THE KUSKO TIMES
V<»L. 1. NO. 10
TAKOTNA. ALASKA. APRIL 9. 19T7
PRICE, 20 CENTS
PROPOSED ROAD
TO NIXON FORKS
IS BADLY NEEDED
Ole Blindheim, well known
raer of this section, was a business
visitor in Takotna Tuesday, mush
ing -vsr the trail frAa Opilir in
company with Arvid- Larson.
Mr. Biinoheim stated that he andj
Mrs. Blindheim are planning to
erect a new store building in the
mining town, the material to arrive
n the first boat, along with the in
itial shipment of merchandise.
Road Badly Needed
Mr. Blindheim spoke very strong
ly a ,ne need of the proposed road
from Takotna to Nixon Forks as it
was original}* laid out. "The cost
of freighting stranded supplies by
plane to Ophir is very high and
brings the prices way up, and the
uncertainty of even that means of
transportation is uncalled for,” he
said. “A mile and a half of the
road was previously built and then
construction ceased. Thirty thousand
dollars would- complete the road and
then this country would start to
really develop. Thousands of dol
lars "would be taken out of the ground
where only. one is taken out now.
How are you going to develop a
country when it is so inaccessible ?”
Mr. Blindheim asked.
Dagnon Conies to 'I own—
Joe Dagnon, who has been trap
ping on Soaulding Creek all winter,
came to town Sunday night, foe a
visit.
AKIAK ONE OF
LARGER TOWNS
OF KUSKOKWIM
Akiak is a thriving little town of
approximately 225 inhabitants, 75 of
which are whites.
On the left limit of the Kuskok
wim, going down, a trader, Carl I.
Carlson, has a large trading post
and also operates the postoffice. The
majority of the whites reside on this
side of" the river, including a num
ber of Lapp and reindeer nsert.
Akiak b asts of a fine Territoial
school, making an added induce
ment for white families to reside
in this town during the winter
months, and in turn, building per
manent homes.
Across the river is a Bureau of
Indian Affairs school, and the native
town. _ i
The raising of reindeer is the
chief native occupation of Akiak.
They also do considerable trapping
of fox, mink and muskrat in the
winter and fish in the summer.
Akiak is a distributing point for
Tulicksack and surrounding mining
districts.
The Kusko Times would like to
hear from someone in Akiak, and
would welcome an article on the
jaising cf reindeer or on some other
subject of interest. Perhaps somo
ont in Akiak would care to writ*
-p i ems of news regularly for The
llusko Times? Remember, folks,
this is- your paper!
OLDTIMER HAS BEES BUSY
PROSPECTING ON TOLSTOI
:.n Kr'e • r arrived in Takotna
ay, shoveled the snow away
■a.bin and started a fire in
vc f .r the first time in seven
m n.hs.
Iilr. Kreiger has been up on the
Tolstoi all winter doing a little pros
pecting on his claims. He came in
with a one-dog team, and said it was
a tough trip. John stopped over in
Ophir Tuesday night visiting Chris
Bolgen and other old friends, com
pleting the journey to Takotna the
next day.' Mr. Kreiger has been
pro- - acting in the Tolstoi area for
the past 20 years. He came to Al
aska in 1901 and spent the first 16
jars in the Nome district.
LARSON £ LARSON GETTING
READY FOR BUSY SEASON
Arvid Larson mushed over from
Ophir Tuesday to confer with his
partner, Frank Larson of Takotna
regarding plans for working their
hydraulic property on Little Creek
this year.
Mr. Larson received the congrat
ulations of his many friends here on
Lis marriage, which took plaqe in
Seattle in Jamiajy. The newlyweds
returned North on the last trp pf
the Steamer YfikUnC They visited
for a week inn Anchorage before
completing the- journey to Ophir
where they are making their home
for a short time prior to moving
oat to Littltr £rwk.
NEWS FROM POORMAN, LONG CREEK, CRIPPLE
By Mrs. Leonard Zaiser—(Special Correspondent)
Hauling- Summer Supplies—
L. E. Torrance, operator on Flat
Creek, arrived in town .-ecently_ He
is busjr hauling his summer's- outfit.
Starts Mining Operations—
Bill Vick was an arrival in town
recently from hi= mine on Flat C.-eek.
He expects to start operations April
X.
Prospector Returns—
Alec Schedel, who has been pros
pecting’ on Glenn Gulch and Short
Pup, arrived in Poorman recently.
He plans on staying here for same
t.mc.
Pack From Visit to Old Home—
M. B. McCarty, who has been vis
iting in the States and his old home
in Canada, this winter, returned here
recently. He came from Ruby with
Charlie Knox and his dogteam.
Returns From Tanana—
Sam Walfz, former Takovnafte.
now residing here, just returned
from Tanana to which place he went
for treatment for his feet which he
froze some time ago. It was found
necessary to amputate the toes o»
one foot.
Wildcat Mining Corp. Doing Well—
The operators of theWildcat Min
ing Corporation on Upper Poorman,
are doing very well this winter. Dol
lar pans and up, they say. They
have started the skiing fad here
and many of us have tried their
trails, but with little success. The
crew has made a ten-foot ski jump,
a crooked trail and a straight trail
for the amateur. They have turned
their clock up an hour in order to be
able to ski after diner.
Mrs. Howard Leaves—
Mrs. Howard, who has been cook
ing for George Jesse for the past
year and a half, left for Fairbanks
where she will spend a few days be
fore going to Anchorage where she,
will visit with her daughter. Later,
she plans to make a trip to the
States. Mrs. Art Oliver has taken
her place as cook for George Jesse.
NEW DRAGLINES
REPORTED GOING
INTO GOODNEWS
Platinum on Goodnews Bay, is
preparing for a big influx of pros
pectors and other mining interests
the forthcoming summer, writes Mr.
and Mrs. E. P. Harwood, in charge
of the trading post at that point, ac
cording to The Seward Gateway. Al
ready a fair-sized stampede has ta
ken place, they write, Fairbanksans
being very much in evidence.
In addition to the installation of
the new dredge, new dragline outfits
will be at work, and there is no in
dication that plants operating last
year will be laid off.
Both gold and platinum prospects
will be worked, outstanding strikes
being reported, with both _ metals.
There will be ten drills that they
'■now about that will be at work at
the very beginning of the season.
anchorage jammed with
MEN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT
Harry Erdmann of Anchorage,
was a passenger with W. H. Barnhill
from the railroad metropolis yester
day.
Erdmann, a newcomer to' the Kns
kokwim, said that “Anchorage was
plugged up with chechakos looking
for work. The passenger train
comes up from the boat loaded one
day and the freight comes up the
next day with as many or more free
passengers. The only difference be
tween the pay passengers and those
riding “free,’ is the latter .arrives
one day later, and all being broke,”
Erdmann said. The chechakos are
forcing the Anchorageites and res
idents of the surrounding area to
pull out for Interior and Westward
points in an effort to get work- “The
1 invading horde of djstitute Outsid
ers now have the Alaskans m the
run,” Erdmann concluded.
Makes First Trip of Season—
The M.S. Discoverer docked in
Anchcrs^e Tuesday on its first trip
of the season. Among the passen
gers was A. W. Berry, from Berry's
Landing Mr. Berry spent the win
ter on the Coast.
Comes in From L«C( Creek—
Tom Donohue was an arrival from
Long Creek recently.
Sinking Another Shaft—
Baldo Forno, operating on Poor
man, is about through with the work
on- his shaft anti plans sinking an
other shaft right away.
Many Attend Farewell Pa*-tv—
On the evening of Mareh 31 a
farewell dance for Mr. and Mrs.
Clarence Zaiser. It was attended by
their many friends from Poorman
and outlying creeks. Everyone en
joyed themselves. Those present
were: The Will Cat crew from upper
Pooriman, Calvin Anderson, Jack
Shropshire, Louie Stern and Ole
Hookie; those from Flat Creek were,
Mike Yakopatz, Vincent Yakopatz
and Tommy Long; those from Poor
man were, Baldo Forno, Chris Dahl,
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Johnson and Mr.
and Mrs. Art Oliver; Spruce Creek
was represented by Art Lutro in a
big way; Placervilfc was repre?ented
by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Zeiser.
The dance lasted until the wee hours
[ of the morning.
f_*__ t t _*_*_*_t
LONG CREEK NEWS BRIEFS
4-*** 4 4 « • . 4
Operating Two Shifts—
Tim Scanlon, prominent raining
man of Long Creek, is operating two
shifts and has 16 wheelers.
Will Work Ground—
A1 Burke, operator on Long Creek,
plans on starting operations there
when the water begins to run.
Expect to Hit Bedrock Soon—
Y. Spees and Bill Lepesto, pros
pecting on Long Creek, anticipate
bedrock in the next thaw.
Will Operate on Long Creek—
Billy Ahrens, with the help of Scot
ty Clark and his dogbeam, is moving
his camp from Birch Creek to Long
Creek where he will operate this
summer.
Nulato To Celebrate
100th Anniversary of *
Origin By Russians
The one hundredth anniversary of
the founding of Nulato, and the fif
tieth anniversary of the establish
ment of St. Peter’s Claver’s Mission
there will be celebrated in June, soon
after the Indians return from their
spring hunt, it was announced ir. F
banks recently by Father Joseph Mc
Elmeel, according to the Fairbanks
News-Miner.
Although the exact date of the
founding of Nulato is not certain,
the record is that of 1837 or ’3S, a
Russian named Zagaroff founded the
town.
The first native village there was
near the Nulato River, which flows
about a mile below the present site.
The old name for Nulato was “Tlak
eylt,” a native word meaning "the
place at the foot of the hill.” "Nu
lato" means “the place where dog
■ salmon comes.”
Strategic Location
At one time an important Russian
settlement, Nulato owed a great deal
of its influence to its location near
the portage 36 miles below town,
which was used as a short cut from
the Bering Sea to the Yukon River.
The town of Kaltag, at the mouth
of the portage, is of resent origin.
Nulato .is 18 miles below the mouth
of the Koyukuk.
St, Peter Claver’s Mission was es
tablished at Nulato in 1887.
History of the Mission shows that
Archbishop Charles Seghers had
come to the Yukon River about 10
years before the founding of the
mission, spe'iding the winter at Nu
lato, then v ent Outside to get other
missionaries.
Return to Yukon N
It was i’t till about 1886 that he
was abl to leave the States to re
turn to the Yukon. He was accom
panied by Father Robaut and Father
Tosi, and a guide named Fuller.
Thev came in over the Ch i Ik cot Pass,
anr’reached the mouth of the S'.ew
art River, Y. T-, early in the fall of
’86.
Archbishop Seghers and the gnide,
Fuller, came down the Yuk n us far
as Tanana in a rowboat. There they
obtained dog teams and native •
t—*—*_•_t t _*_*_*_+
CRIPPLE CREFK HAPPENINGS
i- 9 * * 4 4- * * * 4
Mrs. Billy Jones made a trip to
Se\ uxd recently for medi. al treat
, merit.
Voctor Eranching Out—
John Voctor ncvr has a trading
post and roadho_-e and four dogs.
He's branching cut these days.
Moves to Cripple—
Mike Kovac has left the Poorman
section to become a Crippleite. He
is staying with John Voctor.
Gets Bridge Contract—
Harry Eckstrom has been award
ed the contract for the contraction
of a bridge over Ilr.nch Creek. Work
will not begin until after the break
up. Sid Paulson is Using his “cat"
5n hauling the timbers to the eeek.
Michael Kristo is working with
him.
Prospecting Graham Creek—
Iver Chilstrorn las started pros
pecting at the mouth of Graham
Creek. He left Poorman last De
cember, taking a boiler with him.
Overhauling Tractor—
The mechanic for Dave Strand
berg is busy these days overhauling
the tractor in preparation for a
busy summer season.
Moving Buildings To Colorado—
Sig Wig, employed by Sid Paul
son, is busy moving some buildings
from Cripple to Colorado Creek.
Prospecting tin Bear-Creek—
Bob Arnold an! John Olson are
prospecting on Bear Creek.
Makes Monthly Mai! Trip—
Alec Geisen is bfificial roadhouse
man for Scotty Clark, mail carrier
between Ruby and Cripple. He
makes one trip each month.
Send in your Subscription to The
KUSKO TIMES today.
GOODMAN MAKES
A RECORD FLIGHT
WITH WIND’S AID
A new speed record for airplane
travel between Anchorage and Flat
was believed to have been made re
cently by Pilot Don Goodman in his
new Cessna plane, when he set an
elapsed flying time between the two
points from take-off to landing of
one hoar and 55 minutes. Goodman
estimated he traveled about 325
miles on the flight, which is 167
miles an hour, says the Anchorage
Times.
Pilot Goodman was aided by a
cross tail wind in the flight. His
ship normally cruises about 145 miles
per hour. While in the Kuskokwim
on his flight he made the 220 miles
from McGrath to Bear Creek in one
hour and ten minutes, or 189 miles
per hour, with a strong wind straight
at his back.
Although no official records are
kept, it is believed Goodman’s part
ner, Oscar Wine hell, previously held
the mile per hour record between An
chorage and a Kuskokwim point.
Aided by a strong tail wind on a
flight last summer. Winchell main
tained a speed of 156 miles an hour
into Anchorage.
Speliack In From Ganes—
Frank S pel jack came in from
Ganes Creek with Pilot Goodman
Monday and returned to the Creek
the same day with some needed sup
plies.
guides, and went on down the Yukon i
after the freeze-up.
Guide Kills Bishop
When they reached Bishop Moun
tain, then called “Yisetloh,’' they
camped there in an old smokehouse
the natives had used for curing fish.
Fuller, crazed by the hardships of
the journey, killed the Archbishop
with a rifle built..
The nest spring, 188", Father Tosi
and Father Ko-aut came down the
river and established tire mission at
Nulato—the first Catholic Mission to
have a continuous history in North
ern Alaska. Also, it holds the furth
er distinction of be ng the first Cath
olic church constructed in Northern
Alaska.
GIVE DETAILS OF
RECENT STRIKE
GOODNEWS BAY
What gives promise of developing
into a dredge prospect, is the platin
um strike made at the foot of Piurm
igan Mountain, at the Goodnews Bay
Spit, located on the south side of
the bay and to the north of the
mountain, according to word received
direct from the district by The Sew
ard Gateway recently.
Dredge Prospect
The ground is reported as heavily
moistured, all indications pointing to
the ground as a dredging project.
Two men, with the use of a drill,
made the strike, which is reported
to be very rich. The news has caus
ed a great stir over the entire dis
trict, and in it is seen the forerunner
of a stampede to the Territiory from
the States.
The Togiak Lake str.ke, authentic
enough in the ori.'nal report sent to
The Gateway more than a month ago,
has lost some of the original interest
as little further information has .
been received.
Reached By Plane
Frank Wastey, Alaska’s first c.-’e- V
gate to Congress and grand olit me.
of the Kuskokwim, made ur. ahpla t
view of the country and reports that
it is difficult to reach the district at
this time of the year, as ail rivers
are open and the only way to get
in there is by flan-. The suppo.ed
strike is near Lake Chikchik.
It is apparent that a mineral zed
zone runs through the district fr m
Goodnews Bay to Illiantna. and oid
timers pronounce the country ad
mirably suited for a strike, as aiuh
so as any thev have ever seen.
ASK FOR §10,000,000
AS DEVELOPMENT
FUND FOR ALASKA
WASHINGTON — Outlays totaling
$10,000,000 for public works projects
in‘ Alaska are contemplated in bills
introduced in Congress recently by
Delegate Anthony J. Dimond .rad
■Senator Lewis ' B. Sehvreilenbacn.
Democrat, of Washington, and of
this amount $8,000,000 would come
direct from the federal treasury.
Delegate Dimond’s measure, which
was introduced in the House, asks
Congress to authorize Alaska to in
cur a bonded indebtedness of not to
exceed $2,000,000 to finance a public
works program. Under provisions
of the bill a territorial board of fin
ance would be created to direct the
program.
Details of the Senate Measure
Senator Schwelenbach’s measure,
which was introduced in the Senate,
authorizes appropriations totalling
$8,000,000 for a public works pro
gram for Alaska to be completed by
Januaryl, 1941. The b.ll provides
that the money be used under direc
tion of the President of the United
States, with the following projects
allotted the following amounts:
1. University of Alaska, $750,000.
2. Alaska Railroad, $1,000,000.
3. Hotels and tourist facilities,
chiefly in Mount McKinley National
Park, $1,000,000.
Roads, Eridges end Trails
4. Highways, reads, bridges, trails
and ferries, $1,300,00€.
5. Airfield facilities, $1,500,000.
6. Topographic so.l surveys, $230,
000.
7. Schools, $1,000,000.
8. Hospitals, $500,000.
9. Village improvements, $500,000.
Senator Schwellenbach also intro
duced another bill for Alaska pro
jects. This other bill authorizes the
secretary of the interior to construct
and maintain airports and navigation
aids in Alaska, and provides the pro
jects might be built entirely at the
expense of the federal government,
but it permits the secretary to ac
cept Alaskan funds which might be
made available to help finance the
program.
A.R.C. ASSISTS GANES CREW
BREAKING TRAIL TO TOWN
The Alaska Road Commission cat
erpillar and crew went out Monday
and started breaking road from this
end to meet the Ganes Creek cater
pillar which had opened the read to
within three miles of Takctna up re
that time. They are Luck.a • seven
feet of snow, bat with the nelp cf
the A. R. C. “cat,” they expect te
reach town today or tomorow.
The work of breaking open the
caterpillar trail is being rushed so
that the new diesel machinery can
be hauled in to Ganes Creek before
the breakup.