VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA NOVEMBER 4 1927
NO. 17
Bad Legislation
For Seufei
HAl) LEGISLATION FOR SEUFEF
F. A. Seufert of The Dalles, Or
gon, has gone out of the salmon ca
nery business. Years ago Seufe
purchased a rocky point of lar
»
near The Dalles. People wondere
what any one should want wit
land so apparently worthless. Tli
whole acreage was just hard blac
rock. The Columbia River flowe
by the point of rock in foamy cas
cades and boiling current. Man
times Seufert had seen the Indian
stand down at the water’s edge an
spear salmou working slowly u
stream against the flood. H
bought the rocky point and abou
halfway of its length he blasted am
cut a canal through. In this cana
he erected a big fish wheel. Nea
the wheel he built a cannery. On
of the cannery he cleared a fortune
He has quit the canning of salmoi
because the Oregon courts have up
held the validity of the initiative
law abolishing fish wheels on the
upper Columbia. The fish wheel if
a mighty efficient fish killer if in
a favorable fish run. Seufert’s can
al was so nicely located that it was
estimtaed one time 25% of als sal
mon, heading for the spawning bed^
farther on. tried to pass through il
The wheel caught 90% of them and
the cannery waxed fat. The fish
wheel is doomed. Traps next.
Wants Governmet To
Make Further Study
“Says information lacking on sub
ject and asks for scientific study.’’
After a detailed discussion of gen
eral phases of the herring bait sit
uation today, the Chamber of Com
merce by a unanimous vote adopt
ed a resolution urging a scientific
investigation of the herring ques
tion by the U. S. Bureau of Fisher
ies. The resolution, which was draft
ed by the Executive Committee, was
substituted for one adopted several
weeks ago by the Petersburg Com
mercial Club and forwarded here
for similar action.
While the discussion developed
there were several members who
favored adoption of the Petersburg
program, after comparison of the
two resolutions, it was agreed that
the local program probably was
best fitted for the situation and the
vote for its adoption was without
dissent.
Gives Matter Study
Reciting that the attention of the
Chamber had been called by the Pe
tersburg Club to “the imminent dan
ger to the halibut and salmon indus
try arising from the use of herring
in the manufacture of fertilizer and
oil” the resolution adopted said:
Juneau Resolution.
“This matter has been carefully
considered by your Committee and
by the Legislature of Alaska on sev
eral occasions, and it is the conclu
sion of your Committee that there
is not available sufficient informa
tion on the life and habits of her
ring for it to determine whether it
would be advisable to discontinue
the fishing for herring for the pur
poses mentioned,” and that thei
Chamber “fully realizes that any
thing that will affect the halibut
and salmon industry in Alaska is of
most vital importance, .and should
be given careful consideration by
the authorities and all others inter
ested in the fishing business here,”
and that the Bureau of Fisheries
“HAS BEEN UNABLE, BECAUSE
A Mysterious Blow-uj
t
:t
e
l
rt
d
d
h
e
k
rt
y
Thursday afternoon Neil Ms
Gregor had a( small fire burnii
across from liis Show Hou
where he was disposing of sor
light refuse. A number of youn
sters were playing around the blaz
Suddenly there was an explosio
throwing the small lads down at
scattering hot coals and cinde
around in bomb-like fashion. Thei
was some asphalt pieces in the r
fuse and this, with the rain watt
and the heat probably generated
steam pressure sufficient to creal
the disturbance. Neil’s boy an
young Wikan were slightly burnt.
s -—
1
Good For Dan
Thursday, around noon, youn;
Kramer Ball took an unintentiona
header into the Narrows close b;
the gangway of the Allen machim
shop. Dan Sutphen. up by the U
S. Forestry warehouse at the time
heard the splash and rushed dowi
the float approach. He saw tht
commotion of the water, only, foi
a few brief seconds, and then h*
made out the lad beneath the sur
face. With the assistance of Bol
Allen the boy was soon on dryfoot
ing and, outside of a bit of fright
and a sousing, was all right.
It Flies Tail First
Tn Germany they have invented
an airplane that goes ahead, appar
ently, stern first. The new machine
resembles, in a way, the “Boland”
aircraft of the U. S. of some seven
teen years ago. Although the gen
eral outline of the recently made
plane isn’t new there are several
claims made that place it in a class
by itself for safety in landing. The
chassis is low and three wheeled.
The appearance, in flying, is odd
with the tail steering gear so far
in advance Trial spins have been
successful to such a degree that un
usual interest is now taken in what
was at first considered merely a
sort of freak affair.
A Bridge at Agassiz
The U. S. Road Commission En
gineers and working crew have late
ly completed a 325 foot—in length
—bridge at Point Agassiz and it is
open to light traffic. The recent
homestead entry by J. Hollingstead
makes the 10th in that line of land
settlement, at the Point. The school,
under Mrs. Conrad Bowman, is flour
ishing there with an attendance of
eighteen. Country settlement is
what counts.
OF LACK OF APPROPRIATIONS,
to make the necessary study of the
life and habits of the herring and
the effect of the use of herring for
fertilizer and oil,” and pointed out
that a shortage of herring for bail
purposes has been experienced dur
ing the past season.
It concluded by resolving that
“Congress, .be petitioned and urged
to promptly pass suitable legislation
to enable the Bureau of Fisheries,
or some other agency of the Govern
ment, to make a detailed investiga
tion and study of the life and hab
its of the herring, and that, in the
meantime, the Bureau of Fisheries
take the necessary steps to conserve
herring for the use of halibut and
salmon fishermen.”
Subscribe for THE ALASKAN
Four Dollars per year.
)
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Ig
Commercial Club Activity
Touch Important Subject:
g
e.
n,
id
*s
■e
At the regular meeting of the P
tersburg Commercial Club, held
the special diningroom of tl
Grande Cafe, Wednesday eve, M
T. Elsemore presiding, the followii
matters were taken up and actt
upon:
>r
a
e
d
Herring fisheries and reductic
plants.
Inspection laws bearing on fisl
ing vessels.
Boat repair in Canadian water;
Advertising activity.
Local dredging and financing prc
posal.
Mails and delays of same throug
lack of facilities for handling.
’ Mattel's of correspondence rehi
1 tive to former club business.
' Regular club business was take
up promptly at the close of the din
• ing hour, and after going througl
’ the routine readings, by F. R. Hav
1 en, Secretary, the correspondence 01
hand was acted on. Most of thi;
had a bearing on the herring con
1 troversy. The proposed bill of Dai
Sutherland was read and approver
and it was decided, in further ac
tion On the matter, to submit witt
the approval, the former resolutions
of the club.
The herring and fertilizer situa
tion was t He cause of considerable
attenion. Several members expres
sing themselves prettly plainly. It
was realized that proposed legisla
tion on the subject was rather
drastic, but it called for drastic
rules to combat a serious situation.
Not whole hearted support was ex
pected from Juneau.
The proposed change in the steam
boat inspections laws wherein the
present steamboat regulations would
apply with equal force to all other
A PRINCE GOES TROLLING
With a brand new trolling gear
and no few instructors around,
Prince William of Sweden sailed
out on Puget Sound, off Tacoma,
the other day to snag a cohoe or
king—if any such chose to bite. The
Prince has quite a reputation as a
big game hunter, and to this may
be added the rep as a big salmon
catcher. Who knows? William is
also acknowledged as a good story
teller and writer.
Ferried Down The
Narrows
. . When the Charles T. pulled f»ut
with her cargo of cold storage pro
ducts, Thursday, the following pas
sengers, outbound, took advantage
of this opportunity to catch the S.
S. Alaska at Wrangell: J. C. Mich
aelson, Huber Klein, Wm. Lorent
sen, Frank Douglas, Emma A.
I Rehm, Frank Douglas, one passen
ger, also, was steerage listed.
GOOD NEWS
THE ALASKAN is advised that
ther Urania is safe in Seldovia. She
turned back out of the big blow of
a month back and disposed of her
catch at Seward. She had been re
ported as missing.
ANOTHER MILL THAT ISN’T IN
ALASKA
Alaska press please copy.
The West Lumber and Pulp Com
pany has under construction at
Junction City, near Aberdeen, Wash
ington, a $2,500,000 sulphate pulp
| manufacturing plant.
e
in
le
r.
ig
id
motor driven craft under certai
small tonnage, was the subject <
a lot of going over. The resoli
tions of the Chamber of Commerc
of Seattle, in this matter, were tal
en as expressing the idea of th
local club and they were so recorc
11 ed. Considered that the propose
change in the inspection laws woul
t- practically put the fishing boat ou
of business.
The committee on advertising wa
thought to be rather tardy, am
somewhat behind in reporting wha
ground had been covered. Made ;
part of the record that some im
mediate action be taken.
The local water front dredgim
matter was under discussion foi
1
some time. Regarded as essentia
that a digest of the resolutions bt
1
made and signatures obtained from
t all boatmen; that a sliding scab
subscription be adopted to aid in
bringing the dredging needs before
proper Government Authorities.
Thought that assistance would be
given by the Steamship companies.
There was some talk bearing on
the handling of mail out of local
post office. This referred, particu
larly to the situation Wednesday
night wherein the closing of the
Narrows Shut out the S. S. Alaska
from calling. Ohmer was willing to
take mail to Wrangell, but would
assume no responsibility therefore
The post master, Mr. Gtness, was ad
vised that the transportation o;
mail by any other than regularly
prescribed U. S. M carriers would
throw the liability on his shoulders
in case of loss. No definite action
taken on the subject as it presented
itself at the . time.
The Frye-Bruhn Co.
Construction work on the new
Frye-Bruhn Meat Market, in the
Hogue & Tventen Co. building is
getting well along. In fact the aim
is to have every thing shipshape by
November 9th. The plant and shop
consist of large capacity storage
rooms and chilling apartments as
well as the latest in freezing space.
The whole design is based on san
itation first, the big thing in meat
distribution. The ice machinery is
the Armstrong pattern, built at
Spokane, and is the most modern
in capacity mechanical ideas, and
the one installed in the Frye-Bruhn
freezing department is the third of
its pattern made to date.
A FREQUENT CALLER
The motorship Bellingham, lying
at the Cold Storage wharf, was busy
all of Thursday loading on frozen
fish for outside of Alaska consump
tion. Shipment was from the Mar
lyn Fish Company.
ANOTHER MARKET
When the Frye-Bruhn Co. moved
out of the building known as that
of the Petersburg Meat Co. the
place reverted to Mr. Cato Harrberg.
Mr. Haarberg will take up the trade
and the business of handling meats
will be carried on as before.
WITH 35,000 CASES
The Salmon King, a floating can
nery owned by the Crosby Fisher
ies, Inc., i3 back to Seattle with a
^ pack of 35,000 cases of salmon
! caught in Uganik Bay, Kodiak Is
land and vicinity.
All For A Nickle
5
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i
e
e
There is an Armistice Day Dam
Committee out and around inforn
ins people that on Saturday, Novell
her 12, there’ll ho good music an
a jitney dance at the Sons of No
way Hall. This committee, Mesar
Harold Dawes, H. B. Kinnear an
Henry Hasbrouck are right on th
filing line in this dance affair, an
it will stand you in hand to he o
hand for the Armistice Day Ball.*
Two Cops and a CrippL
l
i
t
j Hast Saturday, near the Sons o
, Nor'vay Hall, R. Gill, better know)
t as “Tex" was arrocted and take)
to the Federal bastile by Messrs
Brown and Wick. Later he wa
sentenced to four months imprison
' ment.
The general population of th
town heard of the sentence with i
gasp.
Tex is a harmless old man, prac
tically down and out by weight o;
years, illness, lack of comfortable
clothing and prolonged starvation
For a long time he has eked out a
miserable existence as a sort of a
messenger for the demimonde of the
city. He has been in Petesrburg
tor around 14 years.
Although four months seems a
lengthy lop from an old man’s life,
lex will bo the gainer even if
society isn’t. Hc won’t be obliged
to rustle so hard for his meals, he
won't, likely, suffer sq greatly from
the coming winter's chill, he’ll have
a place to flop and dry hay to flop
'n and lie’ll nor be bothered by the
ups and downs of the environment
lie’s been forced to accept in the
streets.
He was arrested for having a
couple of snifters of monn in a pop
bottle on his person, although, when
arrested, the liquor was on the
street. Obviously there was no fine
along with the sentence of four
| months jail residence.
AT THE SONS OF NORWAY HALL
. . There is going to be a real en
joyable time at the Sons of Norway
Hall on the 5tli of November. The
Women’s Community League of the
Lutheran Church will hold a ba
zaar then and give a dinner. The
table charge is 25 cents. Remem
ber, November 5, at 5 p. m.
A Fish Today
Oil Tomorrow
Storfokl and Grondahl, at Wash
ington Bay, Kuiu Isiland, killed
enough herring this season to pro
duce 85,000 gallons of oil and fill
1,330 half barrels—cured.
Indian Dance in Costumes at the
Variety Theatre Tomorrow night.
CALLS IT OFF
About the middle of the week
A. E. Cresa closed his Electric Shop,
in the rear of the Grand Cafe build
ing, and goes out of business. Mr.
Cresa says there is plenty to do
but there doesil’e seem to be money
to pay with.
IN FROM KAKE
The* following Kake folk came in
thio evening on their own boats:
Chester James, Dick Thomas, Bob
Thomas, Paul Thomas, Frank James
and John Smith, Tom Austin, Pete
Hansen, Paul Friday, Ralph James
and Edward Jacobs.
10
Commissiog To
Hold Meetings
i
i
(1 OCT. 21st, 1927
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i
l
Editor The Alaskan:
Sir:
The International Fisheries Com
mission, since its organization in
1924, has collected a vast amount
of statistical and biological data
which shows that the halibut fisher
ies have been and are being de
pleted. Before making their first
repoit and recommendations to their
respective governments the Com
missioners desire to lay the data
collected before, and to confer with,
those engaged in the halibut fish
eries. For that purpose the Com
mission will hold public meetings
at. the following ports.
Ketchikan, Saturday, November
19 th.
Prince Rupert, Monday, Novem
ber 21st.
Vancouver and Seattle at latter
dates.
A cordial invitation to attend
these meetings is extended to you
an l all those engaged in the halibut
fisheries.
>ln|0. I*. Babcock,
Chairman.
Fisheries of Alaska
Show Improvement
Regardless of anything Mr. Suth
erland may say, the fisheries of Alas
ka ag administered under authority
given by the White Bill have shown
a marked improvement over their
previous condition. From every
side has come praise of the results.
(Har! Har! ) Nearly everyone
reads that widely circulated journ
al, The Saturday Eyening Post, and
so nearly everyone has read what
Hal Evarts,, a conservationist and
journalist of world-wide note had
to say concerning the Alaska fisher
ies. Ho spoke with authority, for
he had seen before he had believed.
After a careful reading of the law
T fail to find where it. is laid down
as one of the duties of the Federal
Government to build up the popu
lation of Alaska. Nevertheless, if
through the wise administration of
the fisheries prosperity of an abid
ing character is brought to Alaska
a contribution of greater value than
mere increase of population will
havebeen made. Furthermore, pop
I illation springs from prosperity.
As the time goes on and present
episodes become history, I am cer
tain that among the monuments
which mark the career of Herbert
Hoover will be found one inscribed
to the man who saved the salmon
fisheries of Alaska.—Representative
Arthur M. Free, 69th Congress. Mar.
3, 1927.
What has the champion of the
packers of California to say about
the improvement of the salmon fish
eries of today over that of previous
years under the all-wise, and other- *
wise administration of the Bureau
of Fisheries? What would Hal
Evarts write of the administration
of our fisheries did he write, of them
now? If “population springs from
prosperity’’ how much increase in
population can Alaska hope for un
der the prosperit yof the past sum
mer? The monument suggested for
Herbert Hoover would be wasted on
his grave, better hung about his
neck, and ’twould be waste of good
marble at that, say the fishermen.
By All Means, don’t forget the'
Indian Dance in Costumes at the
Variety Theatre, Tomorrow night.