THE KUSKO TIMES
VOL. 1. NO. 5.
TAKOTNA, ALASK A, M ARCH 5, 1937
PRICE. 25 CENTS
ALASKA INTERIOR AIRLINE
WILL OPERATE THIS AREA
Th. popple nf the Kusk<»kwim will
hnv a. w fleet of fast, modem air
p.i. :s at :r->ir service.
Tr,.- arrival .f Pilot Don Goodman
la?. : . .oaj in his new Cessna four
pi: c ssnaHized the inaufrara
ti" a of a n^-w serv ice to bo known as
the ''Alaska interior. Airline.”
ih' company will operate a fleet
_ . t . . s, an of which will be
^tat. -e .1 1 There will a’so h.
th. v . :\> -H<1 ?;aa«<r.s »rsta led; or
11 hora^e, one at Takoina ana.
one at Fiat.
Pilot A • • ar Winchell, well known
Ku.koTv.irr, flyer, will bo associate:!
with Goodman in the \enture. A third
pilot w . jo n -p with the rgrariz
atior n the rear future, Goodman
s:a ej.
ir be., ir ncw.enroate from New
Yo. k w th practically new 7-p’r ce
EeJam.a . h::h will be based at An
ehoratre. He is expected to - arrive
her wi.mn v« weeks. Another
ltH.r-pir.je plane .is in the piocess of
const:' cti-jn a. an eastern is ory
and v.ii be ■ ady for shipment i. a
shot hr \ o. di .an said.
It has tint been definitely -.docided
ss vet, whith nilot would be based
here.
, . xtnn 1 n-f» Vinro okcvrif- Tlcuifimkor ■
i, lit- States to arrange for the
1 .art f the planes. He picked,
i hi i.w Cessra at Wichita. Kan->
f: S-. , new it to Chicago, Detroit
U v York. ami back acros the coun
try to i.os Angf-.es and up the Coast
to Seattle wuere he crated it for ship
r. it to Anchorage.
: he prlit . rought Loui« Falk and
J. i. Co.-kcty as passengers, to Fol
p«.r and F. .by, respectively, on nisi
i; i , a trip i coin Anchorage Thurs
day, stepping in Mo. rath overnight.
Mr. Falk is returning fr m a visit to
the r ... He is employed by Dave
Stxt-rK.burg in the mining operations
>n .Cripple Creek. Mr. C ooksty -who
is employed by Jim Wilson at,Folger
has been Outside for the '“'inter.
O.i ’i..r return from Ruby, Good
man ed up Mrs. Billy Jones and
Sid Paulson at Folger ar.d took them
to Am h rage. Mrs. Jones is enrou.e
t t- . ward Oenetal Hospital for
meuieal treatment. Mr. Paulson- is
; - : r. • rage on a-business,
tr p. . .- rates a mine &sukPm1-:
p r. he pilot nas been on ttafc gqj
s ead; - Throughout 'his week.
Co '...an is v eil known in the K.us
kok-.v ;n v. h ;e he nas bourn since No
ven er, 10.', . He was based at.Ta
1. ,r..» 1' year ar.d has built up a.
!. . Or fir careful and dependable
£;, - r. 7r err: ns of Takotna are
e: • v - pleased with Pi'ot
t, . ,'s announced intention of
e. ' -:h. or.: of he bases at Ta
p - , -'«?■ r s (\\T l arrives
• siinXETS BAY AREA
P lv I'stol '.ill st rpe-i in Takotna
f. r vjminuies Tuesday on his
»"<: ‘ uefcoragt'. This will be hit
£:> .p to Al.chirtge since .Janu
s y ' H \ a.? f rtr.te to the rail
road a .“Is w^lb passengers
f ; Goudntw s Bajr.
ART' **PI RETURNS TO OLD
f.‘V V ■ -ROUND RECENTLY
An ' p . * rh Olson Bros, mining
out;5 ’ i- la ■ d Condnows Bay, is
h r he liter r gold and plat
b.Ki co-oniing to a recent
i i * -V l > wird Gateway. Later
h - ’ the K ’^kokwim point.
a t> . ■ will be in tal ed at the
I 7. urn p a -jr renter and much ac
i. tv gnsrned. Mr. Larpi has beer
s".h the Gh • n interests for several,
years, 1 '’ds a good iob and expects
to. get somethin.
BRINGS GOOD WOLF AND
COYOTE CATCH fO McGRATH
Inar Carlson brought in a. rice
cateh.of wolves from up on the S urn
Fork of the Kuskokwitn. The larg
est measured seven feet six inches.
The trapper had eight wolves and
14 coyotes in his catch to date. He
reports the waives are not so plenti
ful in this district. Of the eight only
lie was shot, the remaining seven
seing caught in steel traps.
ANIAK NOW REPRESENTED
ON SUBSCRIPTION LIST
Tae Kusko Times is gradually ex-]
panding. Among the latest group of1
-breribers is Tom L. Johnson from
_\n;ak. Thanks for the support, Tom.
Y'e would welcome a little news and
' pics of interest from your district.
INSTALLS LIGHT PLANT
Robert Lowrie has installed a 32.
volt Delco farm light plant. Bob has
his machine shop and home well
lighted with a total of 31 lights and
an electric radio. The plant auto
matically starts and recharges stor
age batteries when they run-down to 1
a set point.
NEW STRIKE IS
M AOE ON TIMBER
CREEK. POORMAN
Dick Stevenson and partner. Jack
Shropshire. made another strike at
roorman, on Timber Creek, accord
ing to woid reaching here this veek.
The partners iriatV a strike taro\
years ago on.the same creek lower
down and took out a small fortune.
After they worked out this spot,
*hey moved op the creek and sank
more holes. Later they were drown
d out and moved still farther up'
the creek to the. scene of the present
strike.
The ground is approximate'} SO1
feet deep and panned out $800 in six :
days. The operators fiVe now mak-:
ngpr; pa .at ions to move their ertiip- [
m. nt onto the. ground and start min- j
ing in earnest.
WAGNER WRITES NEWS OF
OLDTIMERS OF TALKEETNA
In a letter received this week by
B. A. Adam? frm Sam WagnT, who
' ft here recently, there are .1 neras
■ of it-ms of considerable' n crest
concerning cldtimeis and the mining
outlook in the Talkeetna district.
Portions of the letter follotrr
■'While here in Talkeetna I met the
f’-oaring oldtimers: Henry Peters,
who at 72, is still going strong. He -
ft. yesterday morning for the %
gings. Then there is George Perkins.,
-esms to be in good share an<l!
ttfcg wood at the age of PC* and, j
f course, there is the father of Tai
keetna, H. W. Nagley. Ben Newman.
■ f the Faii-i iew Hotel, seems to ho
0 ly I met Tom Wetheral. He j
3 getting along in years. Frank Lee ■
has a .22 “cat" and hauls freight
r-rons the river to where- the P iers •
k Mining Company has two .40
lie*! “.tats” hauling opt to Peters*
There are ten caterpillars!
• • thrt ha’il freight.! Met Chris *
’l"uimenschmidt, Bl-ly Sedigam
rank Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkirs, Ole
Pr.hl, Jce Krmnmacher. S~otty Me- !
Benzie, and Mr. and Mr*. Mike;
T'epjp -nd daughter. I had a long'
',‘ik with Mike. He is located directly
errors from the head-of Peters Creek'
the Putc-Bear-Creek divide, about
nine miles ahoimvacDer.Bee, and has.
'oifie good ground. It is rafted the
"Dutcii Mining Company,” and Mike
is manager. He left here this non
ng driving a “cat” with two sleds
'oaced heavy. He expects to b? gone
can pie f cays to open up the road
to the mire. Mike and his family
are going to take a trip around the
v’Crlt this coming winter. Of course,
I mat my old chum. Pat Collins and
he locks fine and is going to pull out
scon for hi old stamping ground.
“Matt Har berg, Joe Geleska, and
Jack Dewait, who have that Pass
Creek property where I used to prtw
peek, have put in a good hydraulic
i ant with 2700 feet rf eight and up
to. SB-inch pipe. They have not work
ed any yet, but there is a rumor
that the- i-eters Creek Company hs
made an offer of $125JKK). 1 hope j
they, get it even if I did spend a sum.
terra it, and cl! wide open.
“Tjr keetna is a clean locking little
town. Since them,- are tea “cats” op-,
eratiag oat of here, there must he:
more vrtim'y thar in former years, i
“Dogs h.sre br:ng from S25 to $50 4
'piece. Dogfis' 17 cents a pouwt ‘
End other goods plenty high; about
”iT per cent abev; Anchora'-e prices.;
“Well, Ed, give my regards to af?
the boys and don't forget Mrs. j
Adams ana. the schoolteacher "
STEAMER VICTORIA IS DUE
LN SEWARD 3 l\M. SATURDAY
The Steamer Victoria is cue to
dock at S.ward at 3 o’clock tomor
row (Saturday) afternoon, accord
to late radio reports.
SAWMILL WORKERS STRIKE
SEATTLE, March 4—One thousand
sawmill workers in Seattle, caught
the strike fever and walked out today.
They demand shorter hours, better
working conditions, and higher pay.
C ROOKED CREEK
IS DISTRIBUTING
POINT FOR MINES
Situated about 40 miles below Sleit
mute, on the banks of the Kuskokw m
River, on the right limit, is the little
town, of Crooked Creek.
Crooked Creek hr.s a permanent
population of 75, including both white
and native. At the upper end of
town, Mr. Dennis Parent operates the
only trading post and roadhouse.
Several other white families reside in
the immediate vicinity of the trad
ing. post. In the center of town is
the schoolhouse and also the post
office. of which E. W. Miller is in
charge. Close by, Mr. Miller has a
sawmill which he runs when there is
a sufficient lumber demand. In the
lower end of town the natives live.
Crooked Creek is a distributing
point for mail to the surrounding
country. A trail leaves here for Flat,
a distance of 50 miles. Up Crooked
and Donlon Creeks, there is quite a
bit of prospecting going on. At one
time the old Brink cinnabar mine
produced 125 flasks of quicksilver a
winter. This mine i»4ocatorf-ahone-2sb
miles above the town of Crooked
Creek, on Crooked Creek, but is not
work: vg at present. Assessment work
s benig kept up and various mining
outfits are awaiting the construction
of a much needed road to Flat. A
considerable amount of fur is brought
in from George River, 18 miles above
Crooked, and also on Oskawalick
R'ver, 12 miles below Crooked Creek.
We would like to keep in touch
with Crooked Creek and work with
them in their efforts to get the road
put through to Fiat.
"J
CONTRACT AWARDED FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF DREDGE
BETHEL GIRL HONORED
ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
i Miss Eyrie Brown, of Bethel, has
been named a member of vhe woman’s
honor hockey teem for 1936 at the
j University of Arizona. Miss Brown
■ is a sophomore.
She is enrolled ' r the college of
1 liberal arts and was graduated from
i St, Helen’s Hali preparatory school
in 1935, anti attended that .nstitution
| for her first year of college work.
! WAXTOCK TO TRAP WOLVES
Le. r.ard Wantock pusaed through
| • akotna Monday from McGrath en
| route to Ophir. Mr. V.'antock is plan
| ning on trapping -wolves up around
| C. A. Fowler’s reindeer herd near
, Tolstoi. After leaking at Inar Carl
I son’s catch, he has finally decided it
can be done. What man has done.
' man can do again. Einar has a re
; cord hard to beat—yes, and a repu
| talien too, as a trapper.
CSEh'K Si.u SiUi. ES MINE
LA..C i'LONA, March 5—A Greek
| merchant vessel was destroyed off
1 -he Spanish coast when it struck a
l urine. 27 lives were lost.
WOLF PACK IS
RUNNING WILD
FAIR VIEW AREA
Bob Gurtler arrived in town from
! Ophir today and expects to leave to
morrow or the next day in a round
trip swing to down river points,' in
cluding Flat, Bethel, and Goodnews
LRaa,. un business. Ke represents a
; very efficient portable radio trar.s
mitter built in Flat.
Mr. Gurtler is a resident of Flat,
'when home, but has been spending
| his vacation at Fairview.
He informs us that a pack of ten
wolves are running unmolested in
that district, and are wantonly de
stroying the game. Bob spent the
last two months in Fairview visiting
his father, E. O. Gurtler. The latter
has operated the mail boat on the
innoko River and is an oldtime.' in
the country.
LATE BILLS PASSED BY
LEGISLATURE LISTED
A bill was passed this week ap
ropria ing 515,000 for the control of
he wolf and coyote menace. The
•ill seeking a bounty on eagles was
defeated.
Tbe Legislature p^ss.-d the gold
.ux bill this week. This bill calls for
■- three per cent tar: on all gold pro
duced in Alaska in excess of $10,000.
• _
A memorial was passed asking
’regress to give Alaska control of
slang in Alaskan waters, also that
noose must not be shot within one
half mLe of a road, and 'that elk
>e brought to Alaska by the Game
epar.ment.
A memorial was passed appro-'
* via.ing $3,000 to maintain a Urritor-j
ial chamber of commerce.
A bill asking for $1-55,000 for the
budding program at :’.e University
of Alaska, was passed yesterday by
both houses.
Both Houses approved the $2,000,
000 bond issue proposed by Delegate!
Bimond. This n?ue will allow the;
Terr lory to go in debt to the amount |
iiated, ter. general improvements in j
be Territory.
—
Two thousand two hundred four-1
een Filip nos were employed in com-1
•Borcial fisheries in 1932.
Joe Jean, an oidtimer and trader
f Goodnews Bay, stopped in Takotna
Tuesday, on his way to Anchorage
and later the States. He was flying
with Estol Call.
Mr. Jean stated that two draglines
and one dredge are planning on oper
atine at Goodnews Bay this coming
summer.
Ws & Company are preparing to
spend S 00.00 on the construction of
a new dredge for this coming season,
and a Mr. West returned to the camp
with $40,000 which he is planning in
using to thoroughly prospect a group
of claims under his control. It is
reported that this ground will go
$1.51 a yard and is only 38 feet to
bedrock.
Both Dave Strandberg and Olson &
Company did very well this past
season, Joe stated and the latter con
cern has let a contract for the con
struction of a new dredge to The Ul
brick Construction Company.
Mr. Jean informs us that there are
on'y the usual number of people
wintering in Goodnews Bay this win
ter. A number rushed in last fall and
early in the winter, but they just re
mained long enough to stake claims
and left again.
The residents of Gooodnews Bay
are looking forward to a lot of activ
ity this coming season.
All the creeks contain some gold
and had been prospected a number of
years ago. before the ri^e in the
price of gold and the use of drills
and other modern mining equipment.
The earlier prospectors evidently
walked right over the rich platinum
deposits in search of gold.
The main platinum field is about
two or three miles from the beach
| and salt water. Joe states that he
hadn't heard of any rich find on the
beach until after leaving Goodnews,
but says there is a possibility of such
a find being made, as the platinum
bearing mountain might have at one
time extended out and through the
ages been worn down and back form
ing a large platinum bearing beach.
Mr. Jean plans returning from the
States in about five weeks.
1. S. TO SPEND HUGE Sl'M
ON THE ARMY AND NAVY
WASHINGTON, D. C., March 4—
The United States government plans
on spending $938,000,000 in streng
thening the army and navy, it was
announced here today. This is * he
greatest sum ever approp: iatecl for
armament at one time, in the histoiy
of the country.
OATES L’RINGS FREIGHT
LOABOFFIVETOXS
Joe Oates made another trip to Mc
Grath last week-end bringing back
",ve ' ns of freight. t
Jo* has ne of the tew houses built
' n a s’ed to be found anyWhere in
the Territory. It is a wSrm lAt plac
ed on the rear sleigh w4uc% call*
the caboose. Joe and his ne^j eat
and sleep in the caboose while on a
trip and loads on it that part of his
freight that is liable to freeze or be
•ian.uged in ar.y way. He keeps a
good nre going and if you happen to
be a Dassenger you travel in solid
comfort.
The freighter has been gradually
increasing his t'T.nage each trip as
the trail gets packed more solidly.
Another colonist family is arriv
ing on the steamer Victoria tomorrow,
b'ir-.g.ng the tota; number of r:place
ments up to four during the last
three weeks.
ifce total value of Alaska fishery
if ducts in 19TS was -gag, Uje.uSi.