VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA AUGUST 26, 1927
NO. 7
Sutherland Reviews
Fish Situation
An unusually small run of sal-'
moil is bringing hardship to the
natives of Alaska and financial loss
to others, according to Delegate
Dan A. Sutherland, of Juneau, Alas
ka. in an oral stateement given out
on August 16, Mr. Sutherland de
clared that the results have not
borne out the accuracy of the
theory upon which tile Department
of Commerce has been relying in
its administration of the Alaska
Fisheries.
“Advices from southeastern Alas
ka indicate that the run of salmon
for this season is very small in
deed,’’ said Mr. Sutherland. “Many
of the packers will not have 50 per
cent of last year’s pack and in
some cases as small as a 10 per
cent pack is reported.
‘This result* of the season’s pack
means that there will be poverty
among the local fishing population,
mostly natives, and it also means
great loss to the packers themselves.
“If the theory advanced by the
scientists of the United States Bu
reau of Fisheries—that there must
be a greater escapement of spawn
ing fish than in the past in order
to replenish the supply—be accept
ed, there can he but one conclu
sion arrived at; viz: that the es
capement allowed has been too
small.
“During the years ■since Congress
authorized the Secretary of Com
merce to regulate the Alaskan fish
eries there has been no reduction
of the amount of fish taken in any
season hut, on the contrary, there
has been more intensive fishing in
southeastern Alaska than ever be
fore since the salmon were first ex
ploited.
“The Act of Congress of 1921
authorized the Secretary of Com
merce to regulate the fisheries and
gave him almost absolute power.
The fish of southeastern Alaska,
the pink variety, matures in two
years according toi tne scientists
of the Bureau of Fisheries, there
fore the catch of 19 27 would be
spawning in 192 5 and if enough
fish had been permitted to reach
the spawning grounds the presump
tion is that this year’s catch should
have been at least normal.’’
Sacco-V anzetti
Pay Penalty
Niccola Sacco and Bartolomeo
paid the extreme penalty to society
for the muroer of Frenerick A.
Parmentor, paymaster of a large
shoe manufacturing concern, ans his
guard, Alexander Berardelli, at
April 15, 1920. They were tried
on the charge of first degree mur
der and found guilty of the charge
July 14, 1921. Since that time
the two men have fought for their
lives right up to the Supreme
Court of Massachusetts and their
execution stayed by Governor Full
er who appointed a commission to
investigate and report their inves
tigations to him. He refused in his
decision to give clemency but grant
ed new respite up to and including
the 22nd of August.
Celestino MadeirGs, convicted of
the murder of a bank cashier of
Wrentham along with Sacco and
Vanzetti marched each to the elec
tric chair and paid the extreme pen
alty for the crimes of which they
were convicted.
The prison walls, guarded from
within and without, by armed
guards. Sacco and Vanzetti both
made brief speeches before they
took their seat in the chair. Be
fore he sat down, Sacco said, “Long
live anarchy” and then “Farewell
ml wife and child, and all my
friends. His last words, when the
straps were being fastened were,
“Gcod evening gentlemen. Fare
well mother.
The calmest of the three, Van
zetti entered, shook hands with his
two guards, walked to the chaii
unassisted and seated himself. Ir
broken English he said, “I wish tc
tell you I am innocent with ans
crime, but sometime some sin. 1
thank you for everything you have
done for me. I am Innocent of al
crime, not only of this one, but all
I am an innocent man.” Then jusi
a3 he'was being strapped to the
chair, he shouted “I wish to for
give some people for what they an
doing to me.” Thus ended, fo
these men one of the most spectac
Children Chased By
Protected Bear
Two native girls went out for a
walk to the head of the hay at Tyee
this summer, along with five chil
dren ,the oldest of whom was not
over six years of age and the young
est less than two years old. When
they had gotten well up the hay
they saw a large hrown hear ou he
beach with two cubs, so began a
hasty retreat. But the mother
bear saw them and started in pur
suit across the mud flats. The mud
was mucky and soft so Mother
Bruin made slow going of it hut
the girls and kiddies made it in
nothing flat to the cannery.
Had anyone or all of these pur
sued by the hear been caught and
killed, it would have been made
possible by the protection afforded
the bruits for the benefit of big
game hunters.
Protect the brown bear and kill
off as many Alaskans as possible
is poor policy for any department
of our government to follow. ^
WORTH OPENS NEW BALLROOM
Billy Wcrfli will open the doors
of his new ballroom to the public
on Saturday in the form of a jitney
dance. Everything is spick and span
and cosy with a truly nice floor. Af
ter the opening night the ballroom
will be open every evening from
seven p. m. to twelve midnight.
Cover charge will be twenty-five
cents. Mr. Worth states that ht
will rent the ballroom for special
parties, dances, card partie., etc
This, without doubt, is one of the
finest of its kind in Alaska.
ular cases in American history. The
labor element throughout the worle
along with the “radicals” hav<
made considerable demonstration
1 petitions and parades urging th<
pardoning of these men. In sotm
European countries bombs have beei
' resorted to so that armed guard
* had to be brought out.
Civilized society is paid for th
J violation of its laws and is nm
r satisfied with the punishment met
- ed these men.
Pacific Ports Going Dry
Evidence of a decrease in liquor
shipments into tho United States
has been received from the United
i
Slates Consul at Vancouver, B. C.,
according to an announcement re
cently by the Department of Justice.
The Department said the consul’s
reports showed a falling off of 57,
9 40 cases in shipments from Van
couver during the first six months
of 1927, and a decline of 2,320 cag
es in the shipments from Victoria
the consul ascribing the decline to
work of the Royal Commission
which spent several months in Bri
tish Columbia in connection with a
study of ihe illegal liquor traffic.
5-Acre Tracts May
Be Purchased
The new homestead act passed by
the last Congress provides: That
section 10 of the Act entitled ‘An
Act extending the homestead laws
and providing for right of way for
railroads in the District of Alaska,
and for other purposes, approved
May 14, 1898 (Thirtieth Statutes
at Large, page 409), be, and the
same is hereby, amended by adding
thereto the following after the word
‘other wise' in line 14 of the sec
tion :
“Provided, That any citizen of
the United States tweny-one years
of age employed by ciizens of the
United States,, associations of such
citizens, or by corporations organ
ized under the laws of the United
States, or any State or Terriory.
whose employer is engaged in trade,
manufacture, or other productive
industry, and any citizen of the
United States tweny-one years of
age who is himself engaged in
trade, manufacture, or other pro
ductive industry may purchase one
claim, not exceeding five acres, of
unreserved public lands, such tract
of land not to include mineral, coal,
oil or gas lands in Alaska as a
homestead or headquarters, under
rules and regulations to be prescrib
ed bv the Secretary of the Interior,
noon pavmen of $2.50 per acre.”
9
enable fishermen, trappers, traders,
manufacurers, or others engaged in
prodctive industry to purchase
small tracts of unreserved land in
Alaska, not exceeding 5 acres, as
homesteads or headquarters.
The use of lands authorized to be
so ptirchased, for unlawful purpses,
in therefore inconsistent with the
intent and purpose of he act; and
care will be taken in all cases be
fore patent issues, to see that such
intent and purposes are made effect
ive.
Further information relative to
this law may be secured from the
United States Land Office at Anchor
age
“FTSH EXPERTS” TO MEET IN
CONVENTION AT SEATTLE!
1 The lure of the charmed land is
doing its work. The chamber of
commerce received word Wednes
> day that the International Associa
l tion of Game, Fish and Conserva
i tion, and the American Fisheries
Society, will hold a joint conven
} tion in Seattle in August, 1928. Al
} though not the largest national
i gathering to meet in Seattle next
S summer, will be one of the most
interesting. Prof. Joon N. Cobb,
3 dean of the college of fisheries, U
r of W., and Prof. Willis H. Rich of
the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, are
members of the organization.
Brown Bear Skin Rug
Sales Held Illegal
Under a ruling just made by the
legal branch of the department of
agriculture, the sale of brown bear
•skin rugs in Alaska is illegal and
in violation of the Alaska Game
Law ,it has been announced by H
W. Terhune, executive officer of the
Alaska Game Commission. The so
licitor of the department said the
origin of the skin, whether taken in
Alaska or elsewhere “is of no sig
nificance.”
The question was raised by local
dealers, Mr. Terhune said, in order
to secure an authoritative ruling on
it without bringing legal action, it
was submitted to he deparmen.t
Mineral Claim Val-;
id Despite Entry
A mineral entry cannot be held
to be invalid because at the time
it was made the land was covered
by a homestead entry, the Depart-!
ment of the Interior ruled in a de-i
cision promulgated recently, revers-!
ing a finding by the Commissioner;
of the General Land Office.
After citing precedents for the
opinion, the Department states:
“These cases, uniformly followed,!
so far as the Department is aware,:
covering a period of more than 40;
years, constitute a rule of proper-1
ty, and though the facts vary, are,
decisive of the principle that a loca-j
tion, otherwise lawful, of mineral
land embraced in a subsisting but
property right in the highest sense!
of that term, is good as against the;
world, including the entryman and!
the Government, notwithstanding
the locator is not entitled to a patent
or to maintain possession in the
courts until such entry be cancel-;
ed.”
While under the law the Depjart
ment is without authority to issue
the appellant a patent for the miner
als alone, the decision states, it j
does not follow that his right to1
them was forfeited by the issuance
of a patent for the surface.
Locals
Mrs. Dahl and Mrs. Sam Gauphin
left on the Queen Monday morning
to make the round trip to Sitka.
Dr. D. G. Colp, who has been
visiting his brother, Mr. Harry Colp,
left this morning for his home in
Minneapolis.
J. K. Hanson whO( lives on a fox
island near Ketchikan came to Pe
tersburg this week for medical
treatment. He is suffering from a
bad infection caused by an abdom
inal abscess.
Nick Davis was brought in from
Kake on Tuesday for medical treat
ment.
Mrs. Sam Allen, Mrs. Sutphen and
little daughter Marion, returned
this week from a short visit in
Ketchikan.
Miss Cary McKecknie left this
week for a short visit with friends
in Juneau. She expects to stay un
til the opening of school.
FOR QUICK TAXI . SERVICE
CALL PHONE 49.
The steam tug Anna Barron of
Funter Bay was in Port Thuosday
enroute to the Sound.
Commercial Club Busy
Discussing Various Problems
The regular meeting of the Com
mercial Club was held on Wednes
day evening of this week at the
City Hall. Because of the volum
inous amount of business to be
transacted, the Club did not follow
its usual custom and have a dinnei
meeting. However, the members
voted to continue their former plan
of a regular weekly dinner meet
ing alternating monthly between
the Grand Cafe, The Home Cafe,
and Mrs. Tates Boarding House,
when she gets established in her
new place of business. Starting
with the meeting next Wednesday
evening, the Club will convene for
a month at the private dining
room in the Grand Cafe.
HARBOR DREDGING DISCUSSED
The matter of dredging of the
harbor was under discussion and
correspondence read encouraging
the Club greatly in the hope that
the survey and the sounding would
be done next summer and the
dredging probably started the fol
lowing year at the latest.
BIT*' " CONSIDER EXTENSION
.PETE sC<}\\ BAY' ROAD
It was rt^'Oxteu that from con
versations with Mr. Williams of
Juneau, head of the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads, that the Department was
considering the extension of the
road from Scow Bay to Blino
Slough. Those who have seen the
trail from tidewater to Blind
Slough report that it was a very
good one; better and wider than
most trails which verfies the plan
announced by the Bureau of Roads
that it would be built with extra
care and later widened.
RECOMMEND SMALL FEE FOR
a— HUNTERS OF WILD GAME
The license fee for hunters was'
discussed and it was the concensus
of opinion of the members that for
the protection of wild game there
should be a nominal fee of about
$1. for resident hunters while the
non-resident hunters should pay a
fee of $25. for birds and $50. for
big game. This would make it pos
sible for the game wardens to re
cognize outsiders. A committee
was appoited to address the game
Commission with such a definite re
commendation and that a delegate
be sent to present the case before
the Commission when It meets at
Juneau.
REPORT N. E. A. AT SEATTLE
Mr. Conrad Bowman, Superin
tendent of local schools, gave a re
port of the National Educational
Association convention held in Se
attle in June. Mr. Bowman had
charge of the Alaska exhibit and
reported that it was the most popu
lar of any of the State exhibits.
PLAN CITY ADVISORY COMMIT EE
Considerable discussion was made
relative to the merits and demer
its of an advisory committee to the
City Council; said committee to
consider any and all matters neces
sitating an outlay of city funds,
and to make recommendations to
the council. This plan was presented
and recommended for adoption by
Mr. Ernest Schoenwald of the Pe
tersburg Packing Company at a
previous meeting of the Club.
The matter was considered im
practical because any men with
ability to fill such an office would
not have the time to devote gratu
itously to such work, and if they
did so function and advised under
they would be blamed unreserved
ly, consequently, the plan wan dis
carded.
PRINTING COMMITTEE HAS JOB
The permanent committee on
printing was instructed to proceed
as rapidly as possible in gathering
data and compiling copy for a new
brochure to be printed early in the
year, so as to be ready for the tour
ist trade. The committee was in
structed to get bids from both of
The local shop3 and from outside
printing shops.
The committee appointed several
months ago to make a habor sur
vey and plans for a city float, maie
its report and recommendations.
The committee was discharged and
the matter left until the govern
ment took further action in the
I dredging of the harbor.
FISH TRAPS OR PEOPLE—WHICH?
LIST OF LARGER CORPORATE TRAP OPERATORS
IN S. E. ALASKA 1926
Astoria and Puget Sound Canning Co. 7 Traps
Alaska Packers Association 12 ”
Alaska Consolidated Canneries 49
Booth Fisheries Co., 26
Deap Sea Salmon Co. 20 ”
Fidalgo Island Packing Co. 10
Hoonali Packing Company 7
Hidden Inlet Canning Co. 5
Karheen Packing Co. 6
Libby, McNiel and Libby 14
George T. Myers Co. 4
N. Pacific Trading and Packing Co. 6
NAKAT PACKING CO. (A & P. Products Co.)
With Swift-Arthur Crosby Co.
Pacific American Fisheries
New England Fish Co.
Sanborn-Cutting Co.,
Smiley & Co.,
Sunny Point Packing Co.,
Sea Coast Packing Co.,
Superior Fish Company
Thlinget Packing Co.,
Beegle Packing Co.,
38
7
8
10
14
10
7
5
7
10
285
22 Corporations operated
17 Other Corporations operated
95 Individuals operated
518 ”
In 1926, these 39 corporations with 406 traps, and
95 Individuals with 107 traps, caught 81% of all the
Salmon canned in all Southeast Alaska.
285 Traps
121
107