Is the Yukon - and particularly the Carmacks area - on the verge of a new era of prosperity and development? Certainly it appeared that way to ye editor on a visit through there last week. A spirit of hope and expectation seems to pervade the very atmosphere around the town and at the camp of the N. A. Timmins Corporation.
The company's mining crew, all experienced hard rock miners, have started to work driving a tunnel on the property of the Laforma Group optioned last year. As yet the work is being done by hand but the installation of the compressor plant powered by diesel engine, is expected to be completed some time this month.
Development work on the property is being carried on just as rapid as is humanely possible by L. H. Hinton, engineer in charge of operations at present. He is often seen early in the morn along the trail carrying a length of piping or a barrel of oil up the steep grades to the camp, preferring to do this rather than take a man off another job.
Supplies are being hauled from Carmacks to the camp, a distance of 42
miles, by caterpillar tractor and sleigh with Jack "Hard Rock" McDonald, formerly of Mayo in charge and Don MacPherson as assistant driver. The trip is made in about 12 hours and the road is really a credit considering the short time spent building it. Several tons of machinery have yet to be transported to the property by the Klondike Airways 10-ton "cat" which had the misfortune to break-down recently.
That the people of Carmacks have faith in the camp there is no doubt.
George Brown, roadhouse proprietor, is seen bustling about, his rubicund countenance reflecting a business revival that has not been seen for a long time. Dan Snure, manager of Taylor and Drury's store, declares a noticeable improvement in business the past few weeks; while Howard McMillan, telegraph operator and mining recorder, works until 2 a.m. some mornings recording claims. Howard says he is just getting in a little practice in preparation for the spring rush of stampeders.
Jack Forbes who, with his partner Carpenter has optioned their group, is
taking life easy helping George Brown in the readhouse; W. J. "Bill" Langham of the Laforma Group, Carmacks diplomat and advocate whose untiring efforts in bringing the property to the attention of several companies is well known, is making an occasional trip to the camp when not answering correspondence; Fred Guder of the optioned group known by that name, the original discoverer of Mount Freegold spends his time between his trap line and town in planning his next season's work and Afe Brown of the Brown-Fairclough group, Stanley Fairclough and Dan van Bibber extend an occasional hand to greenhorn stampeders in
between hunting trips. And last - but not leas- Mrs. F. H. Back was heard ordering flower seeds with which she intends to make Carmacks a beauty spot to greet the eyes of weary stampeders this summer.
