.
Radio Officials Heed
Request From Alaska
Acknowledgement of re
ceipt of the indorsement given
by the Alaska Territorial
Chamber of Commerce to the
application of broadcasting
station KOMO, Seattle for a
15.000- watt power license,
has been received from the
Federal Radio Commission,
says the Juneau Empire. In a
letter to Mr. M. S. Whittier,
secretary of the Chamber,
Harold L. LaFount, member ot
the commission, promises that
the application of KOMO will
receive “serious and careful
consideration.”
KOMO is operating on a
1.000- watt basis. If a 15,000
license is granted, the Seattle
station’s broadcasts will be re
ceived throughout Alaska
more clearly and* with greater
satisfaction than at present,
it is expected.
NEW FUR DISTRICTS
The Alaska Game Commiss
ion completed its sixth annual
cession at Juneau December
13. Among the more important
changes in the existing game
regulations resulting from the
session were the creation of
four new fur districts and the
revision of the open and closed
seasons on fur bearers based
upon the climatic conditions
which constitute the governing
factor in the priming of furs.
Changes in present regulat
ons recommended by the Com
mission will not be effective
until July 1, 1931 and circulars
announcing the changes will be
distributed in time to be in the
hands of interested persons by
that date.
For more than ten years the
open seasons for taking fur
I bearing animals have been
governed by the divisions of
the Territory into three fur
districts but the Commission
has now increased the number
to eight, following the suggest
ions of game wardens and oth
ers conversant with climatic
conditions and the primeness
of furs in nearly every section
of Alaska.
Ii\ revising the open and
closed seasons, the Commission
followed a suggestion that is
almost universal among trap
pers to have the season for
mink, land otter, weasel, foxes
and lynx open at the same
time and close simultaneously.
The open season for taking of
muskrats was not altered and
extends beyond those of other
fur-bearers because this ani
mal can be taken in many sect
ions only after the breakup.
The Commission also decided
to discontinue the issuance of
permits for the capture of
mink during the close season
for propagation purposes, ow
ng to many complaints that
the animals are becoming
scarce in many sections. This
new policy becomes effective
January 1, next.
o
Big Radio Now Building
Numerous local inquiries rel
ative to the recent announce
ment that radio broadcasting
station KNX, at Hollywood,
| Cal., had been authorized to
i establish a 50,000 watt station
are answered in a recent issue
of the Juneau Empire, stating
that several months will elapse
before the new station will be
in operation.
The big station, which will
no doubt overcome most of
the present reception difficult
ies experienced by Alaska rad
io owners, is now under con
struction, according to a com
munication received direct
from KNX by Ludwig Nelson
of the Juneau Radio Club in re
sponse to a telegram sent by
him to the station asking veri
fication of the press reports
that a high power station had
been authorized. The reply re
ceived by Mr. Nelson was as
follows:
“New 50,000-watt station be
ing built. Will require several
months. Will let you . know in
augural date. Best regards.”