VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA SEPTEMBER 9. 1927
NO. 9
Pioneer Conner Enters
Figkt Against Herring
Reduction Plants
J. R. Heckman, pioneer canner,
businessman and banker of Ketchi
kan made broad statements as to
the effectiveness of the destruction
methods employed by fertilizer and
reduction plants which operate on
the Alaska herring.
“It is a crime,” he said recently
in Ketchikan, and “one that will be
regretted later, that this country
is allowing herring to be used for
fertilizer; a food fish that will in
time be as valuable to Alaska as
our salmon fishing has been. More
$250,00 Is Raised
For Gymnasium
Interesting Program Is Followed By
Dance—Congressman Vestal
Makes Short Talk.
The program and dance given re
cently at Eagle hall for the benefit
of the Community gymnasium fund
and sponsorfed by the American
Legion Auxiliary and the local post
1 the Legion proved highly success
ail both financially and from an en
tertainment standpoint. Approx
imately $250 was raised for the
gymnasium fund.
The program, varied as it was in
teresting, kept the close attention j
of the audience for more than an
hour. After the program had been
opened by a selection by the band,
John A. Clark spoke briefly on the
need for a gymnasium. He said
that although wonderful work has
been done by the finance commit
tee under H. H. Ross there is need
for further funds and, pointing out
the fact that the largest part of
the money has been put up by bus
iness men, urged parents to get
solidly behind the movement, as it
is for the benefit of their children
that the gymnasium is being built.
The Hon. Cecil H- Clegg, federal
judge for the fourth judical divi
sion, said a gymnasium is impera-j
tively needed for the use of the
school children. It cannot be ex-J
pected that a child will do his best j
in his studies unless he has a
healthy body, the judge declared, j
The exercise obtained in a gym
nasium will bring about a coordin
ation of mind and body and dissi-*
pate the surplus energy of the child,
he said.—News-Miner.
Everybody Talks;
Nobody Does Anything
Alaska seems to be something
_ like Mark Twain’s weather: Every
body talks about it but nobody does
anything about it.
Senator Willis of Ohio is the
latest talker. He sees the vast pos
sibilities of the territory and says it
should be developed. Nowr he will
go back to Ohio and forget about it.
Probably there’s not much wrong
'with Alaska. It is badly governed,
it is true, but it is comparatively
prosperous; its resources are being
brought into development. There
is no pressing need for rapid-fire
utilization of everything Alaska has
to offer. ,
But if Alaska waits for congress
to do anything she will wait in
vain. She must dig in herself, re
membering that Providence aids
those who aid themselves.—Seattle
Times.
| fertilizer plants are going in every
! yea" and making huge profits on us
ing up a good fish for making fer
tilizer. This should he stopped im
mediately regardless of who it
hurts.
“If this industry for the use of
fertilizer is stopped before it is too
late, some of us will live to see her
ring one of our largest industries
in Alaska. Thirty years ago you
| could not sell a thousand cases of
J pink salmon in the world; today
we sell millions. The same might
well, in time, prove true of herring.
“It is our duty to use every effort
to stop the destruction of herring.
“I believe it is one of the great
est economic and industrial crimes
of the century and we are watching
it and making practically no pro
test.
“I know we need fertilizer. I
know it helps farmers to grow
crops. But there are many other
waste products just as valuable for
fertilizer. In Alaska are great lime
deposits and mineral deposits and
fertilizer. Alaskan waters swarm
with fish that have little or no food
value. Then why, for the sake of
temporary gain, utterly destroy an
industry which can be made per
manent , be worth millions of dol
lars annually and provide for fu
ture needs? That is the reason I
say it is an industrial and economic
crime and a shame to allow it to
continue. Every Alaskan who shuts
his eyes to these facts and makes
no protest, is aiding and abetting
the criminal practice of the destruc
tion of a valuable food product.”
LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE
GET LIFE SENTENCE
A wedding of much local interest
was solemnized Friday evening, Sep
tember 2nd at 7 p. m. at the home (
of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jorgensen. I
uniting their son Albert Jorgensen.'
Mildred Gordon of Seattle. Missi
Ruby Raynor, who was a school
mate of Miss Gordon’s in Seattle,
was bridesmaid, while David Phil
lips filled the office of Best Man.
The Reverend S. Sydness, pastor of
the local Lutheran church .perform
ed the ceremony.
Later in the evening a sumptious
wedding supper was served to the
bridal guests by Mr. and Mrs. Louis
Tenfjord in the private diningroom
of the Grand Gafe.
The wedding was the culmination
of a romance which began this
spring when the bride came to visit
her friend Mrs. Herve Jorgensen.
The happy young couple succeed
ed in evading their friends after
the supper and departed unmolest
ed for Farragut Bay where they
will spend a short honeymoon be
fore returning tq Petersburg where
they will make their home.
DREDGE DRILL SCOW “GRANT”
DESTROYED BY FIRE
The drill scow Grant operating in
the Narrows last Saturday morning
while it was on the beach undergo
ing minor repairs. The loss is es
timated at about $350,000, partly
covered by insurance.
Attempts to get near it to be of
assistance was impossible so that
the rescue had to stand by and
watch it burn.
It is reported that the work will
be continued just as 3oon as anoth
er drill is sent north.
DR. S. HALL YOUNG
Alaska Missionary
Dies of Injuries In
Clarksburg, W. Va.. Friday, Sept.
2.—The Rev. S. Hall Young, 80
years old, missionary and author of
Seattle and Alaska was seriously
injured when struck by an interur
ban car at Ziesing today. Mr.
Young was on his way to French
Creek for a reunion of French Creek
pioneer decendants.
,,While he has numerous friends in
Seattle, the Rev. S. Hall Young is
more widely known in Alaska,
where he was one of the first mis
sionaries to carry the Go3pel over
the territory by dog team. After
he was ordained he ^ent to Wran
gell as a missionary and explorer
and spent T^n years on the south
eastern coast working among the
natives.
He at one time edited a mission
ary publication called “The Glacier”
at Wrangell. He left Ala3ka in 1888
and went to Long Beach, Cal. Later
he occupied pulpits at Cedar Falls,
Iowa; Caberty, 111., and Wooster,
Ohio. He returned to Alaska, how
ever, and in 1901 was named super
intendent of the Presbyterian, mis
sions in Alaska. He remained in
Alaska until 1913, when lie went to
New York.
Doctor Young made three trips to
Alaska this summer with Presby
terian tourist parties. Leaving for
New York immediately after arriv
ing in Seattle in August, he planned
to revise his last book on Alaska,
lecture at Chatauqua, New York
and throughout the east in the in
terest of Alaska missionary work.
S. Hall Young was known from
one end of the territory to the other
and no doubt was responsible for
the institution of more church
work than any other religious work
er in Alaska.
His sudden demise will be deeply
regretted by all Alaskans and his
loss will be incalculable to hia
church.
Miss Ellen Mae Standard, accom
panied by her mother Dr. Susie V.
Standard and Doctor “Susie’s”
mother, Mrs. Lydia Vincent, left on
the Rogers last Sunday southbound.
Mies Mae will attend her Sopho
more year at the Northwest Naza
rene College at Nampa, Idaho. Mrs.
Vincent will spend the winter at
Medford, Oregon with another
daughter. “Dr. Susie” will visit
in Seattle ,Portland and Idaho be
fore returning home.
Dr. Susie V. Standard will take
a special course in lectures and
demonstrations in new development
in Eye treatment and fitting of
glasses.
West
Local Chamber of
Commerce Goes
Into Fisheries
Question
The local Commercial Club held
its regular weekly dinner and busi
ness meeting in the private dining
room of the Grande Cafe on Wed
nesday evening of this week. An
enthusiastic discussion took place
relative to the closing of the fish
ing season by Henry O’Malley, U.
S. Commissioner of Fisheries. The
Club in common with other com
mercial clubs in Alaska, most of
the canneries, and hundreds of in
dividuals and such civic organiza
tions as Rotary and Kiwani’ Clubs
have wired Mr. O’Malley urging
him to reconsider his order. The re
quests were made in order to make
is possible for many fishermen in
Alaska who have not made expens
es this year, to make a grubstake
during the fall fishing. Mr. O’Mal
ley, however, was quoted in a tele
gram as having said, “I am ada
mant on my order to close this sea
son.”
CONSERVATION OP HERRING
The conservation of herring was
elso discussed quite extensively. The
Secretary was instructed to write all
the Commercial Clubs of Southeast
ern Alaska .asking them to ap
point a committeeman to meet with
one from the local organization to
discuss and make definite plans
and to draw up resolutions making j
-strong appeal to the Fish Commls-j
sion to prohibit all taking of herring
for other than bait or food. It
seems conclusive to any and all,
except those directly interested in!
operating reduction plants, that it
»
is murderous to the future sup-!
ply of herring In Alaska waters to
permit their use for other than
food or bait.
HARBOR DREDGING
The matter of dredging of the
Petersburg Harbor was brought be
fore the Club by a letter giving as
surance of support in getting the
matter attended to as soon as pos
sible. It was suggested that it
might be possible to bring it under
the emergency clause which would
speed action materially. The let
ter also suggested that the pest pro
cedure would be to secure data
relative to the needs and fact3 as
to the amount of tonnage shipped to
and from Petersburg, the depth of
the harbor approach to the docks,
etc. This .material to be gathered
and presented to the proper authori
ties in Washington, D. C. by our
own Commercial Club. A commit
tee was appointed to have this in
hand and also to prepare two pe
titions, one to be signed by cap
tains and owners of boats, both lo
cal and also of the larger steam
ers docking here; the other petition
is to be signed by the businessmen
of the city.
“OLD TIMER” GIVES TALK
Mr. Chamberlain, well-known
commercial traveller, who has been
covering Alaskan territory for the
past thirty years, was the guest of
the evening and gave a very inter
esting talk after the dinner.
Bert Cornelius is going around
with a broad smile and “passing the
cigars” today. He received word
from Dr. Dawes that he had an 8%
pound baby girl. Mother and baby
are reported as doing well.
Joe Standadr left on the Alameda
for Eugene, Oregon where he will j
attend hia Junior year at the Uni-|
versity of Oregon.
Senator Bartley Howard
'Announces Candidacy
Delegate to Congress
Senator Bartley Howard of Anch
orage played up to the program as
laid down by his supporters and
verified the statement published in
The Alaskan recently, to the effect
that after touring the westward
Divisions he would wind up at the
home of the “Lomen” Division and
there come out in the open and
announce his candidacy for the of
fice of Delegate to Congress in oppo
sition to Delegate Sutherland.
In a statement made by him at
I Nome he said: “I have just com
! pleted an extensive tour of Alaska,
j1 am convinced that the people of
| the Territory believe that great re
j suits to Alaska could be obtained by
a delegate in accord with the ad
ministration at Washington.”
The campaign slogan which will
1 be pushed by Senator Howard no
doubt is a remnant of the Marquam
campaign of two year3 ago ‘‘A de
legate in harmony with the admin
istration.”
To Make Changes
School Heating System
At the meeting of the City Coun
cil held on Tuesday, Mr. Fryer of
the Fryer Machine Works and agent
for the Oil-o-matic heating system,
was authorized to make certain
changes in the school heating sys
tem for its improvement. He was
also instructed to submit plans for
the extension of the heating system
in the new addition to the school
house now under construction.
These changes will make consid
erabel improvement over the old
fuel method, being more economi
cal and more efficient in the distri
bution of the heat throughout the
the entire building.
Why Halibut Prices
Are Slightly Low
Dealers Give Three Reasons to Ac
count for Present Slump in Prices
A review of the week shows that
halibut prices are from three to
four cents lower than for the same
time last year, yet no immediate
prospect of better prices, unless un
favorable weather conditions should
curtail cargoes, according to the
opinion of local buyers.
Prices have been ranging from
10 y2 to 12V2 for firsts and 5 and 7
cents for seconds, on an average.
Dealers say that as far as they
can figure it out there are three
reasons for the lower prices this
year, namely, larger quantities of
halibut brought into the Boston
market from the Atlantic seaboard,
a larger stock of frozen halibut on
hand, and lots of scrap fish and cod
thrown on the eastern market.
Active fishing for halibut on the
Atlantic seaboard ceased about five
years ago. The banks there have
become restocked and weekly car
goes have been coming into the
Boston market in direct competition
to the Alaskan or Pacific Coast pro
duct. It is said that Atlantic halibut
ers use a different class of boats in
northern waters. The Common
wealth is the only type of New Eng
land boat in Pacific Coast waters.
Dealers claim that if there is a
bad spell of weather, fresh halibut
cargoes are restricted for a time, the
frozen halibut will be worked off
which would mean better prices
for fall fishing. Otherwise, accord
ing to their views, there is little
prospect that prices will advance
materially and reach the prices paid
last year.
So far as known here, no Japao
halibut has been offered or sold in
the American market during the
summer.—Chronicle.
"Big Seven” of Alaska
Packers IssueStatement
Alaska packers will make no ef
fort to have the fall salmon fishing
season, closed by Henry O’Malley,
federal commissioner of fisheries, re
opened. Instead they will gather
all information concerning the run
of the fish, when it started, the
size of it, the number of fish which
have reached ori will reach , the
spawning grounds in the stream*
and rivers of Southeastern Alaska,
the fish in the bays and straits and
the time that the peak of the run,
if there is a belated run reaches
the coastline.
This was decided at a meeting of
j representative Alaska packers held
at the Olympic Hotel recently.
Thirty-five packers were represented.
The meeting was held behind clos
ed doors, and a special committe© of
seven was named with H. D.
Friele, vice president of the Nakat
Packing Corporation, as chairman
to issue a statement relative to the
action taken.
Compare Notes
The packers met and compared
notes. The question of protesting
the action of Mr. O’Malley in clos
ing the fall season was not form
ally considered.
“That is a closed incident,” Mr
Friele said. “Mr. O’Malley has an
nounced that the season is closed.
That ends the question. The pack
ers did not discuss this phase of the
situation because it is something
not at issue at our meeting.”
The packers discovered that re
ports from their stations in north
ern waters were not unanimous.
Some stations reported salmon run
ning thirty days late. Others re
ported no fish.
With these reports before them,
the packers decided to notify their
Alaska stations to start gathering
the desired data so it would be
available for future reference in
case a similar situation ever con
fronts the industry.
DRY SQUAD CHASED UP TREE
Warren Harding and Charles Chi
dester prohibition agents encount
ered two big brown bear while on
a ‘,still hunt” and one of them,
Harding was pretty well chewed up
about the neck and was reported as
being in serious condition. Chidest
er emptied his gun into the bear so
that when they shifted their posi
tion the men were abl© to shin up
a tree and waited until the bear got
tired of waiting and left the men to
get off their perch and wend their
way to the beach and Harding tc
the hospital at Juneau.
Dance any night at Worth’s, adv,