EPISODE 230 YUKON DIARY SUNDAY AUGUST 5 , 1962 TO SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 1962
![White Gold starts drilling at Titan project, shares up]()
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“WHAT CAN GO WRONG, WILL GO WRONG”
alan skeoch
Jan 2021
Silver Titan and Peso Silver base camp. Best tent camp we ever experienced
in the Yukon. Most of the tents were used by The mining crew. While we were in this camp the old Silver Titan mine of the 1930’s was
being pumped out. The flooded mine was almost intact as the timbers shoring up
the mine had been protected from wood rot by the water. The question on the minds
of he mining executives was ‘How much galena ore remained?” We were expected
to help answer that question.
Our campsite construction was not as polished.
We had a far less attractive campsite on the banks of Haggart Creek which
we used part of the time.
HAGGART CREEK CAMP
Sunday August 5, 1962
Cooked pancakes which we ate standing up because everything was soaked
in the tent…rain got through…torrential rain. Then spent time building shelves
seat, table for the cook tent.
Camp looks good now we have a stove …need heat …cool nights.
Cooked supper for Bill Scott and Axel…potato patties with cheese and bacon,
rice, tea and coffee…sherry before supper…cognac after supper…not a bad
life Sunday afternoon and evening in the Yukon bush.
The creek has turned into a raging torrent wiping out our little dam but
sluice system is still working. (Why did we need a sluice? No idea.)
Monday August 6, 1962
Pancakes and syrup again. Fred arrived from Peso and offered us a lift
into town. Axel, Bill and I wound up 1500 feet of cable. Drove to Peso and
then to Elsa and then to Mayo. (Correction distance from Keno City to
Mayo Landing is 50 km, not 60 miles. The trip just seemed like 60 miles)
Truck had 2 flat tires on the way…one
front tire happened at 60 mph. Thanks to Fred no one was hurt.
Luigi picked us up and took us to town…Gilroy’s house…then got groceries
and borrowed Bob Gilroy’s truck to drive out and fix tires on Peso truck.
Supper at Luigi’s cafe then to Chateau Inn bar….port wine with Bill Wells,
Fred, Axel, Bob Gilroy, Terry and Lorenson. Rolling discussion of religion
of all things. The fellows Told stories of incidents in Yellowknife.
A First Nations woman joined us later. Wanted me to
go up to her room for a haircut. Rather silly but amusing.
Fred and I split cost of room for the night…last room available.
I had a bad leg cramp.
Expenses meals 2.25
repellent 4.90
groceries 15.82
Tuesday August 7, 1962
Bob Gilroy picked us up for trip to Silver Titan mine site to look at
diamond drill core…Comment….”granite Schist with Pyrite disseminated at 190 to 205 foot level.”
Had great dinner then drove to Proctor’s with the Rio Plata and Silver Titan boys.
Bill Scott hitch hiked to Mayo Landing for a time. I stayed with the Rio Plata
boys while we waited for job. Spent pleasant time reading handwriting…book
Sons and Daughters.
expenses 1.75 meals
Wednesday August 8, 1962
Alex cooked breakfast then Fred Carter dropped in for coffee. Pile of mail
arrived at 4 pm. Nice music on radio …CBC from Whitehorse. Wrote Marjorie
and Eric. At 10.30 got word Eric job problem. (turned out to be both funny and
difficult)
Thursday, August 9, 1962
Rain. Packed up in afternoon and drove to town …powerful rainstorm….arrived 7.15
No sign of Bill Scott. Tragedy. Went to Gilroy’s and was told Bill’s father was seriously ill…dying…
in Toronto…Bill had caught the DC 3 flight to Whitehorse and then on to Toronto.
Hard to believe this could happen. Severe illness and death are never expected because
most of us are young.
Telegram arrived from Dr. Paterson
“To A. Skeoch.
TURAM REPAIRED AND AIR EXPRESSED MAYO TODAY stop ONE TUBE CHANGED
AND BATTERY CABLE REWIRED stop THESE CABLES INCLUDED stop CAN YOU
CONTINUE SURVEYS BY YOURSELF
Paterson Hunting Survey Corp.
I sent reply immediately
DR. PATERSON. PLEASE CONVEY MY GRAVE CONCERN TO BILL stop I SHALL CONTINUE
SURVEY AS WE HAVE PLANNED stop THE CALCULATIONS WILL BE SLOWER BUT I WILL
SATISFY CLIENTS CONCERNING ANOMALIES IN ADVNCE OF FINAL REPORT stop
BETTER SEND SOME MONEY stop SKEOCH
Friday August 10, 1962
Poor sleep..nervous night. Wrote letter to Bill Scott. Bob Gilroy came . Seems we will be OK.
Arranged wth CPA for refund of my ticket home…$194.00///
I plan to use the money to travel by different route. Any money above my airfare is my
responsibility.
Repaired Turam was not on flight today. Bob Gilroy offered me a day’s work at Silver Titan for
pocket money…what a relief.,,we now have 3 camps 110 miles apart.
Ted Swanson, Dirk and I split a bottle of Schenley’s and traded B.S. as usual.
Mrs. Gilroy told us how her daughter explained a ride home with me…ie. a stranger…
“He was a friend of Jesus Christ”…ie. my beard and Jesus beard made us look similar.
Expenses 5.50 meals
6.00 board
Saturday August 11, 1962
UP at 6.45….breakfast…went down to the old diamond drill site and tied in two lines….got soaked in the effort.
…returned to camp….afternoon plotted…did lines 52, 62, tying them in to old lines 1,2. then 34, 40 to R. Base Line.
Exchange results superimposed and found some errors. Met Bob Gilroy and informed him…(corrections?)
In the evening I drove to Elsa to make two iong distance phone calls…1) A. Donlis in Mayo 2)CPA in Whitehorse.
Had to get secretary to mine manager to open office. Took 3 hours and no luck. Bought Bill Dunn coffee and
also got copy of Atlantic magazine.
Expenses meals, phone calls.
Sunday August 12, 1962
6.45 up…then down to old R. Base Line (1956) and tried lines 46,,48, 54, 56, from T Base Line to R. Base Line…all
in general agreement. Made my inked location map for Bob Gilroy; Sent Bill Dunn down to Base Line #3 to haul
cable and load reels.
Axel Doulis arrived at 11 am. I had Dick prepare lunch for him and then drive him to Rio Plata. I just hate that 2 hour
drive. The Land Rover was covered in mud.
Saw two moose on the road but did not get pictures. Drove back to camp as fast as possible and finished location map .
Had steak for supper at 5 pm. Packed bag and drove to Mayo Landing…checked in to the Tim-o-Lou…shower then
bed. I am not feeling too well.
Monday August 13, 1962
Bad sleep…had shower and changed clothes. Telegram arrived
SKEOCH, HUNTING SURVEY CORPORATION,
GENERAL DELIVERY , MAYO, YT
CHEQUE FOR 200 AIR MAILED TODAY stop REGRET ADVISE
BILL’S FATHER DIED THURSDAY
PATERSON HUNTING SURVEY CORP
Tough for poor Bill Scott. Then things got very busy. Ordered two pairs of moccasins from Mrs. Moses (Mackenzie First Nations)
she is local chef’s wife.
Drove to airport and picked up instrument directly from the DC 3 . Then got my crew organized which was no easy matter.
Got Moses Lord from his cabin full of females…mother, sisters, etc. then Bill Dunn from the bar. Arranged to pay
motel bill later as money is really tight even with the 200 from Toronto…no problem. Then met Ray and Len
in Chateau Inn bar…drunk as lords. I had a nice Tom Collins drink and great supper at Luigi’s.
Got haircut at Mrs. McCameny’s (1.25 plus 25) …changed my appearance so much that I wore my
good pants all day…partly because there was no rear in my other pair…ass showing.
Drove back to Rio Plata over the worst goddamned road in North America. Spent evening getting ready
for hard day tomorrow.
Meals
Tuesday August 13, 1962
Got boys on job early then the #$%^ Turam refused to function. Spent 2 hours trying to repair but failed…drove to town.
Met crew of Peso Silver en route.
Phoned Toronto…Barrie Nichols and ordered a Ronka instrument for the Rio Plata job. Signed in to Tim-o-Lou.
Terribly frustrating. Found bit of escapism in evening at movie in Oddfellows hall titled Dark at the Top of the Stairs.
Had drink at Hotel. Moses Lord arrived in bad mood which is unusual for him.
Expenses Meals, motel.
Wednesday August 15, 1962
SYNOPSIS OF TURAM SYSTEM: LOTS CAN GO WRONG
Copy of report to Silver Titan Mines re: Turam system sent June 14, 1962
Telegram from Toronto. Ronka en route. Must send Turam back immediately…drove all the way to Whitehorse
(250 miles) in Land Rover…arrived very tired…signed into hotel that was once army barracks in WW2.
Borrowed $100 from Bob Gilroy for travelling expenses as the 200 from Toronto is not enough. Lent Axel $30 in
Whitehorse. Nightmare time. Have no idea what is wrong with Turam…tubes? Did check all connections with
meter…seem fine. Alternative Ronka could be better. But unsure. Turam is old. I will be found at fault I fear.
Expenses food 6.00, gas and oil 4.50 hotel 8.00 phone call 2.40, transportation ?? makers .70
MAKING repairs … testing circuits. Do not remember this site; A real bed…Should have been unforgettable…likely in Mayo hotel room.
Thursday August 16, 1962
Out to CPA office with Turam…shipped it air freight to Toronto. Shopped A bit. Had a beer at the Taku.
Bought Marjorie a pair of ear rings $11.70. Bought pair of trousers $5.95
In the evening we drove down to Lake Bennett with Mike Scott and Ben Stangel … stopped at a
cabin filled with all kinds of trinkets and things (copper)used by Indians before white men arrived.
Moose, Bear, Sheep, Caribou heads on walls also picture of Teddy Roosevelt and Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Lake Bennett is a beautiful emerald green colour. But worry about the job trumps beauty of the lake.
What else can go wrong?
Expenses meals 7.50, transport 3.00, telephone 2.40
Lake Bennett with White Pass Railway passenger train … Skagway to and from Whitehorse. This is the route I will take when I leave
the Yukon. Skagway was the jump off point for access to the Yukon in the 1890’s.
Lake Bennett camp in 1900
Boat building on shores of Lake Bennett. in 1900; Plan was to float down the Yukon River to the goldfields
of Dawson City. Sounds more glorious than the trip really was. People died.
Breathtaking Lake Bennett in winter. Beautiful and brutal in gold rush days.
Friday August 17, 1962
Axel still asleep when I went sopping. robert service book $5.95, necklace for mom $5.95, Slide film $1.00.
Back to hotel and sent letters to Toronto and Vancouver offices. Drove to airport st 1 pm and picked up the Ronka
from CPA truck. They were keeping it at Whitehorse for the night. Started long journey back to Mayo…raining all
the way. Spectacular red glare gave eerie effect around 8 pm. In Mayo we had a drink and went to bed.
Drink, drink , drink seems to give reason for living up here.
I am quite anxious about the future…will everything work?
Expenses meals 5.50, transport ??, telephone, gas and oil 3.93
Saturday August 20, 1962
Telegram delivered 3 days late. Telephoned Norm as instructed. He sounded rather disturbed. Claims Turam trouble
was only tube trouble. Seems strange to me because all tubes tested AOK. Norm think Ronka will not operate successfully.
..because of overburden effects. Decided to use it until new instrument arrives with Bill Scott.
Axel and I rounded up Moses Lord who was drunk…everyone seems to be drunk this morning.
Bad air disaster north here … one killed, two badly injured…flown to Mao hospital.
Drove out to Rio Plata after talking with Dr. Aho. Didlines 48, 46 East and West with Ronka using 300 foot spread.
Results are not at all appealing…quite erratic.
Hugh Naylor, Ron and Dr. Aho dropped in… explained what Dr. Paterson said huge
overburden here could effect Rpnka.
I am damned depressed. Doing the best I can. Wish I could do more.
Expenses food 3.50
Sunday August 19, 1962
Up early and out with the Ronka. Did lines 2 and 4 North with 200 foot and 300 foot spreads. Checked lines 26 north on Peso property
Spent dreadfull day in the rain….poor lunch with no drinking water while rain poured down.
Moses Lord has the flu but had to use him all the same. Bad situation. We came across 5 ptarmigan. Ate low bush
cranberries and blueberries.
In evening things looked up. Plotting results. Notice anomalies…things I cannot explain in other words..
Very tired. Told we must expect rain from now until freeze up. Cheered up by results however.
Monday August 20, 1962
Up early…plotted some results on graph paper…quick breakfast and the out on the trail…did lines 8, 10, 12, 14 with
300 for spread. Then lines16, 18 with 200 foot spread.
Moses Lord is very sick and went to bed early. I opened a can of chicken stew for supper then began plotting
the results for several hours.
Listened to a play from CBC radio from Winnipeg. Then got stove going for bed. Still feel very depressed…doing
all I can. Third year with Turam so do know something about it…can make minor repairs
but not major repairs I cannot. Defective tube?
Axel drove out to get Bill Scott this afternoon…expect him back late tonight or in the morning.
Getting anxious to go home…feel something is not right back in Toronto.
Tuesday August 21, 1962
Got Moses our of bed…he is dreadfully ill. Spent day extending the western grounding rods then did
lines16N, 20N, 24N,28N, 32N, 36N, 30N, 44N. It was a hard day for Moses who should be in bed. I cooked
supper and he went to bed immediately.
I spent next few hours depressed. Wrote letter and read a little from Generation of Vipers.
At 9 pm the Land Rover arrived with Bill Scot, John andAxel. I was very happy to see Bill and
the Turam which had been repaired. Bill thought my work shirt smelled … likely true.
He has been through a rough time.
Apparently Bill Dunn got into trouble by leaving s loaded 30-06 fully loaded rifle on the bar and
Al, the bartender, pulled the trigger. WHAM! Everyone hit the floor. Bill caught hell.
Received some happy mail from Marjorie, mom and Wally Little…and Dr. John Stam.
Also received my copies of the Peso Silver and Silver Titan properties. Pleasant evening
with Bill and Axel. A new man arrived…First Nations person to replace poor Moses.
Wednesday August 22, 1962
Joy! We covered 4.28 line miles with the new Turam….half finished Base Line #1…Moses Lord wanted
to work so joined new man John Peter. Rained all day long.
Found old prospectors cabin plus lots of fresh bear shit. No danger as bears are
quite happily wolfing down blueberries, swamp apples and red currents and cranberries.
In the evening I was inspired enough to do my washing. Sent my $93.00 second instalment to the
Ontario College of Education…total tuition is $163.00. Cut out some more newspaper clippings from
the old World War I wallpaper magazines.
Moses Lord has recovered. Joking about. Really good fellow to work with. Seems other First Nation
people look up to him.
Got $100 from Bill Scott to pay loan from Bob Gilroy. The company really left me in the lurch
after Bill left so suddenly. Lucky we could get credit.
Thursday August 23, 2021
Out in the cold rain by 8 am. Poured rain all day long. I kept the men moving and we managed to complete
Base Line #1…no small task …3.5 line miles then coiling up cable. steep up and down.
Lunch was quite an experience. we built a roaring fire using 3 trees in an effort to dry our raincoats.
But the rain kept falling so drying was hopeless. Ate two peanut butter sandwiches
Came back to camp. t Bill and Axel were planning a trip to town. No food in camp.
Friday August 24, 1962
Skimpy breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs then out to work on Base Line #2…in the pouring rain of course.
Done. Coiled up Base Lines 1 and 2…then put down Base Line #5. Had to bolt 3 bridges…log across streams.
Back at camp at 5 and prepared ghastly supper of the last of our bacon and sardines.
Wheland Read and Jack Acheson dropped in with the Mammoth Tooth for me. Brad Pearson arrived
anticipating a letter from his wife but he was disappointed.
Plannned trip to Dublin Gulch to explore an old adit.
We have no bread, no milk, no meat. Hope some groceries arrive.
Saturday August 25, 1962
Moses made French Toast for us all. Bill Scott is sick with the flue as are whole crew except me. Started Base Line
#5 at 8 am…south side lines 0 to 20 . Finished by noon so pulled the grounding rods and went
back to camp. Bill Scott made me a nice hot rum/. Then we went back out with Bill to coil cable.
Drove up Dublin Gulch and bought 3 nuggets from George…$2.50, $2.25 and 90 cents…got big one for Bill
Scott at $4.50. Moses, John and I then explored the old adit using our Coleman Lantern…fantastic ice
crystals have formed in the stillness.
Back to camp for a roast beef dinner…groceries have arrived. Beef tough…chewy.
Since Bill Scott and Axel were sick I had to drive Moses and John to town later in evening. Chased a
black bear down the road. Arrived in Mayo at 9.30. Visited the Gilroys. Treated royally….2 glasses of white wine
and wedge of lemon pie.
Bob Gilroy offered Terry Doubt as helper since all are sick in our camp.. Moses and John are off to another job. I will miss them.
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The Yukon Hiils were once mountains. Time, Erosion, glaciation ground the mountains down hence
the gold nuggets on the bed rock …Heavy.
alan skeoch
Jan.2021