THE KUSKO TIMES
VQL. 1. SO.
TAKOTN'A. ALASKA. FRIDAY .MARCH 26. 1937
PRICE, 36 CENTS
STRANDBERGS WILL OPEN
UP TWO MORE PROPERTIES
Expansion of mining operations of
the Dave Strand berg family with the
working of two new properties' be
sides the two developed in past years,
■was announced recently in Anchor
age by Harold Strandberg.
The organization will employ 74
to 8u men at four ramps at the peak'
of the season, with three mines for
j, gold and one for platinum. -
Harold Strandberg left wnth Pilot
Don Goodman for Folger for prelim
inary work in opening up the Cripple
Creek placer ground. He was ac
rotnpahied by Bob -Geehan.
The new properties to be operated
by the Strandbergs are on Candle
Creek near McGrath and at AeroHfe
in the Goodnews Bay region. Both
are placer ground. Besides," these
firms will continue work at Folger (
and on Clara Creek in the Goodnew s’’
Day region.
In announcing the program'of ex-’
pansion, Harold Strandberg pointed^
to the Goodnews Bay region /as- the
most promising mining area of Al
aska. He predicted it would dewe. op
this summer into the center of great
est activity for the Territory.
Drilling Planned
The Candle Creek ground was ac
quired from' the Aitken interests
with additional property^ downriver
about sever, miles from McGath. Work
this spring will be/focusea on drilling:
and the installation of a dragline, j
Harold estimated between 24/ and 30.
men would be employed there- at the
peak of the season...
Drilling Dew.ground at Aerolic with
about four men engaged in the op
erations is also planned by the
Strand berg interests. Further de
velopment work will follow.
Fifth Season
The platinum mining of the Strand
bergs will be under'way the latter
part of April with about 22 men em
ployed there. This mine was one of
the top, producers of Alaska last year
and is in the area which has been
swarming with prospectors this win
ter:
In opening up the Cripple Creek
mine, Harold will be launching out
on the fifth season the Strandberg
family has worked placer ground
there. Harold will engage in hauling
wood at present. H# expected 24 men
would be employed later in the sea
son when the. dragline is* operated.
The mine at Folger is. known as one
of the best equipped placers of Al
aska.
Dave Strandberg- is now in- the
States on a combined business and
pleasure trip. He is purchasing ma
chinery to be installed id the two
new mines and is expected to return
to Alaska soon.
Harold said he had not learned
much about the stampede last fall'
and this winter'to the platinum area
in Good news Bay, but said fie was
of the opinion there was- more ex
citement than was justified for the
findings to -date. The region being
staked by the stampeders is a few
miles from the Clara Cheek holdings
of the Strandberg family..
EVERYBODY IS
INTERESTED IN
GOODNEW S BAY
The population of Takotna is con
tinuing to increase with two j more
passengers arriving from Anchorage
Tuesday with Pilot Doll Goodman.
They are: Mrs. Jack DeLane and.
and Mike McRoberts..
Mrs. DeLane is the wife of Jack
Delane, who was. employed out on the
Creeks by Waino Puntilla Iasi sum
mer. The couple went Outside last
fall, M.* DeLa-ne being in need of
medical treatment.
They returned recently and have
been visiting in Anchorage *or the
past week.
Mr. DeLane arrived from Anchor
age today with Pilot Goodman. He
plans on working for Puntilla on the
Little i Creek dredge again this sum
mer. .
The other passenger, a newcomer
to this country, Mike McRoberts,
intends to make Takotna his future
home.
He is a brother of T. R. McRoberts,
co-publisher of The Kuskb Times.
He hails from Palmer where he has
been employed for the past year cut
ting timbeir for the Rural Rehabilita
tion Corporation. He is interested
in getting*-into the mining and par
ticularly *he praspecting game in
this district, ’having- originally come
from a mining' country in the state
of Idaho. He informs us that the
“boom days at the Matanuska Colony
are now a thing of the past.”
“The colonists have cleared more
land in the past two months than in
ail the previous time put together,"
McRoberts said. “It looks like the
new works program is going to be a
real success. Too bad they- didn’t
start this plan sooner.”
“On further questioning, Hike said,
“Everyone in Palmer and Anchorage
seem to be bitten with the Goodnews
Bay bug. If all go- there who are
talking of going Goednew* will be
HOLY CROSS
HAPPENINGS
BY HISSES AN UTICA and ANGELA
DEMIENTIEFF
(Special Correspondents)
Walker Leaves for Flat—
March 2—Frank- Walker left on a
trip to Flat by dogteam with Al
phonse Demientieff and expects to be
back in a week’s time on the mail
plane.
Bring Engine Parts for Lannch—
March 4—Ray Bird and W7illie
Newman of Shageluk, arrived here
today mashing a team, of 13 dogs and
carrying engine parts of the “Nancy
Bell” mail and freight launch owned
by Ira Woods, a prominent trader in
this part of the country, which need
ed repairing Brother Geoge Feltes,
S. J., a number one mechanic is un
dertaking the work..
Goes Outside for Treatment—
March 6—Don Goodman flew in to
day from the Lower Yukon with Mr.
J. J. Chisholm of the West Coast
Grocery Co, and Mr. Wick, an old
timer of the Russian Mission Dis
trict The latter was enroute to the
Outside for medical treatment.
Passengers and Mail Arrive—
March 10—Dan Victor arrived here
this morning with a fullload of mail
and two passengers. They were:
Frank Walker, returning from Flat,
and Miss Thelma Merle Whitley from
Shageluk. Pilot Victor left for Mar
shall carrying the maO for that dis
trict. Dr. Corthell of Mt Village is
! expected to be on the return plane
j to perform some operations here.
the new metropolis oF Alaska- tins
coming season.”
The newcomer wilk make his home
for the present wtth’-the staff of Tbs
Kusko Times.
Remember the Advertisers
MANY REINDEER
HERDS RANGE IN
KALSKAG AREA
—
Kalskag is a native village situated
at the end of the mountains on the
] right limit of the Kuskokwim, going
down.
A number of reindeer are ranged
bark of Kalskag. Mr. Witcher con
cu ts the Bureau of Indian Affairs
school and supervises the reindeer
h;rd. Besides the reindeer industry,
the natives trap muskrat, fox and
mink, and do a little fishing on the
river.
Four miles below Kalskag on Mud
Creek, is the old Russian Portage
across to the Yukon. The government
has spent considerable money build
ing dams, digging small canals and
connecting lakes so as to enable the
passage of small boats with kickers.
This portage was used by the Rus
sians during the early days of Alas
ka, and the United States government
was, at one time contemplating the
building of a canal across to the Yu
kon to enable larger boats to travel
through.
Frank Larsen of Takotna, recently
received word from friends in the
Forty Mile country up North, that
they expect to have the best season
in many years. This is Frank’s old
stamping ground.
j JOHN REPO TO ANCHORAGE
| John Repo of Ophir, was a visitor
in Takotna yesterday enronte to An
chorage on a combined business and
pleasure trip. He expects to return
about the first of April. He engaged
transportation with Pilot Goodman. .
taxi Driver is
SLAIN IN BRAWL
BY JACK M ARTIN
The shooting occurred in the home
of Mrs. Doris Simmons, near the end
of Fifth Avenue. No one is said to
hare actually witnessed the shooting,
but it is said that Martin went to
the U. S. Marral and gave himself
up. He claims self-defense and is
said to have had bruises and cuts on
him which indicated that the men
had been fighting prior to the fatal
shooting.
The victim was a comparative new
comer to Anchorage, having located
there during the past year. Martin
is a well known Anchorage resident,
and owns a ranch a short distance
out of town on the Eagle River road.
The accused was bound over to the
grand jury on a charge of first de
gree murder.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Greig, manager
of the N. C. store here, returned
yesterday from McGrath where they
they have been visiting for several
days.
WHAT’S DOING IN M’GRATH
BY MRS. DOROTHY TIBBS
(Special Correspondent)
Berrys to Anchorage—
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Berry of
Medfra went into Aaehoage on Fri
day with Pilot Savory of the Star Air
Service.
(They Did A Good Job)—
St. Patrick’s Day was very quiet in
McGrath, most of the population
having gone to Takotna to aid in
driving the snakes out of town.
Takes Passengers to Flat—
Pilot Ralph Savory of the Star Air
Service, arrived in McGrath on Wed
nesday night, after taking Miss Jean
Davis, who is employed by the Day
Navigation Company, and one other
passenger to Flat.
Marriage Is Rumored—
It is rumored that Miss Alice Fors
land, the lady barber of Bethel, was
married some time ago to “Tuffy”
Edgington of Flat. Mrs. Edgington
is, at present, visiting at the home
of Mrs. Merle Sasseen at Anchorage.
Akiachuk Trader Passes Aw»r —
Harry Samuelson, long u trader at
Akiachuk, on the Lower Kuskokwim.
passed away recently at the Seward
General Hosp'tal. Pilot Johnny
Moore of -he Star Air Service, hew
the body fr-*m Seward to Bethel for
burial.
Pilot Cross of the Wien Alaska
Airways, arrived in McGrath Thurs
day, bringing John Schwegler and
Jack Gucker. Mr. Schwegler left Mc
grath on Wednesday with Pilot Knox,
planning to make the round trip to
Bethel and return to McGrath. Mr.
Gucker continued on his swing of
this part of the country with Pilot
Peck of Valdez.
Pilot and Mrs. Moore Return—
Pilot Leo Moore and his wife, who
have been Outside during the winter,
returned to Anchorage on the last
boat. Pilot Ray Crawford, veteran
West Coast flyer, returned with Mr.
and Mrs. Moore. Mrs. Moore wiB be
remembered as the former Beth An
derson, who taught school at Takotna
and Akiak recently.
| Agrees to Write Up News Notes—
Miss Alice McGowan has kindly
consented to give us, from time to
time, notes on doings among the
younger set of McGrath.
McGees Back From States—
Mr. and Mrs. Linius McGee, who
have been Outside during the past
winter, arrived in Anchorage on the
last boat. They brought with them
a Stinson, for their private use in
conection with their mining activity
in the Koyukuk.
Mrs. Littlev Recovering—
Pilot John Littley was in McGrath
on Monday night. He had Gil Rich
and Mr. Erskine as passengers. Mr.
Littley reports that his wife, the
former Lillian Mills of Anchorage,
who has been seriously ill, is in the
hospital at Seward, and on the road
to recovery.
Goes for Medical Attention—
Mr. and Mrs. F red Whitcher,
school teachers at Kalskag, went to
Anchorage recently with Pilot Esto*
Calk Mrs. Whitcher went in for
medical attention, and both returned
to Kalskag with Pilot Call on Wed
nesday. Clarence Marsh of Bear
Creek, was also a passenger with the
pilot.
Miss Dementoff Stops for Visit—
Miss Tasiana Dementoff of Holika
chakket, on the Innoko River, arrived
in McGrath Wednesday on the P.A.
A. mail plane. Miss Dementoff is the
aunt of Bert Dementoff of McGrath.
Miss Dementoff continued on to Flat
on Friday, planning to visit her
nieces, Mrs. Harry Cardinoff and
Mrs. Tony Gularte for several days,
before returning to Holikachaket.
Miss Dementoff told, while here, of
seeing the old Russian blockhouse,’
formerly at Kolmokosky, at the Col
lege in Fairbanks. Miss DementofFs
father, whQe trading at Kolmokosky*
in the early days, stored his dogfish
in the old blockhouse, and although'
she hadn’t seen it for many years,
she ren.embered it, when she spotted
it in Fairbanks.
MANY WILL BE
EMPLOYED ON
BRIDGE WORK
The construction of three steel
bridges along the Takotna-Ophir roal
will mean considerable expansion in
Road Commission activities in this
district over former years, offic ais
said.
The bridges will be built on Yan
kee, California and Genes Creeks and
crews will start preparatory work
sometime in May, it was stated. A
large amount of the bridge material
and other equipment and supplies ,ls
now in McGrath and will be shipped
in as soon as the breakup occur- and
the river is navigable.
With the regular maintenance crew
it is expected that there will be more
than double the number of men em
ployed as last season.
MR. AND MRS. ERIC HARD
RETURNING EARLY APRIL
In a card front Mrs. Grace S. Hard
to Miss Ellen Reidy of Takotna, Mrs.
Hard states
“Have spent so much time on the
way, only nave a week here (Los
Angeles). Flying to Seattle Satur
day. We are both tine. Wish you
had been with us. Eric has been
treated royally by my friends, and
has had a wonderful time. Will be
back early' in April.”
Mrs. Hard is visiting friends in
Los Angeles. They were married in
Fairbanks just before leaving for the
States last January.
HALLSON BUYS FURS HERE
FROM THE LOCAL TRAPPERS
Otddie Hallson was a business vis
itor in Takotna last Sunday, return
ing to McGrath on Monday. He ar
rived when a number of trappers
were in town and bought up quite a
few furs.
Oddie reports that Mrs. Hallson
is still visiting in Fairbanks where
she went to attend the annual ice
carnival. He expects her home the
first of the week. Mrs. Hallson is
enjoying a lengthy visit with a num
ber of her old friends in the Interior
metropolis.
LEGISLATURE
ENDS; PASSES
EIGHTY BILLS
Eighty laws wee enacted by the '
Alaska Legislature which adjourned
March 12 at half past six in the
morning. Sixty-seven memorials were
also approved as well as 14 resolu
tions.
This is believed to be an all time
record for the passage of memorials
most of which deal with roads or
prayers to congress for federal aid.
Outstanding among the laws enact
ed wee the gold tax measure levying
three per cent tax on the gross pro
duction of gold and platinum mines,
and the liquor control bill which lim
its licensing to exclusive dealers in
liquor only.
The memorial by Walker urging
congress to include a provision in
any fish regulation which might be
enacted prohibiting seine fishing in
Alaska by non-residents, was one of
te most bitterly debated measures of
the session. It was defeated at the
last minute.
The memorial asking for a $72,000
appropriation for weekly airmail
service from Cordova, to Valdez,
Seward and Anchorage, was approved
by Delegate Anthonj J. Dimond. The
Delegate also approved the memorial
asking Congress fur $700,000 for re
pairing and reconstruction work on
the Alaska Railroad, and an appro
priation of $53,000 for weekly airmail
service Tram damn to -Fairbaafc*.