VOLUME NO. 5.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA* SEPTEMBER 12, 1930
NO. 8
One Cut of 500
Buried Alivt
With official announcemen
that an average of one person h
every 500 buried is interred alivi
in Europe, a group of tliirty-flvi
deputies, nearly all of then
physicians or surgeons, hav<
submitted a project of law to th<
government requiring a verifica
tion of decease by a medico
scientific proof before a permii
for inhumation is delivered.
The parliamentary group re
ciuests the cabinet to consult the
Academy of Medicine and the A
cademy of Sciences to aid in
adopting the surest means tc
ascertain that a person is dead
Dr. Dervieux of the Medico-Le
gal Institute, in an iterview, as
serted that statistics reveal that
two per thousand are buried alive
in most advanced continental
countries and that in certain
others—Balkan States for ex
ample—the percentage probably
runs higher. The figure includes
newly born infants.
Miserly Peasants.
Most cases occur in the provin
ces and are due to the miser-like
attitude of peasants who refuse
to call a doctor to pronounce a
patient dead. When a patient ex
pires. or seems to his relatives or
friends rush to the doctor who
has been attending him-or her
and tell him there is no neces
sity for making another call that
the patient has expired.
“The best method of insuring
that death has arrived,” said Dr.
Dervieux, “and the process which
will be adopted doubtless, is an
injection of flourdesceine. A
small dose of this is not deadly,
and will not kill a patient who
is not dead.”
Dr. Dervieux asserted that
burning the sole* of the feet has
been suggested as a test. “But a
person could die from the ef
fects.” objected the doctor.
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AT TIIE COLISEUM
-X
An entertaining glimpse into
the home of an American family
will be presented at The Colise
um Theatre beginning Sunday
evening in the all-talking Fox
Movietone production “Harmony
at Heme” which heads the pro
gram offered by Manager Caw
thon.
It is a screen talking version
of the successful stage play “The
Family Upstairs” written by
Harry Delf. There is no involv
ed plot—it is just what happens
when the head of the family re
ceives a promotion and an in
crease in pay and the family
proceeds to celebrate. There is
a cake-eating son who refuses
to work, an irrepressible four
teen-year-old daughter and an
older daughter who declines to
accept Ma’s choice of a lover.
The play is exceptionally whole
some entertainment that every
member of the family can en
joy. It is presented by an un
usually capable cast headed by
William Collier and Marguerite
Churchill.
-x
The crab fishermen are mak
ing a killing these days. J. C.
Ludeman took 2,574 marketable
crabs from 90 traps in Duncan
Canal Wednesday. Two days
fishing netted 4,800 crabs. Pat
Divinney in the Coney Island
Ideal Cove district is also doing
' well.
-x
We stand corrected. Last week
we stated that Miss Myrtle Cor
nelius had taken charge of the
dry goods department of Hogue
and Tveten’s store. She did dur
ing the absence of Miss Johan
sen who was on the sick list bu1
is now back at the old stand.
Hoquiam May Get
! Big Pulp Mill
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t Portland pulp and paper men
t and eastern capitalists have en
i tered into negotiations with city
i of Hoquiam officials relative to
i She proposed construction of a
■ 100-ton pulp plant. The pulp
men are considering two sites in
Hoquiam, and if satisfactory
prices can be obtained on one of
them and a satisfactory con
tract arranged for industrial
water, work on the new plant
,-noTT be started this fall, it was
indicated.
The proposed plant will repre
sent an investment of between
$1,500,000 and $2,500,000 and
will require some 10,000,000 gal
lons of water daily. This water
will be supplied by the City of
Hoquiam, which will buy it from |
Ihe Aberdeen industrial water
system under contracts agreed to
in resolutions adopted early this
year by the councils of the twoi
cities.
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Complaint Against
Alaskan Dismissed
A complaint charging Orlanda
M. Cook with concealing props',
ty of a bankrupt estate at Ket
chikan. was ordered dismissed
by United States Commissioner
Fiazer of Portland, Oregon, on
thegrounds that evidence was
not sufficient to show that goods
received by Cook from the es
tate had been received with
criminal intent. Authorities in
Alaska had sought to have him
returned to Ketchikan for trial
but he fought extradition. He
was released and his bond of
83,000 ordered returned.
Nevada Silver Mines
Are Closed Down
On account of the low price
of silver, practically all of the
silver mines of Southern Neva
da have suspended operations,
with notable exception of the
Tonopah Extension. Although
this company has been forced to
make two wage reductions, min
ers to $5 and muckers to $4.50,
during the past thirty days, it
has been able to continue opera
tion of its mine and mill due to
t he richness of its ore and its
heavy gold content.
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COULD YOU SOLVE THE
MYSTERY?
-X
With the coming of “The Can
ary Murder Case,” the new Par
amount detective drama from
the story by S. S. Van Dine, to
the Coliseum Theatre Saturday
night an exciting mystery is
placed before the people of this
city. “The Canary,” a beauti
ful chorus girl (played by
Louise Brooks) is found murder
ed in her apartment. Six men
and one woman have motives for
wishing her dead and each of
the seven persons perform suspi
cious actions about the time of
'he crime. Many suspects, con
flicting clues.
This story in book form by the
author of the most successful
series of detective stories in
modern times, (including “The
Bishop Murder Case,” which ran
serially in the American Maga
zine) has sold already more'
than 200,000 copies. The orig
inal story is basd on the actual
i murder of Dot King Broadway
beauty whose intimate friend
^was a very prominent society
; man and son of a former cabinet
; officer.
Hope of First Division
Lies in Democrats
Democratic Committeeman
Issues Vigorous Campaign
Statement
From Juneau Empire
| Hope of the First Division ci
tizenry desiring liberation from
continued political domination
by the organized Indian element
rests solely on the Democratic
party, in the opinion of J. J.
Connors, National Committee
man for Alaska of that organi
zation. In a statement issued
today, (Aug. 29th) he pointed
to the recently formed alliance
of Republican candidates as the
basis of his contention.
The issue, he declared, is
c.leancut. “The alliance of Re
publican candidates solely for
the sake of election,” if that be
conceded, “leaves only Demo
cratic candidates to speak for
the people who rallied around
Attorney General John Rust
gard and his ticket—on which
were C. T. Gardner and Walter
P. Scott—in the April primary
election,” he said.
Outlines Territorial Campaign
Mr. Connor’s comment on the
situation in the First Division!
was part of a general outline
of the Democratic campaign;
program for the entire Terri
tory. It indicated a vigorous
drive for votes throughout the j
Territory for all offices for,
which there is a party candi-j
date.
Home Rule for Alaska will be
the keynote of the general cam
paign. “In its several conven-|
tions from time to time, Demo
crasy in Alaska has spoken ini
unequivocal terms demanding
that the Federal Government
extend to the people of this Ter
ritory the same rights, privileges
and responsibilities of governing
l-hemselves and administering
their resources as was possessed
by every other American terri
tory preceding this one. Our
candidates are all pledged tc
work toward that goal, and we
are confident it can be achieved
f Alaskans will support us.
“We are NOT making any
fight on Federal bureaus be
cause we recognize they ARE
essential under the present sys
tem of Govrnment. But we are
in earnest in proclaiming the
right of Alaskans to administer
their game, fur, fisheries and
other natural resources which
are now under control and di
rection of Federal authority
and sincere in our purpose to
attain that right without fur
ther delay.
Need Intelligent Electorate
“Voters, inorder to understand
issues and realize their import,
to weigh the candidates and
parties they represent, must be
capable of studying those is
sues, to read about them in the
daily press, to discuss them with
their fellows. An electorate that
cannot be dominated by the
will of one or two leaders, that
votes as a unit oftimes without
being able to read the name of
the candidates for whom it votes
tnd without knowledge of the
existence o fthe office at stake,
is a very real menace to self
government.
“This fact has been quite gen
erally recognized in Southeast
Alaska for severel years. For
ward looking leaders of both
Democratic and Republican
parties have recognized that
danger and have in the past co
operated in an effort to suppress
it. In this movement they have
had the hearty support of a
great many Alaskans who have
aided in the work without thot
of party lines.
Success in Sight
“For several years the move
ment has been slowly gathering
headway. After almost complete
domination by the Indian blocks
in its primary elections for the
past six years, last April Mr.
Gardner and Mr. Scott, running
on the Rustgard ticket, and
supported by thousands of vot
ers sincerely disturbed the
threat of mass voting to the wel
fare and progress of Alaska suc
ceeded in breaking through the
barrier. Gardner defeated W. A.
Steel, and Scott beat Pete Som
mer, both candidates of the In
dian faction. It was an ftchiev
ment of note, one in which Re
publican and Democrat alike re
joiced, since it seemed to sound
the note of final downfall to
mass voting and political dom
inance in this Division.
“Since the slate on which
Inese two candidates made the
ace made the issue plain, the
victory was distinctly theirs
and the prestige of the Indian
faction suffered severely.
Throw Away Fruits
“Nowr for the sake of the very
mass vote they formerly de
nounced Messrs Scott and Gard
ner have thrown away the fruit
of their victory. Not only that
but they are openly endeavoring
to lead their primary supporters
into an alliance wiih the Indian
phalanx which they loudly pro
claimed to be a menace a few
short months ago.
“There has been no change in
the attitude of the Indian fac
tion and its leaders since the
primary election. The issues so
far as it is concerned, have not
altered, and their leaders con
tinue to be dominant. Every
principle for which Gardner and
Scott contended and upon which
they exhorted for votes last
april has yet to be achieved.
They cannot achieve them un
der the banner of W. L. Paul
and his Indian organization. In
the chase of the Indian block
vote, they have turned their
(Continued on page three)
Nostrand Succeeds
Sullivan, Cole's Office
-x
G. W. Nostrand, for several
years connected with the Ju
neau Hardware Company, was
appointed Chief Clerk in the
Territorial Auditor’s Office by
Cash Cole. The appointment
was effective the first of Sep
tember.
. .Mr Nostrand fills the vacancy
left by the resignation of Chief
Clerk Leroy M Sullivan, who
accepted appointment as As
sistant United States Attorney
in the Third Division.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND
REPAIRS
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Several crews are busy renew
ing some of the more neglected
of our streets. The boys in Hans
Wick’s crew are making an exr
cellent showing on the street
leading from the Federal Build
ing to the schoolhouse. Such a
roadway greatly enchances the
value of the property in that
district. The approach to the
Public Dock is now completed
aftd J. E. Sales’ crew is now re
pairing the approach to the Ci
tizens’ wharf. Ed Nilsen also has
several repair projects undei
way chief among them being the
[street running east from Bren
nan’s pool room. The palnkin§
on the street from the Trading
Union store to the old Peters
burg Hotel has been torn up anc
will be replaced by a six-fool
walk.
Wrangell Editor Dies
In Seattle Hospital
-x
James W. Pritchett, owner and
editor of the Wrangell Sentinel,
died in the Mason Cilnic, Sea
ttle, last Sunday. Mr Pritchett’s
death was not unexpected by
those who knew him and had
seen him just before he was re
moved to the Seattle hospital
for treatment. He had been to
New York last year for treat
ment and returned considerably
improved but with instructions
from his doctors not to do any
work for a year. The smell of
printer’s ink and the urge of the
game took him back into har
ness the very day he returned to
Wrangell. Early in August he
was taken quite ill and remov
! od to the Wrangell General Hos
'pital. About two weeks ago his
| condition became so serious that
Dr. Edwards, in attendance
j urged that the case be removed
I to Seattle for the specialized
j skill and treatment. He was in
i Seattle hut about a week wher
i word was received in Wrangel
of his death. His widow, Mrs
| Pritchett, immediately left foi
Seattle, leaving Dick Suratt ir
charge of the office.
Mr. Pritchett is survived by £
sister in Honolulu and his wi
dow in Wrangell. He was-a mem
' ber of the Masonic and Moos<
^Lodges of Wrangell and has £
I host of friends who mourn hi
loss and who extend their sin
- cere sympathy to Mrs. Pritchet
In her hour of bereavement.
Forester Loses Outfit
On Unuk Rivet
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J. P. Williams, forest examin
! tr for ihe U. S. Forest Service,
and Tom Thompson, field as
sistant, were swamped in the
Unuk River recently and lost a
part of their cargo. They re
I turned to Ketchikan for a new
j outfit, They were making a sur
vey of timber in the Unuk dis
trict for paper and pulp purpos
es.
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FIRST DIESEL PLANE IN
ALASKA l
-x
Father Philip Delon, S. J., and
Brother Feites, S. J., passed thru
Ketchikan recently on their way
north with the first diesel plane
to be brought into the Territory.
i •-x
1 “Dad” Mercer tangled with his
bathtub Tuesday night and,
icame out second best. Not a
scratch on the tub, but“Dad”
has four busted ribs. Moral:
Don’t take a bath, says “Dad.”
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FISH SEASON OPENS
KLAWOCK DISTRICT
1 . . Earl Ohmer is in reeceipt of a
telegram from Mr. Baker, dis
i trict fish warden at Wrangel ad
■: vising that the Acting Secretary
■ of Commerce Morgan has issued
; a supplementary. regulation. to
i permit commercial fishing, in
sjKlawock Inlet from. Craig, to
- Cemetery beginning September
b' 15 and ending September 25th,
i both dates inclusive.
Indian W ins 1,500
Meter Race
-x
Wilson “Buster” Charles, steel
muscled Indian from Haskell
Institute, won the National De
cathalon Championship recent
ly, running Big Jim Stewart, of
Los Angeles Athletic Club, to
the ground in the final event,
the 1,500 meter race. Charles
covered the distance in 4 min
utes and 55 seconds, beating
Stewart by an eighth.
Charles is the son of Wilson
Charles who starred in football
baseball and track events in the
early 1900’s. Charles senior re
ceived his coaching under “Pop”
Warner, famous coach at Stan
ford University. Charles, Juni
or received his coaching under
Hanley of Northwestern and j
Lonestar Deitz, both exponents;
of the Warner system.
, -x
Fear that the world’s biggest
private yacht—J. P. Morgan’s
$2,500,000 Corsair—might be a j
total loss, was expressed by
coast guards when high tide |
failed to float the stranded
craft.
The magnificent vessel laun->
ched at Bath less than five mon -
Ihs ago, grounded on Lobster
Rock, near Celiogg island, last
night. Despite its dangerous po
sition a full crew and some 25
guests, including Junius Spencer
Morgan, son of the owner, and
his wife, remained aboard this
morning.
Good Booster for
Alaska Airmail
-X -
W. Irving Glover, Second As
sistant Postmaster General wiL
put up to the Postmaster Gener
al a plan, which if approved,
will give airmail service to Alas
ka. While in Seattle, Glover
said: “I am going to put it up to
the Postmaster General when I
get back to Washington. If that
official approves of the plan.
Congress will be asked to in
crease the Post Office Depart
ment’s appropriation for 1931
'iseal year, and permit starting
of the service in about six
months from now.”
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DIES FROM SELF INFLICTED
KNIFE WOUND
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On monday afternoon, Geo
rge Jackson, Native, while cut
ting a gasket for his gas engine,
tabbed himself on the leg cut
ling an artery. Though but a
short distance from his home, he
tainted before getting there and
lay unconscious for some time
He staggered into his home and
again fainted after telling Mrs.
Jackson of the accident. Bed
ridden herself, she was unable
to give any assistance and her
screams and calls for help
brought a passerby who iinme
aid was called but George had
lost so much blood that it was
.without avail. He died shortly
after nine o’clock.
I A kindly, happy man George
will be missed by all urho knew7
him. Ills passing on also will be
remembered for it wTas without
fear though he had full know
ledge <hat he was at the end.
Turning to a near relative, Geo
rge said: “T have nothing to
fear in going to my death. I will
be waiting for you in Heaven,”
| with which he closed his eyes in
jhis last mortal sleep.
Final Figures on
S. E. Alaska Pack
Southeast Alaska’s salmon
pack for the season of 1930 ag
gregated 2,884,418 cases of all
varieties according to individ
ual cannery- pack statistics corn
1 ued at local headquarters of
the United States Bureau of
Fisheries, it was announced to
J !. • by Dennis Winn, local agent
This is 860,899 cases in excess
of the pack for 1929 which to
taled 2,023,519.
There will be a few thousand
more cases packed during the
fall season, but this. will not
amount to very much as but one
or two plants contemplate op
erating this fall.
Pink almon, the bulk of the
Southeast Alaska pack, account
ed for 2.271,616 cases of the to
tal, chums ranked second with
274.280, and red salmon was a
To. 0 third with 221,594. The eo
hoe pack was about 113,000 and
kings slightly more than 6,500
cases.
There are eight districts in
Southeast Alaska, each having
different opening and closing
dates for commercial fishing.
In everv one of them the pack
this year was ahead of 1929.
The pack by districts for the
two years:
DISTRICT.1930_1929
Yakutat (Incom
plete. 40,916 35,009
lev Strait . . . . 443.643 297,189
Wc-tern Dist. . . 544,171 355,083
Eastern Dist. . . 367,3^8 244,565
Southern Dist.. 718,814 233,565
dtikine (Incom
plete). 39,132 22,296
N. Prince Wales 481,687 307,232
S. Prince Wales 249,680 244,395
The compiled figures do not
bow that catch of salmon by
districts. That is the half milli
on or more salmon canned in
Ketchikan that were taken from
ley. Chatham Straits and Fred
erick Sound The same may be
said of North and South Prince
of Wales Districts. The pack for
these districts were made up al
most entirely from the northern
districts. When the closed sea
son came on the streams in all
districts were more than ade
quately seeded. Every fisher
man is agreed that closure of
he June and July period and a
continuous opening beginning
August 1st to the 13th of Sep
tember will make adequate pro
vision for escapement of salmon
to the spawning areas. The ar
gument is further advanced that
such a regulation would elim
innte considerable overhead for
the packers.
CITY COUNCIL
At the regular meeting of the
city council September 8th
Councilman Hanseth reported
for the Water Committee that
the supply dam is in very good
condition. Chas. Greenaa of the
School Committee reported the
work on the school building
completed. Councilman Allen
reported for the Light Commit
tee that the lumber for repair
ing the Crystal Lake dam had
been taken to Blind Slough and
a contract had been let for
transporting same to the dam.
Ed. Nilsen. city marshal, report
ed progress on various street
projects and recommended the
purchase of a new bath tub for
the city hospital. A formal pro
test against the assessment of
, one-third of the cost of the pro
posed improvement on Vista
Avenue to the abutting proper
ty, representing more than fifty
|per cent of the assessed valua
tion, was received and placed on
jflle. Current bills amounting to
$5,200 were approved ordered
ipaid.