VOLUME NO. 5.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA,
MAY 8, 1931
NUMBER 42
Halibut Industry Faces
Dilemma; Lack Unity
The halibut industry faced a
dilemma last weak with arrival
of 300,000 pounds of halibut in
Seattle. The situation was due
to the inability of the United Pa
cific, composed of vessel owners
and fishermen, to purchase the
offering's.
Fish dealers stood pat, refus
ing to bid for the offerings and
n Prince Rupert tt»e independ
t nt buyers were getting fish
'rom the boats for the first time
since organization of United Pa
cific Fisheries. Canadian Fish
and Cold Storage and Booth
Fisheries took offerings. In Van
couver the vessel owners were
unable to take all the offerings
and in Petersburg several of
the boats shipped their fares to
Seattle while others stored their
fish in the cold storage.
Break down seems to follow in
the effort of United Pacific to
organize in an effort to stabil
ize the halibut market. The
bieak in morale of the United
P icific is seemingly due to the
usual lack of the fisherman to
stand together in a common
cause. Before the company had
even been perfected, the men.
demanded immediate returns i
for the fares sold and consider
able contentions were aroused
causing strife. Leaders of the'
organization are still making ef-j
fort to follow out original plans
and any degree of succes will be
marked by the support given by
members of the association.
There are some who contenc
that fruition cf the plans of th<
organization cannot be, due tc
the complete buying and selling
machinery of the old line com
panies which have already in
dicated their power by refusing
to buy fares except on theii
terms.
There is only one solution to
the entire situation—curtail
ment of operations which must
come through and from the ves
sel owners themselves. Report
by the International Fisheries
Commission indicates a decline
of ten per cent per year in vir
tually all fishing banks. At
which rate, unless drastic steps
are taken the entire industry
will face its denouement. If the
Vvssel Owners and United Paci
fic through its membership takes
steps to produce less, it will
not only protect the future of
the industry but prices will be
stabilized to the point where
the producers will receive pro
per compensation for their-la
bor. If the industry continues
glutting the market with every
ounce of fish possible, the de
mand will be oversupplied, stock
must be held over long periods
in storage and prices drop in
proportion.
The solution of the problem
is in the hands of the fishermen
as much as in the International
Fisheries Commission.
Prominent Men Giie Brief Talks
Before Local Commercial Club
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io welcome tnree prominent!
educators who were within ourj
gates at the same time, a hasti
ly summoned gathering of mem
bers of the Petersburg Commer
cial Club met at the Grand
Cafe Wednesday evening.
Honor guests of the Club were
W. K. Keller, Territorial Com
missioner of Education, Ross L.
Sheely professor at the Alaska
Agricultural College in charge
of agricultural extension work
for the college at Fairbanks;
H. W. Alberts of Sitka, super
ntendent of agricultural exper
imental wmrk under the U. S.|
Lepartment of Agriculture. j
Mr. Keller will deliver the
commencement address at the,
graduating exercises of the Pe-j
tersburg High School. He ex-1
tended to the Club the greetings!
of his home organization; spoke
of and in favor of the proposed
All-Alaska Chamber of Com
merce. Commenting on the work
of the Legislature, he called at
tention to the appropriations of
two and cne-half million dollars
to be paid out of a possible Ter
ritorial income of one million
eight hundred thousand dollars
but said the schools had fared
very well.
Agricultural Extension Work is
Explained
Mr. Sheely told of the agri
t ultural extension work of the
Alaska College and said that
'he practice of publishing bul
letins to bring improved method
to the farmers had proven un
satisfactory and since most of
the farmers could not come to
the College, it was his business
to take the College to the
farmers. He surprised his listen
ers when he said “there is no
n7ace in Alaska, not even in the
famous Matanuska Valley where
the farmers are making a more
genuine and satisfactory prog
ress than the farm settlement
at Point Aggassiz.”
History of Alaska Agriculture
Mr. Alberts recounted briefly
. CRIME CAUSES .
-x
Clarence Darrow, famous Chi
cago attorney in a recent speech
declared that “there will be
crime as long as people haven’t
enough to provide them with
necesities of life. No man is so
foolish that he will starve rath
er than steal. If we had ten
manual training schools for ev
eiy ordinary school and people
were taught trades at which
they could earn a living, there
would be less crime.
“This country has the cruelest
punishments of any nation. The
most brutal things in the world
today are happening in prisons
under such laws as the Baums
law. The fact that a man is
convicted three times probab
ly means that he had three poor
lawyers.”
-x
D. N. McDonald of Wrangell
was a local visitor.
the history of the experimental
work in the Territory since 1897,
the station at Sitka being the
pioneer. He told of the work of
the Department at Sitka, Kodi
ak, Copper Center, Rampart and
Fairbanks and of the agricul
tural development of the Mata
n iska Valley and then spoke of
the progress at Point Aggassiz
since his last visit here, four
years ago.
In the round-table discus
sions, the matter of a Territor
torial demonstration fur-faifcn
for Southeast Alaska was brot
up and evoked considerable in
terest. Many pertinent obser
vations were made which will be
recounted in an early issue.
President Ohmer welcomed
the visitors in the name of the
Commercial Club and assured
them of the sincere apprecia
! tion and earnest co-operation o1
the Petersburg District in all oi
their work.
Do Your Share
An Editorial
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I Off and on has been uttered
criticism and severe criticism as
to conduct in the show houses.
[ Soda bottles have been allowed
1 to roll down the floor; amorous
• passions of nit-wits have run
' their course beyond any de
cency; drunks have made bar
corns of the aisles; goofy gawks
lacking intelligence have gaf
j fawcd in the midst of scenes of
| emotion and words from the
I screen drowned out by wise
j cracks made by brainless buf
foons; kiddies have had free
rein, running up and down the
aisles, crawling over other pa
trons not only once but several
times; other children, needing
proper medical care or nursing,
I or sufficient sleep bewail their
sad story in the midst of some
tense scene or when silence is
imperative. All in all, many
forget that the whole evening is
1 spoiled by pure orneryness or
foolishness. Some when remon
j strated get sore at the manage
ment and indignantly declare,
j ‘ I oaid for this show.”
fcueh may have paid f see
, the show but that did not buy
the right to disturb oth vs who
pay for an evenings entertain
ment without the boi-it e\is,
loud mouthings of smart Alecks
or other nuisances
The new management of the
Coliseum has indicated that hej
wishes to run a first-class house,]
lone to which a patron may gOj
with every assurance of com-j
fort and pleasure. The patrons I
can give him much assistance in
securing just such entertain
ment by cooperating with him
in checking disturbing kids, re
monstrating with or reporting
those who have no considera
tion for the comfort of others.
The fans will be pleased with
i.he higher order of conditions
and they wish the new manager,
L. C. Lemieux every degree of
success in his work in Peters
burg.
-x
AMERICANS LOSE BOATS
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The court at Ottawa, has for
feited to the Crown four Ameri
can vessels seized in Canadian
Territorial waters of the Paci
fic. Judgment was handed
down by the Canadian Supreme'
Court confirming findings at
Victoria, B. C., against the May
of Ketchikan, Queen City of Se
attle, Tillie of Aberdeen and the
Sunrise of Hoquiam.
School Exhibit Was
Very Exellent
' Many patrons of the Peters
i burg schools attended the ex
hibit at the auditoriimi last Fri
day afternoon. Although the
exhibit was gotten up on short
j notice, each of the rooms was
' able to make an excellent show
ing of the year’s work. Speci
men lesson papers, penmanship
and art work of unusual merit,
were on display. The manual
l training department which m
' eludes boys from the eignh
! grade and high school, had on
exhib:tion a wide variety of be
autiful and useful articles sue i
as stands, end tables, bookrack;,
door-stops, etc., easily demon-,
strating the superiority of 11:o,
manual training system over
the days when boys sneaK.ea(
cut dad’s tools to practice using
Tern. One of the visitors was
v nrd to remark “Either ’..c
(•*: dren now-a-days are a great
smarter or . be they have
n „ch better wa/• of teaching!
them.”
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Syndicalism Law
Declared Illegal
Judge Walter B. Wanamaker
of Akron, Ohio Common Pleas
Com t,recently ruled that t.hej
Ohio syndicalism law is uncon-i
stitutional and dismissed the in-,
'hetment against Paul F. Kassay,!
worker who was charged with
damaging the Navy dirigible
Akron, at Akron, Ohio.
Demurrer against legality of
the law was filed by Mrs. Yettai
Land, attorney for Kassay. It1
assailed constitutionality of the
law on the ground that it isj
class legislation and abridges
free speech, freedom of the!
press and freedom to effect po-j
lffical reform guaranteed by the
Constitution.
In his decision the judge de
clared: “There is no question
but that the State of Ohio has
the constitutional right to pro
hibit advocacy of doctrines for
the purpose of having those doc
trines used, but it has not the
right to prohibit the liberty of
speech to the extent that mere
doctrines, as such, cannot be ex
changed and used and consid
ered in the exchange of ideas on
the public forum.
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Paper Price Scrapped; Industry
Is in Turmoil Looking for Solution
Canada’s great paper industry,
| is shot to pieces. In an effort j
to find a solution of the crisis,1
i i
j conferences are being held in
(New York, Toronto and Montre
. al. j
; In the meantime, the price ofi
! newsprint has been slashed $5
a ton, and made retroactive to
January 1. Mills in Northern
Ontario and Quebec have closed
down, and hundreds of workers
are on the street.
The International Paper and
Power Company, a concern
which opposes any form of la
bor organization among its 15,
000 employees, and which some
; years ago transferred its busi
i ness from the United States to
Canada, seems to be mainly re
sponsible for the turmoil.
Scheme Has Blown Up
The Canadian Newsprint In
stitute was formed to stabilize
production on an 80 per cent
basis. A number of companies
agreed to go along, but the In
ternational entered into a long
time contract with the Hearst
1 newspapers at a reduced costj
price, and now the stabilization.
nas blown up. .
The governments of Ontario
and Ottawa are vitally interest
ed from many points cf view.
For one thing they have leased
immense areas of timber lands
to the paper companies, and
union workers are urp;ing that
these leases be cancelled unless
the mills are reopened.
Premier Taschereau of Que
bec, in a public statement, an
swers the companies’ c^'y of pov
erty.
Is Profitable Industry
.“The. paper, industry, is. a
profitable one,” he .said.. “Last
year, four companies made, a
profit of $18,000,000. The trouble
is .over-capitalization.. .Stocks
have been split as high as 5 to
1, and the promoters are en
deavoring to pay dividends on
that water.”
There are rumors of an im
mense merger, and seme ob
servers insist that the present
situation has been created by
big financiers who want to pick
up independent mills at bar
gain-counter prices. —LABOR,
Washington, D. C.
Call for New Bids
For R.R. Ties
i —x—
1 Forms have been received in
1 Petersburg by the Northwest
Mill Company for bids for deliv
ery of 90,000 ties at Anchorage
for the Alaska Railroad.
This company was low biddei
on a previous bid and it was an
nounced from the Railroad Of
fice to that effect. Some tech
nical changes and changes as to
Quantity were required of the
successful bidders which had nol
been incorporated in original
specifications. Notice was given
the local company that new bids
were required because their bid
'‘had not been received in proper
time to be recognizea.” The bids
were opened and specifications
proposed before the 21st and it
is hard to understand how the
management got its wires cross
ed in explaining reasons for the
new specifications.
The local mill has not an
nounced its plans.
Mr. Louis Shotridge of Sitka,
Grand President of the Alaska
Native Brotherhood arrived in
Pctesburg on a tour of inspec-i
tion. He will visit camps in the
North and proceed south very
shortly.
Louis Shotii.lge, Grand Presi
dent of the A. N. B., is on a
tour of inspection cf the Camps.
After visiting Haines and Kluk
wan Camps, he will proceed to
fhe southern end of the DistriC j
and will visit camps on the West
Coast.
I.. C. Lemieux has purchased
the furniture and equipment of
H. E. Cawthon and will also rent!
the same residence. He expects!
Mrs. Lemieux in Petersburg be-J
fore many moon.
Mrs. Casper Iloflingstad, Mrs.
John Hanson and Mrs. Dora
Phillips returned from Kake din
ing the week. Mrs. Hollingstad
and Mrs. Hanson having gone
to Kake to attend the funeral of
Luther Phillips. Mr. and Mrs.
David Phillips, who also went
to Kake will return later.
Frank Hudson has been sick
the past week and unable to be
at his barber shop.
Two Killed In
Plane Crash
-x
A pioneer Airways plane which
crashed on Karta Lake near
Ketchikan took toll of two lives,
Steve Selig and A1 Dano, broke
both legs of C. J. “Kinky” Alex
ander and rendered Pilot Dod
son unconscious Tuesday of this
week.
The ship nosed into shallow
water in a spin when trying to
takeoff on a return from a fish
ing trip. Dodson was uncon
scious for a half hour after the
crash and immediately on com
ing to paddled a pontoon down
the lake to get help when he was
discovered by Meyring who had
gone out looking for the party.
Meyring after splinting the
broken leg of Dodson went on
to pick up the rest of the party.
Selig’s body was in the water
and the rescue party had to
w-allow waist deep in the water
to get it. They placed the in
jured on doors with cushions
provided by Dodson and they
suffered from exposure as well
as injuries.
Dano died after being remov
ed to the Hospital at Ketchikan.
Steve Selig, brother-in-law of
J. R. Heckman, has been prom
inently oonnected with the trap
and cannery business for many
years and lately has also been
! connected with the logging bus
iness.
C. J. Alexander for many years
held interest in the old Hoonah
Packing Company ond lately has
been interested in the fish busi
Much Business Done At
Last P. T. A. Meeting
The last regular meeting of
the Parent-Teachers’ Associa
tion for this season, was held at
the school auditorium, Wednes
day evening.
Mrs. Harold Lee, who had been
elected vice president of the As
sociation previously, asked to be
relieved of the responsibility.
Mrs. Chris Tveten was chosen in
her place.
Mr. A. R. Boyer was chosen se
cretary in place of Miss Mabel
Otness who has accepted a posi
tion near her home in Idaho.
Mesdames Clausen, Lando and
Ohmer were appointed by the
president, Mrs. Charles Anderson
' o serve as a reception commit
tee, next fall and Miss Scott was
appointed chairman of the pub
licity committee, and as program
committee, Mrs. Lee and Mrs.
Hungerford.
Mrs. Harold Lee read a report
of the All-Alaska P. T. A. con
vention held at Ketchikan re
cently.
Mrs. Anderson presented pre
sented excerpts from President
Hoover’s address on the “Chil
dren’s Charter,” as a part of the
national child welfare program,
fhe full text of the children’s
'’barter being read by Mrs. Rude.
Mrs. Andrew Johnson report- j
ing on child welfare work in the
Territory, told of her visit to the
Bethel Home in Juneau. She said
there were 142 dependent chil
dren being cared for in the Ter
ritory and 27 outside of the Ter
ritory. Efforts are being made
to place the children in private
homes rather than in orphan
ages or public institutions. A.
small appropriation has been
1 mr’de by the Legislature to be
used in this work.
Commissioner Keller Speaks
Mr. W. K. Keller. Territorial
Commissioner of Education was
present at the meeting. He
stated that over a five-year per
iod, Petersburg students had
ranked highest in the Territory
in scholastic averages. Juneau
placed second. He further stat
ed that Alaskan graduates en
tering state schools were above
the average with rating of 5.83
as compared with a general av
erage of 5.03, some of the schools
rating as low as 2 plus.
Bowman Makes Announcement
Mr. C. H. Bowman, principle
of the Petersburg schools for the
past five years, announced that
he would not be returning here
another season.
Mrs. Sverre Johanson sang
the P. T. A. song which all
members of the Association are
urged to memorize.
Several selections by the High
School orchestra were highly ap
preciated.
x
Coliseum Theatre !
Manager Changes
Louis C. Lemieux. arrived in
town this week to take over the
management of the Coliseum
Theatre, replacing Mr. H. E. j
Caw then manager for the past|
two years.
Some legal difficulties over;
terms of contracts were adjudi-i
^ated cut of court by H. F. Dawes'
’■epresenting Mr. Cawthon and
Mr. H. F. Erwin, representing
the management of the Colise
um chain of theatres.
Mr. Lemieux is an experienced
showman who has served in the
house? at Wrangell. Ketchikan
and Sitka, houses all owned by
Mr. Gross. He is not a stranger
to Petersburg as he has lived the
| most of his life in Wrangell
S where his father holds consid
erable nroperty. He is entirely
familiar with the problems of
Alaska and has the Alaska view
point. There is no doubt that
he will bring the Petersburg
house up to a parity with the
i houses of the other towns served
i by this chain of houses. And
! • e will appreciate every support
that the theatre goers can give
to make entertainment in the
theatre of the first order.
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ANCHORAGE CONTRACTORS
PROTEST
— x
Following up protests of con
tractors, the Anchorage Cham
ber of Commerce recently wired
to Secretary Wilbur, protesting
construction of a new unit of
the Eklutna Indian Industrial
School by t*he Alaska Railroad.
The contention is made that the
, Railroad is competing with the
' local contractors. On another
column is told from Washing
ton the reason why the railroad
is doing the work.^_
ness in Ketchikan as manager
of one of the Skinner and Eddy
canneries.
Ai Dano for some time was
superintendent for the Tee Har
bor cannery.
-x
The Community League will
stage a carnival soon.
U. S. Restrictions
Removed
-x
At the end of April closed a
chapter in the federal govern
ment’s care of the Oklahoma
Indian. Twenty-five-year-old
restrictions have kept in the
hands of the government, much
of the originally alloted lands
and this restriction has expired.
The last Congress failed to
pass legislation which would
have safely guarded the posses
sions of many of the Indians
who have no understanding of
.and and mineral values and
I who despite years of paternal
protection have never h°en giv
en even the rudimentary ele
ments of land values. They no
doubt will sell their holdings at
cn early date.
i Secretary Wilbur has had the
situation surveyed exhaustively
but has found no opening by
which to prevent the Indians
from disposing of their holdings.
The first effect upon the ma
jority of these people will be a
splurge of spending of the sale
moneys. Then when want and
other hardships will come the
natural reaction to swim out ot'
their distress and soon will be
seen a development and educa
tion of the Oklahoma Indians
that the government has never
been able to give them as wards
under its misconceived system
of paternalism.
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JIM THORPE AS COACH
-X
Jim Thorpe, famous football
player and all-round athlete is
to return to Oklahoma as di
rector of athletics for a consol
idated high school near Okla
homa City. Negotiations follow
ed nublication of the story that
Jim was digging ditches in Los
Angeles.
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MRS. GARFIELD BAILEY DIES
-x
Mrs. Garfield Bailey died this
I morning about 11 o’clock of
| heart failure. Funeral services
i will be held in the Presbyterian
Church on Sunday next. She
is suhvived by her husband, two
yins and a daughter.