V >L. I
PETERSBURG, ALASKA FEBRUARY 11 1927.
NO. 31
Altantic and Pacific Packing Co. Ltd
Seattle, Washington
January 3ist, 1927
The Alaskan
Petersburg, Alaska
Gentlemen:
Unusually feverish preparations
are in progress for the coming sea -
son among the Fertilizer Plants in
Southeastern Alaska..
Larger and higher powered boats,
and more modern and additional
machinery and equipment, and also
several additional plants are being
built.
If this will be allowed, it will be
a very short time wheridn the her
ring in Southeastern .Uaska will
be depleted.
Not only is it an unneard of crime
ly taking food (consisting of her
ring) and putting it into manure
or fertilizer, which the whole coun
try will miss some time later, be
cause there is no question but that
the quality is as good as is avail
able anywheres.
The only excuse they offer now
is that the herring are not big
enough for curing purposes, but
the fact remains that there are very
tew large herring anywheres; and
if there would not be any large her
ifng, there would be a time when
everybody would be only too glad to
get the small herring.
But this is not the main thing,
because the people of the United
States can no doubt get along with
out herring from Alaska, as they
car buy them from foreign coun
tries if they have to, giving a
chance to foreign labor and busi
nets to develop instead of our own.
But those who depend upon Alas
ka and make their living out of
Alaska will find in a very short
4ime that the salmon, following
and feeding upon the herring, will
also be depleted, for it is a fore
gone conclusion, if one is depleted
so will the other be also.
Mexico has a law that no food
California has a law that nothing
over 25 percent can be put into
fertilizer, and their herring is con
■ sinerably smaller than Alaskas.
The fact is, that almost every one
of these plants operating especially
for fertilizer purposes only, do
cure a few barrels of herring just
to make believe that they are com
plying with the law.
Some drastic measures must be
can be put into fertiilzer.
taken, and put a stop to this de
struction of our food supply.
In my opinion it is the duty of
the newspapers throughout Alaska
to take action, and to see that their
line of action is carried out success
fully and promptly.
Wouldn’t it be a good idea to
get the names of every Congress
man and Senator in the United
states, and acquaint them with
this now existing evil, and they no
doubt will bring satisfactory re
sults.
A plant has been operating at
Warm Springs Bay, which accord
ing to the writer’s belief, is or
should be prohibited on the ground
that this location should be set aside
by the Government as a health re
scit, as the odor which naturally
attends a reduction plant carries
a long distance, and is unhealthy
for sick people.
The only time that herring is
good for curing purposes is during
the month of July. Before July 1st
the herring are not fit for curing,
and after August 1st, they are not
fat enough.
If any fishing for fertilizer pur
poses should be allowed, it should
Le with the understanding that not
less than 75 percent should be for
curing purposes.
Sincerely Yours,
S. EMSTOSS.
Mr. and Mrs. Pete Jorgensen en
tertained a few of their intimate
friends at a Bridge Party in their
home on Thursday evening, Febru
ary 10th. The occasion was in
honor of their Silver Wedding An
niversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Jorgensen have lived
?u Petersburg practically the whole
twenty-five years, Mrs. Jorgensen
coming here as a young bride. For
a while she was the only white wo
man in the settlement.
The host and hostess were re
cipients of a number of lovely gifts
of silver in honor of their anniver
sary.
Three tables of Bridge were in
play, high honors being won by Mrs.
J. A. Mendenhall while the consola
tion was awarded to Miss Edith
Bennington. Others carrying off
prizes were Miss Agnes Vick, Mr.
Henry Hasbrouk and Mr. Judy.
NATURALIZATION COURT
DOES BIG BUSINESS
Preliminary hearings at the of
fice of H, D. Stabler, assistant pro
secuting attorney and special na
turalization examiner, showed a to
tal of 23 aspiring to American citi
zenship. t
In one day ten were admitted to
full citizenship and many others on
the list awaiting opportunity to
forswear allegiance to foreign po
tent**
KILLS GRAIN AND SEED BILL
The House of Representatives
killed a bill authorizing $8,000,000
to finance the purchase of feed and
seed grain for farmers in the crop
failure districts.
IN PROHI NET
. Three rabbis, five former prohi
bit ion agents and twenty-one others
were indicted by the Federal Grand
Jury for conspiracy to violate the
national prohibition .law in New
York.
FINDS REAL BEER
brewery running full blast on
pre-prohibition scale was raided in
San Francisco by dry agents. Nearly
16,000 gallons of alcoholic beer
was found.
. .Gordon C. Mitchell, principal of
Ketchikan high school has anounc
ed that the schedule of dates for
boys’ teams of Petersburg, Juneau,
Wrangell Douglas and possibly
Skagway, will begin the 24th of
this month.
Representative girl teams will
meet at Wrangell about the 17th
for their tournament.
At this time there is no plan to
enter either the boys’ or girls’ team
from Petersburg in either tourna
ment.
Federal forces under General
Sun Chuan Fang were reported to
have turned back invading forces
of the Cantonese and won signal
vteiory at Chuchow, where a sud
den assault drove the rebels from
the city. General Sun rushed his
body guard of 8,000 picked troops
into the front ilne together with
c Llier large reinforcements in a
disparate effort to_ stem the ad
vance of the enemy. They succeed
ed in smashing through center and
ore now reported to be pushing
the Cantonese farther from Shang
hai. Anti-Bolshiviki meetings are
being held in Honkow and Fu
chang, American refugees from
these cities say. The Cantonese
have sought to suppress these evi
dences of a break in their forces
but the anti move is said to be
spreading in the army.
It was reported in Washington
thta American refugees travelling
on American boats have been fired
upon but resulting in no injuries.
The regular meeting of the City
Council was held on Monday even
ing, with the Mayor presiding. All
were present except Councilmen Oh
aier and Allen.
After the reading of the minutes
of the previous meeting, J. L. Mac
Kecknie, City Electrician, reported
i hat Dan Thompson had informed
him that the U. S|. Cable Office had
twelve miles of ' cable that needed
repairing and that the ship would
be here April 1. He also stated
that Mr. Waller had taken up the
Luaiter of the radio telephone. Or
dinance No. 77 entitled “An Ordi
nance prohibiting the dumping of
of any garbage, offal, rub
bish, trash, or other waste matter
within the corporate limits of the
Town of Petersburg, Alaska, and
providing a penalty thereof”, was
read. This being the third reading
a motion was made, seconded and
carried that the said ordinance be
approved and adopted.
The ordinance provided that the
Council designate a place as a
dumping ground, so the Mayor ap
pointed Councilmen Enge and Sten
slid to locate a suitable place for a
dumping ground. ,
Ordinance to provide fo rthe elec
tion of Mayor and members of the
Common Council; to fix the time
and manner of election; to pre
scribe the form of ballot and the
method and manner of casting the
same and to provide for “absent
voting,” was read. This being the
rhird reding, a motion was made
and carried that said ordinance be
adopted.
A number of bills were allowed
and the following communications
lead:
A letter from Baker Kelly Co. Se
attle, Wash., regarding the pur
chase of a 75 h. p. Fairbanks-Morse
Deisel engine.
from Dan Sutherland of our letter
and resolution praying for the
dredging of the Petersburg harbor.
A letter from James G. Steese
stating that specific authority of
Congress would have to be secured
fo ra preliminary examination and
survey of the harbor and no action
could be taken on an individual
item of this kind, but the matter
would have to be included in the
Omnibus River and Harbor Bill at
.AH beaver skins must be sealed
2d2t kha al nlo M.p
All beaver skins must be sealed
before September 28, 1927 and any
unsealed skins found in possession
otter that date are liable to seizure
and forfeiture and the holder there
of may be subject to prosecution
by the Game Commission officials.
Trappers or fur dealers who de
sire to have beaver skins sealed
should advise the nearest game
warden member of the Alaska Game
Commission, the Juneau office of
Game Commission in order that ar
rangements may be made for seal
ing the skins . The Commission
expects to place extra officers on
duty in the region in which the
b. aver season will be open during
the spring of 1927 and expects
to be well prepared to handle the
i ealing of the skins. The officers
will be instructed to fully satisfy
themselves that all skins have been
legally taken. Any which appear to
have been illegally taken will be
seized, therefore fur dealers and
others shpuld take pains to insure
having ample proof that the beaver
skins which they present for sealing
have been legally taken, according
to the announcement.
KETCHIKAN BOY DIES
Victor Klose, 5-year old son of
Otto and Mrs. Klose of Ketchikan,
and grand son of Pete Boudreau
of Petersburg died last week and
was buried in the Ketchikan ceme
tery.
the next Congress.
A letter from the Petersburg
Commercial Club asking the Council
to devise ways and means for the
construction of a new city float.
Mr. Peterson, a contractor, experi
enced in the construction of dams,
submitted an estimate of the cost
of a concrete dam for the water
system, specifying 90 feet in length
on crest, 17 feet -high and an av
erage thickness of 3 feet, heavily
reinforced at a cost of $65,000. He
Offered a contract for the construc
tion at that price. Councilman En
ge stated that he had discussed the
matter with Mr. Wyller from Scow
Pay, an engineer from Norway, ex
perienced in construction and re
quested that he be given the oppor
tunity to submit his specifications
and bid. Mayor Locken stated he
would appoint a committee to in
vestigate and report about the mat
ter. I
Hilmar Pederson’s claim for in
jury of his boy was brought up and
discussed and motion was made and
carried that his claim for $376.30
be allowed and payment authorized.
Action on the Commercial Club’s
request for a city float was taken by
the Mayor in the appointment of
Conucilmen Stenslid, Gauffin and
Cribble to find a suitable location.
Knut Thompson, in behalf of the
Sns of Norway Lodge, requested
the Cuncil to start action toward lo
cating and acquiring a new site for
a cemetery. Mr. Enge stated that
the Pioneer’s of Alaska, Petersburg
Lodge had located a suitable place
on the Scow Bay road. The May
or replied that a committee would
be appointed to meet with the com
mittees frm the other organizations
of the city to decide on a suitable
location.
On recommendation of the ’Ma'y
or a motion was made and carried
that a new roof be put on the hos
pital building.
PETERSBURG ATHLETIC ASSO
CIATION TO BUILD GYMNASIUM
On Monday of this week a num
ber of businessmen of Petersburg
gathered in the rooms of Bert Cor
nelius and there formed a tempor
ary organization for the purpose of
securing for the town a suitable
gymnasium. James Brennan was
| elected temporary chairman, Jess
Ames, secretary.
After the presentation of the pur
pose of the meeting by Mri Ames
the chairman called on each person
1 resent for opinion of the matter
in hand.
The concensus of opinion was that
Petersburg is in great need of an
athletic hall where the school chil
dren, high school boys and girls of
die town shall have exercise, games
and athletic contests. Whereby the
>oung folks in town shall have a
ball big enough for baseball, tennis
handball, etc. Whereby the busi
nessmen shall have a hall for ath
letic exercise, etc.
The question of such a hall had
ueen taken up each year and found
impossible to build by combined ef
frts of the people of Petersburg. It
is now time to gather only the
forces who want such a hall and
forget debates, hearings and dis
cussions, and with determined ef
fort put up a hall.
The organization was made per
manent to be known as the Peters
ahwithrsws ofary. eh o and'
The chairman apointed Messrs
Paul, Cornelius and Wheeler to in
v stigate and arrange for location;
Holt, Ames and York as finance
i >mmittee; Dawes, Standard and
Skyman 3 constitutional commit
tee.
VvMlh but a few men present a
pledge of several hundred dollars
was secured.
The meeting adjourned to meet
again on Thursday when the work
of organization was to be com
pleted.
At the meeting Thursday the re
port of the Constitutiona lcommit
lee was heard and reported accept
ed The organization was made
permanent with James Brennan as
president; vice-president, Russell
York; secretary, Jess Ames, treas
urer, Harold Dawes.
Board of Directors, James Wheel
r, Bob Allen and Charles Greenaa;
•uilding committee to serve with
executive committee, B. Cornelius,
O. Wickstrom and O. Sather.
A large number subscribed to th
titution and further added to
the pledge for building the hall.
The spirit of the meeting was
‘ LET’S GO.”
Sufficient hapnb see
Sufficient has been pledged so
that the financial committee and the
executive committee, also, to ordr
material for the buildin.
The Association urges every pub
dc spirited ctiizen to back the pro
I osition up.
PETERSBURG THIRD A. L. RACE
Fairbanks Post of the American
Legion is taking the honors so far
in the membership contest in the
Department of Alaska. Petersburg
is third but about 60 points behind
Fairbanks. Cordova is but three
and a fraction points behind the
leader.
The Alaska salmon fleet is rapid
ly being made ready for the spring
voyage to Alaska. The W. B. Flint
will leave Seattle for Taku about
the 22nd of March and will be used
as a floating warehouse for canned
salmon. The fleet will be leaving
from March until April or in time
to put up the summer’s pack.
. . . McGREGGOR RESIGNS . . .
United States Deputy Marshal
Neil McGreggor tendered his resig
nation to Marshal White this week
tc take effect at the convenience of
of the Marshal’s office.
Mr. McGreggor had been tend
ered a transfer to Skagway with an
increase in salary, but owing to the
fact that he had invested quite
heavily locally, he did not feel that
ho would be justified in leaving his
investments in the hands of an
agent.
Mr. McGreggor is no cheechacko
having been a resident of the terri
tory for the past 27 years with the
exception of four years service ov
erseas. He has held the office of
deputy marshal in Petersbur for the
past six years and has been a very
good mn for. the office. His friends
regret his severance with the mar
shal’s office but hope that his whole
attention to his personal business
will be of benefit to himself and the
community.
Mr. McGreggor plans to put up a
two story building 50 by 100 in
which he plans to operate a first
class moving picture show. He has
made contract for a large part of
the equipment and hopes to have
it going in short order.
The children of Ketchican will
have a swimming “hole” at the base
Dali park. A desicion that it be
on-It at the earliest possible mo
ment was reached at the meeting
ot the Rotary Club at the Blue Fox
this noon.
The swimming pool will be con
st ructed by darning the Schoenbar
creek, excavating gravel to proper
d«pth and constructing the neces
sary bath houses. A finance com
mittee to secure the necessary
money to do the work was ap
pointed at today’s meeting. Both
the objective and the finance com
mittees have already started to
work.
The club this noon listened to
two very intresting addresses by
Leonard Soholt and Ned Shelton
students of the Ketchican high
school. The talks were so well
delivered as to draw applause from
the club and special commenda
tion from the president and mem*
beis of the club.
Announcement is made that Al
T ed Howe, for the past siz years
manaerg of the Tongass Trading
company, has been ejected presi
dent of that firm, to fill the vacan
cy made by the death of Fred C.
Johnstone. Howe and associates
have taken over the Johnstone in
terest in the business and aiso are
purchasing the Tongass building
owned by the Tongass Investment
company of which Mr. Johnstone
was also the head.