| Summary: | Down The Hatch. DOWN THE HATCH —— By Captain Bernacle Stimulated by intensive development of the gold and platinum placer mining field at Good News Bay and general mining upturn on the Kuskokwim River, Bethel, main port on that stream open to deep-water ships, is blossoming Into a real city with new buildings, present structures repainted and a big airplane field under and nearly completed. This is the message brought by Frank Mortimer, vice president and Alaska manager of the Alaska Rivers Navigation Company, which operates river boats to move freight from Bethel to distant trading posts and mining camps upstream. He has spent the entire summer in the North, and alter the winter here will go back to super-intend next season's operations. RICH FIELD "The Good News Bay field is a rich one. he said. "It is not a poor man's camp, however, as all mining is done with drag line or dredge, entailing a big investment. The returns are worthwhile, and since three eight-hour shifts are worked, they can crowd eighteen months' labor into six months of spring and summer. The platinum is found in flakes and nuggests similart to gold placer and both metals are present in paying quantities. "Platinum, the mining camp itself, consists of three general stores, a roadhouse, billiard hall, beauty stop and some twenty-five cabins. "Naturally, since mining ends with the freezeup, there isn't much of a population in the winter, most of the men going "outside" until spring. Being on the shore, cargo is discharged into lighters for the camp, but Bethel is the airplane port for the whole district. PROSPECTING GOOD "Besides this stimulation, mining up the Kuskokwim has been successful and last year's trapping developed a fine take of furs and prospects are good for this winter. So the natives are doing well." The Alaska Rivers Navigation Company handles the freight brought north by the W. M. Tupper of the Santa Ana Steamship Company. Because of the heavy shipments of mining and other supplies, three voyages were made this past spring and summer instead of the customary two. New equipment put into service by the Alaska Rivers Navigation Company enabled them to handle the extra heavy movement of freight this season with east. Mortimer said, and half again as much could be accommodated without difficulty. TELLS OF PLATINUM CAMP—Frank Mortimer, vice president and manager of Alaska Rivers Navigation Company, who brings news of latest strike.
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