A. N. B. PUBLISHING COMPANY
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
The Alaskan, six mouth*,... $2.60
The Alaskan, per jeer . $4.00
Published ever; Friday by the a. N. B. Publishing Co., Petersburg
Entered In the Post Offlc* in Petersburg as Second Class matter.
THE VACANT DESK
The opening day of school after
the holidays.
Near the center of the room an
empty desk.
All through the day this desk
stares at you. It seems to stand
out so big,—so by itself. It keeps
drawing your attention.
And the lad who occupied it?
They are burying him today,
across the Narrows, in the frosted
tide lands under the deep snow.
And the desk wait3 and waits.
And you can’t help looking at it.
AND WHEN WILL. THE MEETING
BE
East is East
And West is West,
And never the twain shall meet.
Kipling
North is North
And South is South,
And when will the meeting be9
Well dressed (?) ladies in the
East go stockingle3s now. In place
of hose they cover their legs with
a prepared gold paint.
The ladies have been painting
from the top down for some little
time. Now they are painting from
the bottom up.
And when will the meeting be?
OUR MISSION
1928
We are starting in the New Year
with our noose straight on the course
we followed in the past. We feel
that Alaska has been rib punched,
chin jolted and generally bruised.
We feel that she has been trodden
on heavily by the “iron heel.” We
think that she has been so grievous
ly exploited that she’ll have a hard
time recovering. We may be mis
taken in this and we are willing to
change our mind any time that we
are shown to be in error.
Today, Alaska is peopled by a
mighty small handful, and they the
people of adventurous spirit, most
ly. Here and there, scattered about,
are the agents of Big Business, shady
politicians, biased officials and snoop
ers whose sole effort is to take every
thing out of Alaska that they can
and leave as little as they can. This
has been so successfully carried on,
and for such a lengthy period, that
the looting of the territory is look
ed upon as a business so legitimate
that a mighty squeal goes up when
ever there is a whimper of protest.
The over lords of the country are
well intrenched. The wealth they
have taken out of the territory they
now use, in part, to protect their
plans, to carry on their system of
grab, to stifle complaint, to pur
chase legislation, to control the press
and to hemstring every effort to
bring her back to her own.
In the very short period of THE
ALASKAN’S existence we feel that
we’ve accomplished a whole lot to
ward bettering conditions and pry
ing open the eyes of those who mean
well, but have fallen wearily asleep
in the lullaby of the grabbers. Still,
we have not much more than made
a Btart. There is so much, so very
much to do. It is an awful up-hill
climb, but there is a recompense in
the knowledge that we have the sup
port and the best wishes of the ma
jority of the people of Alaska.
Locally the conditions are, for the
most part peculiarly “Petersburgy.”
With the wonderful town site, the
best of harbors and the all around
opportunities the wonder is that the
city isn’t the metropolis of the ter
ritory. Nature wasn’t stingy nor
mean in this small section of Alaska.
But the city i3 just what its people
have made it, or rather, what a por
tion of the population has allowed
the other portion to make.
Why is Petersburg so isolated?
Why is it so oil by itself. Why is
it that the steamships rather sail by
thau land here? Why is that we
continually lose trade? Why is it
that nearly every mail to out3ide
parts tributary to Petersburg is eith
er routed out of Ketchikan, Wran
gell or Juneau? Why is it that
commercial travelers so frequently
give the city ablack eye, particularly
so soon as they get beyond the
limits of the burg? Why is it that
the tourist3 forget the town before
they get here and fail to think of
it after they pass? Why is it that
no amount of advertising is going
to indulge capital to come here.
And why is it that the one big, cash
paying industry of the place would
pull out to other localities with but
a bit of coaxing?
Well, to be candid about it, Pet
ersburg is the most un-American
town in the United States. Accord
ing to population it supplied more
slacker3 during the war thau any
other town, village or settlement.
This isn’t quickly forgotten. It is
talked of where ever one goes.
That, alone, has created an atmos
phere that shunts both visitors and
capital off to other places. It has
made of the town a foreign settle
ment in U. S. Territory. Then, on
top of that, the general city govern
ment give3 the impression that there
has been no improvement. This is
the main snag that Petersburg is
hooked on.
Irrespective of nationality, there
are some fine people in Peters
burg. They are big hearted, hospit
able and progressive, but the handi
cap is so great that the forging
ahead of the town will be slow and
at times discouraging. There is
considerable to live down. There
can be no progress worth while so
long as there are petty squabbles,
clan organizations and alien contro
versy.
Being American, we are going to
stand for those things that are
American. We are going to fighl
graft, unfairness, one sided govern
ment, over riding of lawr, favoritism,
jnjust practices and the rule of
night.
Are you with us, or are yrou
igainst us?
FLAG PAYTRIOTISM
We don’t go a picayune-sou on
the sort of patriotism that has tu
be advertized. This idea of a flag
in printers’ ink at the head of edi
torial columns to give the idea that
the editor is a regular he-man pa
triot is the bunk. It gives u3 the
impression that these flage wavers
are really small things doing smaller
things and are using the flag, to
hide their chicanery. There has
been more dirty work done by these
self advertised 100 per centers than
the general public is aware of. They
imagine that if they carry a flag on
their inside page the average per
son will take them as top notcher
yankee-doodle fellows who sing Hail
Columbia and the Star Spangled
Banner in their dreams, and who
breathe Columbia the Gem of the
Ocean between drinks. Very often
the cloak of religion is used to cov
sr some pretty dirty tricks. There
ire some who are so mean that they
ire ashamed to crawl behind any of
the church pillars. Anyway, they
ire too well known, but they’ll come
lut into the open singing Tramp,
rramp, Tramp and with a whole
ot of flag stuff think that they are
pulling a pile of such great patrio
;ism no one will look farther, and
:ake ’em for what they say they are.
[f there were war tomorrow these
lag printing lads would be the least
ive’d rely on—unless there was graft
somewhere in the conflict. Nine
:ime3 out of ten these flag publish
— 11 - 1
ers are nothing more nor less than
the cat paws of designing BIG BUS
INESS. And over their editorial
columns the $ $ $ $ sign would be
more appropriate than the stars and
stripes.
1928
If you care to be up-to-date
Write it Nineteen-Twenty-Eight
Nineteen-Twenty-Seven is in our
wake, astern. Before the froth and
(he whirls of it are lo3t to view and
the days that made the year are for
gotten, let’s have a talk with our
selves and find out just how well
we are fixed to tackle the new year
that is with us now.
Have you played fairball with your
neighb rs during the 365 years that
are now history? What sort of a
game have you lined out for the
year at hand?
Are you going to put the screws
to those you don’t like? Have you
■slackened any of the pressure you
had on those who didn’t agree with
you yesterday?? Are you going to
be hoggish and mean? Are you go
ing to be fair and just? Are you
willing to give and take? Are you
going to give as little as you can
and take all that you can? Are you
going to try and be generally liked,
or are you going to be as disagree
able as the law allows?
Most of our New Year resolutions
fall by the wayside before the year
is out of it3 infancy. We are gov
erned a whole lot by the days that
are gone, or by what happened in
their passing. We have made some
friends. How about our enemies”
Are they on the decrease?
Does the future mean to> you more
than the past has given you, or that
you have gouged out of it? Do you
believe in “The House By The Side
Of The Road?” What do you think
of the Rule of Might as compared
with the Law of Right? D0 you
have any feeling for the “under dog ’
in the stress of modern civilization?
Are your sympathies all with those
who stride with the “iron heel.”
The past year has handed us a
few hardships along with an abund
ance of weather. In a manner she
has given lavishly to no one in this
neck of the world’3 illahee. How
do you feel about it? Are you sore
sad and pining? Are you cheery,
! wide awake and ready to tackle
what’s coming? Are you narrow in
I your view point, or is your vision
broad and far seeing? i
Well, human nature doesn't
change just because man-made dates
flop from one year to another. But
it should be borne in mind that we
progress or drop backward. There
is no pinnacle where we may rest
even for a brief moment. It i3 eitn
er go up or fall back. And, we’,re
been a long, long time getting up
to where we are. We could—and
would—fall back into chaos and
barbarity in a generation if we all
gave up the upward climb. It has
been said that civilization is but
skin deep. It isn’t that deep. It’s
only the skimpiest kind of a thin
veneer.
i There are those who can’t
stand the pace. How about it? Shall
we let them go to the devil? Shall
we put out a helping hand and en
deavor to assist the unfortunates
and the weak over the bumps?
There are those who are speedy
and have vision and strength.
WhatTl we do; catch hold of them,
try to drag them back, obstruct
them? Shall we sing out to them
as they pass: Cheerio, fellow! Good
luck. Tell ’em we’re coming, too.
What are you; black, yellow,
brown, red or white? Do you look
down on the person alongside of you
because his hide is a different shade’
Is it your nature to “high hat” your
neighbors or is it something you’ve
grown into? Do you grovel at the
feet of those who style themselves
the high and mighty? Are you
“hail fellow well met?” Are you
peevish, retiring and all around
nasty. /
Are you going to take an inven
tory of yourselft this 1928? Are
you igdng to “let ’er slide” as she is?
Are you going to keep on trying to
get something for nothing? Are
you still of a mind to pay as you go.
Are yon slipping your lingers into
the pockets of the man along side of
pou? Are you making an endeavor
o get along honestly? Do you find
pleasure in the things Nature has
placed around you? Are you a
grouch and a kicker?
Do you think you have been as
mean and ill dispo3itioned as it wab
possible to be? Do you have an idea
that you were fair, just and good
tempered? Are you willing to shake
hands with the man on the street?
Are you rambling along with your
hands behind your back and your
eyes to the ground? Do you look
ou the youngsters around you a*
the oft' scourings of hell? Do you
think the kids have a place in the
world and feel that they are entitl
ed to respect and all the information
you can give them? Do you think
the world will weep and moan at
your passing? Do you feel that it
will rejoice at the work you have
done? Are you an American, toler
ant, broad of vision and fair mind
ed? Are you an American just be
cause you happen to be within the
reach of the U. S. Government? Do
you look on youth with a feeling
that we’re going plumb to the
depths? Do you have an idea that
this is a rapid age and that you are
a bit slow in the running? Are yon
willing to live on the crust that is
tossed to you, or are you striving
for the loaf that the crust came
from? Are you a slacker? Are you
willing to hold up your end of the
load?
LET’S GO!
THE NEW FISH REGULATIONS
It is apparent, in running over the
Laws and Regulations for Protec
tion of Fisheries of Alaska, in De
partment Circular 251, that at least
a few of the salmon trust fish loca
tions are still unharmed. Take at
the mouth of the Karluk River, for
instance: “b” of section 15 reads:
“All commercial fishing for salmon
is prohibited, as follows—Karluk
River: All waters within Karluk
River and within 100 yards of its
mouth where it breaks through Kar
luk Spit into Shelikof Strait.” Tlia
“spit” through which the Karluk
River breaks into the strait belongs
to the Alaska Packer’s Association
by Congressional action. This was
a neatly worked scheme which gave
the packers absolute control of the
river mouth. The Northwestern
Fisheries (Booth) were a strong
contender for the long gravel penin
sula. but they didn’t go about secur
ing the land in the same way that
the packers did, and lost out. How
ever, they both fish the river mouth
by drag seines. The packers prac
tically control the river fish from in
front; the Northwestern Fisheries
from the north side The 100 yard
clause in the regulations mean noth
ing at all, for the seines overlap the
river mouth each haul, and as fasr. >
as one seine is out of the way, anoth- |
er takes its place, and this goes on
the whole of every fishing day auu
often away into the nights. The Kar
luk River and its salmon, mostly
reds, are therefore the property of
the Packer s and the Northwestern
Fisheries Company. They have a
<im-h play here. There is no oppor
tunity for any butting in by outside
parties.
The Karluk River, at one time,
was the greatest sokoi stream in the
world. At the time Joseph Hume
constructed a cannery there years
ago (one of the first, if not the very
first cannery in Alaska) he said if
lie had the equipment he could put
up a million cases a year there and
not make a showinb in the number
of salmon caught. It isn’t done now
and it is doubtful, very doubtful, if
the “50 per cent escapement’’ regu
lation clause in the fisheries law will
build up the river again. The Kar
luk hatchery, government owned and
A. P. A. operated, has always been
a money making scheme for the
Packers, a load for the government
and a frost insofar as stream replen
ishment was concerned.
Apparently, it was deemed not ad
visable to molest the Packer’s and
the Northwestern Fisheries Company
in tneir strangle hold on the Karluk
River.
Dropping back to Saginaw Bay,
there is another bold stroke at trap
protection that isn’t at all fair when
other places nearly like it are taken
into consideration. The bay, accord
ing to Circular 251 is protected in
side of a line drawn from Halleck
Harbor to the southwest shore of
the bay, and between Halleck Har
bor and the mouth of the bay there
is a floating trap. The trap dom
inates the whole bay. No other fish
ing, by any method, is allowed in the
bay One can’t even catch herring
inside, legally. Still, this floater is
allowed to operate and in normal
years, it is a killer. Of course, it
is on the side of the bay that the in
coming salmon strike. The whole
of Saginaw Bay is, therefore, by
Fish Commission regulation, abso
lutely the property of one packing
concern. We don’t see where there
is anything fair in this.
At Security Bay, just beyond to
the westward, fishing isn’t allowed
within 3,000 feet of the salmon
streams. However, the traps that
dominate the bay from both sides
aren’t molested. The streams of Se
;DRS. C. M.&R. L. CARLSON:
; Optometriste and Opticians
218-19 Commercial Building
! KETCHIKAN, ALASKA j
cIKe Spine
is the -Human
Switchboard
controlling
Health, and
Vigor
HEAftT.
LUNCS
LIVER-—
STOMACH
PANCREAS— -C
SPLEEN
IDNEYS—
ELS—
ENDIX
BLADOER.—
/LOVER —
UlMBS
Qiirvpract/c
releases
Itke
Power
Within
“PARALYZE MEANS “UNNERVE”
One dictionary definition of the
word ‘paralyze” is—“to unnerve.”
This, though meant in another way,
gives recognition to the basic truth
in physical paralysis. Consider that
the limb is sound; bone and flesh,
muscles, nerves and blood-vessels
are intact, yet it will not function.
Why? Because there is a gap ia
nerve communication. The com
mands of the brain do not reach
the muscles of the limb. There is
pressure upon a nerve that may fre
quently be removed by Chiroprac
tic adjustments.
NERVE COMMUNICATION
RESTORED
“Three years ago I suffered a
paralytic stroke. The best medical
aid was summoned, but for nearly
three months I had to be lifted in
and out of bed; I was unable 'to
move my limbs. Then I began tak
ing adjustments and 30on noticed
improvement. After fifty-nine ad
justments I was able to be about
and could do light work. Today 1
am well and very thankful to Chiro
practic.”
Clinton W. Hine, Chiropractic
Research Bureau, Statement
No. 2270—W.
k
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LEON ENSCH, D. C.
Palmer Graduate 1914
% PETERSBURG,
ALASKA
Petersburg Meat Co.]
Cato Haarberg. Proprietor
Fresh Choice Meats
Canned Fruit; Etc.
Petersburg,
Alaska
John Fanning 2
I shoe: store
x
Dealer In
Complete line of Silk Hosiery
Best grade of Shoes for men,
women and children.
Best Quality Goods
at very low price?.
Shoe repairing neatly done.
|
y
x
•? X
The ever growing Circulation of
The ALASKAN among buyers is an
Inducement to Merchants to Adver
tise in The ALASKAN.
Buy at Star Bakery and Save Money
Fresh Doughnuts, Cup Cakes, Cookie*
and Cinnamon Rolls
Always on Hand Fresh
STAR BAKERY
AMERICA FIRST arrives in Pe
tersburg Friday morning, leaving
for Juneau via Kake and way ports
about noon.
HAHOW TRANSPORTATION
COMPANY
JACOBITZ TAXI
DAY & NIGHT SERVICE
Stand at Arctic Hotel
Phone 35
\-----—
When in Town Stop at
| ARCTIC HOTEL J
First Class Rooms
Reasonable Rates ,jj
j CARL ROGER, Pro. i
Home Service Mending
of Laundered Goods
We give full value for your
money.
H.OYAMA, PRO.
| Sanitary Market ||
A Roast you’ll like
The Very Choicest Beef i
Mutton and Pork
| Vegetable in Season |i
SITKA HOT SPRING
HEALTH RESORT
Rate $3.00 per
day and up
Dr. Goddard, Pro.
Built
Attractively
You car. get
the latest de
signs in
Sash, Boors
& Millwork
diiectfro.nthe
manufact Ter
at none> ?av -
ing prices
Pf'ritt today
for FREiil
lustrated tat
* MlLLWORK^j
U SUPPLY CORPW. \ r