VOL. I
PETERSBURG, ALASKA SEPTEMBER 17 1926
NO. 10
KAKE VILLAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE 4 P.M.
Ml STREET GUTTED
A fire yesterday afternoon totally
destroyed throe stores and more
than a dozen homes. The Presby
teran Church was completely de
stroyed while the teachers’ resi
dence was scorched and slightly
damaged. The stores of Ernest Kir
herger, J. E. Stewart and the Eu
reka Trading Company were totally
destroyed, not a bit of the stock be
ing saved. The books and cash on
hand were gotten out and that was 1
about all.
The fire started :n the store of J. E.
Stewart about four o’clock in the
afternoon and the prevailing high
winds carried the flames in both di
rections along front srteet. The meff
men were all out of town with the
exception of a few old men who
were unable to do any work at the
canneries. The women hadcome in
town in order that the children
might attend school. When the fire
was discovered it was beyond the
control of those few whe weer in the
town. The cannery crew on seing
the fire beyond control came to the
towm but were not able to do much
as there is no water supply in the
town.
’ The fire took in the front street
from Kirbirger’s store to th street
leading to the Salvation Army bar
racks. The second street was not
effected as city ordinances required
such a distance between the streets
as would make it practically impos
sible for the uames to jump the dis
tance. All buildings On front street
however going before the angry
flames.
This is the first and most serious
are that has ever hit the town of
Kake.
Reports as to the plans for the im
mediate future have not been made
as the men hah not had time te get
together when word of the fire left
for Petersburg. However with the
line progressive spirit that the peo
ple of Kake have shown in the past
it will nt be long before they will
have a bigger and better town.
In the meantime there will be
those who will be left destitute and
without the necesisties of comfort.
Alaskans have always been big
hearted in such hours of distress
and need and we know that the
good people of Kake will have the
sympathy of all Alaskans.
LEAVES) ALASKA
W. A. Johnson, manager of the
Associated Oil Company at Kana
tuk for the past two years is on his
way to California. He reports that
all the company supplies at Kanatak
have been sold to local merchants.,
He did not say that the project had
been definitely abandoned but their
disposal of all their supplies would
indicate that such is their plan.
. . ECHO OF NOME FOURTH . .
Citizens of Nome donated $401
to the Fourth of July and the city
of Nome donated $100, making the
total of $501. The cost of the cele
bration was $341.10, leaving a bal
ance of $159.90, which was turned
over to the city with a request that
it be used in "fixing up the chil
dren’s playground.
* I>1G SCHOOL ENRO-LiijMEiVM
KETCHIKAN oGHOOLS
The schools of Ketchikan closed
their first week with a total enroll
ment of 498 pupils. There are 392 in
the grades and 106 in the high
school. Ketchikan is claiming more
pupils than Juneau. Perhaps Juneau
will be able to stretch their enroll
ment by getting hold of a little
"Johnny Walker.” At least they
wouldn’t be held responsible if they
did.
"A free press, ably and conscien
tiously edited, has from the first
been one of the stanchest- pillars
in our national edifice. Whatever
tends to strengthen and to widen
the influence of snch a press, of
course, is of direct and vital benefit
to our government and to each and
every ciizen
mm ACTIVITY
Options have recently been taken
on considerable placer ground on
Eva Creek, a tributary of Ester
Creek. When equipment from oth
er holdings of this company can be
n oved there the ground will be
thoroughly prospected.
SENTENCED .FOR FISH PIRACY
The jury in the case of United
States v Walter McCall and Val
Kiem returned a verdict of guilty
after deliberating on the matter for
an hour. Sentence for this alleged
crime comes under the heading of
grand larceny, is one to ten years.
Judge Reed, in instructing the
jury, said that once salmon or fish
of any kind are impounded in a fish
trap or seine they become personal
Property and therefore subject of
larceny.
The field that this sweeping deci
sion now opens in the fishing indus
try will entangle more than ever
the fishermen and trapmen.
Do we understand that dog salm
on caught in the Barnes trap at
Eagle Creek, escaping as they do on
occasion, go into the Fraser trap, is
still the personal property of Barnes
and subject to laws of possession?
As the Chronicle and its cohorts
say “A Daniel come to judgement.”
The opinion of Judge Jennings
was rather the rererse of this case.
But then Jennings court generally
was declared to be nothing but a
‘‘kangaroo court” and the willing
tool of the present democratic poli
tical machine. * * *
The United States now produces
emore Portland cement than the en
tire world combined.
Subscribe for THE ALASKAN.
. On Wednesday of last week re
l?ors from Calgary indicated a snow
fall of about three inches. .Already
in that city there has been a total
snow ifall ,of .six and a quarter
inches.
8. A. MAN DEAD
Major Robert Smith for many
years in charge of the Salvation
Army work in Alaska and northern
Fritish Columbia, with headquarters
at Wrangell, died during the past
month at his home in Victoria. He
had not been in very good health
for several years.
Major Smith will be remembered
as being especially active in getting
the Salvation Army work started in
Petersburg. The good men do live
after them. The work of Major
Smith will long remain a monument
in Petersburg as well, as in other
towns to the work and effort of this
man.
A new airplane is on the way for
the Fairbanks Airplane Corporation
and flights will be resumed in the
near future. .The new plane is a
super-Swallow plane with a carrying
capacity of three passengers and pi
lot. .Operations of the corporation
were discontinued last month when
their plan were dameged through
accidents.
UPRIVER ON JACOBS
SUTHERLAND EN ROUTE
Sutherland was reported on the
1st of September as being on the
General Jacobs enroute up the River
to Interior points. Reports have it
that he wilj be at Anchorage during
the Fair theft* is to be held there.
DRY SQAUD BUSY THIS WEEK
Marshals Frank Aldrich and Mr.
Brown with Prohibition Agent Har
dy came in from Cape Olmany this
week with a violator of the 18th
Amendment. Senator Aldrich was
abou ttwn visiting old friends while
in port. The “squad” left for Ju
neau after being in town for two
days.
The Bureau of Education is rent
ing the Presbyterian hall at Ketchi
kan for use of the native school un
til the new school is built and ready
for occupancy.
COURT NOTES k
H. S. Bagley has been appointed
United States .Commissioner .at
Craig.
Andy Krozh, convicted of selling
intoxicating liquor to Indians, was
sentenced to 9 months in jail on
each of three counts, these sentences
to run concurrently. He was also
ordered to pay a fine of $250. and
costs.
^The liquor sold in this case re
sulted in one death at Pybus Bay
last summer, |t is alleged.
.Nels Engdal, Fred Hassel, Aldis
Bigen, Olaf Larson, all of Norway,
were admitted to citizenship. .Two
others representing Switzerland and
Italy were admitted.
\
.Elmer Reed chief deputy marshal
for .the First Division, has .been
named clerk of the court for the Se
cond division. .Mr. Reed has held
important offices under the govern
ment for many years. .He has had
the handling of millions of dollars
of government .funds and in . his
hnndling of these funds there has
never been even a whisper of any
mishandling whatsoever. ..
.The appointment as clerk of the
court under Judge Lomen of Nome
is a promotion in salary as well as
in position. Mr. Reed takes to Nome
with him the best of wishes from
his friends inthe First Division..
RECEPTION 10
On Wednesday evening, the local
Parent-Teacher Association held a
reception in honor of the new
teachers, in the reception rooms of
the Sons of Norway Hall.
A very delightful program was
given which included several selec
tions by the Women’s Chorus, a
piano solo by Henrietta Dahl, and a
reading by Mildred Johansen. Then
tLe “Future Male Chorus of Peters
burg” made up of boys in the sixth
and seventh grades, rendered a
number of comic selections. The
program was followed by delicious
refreshments and then Mr. Heim
dahl, president of the school board,
introduced each teacher and called
upon them for extemporaneous
speeches.
After they had responded, the
members of the school board had an
opportunity to express themselves,
then the mayor of Petersburg, Mr.
Ldward Locken, in behalf of the
of their support and interest in the
school. Later everyone was given
an opportunity to individually greet
and welcome the teachers.
The hall was delightfully decorat
ed for the occasion , and a great
a great deal of credit is due Mrs.
Andrew Johnson, president of the
Parent-Teacher Association for the
coming year, for the manner in
which she arranged such a success
ful entertainment.
In exercises for the frmal opening
of the Southeast Alaska Fair held
at Jupneau this week, John Rust
gard, Attorney General, made the
opening address.
OIL RUMBLINGS
Harry M. Daugherty and Thomas
W. Miller, former attorney general
and alien property custodian are on
trial for conspiring to defraud the
government. Witnessess are being
brought from foreign countries to
show that they acepted bribe money
for the return of a large amount of
securities. It was indicated that an
attempt would be made by the pro
secution to prove that bribes were
accepted within a month of their
appointment to office.
We the undersigned petitioners
and residents of Alaska respectfully
submit the following protests and
iequests relative to the present ex
ploitation of the herring fishing for
fertilizer purposes in outheastern
Alaska.
1. The future supply of halibut and
salmon fishing in Southeastern Alas
ka depends on the supply of her
ring, and this herring supply is be
ing sadly depleted by the plants now
using the herring for fertilizer.
2. We respectfully urge that all
Bays and other narrow or confined
waters, that are the habitual feed
ing grounds of tre salmon and hali
but, have continued protection for
halibut, salmon and bait fishing.
The catching oi nerring for fer
tilizer purposes, is destroying the
trolling and halibut industry to
which the larger part o fthe fishing
population belong.
3. In view of the rapid depletion
of the herring due to the system of
fertilizer operations now being used,
in Southeastern Alaska, we ask that
the practice of taking herring, other
than for food or bait purposes, be
discontinued.
We respectfully request that
these matters and petition be pre
sented in Washington to the Honor
able Herbert Hoover, Secretary of
Commerce, The Committee on Mer
chant Marine and Fisheries in the
House f Representatives, Honorable
Henry O’Malley, U. S. Commissioner
of Fisheries, that they may give
these matters serious consideration.
Signed approximately 1,000 troll
ers, halibutmen and resident busi
nessmen.
. A young Italian stone cutter, Gio
\ana, threw a bomb at Premier dur
ing the past week.. The missle hit
the side of the car in which the pre
mier .was .riding and fell to the
ground where it exploded. .Pasers
were hurt by flying glass but the
premier escaped uninjured. .This
makes the third attempt on the life
of Musilini.
.The record fish cannery pack for
a one line cannery in Alaska is a
pack of 75,000 cases put up by the
Craig .Miller .cannery .at .Warm
Chuck On the West Coast of Prince
of Wales several years ago. .This is
less than a days pack 76,500 cases
of pineapple in 24 hours put up by
th© Hawaiin Pineapple Company at
Honolulu. .This, pack .represents
1,836,000 cans. .Wonder if there is
as much waste product in this line
as there is in the Ash canning game.
TUG BRINGS SCOW LOAD
SAWDUST FOR COLD STORAGE
The tug Forest T. Crosby arrived
in port this week with a scow load
of sawdust for the cold storage.
The crew at the plant has been busy
since its arrival blowing the dust
between the walls and packing it in
place. Considerable of the ma
chinery also arrived. At the rate of
construction of the building and in
stallation of machinery there is no
doubt but that the plant will be in
operation before the closed season
rolls around.
CORRECTION
Through error in reporting the
case of larceny by one Christenson
iast week ,the surname Chris was
used. The name should have been
given as Charley Christenson. Lest
our mistake go any farther to the
hurt f another we make this cor
rection.
NO GRIME
BRISIQL BUY
United States District Attorney
William Coppornoll returned re
cently from the floating court ses
sion along the Alaska peninsula. He
is quoted relative to moral condi
tions in the Bristol Bay region, as
fellows: “This year there were no
murder nor liquor violation cases.
Last year, about this time, there
were 30 narcotic cases on Bristol
Bay alone. Conditions in Bristol
Bay sections cannot be better. The
companies had more employees this
jear than previously and the better
< lass of men hows efforts to prevent
an undesirable and criminal element
from coming north have been suc
cesful. Also the requirement for
good health has produced a notice
able effect,” said Mr. Coppernoll.
Over 20 prisoners were brought
out from Bristol Baysection last year
and this year there was only one
prisoner and three insane patients.
-Juneau Empire.
We remind Editor Troy that he is
damning Delegate Sutherland for a
condition that was intolerable in the
Bristol Bay section. The bare fig
ores above set forth do not begin to
tell of moral degenerates and phys
ical monstrosities. We go even a
step farther-we challenge the press
of Alaska to print the report of the
grand jury to the judge of the court
calling to his attention certain,
indescribable crimes. The report
was signed by eleven respectable
men and eleven respectable women.
Yet not one paper has dared publish
said report even if they had cared
so to do. The postal department
would not permit that report in the
mails. Yet because Delegate pre
sents these maters before Congress
he “defames Alaska.” The defama
tion of Alaska has been made pos
sible only by the connivance of the
towoers and officials who shut their
eves to such rottenness until decen
cy could no longer stand It. The
result shown in the Coppornoll
statement has bean beneficial In
that those conditions have evidently
been removed.