VOL. 2
PETERSBURG, ALASKA SEPTEMBER 30, 1927
NO. 12
Fish Scientists Declares That
Salmon Shortage Due To
“Cataclysmic Upheaval
Fisheries officials are puzzled as
to the cause of the small run of
salmon on the Pacific Coast this
year, hut they have concerned them
selves primarily with maintenance
the future supply, accordingly to
Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries,
Lewis E. Itadcliffe recently.
A “cataclysmic upheaval’’ (what
ever that means) on the ocean bot
tom or some UNKNOWN DISASTER
may he responsible for the depletion
of the supply which was normal
last year at this time, Mr. Rad
eliffe stated. In order to preserve
enough fish for the spawning
grounds, the director of the Bureau
of Fisheries, Henry O’Malley, who
is now in Seattle following a pro
tracted visit to the Alaskan fisheries
has curtailed the season in various
salmon-fishing areas, according to
Mr. Itadcliffe.
Mr. Itadcliffe cited official reports
submitted to the Bureau of Fisheries
to the effect that the Pacific Coast
pack of salmon as a whole to date
this year, (Sept. 14) is only about
5 0 percent of that of last year, dur
ing the same period.
The total Alaskan pack as of
September 1, he said was 3,397,000
cases, each case weighing 48
pounds. Up to August 25, 1920,
the pack ran to 6,307,000 cases and
it was for the whole 1926 season
6,653,000 cases.
The records oliow that the pack
of pinks up to September 1 of this
year was only 42 per cent of last
year’s total, that of chums only 54
percent and that of reds 59 percent.
“While all of the districts shared
in the decline,” one report from the
lield stated, “the greatest failure
j was in southeastern Alaska where
the estimated pack to September- j
was but 985,000 cases in comparison!
to 3,058,000 for the 1926 season.”
Faces Large Losses
“Canning interests are said to be
facing large losses on this season’s
operation, for there are more fisher
men in the field than in any pre
vious year. Individual earnings in
the industry are very small.”
Mr. Radcliffe said that as a re
sult of the small runs of salmon,
grave concern has been felt that
insufficient fish will reach the spawn
ing grounds properly to seed the
beds, with the result that when the
progeny of this year’s class return
from the sea, there will again occur
a shortage of salmon.
He said he had no thory to offer
for the unexpected shortage unless it
were an underwater upheaval which
claimed a heavy toll of fish.
Notes By Tne Man On The Band Stand
Marshal C. V. Brown returned
from Ketchikan on the Rogers.
First sign of winter—hail Thurs
day.
The Rogers is taking out a ship
ment of salmon from the Mountain
Point cannery this trip.
R. W. Wiggins, Union Oil man
for Ketchikan was a business visit
or this week.
Bob Hurley, Wrangell’s genial
tonsorial artist was in town this
week.
Miss M. A. Grant of Wrangell was
a visitor for a brief day, returning
to her home again.
George Nicholsen had the misfor
tune to drop a cake of ice upon his
foot, bad-ly mashing a toe.
Mr. L. B. Cornelius is expecting
his wife and the new baby home
this week from Juneau.
Mrs. Harry Colp and baby girl.
Elizabeth, are expected home from
Tacoma this week on the Watson.
Mrs. Herve Jorgenson left on the
Rogers for a visit with her family
in Seattle.
Mrs. Earl Ohmer entertained on
Friday afternoon at a delightful
party in honor of her son, Jimmy:
who was one year old.
Mrs. Frank Rayner and son Math
ew, who have been visiting in the
States the past three months, return
ed home on the Rogers this week
Mr. and Mrs. William Stedman
are the proud parents of a • new
daughter born Sept. 25th. The lit
tle one has been named Virginia.
Anne.
A daughter was born this week
to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Espesetb
This is the fourth baby girl born in
Petersburg during the past two
weeks. „.K
Johna3 Olsen left bis fox ranch
on Level Island this week and com
bined pleasure with business while
in town.
Arthur Jackson and family are
leaving this week for Los Angeles.
California, where they will make
their home.
The Princeton with Rev. Wag
goner and Rev. Beck of Hoonah ar
rived in port last Saturday bring
ing from Ketchikan, Mrs. William
Tamaree, who had been visiting her
son William L. Paul.
Quite a serious accident occurred
last Monday when a lamp exploded
in the shack occuppied by Henry P.
Wood, employed by the Ocean Pro
ducts Saltery and Fertilizer plant
at Hood Bay. The explosion set fire
to Mr. Wood’s clothing and the
huiiso, hut he saved his life by
jumping into the bay. His left foot
and thigh were badly burned 30 he
was brought to Petersburg for medi
cal treatment.
Fred Patten, from Five Fingers,
was in town this week.
Cato Haarberg was in Wrangell
giving it the once over for “Old
Lang Sine.”
RECEPTION TO TEACHERS
On Wednesday evening the Pe
tersburg Parent-Teachers Associa
tion entertained at a banquet in the
dining room of the Sons of Norway
Hall in honor of the local faculty
After a delightful musical program
lunch wras_ served and the teachers
were cordially welcomed to Peters
burg.
Court session in Ketchikan is
not so good for some lawyers—too
many on the jury voting guilty for
certain clients.
Dickering For Local
;' Power Plant Survey
Being Made
Mr. J. P. Van Orsdale of Seattle,
representing W. B. Foshay and Com
pany of New York, was in town this
week. He met with the City Council
in special session and requested
permission for his company engineers
to investigate the local light plant
and water works with the view of
purchasing these public utilities.
The Council gave their permission
and Mr. Van Orsdale announced
that the engineers would arrive in
about three weeks and make their
appraisal after which a definite pro
posal will be»submitted for the con
sideration of the Council.
Aviation Takes
Its Toil
The toll of life taken by aviation
in the various attempts to fly across
the oceans has reached around
twenty-five. Seven killed in pre
parations for oversea flight, eighteen
lost at sea.
The following are missing: Capt.
Saint-Roman and Com. Mouneyres,
St. Louis to Buenos Aires; Captain
Chas. Nungesser and Maj. Francois
Coli, Paris to New York; John A.
Pedlar, Lt. V. R. Knope and Miss
Mildred Dorn, Jack Frost and Gor
don Scott, Oakland to Honolulu:
William P. Erwin and Alvin N.
Eichwaldt., Oakland to Hawaii; Paul
Redfern, Brunswick, Ga., for Rio
de Janeiro; Captain Leslie Hamil
ton, Col. Frederick F. Minchin and
Princess Anne Lowenstein-Wertheim,
tTpavon, England for Ottawa, On
tairo; Lloyd W. Bertraud, James
Dewitt Hill and Philip Payne, Old
Orchard, Maine, in Old Glory for
Rome.
Those killed in overseas flight
preparations; Chas. W. Clavier and
Jacob Islamoff, burned to death
when Capt. Rene Fonck’s plane at
tempted a take off at Roosevelt
Field, New York for Paris. Lt.
Com. Noel Davis, U. S. N. and Lt.
Stanly Wooster, U. S. N. killed when
plane crashed to ground preparatory
to flight to Paris; Lt George W. D.
Covell, U. S. N. and Lt. R. S. Wag
gener, U. S. N. when plaine crashed
enroute to participate in Dole Der
by; Capt. Arthur V. Rovers, Los
Angeles killed in test figiht in pre
paration for Dole Derby.
SEARCHLIGHT TO MARY
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY
While in Alaska, Colonel Lester
E. Jones, director of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey,
conferred with the Canadian mem
ber of the international commission
for the purpose of clarifying some
i minor technical points in connection
with the international boundary.
Steps were taken for the place
ment of a powerful searchlight
marking the boundary between the
two countries so that fishermen
might know, at night, whether they
were fishing in American or Cana
dian waters.
Such a boundary marker is con
sidered desirable because restric
tions on salmon fishing are slightly
different on the American side.
Alaskan commodities shipped to
the States during the past month
show a decline, according to report
issued by Collector of Customs Mc
Bride,
Local Commercial Gub
Held Regular Weekly
Dinner-Meeting
The regular dinner meeting of the
local Commercial Club fwas again
held in the Grand Cafe private din
ing room on Wednesday evening.
After the regular routine business
the advertising committee submitted
a brochure for the consideration of
the members, but no definite action
was taken as bids had not been
procured from the different printers.
The guest of the evening was
Mr. Wiggins, the Alaska manager
of the Union Oil Co., who gave a
very pleasant address.
The club was again favored with
music provided by Mr. C. Buker on
the violin with Mrs. Wm. Dunkle
berger accompanying on the piano.
Name For Show Contest
Coming To Close
The drawing of a name for The
Show will be made next Saturday
and final announcement of the win
ning name made the following Sat
urday. This feature has been held
up pending the arrival of the seats
for the balcony but now that they
are reported as being ready for ship
ment, Mr. McGreggor announces the
closing of entrees of names and the
drawing of the names by the Com
mittee. With the large number of
names already presented the judges
will have their hands full.
Another Product
For Alaska
Of particular interest to the farm
ers in the Interior district is the
news that there is a gentleman by
the name of Delong, who is repre
senting a group of Idaho sugar beet
growers. It is said by recent arriv
als in Seward that Mr. De Long
has already made arrangements in
Fairbanks for a large test of beets
growing in that district. The out
come of the test will be of consider
able interest to the people the
Territory.
ALASKA HAS MAKINGS SILK
STOCKING INDUSTRY
Making silk stockings from
spruce logs ha3 now become a re
gular Swedish industry. An exhib
it at the Vermland Fair showed how
the transformation is made.
The Billerud Works, which pro
duces lumber, pulp, paper and hy
dro-electric power, as well as arti
ficial silk, had an exhibit showing
how logs are cut, floated to a sul
phate mill and there turned into
fluffy white wads which are later
spun and woven into stockings,
scarves and other delicate feminine
wearing apparel.
The Swedish artificial silk indus
try is now doing a good business at
Kyrkebyn, where 125,000 cubic me
ters are yearly turned into cellu
lose an dlater into silk, 25,000 ton3
of which are exported yearly.
With pulp mills aborning usually
about the time the Alaska Legisla
ture is in session, Thomas Bay pulp
project a “sure thing” for the past
decade, and with this new idea of
making “Swedish Bilk” out of Sitka
spruce, Petersburg ought to be right
in the swim with its billions of fine
spruce, natural sulphides and water
power.
Statement By Commissioner
Of Fishery Henry O'Malley
From THE PACIFIC FISHERMAN
The salmon nsherles of Southeast
ern Alaska for the season of 1927
have been a great disappointment.
In 1926 the spawning beds were
well seeded. I personally examined
many of the streams in company
with our wardens that year. This
situation demonstrates the fact that
the spawning areas can be well seed
ed and yet the resulting runs be a
failure. The case is not unlike that
of the farmer who sows his crop of
grain, but conditions over which he
ha3 no control prevent a successful
harvest.
In analyzing the situation In the
Cross Sound and Icy Straits district,
nortji of 58, one finds that the Pink
salmon run was far superior to the
run of this species in 1925, and the
fish this year are the progeny or,
those of 1925. Thi3 would Indicate
that the production of the streams
in this district was much better
than that of the district farther
south, although the streams in both
districts were equally well seeded
in 1925. The Chum salmon, which
Is a three and four year old fish,
failed to appear in the usual num
bers in this district, and this is
responsible for any shortage of pack
in that particular area.
The balance of Southeastern Alas
ka has been a failure in both the
Pink and Chum salmon runs. Dur
ing the time fishing operations were
being conducted, very few fish
escaped to the spawning beds.
Therefore, after a careful personal
inspection of the beds and the con
ditions, it was deemed advisable to
curtail the season in all areas. The
escapement has improved since that
time, but in order to build up the
Chum salmon run, which shows
serious depletion this year, as well
as to prevent further depletion of
the Pink salmon run, and looking
entirely to the future welfare of the
industry as a whole, it was deemed
advisable to not permit fall fishing:
namely, the season from Sept. 14
to Oct. 15.
This was further made necessary
by the fact that the law provides
that an escapement of 50 per cent
of the salmon runs must be permit
ted to reach the spawning beds. On
account of the unusually dry sum
mer In Alaska, all of the streams
in the Southeastern district have
been extremely low, and some of
them entirely destitute of water.
This has materially retarded the
ascent of the salmon to the spawn
ing beds. If fishing were further
extended, it would only invite de
struction of the schools of fish stand
ing outside the mouths of the
streams awaiting the proper stage
of water for their ascent.
I have personally covered more
than 6,000 miles throughout the
various channels in Alaska, and as
cended many of the streams, and
the action which has been taken is
based upon my own personal ob
servation of conditions as they ex
ist.
My action has been guided in this
matter wholly from the standpoint
of a desire to perpetuate the indus
try by saving all seed possible for
the future in a year when the run
has been a failure.
Good Attendance
In Schools
The Petersburg schools while not
so large in attendance this y% as
other incorporated towns has a very
good attendance. A great deal of
enthusiasm has been expressed by
the faculty and pupils pointing to
a most successful school year.
The following is the attendance
by grades this year up to and in
cluding the 20th of the month:
ELEMENTARY
Grade
1st.
2nd..
3rd.
4th.
5th.
6th.
7th.
8th.
High School
9th.
10th.
11.
12.
Total
. . 34
. . 22
.. 21
. . 18
. . 22
. .17
. .20
. . 15
. ,14
. . 9
, . 11
. . 6
FIRES AT RABBIT HITS
DYNAMITE
Firing a 22-calibre rifle at a rab
bit 100 feet away and exploding two
boxes of dynamite that tore a great
hole in the earth and sent debris
into the air for 100 feet, and him
self miraculously escaping death.
That is the experience that be
fell L. D. Brown, well-known in
anchorage, who is now working at
Healy Fork.
Brown, in a letter to James Camp
bell, proprietor of the Panhandle,
told of his narrow escape in a man
ner that would make good material
for a movie thriller.—r-Anchorage
Times.
Basketball Season
Opening Soon
Local basketball fans were pleas
ed hear that the directors of the
Sons of Norway Hall had decided
to permit basketball practice on the
floor this winter.
Call for candidates will be made
very shortly and the basket shooters
will be asked to put in time learn
ing basketball psychology. The out
look for a champion team is the
best in the history of Petersburg.
We expect to see Juneau, Wrangell
and Ketchikan eat humble pie for
all the stinging defeats they have
given the local teams.
The bays hope for and ask the
whole hearted support of every ci
tizen of the town.
Carnival is Raided
The American Legion Drum and
Bugle Corps Carnival at the Mu
nicipal Auditorium, Denver, Oolo.,
was raided recently by a squad of
police under direction of Chief R.
r. Reed. All games of chance in
the carnival which was being held
to raise funds to send sixty-three
members of the corps to the Ameri
can Legion Convention in Paris,
were closed.
As a result of the raid, the corps
will not go to the convention, Leo
M. Flynn, business manager, said.
“Instead of raising the $8,400 ne
aald.
cessary to send the men in the
steerage, we will have to dig down
in our pockets to pay several hun
dred dollars for the carnival,’' he