T h i:I Ast-Alma
VOLUME NO. VI
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
APRIL 8, 1932
NO. 38
City Elections In
Territory
Frank C. Barnes was elected
mayor of Wrangell this week.
Mr. Hanford whom the city has
to thank for its diesel power
plant and its condition, was de
feated for re-election. Art Sor
sett was re-elected. George
Sumption was a new member.
The election at Juneau were
not too hot—Mayor Thomas B.
Judson was elected by a vote of
two to one over Alfred Dishaw.
F. R. Mitsch and P. J. Gilmore
ran a close race in Ketchikan.
Mitsch getting in by the skin of
his teeth. A case where the de
feat may be attributed to the
neglect of old friends to cast
their ballot—every vote being
important.
D. Carlos Brownell was re
elected mayor of Seward by a
ten vote margin over Mr. Or
lander.
Cordova knows a good thing
when it has it: It returned Will,
H. Chase as mayor for the five
consecutive year. Mr. Chase is
also candidate before the Repub- j
lican primaries for office as de
legate to the national conven
tion—with E. S. Hungerford as
bis running mate.
J. F. Bryant was elected may
or of Fairbanks by the largest
vote in years.
A. F. Wright, with no opposi
tion, was elected as mayor of
Nome.
There was more general in-1
terest and spice in the city cam- (
paigns in Alaska than has been j
noted in many years. Predictions
were over-turned and old offi
cers relieved of office. The bal
lot is the last resource of the
propublico boneheadio.
Congressman Dies; Was
Friend to Alaska
Representative Albert H. Ves
tal, o f Indiana, Republican
whip, died after an heart attack.
Ke was fifty-seven years old.
Representative Vestal, of An
derson, Indiana, was born Jan
uary 18, 1875, on a farm in
Madison county. He was educat
ed in the country school and
later worked in a steel mill and
factories to obtain funds for
farther education. He taught
school for several terms and
then graduated from the law
department of Valparaiso Uni
versity and was admitted to the
bar at the age of twenty-one.
Mr. Vestal was elected prose
cuting attorney for the fiftieth
judicial circuit in 1900 and re
elected in 1902 and 1904. He
then engaged in the practice of
law at Anderson. He was elect
ed to eight terms of Congress,
and is survived by his widow
and two children.
-x
‘ STOP ROOSEVELT”
IS NEW BATTLE CRY
Leaders of the “Stop Roose
velt” movement in Pennsylvania
were reported preparing to
throw their strength behind the
candidacy of Newton D. Baker,
secretary of war in the Wilson
administration, for the Demo
cratic presidential nomination.
-x
FORD SALES
-x
Because of the large advance
in the sales of the new Ford
cars, four thousand five hundred
men will be taken on at the
Ford plants in the next few
weeks. The drive of slaves wit
be continued under the guise oj
efficiency.
-x
Harold Runstad returned to
day from Seattle where he hai
been attending the U. of W.
Holmes’ Ashes Be
Scattered in North
-X
Over the Alaskan country
v/here he was widely known ancl
which he loved, the ashes of the
body of W. H. (Doc) Holmes,
Texas oil man and political lead
er, will be scattered, according
to funeral plans made by his
relatives.
Holmes, whose former home:
was in Amarillo, Texas, died in i
a private sanitarium after spv- (
eral months of illness. He had j
come to the Coast in search of j
nealth.
Born in Wellington, Kan., fif
ty-three years ago, he was in
Alaska from 1907 to 1912, serv
ing as deputy United States
marshal. From Alaska he went
to the Texas Panhandle whe,-e j
he was credited with drilling the;
first oil well in that district. j
Holmes was the Republican \
executive committeeman from j
the 18th Congressional District
and in 1928 was his party's
choice against Dan Moody for
governor. Moody was elected.
-x
Alaska Railroad \
Endangered
In a letter to the Seward
Chamber of Commerce in an
swer to one about the proposed;
erection of coal bunkers, Senat
or R. B. Howell, Nebraska, said
each additional call made upon
the United States Treasury for
support of the Alaska Railroad
“endangers its existence.”
Senator Howell is chairman of
a special Senate committee
which investigated the railroad
last summer. Eight thousand
tons of coal have been guaran
teed annually for the bunker,
but Senator Howell said the
guarantee should be “10,000
tons.” The senator further stat
ed that “all unnecessary con
struction for the railroad should
be avoided.”
“Influential voices at Wash
ington are suggesting the Alas
ka Railroad be abandoned or at
least the Sewrard-Anchorage sec
tion, as there is no hope of the
road becoming self-sustaining,”
the senator asserted in his let
ter. But, he said, the committee
is unanimous in the desire to
save the railroad.
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AVIATOR HAWKES INJURED
X
Capt. Frank Hawkes, holder of
seven transcontinental records
in airplanes, was injured Wed
nesday when his plane turned
over while he was taking off
from a field at 50 miles per hour.
It is possible that he will suffer
| paralysis of the face.
|-x
| PINCIIOT REFUSES TO HAVE
‘NAME ON OREGON’S BALLOT
Governor Pinchot has tele
graphed State Senator J E. Ben
nett of Portland, Ore., that he
would not permit his name to
be used in the Oregon Repub
lican presidential preferential
primary election. Bennett last
week telegraphed the governor
for permission to use his name.
Tlie governor declined to com
ment on the candidacy of a
number of his friends for elec
tion as district delegates or al
ternates to the Republican na
tional convention. He said he
had nothing to say on the state
ments of some of these candi
dates that he would be a can
didate for the party presidential
nomination.
j Mayer Baker and two commis
■ sioners of Portland are under in
; dictmentfor malfeasance anc
I negligence in office.
High Mark In
Battle of Ballots
There was more interest de
monstrated in the local elections
Tuesday than.since the town
was first incorporated. There
were 405 registered voters—with
many more desiring to cast their
ballots but unable to do so for
having failed to register as re
quired by city ordinance. There
were 379 votes cast altogether—
229 for Edward Locken for may
or and 149 for Earl Ohmer.
The returns reported by the,
judges are as follows:— Locken, |
229, Ohmer, 149, Enge, R., 143,
Gauffin,247, Hanseth, 211, Olsen,,
192, Swanson, L. T.,134, Wikan,
140; School Board, Isom 71.
Sam Gauffin was high man
with 247; Jacob Hanseth, Jonas
Olsen were re-elected to serve
another term.
Trygve Strom received ten
votes for School Board as a
gainst 71 for Jack Isom.
As a comparison it is shown j
that in 1930 the following votes
elected mayor and councilmen’ !
Mr. Ohmer, for mayor, 75; for
councilmen, Gauffin, 73, Han- j
seth, 75, Olsen, 67. In 1931, for
mayor, Ohmer, 88; councilmen: J
R. M. Allen, 88, Chas Greenaa,
94 and A. B. Holt, 82. |
There were 39 absentee ballots
cast with two rejected as being
incomplete. ’
i
i
Many of the voters took
notice of the new voting booths 1
installed by Street Commissioner
Nielson. And though the booths'
were well used, they will still'
give plenty of service.
Julius Tollefson was the first
citizen to do his duty. By closing
time virtually all those who had t
registered had cast their ballots.,
A number who had not register-'
ed as required by ordinance
came to vote and had to be
turned away. There is but littl?
doubt that the town could place'
500 qualified ballots in the bal
lot box. Which is speaking well l
for the interest in the duties of
citizenship in Petersburg.
Petersburg Guards Will
Be Installed April 17th
Staff-Captain Acton will be
conducting meetings in The Sal
vation Army Hall from Friday
Ihe 15th. to Monday the 18th of
April. In the Coliseum on Sun
day afternoon a program will be
given by the Young People of the
Salvation Army. At this meeting
the first troop of The Life-Sav
ing Guards organized in Alaska
will make its first public appear
ance. The Guards is a world
wide organization of teen-age
j girls who are striving to fic
[ themselves to become useful
Christian citizens of the future.
Come and encourage our Young
i People by your presence. Staff
! Captain Acton will lecture.
DEMO MAJORITY IN HOUSE
I The defeat of Representative
Granata, Republican of Chicago,
for place in Congress, the Demo
cratic lead in the House this
week was ten votes.
OCEAN FARES ARE LOWEST
SINCE ’14 ON NEW RATE CUT
I Bringing ocean travel fares to
the lowest level since 1914, vir
tually every transatlantic steam
iship company has announced
1 drastic reductions in rates.
After the announcement oi
i the United States Lines thal
cuts averaging 20 per cent foi
all classes of passage on th<
steamships Leviathan, Presideni
Roosevelt and President Hard
l ing, other lines joined the rate
• glflghlng
Local Fisherman
Victim of Water
—x—
The body of Nels Johansen
was found Wednesday morning
on the beach below the Trading
Union where it was left on the
beach by the tide. Johansen had
left Charley Mann’s poolrooms
about three o’clock that morn
ing to return to the halibut
schooner Mitkof which was on
the Trading Union gridirons for
minor overhauling. His body was
found about five o’clock.
It is presumed that Johansen
met with an accident while go- t
ing aboard the Mitkof and un
able to swim was soon drowned.
He had been playing a friendly
hand of cards ‘just before re
turning to the boat so that his
friends are nable to account for
whatever mishap that occured
that led to his death.
He is survived; by his brothers
Capt. Sverre Jdhansen, Erling
Johansen and sister Mrs. Huns
peth of Juneau a)nd two grown'
children in Tacdma. Deceased !
was about fifty years of age1
and engaged in fishing out ot
Petersburg and had many
friends whose sympathy now go;
out to the relatives who mourn j
his demise.
Mr. Johanson was 50 years 9
months of age. He was born in
Sorreisen, Norway and came to
the United States thirty years j
ago wherein he has resided since, j
The report of the coroner who
investigated the death is that it I
was due to accidental drowning.
-x
Rustgard Named
Nome Judge
-x
President Hoover this week
nominated John Rustgard for
the office of Judge of the Second
(Nome) Division. Judge E. Coke
Hill has been transferred to the
Fourth Division and Judge Cecil
Clegg has been appointed to
serve in the Third.
There is a bill pending in
Congress which would join the
Department of Justice, including
judge and marshal’s office.
Mr. Rustgard, for the past ten
years Territorial Attorney Gen
eral is on the ballot for re-elec
tion in the next primary election
on the 26th of this month. Con
firmation will remove him from
the political arena leaving the
battle between Judge Truitt of
Anchorage and Frank H. Foster
of Juneau.
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WEDDING BELLS
-x
| On the 3rd of April Miss Julia
Wasvick and Tony Steele were
united in matrimony by Rev.
W. J. Maakestad of the Lutheran
Church. Mrs. Steele is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Berndt
Wasvick of Petersburg and Mr.
Steele is connected with the
Maid of Mexico gold mine ^
Duncan Canal. The well wishes
of the many friends of the bride
and groom go with them o 1
their new venture on the bark
of matrimony.
-x
CHINESE KING HENRY
-X
Great Britian has refused to
I recognize King Henry and his
! new state of Manchouko, set up
! by the Japanese dynasty.
Three thousand guerrillas are
reported mear Mukden along the
Chinese Eastern Railway and
more or less trouble is to be ex
pected at any time.
-x
Dr. Tavelin, U. S. Governmen
s Dentist will arrive on the Ad
; miral Rogers and will spenc
■ some time in Petersburg taking
■ care of the needs of the children
[in the Bureau school.
\ Native Musher
Wins Nome Race
-X
A native driver, Kigatelluk.
won the Nome to Golovin and
return dog derby, his total run
ning time being fifteen hours,
thirteen minutes and twenty
seven seconds.
*Fred Topkok, another native,
finished second, and A1 Carey,
last year’s winner, was third.
Topkok’s time was fifteen hours,
thirty-eight minutes and seven
seconds, and Carey’s was fifteen
hours, fifty-eight minutes and
thirty-four seconds.
Kigatelluk, owner of the
Shishmareff Trading Post, and
backed by his father-in-law,
William Alukikuk, wealthy rein
deer owner, had eleven dogs in
his team.
Topkok, an Igloo reindeer
owner, had fourteen dogs in his
team, and Carey had thirteen.
The race was run under ideal
conditions and was completed
by ten of the fourteen entries.
--x
City Council Holds
Busy Session
The City Council met Monday
night in its last regular meeting
until election and installation of
the new officers.
The Hospital Committee re
ported its recommendations for
improvements in the hospital by
replacement of wallboard in sev
eral rooms. It further recom
mended purchase of a new X
ray machine to replace the ob
solete machine now on hand.
Mr. MacKechnie, sity electri
cian made a report on the steel
pins for the transmission line
from the hydro plant, which
pins were on exhibition in the
Town Hall.
Complaint was entered with
the Council about the poor
lighting on Indian Street. Mr.
MacKechnie stated that he plan
ned on replacing the old wires
when he would also put on ad
ditional lights.
The Council authorized pur
chase of a spare transformer for
emergency use at the hydro
plant at Blind Slough.
There was considerable dis
cussion relative to setting aside
part of the surplus balance on
hand: whether to make a sink
ing fund or to use it for the im
mediate retirement of an equal
amount of bonds. Some of the
committee favored holding the
funds for an emergency, or in
event conditions demanded it
next winter, it could be used
for city construction or projects
and thereby employ labor which
would be in need of any assist*
ance. On April 1, there was
; balance of $12,837.49, after pay
| ment of outstanding bills,
j-x
AUTO INSURANCE RAISED
-x
Prospective fire insurance wil
l be raised considerably according
jto statements now being made
j b y various companies. T h <
Washington Automobile Liability
on the first of April raised it,
i rates as high as 20 per cent.
-x
LINDBERGH CHILD IS SEEN
-X
! John Curtis,' intermediary fo
Colonel Charles Lindbergh, afte
a four-day trip off Martha’
Vineyard, Mass., returned am
reported that the child was wel
and in an unknown vessel ol
tlmt coast. Hourly return of th
; cnild is being expected.
I Alaska-Southern Airways wi
: operate two planes out of Ju
i neau this year. Ancel Eckmar
j pilot is vice president.
Pioneers Adopt] |
C ManyGResolutions
Two resolutions were adopted
by the grand igloo of the Pio
neers of Alaska.
One called for the payment of
. monthly pensions of $35 for men
[and $45 for women ,as author
ized by the legislature, instead
of $20 a month, the sum now re
ceived by both men and women.
The second resolution protest
ed against age discrimination in
employment. Copies will be sent
!the Alaska Railroad, the Alas
ka Road Commission and other
large employers of labor.
Further Action
Six additional resolutions were
considered by the grand igloo.
The first, providing for bien
nial instead of annual conven
tion, was laid on the table.
A resolution was adopted peti
tioning for a road from Cordova
to connect with the Richardson
highway.
A resolution was adopted me
morializing the Congress for a
$20 federal wolf bounty,
j A resolution was adopted urg-j
ing construction of a coal bunk - j
er at Seward.
No action was taken on a re- |
solution proposed by the Ket-'
chikan igloo providing that per
sons resident in the Territory
for 25 years be eligible to mem
bership in the Pioneer order, the
resolution to remain in force 10
years.
The only resolution on which
a roll call was taken was passed
unanimously. It asked that
careful consideration be given
to the proposal that a Pioneers’
Home be built at Anchorage.
-x
P.T-A. To Give Program
Next Wednesday Eve
-X
The Parent-Teachers’ Associa
I tion will hold its regular month
ly meeting in the school audi
| torium next Wednesday evening.
jThe following program will be
' undertaken following the regu
lar business meeting:
1. Piano duet—Misses C. Chris
tianson and Bertha Lero.
2. Vocal Solo—Mrs. S. Johan
sen.
3. General discussion of voca
tional subjects for high school
students—led by Mrs. Hunger -
ford.
4. Vocal Solo—Miss Hana An
derson.
-x
FREDRIC DIEMER, FORMER
ALASKAN, IS SOUGHT
IN VAIN
-X
Police continued their search
for Fredric A. Diemer, longtime
Alaska resident, who has been
missing from his home, 237
V/arren Ave., Seattle, ten days.
Friends say the moderately
wealthy former Nome lighterage
and transportation company
owner left a letter saying he was
going to take a “cold bath,'
which they fear indicates suici
dal intent.
Mr. Diemer came south about
■ four or five years ago, according
! to George Kilroy, an acquaint
r ance, after selling his Nome
; business to the Lomen interests
-x-/
HALFERTY ANNOUNCES
CANNARY OPERATIONS
-X
f G. F. Halferty and Company
^operators of clam and salmor
5 (canneries in the Pacific North
1 west and Alaska, announce:
1 t h a t one thousand person
f would be added to their pay
3 rolls within the next thirty days
Three of the company’s can
neries already have started thei
I seasonal operations, Mr. Hal
- ferty said, and two more wil
i, start in April and another i
May.
Again Ask Dept.
Change Schedule
The Commercial Club held its
regular Wednesday evening din
ner-meeting at the Grand Cafe.
The matter of cable hours was
again brought up and discussed
and it was urged that the De
partment restore the old hours
during the fishing season. This
was urged for the reason that
telegraphic connections under
the old hours would permit of
rapid transactions which under
the new system is delayed some
what. It was pointed out that
the community needs every dol
lar possible and that the im
mediate contacts with southern
buyers would permit of sale lo
cally. The long wait under the
present system it was said tends
to hamper completion of deals
so that the fishermen are in
clined to run on south rather
than delay until opening hours
in the morning.
There was a large attendance
of the membership and consi
derable interest shown in the
topics discussed.
The Club endorsed the cand -
dacy of Worrell Wilson as offi
cial of the United States Cham
ber of Commerce.
The Club at Ketchikan advised
that it was in receipt of the
communication from the local
organization relative to the con
servation of herring. A bill is
pending in Congress relative to
the industry with the purpose
of protecting the herring from
being wantonly wasted and de
stroyed. The Ketchikan Club
had forwarded the communica
tion to the Juneau organization
with the request that the sepa
rate organizations undertake a
referendum on the matter. This
is with the view to securing a
| united action from the Alaska
I organization relative to the bill.
—--x
U S. RETALIATION IS
ASKED AGAINST FRANCE
Indication that the French
government intends to continue
the quota system on imports
brought advocation of a “trade
w a r” of retaliation against
France from American business
men.
The American chamber of
commerce in Paris presented a
resolution to Ambassador Wal
ler E. Edge asking that President
Hoover authorize retaliation a
gainst France because of alleged
discrimination against American
goods. The ambassador promis
ed to transmit it to the state
department, thru which it will
reach the president.
-x
ALASKA FAIR IS
OPENED AT NOME
-x
With the hope of developing
natural resources of Alaska and
promoting manufactures and
industries, the second annual
Northwestern Alaska Fair open
ed Monday and continued until
April 2. Exhibits included furs,
fur farming, fishing, mining,
home industries and educational
-x
CANADIAN DEFICIT IS
TO BE $100,000,000
-X
An Ottawa dispatch to the
1 Montreal Star said that E. N.
Rhodes, minister of finance,
would report a deficit exceeding
l $100,000,000 for the fiscal year
. closing April 1, when he makes
[ his budget speech before par
5 liament within a month.
The deficit is exclusive of the
. financial situation of the Cana
- dian National railways,
r -x
An epidemic of whooping has
1 hit north and south of Peters
i burg. An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure.