VOL. 4.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA, APRIL 4, 1930
NO. 41.
Wickersham Heads
West Division Way
-x
Judge James Wickersham, Re
publican candidate to succeed
Delegate Dan Sutherland, left
Juneau on the morning of Mar :U
26th for a campaigning trip to
the Third and Fourth Divisions.
If any of the voters to the west
ward want to take a political
shot at him, they will have an
opportunity. If occasion arises,
he will hold several meetings.
But he proposes to return to the
First Division at least a week
before the election—in ample
time to cause consternation
among his opponents who may
attempt to malign him during
his absence. The Judge is pos- 1
sibly the best and ablest cam
paign speaker in Alaska, and ^
with an an unassailable record i
after twelve years in Congress,
he is ready at all times to meet j
FRIENDLY foes in the political «
arena.
Doc. Story Under
Dopelndictment
Doctor H. S. Story, pioneer
physician of Ketchikan, formerly
Public Health service represent
ative, was arrested last week on
x bench warrant issued by Judge
Harding and taken before Com
missioner at Ketchikan where
sail was set at $4,000.
Dr. Story was arrested several
veeks ago on a charge of sell
ing narcotics; he was bound ov
3r to the grand jury after pre
iminary hearing and has been
it liberty under bond since. The
;as'e will probably be tried at
;he ne^t Ketchikan term of the
jourt.
.. Story has practiced medicine
n Alaska for many years, more
•ecently in Wrangell and Ketch
kan where he was Public Health
jfflcer for a long time.
■x
Canadians Issue Regulations
Protecting Entire Industry
The Dominion Government
has issued new regulations af
fecting the fishing industry with
the view to protecting existing
investment, fishermen engaged
in the industry and to conserve
the supply. By these regula
tions an end is made of compet
itive effort by limiting gear and
equipment with which the indus
try is overburdened.
For a period of five years the
issuance of licenses will be lim
ed to salmon cannery and dry
saltery operations to plants now
in existence, to those operated
m 1928 and 1929; the issuance is
made with proviso that each
plant will secure fish only from
a limited or designated amount
of gear; failure to comply with
this requirement to result in the
withdrawal of licenses. Similar
restrictions are made on reduc
tion plants pending the outcome
of present investigations; no re
striction on fresh fish or freez
ing operations.
Commissioner of Fisheries
Howe at an open meeting in
Vancouver declared that (1)
There is a more or less fixed sup
ply of fish; (2) to conserve that
supply the Federal Government
must endeavor to permit by le
lislation and regulation, ade
quate escapement of fish; (3)
To acheive that object the Fed
eral authorities specify the max
imum number of fishing licenses
that may be operated in an area
to maintain the minimum 48
hour weekly closed period. If
the maximum number of licens
es is exceeded, then the Federal
authorities impose an added
weekly closed time of anywhere
up to another 48 hours, leaving
only three days’ fishing! (4)
It is obvious that with an exces
sive number of fishermen the
loss will be the proportion of
the supply for each, with con
sequent decreased earnings; but
on the other hand should the
number of fishermen in any one
district not exceed the number
set by the Dominion Govern
ment as necessary for conserva
tion for that district, each fish
eiman not only secures a fair
return of that supply but avoids
penalizing himself with a short
* ELECT C. E. OFFICERS *
Officers elected by the Chris
tian Endeavor Union at Ketchi
kan are as follows: Gibson
Young of Sitka, President; David
Phillips of Petersburg, Vice Pres
ident; Mrs. William Walton of
jSitka, Recording Secretary; Mr.
Walter Soboleff, Corresponding
Secretary; Clifford Waha, Treas
urer.
er fishing season; (5) What is
true of the necessity of limiting
fishing licenses, is also true of
limiting cannery licenses issued,!
the greater then will be the
amount of gear in the water,
thereby continuing the vicious
circle of more fishermen and
fewer fishing days, also as well
as less fish for each cannery,1
although overhead expenses re
main the same. Conservation
without economical production
is of no value to either the fish
ermen, operators or the public at
large. ,
.. “Recognizing these facts and
with the view of enabling the
whole industry to get back to a
stable basis, we propose for the
next five years to restrict can
nery and salmon dry saltery li
censes to those plants already
in existence and which were op
erated and or licensed in 1928
and 1929. These licenses will be
issued on the condition that
they only receive fish from a lim
ited number of gillnets and (or)
seines in a ‘given area.’
(Editorial note: Traps are pro
hibited in Canadian waters as
its use is believed contrary to
public policy. Therefore, while
the new restrictions appear to
name only movable hand gear, it
applies generally.)
“If what I have said is true of
the salmon industry, the same
also applies to the pilchard re
duction and herring dry salting.
Fearing depletion of pilchards
and herring, the Dominion and
Provincial governments are now
conducting an investigation in
to these two industries. Until
the findings of this investigation
are brought down, we intend to
adopt the same policy towards
reduction plants for pilchards.”
An Open Letter to
John Rustgard Re:
Private Contracts
Ketchikan, Alaska
March 17, 1930
lion. John Rustgard,
. .Juneau, Alaska
Dear Mr. Rustgard:
..Your circular letter states:
“I have endeavered to get a
copy of that contract (between
the Alaska Native Brotherhood)
but have failed.. Several Indian
friends of mine who are mem
bers of the Brotherhood and
who were delegates to the con
vention have also endeavored to!
I
set copies but have failed, thot
they were entitled to copies. The!
Grand Officers keep the matter
a profound secret, and .1 dare
the gentlemen interested to let
the contract be made public.
The facts are certain:—you
have never asked me for a copy,
and you have never asked Judge
Wickersham for a copy.
Furthermore, every native
who requested a copy of that
contract from me has received
the same by return mail.
Furthermore, there are at
least two copies in every native
village. I have wondered just
what you mean when you claim
to have made an effort to get a
copy.
Altho I cannot see where you
as Attorney General for the Ter
ritory have any interest in a
contract that does not concern
your office or the Territory, you
could easily have seen the con
tract by going to Judge Wicker
sham’s office or by asking me
for the same. And since you
have not asked for a copy, I won
der what you mean by telling
the public that you have “en
deavored to get a copy of that
contract but have failed.”
As for “Several Indian
friends” of yours “who are mem
bers of the Brotherhood” and
who also have endeavored to get
copies but have failed,” I have
personal knowledge that sever
al Indians whom you believe to
be your “Indian friends” have
copies of that contract. I will
leave it to you to determine why
they have not given you the
same IF you requested them for
a copy as you claim.
Yours very truly,
William L. Paul.
Maxes Plea tor i. w. w.
-x
W. W. Taylor, of Seattle, pres
ident of the Stac.- Federation cl
Labor of Washington, entered a
plea with the State Parole Board
f°] consideration of those sen
tenced for complicity in the
Centralia Legion Parade-I. W. W
clash several years ago. Labor
jury sitting thru the proceedings
wherein several I. W. W. mem
bers were convicted, reported
their findings from the evidence
adverse to the verdict of the
jury. -
Skinner & Eddy Dig Up
The Federal Treasury and the
Skinner & Eddy Corporator
have settled litigation involving
$11,000,000 pending since close
of the World War. Amount oi
payment by the corporation was
$3,500,000. The government con
tended that it had overpaid the
corporation on wartime ship
building contracts. Settlemenl
made out of court after the Su
preme Court declined to reviev
the case.
-x
City Elections Very
Decorous Affaii
Municipal elections were helc
on Tuesday of this week and was
a very quiet affair; no election
eering, no buttonholing for votes
no cliques, clans or tribes fight
ing for position or favor. Th<
weather was inclement and oth
er wise off and on. Earl Ohmei
wes re-elected mayor, receiving
| the greatest number of vote
cast: Jonas Olsen, Jack Han
jseth and Sam Gauffin are th
| incoming eouncilmen; Dr. Rud
I was elected to the School Boari
j while Mrs. Harold Lee receive)
jthe greatest number of votes o
I those whose names were writte:
,m on the ballot to fill the one
year term, vacant on the schoc
| board.
Fuss Over Name
-X
.. Since the beginning of this
year, Norway’s third largest
town—Trondjhem—has been re
named Nidaros. This was due
to a resolution passed in the
Stortinget. Matters did not end
here, however. The population
of Trondhjem protested violent
ly against the resolution chang
ing the name of their beloved
town, and they made the affair
a political issue.
Then scientists got busy, ex
amining old documents and re
cords to try to discover whether
the name Nidaros was an older
name than Trondhjem, but they
could not reach an agreement,
The municipality was unani
mous for retaining the name oi
. Trondhjem and demanded that
the Stortinget revoke the former
resolution and return their town
its original name.
Both the first and second
chamber debated the question
. the former passing a resolution
r that the original name should be
returned to the town, the latter
that the present name should be
retained.
The matter again came before
the first chamber, which voted
as before. The second Chamber
L also voted as before. According
, to the constitution, the affair
must now be discussed before a
general meeting of both houses
’ As a motion here must have a
, two-thirds majority, it is certain
the present name of Nidaros wil
. be retained.
3 MONEY FOR MARINE HOSPITI
3 An expenditure of $1,250,00(
“ for a marine hospital in Seattle
1 has been authorized by the Unit
* ed States Senate. At the same
f
time the senate approved the
1 $75,000,000 appropriation fo]
roads, which money will be dis
1 tributed throughout the severa
States and Territories.
Knight Meets With
Favor, All Divisions
It appears that the candidacy
of Frank Knight, for the Repub
lican-nomination for Territorial
Treasurer, is meeting with favor
In every section of Alaska. The
Anchorage Times, of the issue
of March 22, says:
“Speaking of politics, it will
be pleasing to the voters of the
Third Division to know that
their candidate for Territorial
Treasurer, Frank L. Knight, of
Anchorage, is receiving as
surance of strong support in the
First Division as well as at home
and in other localities where
most of the voters are personal
ly acquainted with him.”
So far as the First Division is
concerned, it is generally accept
ed by those who are keeping tab
on the political sentiment, that
Mr. Knight will carry the First
Division by a substantial major
ity. It should not be less than
500 and will most probably be
considerable more. With the
vote that he will undoubtedly get
in the Third and Fourth Divi
sions, Mr. Knight will be the
nominee of his party by such a
large majority as will assure
his election on November 4th.
At this time, The ALASKAN
predicts that every candidate
receiving its support, in the pri
maries, will be nominees of the
Republican party in the Novem
ber election. The following tick
et is being supported: James
Wickersham, Delegate to Con
gress; Frank L. Knight, Terri
torial Treasurer; Cash Cole,
Auditor; W. K. Keller, Commis
sioner of Education; Joe Ulmer,
Highway Engineer; Will A. Steel,
Senator; J. E. Johnson, William
L. Paul, Peter Sommer, Grover
C. Winn, House of Representa
tives; P. F. Gilmore, Divisional
Road Commissioner.
LocallGirl Showing
At MacGregor’s
Alice Norberg, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Charley Norberg of
Petersburg, is a feature being
presented the film fans at the
MacGregor Theatre this week.
Three years ago Miss Norberg
went to Hollywood, Calif., where
she took picture tests and made
a high rating out of a group of
twelve hundred taking the tests.
Later when the sound projec
tions went on the billing, she
took the tests before the “mike”
and again headed a list of three
hundred taking that test.
The present billing is a silent
projection but it will give a fair
idea of the petite lass’ ability be
fore the screen.
The progress of Miss Norberg
in the film world is being watch
ed with great interest and pride
by all of her friends who expect
much and hope for a great deal
for her.
HUNT CLUB LODGE BURNED
The hunting club lodge in
Rocky Pass, maintained by the
Juneau sports, was destroyed by
fire recently. What the club will
do about rebuilding has not yet
been determined.
f
Airport Landing For
Petersburg Okayed
Highway EngineerF Robert
Sommers has approved the pro
posed location for Petersburg’s
airport. It will be near Jask
King’s place this side of Scow
Bay.
The Council has approved the
measure though in the absence
of Councilman Johnson, no re
cord can be made until he has
returned. Mr. Sommers states
that bids will be called for about
the middle of this month.
-x
Ask Investigation
Reindeer Industry
Senator Wesley L. Jones, o
Washington sent a telegram re
cently to Rev. Dr. Mark A. Mat]
ews of Seattle, asking for fact
regarding the Lomen Reindee
Corporation’s dealings with th
Eskimo reindeer raisers of Alas
ka. Jones’ telegram was sent ii
reply to an appeal by the Seattl
Presbyterian clergyman for
Congressional investigation.
Senator Jones stated that “
have asked Dr. Mathews for de
tails so that I can determine
course of action. Meanwhile,
see no reason why the Secretar
' of the Interior should not mak
an investigation.”
Dan on Job
Delegate Dan Sutherland an
nounced that he was emphatic
ally opposed to Governor at
tempting to settle the differenc
es between the company and th
Eskimos. He said: “This mat
I ter is too large for the governc
of Alaska to settle. Territor
larger than the New Englan
states combined is in dispute
The question of how this lan
shall be divided is too importar
to be left to the governor c
l Alaska.
| .“Tlie Indians of Alaska hav
f
1
s
r
steadily been losing their rights.
They are being crowded out of
the fisheries business and now
they are fighting for their rights
in the northern part of Alaska.
e . .“They are entitled to prior
consideration in the licensing of
1 land for grazing. I believe a com
D mittee of the Senate should
1 make a thorough investigation
of the matter and report recom
* mendations for settlement.
I
y
e
“If the senate does not choose
to make such an inquiry, I be
lieve the Secretary of the In
terior, with two of his assistants,
should constitute a board to
make such an investigation.”
Dr. Mathews will make every
- effort to have this controversy
- investigated.
It is not improbable that the
Presbyterian Church will get be
hind the effort to have the mat
ter investigated as it has a pe
r ] culiar interest in the industry—
Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson fath
ered the idea and solely thru his
efforts were the first reindeer
brought into the country. Dr.
Jackson, missionary and edu
cator was prominent in the
bringing of educational oppor
tunity to Alaskans in the ’90s.