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VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA, JANUARY 15, 1932
no. :r»
My How Things Political
Do Begin To Percolate
From the north comes re
ports of political activities of
Hie major parties. The Demo
crat will be settling their little
party diii'erences and squaring
away with a well-organized
body swinging toward the April
primary election. The Republi
cans of the Westward divisions
have been simmering along
working up local tickets and
delving into territorial. It looks
as if it would be a strenuous
year.
E. A. Rasmussen, first to an
nounce his candidacy for the
cffice of national committeeman
for the republican party does
not seem to find much favor
with the Federal Brigade of Ju
neau. Karl Thiele, genial secre
tary for the territory, has an
nounced his candidacy for that
office. It is reported that Doctor
Chase of Cordova was about to
throw his hat into the ring. So
Will Improve Wrangell
Harbor
-x
Major General Brown, Chief
of the Army Engineers, has re
commended improvement of
Wrangell harbor to cost $56,000
with $500 for annual mainten
ance The project calls for ex
tension of the mooring area in
the harbor to accommodate
more vessels. The basin is to be
dredged 400 and 600 feet at a
uniform depth of ten feet.
-x
CANADA TO PAY ON
P. O. ORDER 4
-v
Effective January 4, the Cana
dian postal service will pay a
premium on money orders des
tined for the United States, the
premium amounting to the dif -
ference in the value of the Ca
nadian and United States dollar,
the postoffice department an
nounced.
-x
BLIND FISH IN CAVE
„ UNDER SAN ANTONIO
-X
Blind fish swim in subterran
ean caverns 1500 feet beneath
tne city of San Antonio, scien
tists believe. Specimens have
been sucked up thiu pumping
- plant pipes of the San Antonio
Public Service Co.
The eyeless fish are light pink
in color when seen above the
ground, probably due to the
breakdown of cell composition.
-x
FOGHORN AIDS LOVERS
IN FOX MYSTERY FILM
-x
While a steamer’s foghorn is
generally considered an unmiti
gated nuisance by the passen
gers, the instrument can some
times be of considerable help to
Cupid.
This interesting fact is dis
covered by Marguerite Churchill
in the course of her delightful
romance with John Garrick in
“Charlie Chan Carries On,” com
ing Fox attraction at the Coli
seum Theatre soon. The picture,
p screen version of Earl Derr
Biggers’ well-known novel, com
bines a baffling mystery with a
* * different” love story in a way
that promises to make it un
usually entertaining, while
Warner Oland in the title role
is said to show audiences some
thing new in Oriental charac
terizations.
-x
. The Community League will
meet in the Lutheran Church
next Tuesday evening at eight
o’clock. Mesdames Ohmer and
Parks, hostesses.
| far there seems no opposition to
| Mr. Connors of Juneau for
I Democratic national committee -
{man, but the time is early yet
and it will not be surprising if
there is not a complete ticket
! in opposition.
Jack White of Juneau aspires
to represent the republicans at
the convention to be held in
Chicago. Both Thiele and White
have the support of the Federal
Brigade—judging from a cur
sory glance at the signers on
their petition.
Mr. Lucas of Juneau aspires
to push Cash Cole out into the
limbo and he hopes to serve the
Territory in the office of Audi
tor. Certainly Cole is not getting
any support from the crowd
that is back of Thiele.
Whether there are more as
pirants for those offices or not
has not yet been indicated.
BIG COMEDY SUCCESS
-x
There are a number of good
reasons to visit the Coliseum
Theatre on Tuesday or Wednes
day. Not the least important is
the fact that William Anthony
McGuire wrote this deft Fox
Movietone comedy success. Also
the smooth direction of William
Howard makes for fine enter
tainment.
And to top it off is the superb
character protrayal of Edmund
Lowe as a man who had been
married once—and once he
thought was enough. The way
Jeanette MacDonald turned his
head, and the way Roland Young
as her husband, interferred, pro
vokes one hearty laugh after
another.
The rest of the cast, including
Una Merkle, J. M. Kerrigan and
Helene Milard, are enough to
make anyone tell the world that
it’s an excellent comedy.
-x
INDIANS ARE TRESPASSERS
ON THEIR OWN GROUND
The case of U. S. versus Mur -
phy’s, Juneau ejectment case
instituted by the Forest Depart
ment, wherein descendants of
Indians were restrained from
building on Auk Bay lands, in
herent rights and possessions—
Judge Harding ruled, as expect
ed that the Murphys were tres
passers. Judge Harding held that
the Act of Congress of May 17,
1884, under which the Indians
claimed ownership to the tract
did not give them permanent
ownership—giving them only a
possessory right good only dur
ing occupancy. If surrendered
the right was forfeited.
The Forest Department is up -
held in making the place a play
ground for the idle of Juneau
while laws made to protect the
Indian appear not to be laws at
all. “Shall not be disturbed in
their possession” seeming to
mean, only when any bureau
does not wish said lands.
-x
“LIBERTY OR DEATH”
-X
“As for me, give me liberty or
give me death,” declared Pat
rick Henry of colonial times
Down at Ketchikan Patrick
i
Henry was arrested for violation
of the prohibition laws. He drew
a revolver to preserve his liberty
and threatened the raiding
party. Held under bond of $1,000.
—--x
Cope Mundy shipped out 30,
000 pounds of frozen fish—most
ly salmon ,on the Norco, Satur
day. He took passage on the
same vessel lor WrangelL
U. S. Fishing Deal
Big Industrial Boy
The fishing industry, active in
all quarters of the United States
directly supporting 200,000 per
sons, has grown to a half-billion
-dollar industry in the past 50
years, according to the bureau
of fisheries of the commerce de
partment.
Since 1880. when the total
catch was 1,600,000,000 pounds,
the report says, this amount has
trebled, amounting last year to
more than 3,000,000,000 pounds.
WASHINGTON STARTS
THIRD TARTY
A third Party was launched
m the state of Washington last
week by a group of Progressive
Republicans to give organised
and effective support to the In
surgent Republicans in the Se
nate and Hjouse of Representa
tives for election of an indepen
dent Presidential candidate if
the nominees of the major
parties are not satisfactory to
them.
H. F. Love of Tacoma, chair
man, John E. Ballaine of Seat
tle, W. W. Drake of Yakima and
John Binns of Tacoma are mem
bers of the executive committee
making the announcement,
1 Mr. Ballaine announced that!
a representative will be sent to
the national capital to cooperate
with representatives from other
states in forming a National
Commitee of Progressive Repub
licans who will map out a
course for the coming presiden
tial election.
-x
LOAN DIRECTOR
FACES CHARGE
-x
E. E. Fitzwater, president and
director of the Guardian Build
ing and Loan Association and of
the Mortgage Investiment Com
pany, pleaded guilty in a circuit
court, at Portland, to four in
dictments charging unlawful
Vans from the Guardian to the
mvestiment company.
More than $500,000 was loaned
without security to the invest
ment company, a holding con
cern of the Guardian company,
according to the prosecution.
-x
RACE FOR AUDITOR’S OFFICE
-x
Harry Lucas, Juneau business
,tnan has declared his intention
to file his candidacy for audi
tor’s office on the Republican
ticket. He plans to make an ac
tive campaign for the nomina
tion. And if elected he will make
lust as active a campaign in the
November election. He is Alaska
representative for the Reming
f on-Rand Company; secretary
tor the Juneau Cold storage. He
declares that he was urged to
throw his hat in the ring by
many people from all parts of
the territory.
Percy G. Charles, of Ketchi
kan, insurance and real estate
broker has also declared his in
tention to file for the same office
He has been associated with Mr.
Hardcastle, former candidate
for election as Territorial trea
surer on the Democratic ticket
last election.
-x
U. S. DEFICIT TOTALS
OVER BILLION IN YEAR
-x
The United States government
closed the year 1931 and the
i first half of the present fiscal
year with a deficit of $1,354,961,
377, treasury statement showed.
This compares with a surplus
of $66,024,165 et the end of 1930
By the close of the fiscal year
on June 30, 1931, however, there
was a defticit of more than
$900,000,000.
News Flashes
And Static
Honolulu—Officials today ar
rested Philander Gray charged
with assaulting Mrs. Patricia
Vaeco.
Helen Joy Morgan, Michigan
heiress was sentenced to twenty
years in prison for murdering
her sweetheart, a garage mec
hanic.
Postmaster General Brown
announced today Hoover’s can
didacy for renomination. But
will decide later about entering
the North Dakota primary nexc
March 15.
Former Queen Sophia o f
Greece, sister to the Kaiser died
in exile today at the age of sixty
one.
The Seattle Yacht Club last
night started plans to greatly
extend racing this year. Urged
by Governor Parks they plan to
revive the Olympic-Juneau race.
The proposed Schmelling
Walker battle in Maimi was call
ed off because the estimated
gate receipts would only come
to $100,000.
Over five-hundred thousand
Chicagoians are facing starva
tion, this includes thirty thou
sand unpaid schoolteachers.
Wednesday, thousands of un
employed women in Bristan
Australia threatened to parade
in the nude unless the govern
ment consented to discuss their
problems.
The new Bureau ship will be
christened the North Star and
will be powered with a 1500
horse-power McIntosh Seymour
Diesel.
The Sinclair Oil Company and
the Prairie Pipe- Line Company
agreed to terms of consolidation
after one year, plans will be sub
mitted to the stockholders next
March. Combined assets of these
two companies arc over half a
billion dollars.
The President Buchannan Es
tate was today revealed as a
hoax. All the talk of a vast
legacy from the former Presi
dent brings out the weird plans
of a clan to raise and distribute
great wealth.
Representative Patman today
continues his argument before
the Judd Committee on his re
solution for the impeachment of
Secretary Mellon.
Mrs. Hattie Caraway has been
elected a ssuccesser to Senator
Caraway having beaten two male
candidates in the contest.
I The Kennecott train closed
j down winter service and wiil not
I operate again until April 15th,
mail ad passenger service was
awarded the Gillian Airways.
Contract awarded the Gillian
company called for fourteen
trips carrying 1200 pounds each
way.
The jury in the Foshay case
so far is made up entirely of
: men. Twelve have been virtually
I selected although there h a s
Ibeen no preparation challenges
| as yet.
-x
The Chamber of Commerce oi
Wrangell, has taken into it<
membership, Herbert Bradley
president of the Alaska Nativi
Brotherhood of that city, to re
present his organization.
Macintosh Named
Circuit Judge
-x—
Judge Kenneth MacKintosh,
former member of the Wicker
;Jiam Law Enforcement Com
mission and former Chief Jus
tice of the Washington State
Supreme Court was named last
week by President Hoover for
Circuit Judge of the Ninth Cir
cuit with headquarters at San
Francisco to succeed the late
Judge Frank H. Rudkin.
-x
THIELE TO RUN 10R
DELEGATE TO CONVENTION !
■-x
Karl Thiele, Secretary of Alas
[ ka for the past ten years declar
ed in Juneau that he was filing
his declaration of candidacy for
Delegate to the Republican con
vention to be held in Chicago
next June. This office is up for
election at the April primary.
Mr. Thiele, endorsed by the
Federal officers in Juneau, will
campaign as an avowed Hoover
administration supporter. He
has been “consistently (repub
lican) throughout his career.”
It is said that his filing has the
approval of the Interior De
partment.
It is being stated that Jack
White, also of Juneau, will file
for delegate to the convention
on the same ticket.
-x
COLD STORAGE ELECTS
DIRECTORS
A meeting of the stockholders
of the Petersburg Cold Storage
was held this week. T. S. Else
more, J. L. MacKechnie, Fred
Nelson, Andrew Johnson, Svere
Johannesen, J. Molver, and Jack
Hanseth were re-elected as
board of directors for the en
suing year.
Prior to the first of January
a dividend of six per cent was;
declared and paid to the stock-’
holders. From its first operation;
this plant has proven a success
—as an investment and com
mercial investment to stock - j
holders and the town.
-x
i
FISH CAN’T MOVE TO NEW
HOME FOR LACK OF $10,000
-X
The Bureau of Fisheries has
a fine new aquarium but no
money with which to operate it.
Therefore all of the piscator
ial captives are to remain out of
sight for an indefinite period
An appropriation of $10,000 is
needed to get them into their
palatial new tanks.
The Bureau closed the old
aquarium December 1, persum
ably in preparation for moving
into the new Department of
Commerce building.
It became known recently
however, there is no money for
their care in the new aquarium
which is one of the finest in the
country.
-x
FGSIIAY OFFICIAL
PLEADS GUILTY
-x
C. W. Salisbury, former vice
president of the Foshay corpora -
lions and H. E. McGinty, former
secretary - treasurer, pleaded
guilty last week to one of 17
counts on charges of using the
mails to defraud in the promo
tion of the Foshay Concerns.
-x
$200,000 GETS DEMO
CONVENTION
-x
San Francisco bid $150,000
for the Democratic National
j Convention next June. Chicago
offered $200,000. She got it. Chi
cago pays $350,000 for two con
ventions—probably worth all of
that money. Think of the booze
that can be consumed in the
! span of a week.
Halibut Situation Not
In Settled Condition
It has been stated that Mr. J.
Berg, president of the First Na
tional Bank of Ketchikan, is
making an attempt to revive the
Fishermen’s Buyers’ Association
which functioned for a short
while last year. In order to make
such an organization, he feels it
necessary that 90 per cent of
the fleet be signed up as mem
bers. Prior to his leaving Ket
chikan for New York, he had
been able to sign up only about
30 per cent which was insuffi
cient to have such an organiza
tion function with any degree of
success.
It is believed, in event this
plan does not work out, that ef
fort will be made to form an as
sociation of Alaska fishermen to
work along the same lines.
The fishermen are not decided
as to their plans And probably
will not make known any plan
of action until further develop
ments in the Berg plan. How
ever, the situation as to markets
i° precarious. With beef retail
ing at from ten to eighteen
cents per pound in the eastern
states, it is not expected that the
buying public will purchase
fish—equal food values—at from
LAUNCHING DATE IS
SET FOR NEW SHIP
January 18 has been set as the
date for launching the $400,000
Alaska school supply ship build
ing in the Berg Shipyards in
Seattle, it was announced re
cently. All the launching ar
rangements are in charge of
Charles D. Garfield, veteran of
the Alaska Department of the
Chamber of Commerce. The se
lection of a sponsor and a name
for the new ship will be made
this week. Officers of the De
partment of the Interior, Wash
ington, D. C., will take part in
the ceremonies. The 1,500-horse
nower engine for the vessel i.>
expected to arrive in Seattle on
an intercoastal steamship from
New York about January 10.
The new vessel will replace the
schooner Boxer as the Arctic
supply ship of the United States
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
-x
TRAIN MAROONED
ALASKA RAILROAD
On the 9th of the month a
passenger train enroute from
Fairbanks to Seward was ma
rooned in snow drifts at Mile
314 in the Broad Pass District.
Twenty passengers were on
board, plenty of grub and noth
ing to worry over. Plows were
working to clear the track.
-x
SALMON’S HABITS CAUSE
FORECAST ON LATER YEARS
-x
After gathering 13,643,000
salmon eggs this season for
hatching artificially—the largest
take in five years—officials oi
the California division of fish
and game have forecast another
record number of eggs five years
hence, says a bulletin of the
American Game Association.
This long-distance prognosti
cation is not based on ocult vi
-ion, the officials said, but on
^he age-old habits of salmon.
The fish hatched this winter
and released in early spring will
rot leave the open sea and re
I turn to the home stream until
■ after the fourth year.
-x
It has been reported here that
Alice Bradley of Wrangell, wife
of Herbert Bradley, president oi
the Alaska Native. Brotherhood
is quite ill.
' three to four times higher in
price.
The problem resolves itself
into that of production. If the*
1 fishermen by agreement, accept
the longer closed season and
| also add a month during the
i summer months, considerable of
, the production will be reduced.
I So long as there is an over-sup
j ply of this fish on the market,
j it stands to reason that the
price will be low but as the sup
ply diminishes, its value in
^ creases in proportion. So that
the entire problem of returns
for productions will be more or
less in the control of the fish
ermen or organizations produc
ing the fish for market. It ha
been suggested that one group
of vessels go out with the open
ing of the fishing season and
another group delay going or
so that too much fish will no',
be dumped on the market right
from the start—along with th
plan to curtail production din -
ing the summer months, it
believed that considerable of the
problem will be solved How
ever, the solution to the entire
problem is one that only the
fishermen can secure and that,
by their own action.
OLD LIXER JUNKED
-X
After being one of the crack
liners from Seattle to Alaska
the Alameda now lies in Seat t ■
a pile of junk—that is what the
Alaska Steamship Company
purchased it for from the in
surance agencies which pai l
ever some $600,000 to the com
pany foy. the vessel recently de
stroyed by fire. The company re
purchased it from the insurance
agencies for a small sum wkh
the intention of making junk
I of it.
-x
DIMOND MAKES DEC LARA
TION OF FILING
-x
Senator Anthony J. Dimond
from the Third Division has de
clared that he will file his de
claration of candidacy for dele
I pate to congress on the demo
cratic ticket. He declared hie
willingness to abide by the de
cision of the convention to
held at Fairbanks on the 22nd
of this month—if there is a
gentlemen’s agreement to abide
by the decision of the conven
tion. If not, he is going to file
and let the best man win. A. H.
Ziegler and George B. Grigsby
of Ketchikan will be his on
ponents.
-x
Olaf Olson, who received in
juries on his head as a result of
sudden impacts of a beer bottle
cn his head during the holiday
season is reported as not get
ting along so well in the Peters
burg General hospital. Olson.
Norberg and another man we;V
eating supper when Paul Arness
and Adolph Odegaard came in
pockets loaded with beer. Con
siderable tact was required ‘o
keep peace in the house until
the latter two were leaving
| when war broke out with beer
I bottles as weapons. The three in
! the house were not having any
party as was intimated by infor
mant from whom the item was
secured several weeks ago and
we take this means of making
correction.
-x
Paddy Thomas of Wrangell,
left his boat anchored in a bay
nearby, while he went with
! another man into town to de
‘ liver some clams, upon returning
, for his boat found it gone. Hire
4 a defective, Paddy.