VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA JANUARY 13, 1928
NO. 26
Drowning of Paul Adams;
Inquest Without Post-Mortem
Paul Adams, Indian, about 25
years old, was drowned about three
o’clock Thursday morning in the
waters of Sawmill Creek where the
bridge crosses the stream at the
sawmill. The tragedy appears to
be the aftermath of a drinking born
and a quarrel. More or leys during
the evening Paul had been drink
ing, although there was no evidence
that the man was drunk. The girl
that he has been staying with was
in on the drinking parties along
with Paul, but didn’t imbibe to any
great extent. She was rather anx
ious to get him home and to bed.
She clung to him for that purpose,
and it is apparent that he, finally,
got mad at being so constantly urg
ed to go home. They had been at
the rooms of Mexican Joe’s place
around two o’clock, had several
drinks of home made beer and it
seems also that there was more or
less bay rum consumed. Out in
the street again, the girl endeavored
to turn her companion homeward.
There was resistance and the couple
gradually worked down to the
bridge. What actually took place
here even the girl doesn’t seem to
know. She says that the first thing
she knew she was. struggling in the
water beneath the bridge, was near
ly drowned amd exhausted, and she
remembers some one telling her to
grasp the ladder that had been
pushed over the side of the bridge
as a rescue measure. She doesn’t
remember seing Paul in the water at.
the time, although he must have i
been close beside her for a while. |
Those who live close to the imuge
heard the girl scream, ami irer voice
was the ursi auyone knew mu',
there was somethmg wrong. V\ hen
the gxri was climbing up the ladder
the body or Paul was lioaiing lace
down about i> or lb feet away, it
was immediately dragged out anu
hrst aid work was carried on. Mrs.
Lotsi'eidt and others hurried aite.
Doctor Jones. The Doctor declares j
that the man had been dead when j
he arrived, tor live minutes or more,
although in the evidence brought
out before the coroner’s jury, but
a tew minuLes nau elapsed between
the tme of the girl’s scream and the
taking out of the body. Once ou
the bridge the girl went home and
changed clothing and iater came
back to where they were working
over the body of Paul. Pronounced
dead, the body was removed to the
City Hall and was lying there on a
truck when the jury convened.
The body wasn’t stripped so the
jury never had an opportunity to
see whether there were wounds,
contusions or bruises. Dr. Jones
said that the man was dead from as
phyxiation by drowning, and that,
apparently, settled it. So far as
the jury knows there was no effort
made by a physician to determine
whether or not death was caused
by any other means. Paul was a
good swimmer, yet here he is dead
from drowning in a narrow creek
in less than 15 minutes at the most
from the time the first call for help
came from the girl.
Paul’s coat and hat were on the
bridge rail. He had removed them
and then jumped overboard. It is
n’t known whether he tossed the
girl overboard and then went af
ter her to save her, or whether he
jumped in and committed suicide
As the rail of the bridge showed nc
breaks, it isn't likely that they were
scuffling and went over the edge to
gether. The girl didn't make a gooc
witness before the jury. The daz<
of the night and morning before
still befogged her more or les3
What little she hud to say was giv
en through Mrs. Hansen as inter
preter. She made no direct state
ment and the most that the jury
could get was by cross questioning.
A number of witnesses were exam
ined, but there was nothing brot
out that cast any light on what oc
curred cn the bridge nor how Paul
died
Paul Adams had lived around
Kake more or less and was well
known there. He lived in Peters
burg all of last fall and so far this
winter. He was with Bill Worth on
the mailboat Trygvie when that ship
broke her crank shaft off Point Me
Cartney several years back, in a
thick snow storm. He made two
trips in a small boat for help which
was no easy task in itsefl. The last
trip he made, Bill didn’t know the
Trygvie’s position, as the boat had
been drifting all night and half a
day. No land could be seen. The
air was full of snow. It wasn’t
known what direction to go for aid.
But Paul took the small boat, alone,
and started out and two hours af
terward made out one of the Mos
quito Islands. From there he made
it into Kake. Getting on board the
Rose with Eddie Williams, they
moved out to^ where they thought
the Trygvie was and finally picked
up the disabled boat near Point
Cornwallis. Adams was a stout,
husky fellow and a splendid swim
mer. The mystery in this case is
that he should drown so quickly
in so small a body of water.
It is probable that the shock of
the water, the stuff he had been
drinking and the excited condition
of the man caused heart failure
There was no body examination,
there was no postmortem. The in
dications of real drowning were ab
sent.
The jury impaneled by Commis
sioner Clausen were:
A. B. Holt, Will A. Barrows, F.
Nelson, J. E. Ames, Andrew Wikan,
John W. Schoettler.
In the matter of inquiry into the
death of Paul Adams, we, the jury
duly impaneled and sworn in the
above entitled case find that the de
deceased came to his death by as
phyxiation from drowning in the
waters of the creek, near the bridge,
on the North side of the Alaska
Spruce Mills, in the City of Peters
burg, Alaska, at or about three
o’clock of the morning of Thursday
January 12th, 1928. We believe,
from the evidence submitted, that
the drinkings of alcoholic bever
ages prior thereto was a contribu
torv cause of death.
Those who immediately got out
of bed at the sound of the girl’s
screams and assisted in rescue work
are: Chris Samuelson, Ed Walwick,
Bill Worth, Ernest Lotsfeldt, Wi
nona Lotsfeldt, Cato Haarburg, Mrs.
Haarhurg, Jake Holiingstead, Chas.
Whipple and others.
GO GET ’EM
Suggestions for trapping wolves
and coyotes, by R. K. Stewart, Chiel
Predatory Animal Hunter for Alas^
ka, are out in typewritten pamph
let form. Harold Dawes, Secretarj
of the Petersburg Commercial Clul
left a copy at THE ALASKAN of
fice. We find it too long to prin
it full and it is difficult to cut i
down any without destroying tin
drift of the instructions. Mr. Dawe
said that there were several copie
in town, and those who are Interest
i ed in the trapping instructions cai
be given the details by seeing hi*
Another Reduction
Plant
Late in November the California
Courts took another fall out of the
fish meal plants of that state. They
got after the Van Camp Sea Food
Company, the Kittle-Joerrissen Can
ning Company, the Sea Coast Pack
ing Corporation and the Southern
California Fish Corporation forbid
ding them, until further orders
from the court, to use any whole
sardine for fertilizer purposes. So
sweeping was this order that the
fertilizer plants of the canning
companies were obliged to immedi
ately close. Later an allowance was
made to reduce to fertilizer pro
; ducts the offal and waste of the
canneries not exceding 25 per cent
* of the catch, but it is now recogniz
J ed that California has the top hand
on the fertilizer business and the
| turning of food fish into oil and
meal is forever barred in that state.
tWhat has been done in California
j may be—and must be done here in
Alaska.
COPY OF A LETTER THAT
EXPLAINS ITSELF
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
BUREAU OF FISHERIES
WASHINGTON
December 29, 1927.
SUBJECT: Fall fishing for salm
on in Southeastern Alaska.
Hon. Dan Sutherland,
House of Reresentatives,
Washington, D. C,
Dear Mr. Sutherland >
The receipt i3 acknowledged of
your letter of the 24th instant sug
gesting that the Alaska fishery re
gulations be modified so as to per
mit fall fishing in the southeastern
area, this giving additional employ
ment to the local population and en
abling those canneries desiring to
do so to remain open for the pack
ing primarily of cohos and chums
which run at that season of the
year
I have no objection to a reason
able amount of fall fishing, and very
careful consideration will be given
to the authorization of such opera
tions. One of the leasons why fall
fishing has not been deemed wise in
certain places heretofore has been
the fact that frequently late appear
ing humpbacks would loiter in the
bays and off stream mouths for a
considerable period and fall fishing
might easily result in the capture
of appreciable numbers as well as
cohos and chums.
If it is decided that fall fishing
can be permitted without jeopardiz
ing the future supply of salmon, no
tice through supplementary regula
tions will be given far enough in
advance to enable those interested
to take advantage of and make pre
paration for such operations.
Thank you for calling this matter
to my attention.
Very truly yours,
HENRY O’MALLEY
Commissioner.
NEW HERRING DESTROYING
MACHINERY
At Washington Bay, Kuiu Island,
r the Storfold and Grondahl Com
i panv have made improvements in
- their herring plant by adding late
t model machinery. One of the new
t additions is a Schwarz cooker and
j press with a capacity handling oi
3 12 tons of raw fish an hour. Twelve
3 tons of raw fish an hour will make
- some hole in the sea, we’ll remark
1 and the Storfold and Grondah
• plant is but one out of many.
Howard Wakefield
Admits
In the Pacific Fisherman, for
December, 1927, there is this:
“Howard Wakefield, returning from
the Red Bluff Bay plant the middle
of October, states that catches) of
herring) were very scattering until
a few weeks before the end of the
season, but from then on there was
a fair run of very good fish. He
has become convinced that, to main
tain the catch on a satisfactory
basis in that district, it will be
necessary to use larger and faster
seine boats, and fast scout boats
working in conjunction with them.”
There you have it. The above is
a veiled admission that the deple
tion of the herring shoals is already
so great that it is going to call for
additional and swifter craft to make
up for what the old style seiner
could easily supply. They will have
to cover more territory, travel
speedier, scout, farther in order to
keep up with their killing schedule.
RELATIVE TO PERSONS INAD
MISSIBLE TO CITIZENSHIP
Sec. 36 6. * * * aliens withdraw
ing intention to become citizens to
avoid service under Selective Draft
Act not to be naturalized. A citizen
or subject of a country neutral in j
the World War who had declared
his intention to become a citizen of
the Unted States, and who was re
lieved of liability to military ser
vice under the Selective Draft Act.
(May 18th, 1917, c. 15, 40 stat. 76)
upon his making a declaration, in
accordance with the regulations i
prescribed by the President, with
drawing his intention to become a
citizen of the United States, which
operated to cancel his declaration
of intention to become an American |
citizen, shall FOREVER BE DE
BARRED FROM BECOMING A
CITTZEN OF THE UNITED STATES
ON EXTENDED VACATION
Dr. and Mrs. Condit were outgo
ing passengers on the last trip of
the Admiral Rogers. The Doctor
is one of the head officials the
Sheldon Jackson School and this
trip is the beginning of an extended
vacation to points East. The couple
will be absent from Sitka for some
time.
BY CORK-LINE WIRELESS
It has drifted in and we are
handing it to you for what it’s
worth. George Grigsby is being
groomed, sub rosa, for the Demo
cratic nomination for Delegate to
Congress. The reports are suppos
ed to come from a wide range, but
the wide lange is, principally, Ket
chikan.
A TWELVE HOUR REST
Last night, shortly before twelve
o’clock, the Estebeth piled up on
the beach close to the mouth of
Skog Creek, across the Narrows
She got free today—Friday—about
noon.
WRANGELL MAN ILL
William H. Lewis, father of Mrs
William Dunkleberger, is reported
a3 being very ill with the pneumon
ia. Report today was to the effect
that improvement is not much in
evidence.
Ernest Kirberger, Postmaster and
! merchant of Kake is a visitor in Pe
tersburg for a few days this week.
Resume of Activities of
Petersburg Commercial Club
1 luiwwiy me must important ac
tivities of the Club during the year
192V have been the efforts to secure
immediate dredging of the local
Harbor and the protection of the
Herring in the inland waters of
Southeastern Alaska. These mat
ters are now under way in the
hands of competent committeemen
and favorable results are hoped for
Among the important accomplish
ments of the Club are:
The cutting of a trail from tide
water on Wrangell Narrows to the
Power Plant on Blind Slough.
Securing of a $20,000.00 allow
ance for the improvement to Peters
burg-Scow Bay road.
Securing of the Club’s member
ship in the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States.
Appointment of a government vet
erinarian to aid fox farmers.
Secuiing of good publicity in the
Cordova Times all Alaska Annual
edition, the prin^ng of a supplement
to the Club’s last publicity pamphlet
as well as getting a new pamphlet
well under way.
Additional service from Alaska
Steamship Company.
Another industry to the Town in
the Petersburg Cabinet Works.
Was instrumental in getting the
Band Stand painted.
Aided the Alaska Educational As
sociation in their participation in
the National Association convention
at Seattle.
Committees of the club secured
$173.50 for Mississippi Relief Fund.
Recommended a $1.00 resident
hunting license and change in the
open season for hunting of deer.
Initiated deer feeding in face of
threatened emergency.
In addition to the above there
are now pending many of the pro
positions endorsed or started by the
' mo. Among then, are:
Effort to get a resdent Gann
Warden and Deputy Clerk of Court
The stationing of a Coast Guard
vessel in Petersburg.
Recommended improvement of
Dry Pass.
Investigated the proposition of
building a City Float.
Made request for change of name
of Wrangell Narrolw3
Asked Council to select a better
site for cemetery.
Asked for aids to navigation at
Point Mitchell and on Klokachef
Island.
Asked Bureau of Fisheries to
stock Crystal Lake with Trout.
Among the matters considered but
in which the result's were not favor
able to the club were the protest
against discriminatory rates of the
Neill Transportation Company in
freight rates between Ketchikan
and Petersburg to Chatlfam Straits
Ports and the protests made against
the curtailment and routing of mail
service, especially on the local
routes.
The Club, in addition to the mat
ters mentioned above, handled a
great amount of correspondence
through the Secretary’s office with
out resolutions and consideration by
the members. The Club also en
tertained many visitors at its meet
ings.
Officers of Petersburg Commercial
Club, 1928
President, Robert M. Allen.
Vice President, T. S. Elsemore.
Treasurer, Edward Locken.
Secretary, Harold F. Dawes.
Executive Committee:
T. S. Elsemore, E. N. Olimer, 0
E. Swanson and R. M. MacKenzie.
HEAVER ANI) MARTIN
In the shipping of martin and
beaver pelts, the packages contain
ing them must hereafter be marked
on the outside showing the serial
numbers of the seals of the beaver
and martin of the package. The
numbers must, also, be entered on
all shipment reports. The sealing
of beaver and martin skins is done
by the Alaska Game Commission or
its authorized representatives.
Count the Ducks and Geese
The Biological Survey has sent
THE ALASKAN cards and instruc
tions for. the census of waterfowl
for February, 11th, March 10th,
April 7th, May 12th, June 9th and
July 7th, 1928. Accompanying the
instructions is a book giving the
names in general use and in local
use of about all of the waterfowl
of the Pacific Coast. Also there
are very fair pictures of the ducks
and geese. Any one desiring to aid
the Biological Survey in this census
taking may get the necessary blanks
and instructions at the office of
THE ALASKAN.
—W
William Fletcher, Mrs. Ed Clark
and William Taylor of Wrangell ar
rived in Petersburg for a visit. Mr.
Fletcher and Mrs. Clark are uncle
and aunt of Mrs. William Dunkle
berger and Fred Lewis.
Does anyone know anything about
one Richard Haberland? He used
to live in Juneau. Send informa
tion to the governor of Alaska, Ju
neau.
Dog tax 6 bucks—City Marshal
Dog tax 2 simoleons says Congress
Representing Metro
Goldwyn-Mayer
A. J. Sullivan, representing the
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer Co. made
THE ALASKAN a pleasant call
Tuesday. He was introduced by
Neil MacGregor and most of the
conversation was, of course, on
pictures, their distribution and so
on. We learned that The MacGre
gor is going to put on some of the
biggest pictures ever made and suc
cessfully run. The arrangement
now is to screen Ben Hur and the
Big Parade. The latter ran nearly
two years in New York city and
seats sold for $2 each. Ben Hur
enjoyed a 62 weeks run at the same
price of seats. Following those
pictures come The Student Prince,
The Enemy and Love. The two
latter have drawn big houses and
The Student Prince is now running
in New York with big audiences
even though a ticket costs $2. Lars
Hansen, the Scandinavian star will
soon appear at The MacGregor.
Next Friday and Saturday you
should see Captain Salvation.
BUFFALO SLOWLY INCREASING
Including the buffalo herds in
Canada there are now about 20,
000 living buffalo. These are of
pure blood. In the United States
there are about 8,000 and these are
scattered in small herds in the
Wichita National Forest of Okla
homa, the National Bison Range of
Montana, the Yellowstone National
Park and in small parks in other
parts of the country.