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Pul. -bed every Friday by the A NB. Publishing Co., Petersbur
Entc: i in the Post Office in Petersburg as Second Class Mattel
S » 3CRIPTION RATES
The Ala: kan, six mouths. $2.6
The Alaskan, per year.,. $4 01
A. N. B. PUB!.; HINO COMPANY
Louis F. Paul. Editor and Manager.
.CALL FOR REAL FINANCING
-x —
On another c. ;;mn is a bud
get for the city government for
the fiscal year r ’ding 1930. It
will be of espec...l interest to
those who feel t: .t the tax levy
on assessed valu lin is to high.
Heretofore, as . lously stat
ed by this paper \, oerty val
ues were based i n > - lationship,
friendship and friJ tal affiilia
tion. In a number >v.i instances
the assessment was out of pro
portion to values of properties
immediately adj oining—every
thing else being equal. In other
instances the valuation was so
disproportionately low as tc
stink to high heaven.
This year the values have been
more generally equalized. In the
main the tax paye rs are not dis
satisfied with the assessment.
But it was muchly hoped that
the Council would not see fit to
fix the tax rate at over 15 mills.
A careful perusal of the bud
get brings forth the question:
What can the Council do to
curtail expenses and get back to
the right side of the ledger.
In Which We Ziccommend
The renovating of the hospi
tal was estimated at $1500. It has
already cost $2,000. and the end
is not in sight. Much as a hos
pital is needed in the commun
ity, we do not believe any more
money should be expended this
year. If the taxpayers wish to
continue the hospital, they will
give it the support and make it
a paying proposition. We do not
believe that the hospital ex
pense will come ur ’er $4,500. if
work necessary is i' ‘‘ormed, of
course adding opera,h. expense.
Much talk is made • ; the ne
cessity of fixing up the ceme
tery. This location’s only ad
vantage is accessibility by car.
It has some serious features
that make it impractical. Cost
of clearing as estimated by one
of the Councilmen was $1800 for
approximately one acre of land.
Expensive enough for the city to
leave alone. The entire area has
a blue clay base after digging off
surface soil which is so heavy as
to break the coffins in a short
time. Drainage is poor—so far
it has been necessary to weight
down coffins to keep them from
floating to the top. Enough so
far to stop any idea of trying to
make this a municipal cemetery.
Put all work on contract with
bond to do the work in a satis
factory manner. Secure exten
sion of time for payment on out
standing warrants due; this to
lighten the load for this year. It
would be better to do it in this
way and to distribute the in
debtedness over a longer period
of time.
Spend Less Than Income
The only thing that the pres
ent council can do is sit
tight, be deaf to any and ill but
most imperative demand for ex
penditure. Spend less than in
come. Sounds and reads easy
but a serious and hard job.
SINK WITH OR SINK
WITHOUT
-x
The financial problem with
which the city is confronted is a
serious one. That was so stated
by the writer in the Lutheran
Church several years ago when
Rev. Flint was pastor of that
church. We stated then that
there was no room for anything
but a true civic spirit and loy
alty to the town in the election
of the city council. We further
stated that before he taxpayer
was aware of it. he would be
confronted with problems which
petty small town politics could
not meet. That time is here.
A balance of $9,000. outstanding
warrants must be met this year;
in additional $4,000 has been
secured by present Council to
interest obligation for this year;
^3,000 must be paid, balance due
on fire truck; a total of $10,000.
lopped off the income forth
with. For most of which we
lay to careless spending by the
orcvious city adminitration. It
hastened the climax.
Sell the Utilities?
Whether the utilitie sare sold
or no, the problem will be with
us. Says one taxpayer, “Unless
this administration shows wise
management we will sink with
uhe utilities. If they sell and
continue as in the past, they
vTt go broke anyhow. And the
problem will become just as
acme if not more so.”
GROWING PAINS
-o
We remember when the citi
zens went up to the swamps and
named out water by the buck
et and barrelfull; when the on
ly light on the streets were the
flickering candlelights from the
windows. With a population
incomparable with today; with
out shrimp or crab cannery anc’
less than half the business hous
es; when not over sixty voter
elected council—total for high
vote; wages at $2.50 the day and
a total population less than 400
Under those conditions which
were great odds the first utility
construction was undertaken.
The only reason those coun
cils succeeded so well was be
cause they cut c jrs and sav
^d at every pose ,Ae turn.
THEY KNOW NOTHING—YET
Dr. Fred A. Davidson has been j
assigned to the Southeastern
Alaska fishery to give a compre
hensive study of the pink sal
mon. Speaking of this move.
Mr. O'Malley says:
“Dr. Davidson has joined the
scientific staff of the Bureau of
Fisheries and will devote his
time to this district. Little is
known about the pink salmon
and also whether or not it re
turns to the parent stream. As
it is of vital importance to South
eastern Alaska, he will begin at
once a study of this species. Dr.
Davidson has a splendid train
ing and an excellent background
for work of this character.”
Last year Henry stated to the
writer: “I have demonstrated
on the East Coast that the hump
back salmon is a two-year-cycle
fish.” He declared that he dem
onstrated this from streams in
which salmon eggs were planted
| that never before that time had
i any salmon in them.
Now he about faces and truth
fully tells that after his several
years as Commissioner of Fish
eries with the resources of the
United States Government be
him, he has learned and knows
nothing about pink salmon.
Alaska Will Pay Plenty
“Those Bolshivik Paul’s are al
ways saying that the salmon
fisheries are being depleted. Yet
this year will be put up about
five million cases. Not a bad
pack for a depleted fisheries!”
Figures Do Lie
The estimated pack for this
year is estimated around five
million cases. O’Malley uses
this pack figure to show that
production is normal.
High seine boat at the Skinner
and Eddy plant, Kake, this year'
was 40,000, prices 4 and six for
humps and dogs; high boat for
Petersburg P. A. F. cannery is
less than 50,000; last Saturday
in the Klawock district, high
boat was less than 30,000; high
□oat at Point Ward, back of
Wrangell last week was 22,000.
Judging from which it will be
seen that salmon caught from
spawning areas is lower this
year than any since 1921.
Notwithstanding the law, re
gulations and creek watchmen,
we emphatically assert that 90
per cent of seine caught salmon
ire illegally caught in closed
ireas. Areas immediately trib
utary to or immediately in the
salmon streams. The small
iverage catch of the seiners bear
out statement of fishermen that
; there was NO ESCAPEMENT
of early salmon this year. Af
ter closure of the Icy Straits
section the seed scapement be
came more plentiful until at
this date there is immediate
danger of everseeding and use
ess and needless waste of goou
food fish thereby.
-x
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
■x
Doctor William John Cooper,
Commissioner of the United
States Bureau of Education, has
peen travelling through South
eastern Alaska with the view of
kicking out the site for the pro
posed industrial school for Alas
ka Indians .
It will be interesting to note
:he plan by which the “scores’
of the various sites will be rat
'd and so we print below the
3Core card. The place scoring
:he highest will be selected.
Essential. 500 Points
1. Water-Domestic incl. fire.
2. Power-Available or Potential
3. Soil for gardens, etc.
1. Accessibility to pop. centers
or ready transportation.
1. Possibility of School Atmos
i phere and Spirit.
3.. Primary. 300 points
1.. Acessibility: .Steamer Lines,
Roads and Docks.
2. Area Available
3. Exposure Elevation
Level
Drainage
1. Climatic Conditions:
Rainfall
Winds
Pests
Sun
5. Harbor (for small boats)
C.. Secondary.200 points
1. Hospital facilities
2. Church facilities
3. Available Industries:
Canneries
Sawmills
Etc.
4. Proximity to regular steamer
stops
Liquor
5. Regional environment
Liquor
Crime
Narcotics
A DIG AT MRS. WILLERRANDT
-x
Mrs. Mabel Walker Wille
brandt, late assistant attorney
general of the United States in
charge of prohibition enforce
ment, is writing a series of ar
ticles in a Seattle paper on pro- J
hibition and its enforcement. Iti
is quite interesting and throws
considerable light on methods of
enforcement or lack of enforce
ment. We are struck by the
forcefulness of an editorial by
Raymond Lonergan, in LABOR,
Washington, D. C.
Mrs. Willebrandt’s Story
I have been reading Mrs. Ma
bel Walker Willebrandt’s articles
on Prohibition which are ap- '
pearing in a number of big
dailies. I believe in the eight
eenth amendment, but I can’t
enthuse over Mabel.
I can’t forget the fact that
she was put in charge of the
prohibition-enforcement work
of the Department of Justice by
Harry Daugherty.
She held the job for two years
while Daugherty, “Jess” Smith
and the other occupants of the
Little Green House on K Street”
were indulging in transactions
which finally culminated in one
of the most sordid scandals in
ohe history of our country. One
of “Jess” Smith’s specialties was
peddling liquor permits.
Mrs. Willebrandt must have \
.mown what was going on, but
she never “peeped”—at least, not
uiblicly.
Kept Daugherty Out of Jail
Furthermore, when Daugher
.y was on trial in a Federal Court
in New York, charged with con
,piring to defraud the govern
ment, Mrs. Willebrandt, altho
die was then a leading official of
the department which was pros
ecuting the case, went on the
stand as one of Daugherty’s
character witnesses.
Her testimony probably saved
the former Attorney General
from the penitentiary.
In her “revelations” she has
lothing unkind to say about
Daugherty, altho everyone fam
liar with the tragic history of
prohibition knows that it was
under his regime that the “dry”
•ause received its first black eye.
The little lady is interesting,
but she is not convincing.”
\T TWO DOLLARS PER WORD
-x
A1 Smith is writing a life his
tory of himself m the Saturday
Evening Post. And each install
ment runs into not an incon
siderable sum. A short genera
tion and the American public
vill have forgotten the famous
brown derby.
Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”
wrought ten dollars to the fam
ous poet. Bobby Burns for a col
’ection of his poems got five
pounds—less than twenty-five
dollars American. Beside this he
was given a shawl for his wife
and a cheap chromo.
Goldsmith is said to have re
ceived three hundred dollars
for his “Vicar of Wakefield.”
‘Paradise Lost” is said to have
brought Milton $25 in cash and
the promise of another $25 if
and when the first edition was
sold. Whether he got the bal
ance or not, was never said.
At two dollars the word for
A1 Smith’s biography we venture
that some of the above works
should have brought a thousand
or more dollars the word. Any
way “The Raven” will still be in
print and in circulation when
A1 Smith’s writings will be
star dust.
INLAND FISHING VERY POOR
-x
The Sumner Strait spawning
area had such a poor escape
ment this year that Commis
sioner O’Malley says: “The runs
of fish there have been poor for
the past two or three years. It
may be necessary, if this condi
tion continues, to close this par
ticular area for a period of
years to permit it to rehabili
tate itself.”
The Real Cause
Sumner Straits is similar to
upstream fishing areas; Icy
Straits and Cross Sound are like
the lower stream areas. In the
run of salmon the lower stream
areas get the first run of salmon
which if fished too intensively
prevents the salmon from get
ting to the upper stream areas.
To close Sumner Straits—up
per stream area—is like locking
the barn door after the horse
has gotten out. The only logical
thing to do in this instance is
to curtail fishing in the lower
stream areas to permit proper
seeding of upper stream areas.
The system O’Malley follows
is nothing more than chastise
ment of resident fishermen for
the destruction caused by the
non-resident trap owner whose
too efficient traps get all the sal
mon before they reach their
spawning areas.
The fisherman sings “God bless
you and keep you HenryO’Malley
Leave Seattle SB
Petersburg
Northwestern
Aug 13 Aug 21
Northwestern
Aug. 27 Sent. 4
Pass. & Freight to S.E. & W. Alaska.
Phone 15 Petersburg, Alaska
Xt
The New yorl{
Pool Billiard And Card Room
Choice Cigars, Tobaccos And Candies
New Tables And Equipment
Dick Kuwata, Prop.
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Satisfaction Always
iff m Guaranteed |
^ A complete line of men’s $
furnishings for work or |
dress. A fine line of
Goods for women I
1
i
ATTENTION !!
Boat Owners
We can take care of general repair in wood and caulking
and all the blacksmith work on any boat up to 100 feet in
length at
Petersburg Marine Ways
J. C. Holton 8l Ed. Walwick
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'M.eteet S\udvos
portraits Alaska
bonascapes ^SfSSSSi Views
X COPYING AND ENLARGING]
| TINTING AND COLORING DONE IN OIL
i FRAMING DONE TO ORDER
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Oxc-Acetylene
Cutting & Welding
Fipe Fitting And
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GENERAL
BLACKSMITHING
John R. Kolstrand.
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