The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-09-29
HOT SPRINGS IS
 STILL WORKING

HOT SPRINGS-There has been a general shortage of water on all the creeks in this district this sumemr which has affected the gold output to not inconsiderable extent. The water would have been ample for the mining as it has been conducted here. tofore when the pay was hoisted and the water pumped but as by far the most of the mining in this precinct is now hydraulic and the operators de pend on gravity water for their sup ply more rain is needed, particularly as none of them have any provision for storing water. Howell and Cleve- lad plan to build dams across some of the tributaries of Sullivan creek next year so as to store the water when it is plentiful thus accumlating reserve supply for use later in the season. They have been able to op- crate only two of the four hydraulic nozzles they installed last spring on the Abe Lincoln claim and will not have the cleanup they had expected this fall, but it.. will materialize next spring They have a cut about 15O by 1000 feet long and 50 feet deep. It is about six to eight feet to bedrock from the bottom of the cut. under stand that this is the first attempt in the interior of Alaska to opencut ground as deep as this is, and there seems to be much diversity of opinion as to whether such operations can be made to pay. The pay is said to run about 50 cents to every square foot of bedrock and is very evenly distrib- uted over the entire diggings which is an eight-claim, association.
 Frank and Graham in the Eureka district have been working crew of from eight to twelve men all season and would have employed double that number if they had been obtainable. There are about dozen small out fits-mostly partners-working in the Eureka country and the gold output from the section will probably be be- tween fifty and sixty thousand dollars. Many of the old tailings on Sullivan creek are being re-washed this season, primarily for the placer tin they con- tain, althO in most cases it is found that the gold recovered pays all ex- penses, thus leaving the tin rock net profit. About 25 tons of this tin ore was shipped Outside to a shelter on the last trip of the steamer Yukon.
 George Dimnich recently purchased the interest of James Curfman (Skag- way Jiml in the Kelly & Anderson property on Boulder creek. He has dug a ditch there for proposed hy- draulic operations next season.
 l Frank & Graham recently received from the outside small Cleveland tractor which they intend for use in hauling supplies to their property on Pioneer creek. It is 12-horsepower of caterpillar type and on it's initial trip pulled a wagon loaded with two tons from Hot Springs to Pioneer creek in about six hours. This is an average of four and one-half miles an hour and MT. Frank, who operated the machine is highly pleased with the showing made and believes that he will be able to increase the rate of speed to six miles an hour with two | ton load. The machine weights 5000 pounds and is said to be very econom- ical in fuel and oil consumption.
 M. B. Summers, of the U. s. Weath- CT Bureau, left on the steamer Alaska recently after spending two weeks ir this vicinity collecting data on the weather for his department. He in, stalled recording station here, which is in charge of the Hot Springs Tele- phone company.
 Joe Westlund married Jessie Jus tina native woman-on July 13, the ceremony being performed by the U. S.. Commissioner.
 MT. and Mrs. w. B. Stevens, who have been operating the local tele- phone system left on the last trip of the steamer Yukon for the Outside, selling their interest to Charles Cava. naugh who is wellknown in this val ley, having been in the signal corps in Alaska at one time at Cinema for number of years. He recently com pleted his 30-year term of service and was retired coming immediately to Hot Springs. He is having exten- sive alterations and Improvements made in the central office and plans an extension of the telephone line to Fort Gibbon.
 There is much distress among the natives in this vicinity and several of them have appealed for federal assist ance, thru the local marshal's office. They report that they have been un- able to catch any Ash this summer and many of them are in actual want So far the more pressing cases have been relieved by local charity but un-