The Alaska daily empire., 1917-05-18
Seattle Capitalists Are To Develop the Hirst and Bahrt Properties
 on the Island.
BEGIN WORK AT ONCE
Superintendent Shaffer Is on the Ground and Will Begin Work
 June 1.

The announcement was made to- day that the Hirst Chichagoff mine on Chichagoff island will begin mill ing operations this summer, and ac- tive work in installing the machln- cry will begin about June 1st. That is the important announcement made by T. w. Shaffer, superintendent of the recently organized Hirst Chi chagoff Mining Company, which has secured a 12-year lease of the prop erty, and the adjoining Bahrt prop critics
 Mir. Shaffer, the superintendent of the company that is about to begin operations at Chichagoff, is an old time Alaskan. He formerly was em- ployed in connection with operations on Nevada creek, coming to Alaska in 1906 for that work. Later he was employed by the Treadwell and at the Perseverance mine. He spent about five years in this section of the country.
 The Hirst Chchagoff Mining Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Washington, with fully paid, non-assessable stock, owns twelve-year lease and option and the Bahrt Lode Gold property, and the Bahrt Lode Gold propty, giving tide water to to tide water property, near the famous Chicha- golf mine.
 The officers and directors of this new company consist of Capt. Will liam N. Armstrong, president and manager; Samuel H. Steele, vice president and attorney T. w. Shaf- fer, superintendent, and R. E. Hut chinson, secretary and treasurer.
 Under these leases all royalties paid apply upon the purchase price of the properties, which is not due for twelve years. When paid for it becomes the sole property of the op- erating company
 Discussing the property and plans rived on the Humboldt and is at the Gastineau hotel, said:
 ''The work on the Bahrt property consists of two tunnels on the vein and a raise to the surface, also stripping of the vein surface for tunnel. Samples of this upper DOT tion were taken that assayed as high as $395.
 "On the Hirst property one ore shoot 230 feet in length has been blocked out on two separate levels, having an average value of $11 per son. The upper tunnel which passes
 through this ore body has an eleva- ton of about 450 feet above the beach, and the present lower tunnel passing through this same ore body has an elevation of about 250 feet This work and the surface stripping has cost Bernard Hirst. the original owner $25, 5,000 to $30,00O.
 "A mill and dock site has been taken up on the beach at the foot of the lower Hirst claim.
 "This mine is located at the head of little landlocked bay, known as Mine or Hirst's Cove, which is one mile long and one-half mile wide, dock 200 feet long would reach sui fcient depth of water to dock any vessel in the Alaska trade"
 MT. Shaffer states that it is the intention of the company to drive a working tunnel on the vein at an elevation of one hundred feet above the beach, connecting with the pres ent ore body blocked out, and erect a ten-stamp mill and have same in operation before fall This com bined with the other necessary equipment, will mean the expendit- ure of about $40,00O which will place this property in a position to make returns to it's investors. This company is carrying no overhead burden of office rent and salaries, and every dollar will be expended in placing the property on it's feet.
 The Hirst Chichagoff Mining Com pany's property was located by Der hard Hirst, the Sitka Merchant, and Henry Bahrt, present Deputy United States Marshal at Sitka, at the same time Judge Edward de GrOff located the property that since has devel- oped into the famous Chichagoff mine. They have worked the prop critics from time to time since that time.
 1t has been estimated by mining engineers that there is already blocked out on the Hirst properties ore to the value of $95, ,000 to $115,- 900, and that they and the Bahrt properties have every indication of containing the ore bodies necessary for big mine.
 Capt. w. N, Armstrong, president of the Hirst Chichagoff Mining Com pany, is an old time Alaska. He was engaged in mining and prospecting at Nome in the early days of that camp, and later lead an exploration and prospecting expedition into Si- beria. He is a brother of the late Paul Armstrong, the author and playwright. Capt Armstrong has himself written for the magazines