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VOL. 4.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 6, 1929
NO. 8
Miss Marye Burns
Gives Fine Concert
From the sparkling md rip
pling cadenzas of the Polonaise
from Mignon to the sweet, ap
pealing melody of the well
known Irish folk song The Last
Rose of Summer, the concert
given last Monday evening at
the MacGregor Theatre by Miss
Marye Burns, one of Alaska’s
own products, was most enjoy
able.
Miss Burns is the possessor of
a clear and sweet coloratura
voice. Her upper tones are of
an unusual quality with caden
za and trills produced with ease
and relaxation. Her middle
tones were clear, round and full
making a fine balance in the
rendition of her songs.
Miss Burns is a real artist in
the interpretation of her songs
and each number showed with
much feeling, joy, sadness, pa
thos or gaitey as the moods of
the respective songs demanded.
Miss Burns is returning to
New York to her professional
duties. Many who heard her
are importuning her for a re
turn engagement next summer.
Mrs. Fern Vance of Juneau,
was Miss Burns’ accompanyist,
and will continue to New York
with her. Mrs. Vance plans to
study music while there.
WRANGELL GETS INDUSTRAL
Word was received from
Wrangell Wednesday evening to
the. effect that Secretary of In
terior Wilbur had selected the
Shoemaker Bay, Wrangell) site
for the proposed industrial ,
school for Indian children.
The big talking point, which ,
had considerable to do with the ,
selection was the friendly atti- i
tude of the people of that town
as a whole; that they willingly j
accept any and all Indian chil- j
dren into their school systems;
that their hospital facilities
were at the disposal of the Bu
reau.
Initial appropriation for the <
school is $283,000 for thirteen i
building units. It is expected i
that appropriations will be se- i
cured from time to time until <
the school is able to accommo- f
date 500 pupils.
]
A FEW VICTIMS PAID
(
-x
Of the 211 passengers who :
went down with the Princess
Sophia in 1918, only 22 are to be ]
paid damages under the ruling *
cf Judge Neterer of Seattle.
Original claims totaled $2,
065,000 as allowed by United
Commissioner A. C. Bowman.
Judge Neterer’s decision virtual
ly reverses Bowman and allows :
an aggregate of $220,000, or <
$10,000 for each allowed claim. <
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP WINS
-o
The Power Trust was given a
rude jolt in the municipal elec
tion held at Jonesboro, Ark., re
cently when the people voted to
keep their city water and light
plant. Candidates for commis
sioner who ran on a “keep the ‘
plant” platform won by a 3-to-l
majority.—LABOR.
Steamers are bunched toge. i- <
er and all headed south. <
ADMIRAL LINE TO GIVE
HOMESTEADER RATES
-o
I The Admiral Line has an
nounced that it will assist the
Alaska Railroad in its coloniza
| tion plan this fall by putting in
to effect special rates to home
seekers during the months of
September and February. The
return limit will be May of next
year.
Expansion of Pulp Mills
-o
The following exerpt from the
pen of John K. Trowbridge, in
The Portland Oregonian tells
of expansion of the paper indus
try of the Northwest, but we fail
to find any mention of pulp ex
pansion in Alaska.
“Things seem to be looking up
in the northwest pulp and pa
per industry, and if expansions
and new construction continue
■
at their present rate it promises
to become one of the most im
portant manufacturing enterpris
es in this part of the country.
Financial news of the past week
has carried several announce
ments of important plant ex
pansions. * * It is expected that
a contract will be awarded this
month for construction of a
bleach plant on the Camas
property of Crown Willamette
as the first major step in a $4,
000,000 expansion program on
which preliminary operations
were started in July..
“Arrangements have been
completed for financing and
early construction of a plant for
the Willapa Pulp & Paper Co.,
aetween Raymond and South
Bend.
Financing details also have
eeen completed for the new Pu
?et Sound Pulp Timber Co.,
which will build a $3,500,000
ulant at Eyerett. Wash, with a
iaily capacity of 150 tons of
bleached sulphite pulp.
Pacific Mills, Ocean Falls also
Dlans expenditure of approxi
nately $1,500,000 at their plant.
LOCAL MAN DISAPPEARS
Friends of Charley Schuck, lo
;al tinsmith, reported to Com
nissioner Clausen last Friday
hat Schuck had not been seen
ince Tuesday night. Saturday
everal men were sent out to
earch for the missing man but
vithout any success. He was
ast seen on the night of the
!3rd going south past Standard
)il Company’s properties, with
i gun in his possession.
It is supposed that he ended
lis life in a fit of mental depres
;ion. He is survived by a son in
lie states.
GUN POPS AT ANGOON
-x
William George of Angoon was
irrested last week for shooting
me Eddy Jim of the same town.
George was placed under arrest
jy Marshal Schnabel of Sitka
md will be given a hearing be
ore Commissioner DeArmond.
Sam Guyot of Juneau arrived
in the Northwestern.
-x
The Puget Sound Power &
L.ight Company showed a net
jperating revenue of $514,437
:rom gross earnings of $1,282,561
is against a net of $493,211 for
ruly of 1928. The net in both
nstances is after operating costs
naintenance, depreciation of
equipment and taxes were de
iuctecL
Immigration IS Cut
By Employment
-X
! The number of aliens entering
i the United States for perma
nent residence during the fiscal
year ending June 30 was the
smallest since 1919.
Figures announced by the La
bor Department show a total of
267,678 admitted last year, com
pared with 307,255 for the pre
vious year and 141,132 for 1919.
Mr. Hull, Commissioner of
of Immigration attributes the
decrease of last year to improv
ed industrial conditions in Can
ada and the revolution in Mexi
co.
Canadian immigrants totaled
6,440 last year, compared with
73,134 for the previous year,
while Mexico dropped from 59,
016, to 40,154 for the previous
year. A decline from 24,544 to
17,672 for the Irish Free State
also was reported. Increases
were announced for nearly all
the other countries.
Normal Year for Salmon
-o
..Reports have been made dur
ing the summer that the run of
salmon was normal. The fol-,
lowing figures tell a different1
story:
Petersburg Packing Co., the
Mountain Point company, Lake
Bay, Thiele and Barnes can-1
neries at Wrangell, Point Ward j
and Burnett Inlet canneries put
up a few cases more than 158,-,
000 this summer.
During a normal season the
following was the pack:
Petersburg,. 50,000
Alaska Packers’ 75,000
Lake Bay 40,000
Point Ward 35,000
Santa Ana 35,000
Bunrett 25,000
Sanitary Packing 35,000
Mountain Point 10,000
Over 300,000 cases during a
normal year using conservative
figures. Alaska Packers were
?ood for 100 to 120 thousand and
ill the other canneries likewise ;
iveraged better making their i
normal pack better than 400,000 i
vhich is somewhat different :
from the packs of today.
DEAL OF MONEY
Superior Judge J. M. Phillips
in a memorandum decisior
j handed down recently, set $510,
■ 000 as present fair market value
j for the Hoquiam water system
land thereby ended as far as his
court was concerned the con
demnation suit of the City of
Hoquiam against the water ser
vice company. The price in
cludes the physical plant and
property rights and franchises.
The city placed a valuation
of $394,000 and by the owners at
$800,000. Cost of the case was
nearly $250,000 for attorneyes
fees, experts fees and court
costs.
Timber Grab Feared
In a loiter to a conference of
Western governors, President
Hoover stated that he might
propose to Congress the restor
ation of 200,000,000 acres of pub
lic lands now administered by
the federal government to state
control.
His proposal bade fair to op
en the muchly argued conser
vation question. It received
such opposition from conserva
tionists, however, that President
Hoover later intimated that his
proposal was not understood.
Some students of the subject,
as it relates to Alaska, declare
that consummation of this pro
posal will mean the stealing of
all timber and water rights in
the Territory. Some even go
further and declare that such a
scheme will be consummated in
a few months.
“YACI5T” OAXACA TURNED
FREIGHTER
The Oaxaca, which was
wrecked in the Narrows a short j
time back and later salvaged
md towed to Victoria for re
pairs, is now undergoing finish
ing touches in Seattle and will
oe used as a freighter in Calif- 1
3rnia.
-x
The Supreme Court of the
3tate of California were order
ed disbarred on recommendation
3f the board of governors of the
State Bar. Fourteen other dis
oarment cases are pending.
Will Make Farm
Survey Very Soon
M. D. Snodgrass of the agri
cultural department, loaned to
the Alaska Railroad, plans to
leave Seattle soon with 20 coast
farmers who will survey thu
farming area in the vicinity of
Seward. It is said that about
200 farmers have indicated that
they would come north next
spring.
Where Utility Profits Go
o
The St. Louis “Post-Dispatch”
has printed a diagram which
helps one to understand how
utility magnates get rich. It
shows the actual investmetn in
the local street car company’s
oroperty and how the profits are
distributed.
The bond holders furnished
j $24,732,000, or 49 per cent of the
total investment, and received
last year $1,029,350, or 29 per
cent of the profits.
The holders of common stock
furnished $4,304,000, or less than
9 per cent of the total invest
ment, and received last year $1,
138,968, or 33 per cent of the net
earnings.
The bondholders got 4.2 per
cent on their money.
The holders of the common
stock got 26 per cent on their
money.
But these stockholders, who of
course have absolute control of
the corporation, are not content
v.ith a beggarly 26 per cent re
turn on their cash. They are
trying to get a 10-cent cash fare.
• No bondholder, no holder of
loaned money to the company
on short-term notes, would get '
a penny out of this increased 1
income. '
The common stockholders ‘
get it all, and the estimate is
that it would give them .52 .per ^
cent per year on .their .invest
ment!
How do utility magnates get ,
rich? .By “blackjacking” the ^
utility-using public with some ,
rid from public service commis- (
sions and the enthusiastic sup- ,
sort and assistance of the courts. ^
—LABOR. ,
Take a real squint at this picture--An art treasure for resi
dent fishermen and business men to look at--this winter
Family Left On
Beach for Debt
-X
Last week the gasboat Lincoln
Rock of Wrangell came in for
grub and before it left pert was
libeled by the Sebastia-Staurt
Company. Those who came in
on her were unable to meet the
claims and only enough money
to stay in port a few days and
unable to hire one to bring one
George White, wife and two
children to town.
Wednesday, John Roach com
ing by Kasheets Bay was hailed
by White who asked for a little
grub as they were just about out
of food supply. Roach gave
all he could spare, which was lit
tle enough and came to town in
his little boat.
This office took the matter up
with the United States Commis
sioner C. Clausen and suggest
ed that he use federal forces to
bring the shanghaied family to
town. He declared there was
nothing he could do and put it
up to us to assume the respons
ibility. When we refused, de
claring that duty within the
province of the government of
ficers, he got real peeved and
told us to “go to hell.” We pass
ed the invitation back and was
threatened by Mr. Clausen for
so doing—when the court was
not in session.
For attempting to do a kind
ly human act, we are kicked in
the pants, the man and his wife
ivith two children damned to
starvation on the beach, and the
dignity of the court upheld.
SPIRIT OF THE COMPANY
The attitude and spirit of the
iSebastian-Stuart Company i s
;ypical of the high handedness
)f these concerns which have use
hr Alaska so long as they can
;kim the cream. It is well to
•emember their action against
he Lincoln Rock for a sum less
han $300.
This same concern purchased
raft of piling from a local log
ger. They used all of the piling
md then paid for only part de
taring that it v/as not fit for
my purpose. The amount in
volved exceeds $300. When the
ogger takes action to recover
yhat is due him, this Cream
Skimmer will become real sore
md declare that Alaskans are
rying to chase them out of the
ountry.
HUMPIES FLOOD CANNERIES
The pink salmon run on the
Sound late in August was re
ported as being very heavy. The
un is expected to increase until
he closed period which starts
*n the 5th of September. After
vhich the Fraser River spawn
ng area will get the seed for the
lext harvest cycle. According
he Canadian Commissioner of
isheiies the Fraser River area
ach cycle shows fewer fish and
l later return to the parent
tream.
FISHERMAN FINDS PEARL
A fisherman at Poplar Bluffs,
tfo., recently found a pearl val
led at $2,000 by jewelers. The
ind was made when he opened
nussel shells for bait.
Local mussels have small pearl
n any amount. Some day a ‘fool
or luck’ will come along and
tart a pearl industry and make
l good thing out of it.