—•y.JHI -■ .L L.UiJ'.lgig'.Sa
THE KUSKO TIMES
A. A. Grant, Publisher, SoI«
Ownw and Editor
P«bliihfd Every Saturday
$1 Per Month
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Reading matter, per line, per
issue.. $ .25
Legal advertisements, per line,
issue , .20
Transient display, per inch, per
issuer (minimum charge $1) .50
Ent-ivea as second-class matter Au
gust 29th, 11*22, at the postoffice at
Tokjotna, Alaska, under the Act. of
VIarch 3. 1S79
Tokotoa, Uaaka, Dec. 19, 1925.
“ROMANCE OF GOLD MINING”
NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE
Lotus Levensaler, the well known
Tiiuing engineer, who has been exam
n ■
lning mining properties about Ket
chikan, says ‘the romance of gold
mining" is not what it was in the
earlv days, and that there is an ab
sence of the oldtime prosjiector who
used to slip quietly out of town and
’’everisby drill and tunnel until satis
fied of a paystreak or not. “In the
days of Marcus Daly and the Bonanza
kings,” he said, "mining was in dower
and everyone was anxious to invest.
There were very few millionaires
other than fhose who made their
stake in mining. Mining was the
subject, uppermost in men's minds. It
was the mai: outlet offering the
largest returns on capital. Today
millionaires ire common. Money has
beeti and is being made of mercan
tile, transportation and other lines.
Becaues of the money made out of it,
the romance of fishing in Alaska to
mining:. Tin-re are, no doubt, many
small properties in Alaska today, but
it is. hard to get capital to take hold.
They are looking for big propositions.
Then, too, in the olden days prospect
ors went into the hills anci stayed
there trying 'o show up something
until the last ounce of gruit was.
while today there, are too many
‘town miners,’ the kind who break off
a rich sample and then try to peddle
it off for a mine. Even the average
workingman on the Outside lives bet
ter lhan i he millionaire lived in the
old days. and. ''here is not the same
incentive to. grub and toil for the haz
ards gf a fortune.’’
Mr LevensaLer said, jn answer to
questions, .that he did not believe of
fering a government bounty on gold
or the different schemes encouraging
prospectors to search for minerals
would prove of much practical benefit;
but jibe laws of economics must first,
operate to make gold desirable and at
i premium in order to stimulate min
ing. ‘ He said that gold was the sanje
as any other commodity, and when
therp was enough of it to supply the
world’s demands i' necessarily would
cheapen, and m artificial values
would hid it long to stabilize the in
dustry
TELES OF FINDING OF A
S LB-TROPICAL VALLEY
Something over a year ago Cap
tain S. A. Scott, who for a dozen
years or more pioneered in the Oas
siar and Laird countries of Northern
British Columbia, told of the finding
of aJ subtropical valley beyond the
Grading post3 on the Liard river, in a
remote and unfrequented part of the
world. An Associated Press report
sent out from Prince Rupert, B. C.,
some few weeks ago, contains a veri
fication of the Hcott statement as to
the existence of this subtropical vol
ley, in the following:
“A visit to the mysterious valley
far beypjnd the path of the white man
in the Aijjrth country, beyond the
Laird igatfirig post, was described
here , yestprdny by Col. J. Scott
Williams, > Montreal, who arrived
after completing the first prospecting
trip <>ver conu^ewsd in British Colum
bia by airplane, f he description of
the valley as a subtropical one is cor
rect, according to Colonel Williams,
ft contains numerous hot springs,
— -«_l ■ ■"■■mi—L-.ii met——tp
grass and verdure of amazing growth,
due, it is thought, to the warmth gen
erated by the springs; The soil is
very fertile. The flowers, which in
clude violets, are uncqualed in size,
while berries and currants are amaz
ing in their productiveness. More
than a year ago a settler occupied a1
stretch of land in the valley, but re-i
eently, fearing the attitude of the In-!
dians, he moved away. The Indians,
Colonel Williams said, were greatly1
interestedin the big flying bird, as it
was their first view of an airplane.
Two of the redmen and their dog were
taken for a 4S-minute ride. They
landed in a village to which the jour
ney on foot wuuld have, meant, five
days’ traveling.
Abstract of Governor
Park’s Annual Report
_
iContinued from Page 1 )
The production of gold exceeded that
of Prospectors were encouraged
by several new discoveries, and the
consolidation and renewed activities
of some of the larger dredging com
panies have stimulated the quest for
low grade placer ground. Governor
Parks recommends more liberal laws
for the development of, the ow grade
placer gravels of the Territory. The
existing law, he points out, was de
signed to prevent the monopolization
of bonanza ground, and works a hard
ship on capital seeking to develop
areas of low grade ground which can
not. lie profitably worked except by
large, scale operations. The gold lode
mining industry of the Territory
showed a healthy development, and
the increase in gold output for the
year was due mainly to the activity
in the lode mines, particularly in
Southeastern Alaska. While benefits
to the gold mining industry follow
ing the completion of the Alaska
Railroad have been rather slow to ap
pear in the production of gold, sig
nific.nt developments are now in
progress which, with an increase in
pros peeling, will eventually lead to
avif; mcmtvi ictui no.
The production of the copper!
mint s Max. materially smalle than in;
102:!. This resulted from unsatisfac
tory market conditions which provid
ed no stimulus for extended or en
larget( operations.
Coal production likewise experi
enc'd a decrease, but extensive ex
positions are being,carried an which
point ..to increased production and ;
wider distribution of Alaskan coal in,
the near future;
The Katalla oil lields continue to |
be the only producing field-* in the
Territory. However, exploration in
other districts was carried on by
some Qi t.he large: companies. Wells
are being drilled in the Cold Bay dis
tricf by the .Standard Oil Company of
California and the Associated Oil
Company. Geologic and topographic j
surveys Lying within Naval Petroleum [
Reserve No. 4, on the Arctic slope,!
wet-,- made by government agencies.
during the year. Definite results of j
these surveys cannot be determined j
until office and laboratory studies j
have been made of the data and tech-;
nical information thus obtained.
While receipts from resources [
within the national forests of Alaska
showed a healthy growth for the
year, the Territory’s timber industry
continues to be but a small factor in ^
th* industrial life, and the annual re
turns from the forests infinitesimal
when possibilities for development
and utilization of the forest resources
are realized, n the calendar year i
1024 the timber cut from the national
forests aggregated 52,500,000 board
feet, and the total cut since 1909,
when the national forests in Alaska
were created, has been 582,000,000
board feet. In accord with the fixed
policy of the government to encour
age utilization of forest resources to
a point equal to the average yearly
growth of timber, the annual cut
from Alaska forests should aggregate
1,000,000,000 board feet. In other
words, the total value of timber pro
iuction in the past sixteen years, is
about one-half of the growth an
aually.
Governor Parks points out that the
logical extension of the development
>f forest resources must come
;h rough the pulp and paper industry.
L'he predominant species, Sitka
spruce and western hemlock, are both
excellent pulping woods,, the trees
argely of sizes more suitable for
--I-L-_.-Utani
pulp than lumber, and freight from
Alaska to the market not such an im
portant factor for paper as for lum
ber of a much lower unit value. Cheap
water power, an essential to pulp and
paper making, is available locally in
abundance, and the region lias the ad
vantage of cheap year-round water
transportation from the woods to mill,
and for the finished product from the
mills to market. The possible sus
tained yearly output, 1.000,000,000
board feet, is sufficient to produce not
less than 1 ,,‘100,000 tons of news print
paper. Surveys of undeveloped
power sites disclose a potential
water power capacity of 475,000 h. p.
in Southwestern Alaska alone, while
only 43;l,000 h. p. would be required
to produce the maximum amount of
news print conntnained in the possi
ble annual output from this national
forests. Contrary to popular opinion,
maintenance of national forests in
Alaska has not proven expensive to
the government. The total receipts,
from ti in her sales, leases, etc., on the
national forests of the Territory itopt,
tfae time the forests were placed
under the administration in 190t>, up
to and including the fiscal year year
1923, were $1,154,977.- During the,
same period the total expenditures,.on
these forests amounted to $1,112,415.
Fox farming is annualy increasing
in importance in the Territory’s in-:
(Tustries, the total value of improve
ments in stock on these farms being
estimated at about $6,000,000. There
are approximately 391 farms, con
taining more than 36,000 foxes of
various species. Governor Parks
urges the enactment by Congress of
a suitable law providing for the loca
tion of lands in the public domain
outside oi the national forests for
fox farms.
The same laws, he suggests, should
be made applicable for reindeer grow
ers. •‘The native reindeer herds,” said
Governor Parks, “are supervised by
the Bureau of Education, and if they
are to be protected in their ranges
we must have a law that will enable
the Secretary of the Interior to al
J. H. McLean
Tokotna
Swift’s Ham and Bacon
Golden State Butter
and Cheese
New Stock of Green Hood
„ Woolen Goods
Hood All Rubber Pacs -
Ladies’ Furnishings
Arctics . Felt Slippers
King Islapd Mukluks'
Stamped Embroideries
Ladies’ Shoes and Slippers
Max Simel
The Pioneer Trader
Furs Bought and
Sold
Miners5', Prospectors’
and Trappers’
Supplies
Steamer Service On the Inoka
River
Ask the People of Ophir about us.
STATION,
Fairview. tnnoko River
i locate and lease the grazing lands.”
There arc approximately 300,000 an
imals in the Alaskan reindeer herds,
two-thirds of which belong to., the
Eskimo. With the start thus made,
and with present improved refrigera
tion methods employedh y trans
portation companies, it is possible at1
no distant date that reindeer meat ex
ported from two hundred thousand
square miles of barren portions of
Northern and Western Alaska will
prove to be a valuable asset to the
Territory. It is estimated those sec
tions of Alaska could furnish pastur- •
age for more than 4,000,000 animals.
The balance of trade for the year
remained in favor of Alaska. Pro-1
ducts of its industries shipped to the i
States aggregated in value $55,440,- '
645, while tin: value of all commodi
ties brought into the Territory from 1
the Status amounted to $33,321,560,
leaving a balance in favor of the,
Territory of $27.420,_b.‘3.,
During, the yea>- the Territory’s
.system of travel and communication
,f«s materially ,improved. Wagon
.roadjS. pn<l trails were pushed further
put in all. sections of the Territory,
and in some regions these extensions
have made available lands which for
merly wefe .unattainable by settlers,
and, now open to settlement, arc I
being taken up by individuals eager |
To avail themselves of the opportuni
ties offered.
In Interior Alaska airplanes cofli- I
pete with automobiles and river |
steamers for both passenger and
freight business. Airplane service in
augurated Owe of Fairbanks, the in
(Continued on Page 3.1
PROFESSIONAL
Mrs, Jean McLean
Notary Public 4
Tokotna. Alaska
Du Rand’s
Cafe and
Hotel i
Flat CUj,,
Tokotna
Pool Hall
OH, BQYS!
Fine Assortment of Pipes
All kinds ol fobaccos.
Cigarettes and Cigars
Nesipr Line of Stationery
]Notions,,Etc.
Fresh Caad^es and (
Soft Drinks
Tooth Brpshes
Tooth Paste and Powder
Canvas Gloves
Jack Mutcliler
Proprietor
B. & E. Store
McGrath, Alaska
Groceries
Hardware
Miners’ Supplies
of All Kinds
Ladies’ Furnishings
Furs Bought and Sold
Moose Skin Mitts and Boots
King Island Mukluks
Babeesh, or Sled Lashing
Voigt’s Dog Harness, the rery
Best
PARKAS—Cuff and hood of
wolf skin, $6.00. Come and
get them while they last.
A. R. Eldridge
Geo. W. Hoffman
Pioneer Trader of the Kuskokwim Valley
Napamute, Alaska
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Good Prices for Your Fur
Larson Roadhouse
Best of Home Cooked Meals. Prompt Attention
New Dog Houses.
Frank Larson - - Proprietor
FREIGHTING
General Transportation
How About Wood Having?: ;
See Joe Ferns or Bu&Rlley