VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA OCTOBER 21, 1927
NO. 15
Shrimp Canney Resurrects
Old Reliable-Steam Engine
The other day, when the recent
storm was still in a truculent mood
and the electric energy of Blind
Slough was conspicuous in its ab
sence, Earl Olimer had around $500.
worth of shrimp meat that was due
for Spoilville if he couldn’t get pow
er to seal the cans. Along in the
evening, when it was reported that
there'd be no power until the next
day afternoon, Ohmer fell back on
hig little steam engine. This ma
chine had done nobly in the embryo
days of the shrimp industry, but it
had been standing, like a wart on a
cucumber, for many moons with no
more attention paid to it than you
might give a mist cloud on Mitkoff.
So the machine was drained of cold
condensation and a mite of live
steam administered. There was a
wheeze, a groan and then half a re
volution. Nothing more,, even af
ter a lot of coaxing. Ohmer con
sidered. A gas engineer wouldn’t
likely knowr what the ailment was,
there wasn’t a verterinarian to be
had for love nor lucre and Dr. Jones
couldn’t X-ray through steel and
cast iron. It looked gloomy, in
deed. Finally it was decided that
*“ a post mortem would be the proper
caper in order to learn just whether
there was a floating kidney or just
dura stubbornness was the matter.
Removal of the steamchest bonnets
revealed a serious cardiac affection.
The engine valve had freed itself
from its stem and lodged in the
upper end of the steamchest, block
ed the top cylinder port and allowed
steam ingress to only the nether
portion of the power space. It did
n’t take long to readjust the mech
anism nor to reassemble the engine
parts, and when the old standby
wras given another shot of hot vapor
it went over and over on its merry
wTay so fast that it made the seam
ing machine dizzy and whirled the
tops off the cans. Inside of an hour
the cans wrere sealed and in the ice
room and the shrimp meat was rest
ing easily instead of fomenting gas
bubbles of decomposition.
Kirberger Rebuilds
Store at Kake
KIRBERGER REBUILDS STORE
Ernest Kirberger was in town this
week on the Eunice with Joe Pe
terso nand Rollo Skaquanie. Dur
ing the past tourist season Mr. Kir
berger had a curio store in Juneau
and did fairly well. However, the
mercantile buisness back in Kake
where he has been interested for
25, or more, years appealed strong
ly and the Judge is now on the old
stamping ground raking off the ash
es of last year’s blaze and rebuild
ing. Haines DeWitt is the archi
tect and builder of Kirberger’s
new structures' that are^ neiaring
completion.
Mr. Kirberger talked some of the
fox industry, too. He has put much
money in these odd animals than
they have returned in fur and he
doesnt wax so enthusiastic in the
matter as he did some six or seven
years rearward. He remarks that
it is yet a paying business if one
can make money at it. This is on
par with the reply of a workman
who was asked if he had any knowl
edge of sandfleas. “Sure,” he
answered “I understand nothing
at all of what I know about ’em.”
Mr. Kirberger shipped shtplap
and cedar siding to Kake from Scow
Bay mills.
Getting Ready For
Spring Operations
Bud Hungerford and Frank Ro
sicli, on the Reliance, arrived in
from Three Mile Arm a few days
ago with their two logging outfits
in tow. One of the logging machines
is a relic of “Johnny-the Jap’s” for
est adventures an was at one time
a steam irg. The Hungerford Bros.,
and Rosich aim to remove the
steam generating part of the ma
chine and install in the place there
of a gasoline engine of 30 to 40
horsepower. This engine will be
connected to the gearing that is a
part of the original machine. It
is a winter’s job and while the
change is being made the boys will
rebuild the roadway leading from
the streets to the Citizen’s dock
For this work they’ll use the log
float driver of John Sales’ and their
own gas engine. The repair work
on the roadway will commence as
soon as the driver is overhauled.
Anticipation With
out foy
George Kim, Oriental owner and
proprietor of the Alaska Cafe roams,
the streets disconsolately and in wo
ful anticipation. Some time back a
raid was made on the Cafe by U.
S. Deputy Marshal Brown and City
Chief of Police Hans Wick and the
invaders dug up several mugsful of
unclassified moon. Kim has a hear
ing coming off on the 24th and he is
wondering where the ax will hir
him and how hard.
No one likes to see any one in
distress. All of us have our short
comings and it stands even the bet
ter of us i n hand to be careful
where we toss our pebbles. But Mr.
Kim is muchly to blame for his pre
sent worries. Orientals are cute
and crafty folk as a rule. Kim is j
an exception. He lacked tact and
he paid small heed to complaints
made about the squaks and booze
laden ribaldry that frequently drift
ed out through his restuarant doors.
There is a house of religion close
by the Alaska Cafe and the leaders
of the former didn’t like the fuss
Kim and his friends scattered
around, and as Kim didn’t read as
he ran, he’s in trouble. He has
tacked up the doors and windows
of his eating house and, for the pre
sent at least, is doing no cooking
nor serving any meals.
The Alaska Steamship Company’s
big ship Yukon arrived in, North
bound, Tuesday morning with 141
tons general merchandise for Pe
tersburg. There was no trouble in
landing nor in departing. She slid
in to the dock—and out,—as grace
fully as a paddled canoe. The Yu
kon will make this town a port of
call on her down trip the 26th of
October, and the Alaska Steamship
Company will make Petersburg as
frequently as the Narrows will per
mit.
Incoming passengers were: Marie
Hestness, Mrs. T. S. Elsemore*and
two children, George Edwards, Johr
Hestness, L. E. Johnson and the
following four locals: J. Chamber
lain, D. McDonald, G. McDonald
and Dr. Standard. All told the shij
had 92 passengers. i
Council In Hot Session
Over Juice to Mills
Some of Council Would Cut Off All
Power to Both Mills
The Council met in regular ses
sion at the Town Hall on Monday
evening, October 17, at 7:30 with
Mayor Sanson presiding.
J. L. MacKechnie, City Elec
trician, reported that the recent
breakdown of the transmission line
was caused by falling trees which
had stripped about 15 poles break
ing cross arms and insulators. On
account of the phone line being
broken in several places it was
necessary to go to the plant after
repairing the line which caused
further delay.
J. L. MacKechnie informed the
council that the light plant could
no longer furnish service to the
sawmills as the city load was now
almost up the full capacity of the
plant and that he had applications
for 6 4^ more K. W. of air heaters
He also called attention to the
fact that the sawmill load was a
heavy strain on the plant and if
continued on the line might cause
damage to the plant. He stated
that he had notified both mills
that they could not expect to be
served after the first of the year
but recommended that one of them
be discontinued immediately as he
could not make any further con
nections in the city. He recom
mended that the saw mill at Scow
Bay be disconnected first and that
he could probably carry the other
to the first of the year.
A discussion followed as to wheth
er the Scow Bay mill could be
carried if it were fused so that it
could not use more power than the
h. p. capacity of its motor and if
it could be operated if limited tc
that amount. A motion was carri
ed that the Scow Bay sawmill be
limited to the h. p. capacity of the
motor and fused accordingly, and
that if it then continued to tax the
Off Agin, On Agin
Cuss Agin and Agin
Friday morning the town was
again thrown back on candles, oil
lamps, lanterns and other modes of
lighting of the days preceding mu
nicipal ownership of hydro-electric
power plants. Mr. McKecknie and
squad of trouble shooters wended
their weary way up hill and down
dale, over and under dead falls and
stumps, clear to the Plant only to
find nothing wrong on the trans
mission line.
They returned to Town about 8
o’clock in the evening and while
testing out the lines about town dis
covered a shoft in the starting box
•of the sawmill. The mill circuit
was whacked off and the balance
of town again given power and
light.
RENOVATIONS IN HOGUE AND
TVETEN STORE BEING MADE
Carpenters have been busy the
past week putting partitions in the.
front end of the Hogue and Tveten
Company's Store. The warehouse
also has had a new roof put on and
the space will be arranged to take
cae cf a cold storage plant for the
butcher shop which will be put in
by Frye and Company.
The shop of the Petersburg Cab
! net Works is being finished outside.
capacity of the plant that further
service be discontinued.
Councilman Allen recommended
that the city purchase a traveling
crane to be used in the erection
and installing of the new unit at
Blind Slough, which could be pur
chased for about $200.00, a motion
was carried that the city electrician
be authorized to purchase this equip
ment.
Hang Wick, City Marshal, report
ed that the water main near Enge’s
had broken and about 50 feet need
ed to be replaced. He was autho
rized to install the necessary
amount immediately.
Communication was read from
Chas. H. Flory of the Forest Ser
vice calling attention to the fact
that it would be necessary to make
an application with the Federal
Power Commission for a license for
the new unit at Blind Slough. it
was the opinion of the members of
the Council that this would not be
necessary as the new unit would
not increase the capacity of the
plant The clerk was instructed to
explain the matter to the Forest
Service.
A petition signed by certain res
idents in the vicinity of Skylark
creek asking for a street to be laid
out extending from the Scow Bay
road to the property of Jack Olsen
was submitted by Olsen. Mr. Olsen
stated that if the city would lay
out the street, making the bound
ary, the property owners benefited
by it would construct the street
and pay all costs. The Mayor ap
pointed Councilmen Enge, Hanseth
and Allen as a committee to adjust
this matter.
H. Kuwata, owner of the New
York Restaurant, was granted a
rated of $5.00 per month for water
in his apartments.
Monroe Returns From 0
Seattle Marine Ways
__
M. B. Dahl came In the early
part of the week from Seattle
his good ship Monroe. Last s
mer the halibut schooner Glad
stone rammed the Monroe in a col
lision close to Sitka and the latter
went to the bottom with a great
portion of her starboard bow stove
in. In Seattle the Monroe has
been practically rebuilt along the
starboard side and changes have
been made in forecastle and cargo
holds.
Mr. Dahl brought up with him
several tons of general cargo fox
distribution along the westward
coast. At present the Dahl Mild
Cure Company has its receiving
barge at Kake, but is putting up
no fish for the time being. The
Monroe sailed out on the 18th for
Kae and points westward.
NEW TRAFFIC MANAGER
L. W. Baker has been appointed
acting traffic manager of the Alas
ka Steamship Co., with offices in
Seattle. Mr. Baker takes the place
left vacant by the death, recently,
of John H. Bunch.
The Prince of Wales arrived in
port this morning with mail from
the First City.
Chamber Of Commerce Appoints
Committee Herring Fisheries
Lost Barge Recovered
In Snow Pass
(
. . LOST BARGE RECOVERED . .
The barge of the Puget Sound 1
Bridge and Dredge Company, that 1
broke away from the towboat Ed
ward Schenk, has been located on 1
Shrubby Island in Snow Pass. The
barge’s cargo of parts for the dredge 1
is reported as undamaged. Howev, *
er, an endeavor will be made to
lighter the cargo and the stranded 1
barge will be taken off on the next 1
tidal increase. The barge is dam- 1
aged more or less, but it is thought 1
from surveys made of the vessel, 1
that she may be floated readily 1
enough once the tides are larger. {
The Porsper handled the dredge (
succssfully and reached the Narrows 1
in good condition. ''
1
Convention Of
Business Men;
. .The State Chambers of .Com- '
merce of Oregon, Washington and 1
Idaho have clubbed together and
chartered the S. S. Aleutian for a 1
special trip to the Hawaiian Islands.
The proposed excursion and busi- 1
ness voyage is in connection with 1
the Fifth Western Divisional Meet- 1
ing of the United States Chamber
of Commerce at Honolulu, February
8 and 9, 1928.
Some fifty representative busi
ness men in Alaska have been invit
ed to attend the Honolulu conven
tion. The intended cruise is from
Seattle, leaving January 26, steam
to Astoria, thence through the Ha
waiian .Islands, stopping at Hilo
Kahului and Honolulu, thence back
to Astoria, arriving February 18,
thence to Seattle, arriving February
13. Duration of the cruise 24 days.
The boat fares for the round trip
range from $265. to $476. per per
son from Seattle. The desire gov
erning the cruise is to secure a re
presentative attendance of Pacific
Northwest business men and farm
ers at the Western Divisional meet
ing of the U. S. Chamber of Com
merce at Honolulu. The shore ex
pense, while on the Islands, will run
up to and around $50. per person
exclusive of the hotel charges. Those
who desire to be a party of this com
mercial undertaking should acquaint
themselves with the schedule of the
cruise and the rules adopted by the
General Committee. Charles West
Petersburg, represents the different
Chambers of Commerce and the
Committee in charge of affairs.
The U. S. S. Explorer took 38 1-2
ton of steaming coal from the Citi
zen’s doc^ coal bunkers last Mon
day. The Explorer is now engaged
in survey work in the vicinity of
Kake and the duties there will keep
her going until November. Chris
Tveten, through whom the coal was
handled, was feeling pretty cocky
about it, and when some one asked
why he was strutting around with
chin so high in the air, Chris re
plied: “Since I’m connected with
the coaling of the U. S. Navy you
fellows are just common stuff and
you mustn’t talk to me.” Well,
here’s hoping a whole lot of ships
sail in here for fuel and supplies.
At the regular weekly dinner
meeting of the local Commercial
21ub held in the private dining
’oora of the Grand Cafe a com
nuication was read from the Ket
:hikan Commercial Club relative tc
heir willingness to support the
ncvement instigated by our club io
•egard to the herring •situation,
rhe letter stated that they would
)e glad to send representatives to
Petersburg to confer with those
rom the other southeastern Alaska
owns.
Earl Ohmer, Fred Nelson and
lam Gauffin, were appointed to cou
er with the herring fishermen re
ative to recommendations bearing
lpon legislature in the matter of
he kinds and size of mesh of seines
tud nets for taking herring for
lommercial and bait purposes,. This
lommittee will make its recom
nendations at the next meeting for
idoption by the club.
Na action seems to have been
;aken at Juneau in regard to the
natter, but it was learned that
wo of the members on the com
mittee were directly interested in
lerring fertilization plants, hence
he delay. However a new com
nittee has been appoined by the
dub and it is believed favorable
iction will soon be taken.
A vote of thanks and apprecia
,ion was passed and the secretary
vas instructed to so write to the
>fflcials of the Alaska Steamship
Company who were responsible for
•outing one of their northbound
vessels to Petersburg each month,
[t was also announced that the
Fukon will call southbound this
:rip.
The club learned that the en
gineering crew will soon begin to
mrvey for the road extension from
Scow Bay to Mountain Point, a dis
tance of about 3 miles. From this,
the club is led to believe that this
much at least of our contemplated
sxtension to Blind Slough will be
accomplished next year.
A resolution of thanks was pass
ed and the secretary authorized to
ao write the proper authorities at
Juneau in appreciation for their de
cision in this matter.
A communication from the Sec
retary of the National Chamber of
Commerce setting forth arguments
pro and con relative to the adoption
or rejection of certain matters to
be decided by the National Chamber
will have the opportunity to vote
upon these questions. This will be
taken up at the next meeting.
Cold Storage Make
Shipment of Fish
The motorship Bellingham loaded
on frozen fish, mostly halibut, at
the New England Fisheries Dock and
departed Seattle way on the 18th.
The Bellingham has something of
a history as all of the older packets
have. For a long time she steamed
the waters between Bellingham and
Seattle and touched at all interme
diate points. Later the Alaska
Steamship Company purchased her
and, thusly, she became the founda
tion of the big fleet of fine ships
that now sail under that company's
flag. Today she’s a cold storage
vessel under oil engines with steam
driven winches and she carries the
honor of the forerunner of an ocean
line of steamships with no outward
show of pride nor aloofness.