VOL. 2
X
PETERSBURG, ALASKA APRIL 27, 1928
NO. 38
Partial Returns Primary Election
Returns from 24 precincts in the
First Division indicate that the
Progressive Republicans will carry
their entire ticket into office in
spite of the crowding of the Re
publican primaries by non-republi
cans and by the attempted swinging
of votes by “national committee
man” Frame.
The returns are as follows:
For Delegate to Congress:
Howard, 1050
Sutherland, 1994
For Attorney General:
Rustgard, 2350
Waller, 533.
Republican National Committeeman .
Albrecht, 894
Aldrich, 647
Lathrop, 1205.
Delegates to Republican National
Convention:
Caswell, 1227
Chase, 1035 I
Gelles, 645
Pratt, 678
Wickersham, 1795
Alternate to Republican Convention:
Gottstein—No contest
Grant, ditto
Territorial Senator:
Benjamin, 1217
Gardner, 1226
Hunt, 514
Territorial Representatives:
Darwell, 1164
Gildea, 990
Johnson, 1057
Noland, 1333
McCormack, 1410
Olts, 1140
Paul, 1283
Wacker, 662
Winn, 1593
These partial returns while show
ing the high man on the framed
ticket to be higher than the lowest
man on the Progressive Republican
ticket does not give promise of ac
quiring much strength from out
lying precincts. Kake, Angoon,
Killisnoo, Hoonah, Hydaburg, and
Yakutat precincts are still to be
counted. If the return’s from these
precincts are anything like previous
elections it is a cinch bet that the
entire Progressive ticket carries
over for the final election. Of the
precincts admittedly for the Pro
gressive ticket, Klawock is the only
one reported in to date.
The present standing of Senators
shows Benjamin elected without any
| question. The attempted split by
running Hunt and Gardner defeated
the aim of the opposition party.
Had they centered their effort on
Gardner it is possible that they
might have ejected him. But with
two candidates whipsawing at Ben-1
jamin their end was defeated by both
men drawing from each other while
Benjamin held all his own votes.
For the House as the ticket now
stands, Winn, McCormack, Noland,
and Paul seem to be elected. No
question of Winn and McCormack or
Paul qualifying for the November
election. Kake alone will put Paul
ahead of Noland. The fight for
place in the lower house then will
be between Olts of the Progressive
ticket and Noland for fourth place.
It is possible for Noland to place in
view of the fact that half of the
precincts remain to be heard from
— but they are small precincts for
Noland while the larger precincts
will swing toward Olts. If Noland
picks up more than a hundred votes
he may nose out Olts, if he secures
less then it is doubtful that he
places and so the entire Progressive
slate will sweep this election.
Commercial Club
Meeting
Attendance at the Commercial
Club meeting held on Wednesday
evening was not as good as usual.
However, the dinner was attacked
with pleasure by those present and
a couple of members strolled in just
?bout time for business to begin.
A letter was received and read
from Delegate Dan Sutherland rela
tive to the Klokachef Island Light.
This is printed on another page.
Another letter from J. C. Barber oi
Ketchikan stated that he might at
tend the annual meeting of ,the
United States Chamber of Commerce
in May. If he did he stated that
he would be pleased to use the ma
terial secured by the local Chamber
relative to the herring situation.
This material is already in his
nand3.
A further discussion was held
relative to the straightening of Front
Street during which the matter of
securing site for a new Town Hall
was brought up. it was decided
to ask the City Council to write Mr.
Schonwald, Manager of the Peters
burg Packing Company in regard to
acquiring a site for a Town Hall
and Fire Station combined. It was
further mentioned that request be
made that the net shed across from
Swanson & Dahl's be moved from
off the Front Street in accordance
with the street surrey.
UP AND ABOUND
Word comes over from Wrangeil
way that Mrs. James Wheeler Is
up and around again greeting old
friends and customers in the Wheel
er Drug Store at Wrangell. Her
many friends here are glad of this
good report.
Alaska Mills Honored
The Ketchikan Spruce Mills has
been awarded a contract to supply
the Alaska railroad with 30,000
hemlock ties and 1000 red cedar
ties; the Juneau Lumber Co. was
awarded a contract to deliver 10,000
hemlock toies to the same point.
Ketchikan mills bid for No. 1
hemlock was $1.14 while the Juneau
bid was $1.19 for the same grade.
Seems to be the right start in
the right direction. It matters not
one bit what mill in Alaska gets
the contracts so long as they are
delivered in Alaska. If Alaska
mills can produce the goods to
equal the product of the mills on
the sound at approximately the same
price, why not favor Alaska goods,
The Alaska Railroad depends upon
the residents of Alaska to keep it
going. Without population the rail
road is not worth scrap iron. To
build up population it must aid in
development of industries already
in the territory. Giving large con
tracts to mills means greater em
ployment and without question im
petus to development of the Ter
ritory.
It is well at all times that we
have in mind to develop Alaska
and not Seattle nor any other Coast
town.
OVER FROM WRANGELL
Dr. C. F. Jones, physician and
surgeon in charge of the Wrangell
General Hospital came over on pro
fessional business Thursday after
noon and returned later in the day
Charley Duffy of Juneau was a
visitor in Petersburg during the
week. He was around with old
Wrangell and Juneau friends while
here. I
Give Some Credit
To Dan
Uuder a proposed bill adopted by
the Hou3e Rivers and Harbors Com
mittee of the House of Representa
tives, Port Alexander harbor will be
given a dredged channel 15 feet
deep and 150 feet wide at the en
trance of the bay and with a chan
nel 40 feet wide and a 2 feet deep
at the entrance of the lagoon.
Cost of operation to be $17,000.
SEWARD And KETCHIKAN PRO
VIDED FOR
The Rivers and Harbor committee
provides a harbor for Seward for
the smaller boats at a cost of
$85,000. Ketchikan coming in for
its share of harbor improvements
will get $272,000 to dredge out
Thomas Basin. The operation will
cut a wider channel in the Ketchi
kan creek to a depth of 10 feet
at mean low water.
Seining Season
Extended
lhe Bureau of Fisheries has made
public new fishing regulations re
cently published by the Department
of Commerce which opens Cross
Sound-Icy Straits and Central Dis
tricts (all waters lying within the
fifty-seventh and fifty-eighth paral
lels of north laditude. In both
these districts the season remair
the same except that closing dates
for purse seine and gill-net fishing
■6 set for September 29 instead of
August 20 as heretofore.
Further regulations forbid more
than one spiller on any one trap
also further description of areas in
S. E. Alaska n in which traps may
be located, are given.
Important Land I
Question Involved
_
About the first of May in the
Commissioner’s Court, Ketchikan
will be heard a case involving sev
eral questions of vital importance
to the entire territory. This case
involves the possessory land rights.
The Department of the Interior and
the Department of Agriculture will
be represented in the matter. The
letter department having brought
action to oust one J. T. Jones from
his claim of 480 acres on Swan Lake,
Carrol Inlet about thirty miles from
Ketchikan. The ouster is presum
ably in favor of Zellerbach Paper
Company which has applied for
power permits in that section At
torney William Paul will represent
J. T. Jones, of Tacoma in the case.
Jones’ claim is based on a quit
claim deed which he purchased from
William Bell in 1915, the latter
having purchased the rights of
George Johnson and Joseph Starr,
who claimed possessory right under
provisions of the Act of Congress
ot 1884. The questions to be
settled are 1—whether possessory
rights attempted to be transferred
to J. T. Jones were in fact held by
the original Indian claimants. 2—
If such rights were held by such
claimant whether there was that use
and occupancy of the land as to
give the assignee a continuous, valid
claim to it.
This case should clarify many
situations, especially in this section,
where possessory rights are sti
claimed and where there has been
some difficulty as to ownership,
especially ot Islands.
Something About
Taxes
The city council is empowered tc
levy, assess and collect taxes not
to exceed two percent of the assess
ed value of property assessed.
It has power to impose, fix and
provide for the collection of pen
alties for non-payment of taxes
j#hen due, not to exceed fifteen per
centum per annum, provide pen
alties, not to exceed twelve per
centum of such tax, and to fix the
rate of interest on delinquent taxes
and penalties, not to exceed 12 per
centum per annum and to provide
for the collection of such interest
and penalties, and to provide gen
erally such other matters and things
relative to the assessment and levy
of such taxes as may be proper,
ONLY.
Taxes A Lien
All general taxes levied by the
council shall be a lien upon the
property assessed, and such lien
shall be prior and paramount to all
other liens or encumbrances against
the property assessed.
Personal Liability For Taxes
On personal property—the owners
of personal property assessed shall
be personally liable for the amount
of taxes assessed against his per
sonal property and same become
due in action in name of municipal
corporation.
Peliquency, Penalty Interest
Any assessment which shall not
have been paid before delinquency
shall draw interest at the rate of
12 per centum per annum, and by
i’esolution a penalty not in excess
of 10 per cent may be added which
penalty shall also draw interest at
the rate of twelve per cent per an
num.
We do not find anywhere in the
Session Laws provision for the non
payment of delinquent taxes by the
Petersburg Press. Can you?
We ask these pertinent questions:
What right has any council past,
present, or future to bargain with
anv institution in the matter of
taxes due and payable. Answer and
we will refrain from embarrassing
you any further.
Light on Subject
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE
Office of Superintendent
16th District,
Ketchikan, Alaska,
i April 5, 1928.
Jfonoiable Dan Sutherland,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.
Sir: —
Referring to your letter of Jan
uary 17, 1928, addressed to the
Commissioner of Lighthouses, Wash
ington, D. C., in which you submit
request of fishing vessel owners and
masters that a light be established
on Kiokachef Island at the entrance
to Salisbury Sound, Alaska, you are
advised that the installation of this
light ha's been authorized by the
Commissioner and funds for the
purpose will become available on
July 1 from appropriations recently
made by Congress. Order has been
placed for the necessary apparatus
and the light will be established as
soon as the apparatus is received.
Respectfully,
W. C. DIBRELL,
Superintendent.
ADDING IMPROVEMENTS
Harold Lee is having a bay win
dow put in in his residence on
Third Street.
What Will The Council Do?
t '■<§S=***?7' -
The Petersburg Marine Ways, and
other citizens down south Petersburg
, have been protesting payment ol
their taxes because no value has
been received as they understood
would be granted if they entered
the corporate limits of Petersburg;
2nd, because they feel that their
taxes is out of proportion to that
paid by other concerns and residents
further up town.
The City Clerk under direction of
the Town Council has filed action
against said properties to compel
payment for the taxes of the past
year. Fair and just, some say.
Some are non-committal, others
just don’t care a continental. But
hold.
The Petersburg Herald by under
standing with the then City Council
City Clerk and other officers more
or less interested, directly and in
directly, remitted the tax assess
ment and fines against said plant,
after the taxes had amounted to
nigh onto $400. The Council settl
ed for $75. and just wiped th»
balance off the books.
By this writing the tax with ac
crued interest and penalties has
reached $500 or more. Why doers
not the Council, City Clerk or any
other official, properly and duly
sworn, in take this matter up? Is
the p-p sheet down the street oi
any greater importance and worth
to the community than the Marine
Ways? Has it any justification un
der the law for the evasion of its
taxes which 3hall forever “remain
a lien” against said property? Why
does not the blatant editor write
his check or dig up the cold cash
and pay his just debt to the city?
THE ALASKAN asserts amphat
ically that if one business shall be
exempted from its tax obligations
then any other is exempted. As a
contemporary it claims the right
of exemption and so does the Marine
Ways.
luneau Girl Wins
Miss Helen Woods of Juneau
High School was awarded first place
in the Declamatory Contest held in
the Variety Theater last Saturday
evening. General satisfaction was
expressed at the placing of this
young lady and it is generally ad
mitted that she won “hands down.’
Second place was awarded Ned
Shelton of Ketchikan. Third to
Madeleine Riedi of Douglas and
Fourth to Helen Hunspedt, Peters
burg girl. . •
The meet for the year is all over
with nor will any discussion of
placings other than first affect de
cisions already made. However, for
the satisfaction of Petersburg fans,
wa state, that not so much satis
faction was expressed as to the
order of the others. A great many
feeling that on closer analysis of
the efforts of the speakers Shelton
would not have fared so well nor
Helen Hunspedt, so poorly. How
ever, ’tis done and Helen will have
another year to try to win for
Petersburg with the added expe
rience of this year.
The judges for the evening were
i)r. A. B. Jones, J. W. Schoettler,
both of Petersburg and Oscar
Sather of Scow Bay.
Joe Kaklan sank well a solo ac
companied on the piano by Paul
Tveten and a song by a quartet also
was well received.
MAKE SURVEY OF DRY PASS
Major Douglas H. Gillette, As
sistant Engineer Officer of the Al
aska Road Commission and Engineer
James Truitt, local officer in charge
of the dredging operations, are mak
ing a survey of Dry Pass in accord
ance with a bill passed recently by
, Congress and will advise as to the
j practicability and cost of dredging
and impror ing this channel on the l
west coast of Prince of Wales Island
NEW RESIDENCE FOR BOB
ALLEN
Charley Cripe is putting in crib
bing for the cement foundation for
ti e new residence that Councilman
Robert Allen is planning to build in
the near future. The construction
will be on the lota formerly owned
by Earl Ohmer, across from the
Federal Jail. Otto Welde has the
contract for putting up the new
residence. It is reported that Earl
Ohmer has purchased the residence
Reports indicate high prices for
salmon this summer. Hope 10!
Primary Election
Quiet Affair
There were but seven honest
Democrats in Petersburg Tuesday
the 2 4th when preferential choice
was being made for party candi
dates. “Independents,” Demmy
Reps and Democrats crowded into
the Republican ticket to 3hovel off
the stronger candidates and to elect
the weaker ones who they hoped
to defeat in the fall election. Oi
the 130 votes cast Dan Sutherland
received 106 as against 30 for
Bartley Howard,
The returns were as follows:
For Delegate to Congress: How
ard, 30; Sutherland, 106.
Attorney General: Rustgard, 119
Waller, 8.
Republican National Committee
man: Albrecht, 36; Aldrich 30;
Lathrop, 42.
Delegates to Republican Nalion
a’ Convention: Caswell, 4 6; Chase,
47; Gelles, 20; Pratt, 3; Wicker
sham, 87.
Alternates to Republican Nation
al Convention: Gottstein, 58; Grant,
74.
Senator; Benjamin, 73; Gardner,
49; Hunt, 4.
Representatives: Darwell, 69;
Gildea, 43; Johnson, 43; McCor
mack, 65; Noland, 62; Olts, 53;
Paul, 65; Wacker, 5; Winn, 63.
Road Commissioners: Adkins, 49;
Gilmore, 60. i
CALLS SECRETARY A LIAR
Carl, (Estes, youthful editor of
the Courier at Tyler, Texas called
on Secretary Work and called the
Secretary a liar after Work had
called him one. The row started
oveT the survey of Ouichita nation
al Park in Arkansas, near the Texas
border. Estes had asked Work for
another survey of the proposed
park. Work defended the survey
already made and Estes said that
an honest survey had never been
made.
“If you say that the survey was
dishonest you are a liar, Work said
according to Estes. “If you say we
had an honest survey, you are a
liar,” Estes retorted. Work push
ed buzzer buttons to call in his
help and Estes went his way back
to Texas.
Estes, a veteran of the World
War had been "shot to pieces” and
nad his ribs reinforced by steel
plates. He is about 30 years old
and has been operated on 17 times
since the world war.