THE KUSKO TIMES
VOL. L NO. SS
TAKOTTf A. ALASKA. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER It, 1937
PRICE, 25 CENTS
STAR AIRWAYS TAKEN
OVER BY STRANDBERG
Word was receded here today of
the purchase of the Star Air Service
by Dave Strandberg and others. The
names of his associates were not
learned. The deal was closed yester
dry, it was reported.
L. Mr Geo will remain in the capa
city of manager until March at whith
time he wiil resign to devote his
time to his mining interests in the
Koyuknk, Pilot Den Goodman.’ who is
one of the directors of the Star Air
Service, will assume the duties of
manager at that- time.
The Star Air Service will continue
to give the people of the Kuskokwim
the safe, efficient service that has al»
ways marked their policy.
TRASH VICTIM IS
RAPIDLY IMPROVING’
In a letter to friends here, Miss
BiLie Harding, who was in Pilot Dan
Victor’s plane when it crashed last
August naar Moore Creek, she stated
ibe is imr roving daily.
Her- back and leg were badly in
jured in the c’ ash. Her leg has heal
ed nicely and -she is new able to walk
fairly good. Her back is g ving her
the greatest trouble now. She ex
perts to be lame for quite some time
She is out of the hospital.
George Kriebel is still in the hos
pital, Miss Harding stated, and he
■will be for some time yet. He is
jlaw’y recovering, however.
Both Miss Harding and Mr. Kretbel
send best regards to everyo*.
SAWMILL OPERATING
The Takotna Sawmill, under the
foremanship of Fred Miller, has re
amed operations after a short shut
d wn on acount of a shortage of gas
oline. The recent snow enabled the
c;ew to haul in gasoline from Me
Gruth. Oscar Sakar and Eill Downey
ai e employed at the mill.
WARNER LEAVES
Perry Warae left for Anchorage
last Sunday, taking passage with Pi-*
lot BamhilL
Holky Dredge
Quits Operations
For This Season
The Holky Dredging Co., formerly
the Ganes Creek dredge, reached the
^nd of a very successful’ season last'
week the large crew of men have
been laid off. for the winter.
Charles Holky, superintendent, re
po its satisfactory results during the
few weeks his company has been op
erating this fall.
No changes or repair work will be
made this winter as was originally
planned, Mr. Holky said. Overhaul
ing and improvements will be made
next March, when a crew will be en
gaged.
Mr. Holky also stated the company
w recently acquired the remaining
-r - oUj-quarter interest in the dredge
held by Peter Messich.
The superintendent will remain in
the district for a time before leaving
for his home and headquarters at
Fairbanks. J. S. Ramstead, who is
associated with Mr. Holky and A. A.
Shonbeck in the company, left Good
news this, week after remaining here
a number of days conferring with his
partners. He will continue on his
way from Goodnews to Seattle for
the winter.
PROVES EXPERTNESS
Fred Spach displayed his culinary
art Wednesday evening by cooking
up a clam ebowder supper and in
viting Mrs. Hugh Matbeson, Miss
Ethyl Peasgood and the Times re
porter as guests- It was found that
Mr. Spach had made no idle boast;
his clam chowder was excellent and
enjoyed to tbe fullest by the hungry
gnests.
MAKE BUSINESS TRIP
Supt- Fred Spach and foreman Ed
Adams of the ARC, made a busness
trip to McGrath with Pilot Savory
last evening, returning the same way
to Takotna this morning.
GO TO MeGRATH
Fred Maxks and Harry Ehdak made
a trip to McGrath early in the weea
via dog-team. They expected to re
turn to Takotna within a couple of
days but the -recent ram melted all
the snow, so now the boys are stuck
at the steamboat terminal awaiting
the. will of “Old man weather.”
OPHIR NEWS
ARTICLES
BY CHRISTIAN BOLGEN
(Spee^l Correspondent)
NOVEMBER 4
Dr. Braafladt Here—
Dr. O. A. Braafladt, dentist from
Fairbanks, who has been busy doing
dental work in Ophir for the past
three weeks, will, after finishing his,
work here, visit Takotna and Mc
Grath, professionally, and later o*.
continue down the Kuskokwim, if
possible, as far as Platinum.
Dredge Crew Arrives—
Mr. and Mrs. Moss, Mike Oliwerri,
John Repo and Andy Hansen came
in from Ganes creek a few days ago,
and are now in- team waiting for a
plane to take Mr. and Mrs. Moss and
Mr. Oliverri to Fairbanks and Mr.
Repo to Anchorage. Mr. Moss is
the chief engineer on the Holky
dredge on Ganes, Mike Oliverri, night
engineer and Hansen their assistant.
' The dredge is now safely shelved and
put away for the winter, on No. 1
-below Discovery. While in Ophir, are
• below Discovery. While in Ophir, Mr.
and Mrs. Mess a rehonse guests of
Mr. and Mrs.-Arvid Larson
r _ i
Start Prospecting Work—
Evan Jones and William Lodge
have already started prospecting on
odge creek. Lodge intends going
.o the Outside later in the winter.
Weirs Make Visit—
Mr. and Mrs. Weir from Spruce
.reek made a visit to town during
he past week.
FIRST WINTER MAIL
ARRIVES HERE TUESDAY
The first mail on the winter air
I mail service arrived Tuesday, Pilot
! Barnhill, flying an Anchorage Flying
Chib five-place Bellanca, delivering
the .man to Takotna. and Ophir for
the P.A-A., who have the contract.
The mail had been laying in Me
Grath for a week because of bad
weather.
Barnhill, it, is reported, will contin
| ue to carry the mail for the P.A.A.
during the next few weeks to Ta
■ kotna and Ophir. It was not stated
if be will complete the swing to Flat
and return. The P.A.A. is experience
! ing a considerable rush of business
at this time, making it necessary to
* sub-let part of the mail contract to
Pilot Barnhill for a time.
CHAS. BAKER
IS ARRESTED
ROAD DISPUTE
Deputy Marsha! Chester T. Spen
cer of Fairbanks, arrived in McGrath
Wednesday and returned today tak
■ ing Chas. Baker to Fairbanks where
! he will be confined in ja3 pending bis
I trial.
Baker, who is a well known old
■ timer and mining man of this dis
| ti-icl, having a group of claims oa
! Ganes creek, was placed urder ar
-ost f o’lo wing a dispute with the of
ficials of the Alaska Road Commis
! sion concerning the latt.r construct
ng a steel bridge across the mouth
f Ganes creek to whi -h ground Ba
ker claims as part of his mining
group.
Accusing Eaker of making alleged
threats to do bodily harm. Road
Commission officials swore out a
warrant for Baker's arrest. They
seek to have him placed under a
peace bond.
' Deputy Marshal Spencer is an old
t ner in the Territory, having spent
15 years as an officer of the law at
•:ort Yukon, C rcle and Fairbanks.
TTe is a fanner as well as a marshaL
He homesteaded in the vicinity of ;
Fairbanks, and for a short t:rne, de
voted his time c!e?ring ground and
practicing the art of agriculture.
The plodding life of a fanner soon
grew old and, securing a reappoint
ment. Spencer acain entered official
life as deputy marshal at Fairbanks.
MOONEY LOSES AGAIN
EFFORT FOR FREEDOM
i
SAN FRANCISCO—Again Thomas
J. MtM*Dey has lost a plea for free
dom.
The California supreme court, sit
ting in San Francisco decided today
against Mooney’s habeas corpus pro
ceedings by 5 to 4. His plea was bas
ed on the allegations that prosecut
: ing witnesses at his trial had perjur
ed themselves in order to secure his
conviction.
The Chief Justice of the California
said in handing down the majority,
opinion of the tribunal:
“The court concludes hat the docu
mentary evidence faded U> establish
by substantial, creditable evidence
Mooney’s conviction was the result of
perjury on the part of prosecuting
witnesses.”
Mooney is serving a life sentence,
on conviction of having hurled a
bomb into the Preparedness Day Pa
rade in San Francisco July 22, 1916.
The bomb’s explosion killed 10 and
wounded 40 persons.
The Mississippi river carries 400,
000,000,000 tons of mud into the Gulf
of Mexico every year.
NEWS FROM GQCDNEWS
PLATINI'M. SUNDAY. OCT. 41
; Two Leave Fer~Flat—
Mr. Trips tead and Prank Maschlin
left with Pilot Amundson for Flat.
The Fox Creek crew which has
been drilling-for the Waf er Johnson
Co. returned to Platinum with Joe
Jean on boandiihe “Husky.-*
Visiting with Children—
Mr. Klingenberg of Flat is visiting
with his daughter, Mrs. Ed Olson
, and his son at the Good news Mining
camp.
Several Mining Men Leaving—
Pilot Leo Moore came in today
with his Pilgrim ship and will take a
number of the Clara Creek asining
men out.
Oct- 27—Pilot Dan Victor o»f the
Star Air Service brought, in the reg
ular week!} 'meat supply for the min
ing camps today. Alsj Lars Larson
1 of Kushagak as a passenger.
Bie Day Coating Up—
We are informed that there win be
. a big day at the Good news Mining
Company's1'camp as soon as the new
dredge is about ready to float. There
are rumors of a champagne christen
! '*«
MS Fern ia From Kadiak—
The MS Fern returned from a
i round trip to Kodiak and Seward
: early Friday, the 29th. Capt. Pete
r Wold will leave fer Seattle in a few
dagy.
j Here on Business—
Oct. 29—Mr. Ralph Tuck of Fair
I banks, has been spending a few day*
’ in Platinum on business.
! Returns to Nushagak—
Mr. Lars Larson of Nushagak, Lft
for that district today with Pilot Red
Flemsburg.
Mining Men Leave on Ru'h C—
The MS Ruth C returned to Plat
inum today from Bethel enroute to
Seward. Capt_ Clson will take nir.e
Platinum mining men on board here.
■ Transports Drilling Outfit—
Joe Jean transported a drilling
outfit to the north shore of the bay
for the Cooiawi Mining Co. The
outfit will be taken up in the Arolici
country in the spring.
Drilling Crew Returns—
Oct. 30—Mr. Jim Crowdy of Bear
Creek, was a Platinum visitor today.
Mr. Crowdy made a trip to the Good-;
news Mining camp and returned to
Bethel with Pilot Ralph Savory. Dave
Strandberg, Andrew Olson, Ralph
Tuck and Pete Masness were also
outgoing passengers.
Entering Warm Weather—
From reports of cold weather and
ice in the upper country, we Platinum
folks moat be living in a banana belt,
as we Save enjoyed exceptionally
warm weather the last month. To
day, Oct. 31 is the first day that
there has been any Ice on the lagoon
that has remained into the afternoon.
We hear the ice stopped running at
Brthal Iasi night.
Pioneer Dance
Planned Here
Thanksgiving
! -
A free Pioneer dance will be given
• at the Pioneer Hall here Thanksgiv
1 ng night, Nov. 25 by Ted Roberts
and Prank Larson, which Is in the na
ure cf a “grand op n ng ’ of the
‘Miner Eeer Parlor' and Larson’s
new residence.
Everybody is cordially invited and
iron present reports, a number of
people frcm Ophir and McGrath will
be on hand. Reir.s.-.men s will be
served. Everything is free. Come all
you folks and let's make H a big get
j together pa.ty.
ENVOY OF ITALY
WILL LEAVE FRANCE
PARIS—What might be a serious
turn in the rclc t on3 berwe.n France
and Italy is the leave of absence that
Vittorio C-: r.t., lta lan amb— sador
tp Franc? wi.l take tom.rrow night
j ironi his diplomatic post.
The Italian sources .n Paris ex
plained he ambassador is going on a
holiday “of more or loss long dura
tion.” They added the leave of ab
sence is prompted 1 y the fact that
France has ni at Lassa_or at Rome
and retains cay a cnr-rge d'affaires
' in the Itali. i ta. rather than
rtcogn ze the lta :..n empire as in
cln^ nsr Ehi p a. e Afri.an country
which Italy recently conquered and
annexed.
Winter Activity
Is Under Way In
The Folger Area
(Special Correspondent)
James Wilson and Bob Arnold
came to Ophir at the end of last
week from Folger and have been here
j attending to business since.
Mr. Wilson reports that the min
ing activities around Folger are now
about at a standstLl with the escep
; tion of prospecting, woodcutting and
other preparatory work for next sea
son’s mining operations; that a ma
jority of the men employed during
the past summer have left for the
winter.
Sid Paulson, operating on Colorado
creek, and Mrs. Paulson, left some
; time ago by plane for Anchorage on
i their way to New York City, where
Mrs. Paulson intends to seek medical
attention, Wilson said. Among those
intending to spend the winter at Fol
ger are Mr. Geighen, night foreman
for the Cripple Creek Mining Com
pany during last summer, and Mrs.
; Geighen, and Mr. and Mrs. William
Jones, well known old-time residents
of Ophir and Takotna, where Billy
was in the freighting business for a
! good many years.
Mr. Wilson is now in charge of
i drilling operations on the ground now
; under lease to Hard, Uotila and Han
j GL'SKEY TO MEDFRA .
i Frank Guskey left for Medfra
: where he will a-slst C. M. Y\ inans,
proprietor of the Medfra Trading
; Post, in auditing his books. Fran*;
j experts to be there about a week.
ALREADY YEARNS TO RETURN
In a letter received by the Times
i office this week from Eallas McRob
■ erts. who left here last month to vis
t it his paronts in Nampa, Idaho, Dal
1 las said: “Tte vitamer is c .ta.nly
hot here and the country dry. I’m
homes ck for Alasha and spring is a
long ways off. He was < mp’oyid
i during the summer by the ARC here.
MINING DEALS
ARECLOSED BY
OPHIR GROUPS
(By Special Correspondent)
The old town of OpRir has been
rather lively fo.- the past two weeks
or more, and at leas: two rather im
portant mining deals have been con
summated here lately. People have
been coming ;n from d fferent direc
tions by plane, automobi.e and the
horses of the apostles.
Mr. and Mrs. Mi;:e Myntjti recently
iea.ed and oft or,.d to Chail.s ..oky
10 placer claims on Canes Creek,
the p “chase price named in the op
tion being SCO.CCO. Ike claims are
located both above and below Discov
ery on said creek.
Hard & Wi son et ah, this week
'eased to Eric Hard, Gus Uotila and
Har. Id Har-s tt, at least 21 placer
.lams s.i’oaud on Leer, Eeav.r and
Cr.pple and Graham c e ks in the
Folger camp In this, .he Innoko Pre
cinct.
Mr. Hen or repre .ntrg :he Wes
tern H ist &■ Dei.: C D.p ,ry, has
this summer b en ir. Ophir In-tailing
the machinery on Uotla & Hard's
ground on t pr.ir C eck. Mr. Hanson
left a few days ago for Anchorage
by plane on his way to his home in
Seattle, where machine: y for the
working of the ground will be pur
chased and sent to Folger next
spring.
ALFORD LEAVES
Warner Alford, well known local
truckman left for Anchorage Wed
nesday with Pilot LarnhilL .Mr . Ai
ford and two daughters moved to
Anchorage for the winter several
weeks ago. Mr. Alford will remain
at the railroad metropolis only a
short time before returning to Takot
na.
SUNDAY SCHOOL OPENS
The Takotna Sunday School, un
der the guidance of Miss Ethyl Peas
good, wi.i meet at the scnoolhouse
at 10 o'clock Sunday forenoon, Nov.
14. The class will continue to be con
ducted every Sunday for the remain
der of the school term. Eveiybody
welcome.
Wolves Making
Inroads Among
Deer and Moose
C. A. Fowler arrived in town from
his reindeer camp in the Tolstoi
a,strict, eariy Wednesday evening.
The reindeer man states that he
i'.as nearly a thousand head of rein
deer rounded up. There is a definite
scarcity cf moose :n his and adjacent
districts due largely to the depreda
tions of the wolves.
■‘The wolves have raised havoc
with the deer, ’ Fowler continued. ‘‘So
far I haven’t been atle to bag a wolf
tr come any ways near dhng so, but
I catth an occasional glimpse of one
and see lots of sign and evidence of
their destructive nature.
The reindeer man wi 1 pull back
for range with the corring snow. Hs
will remain out until late in the Wn
-er or psr.ng, doing a little trapping
:nd iOi.nd.ng up tae deer.
FLAT MEN VISIT
Andrew Olson a-d George Misco
vich were overnight visitors here
uosiay ni hi enroute from Fair
tanks to 1 lat. T he two passengers
wlt-z fiyin' with Pilo. Barnhi.l and
eon: nued on to Flat early Wednea
-ay mtrn-ng.