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SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
- -*
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA AND THE PORTLAND CANAL MINING DISTRICT.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
S3.C0 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
J
VOL. 7, NO. 31
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 9,1931.
PRICE TEN CENTS
CHAMBER COMMERCE
HOLDS DINNER MEET
The monthly dinner meeting
of the Hyder Chamber of
Commerce was held in the
Ideal Cafe Wednesday even
ing and attracted upward of
twenty-five members of the
organization from both sides
of the line. The attendants al
so included a number of vis
itors, including W. J. Craw
ford, of Stewart, deputy U. S.
Marshal Warren S. Harding,
Curtis Gardner, of Portland
Ore., and G. J. Truitt, visit
ing war department engineer.
E. D. Haddon, president of the
Chamber of Commerce presid
ed.
Among the business matters
of general public interest prc
, sented during the meeting was
a report of a special committee
on fire pumping apparatus
■ headed by N. M. Traversy.
This disclosed that a new type
of portable engine attachable
to an automobile could be
landed here for $360. Another
proposal involved the purchase
of an engine from A. J. May
er at a cost of $90.00 which
could be similarly employed
for fire pumping purposes.
Outling the committee finding
president Haddon said this
would provide an A-l pump
ing unit and the only other ex
pense would be the cost of the
hose. Mr. Haddon referred to
* a proposal to secure one of the
old Bureau of Public Roads
gravel trucks for use as a fire
wagon and hose cart, to which
the engine could be attached.
- Ample water for fire fighting
in almost every section of town
could be secured by sinking
sump holes in the creek run
ning through the townsite, Mr.
Haddon said. After discussing
plans to secure from the Seat
tle fire department discarded
high pressure hose suitable for
local low pressure require
ments, and for securing one of
the B. P. R. trucks, Mr. Bad
don said it was high time de
cisive action was taken. Funds,
he said, could be secured
through giving dances. Mr.
Haddon then appointed a per
manent fire apparatus com
mittee consisting of Mr. Trav
ersy, chairman, Edgar Prov
inse and E. L. Dale to carry on
the work.
The chairman also reported
a statement by W. W. Metcalf
that he recently had inter
viewed forest service officials
relative to the projected Band
ed mountain pack trail and
had been assured that work
was expected to start when
the snow is gone.
Secretary H. R. Cross also
read a letter from the forest
service relative to the propos
ed trail to serve mines along
the east slope of Salmon val
ley, which said the bureau
would be glad to keep the mat
' ter in mind but did not expect
the work could be done this
year. President Haddon ex
pressed high appreciation of
the work done by Messrs. O.
F. Hill, B. B. Smith and Afthur
Moa, the committee in charge
of this project, and also ex
tended the thanks of the
v Chamber.
Mr. Haddon reported receipt
a response from the Portland
Canal Power Company to a
Work Renewed on Salmon
River Road Improvemen
Work on the Salmon Rive:
ioad improvement contrac
was renewed this week by tin
Johnson-Gardner Company, o:
Portland, following the arriv
al Sunday of Curtis Gardner
junior member of the contract
ing firm, and a small crew o:
men from the south.
The work involves both wid
; ening and elevation of the Sol
mon River highway roadbec
! between Nine-mile and Elev
jen-mile under a contract let b\
i the Bureau of Public Roads
land will continue throughoul
I most of the summer season. A
: portion of the grading wa;
done last fall prior to the com
mcuncement of the snowy per
iod.
In a statement to the Herald
Mr. Gardner said he expected
to employ a crew of about 4C
men. The bulk of the. crew ar
rived from the States on the
motorship Zapora.
Mr. Gardner’s family will
join him in Hyder shortly.
telegram from the Chamber ol
Commerce regarding activities
on the company’s big hydro
electi ic project on Davis River.
The message stated the
company is at present going
into details of selecting a gen
eral contractor to undertake
the construction work involved
but gave no intimination as to
when active work would be
gin. President Haddon point
ed out that such large projects
require time for perfecting ar
rangements and expressed con
fidence that the company is
going ahead as speedily as
possible. Attention was also
called to the posting of gov
ernment notices in the post
office requesting notice of any
objections to the company re
moving sand and gravel from
points in the vicinity of the
power site.
A letter from the proposed Premier
Stewart-Hyder International Celebra
tion commttee was read, stating that
arrangements are going forward sitr
cess fully and requesting an advance
of $20 for secretarial expenses. This
amount was voted.
Receipts of $10 and a treasury bal
ance of $105.63 were reported by the
secretary.
Mr. Truitt was requested to make
a statement regarding the Salmon
tlver flood survey and briefly out
lined tlie proceedure involved, in ad
dition to expressing his appreciation
of the reception and assistance giv
en during his stay in camp.
Deputy Marshal Harding also spoke
briefly, expressing his liking for his
new post and created considerable
merriment by saying that he usually
refrained from attending gatherings
similar to this for fear he would lie
asked to make a speech.
Mr. Gardner, referred to his road
construction activities on Salmon
river and said lie was glad to he baefc
again, as his work here was always
pleasant. He also volunteered to be
come a member of the Chamber ol
Commerce.
H. P. Gibson, president of tht
Stewart town council expressed pleas
1 ure in participating in the Chambei
meeting and voiced confidence in th
t success of tiie proposed Internationa
celebration.
S. P. Fitzgerald, veteran mining
man, said seeing Stewart citizen:
I participating in the meetings of at
1 Alaska organization made it look likt
a friendship party and provided :
pleasant indication of the genuine in
. lerest in the welfare of tiie whole dis
trict. Mr. Fitzgerald praised tiie min
tral possibilities of the district, cit
; ing* the Premier, Big Missouri am
other properties as evidence of tin
mineral potentialities, and said out
i side interest in the camp will returi
! when silver comes back. He alst
discussed the silver romonetizatiot
question, saying that a price of i(
| rents would not greatly benefit thi:
| or the Idaho camps, hut asserted tha
I CO cent silver would provide an oppor
j tunity for New York and Londot
financial interest to trade in it.
The proposal of Hon. Arthur Mei
ghan to increase use of silver in Can
ada by coinage of S2 silver piece:
should be warmly endorsed, Mr
Fitzgerald said, and the Hyder Cham
her of Commmerce should urge tin
AIAPLANE FATALITY
NEAR KETCHIKAN
Steve Selig, widely known
Alaska Ketchikan cannery
man, was killed and two other
■ j residents of Ketchikan receiv
ed injuries of varying serious
| ness in a plane crash occurring
j last Sunday on Salmon Lake, a
, short distance from Kasaan on
Prince of Wales Island. The in
jured included C. J. Alexand
er, and A1 Dano, prominent
! First City residents, both of
j whom are connected with the
fish canning industry. Alex
ander had one arm and both
I legs broken, each in two plac
! es, while Dano’s injuries are
| so serious that he may not re
cover, Jim Dodson, pilot of
the ill-fated plane, also sus
tained a broken leg. The three
cannery-men were on a fish
ing trip to the lake.
The accident occurred when
the plane started to return to
Ketchikan Sunday afternoon
and the survivors were not lo
cated by a searching plane un
! til Monday afternoon. Dodson
reported the plane either hit
a pocket or the motor quit
when about 100 feet up and
| sideslipped, striking a small
, island in the lake.
Bering Sea Shortening
Life of the World
The United States Coast and
Geodetic Survey, thru W. D.
; Lambert, gives out the strut
ting information that the life
of the world is being cut in
half by Bering Sea, between
Alaska and Siberia. The im
plication of calculation by Mr.
Lambert indicates that the ro
tation of the earth on its axis
is slowing down, and that ap
j proximately nine billion years
hence the globe will make a
complete revolution only once
a month and the month itself
will be much longer. This
condition will be brought
about by the accumulating ef
j l’ects of friction by the tides.
But in the meantime Alaska
has quite a few more serious
, problems that must first be
worked out.
-O
PIONEERS MAKE FINE
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
Members of the Pioneer ortter are
completing another tine contribution
to the local highway system by wiil
1 ening and grading 200 feet or so cf
toad way extending west from Pioneer
j Hall to Premier Avenue. The new
highway has been cleared to a
, width of 50 feet and is being nicely
graveled and leveled. The work is
j being done by volunteer labor entire
| ly and is a fine examplification of
the pioneer spirit and the progres
| sivenesB of the Pioneer order, which
lias already provided the town with
| one of tlie best public halls in Alaska
and numerous other beneficial im
provements. Those giving their time
and labor to tlie work are B. B. Smih,
Thomas Kelly, R. E. Charleton, D.
Engs tad. L. Watkins, (leo. Bunn, T. H.
i Evans, Win. McGrew and Paul Oien.
| Mr. McGrew is also providing a dump
truck and the Bureau of Public Hoads
1 donated use of its tractor in hauling
out stumps and logs.
Tlie Pioneers are now planning to
build a side walk on the upper side
! of the new roadway from their hall
to Premier Avenue.
chambers of commerce of Seattle and
ftther western states to adopt res
! olutions along the lines of the Mei
ghan proposal and send them to
; Washington.
Mr. Fitzgerald concluded his re
' marks with an urge for local action
to induce early construction of the
1 International highway to Alaska, do
; ; daring that it was needed by the
I United States more than Canada.
’ ' Ample American funds are available
1 ! for the project, the speaker said,
1 and could be obtained by British Col
• umbia in loans at low interest rates
■ j and be repaid from earnings of the
i [ highway.
. I Mr. Fitzgerald’s address was liigh
• i ly interesting throughout and was
■! warmly applauded.
LEGISLATURE AVOIDS
TAXATION INCREASES
The tenth Alaska Legislature
closed its 60-day session at
Juneau on April 30.
Reports from the capitol city
indicate that a large number
of constructive measures were
passed and appropriations
were held within closer limits
than appeared probable dur
ing the earlier stages of the
session. In addition the Legis
i lature also refrained from any
alteration of the existing rates
of Territorial taxation.
The appropriations made for
the next biennium will not ex
ceed $2,400,000. The House
j general appropriation meas
ure carried a total of $2,140,
000. The main items included
$995,000 for schools, $300,000
for roads; $250,000 for pen
sions, $110,000 for the Pion
eer’s Home, $65,000 for in
digency, and $60,000 for moth
er’s pensions.
| Forty-seven bills originating
I in the Senate were passed by
i both houses and received the
j approval of Governor Parks.
1 Forty-eight House measures
! were also passed and approv
| ed by the executive.
! The following list includes
! such of the new laws as per
| tain to the Territory as a
wiiuie.
Senate Bills Passed
And Approved
S. B. 2.—An act to repeal Sections
75jj, 754. 755, 756, 757. 758, 759, 760.
761, and 762, of the Compiled Laws
relating to limited partnerships,
j S. B. 11.—An act to repeal Article
] IX, Chapter 97, Session Laws of Alas
| ka, 1929.
! S. H. 5. —An act to authorize hanks
i lo give and the Treasurer of the Ter
I ritory to accept collateral security in
place of surety company bonds to in
sure territorial deposits in banks.
S. B. 3. - -An act to amend Chapter
| 32 of i he Session Laws of Alaska re
: lating to foreign corporations.
S. It. 8.—A Bill for an act to revise
j the general laws of business corpor
j ations of the Territory of Alaska and
I repealing Chapter 73 of the Session
‘ Laws of 1923, and Chapter 43 of the
! Session Laws of 1929.
S. B.—An act authorizing the Ter
I ritorial Board of Road Commission
ers to repair and maintain the Val
dez Dyke.
S. B. 7—An act lo amend Section
| 739 of the Compiled Laws of Alaska
relating to personal property that
may be mortgaged.
S. B. 19—An act to repeal Sections
496, 497 and 49S of the Compiled
Laws of Alaska, relative to the prop
erty and pecuniary rights of married
women.
S. B. 30—An act to amend Section
1772 of th» Compiled Laws of Alaska
relating to appeals to the District
Court in probate cases.
S. li. 31—An act authorizing com
missioners acting as justices of the
peace to allow attorney fees in civil
cases in justices court.
S. B. 29—An act to amend Section
3 of Chapter 40 of the Sessions Laws
of Alaska of 1929. relating to the ad
ministration of small estates.
S. B. 45—An act to amend Section
11, Chapter 13, of the Sessions Laws
of Alaska. 1919, relating to contracts
of conditional sales, and providing
lor the punishment for violations
thereof.
S. B. 37—An act authorizing Post
masters to administer oaths and to
take and certify oaths, affidavits and
acknowledgements in certain classes
of cases.
S. B. 46—An act to amend Section
1865 of the Compiled Laws of Alaska
relative to the compentency and
credibility of witnesses.
S. B. 10—An act to provide for the
compilation, annotation and indexing
of the laws of Alaska, and making
an appropriation therefor.
S. B. 64—An act authorizing the
Governor to employ veterinarians for
services in the fur farming industry.
S. B. 65—An act creating commis
sion to prepare and submit tenative
plans for construction of new Pio
neers’ Home.
S. B. 42—An act to provide a meth
od of voting for absentee electors,
and to prescribe penalties for the
violations of the provisions thereof.
S. B. 51—An act for the installment
and operation of a radio telephone
system and making an appropriation
therefor, and declaring an emergency.
S. B. 62—An act creating the office
of Superintendent of Public Works
for the Territory of Alaska.
S. B. 66—An act to create a com
mission to arrange for the participa
tion of Alaska in the World's Fair at
j HYDER FLOOD PROTECTION
SURVEY IS COMPLETEC
| _
The flood control survey,
authorized by the federal gov
J ernment with the object of pro
| tecting Hyder from the on
roachments of Salmon River
was completed this week by
| associate engineer G. J. Truitl
j of the U. S. Army Engineers’
; office in Juneau.
As outlined to the Herald b>
Mr. Truitt, the work will in
clude not only the survey of
: the area in which improvc
ments are contemplated but
; also a complete estimate oi
costs of such improvements as
may be decided upon by the
Engineers’ office as best fitt
ing the flood protection re
quirements. This work will re
quire some time and when
completed will be submitted
to the War Department En
gineers’ office in Washington
for approval.
In reply to a query regard
ing the probable cost of install
ing an adequate flood control
system, Mr. Truitt said he
I could not say with any degree
j of accuracy what the amount
! would be but expressed the
view that the cost would nof
be quite as high as estimated
by Major Gillette in his pre
liminary report on the flood
situation last year. The amount
estimated by Major Gillette
was $80,000, of which $8,000
would be borne by local inter
ests.
Mr. Truitt was also unable
to indicate the probable char
acter of the improvements, be
yond that they would probab
ly include diversion works of
piling, with brush mats weight
ed with rock between, to turn
the river into new courses and
prevent its return to former
shifting channels.
In the event that an appro
priation for the work is auth
orized by Congress, it will al
so include an amount for an
nual maintenance expense oi
the improvement 'for several
years, Mr. Truitt said.
HOSPITAL DAY
A Silver Tea will bo served ui. I lie
Stewart hospital next Tuesday after
noon (Mav 121 in observance oi
Hospital Day.
The public is cordially invited to
visit the hospital during the after
noon. Such a visit will well repay
those attending, and especially such
as are unacquainted with tlie hospital
as it will permit them to learn wha'
an excellently appointed and main
tained institution it is.
Chicago in 1933. anti making an appro
priation.
S. B. CO—An act to create the office
of Commissioner of Transportation
for prospectors.
S. B. 69—An act fixing the seal
of wages on public construction with
in flip Territory; authorizing the Ter
ritorial Board of Hoad Commission
ers to determine the prevailing rate
of wages requiring the Attorney
General to enforce the provisions of
this Act; requiring filing of report
by contractors.
S. B. 57—An act to appropriate
Five Thousand ($5,000) Dollars for
the use and aid of the Alaska Ter
ritorial Chamber of Commerce dur
ing the biennium commencing March
1. 1931.
S. B. 58—An Act repealing Chapter
10 of the Session Laws of Alaska of
1915 and Chapter 70 of the Session
Laws of Alaska of 1927, relating to
the location of mining claims and
annual labor hereon.
S. B. 59—An Act repealing Section
129a, 129b. 129c. 129d. and 129e of
the Compiled Laws of Alaska, relat
ing to the location of placer mining
claims and annual labor thereon.
S. B. 68—An Act creating a com
mission to make survey of the facil
ities and recommended a program
for care of dependent children.
S. B. 61—An Act to organize a
Board of Budget for the Territory of
Alaska.
S. B. 75—An Act to create a Board
of Examiners and define their func
tionsk
S. B. 78—An Act to amend sub
section (9) of Section 6 of Chapter
118 Session Laws of Alaska, 1929,
relative to inventories.
House Bills Next Week
PLANNING TO ASSIST
ALASKA DEVELOPMENT
A systematic and persistent
effort is about to be put forth
by the Interior Department to
arouse the interest of the min
! ing and investment forces of
! the United States to the great
I industrial resources and oppor
' tunities in Alaska. At the same
time plans have been complet
ed for the expenditure of
$250,000 appropriated by Con
gress “for continuation of min
eral and other resources of
| Alaska,” along the Alaska
Railroad. In addition to the
amount named, the Geological
I Survey will expend their usual
| amouunt of $65,000, divided
I over various sections of the
! Territory.
Wide publicity is being given
| to the purposes as outlined by
! the Interior Department. Over
j 2,500 newspapers in the Un;t
! ed States on April 20, set forth
' the objects sought to be attain
| ed. In addition various excur
sion agencies and Chambers of
Commerce, from the Atlantic
to the Pacific states, will take
. the matter up with thousands
| of individuals, in the effort to
promote excursions to the
north of men with capital to
invest and who might give aid
i in the encouragement of pros
pectors and mining men to go
; to the north. This commend
; able work of publicity is being
directed by Ernest Walker
• Sawyer, who is conversant
| with the resources of Alaska
1 and vitally interested in their
development.
One of the major projects in
the investigation about to
start will be an examination
! of the Anthracite Ridge coal
! field in the vicinity of the
Alaska Railroad. The sum of
j $60,000 has been allocated to
: Willow Creek, Fairbanks, Cop
per Mountain, Girdwood, Kan
j tishna, and Moose Pass dis
! tricts, and a party will oper
ate in each of these areas.
Four parties will do prelim
nary exploratory examination,
at a cost of $24,000, in the
West Fork of Chulitna, Valdez
Creek, Talkeetna Mountains
and Yentna districts. There
has been $5,000 set aside to
investigate, test, and report on
non metalic minerals, such as
clay, limestone, marl, etc., in
; the railroad belt.
<>•
Cutter Cygan Transferred
The U. S. Coast Guard cut
ter Cygan has been transferred
out of Alaska waters and will
be relieved by another vessel,
according to reports from Ju
neau.
The removal of the vessel
from the Alaska service is said
to have been the result of in
vestigations held here several
months ago based on charges
of misconduct by members of
the Cygan crew while in this
port. That it was punitive in
character is indicated by the
commander and all petty of
ficers being reduced in rank,
the skipper, one Halvorsen, be
ing reduced 15 years in senior
ity, according to the reports.
-o
Dr. J. T. Mandy, resident
engineer for the Atlin mining
district, left Monday evening
after a short visit.