The Klug-kamt
VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
JULY 31, 1931
NO. 2
Hoover Reductions Are
Opposed By Bureaus
-x
With the Hoover administra
tion determined to slash feder
al expenditures during the next
fiscal year, many bureau chiefs
are protesting, it was learned
last week. The Budget Bureau
has been in the midst of hear
ings on requests by the various
departments and bureaus for
funds to be incorporated in the
budget to be submitted to Con
gress. Preliminary figures will
be submitted to President Hoov
er in September.
-x
Opposed to Halibut
Policy
.,. From Prince Rupert News..
A communication received by
Mayor C. H. Amre from Hon. Ed
gar N. Rhodes, federal minister
of fisheries, in connection with
the proposal that the govern
ment might bonus Canadian
halibut to the extent of two
cents per pound, declares that
this would have no useful effect
on shipments, as under the
United States tariff, a bonus of
this kind would be automatic
ipallv «jV-»crvrhpd hv hpincr fldripd
to the regular duty rate.
In connection with the with
holding of clearances to hali
but vessels for ten days after en
tering, the minister states that
this could not legally be done.
Such an expedient could only
matter for arrangements be
tween interests concerned.
-x
Old Timers Acquire
Strollers Weekly
-X
With a recent issue of Stroll -
er’s Weekly, came an announced
change of ownership and edit
orial policy. Henceforth, “Dol
ly” Gray and Harry Selby be
come sole owners of the plant I
and publication. The paper will
be Republican as was announc
ed in mid-June. “It will strive
to avoid intense partisanship,
but feels that the dominant
party should be represented in
the field.”
The Juneau district has had
“full coverage” from the Demo
cratic standpoint in the held of
publicity. Henceforth the bat
tle of the politicians will be a
bit divided and through Stroll
er's Weekly, somewhat of the
other side of the story told.
The Tribune has left the Ket
chikan field. Will the powers
that be turn thumbs down on
Stroller’s when they begin to do
effective work for their party?
We wonder! But this does not
prevent us wishing Stroller’s
Weekly and its new owners a bon
voyage in its field.
-x
PARK MAN STUDIES NEEDS
Horace M. Albright, director of
national parKs is travelling tnru
Mt. McKinley National Park
and he will select, a site for a
large hotel in the reserve. Rid
ing thru the park, Mr. Albright
will study the need for future
roads in the park.
He will return south on the
Aleutian which is due to arrive
in Seattle on the 6th of August.
S. A. HEMPLE FUNERAL
Funeral services for S. A
Hemple, pioneer Alaska banker
and mining man, was held last
week in Seattle. He died in a
Seattle hospital following a lon^
illness.
Hemple joined the gold rust
in 1898, locating at Valdez
where in 1902 he started the
Valdez Bank and Mercantile
Company. He has resided in Se
attle for the past seven years.
Investigator For
B. F. Visits Here
George Rounsell, Jr., investi
gator of the herring fisheries
for the U. S. Bureau of Fisher
ies in Alaska, arrived in Peters
burg during the week and spent
a couple of days here in the in
terest of his investigations. He
has been covering the various
sections of the Division this
year, gathering specimens of the
herring to secure more data on
the kinds, ages and conditions
of this species.
He states only five reduc
tion plants are in operation in
Chatham Straits this year and
that these outfits have only 25
seine boats working. In former
vears as many as fifteen reduc
tion with up to 80 boats gather
tion plants have been in opera
ing in herring for fertilizer and
oil. The condition of the mark
ets for herring meal and oils is
in just as sad a condition as ev
ery other industry is facing by
the present economic depression
It is not generally believed that
the Alaska reduction plants can
survive this year.
Mr. Rounsefell’s investigations
during the past three years have
vindicated the charges of this
ruDiicauon mai depletion oi tms
fishery would soon become an
accomplished fact unless reme
condition.
The boat was valued at $8,500
and including gasobne, ice, casn
and all equipment, the loss was
estimated at $17,000.
dial regulations were promul
gated. The herring of Alaska are
not similar to the Norwey spe
cies. The Alaska herring are lo^
cal fish therefore easily fished
out. Herring fishermen the past
few weeks have reported herring
for bait as being very scarce. At
a time of the year when there
should be an abundant supply
of this fish.
Mr. Rounsefell left for Juneau
where he will continue work on
his field notes. Last year he had
published in U. S. Bureau of
Fisheries document No. 1080 his
report for 1930. This report has
not been published in the trade
papers so far and may be seem
ed upon application to the de
rsrtment.
-x
NO FISH ON COLUMBIA
Recent reports from the Co
lumbia River indicate that in
the Colville region, the Indians
are peering hopelessly into the
turbulent waters for the salmon
run that was to fill their larders
for the winter.
Implements for catching salm
on have been in place, but only
a few king salmon have been
snared. Some oelieve that the
run might have gone by during
the high waters.
-x
K. K. K. MOVES NORTH
Karl K. Katz, for twenty-five
years in the traffic department
of the Northern Pacific Railway,
is now affiliated with the Alas
kan Airways, Inc., first organized
by the late Carl Ben Eieison. Mr
Ki;tz will reside in Fairbant.-,
where his company operates six
teen planes in air transport ser
v.ce.
-x
WOOPING COUGH INCREASES
According to the Public Health
League of Washington, that
state was whooping up it with
72 cases of whooping cough.
They point out that this is a dis
ease that must be taken serious
iy.
-x
WHAT NEXT
-X
W. W. Campbell, chief of pg
jlice of Alexandria, Va., was,re
1. cently arrested, and ousted froir
office following arrest, on <
charge of raiding a refrigerate]
| at the city market.
ALASKA HOLDING THE SACK
-x
For years there has been agitation regardnig
splitting up the annual money derived from the
sale of seal pelts from the Pribilof Islands where ■
by three nations enjoy the proceeds and Alaska,
v^here the dear little animals are born, bred, and
killed, holds the sack.
Every civic body in the Territory should line
up on this matter in which the Territory is an
nually deprived of rightful thousands of dollars
and present the case to official Washington. As
long as Alaskans remain dormant, just so long
will we continue to lose thousands of dollars an
nually.
With our present strong representation at
Washington, Delegate to Congress Wickersham,
Alaska’s case should be presented at court very
effectively. We believe this subject is one that
will have the heavy and whole-hearted endorse
ment of Delegate Wickersham.
These thousands of dollars could be put to a
mighy fine use in a thousand ways.—Seward
Gateway.
There is a “But—”
A few years ago, Governor Parks in his re
port on the seal herds of Alaska, made just
such a statement, if memory serves us correctly.
I.ater it was shown that the share to Russia and
Japan was negligible. The money from the seal
herds goes into cost of operation of the industry
and to the Fouke Fur Company of St.Louis which
company dyes and finishes up the pelts for the
Bureau of Fisheries.
If we are to believe the reports of the Bureau
ol Fisheries, and we are told we should, there is no
profit accruing from the industry.
Surpnser is Given
A Real Snrprise
Axel Pearson sprung a sur
prise on his friends last Friday
evening when his bride-to-be,
Miss Myrtle Carlstrom of Ten
nessee arrived on the Alameda.
Axel had been planning this new
voyage for some time but never
did he intimate to his friends
what he was planning. Some
how word of it got around and
a numerous and vociferous re
I ception committee was on the
[wharf with rice, beans, etc., tc
receive the little lady who be
| came Mrs. Pearson by pronounc
1 ment of Commissioner Clausen
the same evening. Thus cul
minates a long correspondence
with the sister of Axel's former
“buddy.” Axel always was a
lucky duck.
Big Show Will Be
Staged Tonight
—x—
“Hello Hawaii” the big show
being staged by the American
Legion under direction of Mr
and Mrs. Ray Southard, has
received its final polish, and fin
al instructions to each and every
part. After several weeks oi
; much study and application, Mr
[southard feels that the public
, is now ready to receive the ef
forts of the local cast tonight.
Much singing dancing and
dialogue will be seen and heard
end enjoyed. Not often does
such a show come to Petersburg
nor for more worthy causes. 11
is to be hoped that every citizer
i will attend this show—the price
is within the reach of all and the;
entertainment of a class that is
always appreciated
The Legion will not be A. W. O
L. on tickets—lots of ’em for a
dollar each. Step boys and get
your front seat tickets early.
-x
IDAHOAN IS CANDIDATE FOR
SENATE
—--x
J. Wesley Holden, Republican
senator in the last session of
the State Legislature has an
nounced his candidacy for the
Republican nomination for the
United States Senate. He is
from Idaho Falls, Ida.
The steam donkey work on the
West Petersburg road Is more
t nan half way the length of the
road. The brush and small tim
ber is lying pulled out fight fast.
Steal Boat, Oars,
Leads and Lines
He was an old man, past his
allotted three score and ten—
but he was independent, eking
out an existence by trolling. He
came to town last week and tied
up to the Trading Union float.
Hitched to his little gasboat was
his trolling boat. Securely tied
was the boat when he went and
turned in for the night but when
he got up in the morning he dis -
covered that someone else had
coveted that boat and during
the quiet of night had made off
with his little boat, lines, leads,
and gear.
Left on the beach without a
trolling boat; the only tool he
had with which to earn a few
dollars, stolen from him; with
out funds to buy another boat,
this old man is wandering the
streets of Petersburg wondering
how he is going to get even the
few dollars needed to buy sugar,
and cream and flour and other
necessities of life.
And that foul thing that calls
itself a man—and fisherman—i
disgrace even to the foul bird of
Patagonia, travels on blithely
indifferent to the cares he has
added to the worries of an old
man.
If wishes ever came true, we
wish this thief gets wrecked and
never has another opportunity
to steal another boat.
, ‘ - -x
LINDY’S HOP TO JAPAN
Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh's
: plane was completely equipped
■ and ready for his flight to Jap
i an by the 24th and he planned
to start on the first leg of his
journey on Monday of this week.
Accompanying him will be Mrs.
Lindbergh.
The Lindbergh plane is equip
ped with pontoons each designed
to carry 150 gallons of gasoline.
-x
A. McGiltin has undertaken to
deliver hemlock timber to the
Northwest Mills for railroad ti^s
for the Alaska railroad. Johnny
Hanson went along as “bull
cook.”
yV --X
The “Hallso” arrived in port
last night.
-x
’Tis haying time at Point Agas
«iz.
The Coliseum Show house, Sit
i.a burned out its motor gener
ator this week.
** -*i •
! Troller’s Tax In
Court Again
-x
The validity of the non-resi
: dent trollers’ tax act of 1929 was
again upheld and attacked be
fore Judge Justin W. Harding,
in the United States District
Court here this week in the case
cf Wood Freeman, a Seattle
troller, against Walstein G.
Smith, Treasurer of Alaska, At -
torney General John Rustgard,
appearing for the Territory, ar
gued that the Legislature had
undoubted ight to impose such
«?.x if it were not “prohiV ilvo ’
and asserted that with average
earnings o£ the trollers about
$3,000 per year, a $250 levy could
not be said to be prohibitive.
H L. Faulkner, representing
Freeman asserted that' the Le
gislature no longer has any
power to enact tax measures
which discriminate between re
sident and non-residents and
has not had since the passage of
the White Fisheries Act of 1921
In support of this position, he
cited the opinion of the Circuit
Court of Appeals when the Free
man case was before it during
the past winter.
No Answer Possible
Mr. Fa :lkner contended that
the Circuit Court’s decisi r. tn
this action is in effect a holding
that the statute under attack is
void and, in the argument before
the District Court, it was con
tended that no answer could be
filed which would constitute a
defense to the plaintiff’s com
plaint.
He referred to the language of
the Appellate Court’s decision as
follows: “Does the Territorial
Act of 1929 deny to citizens of
the United SStates rights guar
anteed to them by the laws of
the United States rights guar
strained to hold that it does.
And he then pointed to the fol
lowing paragraph of the same
decision: “We are of the opin
ion therefore, that there is a
plain and irreconcilable conflict
between the act of Congress
and the act of the Territorial
Legislature, and in such cases
the latter must yield.
-x
Invite Congressmen
Visit Petersburg
Mayor E. N. Ohmer on behalf
of :he Town of Petersburg, last
week invited the congressional
part;, now touring in the north
t ) step off in this port and tc
r.;ake a brief visit. The mes',:..~o
and invitation were sent through
Mr. Ernest Walker Sawyer As
sistant to the Secretary of the
.•nteiior, who is travelling with
the r arty. Representative Mur
phy of Ohio replied expressing
appreciation of the invitation,
but doubted that the party could
make the necessary arrange
ment owing to press of business
;„ nrncViinirtnn 0r-x-1 nnopr
tainty of connections. However
if it is possible to do so, the stop -
over will be made.
In view of the fact that Repre
sentative Murphy is a member
of the House Committee on Ap
propriations, it is felt that it
will accrue much to the advan
tage to Petersburg to have Mr.
Murphy and other members of
Congress look into the need of
dredging Petersburg Harbor.
-x
KODIAK BEARS INCREASE
-X
Capt. Charles Madsen, veter
an Alaskan and big game hunt
er recently declared that th<;
Kodiak bear are on the increase
and that there is no reason foi
the big game hunters to worrj
over the extermination of these
pests.
Snitch Snuff Boxes
From U. S. Senate
-x
Snuff boxes, an accessory oi
the senate for generations, were
missing recently But if souven
ir hunters pilfered them in the
belief they were antiques, cap
ital attaches said they were
fooled, for the boxes in niches
on walls of the Senate chamber
had been placed there only five
or six years ago.
The snuff boxes are a relic of
the days when it was the cus
tom for senators to use this sort
of brain food.
-x
Norway Delares
Wants Trade Rights
-X
The government of Norway re
solved on the occupation of
East Greenland the middle of
this month. A statement issued
by the government state* that
it had occupied East Greenland
only to enable Norway definite -
1./ claim sovereignty at The Ha
gue.
Otherwise, it was explained,
The Hague could only decide
whether the territory were Dan
ish or “No-Man’s Land.”
Vriroiorr-i ’MTinictpr Riroror Rraort..
land was quoted by a Danish
correspondent of the newspaper
Politiken as saying that “with
out Norwegian occupation, ar
bitration would not have been
practicable. Norway’s only de
sire was to protect her trade in
terests.”
-x
Fisherman States
Prices of Sallnon
-X
A group of fishermen—halibut
—were on the docks talking of]
salmon prices. They declared it
impossible that canners in the
state of Washington would pay
7 cents per pound for pinks and
only pay 3 to 5 cents per salm
in in Alaska.
We may be all wrong in oar
statement—but if we are then
Capt. Berry, fisherman and lead -
er in the Fishermen’s Cooperat
ive Association is all wrong for
it will be noted that we quote his
statements, last week, as was
published in the Seattle Times.
We quote Capt. Berry again:
“The fishermen wanted 10 cents
a pound for humpbacks, but
when the canneries showed
they were unable to pay that
price, they accepted the old
price of 7 cents a pound. The
canneries are paying 25 cents
for silvers and 60 cents for sock
eyes.”
A man whose integrity is not
to be questioned, last week ad
vised this office that he had per
sonally read a contract held by
a Puget Sound fisherman, oper
ating in Icy Straits and this
contract called for 75 cents per
sockeye salmon.
-x
F. C. OXMAN, MOONEY CASE
DEAD
-x
Frank C. Oxman, Oregon cat
tleman and perjuring witness in
the Thomas J. Mooney murder
trial, San Francisco, died in his
home in Baker, Oregon. He suf
fered from heart trouble.
In his testimony he declared
he saw Mooney and Billings at
the scene of the Preparedness
Day parade bombing in San
Francisco and this was regarded
as material evidence which con
victed Mooney.
When tried for perjury in th's
case, on the direct question:
“Were you in San Francisco on
the day of the bombing,” Oxman
remained silent. Thereby pro
i tecting himself from convictior
of perjury.
Prognosticators
Spouting Gas
-x
Normanm E. Mack of Buffalo,
member of the Democratic Na
tional commltte recently declar
ed: “Never in my recollection
has the outlook for Democratic
success been brighter than now.
I am confident the Democrats
will elect the next President of
the United States.
And now Judge Kenneth Mac
Kintosh declares before the
Young Men’s Republican Club of
Seattle, that it was his belief
that Governor Roosevelt may be
eliminated because he has failed
to endorse the Hoover moritori
um plan. States MacKintosh:
“Governor Roosevelt now ap
pears to be the outstanding pos
sibility. But he is the only De
mocrat candidate who has not
Indorsed the moritorium plan. It
may prove that by this failure
he has put himself out of the
picture. Newton D. Baker, Se
cretary of War under President
Wilson now looms up as Demo
cratic presidential timber, ac
cording to Judge MacKintosh.
From now until elections are
held and on until the national
party conventions are held, a
lot of political smoke is to be ex
pected and seen.
-—x
Fish Buyer Injured
As Craft Burns
-X
George Collins of Wrangell,
returning to his home port from
Noyes Island last week, was hail
ed from one of the P. A. P. traps
near Point Baker by Art Young,
fish buyer and his son. Their
boat, the Alice of Ketchikan
caught fire and sank in mid chan
nel of shore in Sumner Straits.
Mr. Young was badly burned
about the face and hands, his
Ups were badly blistered and the
hair on his head badly burned.
The son’s hair was singed when
the gas tank exploded. When
the boat sank, the men were left
in mid-channel with only an old
dried-up, leaking skiff. No bail
er in the boat, Young took off
his boot and used it to keep the
skiff afloat. They managed to
reach the trap in an exhausted
New Coliseum Will
Show Sat. Night
-X
The new Coliseum Theatre,
formerly the Mac Gregor The
eatre will open its doors to the
public for patronage Saturday
night with the showing of “The
Lost Zephyrs.” This is said to
be a very good show by those
who have seen it.
The new Coliseum was acquir
ed during the past winter by Mr.
Gross to add to his string of the
tres. This spring he commenced
renovations and changes in the
building to make it one of the
best show houses in the North.
B. W. Burke of Wrangell has had
direction of the interior decorat
ing and the job now about com
plete is truly a work of art. Oth
er changes in the auditorium
had to do with securing better
acoustics so that patrons may
enjoy an evening’s entertain
ment with effort. Mr. Leuii
Lemieux, manager of the Coli
seum is mighty well pleased with
the building and equipment and
expresses it his opinion that all
I theatre fans will like the new
house. {
-x
A. H. Sonsthagen return
ed to Petersburg this week from
Takue Harbor. Mr. Sonsthagen
spent several months in Europe
and while there studied market
] conditions of fishery products.