THE ONLY NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHED IN THE
KUSKOKWIM COUNTRY j
EDITORIAL PAGE OF THE KUSKO TIMES
TH» KUSXO TIMES I
COVERS ALL PARTS OF
THE RITBR COUNTRY I
JTlir lUuske JTimrs
T. E. McROBERTS and ALASKA E. EGAN,
Publishers
Published Every Friday, at Tr.koirsA, Alaska
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-C .. 3Td, 1879.
Represented Nationally by
J. W. GREEL7 and ASSOCIATES
€03 Stewart Street, Seattle, Wash.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13. 1937
QUARTZ STEPS AHEAD IN FAIRBANKS AREA—
(The Fairbanks News-Miner)
Ixde mining, little brother of the big placer opera
- n the Fairbanks area, long has been considered of
c nsequenee by many in the camp. In fact, it has
b ;n I Doked up generally as offering little inducement m
y rt of Interior Alaska.
The few who have tum..d their attention to hard
r . prospecting and development are proving the con
- .. . G radually the hard-rock game begins to loom up
cl major promise for the entire area of the vast
drainage area—extending from the height of land
Alaska range to the far-flung Rockies skirting
- , at, Mackenzie River region and from the British
Gioi.un.jia line to. Bering Sea.
So alluring^ have quartz possibilities become of late
that the free territorial assay office, located at the Uni
versity of Alaska, in the suburbs of Fairbanks, is flooded
with samples. Tha office is proving a boon to the pros
pector and the country. The policy of free assaying is
puAing a punch in the quest for hard rock that promises
to -at, Alaska in the front rank of the nation’s lode min
ing industry.
The immediate vicinity of Fairbanks not only has
prospects for the-hard-rock miner, but already is sway
on a productive basis,--with several splendid propositions
now yielding good dividends and providing year-round
, payrr'Is, the most substantial factor, for continuous ar.d
permanent prosperity of the region.
Capita] has sensed the opportunities, especially un
der the incentive of the higher price for gold, and is
securing the country for opportunities. Several large
propositions have been taken over this season in the
proirimity of Fairbanks, and it is understood deals are
pending for transfer and development cf several other
lode properties.
The entrance of the Bartholomae Oil Company into
h - field this saeson, aking over the extensively develop
er Ready Bullion group on Ester slope, with its large ore
body and installation -of modern equipment on a large
scale, with plans for all winter operations, bespeaks -a
volume.
The declaration Of another dividend within the last
few days by the Cleary Hills Mines, Inc., ably directed
by the Gustafson brothers and associates, making their
total dividends thus far for the year 25 per cent, is -of
signal significance. The company has been paying div
idends since 1931, throughout the depression period a>
weli as in.the booming era.
Other quartz operations are yielding notable cleanups
'•and exemplifying the possibilities, especially on Happy
Creek and along the. Ester Dome area.
Others might be cited. Suffice to say the quartz
ptospecor and miner is away in Interior Alaska to n fly
ing start on an intensive campaign full ol promise of
proving the *S»as capable j»f sustaining innumerable
year-round operations that will keep hundreds of mills
operating constantly like those of the great mining
camps of the Rocky Mountain states—and turning out
payrolls and permanent prosperity.
LONG-STAKE GENERATION—
(The Farthest-North Collegian)
"The trouble with Alaska is that it is a short-stake
country.” Those words -or heir equivalent are heard fre
quently in the Territory, and they are usually spoken by
lovers of Alaska, who resent the fact that so many rest
less residents look upon the Far Norh as a place to “git
it and git.” To those who look upon Alaska as a place
not. only decent and comfortable to live :n but also deep
ly satisfying to the human need for thorough friendships
and c .ir.plete giving, such an attitude is invidious. It is
this attitude that accounts for the jerry-built houses
that many people are forced o live in; it is this attitude
that, has produced the hectic social competition for “go
ing Outside;’ It is this attitude that has caused some
mining operators to think of the Territory only as a
place to be looted; and worst of all, it is this atitude
-which has made many of Alaska’s second generation
long bitterly to shake themselves free from their home
Territory m. transplant themselves and their interests
in the Stat^
But not all of the second generation are short-stak
ers,. A ad even anjong, many of the yo”ng men and wo
men who have come to th« North and adopted it as a sec
I ond home there is apparently a strong feeling of pride in
Alaska as a place of permanent reside**. With the de
ltQo«*»nu^ii».l#ft this page.)
SIXTEEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE KUSKO TIMES)
Fritz Tittel and Lee Page arrived
in McGrath this morning from their j
quarers up on the west fork of the
Nixon. Mr. Tittel says he has nothing
new to report at present in a mining
way. His leg, which he injured rather J
severely some weeks ago. is greatly
improved. He will remain here for
several days before returning to
his quarters..
Tom Connolly arrived here from
the upper river late Wednesday night,
again departing up river this morn
i ing
Pete Winans, who has beer visiting •
' in McGrath for several days, Ie;t for
I his home at Ophir this morning.
Mrs. Dave Clough and Miss Mary
~red lefr, yesterday for Takotna or. a
short, visit.
Tom Byrne, well known mining
man. who arrived in McGrath Wed
' nesday evening from Nixon, was an
up-river passenger on the Seldema
i this afternoon.
—
The contract for carrying the mail
the coming winter between Ruby and
lditarod and Ophir, has again been ,
awarded to Scottv Clark and Sig V.'iig
who gave such excellent service last;
winter, according to word lately re
ceived here. It is said their contract
calls for additional weight of fifty
pounds on each trip.
—
August Wolden, of Nixon, arrived
here Wednesday evening, again de
parting up river this afternoon with
Sam Xesvoog on the launch Seldema.
Mr. Wolden states that he has dis
posed of his Nixon piaeer property,
Mr. O’Mealy, his associate, having ac
quired all Ids interest in the same.
A1 Thorns, Greg Stew*rt and C. G
Peterson, left this afternoon for Ta
cotna, going up on the launch G<
Devil.
That Alaska gasoline and distillat.
rrorw being used by the Alaska Koa<
Commission is superior snaila
products imported fr o.r the State:
for several years, is the statement o
Major J. C. Gotwals, engineer office
if the Commission, made recent!:
while on a visit to Juneau. “We ari
using Katalla gasoline and distillati
in our motors and it is the best vo
nave had in years,” said Major Got
waia, adding, “It is very similar ti
the old high grade formerly obtain
lble in Pennsylvania.’’
OPHIR—The people of OphiT havi
just presented Miss Virginia Howari
with a beautiful diamond locket an<
nugget chain in appreciation of he:
it'p and kindness to the camp during
;he siege of influenza last spring
when Miss Howard was untiring it
rer efforts in attending the sick. Ii
s well known that Miss Howard ai
ways gives willingly of her time anc
cnowiedgt to alleviate suffering, bu
t will be a pleasure to be shown iT
his nice way that the people appre
hate her ,,forts.
Householder: “Ah, caaght yai
•ed-handod; Xow put all that silvei
jack on the sideboard.’
Burglar: Lumme. guv’r.or, bt
fair. Half of it belongs to the housi
text door.”
THE KTSKO TIMES
The only Newspaper and J e 1
-hunting establishment in the Kusku
ewim area. Subscribe NOW.
FIRST X AT I < )NA I,
BANT
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Capital and Surplus $100,000
WILL ADVANCE MONEY ON GOLD
AND
Ship Gold at Very Reasonable Rates
TOBERPOOL’S
FRfBbiiTSHG SERVISS
Has Established A Dependable
and Quick Service on ihe
takotna mnn
Careful attention to all freight
orders, whether la^ge or small
WOODROW
VANDERIOO i.
TAEOTNA, ALASKA
We Haul Anything
Heavy or Light
Where You Want It
WE ABE LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS FOf LL 1E3R FROM THE
MILLER SAWMILL
JOS OATES, FREIGHTER
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Passenger Service
FREDDIE OATES, Ft*p.
TIMELY EDITORIALS
Culled From Our Exchanges
rare TO HIT THE LINK
(The Alaska Weekly)
The presence of Harold Zellerbnch, pre-Ment of the
, Zcllerbach Paper Company and vice-president of tht
I Crown-Zellerbach Corporation on the Chamber of Com
merce Goodw ill Tour of Alaska gn'ep rise to some epua
i islic conjecture on the part of Alaskans concerning the
• possible development of the tremendous pulp resources
’ of the Territory will he recalled that ' prior to the
late but not lamented depression the Zellerbach interests
; had practically completed negotiations with the- govern
. ment for the stumpsge and were apparently ready tc
>! proceed wih the construction of a plant estimated to cost
$10,000. Just about that time the bottom dropped out of
things in general and newsprint hit the toboggan along
with other commodities, reaching a level which made the
I j proposed expansion of the corporation's manufacturing
activities impractical. The matter seemed to have beer
' dropped from the minds of just about everyone except
ing B. F. Heinttleman, who has never for a moment giv
[ en any indication that he proposed to see the great for
ests of Alaska deteriorate to the point of tragic econ
omic waste without a battle.
There has been much discussion over a long period
i of years as to the manner in which the United States
J might be enabled to meet its present and its future pulp
wood requirements. The answer lies in an official gov
ernment statement, “Recent surveys show that the For- .
est Service’s early rough estimate of TO billion board feet
as the amount rn the Tongass National Forest in South
eastern Alaska was conservative. The timber supplies
can be made to produce 2,000,000 cords of pulp-wood an
j nually for all time 'under scientific forestry practices, or
j roughly, 5,000 tom- of paper per day, and with the thou
1 ands of miles of sheltered inland waterways that favor
economical logging and transportation, and with large re
sources of water power that can be developed at a rela
tively low unit cost, the prospects of a rapid and sub
stantial growth of this new industry in Southeastetn
• Alaska are bright indeed.” That statement was made
when the prospects appeared to be “bright indeed.” Tht
fact remains unchanged but the brightness of the pros
pects has fcetn badly dimmed.
As long ago as f!*24 a government bulletin, , nict
was the result cf an exhaustive survey, made tne state
ment tnax tht- forests of Alaska could furnisn more thnr
twice the pulp annually imported from Canada—at that
. time representing between eight a no pint -hundred th- us
'!'and cords—and do so in perpatuitv, without dania? t
taker* requirements.
Yet nothing is done except for the almost Unairie
’fforts of such informed enthusiasts as R F. Hemtllt
rean. Newsprint has gone from its low forty dollars p<-.
tot to almost fifty—a point it :s certain to reach in thf
near future/ Outside stands of good pulp timber art
slowly but surely melting before a constantly cxpandii g
market. This is thi- time inr every Aiaskar. to git det
nftely behind a revival of the ni rserrte-r.t for deveJopihv
Alaska’s pulp resources.
ALASKA MIXING ASSOCIATION—
(Seward Gateway)
Prominent mining men of Fairbanks hav# orgar.njfct
the Alaska' Mining Association. an organization, terri
torial in scope and membership, that has for Us objec
tive ‘the purpose of promoting the welfare of that indus
try in Alaska."
With Ernest N. Patty as president and ilicfor of
the association, stamp of approval cannot be with! id.
Cher names are equally well known: Joseph E.
Crosson, Luther C Hess, Dm Adler, Roy W. Ferguson,
.Andrew O. Olson, A. A. Zimmerman, Frank O’Farrell—
i.aders in business and professfcmai life of the Interior,
nte> estod directly is a great major industry that in its
f.rge to the front gives rise to conviction of many .hat it
is destined to overcome the lead of fisheries
But the industry, great and growing though it mi?
be, needs sensible guidance, ar.d the association, carrying
with it force of numbers can easily form a t :wark to
withstand addled legislation, encouraging new mvest
! ments and san? expansion by those already in the ftAid.
Mirers, prospectors and operators, in fact any one
i interested in miaing. are eligible for membarship in the
! Alaska Mining Association, and the Third Division
branch of the organisation will probably be formal at
? once.
The Alaska Mining Association has no axe to grind,
it came into existence at Fairbanks a few’ weeks ag
merely to pilot the mining industry over rocky paths
g the highway of progress, encouraging legitimate
investment, builSmg up valuable properties, helping the
small, struggling investor into the light of"prosperity.
There has been a crying need for such an organiza
tion as the Alaska Mining Association, a group of uetffr
mined men who will advance the industry by build;rg uf.
progressive, benevolent laws; undoing the monstrotw
i three p<-r ctnt gross tax law on g d produ-tibn and oth
er act that tend to lower the standard of ‘-a resource
n~ .duct inn that is bringing to Alaska tot fcr.gh*»
j irinds. iur modern busintss progress.
! (EDITORIAL CONTINLET) FROM FIRST COLUMN*
velopment of such young Alaskans the University of Al
aska is primarily concerned. In order to equip them to
i fulfill the promise of the Territory, it is necessary as Mt
. Beatty so effectively stated in this year’s Commencement
i Address, to academic traditions of the States and build A.
i new Uuniversiy to fit unique conditions. Mr. Beatty fe
to be congratulated and thanked for reminding u.- Ago
pointecyy of our responsibility