VOL. 3.
PETERSBURG. ALASKA, FEBRUARY 1. 1929
NO. 29
Washington News Letter And
Observations
. .There are a number of Alaskans in
Washington who are interested in
legislation aifecting the Northern
Territory. I
Dr. Charles E. Bunnel, President
of the Alaska College is following
•.he course of bills intended to grant
large areas of land to his institu
tion and to turn over to the college
some of the agricultural experiment
ation now cairied on by the Federal
Government.
Mr. E. A. Rasmussen, head of the
Alaska banking chain spent a few
days in Washington, recently. He
is interested in the development of
farming in the railroad belt. He is
•». accord with Mr. O. F. Ohlsen di
lector of the government railroad
'n his proposal to import colonists
who understand agriculturl work.
The Department of Agriculture has
taken interest in this project and is
working in cooperation with the rail
road management in its efforts to se
cure desireable people to take up
the Alaskan lands.
Governor George A. Parks has
been here for the past months and
is preparing to return to his duties
in the Territory.
The old controversy about the
halibut and salmon market at Prince
Rupert, B. C. has opened again and
the pros and cons are arriving every
day. Mr. J. A. Talbot of Ketchikan
representing the business interests!
of that Alaska town is here to pre
sent the resolutions of the Ketchikan
commercial organization asking that
all fish bonded through Canadian
territory into the United States shall!
first be landed at an American Port. •
Mr. J. A. Barbour of Ketchikan is
rlso here in support of this measure.
The Ways, and Means Committee of
ihe House of Representatives is now
holding hearings on the tariff sche
dule and on January 24-25 and 28th
the fish schedule will be up for
nearing.
A representative of the Fishing
Vessel Owners Association of Seattle
and to oppose the proposition that
will be here to attend the hearings
they say would mean the destruction
of the excellent market they now
enjoy at Prince Rupert. It is said
that some of the receivers and dis
tributors of fish in the East are also
opposed to the measure.
The steamship companies operat
ing in Alaska as well as the trans
contental railroads companies are
said to be tacking the Ketchikan
proposal as they desire the revenue
ihat would come from hauling fresh
fish by all American routes.
On the whole it looks like a very
interesting struggle which will pro
bably last through the special ses
sion of Congress which will be called
soon after President Hoover takes
office. Delegate Dan Sutherland
:.eems to be conducting the fight in
opposition to this legislation. He
claims that this question, he calls it
the proposal to close Prince Rupert
market to American fishermen, was
an issue in the late campaign in
Alaska and his constituents look to
him to defea* the measure. He says
ihat resolutions of protest against
any change in the tariff that will
affect the British Columbia market
I
for fresh fish have been received
from all the fishermen’s organiza
tions in Alaska as well as from the!
commercial clubs of several places.
Debunking “Hocus Po- I
cus” Gang
The following editorial taken from
the Ketchikan Chronicle is an at
tempt to justify the action of the
Commercial Club of that town to
Commercial Club of that town rela
tive to the three cent per pound tar
ill on halibut.
We especially call attention to the
article as it follows the political pro
gram of the Democratic ticket and
was an issue set forth by the Repub
licans but not answered during the
last election.
The ALASKAN and The ALASKA
FISHERMAN are opposed to this or
any legislation which would do by
law that which should follow by the
laws of economics. We refuse to ac
qulece in the throwing of any fish
ermen to the tender (?) mercies of
pay-trictic American buyers. Pa
triotism be damned. Too many
crimes are being committed in the
name of patriotism. It is not love
of country which fathers the idea of
paupering any class of fishermen in
order that a few in Ketchikan may
benefit. Let the Ketchikan Club and
their varie-colored politically coated
friends get their fish by free and op
en competition. That is the only
proposition that The ALASKAN will
entertain on this subject.
The article follows:
“As to the matter of tariff on fresh
and frozen fish prepared and en
hanced In value in a foreign port,
there is every reason why every ef
fort should be made to bring the in
dustry to American ports in Alaska,
including Ketchikan, Wrangell, Ju
neau, Petersburg, Seward, Kodiak
and elsewhere. And every reason
points to better conditions not only
for the communities of the north but
GOVEKAOR SPEAKS BEFORE
SEATTLE CLUB
-o
Governor George A. Parks speak
ing before the Arctic Club of Seattle
Tuesday said “There is sufficient
standing timber in Alaska to put out
one billion three hundred million
pounds of newsprint paper per year
and there is enough undeveloped wa
terpower to generate six hundred
thousand horsepower. We hope
within the next few years to estab
lish closer relationship between the
Pacific Northwest and Alaska thru
the pulp and paper industry.’’
also for the fishermen.
**“During one year recently up
wards of $350,000 was spent in
Prince Rupert for ice, boxes dnd la
bor to ship the fresh American fish
to eastern American markets. That
money spent among American Alas
kan laborers, sawmills, merchants
and the like would have helped ma
terially. The Commercial Club has
never attempted “to put anything
over’’ on fishermen of any class. On
the contrary the club has invited
*o become members the vessels own
ers and today prizes among its mem
bers some of these men, all of whom
are heavily interested in the welfare
of the industry.
“No member of the Commercial
Club of Ketchikan need blush for his
membership cr for the things which
it has stood and for which it stands
today. Its aims and objects are a
better and bigger Ketchikan, pros
perity for all in Alaska, cooperation
between men of all callings of life,
good schools, greater opportunities,
happiness, contentment and under
standing, as against misunderstand
ing, suspicion and destructiveness.”
All which is a lot of bull-oney.
Ketchikan Chamber
Takes Water
-o
The Ketchikan Commercial Club
considered the tariff question and
the Rupert market then passed the
following resolution:
“Whereas the Commercial Club of
Ketchikan some time ago voted to
use its best efforts to center the fish
ing industry of the North Pacific
in Alaska, and
Whereas out of this has grown
misunderstanding by many persons
outside the Club and even by some
members of the Club as to the aims
end intent of the organization, and
Whereas particularly the halibut
vessel owners, some of whom are
members of this Club, are not in ■
: greement with us, and
Whereas it is of utmost import
ance that we of Alaska work in har
mony and for the general welfare of
the Territory and its people,
13c* it Resolved That the Commer
cial Club of Ketchikan discontinue
ior the time being and until such
time as there can be more uniform
ity of opinion in its efforts in the
matter of advocating higher tariff
on fish and further that the commit
tee appointed to prepare publicity in
the matter be discharged forthwith."
Threatens Traps on the
Columbia River
- i
A joint legislative conference be
tween the Oregon and Washington
legislatures *s to consider the abol-:
ishment of traps west of Pe*cc«!t'
Spit in the Columbia River, Febru-1
ary 2nd. The gillnetters of both of*
these States hav^Riught in the past t
to keep this of water clear*
of raps. The^JPPi destroying de- J
vices are doomed n iOregon and in
Washington as in other States. The
day will come in Alaska when this
! cKvice will be thrown into the dis
I card—if the fisheries will be pre
: served.
I
Another Pulp Mill Not j
For Alaska
-o
I
While Alaskans are fed with a lot
, of hotair about pulp and paper mills
coming to Alaska in the immediate
i future, the same companies go on
j with their building operations in
j Puget Sound cities.
I Actual construction of a 100-ton
: sulphate pulp mill at South Bend
j io expected to begin any time ae
j cording to notices sent out from that
town. The notice states that “plans
and specifications for a mill to pro
Iduce approximately -25,0.00 tons of
sulphate pulp annually are complet
ed and ready for actual building op
erations. Sale of the increased out
1 ut has been arranged for, and the
financing for the larger mill virtual
ly completed.
[ Alaskans’still patiently await no
tice from the Cameron’s and Zeller
j bachs that that they are. ready to
Construct their big mills in Alaska.
!t is suspected by many Alaskans
that such notice will not be given un
till all the virgin timber of Alaska
j is tied up and sold for a song to these
j outfits leaving local sawmills and
'small timber outfits to struggle at
best they can on cull timber.
“30”
-o - -
Fred Crew, aged printer and news
paper man died in a lonely snow
bound cabin near Fairbanks recent
ly. At one time Crewe was reputed
to be one of the fastest hand com
positors of New York prior to the
advent of the linotype.
Lokken at Washington
H. E. Lokken of Seattle, repr«
renting the Fishing Vessel Owners’
Association, recently opposed ant
change In dvti -s in the preset i,
system of m *'.oting the fish. He
stated that a movement was uau~"
foot In Ketchikan to have abolished
the system of landing halibut in bond
in Rupert.
Such a tax levied against the
pjresent free bonded halibut, would
destroy the industry which produces
44,000,000 pounds of halibut as
against 9,000,000 pounds in Canada.
Two Youth Taken
By The Sea
PriendB of Francis John, Hyda
burg and Tnomas Bunard, Kasaan,
were shotcked last week to learn of
the drowning of these two young
men In Kasaan Bay.
Reports of the acciddeut are very
meager and muhc is left to the im
agination as to what caused the ac
cident. They were out in a rowboat
fishing cod and were last seen on
th afternoon of the 23rd of January,
one at each end of th eboat. When
found, their boat was swamped with j
Bunard half way in the boat and j
frozen. It is supposed that their
anchor fouled and when thee at
tempted to break it loose the boat
was swamped. At this writing the
body of Francis had not been found.
Seventeen young men of Metlakat
la chartered a boat and left for Ka
saan Bay to search for the body of
Francis.
Francis John is more generally
known iirtfjjji't>ne end of the Terri
tory to t|tf«”bther. He was a student
at Broadway High School several
years ago and was a valued athlete
of that institution. He was a mem
ber of the crew of the U. S. B. E.
motor ship Boxer. He played basket
ball with a team from the crew of
that vessel and was admired by all
who came in contact with him be
cause of his clean sportsmanship.
He was a member of the Hydaburg
Camp of the Alaska Native Brother
hood and last fall wfas elected tem
porary treasurer and also had charge
of athletics at the last convention
held in Sitka in November.
HU Budden demise is regretted by
all who knew him. His loss is an
irreparable blow to the Hydaburg
Camp and to the work of the Bro
therhood. The loss of Bunard is al
so a severe blow to Kasaan though
he was not the outstanding leader
Francis was. The friends and rela
tive* have the deep sympathy of the
many friends of these two young
men.
War on Gillnetters
-o.—
R. D. Lytle, Pierce Couuty, Wash
ington Game Commissioner, recent
ly stated that “at the meeting of the
state game commissioners and game
wardens, held in Olympia late in No
vember, a resolution was introduced
by Game Commissioner Louis K.
Lear of King County, proposing to
change the present law' so that any
nets, traps or other obstructions in
streams, for the taking of salmon
illegally; must not be removed from
said waters tor a period of one week
or ten day*.
This rtetolution is said to be the
result of Seattle sportsmen seizing
gillnets in the past. These sports
men declare that the effect of this
resolution would be to impede them
in their war on illegal gillnetting in
the streams of Western Washing
ton.
W. A. Bryant, Ketchikan Talks
On Tariff Question
I
Mr. Bryant is part owner of the
Heckman Company store of Ketchi
kan which caters to the halibut fish
ermen who stray through Ketchikan.
He tells of the car ferry plan which
would be put in if the tariff is placed
on halibut.
Four hundred thousands pounds
of halibut a day is the average
nought at Rupert during the buying
season. At twenty-thousands pounds
to the carload, it means twenty cars
a day delivery from Ketchikan to
Rupert. Regardless of wind or
weather and the stormy Dixon’s En
trance, delivery would have to be I
made to care for the market and to
keep the storages from being over
loaded. Says a practical business
man, “The whole scheme is imprac
tical and cannot be carried out. The
operation would be too expensive to
i
v. arrant or justify the tying up of j
such a large capital as would care j
lor the delivery of such a large j
quantity of fish.”
Whatever happens, tariff or no, ;
the fish will continue to go through i
i-rince Rupert. What is there to gain |
by the tariff? And who makes the ,
gain? The fishermen? Any fisherman'
who believes such to be the case
ought to go and have his head stuck
into a freezer and preserved as a
curicsity.
The article follows:
“Here’s Timely Article On Ques
tion of Fish Tariff.”
There seems to be divergence of
opinion regarding whether w?e
should work toward making Ket
chikan the principle fish market or
permit it to remain at Prince Ru
pert or some Canadian port.
I think we all admit that our
town cannot grow unless we all work
together for the good of all, and
that the success of the fishermen will
be the success of the town conse
quently the town does not wish to do
anything that will injure the fisher
men in the least.
The question is: If the market
is moved from Prince Rupert to
Ketchikan or to any Alaskan port,
will the fishermen be injured? or
■
will he be benefltted along with all
Alaska?
Our contentiou Is that he and all
Alaskans will be benefltted.
If the law regarding the shipping
of goods in bond is applied to fresh
iish as it is *o canned flsh or other
commodities, then all fresh fish
which are preserved in ice w'ould be
snipped in bond from one American
port through Canadian territory to
an American port in the states;
otherwise, it would be subject to
to duty.
There would be no duty on the
fish shipped from here.
In case the law was so interpreted
the icing and boxing of the fish
would be done here instead of at
I-’rince Rupert and the buyers who
are buying in Rupert would come to
Alaskan side to make their pur
chases.
The question has been asked:
Woul|d the buyers who are now
-mying in Rupert come to the Ameri
can side to buy? They surely would;
or some other buyer would come to
take care of their customers, for
there would be no other market in
which they could get the flsh to
supply the trade.
The buyers on the American side
would have this advantage over the
present buyers in that they could
sort out the freshest fish to be ship
ped east through Prince Rupert ov
er the Canadian National Railroad
as they now do and the softer flsh
could be shipped by steamers south
••.■a Seattle and Pacific Coast points
to be distributed for quicker con
sumption. This should make a bet
ter price for this class of fish.
If the icing and boxing were done
on the American side, it would give
employment to loggers, sawmills
and to cold storage plants for fur
nishing ice and refrigeration.
The problem of a car ferry be
tween Prince Rupert and Ketchikan
las been discussed by many and
i here are several phases of the ques
tion.
There are parties who stand ready
to put such a car ferry system on the
run as soon a*1 they are guaranteed
Continued on page 3
I
Demo Leader Answers
lltierlr*
Ju i Last Roll Call
~ ■ o-—.
. .Oscar W. Underwood, former Sea-;
I
ator from Alabama, died at his home
m Virginia .on the 25th .of this
month. Death came as a result of
a complication cl diseases which put
him to bed befr.ie Christmas.
For thirty years he sat in the halls
of Congress. During the days of the
world war he was minority leader in
the House of Representatives. He
attained no little fame in 1924 when
the Alabama delegation to the De
mocratic National Convention strid
ently “casts its 24 votes for Oscar
W. Underwood.”
Senator Hefflin made announce
ment of his death in the Senate and
moved, seconded by Senator Curtis,
F.epubican whip, that the Senate ad
journ as a mark of respect to the
former senator.
PROPOSES TAX ON SALMON
When the next Alaska legislature
faces its fishery problems, tax of
traps, etc., it might be well for them
to know that Washington has its
problem and proposes to impost a
tax on all salmon caught for commer
cial purposes.
The plunderbund press should be
condemning the Washington legisla
tors for being a bunch of radicals.
U. S. B. E. Teacher
Held on Murder Charge
-o
Grace Caldwell, Bureau of jdMtea '
tion teacher at Dillingham was re
cently bound over to the grand jury
oh a first degree murder charge In
connection with the death of Anna
Yukuuk, cook at the Kanakanak
Orphanage.
According to reports she died as
the result of burns due to an explo
sion of gasoline. It is charged that
a kerosene can used -xdiedj
gasoline was mysteriously substitut
ed for kerosene. When Anna and
her assistant attempted to fill a lamp
the explosion started the fire which
resulted in her death .
It is said tbat Mr. Caldwell, hus
band of the accused, was recently
held to the grand jury on the charge
of assaulting a pupil of the school of
which he was principal.
A Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell former
ly were employed by the Bureau of
Education at Metlakatla. It wa3 re
commended to that Department that
he be dismissed immediately for the
good of the service. Instead of the
dismissal he was transferred to the
westward with the above results.
The Pricillas will meet at the
church on Saturday afternoon at two
o’clock.