Crab Fishermen Vote To End Dispute
Grab Operators-Fishermen Negotiate;
Accept 8 Gents Delivered Price
King cr'ab fishermen, at a
meeting held in the Fishermen’s
Kali Friday morning, voted to
accept the price offered by the
crab cannery operators.
The fishermen will oe paid 8
cents per pound for crab de
livered to shore operations, and
7 cent$ when delivered to tend
ers.
A dispute that has stopped crab
operations in this area siftce Aug
ust 22, is expected to be settled
this week. Negotiations are now
going on between operators and
the crab fishermen.
The Kodiak Chamber of Com
merce President, Dr. Bob John
son, acted in the dispute by call
ing representatives of the two
groups to meet with members of
the Chamber. A meeting was held
at the City Hall Council chambers
Monday evening. Chairman was
Mayor Merrill Coon. The commit
tee acted as a fact-finding body,
not as a mediator.
Lloyd Cannon, speaking in be
half of the fishermen, stated the
fishermen were asking 8 cents a
pound at the cannery. This is the
same as last year.
In previous years, the fisher
men had to pay 2 cents a pound
to tenders to have their crab
brought to Kodiak. Cannon stated
this brings the crab price down
until it makes it unprofitable to
fish. Most fishermen, Cannon
stated, earned an average of about
$300 a month. “A poor return,” he
commented.
The fishermen are asking for a
contract also, Cannon stated. This
is to offset the possibility of hav
ing an operator fly in to the
grounds at the height of the sea
son, as happened in previous years,
as happened in previous years,
lowering the price paid for crabs.
Emil Norton, Superintendent of
the Kodiak King Crab, Outlined
some of the difficulties in the
crab industry, particularly in the
share, operations. Floaters and
plants on the grounds -have less
dead loss, he said. This is a term
used to indicate crab that have
died before being cooked, and are
then unusable. Under the terms
of their demand, Norton said, the
fishermen want the shore plant
operators to stand the loss.
Norton outlined another prob
lem faced by the crab industry—
that of king crab from Japan and
on American markets. He said the
Jap pack sold more readily on the
American market than the Ameri
can pack.
Cannon commented on the dead
loss problem. He said that of three
boats fishing, his included, dead
loss amounted to less than 300 of
90,000 crab brought to the can
nery.
Norton said the average take
home pay for cannery workers was
$50-$70. But, he said, some of the
boat owners- fishing for his com
pany paid for their gear the first
winter out. His company has been
criticized for expanding their dock
and freezing facilities, he said.
“We must be making money, the
critics say.” But he stated the iaci
lities must be extended in order to
comoete, and operate efficiently.
“We are primarily interested in
the small boat owners—the fish
ermen who fish salmon in the
summer,” he said. “We have to
furnish tender service if we want
crab.” He intimated the company
would be unable to stand the dead
loss and tender service and still
operate.
Besides the two crab canneries
locally, there are several shore
operations elsewhere, either about
to start or in operation. These
include Ouzinkie, Port.Wakefield*
Sand Point, Alitak and other les
ser operations.
The dilemma faced by the local
operators, is to compete with can
neries in the fishing grounds or
in the vicinity.
Bob Kesoff, Superintendent at
King Crab, Inc., stated his com
pany has offered 8 cents a pound,
and will provide tender service at
1 cent a pound. He said they were
unable to sign any contracts.
Lowell Wakefield, of Wakefield
Fisheries, who operate floaters as
well as shore operations, stated
his company has offered 8 cents
at the Canneries, and 7 cents at
the floaters. Rumor is that PAF
at Alitak are preparing to pay 7
cents.
A meeting is scheduled for to
day (Friday) when the fishermen
are expected to vote on the can
neries offers.
District Deputy
Bud Metzgar
To Visit Lodge
Bud Metzgar, District Deputy
Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks,
will visit the Kodiak Lodge No.
1772 next week, according to an
announcement by Exalted Ruler
Don Lawhead.
. Metzgar is a former exalted ruler
of the Kodiak Lodge. He was a
trustee of the Territorial Elks
■ * #
Association, and received his pres
ent appointment this year.
The Elks lodge is planning a
steak night in honor of the deputy,
and will stage an initiation at the
session following.
The . October 2 meeting time
has been changed to coincide with
the State Elks Association conven
tion, which will be held here Sep
tember 30 through October 4. The
meeting will be held September
30th instead, the first night of
the convention.
Incumbents File
In City Election
Only petitions for two candi
dates for positions on the City
Council and one for mayor have
been filed up to press time, ac
cording to Douglas Preston, City
Clerk. The election will be held
Tuesday, October 6. Polling place
is the City Hail from 8 a m. to 8
p.m.
Mayor Merrill Coon is seeking
re-election for a two - year term.
Councilman Carl Huer and Coun
(Continued to Back Page)
Chamber Plans
No-Host Dinner
The Kodiak Chamber of Com
merce is extending an invitation
to William Niemi, M. C. Zimmer
man, Richard Downing and Jack
Doner to attend a no-host dinner
at the 49 Room, Sunday evening
at 7 p.m.
These men are officials in the
Public Works, Highway and Avia
tion Departments, and will be here
on a fact-finding trip.
Others who will attend are mem
bers of the Chamber of Commerce
Roads, Lands and Harbor ' Com
mittee; Transportation Committee;
and the Executive Council of the
Chamber.
The dinner is planned for a so
cial meeting as well as a means
of obtaining information, Dr. Bob
Johnson, President of the Cham
ber, stated.
Continue Paving
In Downtown Area
Harbor Avenue, lower Mill Bay
Road and Marine Way are to be
paved shortly, following a decision
of the City Council at a special
meeting held Tuesday afternoon.
A proposal by City Manager Bill
Poland that the paving be done
while the batch plant is in opera
tion and the contractor available,
evoked some discussion. Council
man Huer voiced the opinion a
study of traffic be made and a
plan submitted before the work
be done. The vote taken favored
proceeding with the work, how
ever.
The Mill Bay Road stretch will
be paved 20 feet wide and Mariiie
Way 24 feet wide.
State Planning Commission Schedules
Hearings Here For Wednesday Evening
The State Planning Commission
has scheduled hearings in Kodiak
for Wednesday, September 23. The
hearings are planned for 7:30 p.m.
to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, and will
be continued Thursday morning if
necessary. The hearings will be
held at the Elks Club.
The State Planning Commission
was created during the first State
Legislature, and is currently en
gaged in studying the need for
various physical improvements re
quired by the State during the
next fjve-year period.
The Commission will also ana
lyse fiscal requirements of the
State, particularly the possibilities
of bonding for capital improve
ments.
The hearings are open to the
public. Citizens and organizations
are invited to present briefs out
lining suggestions or proposals and
definite programs.
„ The Commission has asked that
project recommendations include
following information: exact de
scription, location, estimated cost,
suggested means of financing, ef
fect on future operating budgets
of the State, and justification of
PTA Will Meet
Next Thursday
The Kodiak Parent Teachers
Association will meet Thursday,
September 24, at 7:30 p.m., ac-.
cording to John Howard, presi
dent of the Association. The meet
ing will be held at the high school
building.
In announcing the meeting How
ard stated: “The most beneficial
personal influence you can exert
on your child’s school happiness
will be through your Parent Teach
er Association. This parent and
teacher sponsored organization
furnishes a common meeting
ground between the two groups
most interested in the welfare of
the school child. The great in
fluence of th;s group grows as the
number of it’s members grows.
“Your opinions and ideas are
needed and wanted. Please come
and help.”
the proposed project.
Members of the State Planning
Commission are Charles W. Tryck,
Anchorage engineer, who is chair
man; Bjarae Olsen, Vice-chairman*
Juneau; John D. Shaw, Palmer;
Pearse M. Wash, Nome; and Wal
ter Welch, presently of Fairbanks,
and a former resident here.
. < l ;
American Legion.
Vice-president
Here Sept. 27th :
Mr. Bud Johnson, National Exe
cutive Vice-president of the Am
erican Legion, and 16 other Legion’
dignitaries will be in Kodiak Sep
tember 26 and 27, according to
George Cornelius, past Post Com
mander, who was in Anchorage
arranging for the visit.
Johnson and the other officials
will assist the post in local af
fairs. A no-host dinner will be
given in honor of the National
Executive. He will address the
gathering on the subject of Am
ericanism.
Tickets for the dinner may, be
had by contacting any American
Legion member. The annual mem
bership drive kickoff will be held
that evening. ■ ’ j
: The forming of American L4tg-'
ion athletic teams was also discus
1
sjed at the Anchorage meeting, ac
cording to Cornelius.
Court To Convene
The U.S. District Court will con
vene Monday, September 21, ac
cording to the Court calendar
posted.
Judge J. L. McCarrey and the
Court personnel will arrive here
Monday morning.
Vacationer Back
Mrs. Mabel Fenner, U. S. Com
missioner here, returned Thursday
from vacationing on the Mainland.
She was with a party including
Postmaster Willim Lamme and
Mrs. Lamme, and Mrs. Margaret
Lightfoot. The others will return
shortly.
Along The
Waterfront
This week has been a busy one
among the crab fishermen, with
meetings being held, and a num
ber of crab operators in town.
Elsewhere you will read the
outcome of negotiations in the
crab industry, but it is expected
the fishermen wnl be heading out
to the crab grounds, and the ma
chinery once more turning here
and at other canneries on the Is
land.
Among some of the cannery
officials in town this week were
Bill Hingston of the Seattle office
of Washington Fish & Gysteri
Howard and Lowell Wakefield and
Ralph Jones, Wakefield Fisheries.
Others in from around the Island
include Sig Jacobson of Larsen
Bay, who * was hospitalized, and
Larry Matfay of Old Harbor.
King Crab, Inc. have been busy
all week on the Chignik and Port
Heiden fish that continues to roll
in.
)
;;'The Fisheries Advisory Commit
tee has been holding several meet
ings lately, in an attempt to firm
up regulations, etc, in connection
with the crab, salmon and general
{fishing. A public hearing will be
called lor, either next week or the
following, to discuss proposed reg
ulations.
. . t
5 A* Kodiak based CG UF alerted
for evacuation of a Japanese fish
ermans, Tuesday, in the Dutch Har
bor area, Was later informed it
need not yroreed. The man was in
jured, when he fell while working,
on .the Hokfco Mara No. 8, it was
thought he bad fractured his skull.
He was removed to the mother
ship. The plane returned to Ko
diak.
•
' I f w
. Pat Connon arrived Thua-sday
night from the Mainland with a
few cars, etc. aboard his power
barge.
X
'Several of the boats noted at
(the' Standard Oil Dock are the
JUDY M, Julian Miller’s boat,
John < Katelnikofs SEAMOUNT*
Fritz Deveau’s KINGF1SH and the
NORMAN J. These boats have been
laying idle pending an agreement
rea-ched in. the* price dispute, but
will no doubt all head for the
fishing ground.
. ... , ■£
The SUZIE Q is in. She has been
on the Alaska Depar tment of EisAi
and Game crab tagging operation.
it
The EXPANSION wiii be in to
night < Friday), from the West
ward, and after discharging at
Seward will continue on down to
Ketchikan, where she will go into
drydock.
d,
The M/V TATALINA is exact
ed in Wednesday.
ALASKA VOTE INCREASED
WASHINGTON — — The
Democratic National Committee
approved the increase of Alaska
votes ait the I960 convention fj*om
six to nine.