VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
MARCH 25, 1932
NO. 36
Federal Governor Opposes Alaska
Control of Fish and Game
The bill introduced by Dele
gate Wickersham to grant the
Territorial Legislatre power to
manage the fisheries, the game,
fur-bearing and other wild ani
mals, was referred by the Terri
tories committee to the Depart
ment of the Interior. An adverse
report was made by Secretary
Wilbur, who writes to the Com
mittee as follows: “I transmit
herewith a copy of a letter from
the Hon. George A. Parks, Gov
ernor of the Territory of Alaska,
to whom the bill was referred
bv me for report as to the nec
essity for, as well as the advisa
bility of, the enactment of the
legislation contemplated in the
bill. It will be seen therefrom
that he regards the present poli
cy of the Government in the
controlling of the fisheries and
wild life as adequate and satis
factory, and that the Territory
is not financially able to assume
the burden which would be im
posed on it under the bill. 1
concur in the conclusions of thc
Governor in this matter, and re
commend that the bill be not
given favorable consideration.’'
In his conclusions the Gov
ernor states that “under the
policies that are in effect the
fisheries are being protected and
the depleted areas restored to
normal production.” To do this
work the appropriations made
and expended by the Govern
ment for the past three years,
have been as follows: 1929, $418,
456; 1930, $414,061; 1931, $457,
868. The Governor adds that the
average yearly revenue derived
by the Territory from all sources
I over the past five years averages
i about $1,000,000 yearly, and then
states: “Revenues are decreasing
instead of increasing and there
must be an increase in taxes
next year to meet essential de
mands. During 1929 and 1930
the fisheries produced 76.93% of
the revenue, and obviously it is J
impossible to further burden1
them to provide anywhere the ;
sum necessary to maintain an |
organization such as is now ad- j
ministering the fisheries. Ob- 5
viously the Territory is not fin- j
ancially able to assume the bur-'
den that would be imposed by
Ihe bill. The situation with re
gard to the game is much the
same. Approximately $100,000 is
expended each year by the Bio
logical Survey for warden service |
and predatory animal control.
The combined service is no;/!
costing approximately $550,000
per year, and even though it
could be had for half the su n
the Territory could not finance
the organization.” The Govern
or further adds that “it is not
advisable to place the burden
on the Territory until such time
as it is financially able to pro
vide adequate safeguards to re
place those now functioning.”
District Judge Lomen
Resigns July 1st
Judge G. J. Lomen of Nome
tendered his resignation to the
Department of Justice at Wash
ington and will retire to private
life and practice.
Judge Lomen was appointed
bv the late President Harding,
reappointed by Presidents Cool
idge and Hoover. Renominated
last year by President Hoover
but his name met with consi
derable opposition and he was
not confirmed. Further opposi
tion was raised and it was
stated that he did not have
much chance to make the grade.
He solves the problem by re
signing.
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ROOSEVELT WINS GEORGIA
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Franklin D. Roosevelt is sweep
big along towards presidential
nomination of the Democratic
party. He won the Georgia pri
mary and it is a ten to one bet
that he will have the unanimous
endorsement as there are indi
cations that he carried all
counties.
Rumor persists from St. Paul
that Alfred E. Smith will run for
Mayor of New York which will
t ike him out of the presidential
race.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
RATIFIES LAW
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RALEIGH, March 24—The Se
nate has ratified the “Lame
Puck” amendment recently
passed by Congress and it is now
passed up to the Governor for
his signature.
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Meet the delightful little out
law whom George Ade calls “m\
favorite desperado.” “Skippy.’
Percy Crosby’s delightful little
scamp, now in the talkies at the
Coliseum, Sunday and Monday.
“Skippy”—a regular guy!
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Johnny Sales has started or
the Citizens Dock. Heavy timbei
was brought up from the state;
and some is being ordered lo
cally.
Chief Indian Bureau
To be Appointed
The Department of the Inter
ior through the Indian Bureau
is considering the appointment
of Chief of the Indian Bureau
affairs in Alaska. Two applicants
tor the position are said to be in
Washington at the present time.
Hie acting chief is Charles ,V.
Hawkesworth, for the past year.
One of the applicants for the
position is said to be Mr. Gar
ber, district superintendent of
Kuskokwim district. Recently it
took a court mandamus to get
from his house a note which he
had taken from the late Peter
Williams estate in his district.
Garber had borrowed a sum of
money from Williams; Williams
died and in his effects was Gar
ber’s note. It was shown to Gar
ber and he took it and refused
to return it. Administrator got
a court order for a search and
got the note back. The applicant
for position as Chief of the In- i
dian Bureau of Alaska had no1
thought of the widow and chil- j
dien of the man who helped)
him and whose dependents ho.
vras trying to rob. Of such is'
too much of the Indian Bureau!
made.
!
Mr. Hawkesworth for the past j
year Acting Chief of the Bureau, j
has been in the Bureau of Edu
cation work in Alaska for many
years and is thoroughly conver
sant writh the people and the
working of their minds. His work
in reorganizing the bureau has
been eminently satisfactory. The
people who are in his charge are
not desirous of any change at
this time.
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PORTLAND OUSTS MAYOR
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PORTLAND, March 24—Peti
tions circulated in Portland,
Oregon oust Mayor George I’.
Baker and two city commission
ers leaving no replacement ma
chinery. Only two remaining.
L The law requires three commis
sioners in office.
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* Ed Ramstead, Point Agassiz
■ fanner is having his engine
overhauled.
Sales Tax Defeated
In House of Rep.
—x—
WASHINGTON, March 24—In
scenes not seen for many years
in the House of Representatives,
the sales tax was defeated by a
vote of 223 to 153. A block of
Democrats split from party
Dues and voted with liberals in
defeating this measure which
would have taxed the poor with
greater force than the rich in
that it was placing the burden
of the tax on the poor.
Saturday the House leaders
made a motion for adjournment
in order that the wild scenes
and congressmen might cool off.
This tax would have raised one
billion ninety six million dollars. I
When the measure was defeated
there was prolonged applause
which crushed the leaders. The
bill was returned to the com
mittee to be revamped.
Chairman Crisp of the com
mittee has resigned because of I
the defeat of this bill. The vote
was by teller count with each1
voter filing past the clerk and
declaring his vote.
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ARMY DAY
Pursuant to House Joint Re
solution No. 3, adopted by the
Territorial Legislature in 1931..
the people of the Territory are
requested to join in the observ
ance of Army Day, April 6, 1932.
This anniversary is designated
annually in honor of the United
States Army. Throughout the
Nation the National Flag is
displayed from business houses
and homes and it seems appro
priate that the people of Alaska
should participate in the cele
bration in like manner.
Therefore, in keeping with the
custom, it is suggested that
wherever possible the Flag be
displayed in an appropriate
manner in honor of the Army
and the service it has rendered
to the Nation.
Committee Report Favors
Indian Land Suit
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SPECIAL—Wash. D. C. March 23
—The Senate Judiciary Commit- j
tee today decided to report fav-!
orably on the bill introduced oy
Delegate Wickersham giving the
Kaida and Thlinget Indians of
Alaska the rights to present;
their financial claims to the
Court of Claims.
This bill which was first in-1
t’-oduced by former Delegate
Dan Sutherland gives the right
of Haida and Thlinget Indians
to present their claims for lands,
etc., of which they were dispos
sessed without due process of
law—which possessions they are
protected in by treaty between
Russia and the United States
when transfer was made.
For over ten years the Alaska
Lative Brotherhood discussed
this matter before asking Dan
Sutherland to present the mat
ter to Congress. In the last elec
tion considerable opposition was
made to this matter and it was
used in an effort to defeat the
election of Delegate Wickersham.
There will be no action in -
volved that will hurt any resi
dent or deprive them of proper
ty. The right to present claims
for monetary returns for pro
perties taken only is to be con
sidered. In event the Court of
Claims rules in favor of the
claimants, they will still have a
suit on hand to carry the mat
ter through.
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Sam Sing Lee was arrested on
a petit larceny charge and was
given thirty days in which to
remunerate upon the ways of
justice, ,
Diesel Auxiliary
For Petersburg
For the past several months,
the City Council has been dis
cussing the advisability of pur
chasing a 450 h. p. diesel engine
with generator for use as an
auxiliary plant to the hydro -
electric plant. For the past sev
eral weeks it was thought that
the idea of purchasing such a
unit had gone to sleep perma
nently but recently was publish- 1
eri over the signature of E .N.
Ohmer, mayor of Petersburg, the
following:
“For some months the Council
has been considering the advisa
bility of installing auxiliary
elecrtic power. This idea has in
some quarters met with bitter
opposition. * * *
“If continuous electric power
was not needed, it would never
be necessary to install auxiliary!
power—* * * *
“An auxiliary power plant in- j
stalled in several units would in- ^
sure that at least some of its (
units would be in working order
all of the time.
“On short notice it could be
started quickly in case of trouble
on the Hydro-Line and as the
present power is not enough to,
take care of peak loads, during]
the winter months, and will not1
take care of any additional
loads during that time, during'
these peak hours, one of the I
units of auxiliary power could
be started to help carry the ex
tra heavy load and this would
not take the continuous service
of an expensive engineer, either.
“While no action will be taken
by the present Council, I believe
that the program will be carried
out about as outlined. * * *”
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Foshay Fined $1,000 \
And Given IS Years
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March 21—Wilbur B. Foshay,
read of the Foshay utilities and
Ii. H. Henley, associate, were
found guilty of using the United
States mails to defraud and.
were sentenced to serve 15 years
each in prison and to pay a
fine of $1,000.
Foshay interests were scatter
ed throughout the United States.
The Ketchikan utilities and
motorship Northland were in-1
volved in his affairs and he also]
attempted to purchase the Pe-j
tersburg Hydro-electric. Suffi
cient opposition was developed
as to prevent sale and further :
legal entanglements
Another Prosperity Bust
SEATTLE, March 24—The Gen
eral Motors Corporation an -!
nounces an immense sales cam- j
paign beginning the second of |
April. The corporation will open ]
exhibits in fifty-five of the larg
est cities, using 70 orchestras
and using more than one mil
lion square feet of floor space
in an effort to bring back pros
perity—by getting vox pop to
spend their money.
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Morris Scott was arrested this
week and bound over to the
grand jury on a charge of break
ing into the Men’s Shop and
taking merchandise therefrom.
There were no halibut •offer
ings on the local marts during
the week. Most of the boats
having laid in port for a week
before returning to the fishing
banks.
The Juneau Mailboat Pacific
has changed, beginning last
week, its schedule and arrives
in port now on Fridays—leaving
the same day instead of on Sun
days as in the past
Territory Broke
In January
The following letter addressed
to a canneryman indicates that
Alaska’s finances were at the
lowest ebb in its history and
contradicts Treasurer’s state
ment that there was plenty of
cash on hand.
I wish to convey to your com
pany, through you, thanks and
appreciation for the early pay
ment of your pack taxes for the
year 1931. There has been an at
tempt on the part of some offi
cials to make it appear that the
Territory has had plenty of funds
at all times, and that the pay
ment of the tax at the regular
time would have been early
enough. Such is not the case.
The cash balance in the gen
eral fund on December ^lst was
S217,000, The total of the war
rants issued by January 31st,
mostly in payment of November
and December bills, amounted to
$226,000 - which left an over
draft of $8,000.
Fish Traps 65,000
Cash balance, Feb. 29, $337,000
Amount early paid
puck tax $262,000
Tax on additional fish 6,000
Gill nets and seines 4,500
337,000
or approximately the total
balance on hand in the general
fund March the first.
If this money had not been
paid early, the Territory would
have been absolutely without
funds, as you can see for youi'
self. This would not only have
worked as ..hardship on the Ter
ritory, but it would have meant
the withdrawal of all Territorial
funds from deposit in Territorial
banks, and you can rest assured
that the banks, more than any
one else, appreciate the early
payment of taxes which permit
ted them to retain these funds
on deposit, as heavy withdraw
als have been made from the
tanks in some parts of the Ter
ritory, due to the changed econ
omic conditions.
Assuring you of my personal
appreciation of your generous
action, I am
Yours very truly,
Auditor of Alaska
Turns Down Alaska
Airmail Service
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Delegate Wickersham has been
trying to get the Postoffice De
partment interested in the in
auguration of air mail service
between Seattle and Juneau,
but it looks as though the House
determination to keep down ap
propriations would prevent any
immediate action along the de
sired end. Postmaster General
Drown has written the Delegate
in which he said: “Under the
£ct of April 29, 1930, the De
partment is prevented from
placing into service any new
routes except where the appro
priation for air mail service is
sufficient to cover the same. The
appropriation for air mail ser
vice during the present fiscal
year is not sufficient to cover
any new service of this kind,
and it is doubtful whether our
appropriation for the next year
will be sufficient. The Depart
ment is glad to note the interest
in the air mail service as mani
fested by this joint memorial
and will give the matter every
possible consideration consistent
with appropriations available.
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King salmon brought in to the
markets are running in price
from 4 to 10 cents per pound
Most of the mild cure size going
at 8. It is reported that the
buyers are not anxious to get
any salmon at this time.
City Election Ballots Printed
i With One Qualified Name Omitted
Filing for city offices was com
jpleted March the 19th—when
Edward Locken secured proper
endorsements in qualifying for
election as city mayor. The bal
lots were printed but his name
uas not printed on the ballot.
The following correspondence
v/ i t h Attorney General John
Rustgard shows the status of the
filing:
This telegram was sent on the
21st: Sender’s name left off for
cbvious reasons:
“Locken filed for mayor be
fore midnight nineteenth ob
jections raised filing not coming
within legal fifteen-day limit
We hold filing date closed
twentieth or twenty-first and
not nineteenth stop your opin
ion requested immediately oth
erwise name will be left off
ballot.”
To this the Attorney General
replied on March 21st:
“Your election governed en
tirely by city ordinances of Pe
tersburg no copy of them here
and I cannot answer question.”
In order to get the matter
clearly before the Attorney Gen
eral the following letter was sent
him on the 22nd:
“I received your cable in reply
to mine and note what you say
regarding Petersburg Ordin
ances, which rightfully should
govern our elections.
“The following is part of our
local Ordinances pertaining to
the filing of candidates for re
snective offices:
“Every candidate must file his
intention with the City Clerk
—X
f.nd qualify at least fifteen days
before election.”
“There is nothing in the Or
dinance giving any specific hour
when a candidate should file as
long as he is within the fifteen
day limit. Election is Tuesday,
April 5th, and Mr. Locken’s in •
tention for candidacy was filed
with the City Clerk at about
1 x:00 p. m., Saturday March 19th
and we feel that he is well with
in the fifteen-day limit for filing.
To be specific in this counting
of the fifteen days it should
give up until 9:00 o’clock Mon
day morning, March 21st.
“Was appointed committee by
a number of citizens of Peter •
burg to call on your good offices
for your opinion as to what is
the last hour a candidate can
file according to the Ordinance
as above. Kindly cable me your
opinion at my expense at once. ’
On March 23rd, the Attorney
General wired as follows:
“Filing is legal.”— Signed,
John Rustgard.
The ballot now printed omits
the name of Edward Locken. The
following names are included on
the ballot: Mayor, E. N. Ohmer;
Council: Andrew Wikan, Rasmus
Enge, L. T. Swanson, Jack Han
seth, Jonas Olson and Sam
Gauffin.
Flash
Developments late today indi
cate that Mr. Locken’s name is
to be included in a new series of
ballots to be printed. It is re
ported that legal advice was se
cured from City attorney in Ju
neau. Which relieves a tense si -
tuation.
Delegates Claimed By
Roosevel & Murray
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The Democratic National
Committee, that has its head
quarters in Washington, is try
ing to keep tab on the prefer
ences of National Delegates, and
;s a little perplexed as to where
Alaska’s s i x delegates really
stand. After the Territorial con
vention was held at Fairbanks
on Jan. 23 the report was sent
out that the six delegates were
for Franklin D. Roosevelt for
Fresident. Ten days ago the A. P.
sent out word from Oklahoma
City that a letter had been re
ceived from O. B. Skidmore, at
Ketchikan, stating that Alaska’s
six delegates to the Democratic
convention are “lined up” for
[“Alfalfa Bill” Murray. A few
days ago James A. Farley, De
mocratic State Chairman of New
York, announced the receipt of a
telegram from Fairbanks saying
the Alaska delegation had been
instructed to vote as a unit for
Roosevelt. Incidentally it might
bo stated that the delegates to
the convention will be elected at
the primary to be held on Tues
day, April 26th.
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HARLEY OYSTERS GOOD
Mr. P. F. Harley is in from
Duncan Canal to make arrange
ment to receive fifty boxes of
i Japanese oyster seed. Shipment
j is coming forward on the Yukon
[ and will be transhipped at Ket
chikan on the Fairbanks. Effort
: is being made to have the Yu
kon drop shipment on a scow
at Scow Bay or the south en
trance to the Narrows.
Mr. Harley is very optimistic
about his oyster beds. He de
clares that they have shells
every bit as large and heavy as
| those taken on the coast. At this
jtime they are not fat but he
J expects that the feeding sea
json will bring them into as
■ good quality as those obtained
jin the southern waters.
Lone Bandit Holds Up
Bank In Seattle
SEATTLE March 23rd—A lone
bandit held up teller Radtke of
the Seaboard branch of the First
National Bank. The employees
and a large crowd of customers
were unwarned although the
burglar alarm was rung three
times. A woman had warned the
cashier of the robbery. The
bandit was lost in the crowd
before the police arrived. He
gleaned $1500 by his lone oper
ation.
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ALASKANS BUY CANNERY
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! SEATTLE, March 24— Fre 0.
Heckman and George A. Brown
have purchased the Skowl Arm
cannery, near Kasaan. They
have formed a corporation with
a group of men to finance gold
claims in Nutqua Harbor on the
West Coast of Prince of Wales
Island and expect to start in
their expenditures up to $25,
C00 monthly to develop their
properties.
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THE BATTLE STARTS
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A, H. Ziegler, democratic can
didate for delegate to congress
is leaving on the steamer Yukon
for the Westward precincts to
begin his campaign for nomina
tion. Mr. Ziegler is starting in,
in the Dimond precincts and will
wind up in his own just before
primary election day.
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Mrs. Carl Schmidt, Jr., return
from Washington where she has
been visiting relatives.
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The whole world loves Skippy
and now they really meet him
for the first time in the talkies.
See Robert Coogan, Jackie Coo
per, Mitzi Green, Jackie Searl.
their playmates, their dogs, their
i mamas and papas—in “Skippy”
at the Coliseum.