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Te tritt Hm M QMUIUID
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
OCTOBER 24, 1930
No. 14
VOLUME NO. 5.
Enthusiastic Meeting
Harbor Improvement
One of the most enthusiastic
meetings held in Petersburg in
a long time was conducted Mon- j
day evening at the Sons of Nor
way hall by Lieut. Oxrieder of:
the U. S. Army Engineers, who!
was sent here by Col. Malcolm |
Elliott to investigate the need of
improving the Petersburg har
bor by dredging. While the im
provement was originally re
quested by the Petersburg Com
mercial Club the purpose of this1
meeting as stated by Lieut. Ox- I
neder was to determine definite- !
ly what the people of this com- |
munity wish. Although a great
many of the resident fishermen
were out of town the meeting
was very well attended and a
mass of pertinent data in regard
to the commercial importance j
of this port as well as facts per- |
taining to the depth and con-,
restion cf the harbor were;
i
brought out. Lieut. James Truitt;
was also present at the meeting
and made many constructive
suggestions to bring out mater
ial facts. In order that a full and
comprehensive report may be
made, much detailed informa
tion must be gotten together
and forwarded to Lieut. Ox
rieder later. The report will not
be completed much before the
end of the year and it is reques
ted that any person able to
lurnish specific data regarding
damage to vessels or delays to
shipping resulting directly or
indirectly from the condition of
the harbor should communicate
with the Alaskan office or E. N
Ohmer, President of the Com
mercial Club.
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VANCOUVER ’31 CONVENTION
CITY FOR A. F. OF L.
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The American Federation of
Labor in convention in Boston,
Mass., last Friday reelected its
entire set of officers, headed by
President William Green and it
also selected Vancouver, B. C., as
the 1931 convention city.
The executive council was in-!
structed to follow closely the j
question of conscription of pri
vate property for use without
profit by the government during
war times and to take action ne
cessary to protect labor interests, j
President Hoover was called i
upon to create a long range:
planning committee of public!
works as a precaution against
unemployment distress in the’
future.
The convention went on re-;
cord as favoring enactment of
legislation which would fur-1
ther restrict immigration and
which would place Mexico under
the quota law. It also favored
including professional musi
cians, under alien labor clasifi
cation.
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Captain C. R. Bell brought to
Petersburg last Saturday the
body of Jess Anton Clausen,
more commonly known as John
Clausen, a native of Denmark.
Mr. Clausen was found dead
aboard his boat in Eliza Harbor.
All evidence indicates a natural
death. The dead man was found
sitting on the locker leaning on
the table in his boat, where he
had eaten his breakfast. About
$75 in cash was found aboard
the boat. To date no trace has
been found of any relative of
the deceased. Interment was
made in the Petersburg ceme
tary. Until recently Mr. Clausen
was employed on the Tenfjoid
fox farm in Tebenkoff Bay but
since that time has been trolling
in the vicinity of Kake. He had
gone to Eliza Hafbor on a hunt
ing expedition.
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Ketchikan Fish
Buyer Murdered
J. P. Marshall, independent
fish buyer of Ketchikan was
found dead in the galley of his
boat, the Pheonix IV Wednes
day morning. The discovery was
made by Captain S. Halvorsen
of the coast guard cutter Cygan
which towed the boat in from
Point Higgins. All circumstances
point to cold blooded murder. A
small safe or strong box known
to have been kept in the pilot
house on the boat was missing
and the boat had been com
pletely ransacked. The victim
was found with his hands cross
ed and tied behind his back and
his feet also tied. The body was
found lying face down in a pool
of blood with a deep wound over
the right eye. A hand axe was
lying near and it is possible that
this was the instrument with
which the murder was done. The
exact amount of money which
was carried aboard the boat is
not known at this time. Marshall
had been selling fish during the
reason to Sebastian-Stuart but
the last cargo was sold Sunday
to Atlantic-Pacific, for which he
received $528 but as the boat
was actively engaged in buying
ting salmon on the trolling
grounds it is presumed that
more cash was carried.
The murdered man was well
tnown about Ketchikan. He was
a, man of middle age and part
ially deaf. He was formerly mas
ter of the boat “Active.” So far
as is known he was alone on the
Pheonix but this has not been
definitely established. An in
quest was called by acting com
missioner Gildea and Dr. Mus
tard was called to make an ex
amination of the body. A search
of the victim’s pockets revealed
B65 in currency, some silver and
his watch. If robbery was the
motive for the deed this loot was
overlooked.
I
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SKYMAN BARBER SHOP SOLD
x
Thure Swanson, formerly of
Petersburg but more recently of:
Ketchikan, this week purchased
the baber shop and beauty par
lor which has been conducted
here for a number of years by
Guy Skyman. He also purchased
the Skyman residence property, ;
formerly the C. D. Osten home |
on Vista Avenue. As part of thej
transaction Mr. Skyman be-;
comes master of the power boat ■
“Verna II.” Mr Skyman plans to
lemain in Petersburg two or
three weeks to close up some
matters of business, after which
he expects to make a trip to Se
attle with his boat. The best
wishes of his many friends here
will follow him wherever he
goes. Mr. Swanson will conduct
the barber shop at the old stand
while Mrs. Swanson, who is a
competent beauty parlor opera
tive will have charge of that end
of the business. The Swansons
have expressed the wish that
they may speedily become ac
quainted with, all of the old pat
rons of the shop as well as many
new ones.
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SALVATION ARMY CONGRESS
Beginning on Friday, October
24th, the All-Alaska Congress of
the Salvation Army will convene
at Juneau. Major Merritt of
i Vancouver will be present and
| will conduct the sessions. Sol
diers from all points from Cor
dova *to Ketchikan will be in at
tendance. As the sessions will
continue until Tuesday of next
week, fhere will be no services
at the local Army Barracks, next
Sunday.
A Challenge to Grigsby Who
Charges Betrayal of Trust
We challenge George Grigsby to take the following proposed trap
leasehold bill and show to the voters wherein it is a betrayal of trust by
Wickersham or Paul. We also suggest that the voters read and study
this matter and like men form their own conclusions rather than to ac
cept fully the biased statements of crooked minds and hearts.
Democrat George Grigsby is
running around the Territory
charging that Republican Judge
Wickersham received $8,000 and
Republican William L. Paul re
ceived $6,000 for drafting the
trap leasehold bill and thereby
betraying the confidence of the
fishermen who voted to elect
them to office as Delegate to
Congress and to the Territorial
legislature, respectively.
Judge Wickersham has ex
plained satisfactorily to the
public his part in drafting the
bill which was published in The
Alaska Fisherman, January 1928
along with his explanatory let
ter in which he asks the public
to give an expression on the sub
ject. Where was George Grigsby
or his cohorts at this time that
they did not state their objec
tions Certainly they knew that
it was published and that it
would be presented to Congress
for consideration Why was the
proposed bill alright at that
time and all wrong when elec
tions came around? Was it be
cause the canneries had contri
buted too largely to the cam
paign of the Democratic candi
dates in 1928 thereby closing
their mouths to any objections
and later it meets with opposi
tion because the canners refuse
to be so generous? What is there
wrong about that proposed
leasehold bill? Why is Grigsby
so quiet about the terms of the
bill and why does he only raise
a wrathy voice in generalities?
Dare he take the bill paragraph
by paragraph? He dares not for
it will belie his vociferous ob
jections and show that he is
without honor in making allega
tions of betrayal against Judge
Wickersham and William Paul.
We herewith reprint Judge
Wickersham’s letter and the
proposed leasehold bill and ask
the serious consideration of this
by every voter:
“Reprinted from Alaska Fisher
man for January 1928.”
WICKERSHAM OFFERS DRAFT
NEW FISHERIES LAW
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Editor Alaska Fisherman:
Nature and Dan Sutherland
and William L. Paul and Henry
O’Malley, sometimes acting to
gether and sometimes not, have
finally won a partial victory for
conservation in the fight to pro
tect and preserve the fisheries
of Alaska. The Act of Congress
of June 18, 1926, together with
the new Rules and Regulation;
of December 12, 1927, make £
step in the light direction, anc
recognize for the first time the
rights of the resident Alaska
1 fishermen.
There is still, however, the
fight between the trap owners
Those who have lost trap sites
are said to be planning to ‘jump'
some of the best sites remain
ing by getting on the ground
first. The War Department has
issued Rules and Regulations to
remedy the situation brought
about by Judge Reed’s decision
that the first man on the ground
will hold it, though what au
thority the War Department has
over the fisheries in Alaska is
not understood. The trap men
contend that so long as their
business is recognized as legal by
the law, they ought to be entitl
ed to protection from other trap
men. The whole matter has now
resolved itself into a scrap be
tween the trap men. The only
interest left for the public in
the matter is to protect the trap
sites so that no pr.'vate title can
be obtained by any of the trap
men to these advantageous fish
ing stations. It is to the public
interest that there shall be no
private title acquired by any trap
owner to the sites which cannot
be shaken off promptly if ne
cessary to protect the fisheries
from destruction.
It would be far better if the
rerritorial Legislature had con
trol of the situation, but it has
not. The trap sites are a “no
man’s land” between the con
tending trap men, and the
strongest of them controls. FOR
[he preservation of the public
right, to prevent private title, to
preserve order between the war
ring trap men, to compel them
to pay a license fee and to re
cognize the rights of the public,
it is necessary to amend the law
to that extent.
In view of this chaotic situa
tion and at the suggestion of
the friends of the Alaskan fish
eries, the following draft of a
tentative bill has been prepared
and is sent you herewith with
the request that it be printed
in your paper for general in
formation. If the reader has anj
suggestion either in oppositior
to the general idea in the pro
posed bill as a whole, or o1
amendment which will bettei
protect the public interest ir
Alaska fisheries, let them b(
heard, so the suggested bill maj
be further amended to proteci
i the interest of the public if ne
, cessary.
(Signed) James Wickersham)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION S
| OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF
JUNE 6, 1924 ENTITLED “AN
ACT FOR THE PROTEC
TION OF THE FISHER
IES OF ALASKA, AND
| FOR OTHER PURPOSES”
Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives oi
ihe United States of America in
Congress assembled, That sec
8 of the Act of Congress of June
6, 1924, entitled “An Act for the
protection of the fisheries of
Alaska, and for other purposes,”
is amended so that it will read
as follows:
“Section 8. Nothing in this Act
] contained, nor any powers here
in conferred upon the Secretary
of Commerce, shall abrogate or
curtail the powers granted the
i Territorial Legislature of Alaska
to impose taxes or licenses, nor
j limit or curtail any powers
granted the Territorial Legisla
’ lure of Alaska by the Act of
Congress approved August 24,
1912 “To create a legislative as
sembly in the Territory of Alas
ka, to confer legislative power
thereon, and for other purposes;’
(a) that the Secretary of Com
merce is hereby authorized to
license fishing for salmon with
traps, on sites suitable therefor
in the coastal waters of Alaska,
where the same are new au
thorized to be located by law by
any person, association, firm or
corporation, subject to the laws
of the United States and the
; terms, limitations and restric
tions herein after mentioned;
(b) that no license shall be is
| sued for any period longer than
! four years, and may be renewed
1 from time to time for any period
mot to exceed a term of four
'years, provided, THAT THE
[RIGHT IS HEREBY RESERVED
BY THE UNITED STATES TO
REVOKE THE SAID LICENSE
I and all rights granted
i THEREBY OR CLAIM ED
jTHEREUNDER, AT THE END
OF ANY YEAR AFTER THAT IPs
WHICH THE LICENSE IS IS
SUED, UPON THIRTY DAYS
; NOTICE GIVEN BY THE UNIT
ED STATES TO THE SAID LI
CENSEE OF ITS INTENTION SC
TO REVOKE THE SAID LI
■ CENSE; (c) and thereupon the
. license shall vacate the said trap
:1 site and remove its trap anc
other property therefrom with
; J (Continued on page two)
LOVELY FEMININE PLAYER
MUDDLES THRILLING PLOT
A blue-eyed complication en
ters “The Greene Murder Case,”
Paramount’s latest all-talking
thriller from the pen of S. S. Van
Dine, when Jean Arthur is nam
ed as one of the nine suspects
in the baffling story. The pic
ture will show at the Coliseum
TXheatre, Saturday,
i “The Greene Murder Case,’
in which Miss Arthur portrays
the role of Ada, the Cinderells
of the Greene household, is the
third mystery melodrama ir
which this lovely young actress
has played in rapid succession
She played an important part ir
TANNERS MEET IN
J. A. Swalwell of Seattle, R
S. Hollingstead of the U. S. Bu
reau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce, and H. W. Phelps
president of the American Car
Company, were principal speak
ers at the convention of the As
sociation of Pacific Canners ii
Bellingham last week. All of thi
representative canners wen
i present, including a number o
Alaskans.
, “The Canary Murder Case,” th
first of the S. S. Van Dine storie
. to be filmed by Paramount, an<
: she had the romantic lead h
, ‘The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu
i recently shown here.
I_ _ ___
“WORLD SERIES” GAME TO
BE HEARD ON SCREE?
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The first all-talking moving
’ picture of the baseball diamond
1 Paramount’s “Fast Company’
' comes to the Coliseum Theatre
' as the main feature beginning
1, Sunday.
JI Through it all is a suspense
; fiilled plot based upon a famou:
^ story of the “You Know Me AT
series written by Ring Lardner
America’s foremost humorist.
J Jack Oakie, wise-crackini
3 comedian of five recently sue
1 cessful pictures ‘Close Harmony,
i,“The Wild Party,” is the here
’ | “Hurry” Kane, of the play.
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Republicans Present
j •
I Issues To Local Voters
; The Republican political meet
ing which was held in the Coli
! scum last Friday evening was at
tended by a serious minded body
of voters who listened attentive
ly to the political issues and
qualifications of the candidates.
The speakers and members of
the party were introduced by Mr.
Carl Swanson. C. T. Gardner
gave a brief biography of each
candidate before proceeding to
his spech in which he defended
his candidacy as senator. “Every
nominee elected last primary
has sworn on his oath to support
the ticket and is in honor bound
to do so,” he declared. He touch
jed upon the school question and
declared that he would work to
secure adequate appropriation
to secure a competent survey of
the schools to make it co-equal
with the standardised school
systems of the States and
would do his best to make the
[work of the head of the system
non political. He went into the
timber situation and point out
the danger which confronts the
sawmill and loggers of Alaska
and promised to use his effort
to give industry a square deal
and at the same time put the in
dustry on a sound financial
basis.
William L. Paul, candidate for
representative pointed out the
inconsistencies of Tom Gaffney
who calls himself “friend of la-.
bor” and showed by the records]
that Gaffney opposed every mea
sure of relief for the laboring
class. He took several bills re
lative to the fisheries and show
ed that Gaffney, by record, op- i
posed these measures. He point- I
ed out that his efforts in the le- 1
gislature and in private life has
been consistntly honorable and
has been of benefit to every class
of labor and business and he
asked the voters to vote for him
Oil his record.
Judge Wickersham was the
last speaker and he compared
his own record with that of
George Grigsby in Congress. He
pointed out to the fact that the
discrimination made possible by
section 27 of the Jones Marine
j Act was made possible by Grigs
jby’s failure eo raise his voice in
j protest. Therefore the citizen of
| Alaska are penalized several
! million dollars to the benefit of
1 Seattle. He admitted writing the
trap leasehold bill, as an attor
ney but as a delegate to Con
gress he was bound by law not
to introduce the measure and he
would not do so. But that the
proposed bill is a good bill and
should have been passed. He
then pointed to the fact that
i Grigsby, who by his silence per
] mitted the Jones Marine Act to
' descriminate against Alaska,
1 upon returntng to private life
was made the attorney for the
Alaska Steamship Company. A
reward for his faithful services
in Congress.
He promised to work in Con
gress if elected in the future as
he has done in the past, faith
fully, earnestly and to the best
of his ability.
The audience was very favor
i ably with the issues as present
- ed and a very kindly feeling to
wards the various candidates
! was manifest at the close of the
: meeting.
On the platform were the Hon.
James Wickersham, for Delegate,
Cash Cole, for Auditor, W. G.
Smith for Treasurer, C. T. Gard
ner for Senator, J. E. Johnson
and William L. Paul for repre
sentatives. Grover Winn, who
| was to have joined the party
j here was called by legal business
to stop at Juneau but he passed
through to Ketchikan on the
Queen.
Commercial Club
Notes
The Petersburg Commercial
Club held its regular meeting
and club dinner at the Grand
Cafe Wednesday evening. A
number of matters came on for
discussion, among them the pos
sibility of persuading the mail
boat to Baranoff Island points
to remain long enough in Pe
tersburg to permit mail to be
opened and answered and allow
mail orders to be filled. A com
munication from the contractor,
Charles E. Hooker, was entirely
courteous and indicated that the
captain would be requested to
| co-operate in any way possible.
A brief report was made of
the meeting with Lieut. Oxried
er and others of the Army En
! gineers in regard to the dredg
! ing of Petersburg harbor. Most
of those present had attended
the former meeting.
Pursuant co announcement
made at the last meeting that
! a hearing will be held with the
I Bureau of Fisheries in Seattle
to consider possible herring re
gulations, a number of points
were brought out in general Dis
cussion. Petersburg Commercial
Club was the nrime mover in
requesting regulation of the
herring packing as long ago as
1927. Apparently time has not
changed the situation exceot to
bring about the conditions pre
dicted at that time.
The meeting was very well at
tended but there are still a few
people in Petersburg who ap
parently do not realize what an
excellent dinner the Grand Cafe
can serve.
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WASHINGTON WANTS TWO
REPRESENTATIVEES IN PACT
Senator C. C. Dill said in
Olympia last week that he
would insist the sockeye treaty
pending in the Senate contain
a provision that two of the three
American commissioners be
Washington State residents.
The Commissioners will be
appointed by President Hoover
who, Senator Dill said, has al
ready promised to give support
to Washington residents. The
Senator pointed out, however,
that the President’s promise
would not be binding on suc
ceeding presidents. Senator W.
C. Jones, of Washington, also
'has promised to support his
stand, Senator Dill said,
i Alaska which produces the
^ major portion of the salmon
pack of the United States and
Canada has made no move to
have representation on that in
ternational commission. It is
being pointed out by resident
fishermen that because of its
postion in the production of sal
mon, the voice of Alaska should
be heard through appointment
of a resident Alaskan on that
commission.
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NORTHLAND AND NORCO
RECEIVE MAIL CONTRACTS
Mail service between Seattle
land Juneau and other cities of
'southeast Alaska will be aug
! mented immediately. Postal
[matter will be carried by the
motorships Northland and Nor
,co of the Northland Transpor
tation Company, in addition to
mail transportation given by
vessels of the Alaska Steamship
Company, the Pacific Steam
ship Company and the Cana
dian Pacific liners.
“The added service extends to
Ketchikan, Petersburg and
Wrangell as well as to Juneau
and Seattle. According to advic
es from tne Post Office Depart
ment in Washington D. C., the
new contract is in effect. Mail
is aboard the motorship North
land, which arrived this morn
ing from Seattle.