HYDER - FIRST ALASKA TOWN THAT CAN BE REACHED BY THE PACIFIC - YUKON ~ ALASKA HIGHWAY
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SPECIALIZING IN
MINING NEWS OF THE
PORTLAND CANAL
DISTRICT
HYDER WEEKLY HERALD
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
IN ADVANCE
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VOL. 8, NO. 24.
*
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MARCH 2G, 1932.
BY THE YEAR $.3.00
FEARED JOHNSON
FATALITY VICTIM
Is the flame-scorched body of An
drew Johnson, well known miner, ly
ing amid the fire-blackened ruins of
one of the cabins on the Outland Sil
ver Bar property, some 20 miles north
of Hyder?
This is the question that is now be
ing asked as a result of findings made
late last week by Marius Pederson
and Otis. Erriekson on the Outland
property while attempting to learn
the whereabouts of Johnson, who has
not been seen or heard front for more
than three months.
During several past winters John
son has secluded himself either in a
cabin near the lower end of the Can
tu property or in another cabin situ
ated on Friday creek, a short distance
north of that property. He was
known to have had last fall an ample
supply of food .supplies and his failure
to appear occasioned no uneasiness
until recently: after a visit to the
cabins by Mr. Pederson two weeks
ago revealed no indication of John
son’s having been at either place for
a considerable time.
Starting last Friday, Pederson and
Gus Erriekson visited both of the
Johnson camps and finding no sign of
the missing man proceeded to the
Outland FJar. Here they found all but
one of the several cabins covered
many feet deep with snow. The one
cabin still in view is situated on a
small rise and about ten feet or so
from another cabin. The latter was
entirely buried: no part of it showing
above the snow. The exposed cabin
is used as a storehouse, the other as
a dwelling. Investigation of the for
mer revealed that the tar paper cov
ering on the side next to the dwelling
house had apparently been subjected
to strong heat and was dry and
charred. Further search resulted in
the discovery of one of Johnsou's skill
sticking up in the snow close to the
site of the other cabin.. This. too. bore
marks of fire, parts of the skii being
deeply scorched. The other skii could
not be located. The two men attempt
ed to locate the snow-covered cabin
by probing but achieved no definite
results. Not being equipped for more
extensive investigation, they were
compelled to return to town Sunday.
The results of their search appear
to leave little doubt that Johnson has
been the victim of a greusonie trag
edy.
Mr. Pederson, who is closely famil
iar with the Outland property, states
that the supposedly burned cabin con
tained an oil stove and he is of the
opinion that Johnson, who was not fa
miliar with their operation, may have
attempted to ligh it with disasterous
results. The finding of the partially
burned skii is considered by him a.
certain evidence that Johnson was
there, as he would not go anywhere
on the snow without them.
Owing to unfavorable weather in
the hills, up to Friday no attempt had
been made to further determine the
situation on the Outland Bar hut a
I arty heuded by Constable Potterton
and including Alex. McLeod, Herb An
derson, IJete. Swedeborg and Mr. Ped
erson is planning to leave with sup
plies and essential equipment as soon
as the weather settles.
School Election Results
Absence of opposition to the
candidacy of Mrs. H. R. Cross
resulted in the annual school
election being a decidedly tame
affair this year.
Mrs. Cross received 29 votes
out of a total of 31 cast, the re
maining two going to Mrs.
Holger Johnson and Henry
Hummel, respectively.
It has developed that earlier
announcements that the elect
ion was to fill the one-year
term on the school board were
in error and Mrs. Cross was
elected for the three-year term
of office.
Under the present school
law, the board will reorganize
and elect its own officials for
the coming year seven days af
ter the annual election.
-o
Enjoyable St. Patrick Dance
The St. Patrick’s Day dance
in Stewart under the auspices
of the Catholic Women’s
League was a liberally patron
ized and most enjoyable event.
The decorations were most ef
fective and an excellent supper
was served. The dance pro
gram was interspersed with
song numbers by Jas. Morrice,
Mr. Hoadley, E. T. Apple
white and W. D. Smith.
MCKENNA DECLARES
SILVER CONFERENCE
HIGHLY IMPORTANT
In a statement before the British
Parliament Friday, Sir Reginald Mc
Kenna, famous British financial ex
- pert, declared that it is highly import
ant that an international conference
be held on the silver question, accord
ing to radio news reports from Lon
don Friday evening.
Sir Reginald, who is the presiding
head of the Midland Bank, one of
Britain's greatest financial institut
ions and also one of the greatest in
the world, has advocated silver re
habilitation on several earlier occas
ions.
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Offers New Silver Aid Plan
A plan for limited bimetall
ism at no fixed ration as a
means of restoring equilibrium
in world currency systems is
suggested by F. H. Brownell,
i chairman of the American
Smelting and Refining Comp
any, in a pamphlet statement,
a copy of which was received
I last week through the kindness
of Mr. D. L. Pitt, manager of
the Premier company.
Mr. Brownell, in a new study
of the silver problem, advo
cates a modifie drestoration of
the whiae metal, on the theory
that the quantity of gold is in
sufficient to provide an ade
currency basis. Bimetallism
on a fixed ratio, especially on
the proportion of 16 to 1, is
definitely opposed as imprac
tical.
His proposal, which appears
to be the most practical that
has come to hand so far, is
based on the general principle
that gold should continue to be
the primary metal, but that it
should be supplemented by sil
ver at market value to the ex
tent .necessary to correct or
prevent an appreciation in
gold, with resultant falls in
commodity values.
-o
Big Sea Denizen
Attracts Interest
A huge fish of the shark fam
ily known as dog-fish or mud
shark, which became stranded
Sunday on the tideflat near the
Hubert Thomas residence on
First Avenue, was an object of
much interest during the first
days of the week and was vis
ited by many residents.
The big fish, which resem
bled the shark of tropical wat
ers in general appearance, was
close to 9 feet in length and is
estimated to have weighed ful
ly 600 pounds. Just how the
big sea denizen came to be left
by the receding high tide is
not known. Fish of this type
customarily stay in deep water
and its presence so close to the
normal high tide level is
thought by some to have been
due to sickness or injury, al
though no marks were visible
on the huge, gray body. A
fish of similar size and appear
ance is said to have been
branded on the tide flat near
the dock approach several
years ago.
j -o
i Unemployment Figures Given
Unemployment in the United
I States was as great in Febru
ary as it was in January, esti
mated at 8,300,000 for each
month, according to an an
announcement by Wm. Green,
president of the American Fed
; eration of Labor. Mr. Green
estimated that 40,000,000 per
sons are now living below the
minimum standard of health,
j “owing to unemployment, part
i time work and wage cuts.”
I PREMIER OEMS
USUAL DIVIDEND
The Premier Gold Mining
Company has announced the
payment of a quarterly divi
dend of $150,00 for the cur
rent quarter. Payment will be
made on April 4 to stockhold
ers of record on March 14. The
disbursement will be at the
rate of 3 cents per share on the
stock issue of 5,000,000 shares
and will increase the total of
the company’s dividend dis
bursements to $16,099,603.75.
In the 12 years of operation,
the Premier company has
earned approximately $20,
000,000 in profits after de
ductions for taxes but before
depletion and depreciation,
after writing off $381,000 for
the Silverado and Porter Idaho
investments.
Tolin Suing Lindeborg Estate
Suits against the estate of the
late Daniel Lindeborg appear
to be somewhat in order. On
the heels of the dismissal of the
W. R. Tonkin suit claiming an
interest in proceeds from the
sale by Lindeborg of the local
Riverside property, an action
has been instituted in the B. C.
courts by W. K. Tolin, Stewart
mining man, in which he seeks
to collect $6,000 alleged to be
due him from Lindeborg as
commission in connection with
the sale of the Big Missouri.
The action is directed against
Arthur Cosens and Verena M.
Cosens, principal beneficiaries
under Mr. Lindeborg’s will,
and J. K. Hemsworth, co-ad
ministrator of the estate.
School Taking Easter Vacation
Pupils of the Hyder public
school are enjoying the un
wonted pleasure of an Easter
vacation, lasting from Thurs
of this week until Monday, Ap
ril 4. As the school law pre
scribes the number of days of
the school year, the time lost
in the present vacation must
be made up, hence the present
term will not be concluded
until somewhat later than us
ual this year.
The teacher, Miss Isabel
Thoma, is taking advantage of
the vacation period to make a
trip south.
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Ketchikan Opposing New
Shipping Measure
Exclusion of Alaska from the
provisions of the bill that pro-;
hibits the booking of passen
gers between United States
ports by foreign vessels was
approved recently by t h e
Ketchikan Chamber of Com
merce in a referendum vote
, taken by the Territorial Cham
i ber of Commerce, which is pre
1 paring to resist the inclusion
: of Alaska in the provisions of j
: the bill.
Foshay Gets Stiff Sentence
—
Radio reports Wednesday
, said W. B. Foshay, head of the
Foshay company, received a
sentence of 15 years on four
counts for using the mails to
| defraud. The vice-president
' of the company also received
; a 15-year sentence,
HOUSE VOTES HEM
TM OH OIG INCOMES
In what was declared by news
reports to have been one of the
wildest sessions in years, the
House of Representatives late
last week revolted against par
ty leaders and voted to impose
wartime income taxes on the
wealthy. Surtaxes up to 65
per cent were voted on the big
incomes. The normal tax rate
on individual incomes was
fixed at 2 per cent for the first
$4,000, 4 per cent on the sec
ond $4,000 and 7 per cent on
incomes above $8,000. The
present rate is 5 per cent.
The surtax begins on incomes
of $10,000 at the rate of 1 per
cent, graduated up to 65 per
cent on incomes exceeding
$100,000, while the corporate
income tax was reported in
creased from 12 to 13 per cent.
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Wolfle Gets 4-Year Sentence
Radio reports Monday an
nounced that Conrad Wolfle
received a sentence of four
years and a fine of $1,000 in
the federal court in Seattle as
a result of his recent convict
ion on four counts of mail
fraud in connection with his fi
nancing of the Cantu Mining
Company, controlling the Can
tu property on Salmon river a
few miles north of Hyder.
Late reports from the south
say two mining concerns are
reported interested in continu
ing the prospecting campaign
started by Wolfle.
Hibbard On Mines Committee
C. L. Hibbard, Seattle capital
ist, whose connection with loc
al mining ventures has made
him one of the outstanding fig
ures in Portland Canal mining
circles, has been named a mem
ber of the Mines and Minerals
Committee of the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce, accord
ing to “Seattle's Business.”
Col. Wm. T. Perkins, who al
so has been for years a promi
nent figure in local mining en
deavors, particularly in con-!
nection with the Vancouver!
Mines, Ltd., was named vice-1
chairman of the same commit- \
tee, which includes among its j
members W. J. Elmendorf, an- j
other well-known Alaska min-!
ing man.
Virginia First To Ratify
“Lame Duck” Amendment
- 1
Local political owls may not
have read in the Outside news-!
papers that Virginia was the
first state to ratify the so-called
“Lame Duck” amendment to
the Constitution by a vote of
the state legislature.
The amendment proposal,
passed recently by Congress af
ter years of effort by Senator;
Norris and a few others, is now
up to the states for ratifica-1
tion. 1
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Jim. McDonald Opens
Juneau Restaurant
years a resident of Fairbank
J. F. McDonald, former local
restaurant man , recently op
ened the t' ugget Cafe in Jun
eau, according to the Juneau
Empire. i
Lost Predictions of
Last Four Years
June, 1930. Secretary of La
bor James J.Davis: “The worst
is over, without a doubt.”
Senator Watson, in a speech
on the Hawley-Smoot tariff
bill: “I here and now predict,
and I ask my fellow Senators
to recall this prediction in the
days to come, that if this bill is
passed, this nation will bo on
the upgrade financially, eco
nomically and commercially
within 60 days, and that with
in a year from this time we
shall have regained the peak
of prosperity.”
July, 1930. Arthur Reynolds,
Chicago banker: “It would sur
prise many to know how good
business is right now.”
Hornblower & Weeks, brok
ers: “Buy sound, standard
American stocks now.”
Roger W. Babson: “I certain
ly am optimistic regarding this
fall. There may soon be a
stampede of orders and con
gestion of freight in certain
lines and sections.”
Secretary of Labor Davis:
“We have hit bottom and are
on the up-swing.”
October, 1930. George M.
Reynolds, Chicago banker: “I
should not be surprised if by
the middle of December we
should find conditions consid
erably improved.”
November, 1930. Alfred P.
Sloan, Jr., General Motors:
“I see no reason why 1931
should not be an extremely
good year.”
Walter S. Gifford, President
American Telephone & Tele
graph Co., “As sure as I am
standing here, this depression
will soon pass.”
Some lost predictions of 1931
will appear in a later issue.
Watch for them.
;
-u- — -
Considerable Unemployment
In Alaska Capital
One hundred and sixty-five
names were on the list of un
employed in Juneau on March
1, according to a statement
based upon official figures
published in the Juneau Em
pire. A total of 312 persons
had been registered by the Mu
nicipal Employment bureau, in
cluding 287 whites and 35 In
dians. The bureau obtained a
total of 324 jobs through its ac
tivities, 147 of which were per
manent and 177 short-time.
The records indicate that a
large portion of the unem
ployed were outsiders, as 139 ;
persons were said to have ar
rived in Juneau as steamship
steerage passengers since Sept
ember last.
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Many Excursionists Coming
Nine big excursion parties
are to visit Alaska during the
coming season. These are al
ready scheduled and there will
probably be others during the
tourist season. The parties al
ready signed up are: Amarilla,
Texas, Good-Will Tour, San
Francisco Chamber of Com
merce; University of Oregon
Summer Schools, two parties;
Los Angeles Chamber of Com
merce ; Intel-national Rotary
excursions, at least two; Geor
gia Caravan Corporation, 102
boys, and California Legion
naires.
NOTE REVEALS
POSSIBLE TRAGEDY
Discovery of a note in the remote
cabin of Robert Law near the head of
Bowser Lake, some 30 miles north of
Stewart, has revealed what may be
another grim tragedy of the North
wherein a human life was sacrificed
to the gods of cold and snow.
The note, which was found by the
wife of Peter Morrison, Indian trap
per, of Hazelton, B. C., reads as fol
lows:
‘‘Left for Stewart with frozen foot,
waited three weeks for you, run out
of meat, so come to Stewart right
away and get fixed up as I will have
to go to Hospital and have some of
ray toes off. Follow my trail,
j Yours truly,
Bob Law.”
The note is dated February 8 but
was not found by Mrs. Morrison until
about March 8, approximately one
month after Law hail started on what
appears to have been a fateful jour
ey in search of help for his frozen
limb. Although bearing no address,
the nessage is said to have been in
tended for Morrison, who has a camp
near the foot of Bowser Lake and has
had dealings witli Law.
According to the story told by Mor
risson on his arrival in Stewart Tues
day evening, he became incapaciated
early in February as a result of an in
jury sustained while cutting wood
and was unable to travel for several
weeks. He decided then to go to the
Law cabin with his wife and, three
year old child and get Law to help
bring him out over the Salmon river
to secure medical aid. Morrison was
unable to walk the distance, so his
wife placed him on a handsled with
the child and started over the frozen
lake. Morrison could not stand the
journey, however, and was compelled
to stop at what is known as Grave
yard Point while Mrs. Morrison con
tinued on to the Law cabin. She
found the cabin empty and with little
food left, and discovered the note left
by Law telling of his desperate plight.
Absence of a trail from the cabin dis
closed that Law had left some time
before the big snowstorm last month.
Mrs. Morrison rejoined her husband
and they decided to return to their
own cabin, where they were joined bv
David Skwiil, another Hazelton In
dian, who assisted them to come down
to Stewart by way of Meziadin Lake.
The party was very short of food en
route and it was necessary to pul)
Morrison on the sled. Followinv
tiieir arrival the note was turned ov
er to Constable Potterton.
Morrison also reported meeting
Ernest Blue and his party enroute to
Taylor creek and said they were mak
ing slow progress owing to the soft
snow and mild weather. He encount
ered them at Beaver creek, near the
north end of Meziadin lake.
it is believed that there is one pos«!
ible chance that Bob. Law is stiil
alive. It is possible that on leaving his
cabin and finding the traveling too
difficult, he may have decided to go
to the camp of Tim Williams and Bob
Hobil ten miles or so north of his own
isolated cabin. While this is looked
upon as a decidedly remote possibil
ity, it presents practically the only
prospect for his survival.
Mr. Law is widely known in the dist
rict, having resided in Stewart during
the past eight or nine years, following
mining and prospecting. So tar as
known he was a widower and has a
daughter, who resides in eastern Can
ada.
Few Feby. Dry Law Violations
Only 17 prohibition prosecut
ions occurred in the First Divis
ion in February, according to
a report from the U. S. Mar
shall’s office received by dep
uty Warren S. Harding, local
marshal’s representative.
Ten of the seventeen arrested
pleaded guilty and seven en
tered pleas of not guilty. Fines
assessed totaled $475 and jail
sentences imposed aggregated
one year, seven months and 10
days. Seven arrests were
made in Juneau, five in Ketch
ikan, three in Tenakee, and
two in Sitka. Several of the
arrested persons pleading not
guilty were at liberty under
bonds totaling $8,100.
Easter Sunday Tomorrow
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday
and will be celebrated by spec
ial services at the M. E. church,
the program of which w'll be
found in another column.