A. N. B. PUBLISHING COMPANY
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Published every Friday by the a. N. B. Publishing Co., Petersburg
ffitirti in tbe Poet Offlc# in Petersburg as Second Class matter.
WILL O’MALLY MAKE GOOD
Henry O’Malley, fisheries czar, has
announced his intention to curtail
the use of traps. We do not be
lieve he has the courage to do so if
hig friends and sponsors, the pack
ers, do not want it that wray.
It is very interesting to compare
Delegate Sutherland’s position on
the trap question several years ago
with that of O’Malley today as lie
expressed himself to the Ketchikan
Chronicle. “In certain sections of
Southeastern Alaska, especially
south of the 58th parallel of north
latitude there has been a great in
crease in gear and at present it is
my intention to more widely space
this gear, TO CLOSE CERTAIN
BAYS AND ESTUARIES TO TRAPS
AND TO ELIMINATE TRAPS FROM
POINTS WITHOUT THESE WAT
ERS.”
Here is what Sutherland advocat
ed five years ago on the floor of the
House of Representatives.
“That it shall be unlawful to
drive, construct, or set, or fish with
any fixed or floating traps, weir, or
pound net in any bay, inlet, or
estuary in Alaska, the mouth of
which at its entrance is 3 miles or
less in width, or within any chan
nel or passage connecting larger
bodies of water where the width
of such channel or passage is 3
miles or less, or within 1 mile of
the entrance to any bay, inlet or
estuary which is two miles or less
in width at its entrance of within
1 mile of the mouth of any stream
up wThich salmon are accustomed to
run.
It takes only a few years to vin
dicate practical men in their con
tentions with the canuerB and
O’Malley. Men like Sutherland
have much better knowledge of
their subject than O'Malley has.
Such men have made close study of
the economics of the industry but
of course such men believe that the
fisheries should be regulated in the
interest of those who are engaged
in fishing. O’Malley and Hoover
believe that the regulations should
be entirely for the benefit of those
men who manufacture fish.
Sutherland’s proposal was a com
promise which O’Malley now in
dorses and wants to adopt. He will
not adopt it unless the salmon
packers who made his commissioner
of fisheries are willing. That pro
posal will probably be adopted some
day when there is no other way out
for O’Malley and the packers and
Sutherland’s idea will prevail.
Sutherland’s proposal wras a com
promise at the time but Bourbon
capitalists and their bureau tools
never compromise. Let us now
watch O’Malley in his new7 under
taking and see what comes of it
History is now repeating itself and
we in Alaska are now passing thru
that stage that has been experienc
ed in all other countries. When
the fish supply has been almost des
troyed by the avarice of favored
ones a change in methods of fish
ing becomes necessary and then the
people come into their rights. We
feel that O’Malley’s efforts to re
duce trap fishing will be a more
interesting thing than a trans
oceanic airplane flight, a pugilistic
championship fight or a world
series base ball game.
WE NEED A BETTER HARBOR
Petersburg has one of the best
harbors for anchoring of small boats
in the Territory. A boat captain
can tie u phis boat and w7alk away
from it, leaving it for weeks at a
time without worrying that high
winds and waves will endanger his
craft. No better protected harboi
exists in the Territory. But
Before the harbor can be prefect
enough to give general satisfaction
to all concerned, small boat operat
ors and steamers, the harbors must
be dredged. The excuse has been
given time and again that the rea
son the larger boats do not land
is owing to the fact that the har
bor is not deep enough. The only
reply to that is to dredge the har
bor.
Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Poston
or any other city that is growing,
including cities in Alaska, are those
cities which have the natural and
better waterways. As a port of
i entry for other towns they draw
trade and business and eventually
manufactories. With this increase
in business and payroll population
naturally inereaseo.
Peteraburg hai the chance to get
together on a harbor dredging pro
position which will be of benelit to
every person residing here. There
fore every person should do all
within his power to back the move
ment of the local Chamber of
Commerce to 3eud a representative
to Washington to assist Delegate
Sutherland in the presentation of
facts and data in order that proper
officials may become interested in
the proposition and give the relief
necessary.
Other towns of lessor importance
than Petersburg have secured bene
fits from the government, but only
by a unity of purpose and action.
The citizens of Petrsburg have their
opportunity now to show a united
front. Will they?
“CATACYLSM1C UPHEAVAL”
The failure of the salmon to run
in Alaskan waters according to
swivel chair experts, the Bureau of
Fisheries and the Fish Barons of
Portland, San Francisco and Chicago,
was due to “extreme lateness of the
run,’’ extreme “dry season,” “lack
of southeasterly winds,” “too much
westerly and southwesterly winds,”
“too much fishing in creeks by sein
ers,” and what not. It takes a
scientists to tell resident Alaskans
the scientific cause of depletion not
ed in practically all areas in Alaska
—“cataclysmic upheaval under wat
er.”
There has been a cataclysmic up
heaval under water all right. It is
a wonder that the Bogoslav erup
tion has not been blamed for it; it
is a wonder that “peculiar sulphur
Just on the streets, probably due to
volcanic action” this spring was not
blamed for it. Said dust being the
pollen from spruce trees. It is a
wonder that the Mississippi floods
have not been blamed for the short
age of salmon in the Bering Sea and
the shortage in southeast Alaska to
the upheavals in Japan. They all
have about the same effect on the
fisheries of Alaska to the lay-mind
of resident fishermen.
The upheaval was noted .and
which is beyond the understanding
of Doctor Radcliffe, has been going
on for many years. It went on
when the packing combine put thoh
fences across the salmon streams
with fences and later with their big
traps and also with the assistance
of seiners who were instructed to
“get the fish regardless of where
they were gotten;” it began with
the dumping of thousands of pinks,
dogs and cohoes because they were
too cheap to pack” and only the
“reds” were desired. It continued
with the increasing percentage of
trap gear in spite of the warnings
to the industry by local fishermen.
The upheaval was greater under the
direction of the great Herbert Hoov
er who limited the pack of a can
nery from 17,000 to 50,000 and
from 25,000 to 75,000 cases. The
upheaval under water was the re
sult of the too intensive fishing and
over production at the cost of seed
fish which did not escape to spawn
ing grounds. i
The real cataclysmic upheaval was h
the order published prohibiting any
further fishing this year, only the
fish had disappeared before the up
heaval.
Science does not know why the
shortage of the salmon runs this
year, ‘showing that the scientist can
be most ignorant of ordinary af
fairs, criminally indifferent to the
cause of depletion, or just has no
common sense.
The fisherman has declared that
the future of the salmon surply was
in danger due to the over fishing in
all areas and the non-escapement
of salmon. .The scientist pointed
to an “amazing increase” during the
season of 192 4 due to the escape
ment under the regulation pro
mulgated in 192 4. But the scientist
did not stale that the “amazing in
crease” was at the cost of seed fish
which endangered the future sup
ply. Common sense tells fishermen
that when salmon do not return to
a given stream after a stated period,
that stream is depleted. The know
ledge of salmon runs in the’ various
districts in Alaska and his observa
tion of the run or lack of run of
salmon to (hose areas is due to over
production. And that overproduc
tion only can cause depletion.
The Whisperings of the Wind—
By AHN-KUTTY
Have you heard them, those soft
murmurs of gossipy zephyrs floating
up and down our streets and play
ing airy lag in the alleys? No?
Well, there’s a rumor on these
windy currents that Petersburg de
sires to sell its electric light plant,
poles and power, wire and water.
“1 hadn’t heard,” you say. Probab
ly it wasn’t meant that you should
hear—too soon.
Anyway, that’s the dope. It’s be
ing developed (?) you know. What
do you think about it? Wliat do
we think about it? We think there’s
a big brunette in the woodpile. Who
so secretly originated this bit of
horse dream we don’t know, but al
ready the idea has its yes-men.
There’s something mighty odd
about it too. How does it come
that a private organization knew
there was a possible chance to buv
the plant. It must have come from
a city official for capitalists don’t
pay attention to "hints of private
citizens unless they are quite sure
the official is speaking through
them, and a city official sneaking
thusly is a traitor. And a private
outfit does know that a sale is be
ing worked up for they had rep
resentatives before the Council al
ready and ask for, and were given,
permission to take an inventory of
the City’s electric holdings and to
submit engineering advice as to its
probably worth as a financial un
dertaking.
It appears that what is yours, and
mine, doesn’t belong to us at all,
but to a few—some elected, some
self-appointed-guardians who want
to shuffle off what they haven’t the
ability to manage.
We know, of course, that Peters
burg was stung in a dozen different
places in the construction if its light
and power project. Much of thi3
stinging came through ignorance of
too many bosses, political sewer
digging and incompetent manage
ment. However, other municipal
ities have suffered through this
trinity, but they did a bit of house
cleaning and made their lights and
power pay. They didn’t whine about
an uphill drag and sneak in buyers
to ease the load.
There’s considerable, in the af
fairs of our light and power that
call for an airing, but to even hint
1 at making a transfer to outside
| buyers is an open admission of a
lack of understanding and incom
petency.
COLUMBIA RIVER LOOKS FOR
BIG RUN OF SALMON
Prices of fall salmon reported as;
being 6 cents per pound for Chin-i
ooks as compared to 2 cents op-j
ening prices last year for fall fish, j
---
When a woman marries she not]
only takes a man’s name but every-j
thing else he has.
JONSERVATION OF SALMON IN
ALASKA THIRTY YEARS AGO
By AHN-KUTTY
“Where did you get ’em?” Bab
bler inquired, as he looked over the
dock and indifferently sized up the
iwo canoes. “How long ago you
catch ’em?”
“Last night we got ’em. How
much will you give?”
“Don’t want ’em at all. Take
'em some place else,—throw ’em
overboard. Don’t bring any more.
I’m not buying salmon,” and Bab
bier shuffled away with that pe
culiar limp he had. He was in
terested in where the flsh came
from, of course. Had the Natives
told him he would have had the
Arctic tow a drag seine outfit to
the place. I asked why, since the
cannery was desirous of securing
all the sokoi salmon it could, 1 ask
ed why he coldly turned down the
two lots of fine fresh fish.
“We can’t control the fish in
the water,” replied Babbler, “but
we can control ’em dead and we’ve
pretty near a cinch on tliose who
depend on fishing for a living. We
don’t want any independent gear in
the water, nor do we care to en
I courage independent fishermen. This
is the policy and it will be adhered
to.”
The big idea was to control the
supply and to hold down the price
of raw material. There was no
other concern, handling salmon,
near enough to Wrangell to cause
the Association any worry, so the
Indians were obliged to toss their
1500 red salmon overside and
take in their nets. There was no
race partiality shown. Independent
' white fishermen were snubbed as
t
| coldly and as effectively. The out
fit was cold blooded, weasel hearted
I
and wholly selfish. Still, at that,
the A. P. A. carried no more car
diac icicles than other ‘‘infant in
dustries” of the period.
Once I asked Babbler if the fenc
ing of salmon creeks and the whole
sale destruction of sokoi and hump
back wouldn’t eventually make can
nery material a scarce and high j
priced article. Babbler was fre
quently slow in replying. Apparent-j
ly he would think twice before re-|
plying once. Pie would look off,
sidewise, chew his cigarette and
think out an answer. He answer-!
ed me: “We must get all the fishj
we can today by any method, tomor
row others will be in the field.
There’s no sportsmanship in this
cannery game and newcomers will
be as ruthless and as wasteful as
we. It will be anything, (in any
way, to get a pack. Our company
can quit right now and be tar and
away ahead of the game. We are
working on velvet now and aren’t
troubling ourselves with what to
morrow holds. That day will take
care of itself. And, anyhow, what
is this country good for hut the fish
it supplies? It’s rough, remote and
the sooner it is fished out the soon
er we’ll go home.”
For those who lived here, for
those to whom Alaska was their all,
for those who even thought of mak
ing a home in the territory there
wasn’t one whit of consideration.
Everything was fish; fish by fair
means or foul, but fish.
When the run of reds to Salmon
TO HOLDERS OP
SECOND LIBERTY LOAN
4; PER CENT BONDS
EXCHANGE OFFERING OF NEW
TREASURY NOTES
Second Liberty Loan bonds have been called
for payment on November 15th next, and no
interest will be paid after that date.
Notice is given of a new offering of United
States Treasury notes, in exchange for Second
Liberty Loan Converted 4 Vi per cent bonds
The new notes will be dated September 15, 1927,
and will bear interest from that date at the rate
of 3 J-2 P«r cent. The notes will mature in live
years but may be called for redemption after
three years.
Interest on Second Liberty Ixian Converted
4 M per cent bonds surrendered and accepted in
exchange will be paid to. November 15, 1927
The price of the new issue of notes, is 100 Hold
ers surrendeimg Second Liberty Loan Convert
ed 4 H per cent bonds in exchange will receive, at
the time of delivery of the new notes, interest
on such Second Liberty Loan Converted 4 \i per
cent bonds from May 15, 1927, to November 15,
1927, less the premium on the new notes iiftued.
Holders of Second Liberty Loan Converted
4 Vi per cent bonds who desire to take advantage
of this < pp r: unity to obtain Treasury notes of
the new issue, should arrange with their bank
for such exchai.'< it the earliest possible date,
as this oiler will remain open only for a limited
period after fioptember 15th.
Further information may be obtained from
banks or trust companies, or from any Federal
Reserve Bank
, A. W. MELLON,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Washington, D. C., September 6, 1927. *
Look for
Hills Bros’
Arab
when
you
coff
i
i
Controlled Roasting! That’s
what Hills Bros.’ Arab stands
for. A process that roasts a few
pounds at a time instead of in
bulk. A process that produces
a distinctive, unvarying flavor
and aroma unapproached by any
other coffee.
Controlled Roasting is Hills
Bros.’ process exclusively. And
the fine flavor it creates comes
to you in all its abundance be
cause Hills Bros. Coffee is
packed in vacuum. Until you
open the tin by turning the key,
not a bit of this goodness can
escape.
Ask for Hills Bros. Coffee by
name and look for the Arab on
the can. Your grocer has it.
Send for a free copy of “The
Art of Entertaining.” Address
Hills Bros., 2 Harrison Street,
San Francisco, Calif.
HILLS BROS COEEEE
Fresh from the
original vacuum
pack. Easily
opened with a key. 01927
QUALITY
and
QUANTITY
For Less
At
Modern Grocery
AMERICA FIRST arrives In Pe
tersburg Friday morning, leaving
for Juneau via Kake and way ports
about noon.
HAHOW TRANSPORTATION
COMPANY
JAC0B1TZ TAXI
DAY & NIGHT SERVICE
Stand at Arctic Hotel
Phone 35
ALASKA CAFE
George Kim, Proprietor
Meals at all Hours
Good Services, Fair Prices
We Solicit Your Trade
: When in Town Stop at
j ARCTIC HOTEL J
First Class Rooms
Reasonable Rates
CARL ROGER, Pro. ij!
mmimamn »t» »i nmtmmmtmtm:?
Home Service Mending
of Laundered Goods
We give full value for your
money.
H. OYAMA, PRO.
A Roast you’ll ,jike
The Very Choicest Beef
Mutton and Pork
! Vegetable in Season ;
SITKA HOT SPRING
HEALTH RESORT
Rate $3.00 per
day and up
Dr. Goddard, Pro.
Built
Attractively
'nnoflfl
»/vyju.WORKas J
J SUPPLY CORPJi. >