HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YDKON - ALASKA HIGHWAY
f' X
SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
tm ' 111
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
*
J
VOL. 8, NO. 2±26
-;-—-- ^ f t- —
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1932. '
BY THE YEAR $3.00
HOPE LOOMS FOR
EARLY R,a CQNST'N.
Hope for early construction
of the much discussed Peace
liver rail outlet with the west
ern terminus at Stewart again
loomed large this week as
a result of information from
Ottawa disclosing the re
sults of recent parliament
ary hearings on the rail ques
ion arid the attitude of high
government officials.
As reported in the official
parliamentary record, t e s ti
imonjr given before a committ
ee by president Beatty and oth
ers disclosed that there is an al
most unanimous view that the
railroad project should be un
dertaken as an unemployment
relief measure and that an ear
ly start should be made on the
undertaking.
The results of the hearings
occupy something over thirty
pages in the official record and
leave little doubt that the
Stewart project is the most
favored of the several pro
posed routes from the Peace to
the Pacific coast.
Testimony embraced in the
record covers virtually every
phase of the situation with re
spect to the various routes, dist
ance factors, costs and other es
sential data, which discloses in
convincing manner that the
Stewart route possesses a prac
ticability exceeding that of any
other rout,e.
While the question of what
is to be done still awaits parli
amentary action, the principal
hope for early and favorable
action rests on the fact that it
apparently is fully recognized
that the Peace outlet is necess
ary and that construction
should be hastened as a meas
ure of relief from conditions
imposed by the current eco
nomic situation.
This view is confirmed by a
letter from Olaf Hanson, M. P.,
received this week by the
Stewart Board of Trade in
which Mr. Hanson says he has
discussed the railway situation
both irf committee and with the
Dominion Minister of Railways
and asserts that “the Minister
realizes that the Peace River
Pacific outlet is essential; that
the government has the pro
ject under serious consider
ation,” and declares in conclus
ion that “an early start will be
made on this worthy undertak
ing.”
■o
New School Board Organizes
The Hyder Public School
Board was reorganized this
week, Mrs. H. R. Cross, newly
elected member for the three
year term, being named as
Clerk of the board, Mrs. E. D.
Haddon as secretary and D. J.
Mulcare as director.
W. K. Keller, Territorial
Commissioner o f Education,
was present at the meeting and
conferred with the board on
local school matters, in addit
ion to inspecting the local
school.
-o
D. L. Pitt, manager of the
Premier Gold Mining Comp
any, left Thursday for the
south.
Boats Collide In Harbor
Damage estimated at more
jthan $1,000 was sustained by
the power boat Scandia, owned
| by Nick Kristovieh, Tombstone
Bay fisherman, as a result of a
collission with the Wills Navi
gation Company motorship Za
pora early Saturday morning.
The accident occurred off the
mouth of Salmon river shortly
after the Zapora left the Hy
der dock on its way to Ketchi
| kan.
Account to an account of the
incident given by Mr. Kristo
vich, he was towing a small
raft of logs up the Canal short
ly after midnight and was only
a few hundred feet of the west
shore near the big point when
the Zapora bore down on him,
coming from the Canadian side
of the Canal. Kristovieh says
that although it was a clear,
moonlit night, the larger ves
sel was so close to the bluff
that he feared the commander
did not realize his proximity
to the shore so he stopped the
Scandia and threw the rays of
his searchlight onto the rocks
to warn the Zapora’s skipper.
By this time, he says, the ves
sels were so close together,
with the Zapora heading at
high speed directly toward the
Scandia, that he suddenly real
ized that a collission was al
most inevitable. Kristovieh
and his companion, P. Berg,
thereupon made for a rowboat
towed astern of the Scandia.
A few moments after embark
ing, the Scandia and Zapora
came together with a heavy
impact which shattered the up
per bow, forward decking and
pilot house of the Scandia, but
fortunately failed to sink the
craft, although some of the
seams were sprung, making it
necessary to pump at frequent
intervals. After striking, the
Zapora swung around his ves
sel and headed down the Canal
but returned a few minutes
later and a wordy altercation
ensued between her command
er and himself regarding who
was to blame, Kristovieh says.
The Scandia was later able to
proceed to the dock under her
own power but at last accounts
was being kept afloat only by
frequent pumping.
Commissioner cf Education
Visits Camp
—
; VV. K. Keller, Territorial
i Commissioner of Education,
| was a visitor in camp during
1 the stay of the Ketchikan mail
! boat, Windsor. Mr Keller was
! on an inspection trip that cov
| ered a large portion of the
' First Division.
; Mail Boat Arrives Enexpected
The Ketchikan mail boat ar
rived unexpectedly from
. Ketchikan this (Saturday) af
j ternoon. The vessel was not
expected until next Tuesday,
owing to changes in the sailing
of steamers from Seattle under
a new schedule. It is under
stood that the next mail by
fway of Ketchikan will arrive
! next Tuesday around noon.
I
aim REPORT OF
PREMIER GOLD CEL
Total earinlngs before the deduction
of administative costa, taxes, depred
ation and depletion of $883,871.35; u
reduction of substantially one-third in
the volume of assured and probable
ore in the Premier mine and a de
crease of 1435,090.74 in total earnings
are shown in the annual report of the
Premier Gold Mining Company cover
ing activities at the Premier mine dur
ing 1931.
The report states that during the
year 213,317 dry tons of ore were
; mined, carrying an average content of
0.35 ounces gold and 7.6 ounces silver.
At the end of 1931 the combine 1
broken and unbroken ore reserves
were 11,582 tons less than at the end
of 1031.
This means, the report says, that
126,735 tons of new ore were found
and opened up, as a result of intens
ive exploration and development, com
bined with diamond drilling, on hori
zons above the 6th level, with a view
to finding and opening various spur1*
and stringer veins in the foot and'
hanging walls of the main ore shoot.
The results, although described as
not equal to those of the preceding
| year, were “moderately successful."
An aggregate of 7,898 feet of under
ground development was done, in ad
dition to 9,386 feet of diamond diill
I ing. representing 5 holes from the sur
face and 62 underground holes, with
cross sectioning.
The new ore found compares with
exploratory results in 1930, when 207.
005 tons of new ore were found, the
report states, and represents the re
sults of the skilled efforts of the mine
staff to prolong the life of the prop
erty, which is declared to be “nearing
its end.”
The decrease in earnings are attrib
uted chiefly to 1,000,000 ounces less
production of silver in 1931 and to the
decrease of nearly 10 cents an ounce
in the price of silver. Offsetting this
to some extent, the report says, was
a decrease in operating costs at Pre
mier of 27 cents per ton, the costs
being 83.33 compared with 83.60 for
1930. - - ' “
Operations and production of 1930
anti 1931 are summarized as follows;
1930 1931
Diamond drilling,
feet .. 12,407 9,336
Development, drifts
anr raises, ft. 7.3S5 9,336
Total diamond drill
ing to date, ft. .. 95.758 105,091
Ore mined, dry
tons . 256,836 212,217
Total underground
work, feet . 72,502 80,400
tons . 151.936 169,759
Ore milled, dry
Ore shipped to
Tacoma, dry
tons . 52,448 21,660
Ore shipped to
Granby, dry
tons . 52,452 50.S92
Concentrates shipp
ed, dry tons . 15.616 20,271
Gold produced,
ounces . 90.0S4 82,38 <
Silver produced,
ounces. 2,760,7S7 1,718,376
Broken ore re
serves, Dec. 31,
, day tons .<286,535 215.875
Average price sil
ver per ounce . 38.15 28,70
Since the commencement of regular
production until December 31,1931, a
period of 12 years, one month, 2.111.
585 tons of ore were mined and milled
or sliipped from the Premier mine.
Total production of metals for the per
iod was 1.201,490 ounces gold, 31,015
145 ounces silver. Total profits after,
deducting taxes, hut before deduction
of depreciation and ore depletion
[charges were $19,798,976.37, after writ
| ing off during the year S3C.942.5S For
I ty Nine Mining Company investment
and $200,000 of the Porter-Idalio in
vestment.
Distribution to shareholders during
the same period, including the last
distribution for 1931, paid January 4,
| 1932, aggregated 815,949.003.75.
Estimated ore reserves as at Deo
1 ember 31, 1931, are placed as follows
' in the report: Ore broken in stopes
j 215,875 tons averaging 0.2S ouuces of
i gold and 8.8 ounces silver. With gold
l at $20 per ounce and silver at 25c per
; ounce, this represents a gross value of
! $7.80 per ton.
Assured and probable unbroken ore
down to the 6th level of present vvork
| ings amounts to 37,718 tons, averag
j ing 0.56 ounces gold and 9.0 ounces
J silver. With gold at $20 and silver at
I 25c per ounce, this represents a gross
value of $13.45 per ton.
The total of the above estimates of
broken and unbroken ore reserves,
down to the 6th level of the present
mine workings is 253,623 tons, averag
I ing 0.32 ounces gold and 8.83 ounces
silver. With gold at $20 and silver at
25c per ounce this represents a gross
value of $8.61 per ton.
For purposes of comparison the ro
; port gives the ore reserves as of Dec
ember 31, 1930, as 369,205 tons averag
! ing 0.36 ounces gold and 9.40 ounces
; silver.
j Relative to the Prosperity operations
; the report says that the orebodies,
i altlio fairly high grade in silver, are
small, irregular and scattered, so that
with the heavy development incident
to searching for and opening up such
; bodies, the operating costs are necess
Contlnued on Page 4
FATE OF JOHNSON
STILL UNDECIDED
The fate of Andrew Johnson,
long- missing miner, whom it is
feared met a tragic death in
the burning of a camp building
on the Outland Silver Bar
property, 20 miles north of Hy
der, some time during the win
ter, is still undecided, owing to
severe weather conditions and
deep snow encountered early
this week by the 'search party
headed by Constable Potterton
of Stewart.
The search party, composed
of Constable Potterton, Marius
Pederson, Hugh McLeod, Pete
Swedeborg and Herbert An
derson, left for the Silver Bar
Monday morning, after waiting
more than a week for favor
able weather. The weather
was fine at the time of their
departure but by the time they
reached the scene of the sup
posed fatality conditions had
changed materially. Tuesday
morning, when the effort to lo
cate the contents of the snow
covered structure supposed to
have been burned actually
started, it was blowing fiercely
ever the great Salmon glacier
and but little could be accomp
lished toward determining if
Johnson’s body is there. The
party attempted to dig down
through the hard-frozen snow
but beyond finding certain ev
idence that the building was
destroyed by fire, were finally
forced by the drifting snow
and bitter wind to give up the
quest. After finding the burned
fragments of a radio set and a
few other articles, all damaged
by fire, the party abandoned
the search and 'returned to
town.
Constable Potterton considers
it inadvisable to attempt fur
ther search until snow and
weather conditions improve. It
may, therefore, be several
weeks before the question of
whether Johnson actually lost
his life in the burning cabin
will be definitely known.
Johnson’s friends have aban
doned all hope that he is still
alive, as the finding of one of
his skiis close to the burned
cabin by Marius Pederson and
Gust. Errickson two weeks or
so ago is considered certain ev
idence that Johnson was there
when the fire occurred.
•o
Army Day Next Week
Pursuant to a resolution
passed by the last legislature,
the people of Alaska are re
quested by Governor George
A. Parks to join in the observ
ance of Army Day, April 6, 19
32.
This anniversary is designat
ed annually in honor of the
United States Army. Through
out the Nation the national
flag is displayed from business
houses and homes and it seems
' appropriate that the people of
! Alaska should participate in
| the celebration in like manner.
Therefore, in keeping with
j the custom, it is suggested that
j whereever possible the Flag
| be displayed in an appropriate
manner in honor of the Army
and the service it has rendered
to the Nation.
Lost Predictions of
Last Four Years
March, 1931. Henry Ford:
“These really are good times,
but only a few know it.”
April, 1931. Reed Smoot)
chairman Senate Finance Com
mittee : “One of the most pow
erful influences working to
ward business recovery is the
tariff act which Congress
| passed in 1930.”
Robert W. Lamont: I have
canvassed the principal indust- j
l ies, and I find no movement to
reduce the rate of wages. On
the contrary, there is a desire
to support the situation in ev
i ery way.”
Roger W. Babson, prophet:
“If statistics tell anything, they
show that business has turned
the corner.”
May, 1931. Stuyvesant Pea
body, president Illinois Turf
Association: “Big attendance
at race meetings is one of the
best indications of improving
business conditions.”
J. P. Morgan, when asked,
on return from South American
cruise, for his views on the de
pression: “What depression?”
Roger W. Babson: “Every
thing indicates that general
business has turned the corner.
I will go further and say that
1931 should offer the greatest
opportunities of any year for
generations.”
June, 1931. Dr. Julius Klein:
“Much of the present crepe
hanging should be historical.
In July, up we go.”
Roger W. Babson: “Within a
reasonable time, this country
will again enter a period of
marked prosperity.”
January 1, 1932. Secretary
Mellon: “We are in the midst
of a grave emergency.”
Moose Memorial Sunday
The annual memorial services
of the local lodge of the Loyal
Order of Moose will be held in
the Legion Hall, Stewart, Sun
day, April 3, at 7 :45 p. m.
In addition to beautiful ritu
alistic ceremonies in memory
of departed members of the
lodge, the program will include
special vocal and instrumental
numbers and an oration by
Rev. G. Moody.
Everyone is welcome to the
services. For the convenience
of Hyder people who wish to
attend, sleighs will leave the
international boundary line at
7 p. m.
I
■o
Big Crabs Attract Interest
Two large spicier crabs,
caught by Ed. Schneider near
the lower end of Portland Can
al and displayed in the show
windows of the Hyder Drug
Company and Boundary Gift
Shop, attracted considerable
interest during teh past week.
The largest of the two sea den
izens was at the drug store and
was close to three feet from tip
to tip of the longest legs.
-o
Lue Gorman, who has been
sojourning down the Portland
Canal during the winter seas
on, returned to town this week.
LOWER WAGE SCALE
Continued low prices of met
als ond lower grade ores have
at last forced the Premier Gold
Mining Company to cut wages
at the Premier mine. The cut
approximates ten per cent and
became effective April 1.
The Premier enjoys the envi
able record of being the last
mine in British Columbia to re
due its wage schedules and is
doing so now only under the
urge of economic necessity and
unavoidable conditions.
It is said that, despite the cut,
the wage scale at Premier is
still higher than in many of the
British Columbia mines.
-o
Expects Action on Silver
Dr. J. T. Mandy, resident en
gineer for the northwestern
mineral district of Canada, ar
rived from Prince Rupert
Thursday to lecture in Stewart
on prospecting.
Dr. Mandy is optimistic re
garding the silver outlook and
the future market outlook for
the white metal. His views
are based upon the fact that
influential international inter
ests hav.e it in their power to in
itiate a more extended use of
silver and apparently have de
cided that immediate action to
that end is necessary.
-o
New Residents Arrive
Four new and permanent
residents were added to the
camp’s population last week
with the arrival from Olympia,
Wn. of Mr. and Mrs. Victor
Jerome and their two children.
Mr. Jerome is a nephew of
Albert J. Mayer, with whom he
will be associated in enterpris
es operated by Mr. Mayer. The
new arrivals are residing at the
Mayer residence in the upper
townsite.
Strange Malady Attacks
Canines Along Yukon
Reports from the Yukon say
a peculiar malady which para
lyzes the hips and hind legs is
afflicting the sled dogs along
the river this spring. Travelers
report that over 200 sled dogs
have been fatally stricken with
the disease, which is said to re
semble a malady occuring
among sled dogs at Nome
some 20 years ago.
-o
Col. Stivers at Sitka
In a communication to the
Herald from Sitka, our genial
former fellow townsman, Col.
E. R. Stivers, renewed his sub
scription to the Herald and an
nounced that he would be at
Sitka for a few weeks and
would then return to headquar
ters in Juneau until it is time to
return to his station nt N'"r
sometime in early June.