I
THE RUSKO TIMES
VOL. 1. XO. 7
TAKOTNA, ALASKA. FRIDAY. MARCH 19. 1937
PRICE. 25 CENTS
MINING BOOM
PREDICTED BY
MINE OPERATOR
When asked about his views on
mining in the Kuskokwim area for
this coming season^ Mr. Spidjack of
the Gar.es Creek Dredging Company,
became mite optimistic.
“It seems as-though everyone Out
side is crazy to come up and go mm
jfcg," be said. "We are going to see
Vne of the biggest booms in the rain
ing industry ever experienced. The
L wcr K j kvkwin has an especially
bright fgtune. Just watch it jump
ahead. That country has had its
strikes and stampedes throughout
the pa-I y ars but for the lack of
transportation, the low price of gold
and the inaccessibflitjr of the country,
the various strikes were only flashes
in the pan. Now with the rise in the
price of gold tad the use of mining
equipment which has been greatly
imp: ov. ! during the last few years,
the country has been developed to
such an extent and has attracted so
much a:centum, that this year will
see a veritable ‘second gold rush'
into that area." the mining operator
said.
Me. Spiel}, c-fc is verr oonfiteo’ of’
th: bright in look of the entire Kus
kokwira country. “Well take more
out of here :n the next 15 years
than the others did in the last 30,"
he said. “The Kuskokwim . district
has hardly baen scratched. In the
previous years, the mining industry
iack«d n. .ney. Big concerns, with
them rry bank of them, have now ta
ken h id and are able to work ground
which small, independent operators
cannot nandie. Anyone with a fair
showing car. now get the. backing
without any trouble.
“Mining is the easiest game in the
world.” Mr.- Spiel jack said. “AH iti
bakes is a lot at good common horse j
sens, and plenty of hard workZ'
Mr. Spiel jack informs us that- he‘
is going to start breaking out a cat
erpillar road to Tak otr.r. immediately
in preparation for the moving, two
new diesel motor* and other machin
ery- out to the dredge before the
break-up. He expects to have the
new di-sei;installed and the dredge
in operation by about the first of
June. The company will employ
about 22 men this summer. .
MT. McKINLET IS DUE IV
SEWARD 9 A- M. SATURDAY
Although raIl.T>*? tracks - between
Anchorage and Seward will probab
ly be cleared in time for scheduled
passenger r un*: this week-end accord
ing to late reports, the steamer
Mount McKinley is running behind
schedule and regular trains will prob
ably be delayed to conform with the
arrival cf the boat, Alaska Railroad
officials anotmeai Wednesday. Latest
word from the Mount McKinley said
the vessel will act reach Seward un
til 9 pun. Sat—lay,
Rotary snc'wptow* completed clear
ing the seooiri big snowslide at Mile
Wednesday morning, officials said.
Exceptionally warm weather in the
region of the slides is blemed for
their occurr—
One airplane and five automobiles
are consigned to Anchorage aboard
the steamer ML McKinley.
The McKinley is carrying a total
of 548 tons far Seward and tbe rail
belt Included m the cargo is the.
following! Ester. 35 tons of budrauiie
pipe; lignite, 13 tons of 'UPd bags,
and one compressor; Fairbanks. 30
tons of mill work, 14 tons of cold:
storage meat, one hoist, one bailer.,
two tractors, and right automobiles; j
Palmer, one trnekkmd of household
goods one auto and 132 tons of feed.
The Mount McKinley is carrying j
80fira class ynsnengewr and 22 steer
age for Sewwad mi the rail belt.
WOODLEY IS SAFE AFTER
WEEK IN MERRILL PASS
Rescued after spending a week on
Kerabuna Lake in Merrill Pass where
his ship was forced down by baa
weather Wednesday, a week ago,
Pilot Art Woodley arrived in Anch
orage day before y cater day afternoon
in the ship of Pilot, H. . Barer.....
Pilot Woodley was uninjured and
none the worse for his experience.
He planned to leave yesterday morn
ing with Pilot Barnhill for the scene
uf his forced landing, where he will
|c-lace a damaged ski om his plane
-. j fly it off the lake.
Woodley started from Naparcute
last Wednesday afternoon for Anch
■ragv. intending to come here and
repair the damaged ski of his plane.
. he ski was damaged when landing
at Napamute. Forced down by bad
weather in Merrill Pass, he came
own on Kenibuna Lake. In landing,
.he plane struck an overflow spot
.n the lake and further damaged the
-ki. making it impossible to take off
without repairs.
Pilot Woodley lived on the emer
gency rations in his ship. Pilot
Barnhill and Mr. DeStacany left on
.he hunt Wednesday when Woodley
was a week.overdue and it was ap
parent something was wrong.
SPIEUACK MEETS
MANY ALASKANS
Mr. Frank Speiljack part owner of.
the Ganes Creek dredge met quite a
number of old timers while Outside,
he said. Among them were:
Pilot McGee, formely of the McGee
Airways of Anchorage and now en
gaged in extensive mining operations
in the Koyakuk. region, on Seward
Peninsula.
Pete Miseovitch is sojourning in!
Seattle and will return to the Idit
arod camp in a few weeks to begin i
work for the coming season on his:
extensive mining holdings in this
historic. camp.
Dr. Carter, well known dentist at
Bethel, and who is one of the live ;
wire mining .promoters of that region,
and is interested in several likely j
looking mining propositions, will be
heading North shortly. *
•* cn. TV JBVVVi Vi Oil - V m*
askan mining promoters, who engin
eered the gigantic Good paster deai ■
near Fairbanks last yeas, is busily
engaged in varying on his work in
the States and will return to Fair
banks sometimes this spring.
Charles Tibbetts, prominent hotel
man of Fairbanks and now heavily
interested in mining activities in
that area, is on a combined business
trip in the States. He will return
soon to his old stamping ground.
Bill Hykman. former dredge mas
ter at Fairbanks returned, an the
same boat with Mr. Spieljack and is 1
planning on going out prospecting
for himself this coming season.
“I also met Nels Vibe, who instal
led a dragline on Spaulding Creek
last summer, and Mrs. Ole Blind he im,.
is Seattle. Mrs. Blindheim has al
ready porchi-sed a large stock of
merchandise to be shipped up on the
first boat this spring. She is going
to start a new store at Ophir.”
VALDEZ PILOT ARRIVES
IN TAKOTNA TrfDAl
Pilot Jack Peek, who baa been in i
Valdez for the last two years, arrived
in Takotna today with two passen
gers from McGrath. They were Bob i
Yanderpool, brother of Woodrow Van
derpool of Takotna and Eddie Koenig,
of McGrath.
, Pyot Peck is flying his own plane\
and Just recently moved to Anchor
age from Valdez where he has es
tablished his future base. Mr. Peck
is rated an highly capable and ex
perienced flier and we hope to see
him often down this way.
TOWN OF ANIAK
IS GARDEN SPOT
OF KUSKOKWIM
This little town of Aniak, nestling
on the banks of the Kuskokwim at
the mouth of theAniak River, might
well be called “The Kuskokwim Gar- ;
den of Eden.” Through the efforts 1
of an oldtiiner and trader, Aniak
stands out like an oasis on the desort.
Tom L. Johnson has lived there
for many years and has built biro-,
self a beautiful home. The Burner- ]
ous neatly constructed buildings are
all freshly painted and shaded by
well-pruned native trees. Mr. John-;
son operates a stpre, postoffice, and
roadhouse, and furnishes his table
from a garden surpased by none.
Tom’s Sock of well-housed chickens
supply the needed eggs for his table
as well as for his customers.
The Aniak Rrver is navigable, with
small boats, for 60 miles back to a
country rich in mining and furs.
Considerable placer mining is being
carried on at Marvel Creek, a trib
utary to the Aniak. A caterpillar
operates out of Aniak hauling sup
plies to here. Marvel Creek is only
a summer camp and the people work
ing here reside in Aniak during the
winter months.
Sam Voich, the well known trader
at Xapamute, owns a small store in
Aniak, operated by Willie Pete. The
citizens of the town have just finish
ed clearing off ground preparing to
construct a new landing field which
will be ready for use this spring.
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KUSKO TIMES today.
! NEWS NOTES FROM!
! THE NIXON MINES!
By Mrs. R. A. Wes pelt
| (Special Correspondent) l i
J
Nixon Mine Will Operate Soon—
The Nixon Mines will soon operate |
again, after being shut down all win- :
ter, owing to the fact that the boatj
didn’t arrive with supplies last fall.
Return from Prospecting Trip—
Red Richardson and Bill McGowan j
have returned recently from a pros
pecting trip.
Whelan Working Quartz Showing—
Ed Whelan has been working on a
likely prospect all winter, but will
s en start on his placer ground for
the summer.
Preparing for Season’s Work—
Clint Vi inan on Hidden Creek is i
•preparing fox their summer’s opera
tions.
Returns from California Trip—
Cnas. C. Mespelt returned from
the States recently, after spending
two months in California. This was
his Srstwinter Outside in many years.
Trappers Enjoy Good Season—
Trappers in the Nixon Mine region
have had a very successful winter,
it is reported.
Visits Mother in Minnesota—
Bill McGowan made a trip to the
States to visit his moihei in Minne
sota, whom be hadn't seen in many
years. He returned a short wh la
ago.
Beilin Will Return Soon—
Matt Beilin is making a visit in
the States, but is expected back this
spring sometime.
Wish The Kesko Tunes Sococess—
The Nixon folks are all enjoying
The Kusko Times again, as it keeps
them in touch with all the old timers.
They wish you all the luck and suc
cess in publishing it.
NEIL McDEVITT PASSES AT
THE ANCHORAGE HOSPITAL
Neil McDevitt. one of the best
kiwsra construct!' r. men with the Al
aska Railroad, and miner, passed
away at the A nc ho rapt Hospital Mon
day, according to late radio advices.
Death resulted from pneumonia.
Mr. McDevitt has resided in Alaska
since the o a t 1 y construction
"ays of the Alaska Rail; .ad. He was
foreman of the pick and shovel crew
at Paluner during iact 'spring and
summer, quitting to take the fore
man's job at the Fern Mine, out of
Was. 111a, where he was taken down
with pneumonia.
Mr. McDevitt was highly respected
by all who knew him and he leaves
hundreds of friends who will deeply
regret, bearing the news of his pas
sing.
SNAKES ARE ON THE RUN
With a little help frcm her neigh
boring town of McGrath} the Irish
are eertanly running the sr.akes out
of Takotna. Judging the length of
time it is taking to complete? the job,
there must be a lot f snakes in our
fair city. In spite cf the diligent
work of the Irish ,r h ir helpers,
are doing, we wouldn’t be surprised
if there wasn’t a few more of the
reptiles left after the work is done.
MORELYS BUY
HOME. TAKOTNA
Mr. Jeff Morely and his wife, who
was the second Colonist girl to marry
since coming to Alaska, celebrated
their first wedding anniversary in
Takotna.
They came here recently from Pal
mer to locate, ana have, this week,
purchased a cozy little cabin from
E. A. Adams.
Mr. Morely came to Palmer -with
the engineering force two years ago.
This group was supposed to be in
charge of the road building for the
Colony, but this work was later turn
ed over to the Alaska Road Commis
sion instead, and Morely was placed
in charge of the Corporation saw
mills. While employed in/this posi
tion. he cut out 800,00 feet of lum
ber and 500,000 feet of timbers. He
resigned the sawmill position and
took charge of a barn building crew,
constructing barns for the colonists.
While in Takotna, Mr. Merely will
be employed under Mr. E. A. Adams
for the Road Commission, as diesel
caterpillar operator, this coming sea
son.
Mrs. Morely, formerly Miss Betty
Meyers of Minnesota, has fallen in
love with her new home and is very
happy to be here, she said.
Her father was one of the first
colonists to refuse further govern
ment aid last summer and is now op
erating the farm on his own.
F. E. COMPANY ANNOUNCES
LARGE WAGE INCREASE
The Fairbanks Exploration Com
pany announce through its general
manager, Roy B. Ear ling Wednesday,
an increase of approximately 12 1-2
per cent in wages effective immedi
ately.
Three hundred now on the payroll,
will receive a full advance and 75
others «rU receive a partial advance
The new scale will be 71 cents an
hoar plus board and lodging for com
mon labor. The present scale is al
ready higher than was paid in 1929.
The compary expects to start
dredging operations in this vicing'
this week and drege operators aj-< .
ready to start elsewhere as soon as
thawing permits.
Stuart Horall of Melbourne, Au-'
Etralia, plowed up a gnW r.uggeti
weighing 100 ounces on Li.= tethers'
farm.
STRESSES NEED
FOR HIGHWAY TO
THE NIXON FORKS
A 14-mile road from Takotna to
deep water is one of the greatest
needs of the region of Takotna and
siiiToundnig district, according to
Frank Spieljack. Kuskokwim mi ,ing
operator. Such a road would open
up the country to much cheaper na
vigation costs during the entire
season.
VVith the present means of bring
ing freight from McGrath to T:kot
na, the expense is exceedingly high
and undependable. The Takotna Ritj
er is unnavigable at low water and
winter hauling over the trail is slow
and unsatisfactory. In fact the bulk
of mining machinery cannot be trans
ported that way but has to lay in
McGrath until such time as the wat
er level is suitable for safe naviga
tion. The Takotna River is unnavi
gable at low water and winter haul
ing over the trail is slow and unsat
isfactory. In fact, the bulk of min
ing machinery cannot be transported
that way, but has to lay in McGrath
until such a time when the water is
right to navigate on the Takotna.
Sometimes this wait drags into
months and by the time the equip
ment lands at it’s point of destina
tion, the season is nearly gone and
another year is lost along with the
freight which costs around $75 a ton.
With the construction of a bridge
at Takotna, we have a natural road
way down the ridge to a point within
five or six miles of McGrath on the
Kuskokwim. Such a road could b
built with very little expense, consid
ering the rich area it serves, Mr.
Mr. Spieljack stated.
The ridge leads within two miles
of the Kuskokwim River, making a
possible two miles of corduroy on
this end and perhaps a mile on the
Takotna end from the bridge to the
foothills. The eost of construction
of the bridge to teh foothills. The
cost of construction of the bridge
across the Takotna River would be
more than offset by the low cost
and easy construction of the- roa-.
proper.
k- tu. u a i uau luuu uuuv >• < .u
oniy the ues of a bulldozer with the
exception of a short stretch on each
end. The whole distance consists of
natural material for road building
with a gTavel and slide rock forma
tion. on a gradual slope down a
practically baren ridge.
For the lack of such a road to deep
water and navigation, the mining
activities in this district are seriously
handicapped. Mr. Spieljaek is look
ing forward to a start toward deep
water this summer.
Until we get such a road, mining
activities will be held back for years.
BOILER EXPLOSION TAKES
LIVES OF 700 CHILDREN
NEW LONDON, CQNN.. March
18—More than 700 children were
killed and untold number injured
when an explosion occurred in the
boiler room of the rural school here.
This is the largest rural school in
the world with a total enrollment of
3600.
Police and state militia were rush
ed to the scene of disaster to hold
back the fathers and mothers seek
ing their loved ones. Three hundred
children were rescued by the firemen.
The fire o ccurred late in the after
noon and a large number of the chil
dren were out of school for the day.
T. T. Brown, poultry specialist at
North Carolina State college, says
the 393 demonstration poultry filoeks
in his state earned their owners a
profit of |12,994 in one month last
year.
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