VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA, FEBRUARY 12, 1932
NO. 30
Hearings On
Bone Dry Law
On Jan. 26th Delegate Wicker
sham had a hearing before the
Committee on Territories on his
b:ll to repeal what is generally
known as the Alaska Bone Dry
Law. A large majority of the 23
members of the committee was
present and listened to a lengthy
presentation of the reasons why
the law should be repealed. In
many particulars this Act is in
conflict with the Volstead Act
and the courts have held that
where there is such conflict the
Alaska law, which was passed by
Congress in the Spring of 1917.
must give way to the later gen
eral law, known as the Volstead
Act. The Delegate maintained
that the laws are confusing and
now entirely unnecessary. B •
shop James Cannon, Jr., was
present with his attorney, and
asked a few questions. The re
cuest was made by the attorney
that the Committee do not make
a report on the bill until after
they have had an opportunity
to study the Delegate’s printed
statement and make reply if it
is so desired to do.
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Alaska Appropriations
Before Congress
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The Interior Department sup
ply bill was reported in the
Bouse Jan. 25, by the Demo
cratic Appropriations committee
For the fiscal year ending June
30, 1933, was $56,705,352. But the
committee has scaled this a
mount down to $50,431,432.
Alaska has been treated as fol
lows: Governor’s salary last
year $7,000, increased by legal
enactment to $10,000; Secretary
of the Territory, salary $3,800 i
increased to $5,600; contingent
expenses for Governor’s and
Secretary's office $14,300, in
creased to $17,500; Legislative
expenses, as usual, $46,00C;
reindeer activities, $26,900 this
year, increased to $34,300; care
of insane from $152,000 in
creased to $156,000; suppression
of liquor traffic among the In
dians, from $16,200 decreased to
$12,000; Alaska Railroad, from
$1,000,000 this year to $500,000,
in addition to allottment re
ceived by the Railroad during
the next fiscal year. For the
education of natives in Alaska
t h e committee recommends
$690,000, which is $109,000 less
than the current amount. For
medical relief in Alaska there is
recommended $281,800, which is
$37,200 less than the current
figure. For continuation of the
investigation of the mineral re
sources $67,500. For administra
tion and maintenance of Mc
kinley National Park the pre
sent sum of $195,000 has been
increased by the committee to
$225,100. In addition the usual
provision is made for Geological
Purveys and Land Office ex
penses. The Secretary of the
Interior sought to have the
committee consent to giving tl,e
Alaska Railroad authority by the
inclusion of the following words:
‘ Operation and maintenance ot
agricultural experiment stations
heretofore operated by the De
partment of Agriculture on the
line of the railroad,” but this
was refused.
X
JUDGE LOMEN MEETS 1
WITH OPPOSITION'
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Mathew K. Sniffen, Secretary
of the Association, was in Wash
ington recently and stated that
he had filed with President
Hoover three affidavits of pro
test against the further contin
uance in office of Judge G. J.
Lomen, who presides over the
Second or Nome judicial divi
sion, and whose second term has
expired.
New Fish Co. \
Formed, Ketchikan'
This week in Ketchikan a
group of Alaska fishermen met
and organized the Alaska Fish
ermen’s Company, final incor
poration papers going forward j
to Juneau to complete the or- !
ganization. J. E. Berg of Ket
chikan is designated as mana
ger of the company.
It is expected that this com
pany will be an outlet for a
limited production of halibut
j and other fish delivered to port
j by company members which is
composed in the main of resi
dent fishermen.
The halibut market is in a
precarious condition. .Eastern
buyers have wired Alaska buy
ers and fishermen urging that
the fleet do not leave port unfil
March in order that the markets
will not be flooded with fresh
fish. The market prices natural
ly will drop with the flooding of
the marts and as the producers
cannot operate at a profit much
under ten and six cents a
pound, it was the concensus of
the opinion of the buyers that
to flood the market would be
only to the hurt of the original
producers. With meats at a very
low figure in the states, the
halibut market cannot compel e
unless the production was limit
ed and to flood the markets at
this time would be to invite
market prices that could not
equal production costs.
Other plans of the company
have not been announced as to
policies or as to buyers in towns
cutside of Ketchikan. The offi-,
cers of_the company, in fact,
felt that‘'the organization had
not gone sufficiently far enough
in its organization to seek pub
licity.
-A- i
“30” For Bob McChesney
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Funeral services for R. J. Mo
ds esney, 60 years old pioneer
Alaska and Seattle newspaper
man, who died Saturday, was
held Sunday afternoon at the
Johnson & Hamilton parlors.
Seattle.
Mr. McChesney had been
manager of the Alaska Printirg
Company in Seattle for several
years.
A pioneer newspaper man in
Alaska before the gold rush, Mr.
McChesney owned and publish
ed The Fairbanks Daily News
which he later sold to E. S.
Bunch, W. H. Raymond and
Frank Cotter. He also spent (
several years in Cordova. He:
was a member of the Elks and
of the Typographical Union.
Mr. McChesney is survived by
his widow, Margaret, 1705 Sum
mit Ave., and three daughters
Mrs. Helen Kleinschmidt, Mrs.
Grace Kleinschmidt and Mrs. j
Dorothy Carrigan, all of Seattle i
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CORDOVA PLANT
MAY BE OPENED
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i
Gust Strand of the Strand i
Fisheries of Aberdeen, Wash- j
ington, which recently acquired!
the Cordova Packing company i
plant, said that the plant woyid
be placed in operation about
May 1, in the event conditions
improve.
The plant is equipped to
handle salmon and clams and
may employ as many as 150
clam diggers and a cannery
crew if it is opened which de
pends upon a pickup in the
market.
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BOOTLEG HEADQUARTERS
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Senator Howell made the as
sertion yesterday that the na
tional capital was a rum hot
bed and virtually a sanctuary
for bootleggers who operate with
impunity.
u
iH
F
The Gettysburg Address
OURSCORE and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this con
tinent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposi
tion that all men are created equal.
[Vow we are engaged in a great civil war, testing w hether that nation, or any na
tion so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great bat
tle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final
-*
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
>
But in a large sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hal
low, this ground. The brave men, Living and dead, who struggled here have con
secrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The w'crld will little note
nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did
here. It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us
to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the
last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall
not have died in vain; that this nation, under Cod, shall have a new birth of
freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people,
shall not perish from the earth.
—Abraham Lincoln.
Petersburg Harbor
Favorably Reported
The favorable report of tne
District Engineer at Juneau on !
the harbor improvement at
Petersburg was reported favor
ably by the division engineer at
Kan Francisco and now the Dele
gate has been informed that the
report was further approved by
the Board of Engineers in Wash
ington. When it is approved by
the Chief of Engineers it will
be sent to the Secretary of War,
who will transmit it to Congress,
when it will be referred to the
Committee on Rivers and Har
bors and be reported or the
Rivers and Harbors bill. To be
included in the appropriation
bill will be the next step.
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TO INVESTIGATE NEW YORK
ADMINISTRATION
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The New York senate insti
tuted an investigation of tne
state administration. The move,
surprise offensive was able to
brush aside all democratic op
position. Every department of
the state administration will be
investigated according to the
text of the resolution. The in
vestigation of New York City
was declared to be a political
trick pulled at the instigation
of the Democrats themselves.
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The state of Illinois has a
dopted a law which permits
boxing—fifteen round bouts.
IS- &
CANON COOLIDGE INDIAN
DIVINE SUCCUMBS IN L. A.
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Canon Sherman Coolidge, na
tionally known Indian divine
end rector of the Church of
Good Shepherd, Colorado
Springs Colo., died suddenly in
Los Angeles, where he had gone
a month ago for his health.
Canon Coolidge was born
I'ebruary 22, 1862, near Sheri
dan, Wyo., and was the son of
Das Banasfa and Ba-Ah-Noce,
Arapahoe Indians. His Indian
name was Des-Che-Wa-Ah.
When 7 years old he was or.e
of a party captured by a band
of Shoshones and Bannocks at
Camp Brown, Wyo. He later was
rescued by Army officers and
was adopted by Lieut, and Mrs.
Charles A. Coolidge. Canon
Coolidge was married to Grace
Darling Wetherbee of New
V ork City. He is survived by his
widow and two daughters.
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Came to the home of Mr. and
Mrs. David Phillips Wednesday
night, a new linotype operator.
For the time being he will be on
the graveyard shift operating
the night mill.
-x-.
JIM HAM LEWIS FOR
PRESIDENT
Dapper James Hamilton Lewis,
senator from Illinois has thrown
his silk top into the Illinois
political arena and has an
nounced his aspirations to be
come the next Democratic pre
sident of the United States,
Boxer, Famous Ship
Of Arctic For Sale
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After nearly 10 years of Arc
tie service, the good ship Boxer
is to be sold by the government |
and her place taken by the!
motorship North Star.
Launched in 1905 on the east j
coast as a brigantine for nav^l
training service, she was sent
by the department of the in -
terior to Seattle in 1923. Since j
then, the Boxer has served the
little settlements, government
schools, reindeer stations and
hospitals in Alaska.
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The Welch bill, that seeks to
regulate the operation of float
ing canneries in Alaska, will
have a hearing before the House
committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries on Thursday, Feb.
11. A. H. Bradford, president
of the Associated Fishermen of j
Alaska, wires from Seattle that I
he will be present to represent'
his company in opposition to the j
bill. The International Packing !
Company has also indicated
that they will have a represent
o tive present at the hearing to |
oppose the bill^
Eric Ness, Mr. Sonsthagen and
Mrs. Robinson took passage on
the Northland for Seattle. Mr
Ness plans to remain in Seattle
for a brief period while Mr.
Sonsthagen goes on to San
Francisco to look for market
for his salt salmon.
C. C. Supports
Wickersham Bills
——
The Chamber of Commerce
met Wednesday evening in the
Grand Cafe and after a very
enjoyable dinner settled down
lo business before the session.
H. R. 495, introduced by Dele
gate Wickersham in the House,
a bill to make unlawful the
wanton waste of salmon and
ether food fishes was read and
discussed. It was the sense of
the meeting that it would be
cnly a matter of consistency to
support the bill which the Ju
neau Chamber of Commerce is
opposing. The matter has been
before the local organization for
several years and it had adopted
resolutions condemning the
wasteful practices of using food
herring for fertilizer and oil. it
was the sense of the Chamber
l hat Delegate Wickersham
should be supported in securing
passage of the bill.
The Welch Bill, a bill to eV
minate floating canneries and
to give control of fisheries be
yond the 3-mile limit was taken
up. Under the terms of this bill,
no floating cannery may be op
erated unless permission had
been secured prior to Decem
ber 30 each current year to op
erate and said canneries shall
not operate in more than one
designated place in each year.
It further provides that during
closed season in Alaska waters,
no salmon may be brought into
American ports, except for food
and personal use and not for
commercial purposes. It was felt
by the members that they did
not sufficiently understand the
purpose of the bill and they
would therefore withhold their
support or opposition until such
a time as they were able to se
cure more information on the
subject.
H. R. 497, also introduced by
Delegate Wickersham was given
support of the Chamber. This
bill would provide that the laws
now applying to vehicles in
transportation of liquor in vio
lation of prohibition laws, shall
apply in the fishing industry.
That is, that boats, traps or
fishing gear shall not be confis
cated or seized until after con
viction of operators for viola
tion of the fishery laws. The
practice heretofore under pre
sent regulations has been to
seize boats and to virtually
confiscate them unless the op
erators plead guilty to violation
of the laws and were fined.
Passage of this law was in sim
ple justice to the resident fish
ermen and in protection of their
properties and common liberties.
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CHEERS AND JEERS
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The Japanese were jeered by
the gallery at the League ses -
sion, Wednesday and there was
uproarious laughter from the
gallery when the Japanese dele
gate announced that his coun
try had no territorial ambitions
in China.
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SALVATION ARMY
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General Higgins and Mrs.
Higgins are expected in Seattle
on Tuesday next on an inspec
tion tour of the Salvation Army
in the United States.
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UNIONS ASK HOOVER
TO PARDON MOONEY
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A resolution demanding the
immediate pardon of Tom
Mooney was presented to Presi- !
dent Hoover by Byrd Kelso in
behalf of the Tom Mooney Par
con Conference, which met in
Washington. The conference re
presents 200 trade unions, fra
ternal and liberal organizations.
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Northwestern is due at 5 p. m.
Excellent Program
Given by P. T. A.
—x—
Wednesday night the Parent
Teachers’ Association put on one
of the best programs of th *
year in the school auditorium.
Mr. Paul Vernon, Post Com
mander of the Petersburg Po.^
American Legion gave a talk on
the High Lights of the Life of
George Washington—touching
on incidents in the life of the
first president of the United
States showing its influences up
on the life of the nation.
Mr. Allen, of California, visit
ing his brother Robert Allen,
also gave a talk before the As
sociation. His topic being a re
view of the history of art from
the time of the Egyptians to the
present day, showing the differ
ent schools and periods of art
and their varied trend. He also
explained the modernistic cub
ist and futuristic fad which is
so pronounced in modern art
and touched on its effect on the
various schools of art and what
it will produce in the future.
Several members of the class
in English read papers on the
life of George Washington, in
comemoration of the Bicenten
nial which will be celebrate l
this month.
Principal Beck read a clipping
from the Portland Oregonian
showing the high rating of a
girl in the Marion County
schools under the Stanford
Achievement Test and in com
parison read a list of those who
had equalled or bettered the
record of the Oregon girl. The
comparison will be published in
these columns, next issue.
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Halibut Legislation
Favorably Reported
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The Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries in the
House passed on Wednesday,,
enabling legislation supporting
the American-Canadian conven
tion of May 1930 relating to the
halibut industry. The measure
is supported by Secretary o:
State Stimson and the United
States Bureau of Fisheries. The
legislation is due to take effect
upon the expiration of the pre
sent treaty for the protection of
the industry and to further
prevent the decrease of the hali
but supply.
A feature attached to the bill
is the authority granted official?
to search and seize vessels, to
patrol the high seas and to in -
flict penalties. Commissioner
O'Malley stated that the pre
sent closed season would be
continued as would the present
closed areas for the protection
of the young halibut.
Delegate Wickersham inserted
an amendment which provided
that vessels seized in violation of
the law should be tried before
the nearest court of the United
Statse. Congressman Free of
California, protested declaring
that no Alaskan jury would ever
decree forfeiture to all the North
Pacific Fleet.
It is estimated that more than
250 vessels from Washington are
employed in this industry em
ploying 2,000 men. Half as many
again employed in Alaska. By
this writing, forty Seattle vessels
had cleared for the banks from
Ketchikan.
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HONOR MURDER TRIAL
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Mrs. Fortescue, son-in-law,
Lieut. Massie and a sailor of the
IT. S. Fleet in Hawaii are to be
tiled on the 10th of March.
Prosecutor John Kelly will con
duct the case against the slay -
ers in a civilian court.
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Northland is due Southbound
sometime tomorrow.