VOL. I
PETERSBURG, ALASKA MARCH 11, 1927
NO. V>
Progressives Get
Control of House
i*uo(;ressives <)Rcia\ike
AN1) CONTROL HOUSE
(Special to The Alaskan)
The Progressive Republicans or
ganized the House defeating a com
bination of Marquam Republicans
and Independents. Informal cauc
cuses showed Ross to be the prob
able speaker. Representative Mur
ray of McCarthy, offered anti-Suth
erland support to Sumner Smith of
Anchorage, who accepted on the ar
gument of harmony.
The Marqamite Independents then
tried to ram Harry Morton down
Smith’s throat, thus forcing Smith
to combine with the Progressives
for Cash Cole as clerk.
The success of this program forced!
the organization of the House onj
Monday as the position of Loman.j
absentee, of Nome, was not known, j
Representative Murray was informed;
by Smith of the new coalition about1
ten o’clock Monday morning giving
the Independents no time for a new
attack.
After the opening of the House
by Secretary of Alaska Karl Thiele,
Representative Gaffney of Nome op
posed Representative Ross of Fair
tanks for temporary speakership.
The vote was as follows: Fisher,
Gaffney, Murray, Rydeen, Scott and
Sheldon for Gaffney; Benjamin, Fer
DOHENY LOSES 1,000 IN SUI1
Edward Lawrence Dolieny, code
fendant with Harry M. Daugherty,in
the oil scandal cases, will lose $21,
(180,928 as the result of decision
rendered by the Supreme Court of
the United States, cancelling the
leases on the Elk Hills oil reserve
with the Navy Department.
The Auxiliary to the American
.Legion held its regular meeting on
Monday evening in the Legion Hall.
A committee composed of Mrs. Har
old Davis, Chair.man, and Mrs. Fred
Nelson, was appointed to take charge
of the “Poppy Sale” which the Aux
iliary will manage the last week in
May. These popies aer made by the
Veterans in the hospitals and are
sold all over the United States to as
sist in the support of the various
American Legion Orphanages and
Hospitals. The popies are silk and
ere worn on Decoration Day in com
moration of those who died on Plun
der Field.
A committee consisting of Mrs.
William Dunkelberger, Chairman,
Mrs. Emanuel Isom, and Mrs. Harold
Dawes, was named to act in con
iunction with a similar committee
from the American Legion in the ar
ea ngtments for the Fourth of July
Street Carnival and dance which the
Legion was sponsoring. Every effort
is going to be made by the two or
ganizations to put this affair over
big and make it long to he remem
bered celebration.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
MORTGAGE AND A DEED
A colored man came into the Re
gister of Deeds office. He had a con
tract with him, on which he had fin
ished paying out. The Abstractro
said: “Now, the thing for you to do
is to let me make you up a deed
for this and put it on record.”
The colored man said, “Law, no,
brother. I wants a mortgage in
stead of a deed. Once I had a deed
to some property. Another fellow
had a mortgage, so he got my
house.”
guson. Crier, Johnston, Paul, Ross,
Sandquist, Worth and Smith for
Smith. The same division went for
Cash Cole as temporary Clerk.
Murray made a motion that the
House adjourn, pending the arrival
of Representative Loman, but the
i ,
otion was defeated.
; The same vote followed on the
election of Speaker, Clerk, Sergeant
at-arms, Chaplain, and on Sund
<i.lists motion to allow the Speaker
to appoint the Committee on Com
| mittees except on Chaplain, Benja
min supported Mrs. Edwards.
The entire program of the Pro
gressive Republicans went through
with the exception of Ross for
Speaker, he being replaced by Smith.
The Marquam independents tried
to stampede the Sutherland forces
by switching to Ross at the last
moment, Jnit to no avail. The team
work of the Progressive Republicans
lemained solid under the leadership
of Ross, Sundquist, Grier and Paul
on the floor of the House.
It is expected that legislation to
abolish fish hatcheries, a heavy tax
on non-resident fishermen, the Con
troller bill, and a bill taxing traps,
graduating heavily on the catch af
ter fifty thousand fish have been
(aught will be passed this session of
the Legislature.
irniv,*
wiihnrR i i
nuuiiM ! s
• >
UU 0 I
The jury in the case of United
States vs Thomas H. Miller, former
alien property custodian, found Mil
iei guilty of conspiracy to defraud
the United States of his.unbiased ser
vices in allowing claims of $7,000,
000 in the form of proceeds of sale
Of American Metal Company shares
ifmpounded by the government..
The jury in the case against Harry
M. Daugherty, former attorney gen
eral was unable to reach any ver
dict. Daugherty was tried jointly
with Miller.
iittorney for Miller served notice
of appeal while United States At
torney Buckner’s request of trial
judge Knox for a nolle prosse indict
ment against Daughertry was grant
ed.
Harvey M. Stackpole, manager of
the Pure Food Fish Company of
Ketchikan announced this week the.
leasing of the cannery plant and
equipment to the Nakat Packing
Company. The Nakat Packing com
pany is a subsidiary company to the
Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.,
which operates 15,000 chain stores
tbioughout the United States.
The Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.,
now controls the Pure Food cannery
at Ketchikan, canneries at Union
Bay, Hidden Inlet, Water Fall,
Heceta and one to the westward.
On March the 3rd Nick Sathis was
burned to death in his apartment
when a Are broke out in the base
ment of the Hegg Building in which
he was sleeping.
Final approval of the Alaska
road program for 1927 was given
this week by William M. Jardine,
secretary of the interior.
An appropriation of $20,000 was
approved providing for the widen
ing of the Petersburg Scow Bay road.
An appropriation of $10,000 was
approved for the bridges at Point
Agassiz.
(.RAZING LANDS IN ALASKA
TO BE UNDER LEASE
Under a senate hill passed yes
terday by the house and sent to
the President for his signature,
Alaska grazing lands will be di
vided into districts and leased to
individuals for a term of 20 years.
Ptople arriving from the village of
Kake report that every able bodied
is working on a new water dam to
provide the entire town with a first
class water system and fire protec
lon. The dam is being constructed
a short distance from the north end j
of the village with sufficient fall to i
give ample pressure at all times and
nough drainage to insure plenty of;
water at all times.
Another force of volunteers is in
stalling a twenty-five horsepower j
Dfesel engine as power unit for the
electric light system also being in
stalled.
The entire peration of making
lam, laying pipeline and installation
of engine and equipment is under
the supervision of “Illiterate In
dians.” Empire, please copy.
HYDRO AT CHOMIjY CANNERY
Application for permit to con
struct a power plant on Chorniy
►reek, Tongass National Forest by
the Alaska Consolidated Canneries
Company of Seattle has been made.
The power to be utilized for their
annery is to be developed by im
pounding water in a 160-foot dam
and using a pipeline 3,500 feet in
length.
HOUSE PROPOSES ANOTHER . . .
.. SHIP GEODETIC SURVEY
A modern ship for the Coast and
Geodetic Survey to replace the anti
quated ships Bache and Hydrograph
or is provided in a $350,000 appro
priation carried in the general defi
cency bill pending in Congress.
E. Lester Jones, Director of the
Survey, in a statement regarding
tbe necessity of the vessel and the
functions of the service in safeguard
ing navigation, has advised Congress
of the results of the charting of
lines of navigation safety on the
coasts and the reduction of wrecks
in southeastern Alaskan waters.
The new modern vessel planned
under the appropriation is to be 160
feet long, 600 tons displacment,
with a speed of 11 knots an hour
and would be electrically equipped,
Laving two Diesel engines of 400
horsepower each. The $350,000 un
der the terms of the bill is to cover
‘all necessary expenses for the con
struction and equipment of one sur
v »ying vessel, including purchase of
[•reparation of plans and specifica
tions and travelling expenses of in
spectors, fiscal years 1927 and
; 928.”
Council Has
A Busy Session
A regular meeting of the City
Council was called to order on Mon
day evening by the mayor, all mem
bers of the council being present.
After the reading and approval of
the minutes of the previous meeting,
the reports of the various committees
were called for.
There being no recommendation
from the Committee on disposal of
garbage, the mayor recommended
that all of the members of the Coun
cil get together next Sunday after
noon and take a trip to the outskirts
of the city to locate a suitable place
for a dumping ground, and also to
locate a cemetery site. The Clerk
was instructed to be on hand to
wield the pencil.
J. L. MacKecknie City Electrician,
reported that Blind Slough lake was
open for navigation.
The Mayor reported that he had
received a communication from the
Engineers office at Juneau advising
the closing of Wrangell Narrows to
all vessels after April 1st, to. prevent
interference with operations of the
dredger. However, it was expected
that it would be possible to permit
falling boats and other small boats
to navigate the Narrows at all times
and the others at such times as
would be authorized by the District
Engineer.
A number of bills were allowed
and it was announced that the
School Beard wanted the playshed
at the school graveled and that the
P. T. A. offered to cooperate by pay
ing one-half the cost. On account
of the condition of the soil it was
decided to put on a larger layer of
clay first to create a foundation for
the gravel. A motion to authorize
the payment of $75. to cover one
half the expense was carried.
The P. T. A. requested the Council
to devise ways and means of provid
ing additional classrooms for next
years’ term, and if possible, a gym
HYDER HARBOR TO BE
IMPROVED BY GOVERMEN1 |
The war department has approved j
for improvements to be made to j
Hyder harbor for protection from:
floods from Salmon river, and the j
filing in of the harbor near shipping
docks.
The Senate was opened by Sec
retary Karl Thiele monday noon.
Senators Howard and Brown nomi
nated for president, On . tie vote
Brown moved Howard be unanimous
ly elected. Carried.
Rev. Gailey—Chaplain. v
A. J. Sprague—Sargeant at arms.
Miss Darlene Berry— Engrossing
clerk.
Precedents were wiped out when
the house gave the speaker power
to appoint committee on committees.
The Committee on Committees is
Ross, Grier, Sundquist and Paul.
Ways and means Committee looks
mighty progressive.
The independents made a brave
stand to stave off added defeats.
The will of the people not of
capital will speak from the legis
lature halls at Juneau.
“The machinery of the Eighth
Legislature ought to work effiicient
ly”—Empire
It has made a good start already.
| naeium. Eric Ness, in behalf of the
j School Board and the P. T. A. Com
■ mittee, recommended building two
■wings on the west side of the school j
building which would provide two
classrooms and a basement, and that
this would not interfere with the
original plans of adding an assembly
hali and gymnasium on the back
part of the main building. He believ
ed this plan more practical than re
modeling the old hospital building.
Tt was decided to explain the mat
ter to Mr. Warrack, constructor of
the school building, and get his opin
ion and estimate of the cost.
A. B. Holt applied for the pur
chase of Lot 3 in Block 64 for the
purpose of building a home; Dan
Sutphen made a -similar application
for lot 4 in the same Block. It was j
moved and seconded that the lot3 ■
be fixed at $50. each with the usual
stipulation as to improvements. The
motion was carried.
On recomendation of the Commer
cial Club, Hans Wick was authorized
to employ men to remove snags and
butts of piling that were a menace
to navigation in the harbor.
After a discussion of the matter
cf renewing the waterpipe line along
the approach to the Citizens’ Dock,
the Clerk was instructed to make a
copy of the ordinance or regulation
pertaining to the matter to ascertain
whether this were public or private
property.
Sam Gauphin complained about
the rate established for the cold
storage claiming that they were now
paying about .0- 1-2 cents per K. W.
H. and it was estimated that the
cost would be .01. cent when the
rate was fixed. No action was taken.
A motion was carried that the
rate for electric heaters be fixed at
$1.25 per K. W. H. from May 1st
to October 1st.
There b.ein gno further business,
the meeting adjournd.
Iipon advice of doctor, Peder
Johnson, member of the crew of the
Kodiak left his ship and went south
for treatment of injuries sustained to
his shoulder when he was thrown
out of his bunk during the recent
storms. The captain of the Kodiak
also was thrown from his bunk, but
his injuries were only minor.
A d’AUTREMONT KILLED
I ee d’Autremont, whose three
brothers are wanted for robbery of
"nited States mails and murder in
connection thereto was shot in the
town of Corsett, Texas last week. It
was claimed that the death was due
to accident and investigation failed
to prove otherwise. It will be re
membered that one of the brothers
was recently taken at Manila and
brought to San Francisco to stand
'rial
SIGNS VOIFR BILL
The voters bill passed by Congress
qualifying electors of Alaska thru
an educational test was signed by
President Cooildge and became a
part of the Organic Act. This bill !
r roviding however, that electors who j
had exercised their elective fran
cos prior to enactment of the law
were not to be disqualified by the
BILL HITS REEt
Senator King of Utah Introduced
a lull the fore part of the month do*
oigned to prevent the President from
1- t oping in office officials who fall to
meet senate approval. The bill was
r derred to committee. The bill will
not receive action until the next sea
smn of Congress. The bill, explained
Senator King was aimed primarily
•'a Judge Reed, who is holding office
under recess appointment.
I nder the provisions of the bill any
federal officer whose appointment
is subject to the consent of the Sen
ate shall not serve later than the
end of the senate session following
the expiration of his term, in spite
of the fact that his successor may
not have been appointed.
ANOTHER FERTILIZER PLANT.
The Fidalgo Island Packing Com
pany hag started construction of a
l erring plant to be operated in con
junction with its salmon eannery at
Pillar Bay.
Carl Sutter, manager, member of
the Territorial Fish Comimssion, is
in the north now to supervise con
struction. The crew of men and
building material arrived on the Ad
miral Rodman during the past week,
it is expected that the plant will be
Linder construction for a couple of
months.
CLUB MEETS
At the regular weekly dinner of
the Petersburg Commercial Club,
Dr. Tugo Alberts, head of the Agrl-.
iultural Experimental Stations of
Alaska, gave a very interesting ad
dress. He spoke of the different
vpe of cities in Alaska and of how
:ach is dependent upon some indus
ry which is not conducive to per
manence. Petersburg, however, he
;aict is different, as it had many re
sources at its door which made for
permanency and growth. He, like
many other recent visitors, remarked
ibout the marvelous rapid gTowth of
his city recently, and the number of
hoir s that have been built in the
last few years.
While he was In this vicinity ha
ilsited Point Aggasslz. where he dis
covered that there are more people
following agricultural pursuits with
their farms contiguous than in any
•iher section of Alaska. As this
*ection of the country is easily adapt,
ftble to the pursuit of agriculture,
ha said that there were bright prow>
beets for a great Increase of farms.
There are actually thousands and
thousands of acres in the Interior,
too. he said that were adaptable to
fanning, but the development along
that line had been very slow altho
he believes the day la coming when
ibis resource will be emphasised.
Mr. Frank Gingrass, manager of
the Wrangell Shrimp Cannery, was
also a guest of the Club snd made
a few remarks.
A motion was carried to the affect
tnat the Club ask the City Council
to make Seward Day, March 10, a
general clean up day. A committee
was appointed to solicit cars and se
cure owners to operate them la a
general clean-np. This effort Is par
ticularly looking forward to the in
stallation of the enforcement of
the ordinance passed recently by the
City Council prohibiting the dump
ing of refuse within the city limits.
The matter of the Installation of a
s' ten for fire protection and soms
additional equipment for fire fightera
was referred to the City Council with
tue request that they take the mat
er up.