VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
APRIL 22, 1932
NO. 40
Former Republican Leader
Not Interested in Politics
“I am interested, but not ac
tive, in politics, and I am not
in a position to discuss political
issues or candidacies,” was the
answer of William L. Paul of
Ketchikan, prominent as a Re
publican in many campaigns in
recent years, to a query as to his
present attitude on party issues
and aspirants for party nomina
tions.
Mr. Paul came to Juneau from
Ketchikan recently to attend to
law business in the United States
District Court.
Interested in Mining
‘‘Aside from my practice as a
lawyer, my chief interest now is
in the development of some min
ing property,” he said. “Last No
vember while I was in Seattle,
Harry Benolkin and I acquired
the Dolomi gold property on the
east coast of Prince of Wales Is
land, about 30 miles from Ket
chikan. We put five men to work
in January, have 15 employes at
present and expect to increase
the force to 20 in the summer.
We have three levels opened and
about 1,000 feet of tunnels. The
ere runs as high as $30 a ton
and 80 per cent of it is free
milling. Our mill crushes 40 tons
daily.
“The property is an old prop
erty. We are re-opening it. We
shall build a new bunkhouse
and we must reconstruct the
, tramway, which extends from
' the mine two miles to the beach.
(The rails are there, but the
woodwork must be replaced.
Timber is available from nearby
trees.
More Thrilling Than Politics
“Gold mining,” concluded Mr.
Paul, as he drew from his pocket
a disk of gold, worth $25, a sam
ple of the product of the Dolomi
property, “is more thrilling than
politics.”
Mrs. Paul and the children, as
soon as school is out in Seattle,
will return to Ketchikan.
“Without giving up my Alaska
residence, I opened a law office
in Seattle last year,” explained
Mr. Paul. “I have closed it, how
ever, inasmuch as my law busi
ness and mining interests in
Alaska permit of the spending
of no time elsewhere.”—Juneau
Empire.
157 Traps Closed
To Protect Sites
—x—
A total of 157 trap sites are
to be closed in Alaskan waters
this season, according to a state
ment of the Bureau of Fisheries.
There were no details given, so
it is unknown which traps were
closed voluntarily by the owners
and which were closed by the
bureau of fisheries.
However, it is believed that
the bulk of the traps closed are
in Southeastern Alaska as the
number of fish traps in Prince
William sound and farther north
fall far behind the number of
sites closed.
Last year 122 trap sites tem
porarily were closed in Alaskan
waters, but it cannot be deter
mined at this time what rela
tionship, if any, exists with the
regulations closing 157 sites this
year. It is possible that many oi'
the trap sites included in the
latter group were numbered
among those closed last year,
but definite information regard
ing this will not be available
until a later date.
X
Action Delayed In
Troll Tax Case
—x—
No hearing has been held in
the Juneau federal court on the
case brought by Wood Freeman,
representing the Trolling Vessel
Owners’ Association, against tne
Territory of Alaska. The case
involves the legality of t h e
Alaska law by which non-resi
dent trollers are assessed $250
annual license fee for operating
in Alaska waters.
Testimony for the plaintiff troll
ers was taken by deposition in
Seattle last fall, and the hearing
of the defense argument and
evidence was to have been held
in Juneau last November. This
phase of the suit has never ac
tually been undertaken, the ter
ritory for some reason not wish
ing to bring the matter to an
issue.
It is understood that while the
matter is pending the territory
will not seek to enforce the
license law, although no public
statement to this effect has ye:
been made by the authorities.—
Pacific Fisherman. ,
-x
The Community League gave a
very interesting program last
Tuesday evening.
POTLATCH DAYS
TO BE REVIVED
-x
At a meeting last week. Third
avenue merchants, Seattle, un
animously voted that “Potlatch
Days,” colorful annual celebra
tion discontinued several years
ago, be revived. Plans for a!
.merchandise hunt along the j
avenue to give away $5000 worth i
cf merchandise during the event!
were discussed.
Newly-elected officers of the |
organization include Ben Tipp, i
president; C. E. Mong, vice >
president; Paul Saad, second
vice president; Russel Munro,1
secretary; Samuel Trowbridge,
treasurer, and Harry Druxman,
chairman of the board.
x
Request Greater
Radio Privilege
Delegate Wickersiiam has re- !
ceived pleas from Alaska re
questing that efforts be exerted
to secure greater radio privileges!
for the Territory, so that with
increased watt facilities there
might be encouragement for the
erection and operation of more
powerful broadcasting stations,
whereby various towns in a sec- j
tion of the Territory might be
connected by remote control.
The trouble is that under exist
ing law Alaska is part of the
fifth zone and the radio facilities
are divided among the states
and territories of that zone in
accordance with their popula
tion. In that respect we are
somewhat handicapped but the
Federal Radio Commission has
been very lenient and the Terri
tory to-day has 24 per cent more
radio facilities than it is entitl
ed to under the law. However a
bill to amend the Radio Act of I
1S27 was introduced in the!
House and. has already passed j
this branch of Congress and is
now in the Senate. The bill con
tains a clause, recommended by
the Commission, excluding the
Territories from the zones es
tablished, but otherwise the bill
applies with equal force and ef
fect. C McK. Saltzman, chair
man of the Commission, was’
long associated with the signal
corps and also the Cable and
Telegraph System in Alaska, and,
fully appreciates the needs of
the people of the northland. Hej
holds out the encouragement.
that if the bill passes the Senate j
and becomes a law “it will be j
possible to assign additional'
j facilities to Alaska.”
:M6SS%XXXKKXSCSXXSa6SB6XXX3(%%XSKttC3KS9fi3S9SMXS%MK6KK3S8^^
Al Smith Urges
Foreign Debt
Holiday
Alfred E. Smith has over
night become the center of De
mocratic party discussion by his
spectacular proposal at the Jef
ferson day dinner for virtual
cancellation of the war debts
under a plan designed to pro
mote international trade.
He suggested the United Stat
es “forget” its war debts for 20
years. During that time, he pro
posed, the United States should
erase from the debt each year
one-fourth of the value of goods
bought by the debtors.
At the same time Smith drove
in further the wedge which has
been slowly splitting him apart
from his former political ally
and present rival. Governor
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Some construed Smith’s
speech as a virtual declaration cl
war against Roosevelt. In a pas
sage interpreted as referring to
an address made by Roosevelt
last week, Smith said:
“I will take off my coat and
vest and fight to the bitter end
against any candidate who per
sists in any demagogic appesl
to the masses of the working
people of this country to destroy
themselves by setting class a
gainst class or rich against
poor.”
--x
Dickinson Elected
Republican Keynoter
Senator L. J. Dickinson of
Iowa has been agreed upon by
the Republican high command
as temporary chairman and
keynoter of the Republican Na
tional Convention.
The convention arrangements
committee, headed by Chairman
Fess of the national committee,
will meet in Chicago to make
the selection.
Representative Bertrand F.
Snell of New York, Republican
leader of the House, is the gen
eral choice for permanent chair
man.
-x
ANCIENT BRONZE COINS
ARE FOUND IN ITALY
-x
Two bronze coins of the city of
the Roman year 537, were dis
covered near Termoll on a farm
of Francesco Petti.
The coins were found in a jar
in an ancient tomb which was
uncovered by workmen while
digging a ditch.
\
Bureau Sponsors
Annual Contest
Declamations
—x— ,
A statement from the office of
Charles W. Hawkesworth, Acting
Chief of the Indian Bureau
Schools informs the public that
there has been some uncertain
ty regarding the spring elimina
tion rhetorical contests. Assur
ance is given by the office ;hat
these exercises are to continue
throughout U ^vschool year with
a final school contest including
all pupils up to and including
the 7th grade.
In the past these exercises
have been of community inter
est with the parents and the
Alaska Native Brotherhood and
Sisterhood sponsoring them and
in certain instances offering
prizes to the winners. It is the
plan to have the winner of the
contest in each school partici
pate in the district contest to be
held in Juneau next October at
the time of the Brotherhood and
Sisterhood convention.
Last year only the Sitka
school sent a contestant tc
Yakutat to enter the contest sc
gold and silver medals were not
presented the winner^ but each
contestant—one from Sitka, and
two from Yakutat were present
ed with the book “We Are Alas
kans,” by Mary Lee Davis.
The Forest Service contests
are also becoming of great value
and the present fine spring of
fers opportunities for field
study, teachers making trips
with their pupils in the fields
and woods to secure specimen'
for the course outlined by the
Forest Service.
The request has gone forth
that free-hand drawings oi
plants and trees be submitted
with essays and the judges wil]
consider the free-hand drawing?
and essays in awarding the
prizes.
The Brotherhood officers urge
active interest in these matter?
in support of the work of the
Department.
X
Pension Measure
For Women
-x
A bill sponsored by the Ameri
can Legion providing pension;
for the wives of all world wa>
veterans is being prepared fo]
congressional action immediate
ly after disposal of the bonus
bill, officials of Willard Straigh
post of the Legion, Seattle, saic
in explaining their oppositior
to the bonus measure.
Grigsby Adouts
Platform of
W. L Paul
Abolition of the fish traps
jhome rule for Alaska and op
position to conservation as ap
plied to the Territory in a belie!
that “nature and economic con
ditions present sufficient bar
I riers” were advocated by Georg?
Grigsby, candidate for the demo
cratic nomination as delegate
congress, in a statement made
public in Juneau recently.
In this statement, which he is
circulating to voters throughout
i the Territory, Grigsby said that
he considers “the future admin
istration of the fisheries in Alas
ka the big issue of the cam
paign.” He said that he is
! unalterably “opposed to the pre
sent bureaucratic control.”
i He pointed out that “I am ir
| favor of the abolition of the fish
traps, and as the most effective
means to this end will, if elected
work for the transfer of all fed
, eral control of the fisheries tc
the Alaska territorial legislature
i I believe this will be accomplish
ed with the advent of a demo
; cratic administration, which
_ now seems assured. I will do mj
utmost to put the bureau ol
fisheries out of business in the
Territory of Alaska except foi
the purpose of scientific re
search.”
'North Star’ Guards
Are Installed
-X
Staff-Captain J. Acton install
ed the North Star Guards of th<
Salvation Army Sunday after
noon in the Army Barracks
Following a very nice progran
by the Guards, a banner wa;
presented them by Mr. L. Pau
for friends of the Guards anc
Mr. George V, Beck presentee
prizes to those who' had per
fected their work. Staff-Captah
expressed the appreciation c
the Armmy to Mr. Joseph Hud
son for the beautiful pulpit anc
leading stand made of Alask;
cedars. Mr. Hudson’s work in th<
Army has been very generous oi
his part. He is giving the boy:
manual training work and bene
fit of his knowledge and skill
’ all without cost to the Army o
the children.
-x
Politics—this nation’s incur
’ able pain in the neck; a highl;
[1 effic5ent system devised and op
11 crated to keep honest men ou
j of public office.
I Mayor Lockett Institutes
i!
|| Policy of Retrenchment
I . On Monday night the City
| Council met in regular session
in the Town Hall. The newly
elected Mayor, Mr. Edward Loek
en and the re-elected council
men: Jonas Ohlsen, Sam Gauffin
and Jack Hanseth were inducted
into office.
Outgoing Mayor Ohmer made
a little farewell talk in which he
expressed his appreciation of
: the fullhearted cooperation of
; the council during his adminis
tration the past two years. He
offered his good services to the
Council at anytime and express
: ed his willingness to do all he
can to further the interests of
the city.
Mayor Locken upon taking the
chair stated that “I do not ex
pect to make any radical chang
jes in the city’s administration.
I will from time to time propose
ideas which I believe worthy of
consideration but it will be your
duty to make the decision as to
whether you will accept or re
ject the proposals. I believe that
six heads are better than one
and therefore will not feel put
out if any proposal I set forth
is rejected.”
Considerable business was un
dertaken and acted upon. The
claims of Walter Shadesty,
Wrangell, representing his
granddaughter Sarah Shadesty,
whose property was sold by the
city for taxes and building de
stroyed by purchaser were left
for the opinion of the city at
torney. The Mayor brought up
the matter of economy and
pointed out that the way to
economize is to spend less—
specifically pointing out that
city ordinance required one per
son to be fire marshal and street
commissioner and at present the
positions are filled by two men
with a salary difference cf
$2,100. The matter was left for
the next meeting to finish.
Tcachers’^fhMPies, and other city
expenses were brought up and
from the attitude of the council
there will be considerable effort
to curtail operating costs.
PUBLISHER DEMANDS
FEDERAL COST HALT
-x
John Stewart Byran, Rich
mond, Va., publisher, this week
called upon the newspapers of
the country to assume their re
sponsibility in helping turn the
: tide of high Government costs.
Speaking before the American
Association of Advertising Agen
cies, Byran warned that “Rome
^fell because of bad taxation and
overgrown bureaucracy * and de
clared that “the time has come
for the people of America to cut
! up by the roots this mass of
overgrown bureaucracy.”
‘Wrangell Institute’
Is Official Name
Charles W. Hawkesworth, act
ing chief of the U. S. Indian
Bureau has announced that the
new industrial school at Wran
gell will hereafter be designated
as the “Wrangell Institute.”
The new school will be open
next September. The four main
buildings are now completed
these include boys’ and girls
dormitories and the administra
tions building; except for a few
minor details the Staff House i
complete and a hospital building
is to be erected bids for which
building will be sought verj
shortly.
It is expected that a superin
tendent will be appointed tc
have charge of the Institute.
-x
Local Attorney
Files Libel Suil
-X
R. E. Baumgartner, local at
: torney, has filed suit in the loca
[ court against E. O .Elstad, pub
; fisher of the Petersburg Press fo:
[ statements of libelous nature.
Campiainant alleges his char
1 acter has been damaged by th<
publishing of statements undei
the caption “Local Attorney In
1 volved in Arrest” wherein stor]
of arrest of Carl Thorset wa:
printed. Thorset was arrestee
for possession of untagged beav
er pelts and possession and sai<
cf venison.
1 Court records show no relatioi
between Mr. Baumgartner am
Thorset.
Action prays for $3,000 dam
i ages and costs thereof.
-x
t The Admiral Evans and Roger
are due from the South.
Increased Postage
Is Under Fire
—x—
Vigorous opposition to in
creasing the first class postage
rate from 2 to 3 cents was voiced
before the Senate finance com -
inittee by the National Council
of Business Mail Users.
Through Richard H. Lee of
New York, its general counsel,
the organization attacked the
increase contained in the rev
enue bill as passed by the House.
He contended it would handi
cap business and asserted “Post
al rates are not a proper source
for raising revenue.,,
A tax on copper imports was
urged by Harry S. Joseph, Salt
Lake City mining engineer.
Senator Norbeck, Republican.
South Dakota, reiterated he
planned to propose an amend
ment to the revenue bill to in
crease the tariff on butter from
14 to 22 cents a pound. The
House rejected a similar amend
ment by Representative Chris
tophersori, Republican, South
Dakota.
Alaska Bill Given
Favorable Report
-X
The Department of Justice
bill providing for the combining
of the department of justice ac
tivities in the Second and Fourt h
Divisions of Alaska has been
given favorable report by the
House Judiciary Committee. The
department hopes to save $25,
000 annually by this consolida
tion of the department activities
i
1
Considerable excitement has
been running sway in Peters
burg over the reported finding
of placer gold in LeConte Bay by
Axel Pierson. Pierson was taken
to LeConte Bay by Capt. Bill
Stafford recently. It is reported
that Stafford saw a pan showing
nine colors of reasonable size
taken from a little more than
one foot down. Old timers are
not overly excited by the re
ports as gold has been known to
be in that bay district but not
in quantities to get excited over.
However, gold is where you find
it.
Alarinum, bearing the date of
-x
..The cure for rotten politics Is
more politics.—Theodore Roose
velt.
-x
3 . .Vote your preference on Tues
day, April 26th.