VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA AUGUST 19. 1927
NO. 6
Crops and Livestock
in Alaska Improved
—_ i
Settlers and prospective settlers
of Alaska will find considerable val-;
liable and interesting information!
regarding the agriculture of the)
Territory in a report of the workj
of the five agricultural experiment'
stations during 1925. Work was
carried on at Sitka, Matunuskp,
Fairbanks, Kodiak and Rampart,
located in widely separated regions
of varying climatic j comtttions.
Each station carrying on a specific
class of projects, such as field and
garden crops and livestock, which
are related to the region.
At Sitka Station owing to climat
ic conditions, horticulture was giv
en most attention and much work
done to improve the strawberries.
Papke’s ranch in the Narrows, how
ever, has produced a strawberry j
wholly Alaskan in that it wasi
crossed with an Alaskan berry giv
ing a richer red and firmer berry
than that produced at Sitka,
terior and most of those grown on
the coast are of the Sitka variety.
It is being demonstrated that these
berries can be successfully and pro
fitably grown and will become an
important branch of horticulture in S
the Territory.
The report also contains a sum-,
mary of meteorological data for the*
different regions, the figures oi*
which have been obtained from '.he
Weather Bureau. By referring to
the map of Alaska one can readily
locate each place from which the
data have been collected and glean
ed a commerct idea of climatic con
ditions prevailing in different
parts of TUaskn. A copy of the re
port can be obtained by writing to
the United States Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Perhaps no crop is more gener
ally cultivated than the potato. It
is the principal crop raised and us
ed in Alaska. The Sitka station has
developed several varieties that
yield well in other sections also.
A seedling potato developed at
the Sitka station, known as the
Alida (No. 368), produced at the
rate of 322 bushels per acre at the
Matuuuska Station, yielding 84
per cent first grade potatoes.
Several Stations have developed
hardy cattle by crossing the Gallo
way breed with the Holstein Frie
sian, and the Galloway with the
Asiatic Yak. The former produced
the standpoint of milk and butter
fa ,as well as ability to stand the
rigorous climate. Some of the
and G.OOO pounds of milk per year.
The value of the Yak-Galloway
cross has not been established as
yet.. i
I'OTICH
NOTICE is hereby given that the
Town Council has fixed the tax levy
for the year 1927 at twenty mills
on each dollar of assessed proper
ty, for municipal purposes, and a
special levy of five mills to apply
on payment of interest on the
bonded Indebtedness.
Taxes are now due and will be
delinquent on the 1st day of Octo
ber, 1927 „at six o’clock P. M.
unless paid prior thereto, ten per
cent of the amount of th© tax will
be added to the amount due, to
gether with interest at the rate of
eight per cent per annum from
date of delinquency until paid.
Payable at the office of the Town
Treasurer at the Bank of Peters
burg, Petersburg, Alaska.
T. S. Elsemore
Town Treasurer.
Local Chamber
Begins Meetings
The Petersburg Commercial Club
convened on Wednesday evening at
the Home Cafe. This meeting
marks the resumption of the Club's
regular Wednesday Dinner Meet
ings which were suspended for the
The guests of the evening were
Mr. Charles W. Fairfield of Seattle
and Mr. Terhune, head of the Alas
ka Game Commission. Mr. Fair
field is Secretary of the Alaska
Branch of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce and spoke relative to the
advantages of the Federated Cham
bers of Commerce.
In his speech, Mr. Terhune em
phasized the necessity for game
conservation in Alaska and express
ed his appreciation of the - assist
ance the local Club has given him
in his work.
Mr. Ernest Schoenwald, manag
er of the local cannery also address
ed the Club giving a farewell talk
to the members, telling them of the
poor season for the Alaska canner
ies this year.
Siamese Twins
The following is from a state
ment of the North Central States
Agriculture Conference. They
3eem to believe that Hoover and
Mellon sleep in the same bed.
Our national policy as It relates
to agriculture does not fit pre
sent conditions. But instead of
statesmen who can see failure, we
have at the head of administrative
affairs of the Nation many men
who are aggressively pushing a
program of favoritism to industry
that will not only continue but
must inevitably increase the dis
advantage not only of farmers’
position, but the position of all
those great sections of the United
States which are primarily agri
cultural. * * *
The sound policy for America
must aim toward the development
of a well-balanced national life,
careful that its effect be not to
stimulate any one form of product
ive effort at the expense of other
equally essential producers. * * *
If the Hoover-Mellon policy of
definite submergence of agriculture,
means anything at all it means the
expanding industrial exports, no
matter at what cost to other groups,
These men and their poliicies say
in substance that American farm
ers must provide food and raw
material for American industry and
labor at prices no higher than for
eign manufactures and labor pay.
Why? In order that American in
dustry may export manufactured
goods in competition with Europe.
Mellon and Hoover are regarded
as the spokesmen for the policy
makers of the present administra
tion. Hoover is the administra
tion’s agricultural adviser. Jar
dine Is hardly in a position to op
pose him. • • *
It ha3 been repeatedly pointed
out that these men stand for the
industrialization of America at the
expense of agriculture.
OWNER OP T-484 MISSING
The owner of T-484 was report
ed as being missing at Washington
Bay. Identity of the man is not
known at this writing.
Mrs. Peter Jorgensen was at Far
ragut Bay a few days last week
reporting “Just loads of berries.”
Total Salmon Pack S. £
Alaska Not Over 20
Per Cent Normal
All Areas in First Division Short O'Malley
Admits Too Many Traps For Escapement
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT CLOSING ORDERS PUT 230 MILES OF
TRAPS OUT OF BUSINESS FOR BENEFIT INDUSTRY
Henry O’Malley, stunned the
fishing industry when he announc
ed the closing of the southern or
Kethcikan district effffective as of
September 14th at six o'clock p. m.
He stated when publishing the
orders that “Any run coming now
cannot more than adequately seed
spawning ground's. Gear to date
has taken such heavy toll of fish
very few have reached the spawning
beds and future of industry in se
rious danger.’’
WEST COAST CLOSED 18th.
Advices were received here on
the 17th stated that the West Coast,
of Prince of Wales District closed
as of the 18th at six o’clock p. m.
It was doubtful from reports from
that section that the season would
open for fall fishing as escapement
was poor.
As in regards to the Ketchikan
district, the Commissioner is re
ported as stating that too much
gear wa3 being used to permit suffl
c-ient escapement of salmon for seed
purposes.
The Klawock cannery was closed
last week. Northwestern Fisheries
at Shakan was reported to have
had about 2,000 cases, Karheen
1,000 and others up to 9,000.
Two canneries at Klawock, the
Demmert Packing Company and the
Perotovich Packing Company will
probably go to the wall unless they
are permitted o operate in the af-J
ter season. These canneries are op *
erated and financed solely b y thoj
native people of Klawock.
The run of salmon to this dis
trict to reported as increasing but
too late to be of any benefit to the
section.
The seine fleet from Kake, Tyee
and Pybus Bays returned to their
canneries learned of the regulations
closing the Princoj of Wales district.
It is estimated that the entire
pack for southeastern Alaska will
not exceed twenty percent of nor
mal. The Petersburg Packing Co.,
will close after tomorrow’s pack
with a little over 32,000 cases,
which is less than 50 percent oi
their normal pack and about 35 per
cent of their pack of last year. It
is estimated that the Wrangell dis
trict will not reach ten per cent
of their normal pack.
Many small operators will be
forced to the wall by the poor sea
son. It is rumored that already
action is being taken against the
Mountain Point Packing Co., near
Petersburg for wages due on their
pack and operations. The weaker
canneries cannot survivie this sea
son. The larger outfit3 like the
Alaska Consolidated will have such
heavy losses that it will be diffi
cult to get by with present out
looks and even though under the
Bank of California will be in hard
straits.
The outlook for the opening of
the September sea3on is very du
bious as escapement to date has
not warranted such action. Those
canneries hoping for this season to
open will n doubt be disappointed
as statements by representatives of
the MBureau of Fisheries are to the
ecect that he season ends for the
year with present closing.
Organize Fur And Stock
Company
Nick E. Bolslianin, Sitka, C. T.
Peder3on, San Francisco; Henry
Simonson and William Gardner,
Unalaska, and Harold E. Bowman
Seattle, have organized a new fur
farming and stock raising concern
which proposes to operate on Adak
Island in the Aleutian group, was
disclosed by the filing of its articles
of incorporation in the office of
Secretary of Alaska. Mr. Bolshan
in is a Sitka product and for a
number of years was stationed as
Customs Agent in the Westward,
later being transferred to the Sit
ka office, where he is still stationed.
It is stated that the company
will 3tart with fur-bearing animals
and later branch ut into other lines.
The company is incorporated in the
sum of $25,000, capital stock is
sue being 250 shares without nom
inal value or par value.
The many friends of Miss Ger
trude Otness will be glad to hear
that she has accepted the position
of 1st grade teacher in the local
school. Miss Otness is the nelce
of Mr. John Otnes3 of this city and
formerly taught in the Scow Bay
school.
A dance will be held at the Sales’
Inn Saturday night.
Aliens May Lose There
Citizenship
"Violation of the prohibition law
by an alien who desires to become
a naturalized citizen may result in
refusal to grant citizenship, accord
ing to statement issued by the
Commissioner of Naturalization, R.
F. Crist. He reviewed decisions of
Federal judges who refused citi
zenship on the ground that the ap
plicants had violated the Eight
eenth Amendment.
In one case cited by Commission
er Crist the naturalization certifi
cate of a recently naturalized citi
zen was withdrawn because after
receiving it he pleaded guilty to
intoxicating liquor and to the
charge of assault on Internal Rev
enue officers of the United States.
In that case the Federal judge held
that the defendant had held bad
faith in violating his oath that he
would support the Constitution of
the United States.
611 BOTTLES BEER CONFISCATE
Marshal Lynn Smith confiscated
611 bottles of beer and arrested
one man at Fairbanks recently
He got 508 bottles of beer and ar
rested Louis Hertle and later de
scended upon Willian} McGrath's
cabin and seized 103 bottles.
Board Equalization
Makes Report
i
j The report of the Board of
j Equalization was approved at the
last meeting of the City Council
and amended as regards certaiu
parts brought to the attention of
the Board. The atrsessedd valua
tion of the Town being $909,000.
A tentative budget of receipts
and expenditures for the year 1927
was submitted from which it ap
peared, according to the assessed
valuation of $909,000 that it would
be necessary to fix the tax levy at
20 mills for municipal purposes
and a special levy of 5 mills to ap
ply on payment of interest on the
bonded indebtedness. A motion to
that effect was carried.
NEW HEATING SYSTEM FOR
SCHOOL
The matter of expense of pre
sent heating system as compared
with a modern oil burner was con
sidered and found that the cost of
installing an oil-o-matic burner
would be good economy. The Fry
er Machine Works of Petersburg
was given the ordei; for the burn
er and installation of same.
Councilman Allen reported that
the shaft on the generator at the
hydro-electric plant had been in
solated thereby eliminating the
electrical action and keeping it
from running hot.
WORK ON SCHOOL HELD UP
The constuction on the school
building was ordered stopped by the
Council until such time as building
material can be put on the grounds
preventing unnecessary delay in the
work.
TREASURY EXHAUSTED BUT—
The finance committee reported
that funds in the local treasury
were exhausted bu all bills were]
paid up to August 1. With the
tax assesments now settled it will
not be long before there will be sui
ficients to run affairs again for teh
following quarter.
Wrangell Fans Put
On Boat Races
The motor boat fans of Wrangell
have scheduled September 4, Labor
Day as the day on which they will
measure the speed of different out
board motor boats.
The race3 are being sponsored
by the Wrangell Commercial Club.
Cash prizes ranging from $5. to $50
will be offered contestants. Several
“motor-go” enthusiasts have been
working hard on this matter and
de3erve the support of their fellow
townsmen and others.
When Ye Editor was in Wrangell
last week he was told that Peters
burg had nothing to race except a
“lot of old tubs and wagons that,
could not get out of their own
way.” Inasmuch as there are a
couple of alleged fast ones in Ee
tersburg it might be good adver
tising to enter some of the races.
1027 SEAL TAKE
Three thousand more seal skins
were taken on the Pribilof Is'aud3
this season thun last, according to
a report of the Bureau of Fisheries.
The total take this year being
24,178 skins as compared to 21 b03
for last ye^r.
The Chronicle Wonders
WhyThers No Fish
For many years tlie Ketchikan
area has enjoyed prosperity, has
never known a failure in the run
of salmon which is used for can
ning purposes. For some UN
KNOWN KEAfciON they are not
here this year. it is not reason
able to suppose that all the hsh
could have been wiped out in a year
in view of the fact that the eseap
meul in 19iiand 1925 was great.
Whatever the cause the fact • re
mains that the hsh are not here
but there is no good reason to sup
pose that they will not run well
next season or there after.
Some twenty canneries in the
district will be hit quite hard. With
one or two exceptions these can
nery operating companies are strong
financially and their bad luck of
this year will not prevent their re
sumption next season. With one
exception they are ail financed in
the statesThey have made their
financial outlay for this season and
will have to repeat it next year.
* * * The seiners will lose their
season’s earnings but in the Ketchi
kan district there are not nearly so
many in this line of work as there
are iu other parts of Alaska.
In view of the fact that the
trollers have had the greatest year
in history, and the further fact that
halibut fishermen have had a pro
fitable season so far the business
of Ketchikan will not suffer so
greatly as might be imagined.
Business will go on as usual and
conditions generally will be better
than they were in 1921 when none
of the canneries operated and when
many of them were in bad condi
tion financially .
Kd. Note—Iu spite of the opto
mistic atitude into which the Chron
icle is lulling itself, word per
colates here from the First City
that, already it is iu its doldrums;
that a run was reported on one of
its banks by the wihdrawal of large
deposits of fishermen’s money;that
not only fishermen would have a
real hard winter ahead of them.
Such is the result of building a
town on one industry and then do
ing all possible to destroy that in
dustry in order to get big packs and
dividend each year without thought
of the future. The Ala3kau is not
one bit optomistic about the fortn
coming winter in any line of busi
ness—except the pulp business that
has been promised us for several
years.
Fish Regulations
Are Failure
The action of Henry O’Malley in
closing fishing operations in the
southern and west coast districts
is an admission that the regula
tions promulgated by his depart
ment since 192 4 are a failure. He
admits that “too much gear” is be
ing used for proper escapement
to spawning areas. Therefore the
only proper thing to do is to turn
about face and meet the prob
lem in the only way that will in
sure the future of the industry re
gardless of present effects on fish
erman and canner.
The canner is dissatisfied with
his pack and conditions—the fisher
man while not satisfied with his
run of luck is satisfied that the
canner will have proportionately
as “tough” a time, if not “tough
er”.