VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA NOVEMBER 25. 1927
NO. 20
Later Reports
Of the eleven soul's sailing out
of Hoonali on a small fishing boat,
Sitka hound, on the 7th of Novem
ber not one was saved. The boat
came in on a rock bound coast, was
completely broken up and Dine of
the eleven who were onboard of her
washed ashore among the rocks and
kelp battered, wave worn and dead.
Two bodies remain unfound. It was
in a little rock bight in White
stone Hay where the wreck and
bodies were found by a young Na
tive who was pulling a small boat
along the shore in quest of trapping
territory. Directly after finding the
bodies this young trapper saw a
trolling boat leaving the bay, but
lie could make out neither name
nor number on it. A little later he
managed to hail another motor ves
sel bound for Kasaan and it was
by rhis means the early reports
came in. The dead are all of one
family—the Muggins family—of
Sitka, comprising the two elderly
people, two -sons-in-law -and the
children of the latter. The body of
one of the women was found strip
ped down to underclothing. a
money belt that she was known to
carry arcund her waist, containing
a large sum in gold, was missing
Odd enough, one of boat’s broken*
planking lying up in the drift line
had a loose ten dollar gold piece
lying on it. There was, also on
board at the time of leaving IToonah,
a small metal cash box in which
wa« about $2000. This was found
battered and smashed up with no
currency of any kind in it. All of
the bodies found were fully clothed,
except of the woman spoken of, and
were lying quite close together in a
mass of wreckage, bedding, tangles
of lines and ship equipment.
Dog Bites Schoolboy
Wednesday evening, Fredy Burch :
saw the Swanson and Dahl delivery i
truck rolling easily along, so he
made a run and jump for it, reach
ed the rear end and started to
climh in. But there was a dog in
the truck that resented this intru
sion and it grabbed young Burch ,
by the face, ripped a gash under
one eye, perforated both lower and
upper lips and scarred up the kid’s .
nose. Dr. Standard says that the ■
youngster is getting along nicely
and will be all right in a few days.
NOT OF ASIATIC ORIGIN
Dr. Louis Shotridge, assistant in
the American section of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, after a five
year study of the Indians of Alas
ka, declares that Alaska was popu
lated with the Natives of what is
now the United States. It isn’t
borne out, the Doctor says, that the
big peninsula was first peopled by
venturesome folk from across the
Pacific Ocean. Tt is believed that
the Cliilkat and Navajo tribes are
quite closely related. Many words
in their language are similar. The
Indian legends all bear to the south
ward and ceremonial regalias,
dresses, costumes, war bonnets and
the implements of the hunt, all more
than 800 years old, are easily trace
able to patterns in use even today
among the coast Indians of the
States and in the Rocky Mountain
region.
Dr. Shotridge is an Alaska born
Indian, the son of the late Chief
Shotridge of Chilkat and has been,
connected with the University of
Pennsylvania for a number of years.
COMING, COMING, COMING, HUT
NOT HERE
K. O. Fosse is the manager of the
Zellerbaek Paper Company, in the
Seattle branelx. lie says that there'
ll be nothing doing in the paper and
pulp line in this neck of the universe
for some time. Reports on the sur
veys being made by Messrs. Mel
drum, Frost and Edmondson aren’t
in yet. We’ll wait, of course.
A ringer Lost
John Campbell, one of tne pari
neis in tile Petersburg Cabinet
Wo ks, had tne misfortune to lose
tiib lore huger of one of his hands
Monday forenoon.
Miter shutting' oh tne power to
the machine—a circular rip saw
Mr. Campbell placed his hand and
er the saw table to raise it. He
reached a, nil too far and the saw
teetli caught the gloved hand anu
dragged it in and mutilated one u.
the nngers so badly inul it Had to
be amputated.
Pr. Jones was the surgeon in the
case. Mr. Campbell is getting along
nicely and will soon be buck on the
job again.
Willi CANOE AND mil K HOAX
Jimmy Hunter, a Port Angele•> j
Indian, operating a small mail and'
passenger packet between Neah and
1 lallam Ray, saved his four passeng
ers when his gas engine quit him
n a heavy storm recently. Anchors
failed to hold iUe disabled vessel,
10 Hunter launched a small canoe,
lamlied it safely through the surf,
cached the Paduah Point Life Sav
ug Station, returned with the life
Tew and rescued all onboard,
shortly after leaving his drifting
rersel, Hunter was supposed, by
hose whom he had left behind, to
ie drowned as he was seen to rise
>n a big breaker and then go
lown out of sight. Not until the
ife boat came along side did the
•escuod ones know that lie wag still
ilive.
At the Commercial Club
Relative to the Herring and fer
ilizer situation indorsements of th>
Petersburg Commercial Club's re
solutions were made by the Com
nercial Clubs of Ketchikan and
Wrangell. Copies of letters mailed
o Henry O'Malley and Dan Suther
ish-for-fertilizer matter in Californ
aiid were read and filed. These
copies were from originals written
ty both the Ketchikan and Wrangell
HIubs and were considered well got
:en up and to the point.
The court decisions bearing on
a were brought up and referred to.
In a reprint from the “California
Pish and Game,” a review of legal
isnects on the use of food fish for
reduction purposes, it is very clear
ly illustrated what, the California
Courts have done in a situation
that borders quite closely to our
own. To those who may be inter
ested, directly or indirectly, Earl
Ohmer has a copy of the reprint.
In the matter of advertising and
the printing of the Petersburg
pamphlets, the Club was advised
that the work was progressing.
Those on the collection end of <
The Swanson to Washington plan
reported a collection to date of
around $600.
A NEW STEAMER
The Canadian Pacific is going to
add to its fleet of passenger and
freight steamers in the Balmuir,
now under construction in Ssotland.
Done At Angoon November 1927
A. N. B. Annual Convention
Well, the Convention of the Alas
ka Native Brotherhood, held at An
jgoon, November 14th to 21st, both
dates inclusive, is now history. It
' was one of the most successful gath
i erings in the Brotherhood affairs
land records the largest attendance
of any meeting. Delegates and vis
itors numbered between 900 and
1000 and through the whole affair*
there was keen interest, lively dis
cussion and a whole lot of work was
accomplished.
The following is an epitome of the
recorded resolutions:
Relative to resident and non-resi
dent fishermen: Resolved that the
Congress of the United States,j thru
our Delegate, The Hon. Dan Suther
land. be asked to adopt for Ala3ka
tne same regulations for fisher
men as have been adopted by the
State of Washington.
Further resolved: That the Legis
lature of Alaska, in aid or anticipa
tion of such a law from Congress
pass a prohibitory tax on non-resi
dent fishermen. To remove such
tax when residence is established.
Resolved: No fishing by eitbei
traps or seines before 20th July.
No closed season except weekly
closed season as now provided. That
if closed season be modified, recom
mend fishing close weekly Fridays
at 12, midnight, until Sunday, 12
midnight.
Resolved: That Secretary oi
Commerce prohibit use of herring
for fertilizer. And further resolv
ed. That in anticipation of such
restriction the Legislature of Alas
ka pass a prohibitory tax on fer
tilizer plants using herring for
fertilizer.
Recommend: That all fish traps
be absolutely emptied of fish either
by brailing or release on the hour
required by law and that no trap
leads be permitted above low water
line.
In School establishment: Deem
ed improper to establish a school in
any place because there happens to
be building's that might be used for
school purposes unless following be
considered: Accessibility to regular
steaemrs, good and safe harbor,
available water power, proximity to
resources, good townsite and a place
that may be supported by all the
Natives of Southeastern Alaska, or
by a great majority of them. Invite
close inspection of McHenry’s Inlet,
Etoline Island and the Mason Home
steau, south entrance to the Nar
rows, (relative to Industrial School
work by the Bureau of Education
and the strenuous efforts by the
Bureau to hold to Metlakatla.)
Bearing on improvement in edu
cational work: Advise that a,
teacher’s certificate be made a con
dition of employment by the Bureau
of Education. Recommend: That
Bureau of Education consider ad
visability of organizing school
boards with power and duties sim
permitted.
Thanks, to Hawkesworth: Natives
of Southeastern Alaska express their
thanks and appreciation of Chas.
W. Haweswortb, Divisional Super
intendent of the Bureau of Educa
tion for Southeastern Alaska.
Relative to proposed change in
inspection laws. Resolved: That
we favor inspection of gasoline mo
tor craft (same as with Steam ves^
enforce all game laws. That the
dynamiting of beaver dams, as oc
curred last open season, must not be
Coast of Prince of Wales Island and
Portland Canal with instructions to
Yakutat, Icy Straits, Sitka, Taku
River, Wrangell, Ketchikan, West
ilar to that of the Territorial
1 schools.
Relative to the placing of incom
petent men and those subservient to
cannery interests as creek watch
men, and game officers: Resolved:
That the Bureau of Fisheries and
the Alaska Game Commission give
the Native races of Alaska an equal
chance to enforce the laws of the
United States, and a prayer that an
end come to the present discrimina
tion;
Sheldon Jackson School Indorse
ment. We are acquainted with the
school and its plans and we ap
prove of them and ask that hearty
support be given by the Natives of
Alaska to thi3 worthy institution.
To the Alaska Game Commission.
Recommend: That there be no
change in the deer season. 2, That
in addition to bounty system re
commend the engaging of preda
tory hunters, and if this is done ask
that no discrimination be made
against the hiring of the Native rac
es of Alaska. 3. Oppose the protec
tion of brown bear,—or any other
bear. Ask that bear be classed as a
predatory animal.
Medical. Resolved: That the Bu
reau of Education establish a tu
bercular hospital in Southeastern
Alaska at some suitable place. That
nurse service be made more efficient
by placing nurses at Klukwan, An
?oon, Hydaburg and at other out
lying places of considerable popu
lation.
Bearing on the establishment of
fur farms around Chilkat Lake.
Said lake is one of the greatest sokoi
spawning beds and fur farmers like
ly to use sokoi salmon for fur feed.
Recommend: That the Alaska Game
Commission cooperate with the Bu
reau of Fisheries and prevent this
langer. Further, and in regard to
beaver dams on Baranoff Island. It
ippears that beavers have effective
y blocked, by their dams, several
important cohoe salmon streams..
Recommend: That the Alaska Game
Commission take notice that salmon
creeks must not be blocked even to
produce fur animals, and that the
Alaska Game Commission take pro
per means to correct the matter, Re
commend, further: That additional
■ur wardens be placed at Klukwan,
;els) as to soundness of hulls, equip
ment and so on, but strongly oppose
the “Licensed Operator" plan on ac
count of the hardship it would make
>n all fishing boat owners and op
erators.
Icy Straits. Important spawning
iistrict Lynn Canal, Excursion Inlet,
Port Frederick, Chatham Straits,
Steven's Passage. Almost imposs
ible to fish with any kind of gear
there outside of traps, and fourteen
traps in commission there last sea
son completely blocked effective
passage of salmon to spawning areas
Interests of the fishing industry de
mand that all these traps be remov
ed.
Haines Deadline. The facts are
that the deadline for fishing on Lynn
Canal was established by the Bureau
of Fisheries without regard to the
rights of the Natives living in their
ancient villages on the Chilcat Riv
er, that the regulation has proven
unjust and unfair. Recommend:
That deadline on Chilcat River side
be placed on Pyramid Island and on
the Chilkoot River side at the old
Burkhardt cannery.
ALASKA NATIVE BROTHERHOOD
By Louis F. Paul, Grand President
Attest
S. A. Stevens, Grand Secretary.
Resolutions Committee:
S. G. Davis, Chairman, Kasaan
Andrew Hope, Member, Sitka
W. J. Rudolph, Member, Wrangell.
MUST hAVE PROOF OF SALES
A decision rendered by the United
States Supreme Court declares that
the search warrant section of the
Alaska Bone Dry Law is repealed by
the National Prohibition Act.
The decision is made on the ap
peal of Ole Berkness, of Fairbanks,
who carried his case before the U.
S. Supreme Court. Under the Al
aska Bone Dry Law search warrants
of private residences may be law
fully issued upon proof that intoxi
cants are'on the premises. But
under the National Prohibition Act
no residence can be lawfully search
ed except upon proof of SALES.
Back To Fairbanks
It* is reported that the Fairbanks
station has again been made radio
control station for the interior of
Alaska. After considerable radio
distribution it has been found that
Fairbanks is better situated,
geographically for wireless message
control, than on the coast where it
has been since last summer. Mess
ages from Seattle will now go to
Seward by cable, from Seward to
Fairbanks by wire and from Fair
banks by radio.
ALASKAN HAZARDS
In the Railway and Marine News,
Seattle, there appears the following:
Seward, because of its position,
is petitioning Washington to have
stationed the coast guard cutters
and light house tenders at that
point as more advantageous than it
having headquarters in the Pan
handle. But the whole question of
Alaska trade is bound up in the
provision of far more light houses
than exist at present and the ab
sence of which in the past has
made navigation unnecessarily dan
gerous.
Rearrested
David Paul, arrested some time
back for having female deer in his
possession and at liberty practical
ly on his own recognizance, was re
arrested and taken to the Federal
ba3tile by the U. S. Marshal last
Friday. The affair was very quiet
ly carried through and apparently
on no one’s recommendation out
side of Brown’s (who had but re
cently returned from Juneau) the
local court is side tracked and the
matter will be aired in Juneau and
prosecuted by the Game Commis
sion. It was reported that a bond
was fixed at $500., but as it was
arranged to take Paul to Juneau on
the S. S. Watson, due north bound
out of Petersburg Saturday evening,
there was lack of time to make up
the sum.
This particular case savors a j
whole lot more of “railroading” than
of justice. And, evidently, it is much
more of a crime to be caught with
female deer in one’s possession than
to hunt and kill them with spot
light and dogs. We are led to this
view through the fact that all kinds
of young deer and does, have been
killed in the Rocky Pass country
this fall and, seemingly, it is all
right.
Of course it isn’t right, and those
who kill protected game should be
punished, but there isn’t any call
to get nasty about it.
A BLOW-UP
While lying at anchor near Point
Defiance, recently and with no one
onboard of her, the oil tug N; R.
Gray exploded, caught fire and wai
destroyed. The crew was ashore,
some 300 feet distant. No known
OKU.
City Dads Meet
. . It may have been on account of
the weather, anyway the City Coun
cil meeting of last Monday was a
sort of quiet and subdued affair.
In the matter of electric light and
power increase and the installation
of additional equipment, there was
n’t anything definitely arranged at
this time as machinery to complete
the second unit wasn’t as yet finish
ed. As the weather is, and has been
for some time, it would have been
difficult, if it could have been done
at .all, to properly go on with the
work. However, with all of the out
fit on hand and a fair stretch of
weather showing up, the aim will
be to carry it through and get every
thing in working shape before
spring.
Jack Nelson came before the
Council and explained his connec
tion with the land in the Skylark
Creek basin. This bit of real es
tate has been the subject of more or
less controversy, but it appeared
that Mr. Nelson had a recognizable
2laim and the right-of-way matter
for a narrow street through and to
the back of the property was agree
ably arranged.
Bearing on the proposed new
cemetery location, Mr. J. L. Mac
secknie of the City Light and Power
Department said that he could run
i compass course around the land
hat was thought suitable for the
lurpose and this would give an idea
)f the plot. The suggestion was
igreed to. If selected a final sur
vey will then be made.
Mr. Walwick complained, before
he Council, that in the matter of
ire escape and its installation on the
school building, there hadn’t been
'air competition. There hadn’t
jeen any advertising, nor any bids
isked on the work, material, etc.
:t appears that this is more or less
:rue, but it came about as some
hing of an extension job at the
;ime the heating equipment was be
ng installed and was carried thru
jy the same company at practically
he same time.
The city police force came before
the Council and had considerable
o say in an explanatory way.
The Friend (?) of Labor
Again
Yes, Sir, Tommy wants some more
3f it. Into the political ring he
anee more tosses his bonnet and de
sires it to be known that he is out
for Delegate to Congress.
According to the Anchorage Times
the Nome Senator is the choice of
the Second Division Democratic con
tention as the leader on the ticket
in the primary election next spring
At the convention Gaffney was the
principal speaker and he declared
that Delegate Sutherland had as
sumed an “autocratic attitude” at
the last legislative session,”
NOT ALASKA PULP
The Shaffer Box Companj, Ta
coma, is buildin a $500,000 polp
mill close to its box manufacthrlng
plant on the Hylebos Waterway.
THANKSGIVING EVE DANCES
The American Legion party, an
aid time dance, at the Pioneers’ Hall
iras a nice little social affair and
ivas fairly well ttended. At the
Sales’ Inn there was the usual good
:ie. The crowd was lively and un
til the small hours of the morning
the dance went merrily on.
\