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KODIAK, ALASKA7JANUARY~28, 1956
V. iti NO. 4
PRICE 10 CENTS
Kodiak Fishermen Meet
Want Trap Closure Now
Kodiak fishermen went on re
cord Monday night as opposed to
Secretary of the Interior McKay’s
proposal to eliminate fishtraps in
Alaska over a ten year period. In
a spirited meeting held at the
Fishermen’s hall they called for
immediate elimination.
McKay’s 10 year proposal was
described as a “smokescreen.” The
secretary recently proposed that
House Resolution 242, introduced
into Congress by Delegate Bartlett,
should be changed to provide for
trap elimination over a ten year
period instead of the proposed
five.
Several fishermen voiced the
opinion that the Bartlett measure
was a step in the right direction,
but contended it did not go far
enough. Concern was expressed by
Pat Cannon and others that the
Bartlett bill might tie the hands of
Alaska for the specified number
of years, even if the territory
should gain control of its fisheries.
Pete Deveau, operator of the
Island Seafoods, advocated “all or
nothing.” He felt that even the five
years would spread elimination of
the traps over a longer period be
fore enactment of the measure. His
contention was that the trap own
ers have been favored in fishing
rights in Cook Inlet and elswhere,
in the enforcement of fishing regu
lations, in the past years. This was
also the feeling of others who
spoke.
Carl Brunstad voiced his opinion
that the group should adopt sup
port of the Bartlett measure. He
stated, however, that trap owenrs
have had ample time to amortize
their investments in this type of
gear. An amendment proposed by
Pat Cannon favoring immediate
abolition of the traps, to Brun
stads motion that the group go on
record as opposed to McKays pro
posal was adopted.
The fishermen also took issue
with McKays statement that abol
ishing the traps would not aid con
servation. Figures were presented
to show this to be untrue. They
contended abolishing the traps
would aid conservation, and help
the individual fisherman.
Another action taken by the
group of fishermen was to vote
unanimously for Pat Cannon’s pro
posal placing the ro^linggpii, re
cord as favoring that Congress
turn Alaska fisheries over to terri
torial management. Every fisher
man and others present voted in
the affirmative on this proposal.
Meetings have been called by
the Alaska Department of Fish
eries in areas affected by trap
closures. No report on actions tak
en by other groups has been re
ceived at time of publication.
TRAPPING SEASON CLOSES
The trapping season for otter,
Weasel and fox closes January 31,
according to an announcement by
tjw Fish and Wildlife Department.
' Beaver season opens February, jL
and closes March 31. Limit for
bpaver is 15. The hides are to be
brought to the- Fieb & Wildlife of
fice for sealing, it was stated.
Nominees Are Selected
For Power Association
Twenty-four names of candidates
will be submitted to the members
of the Kodiak Electric Association
at the annual meeting of that body
to be held March 5. Nine directors
of the co-op will be elected from
the names submitted by the nomi
nating committee, which met
Thursday, under the chairmanship
of Wilton White.
The names proposed by the com
mittee are as follows: P. J. Kerri
gan, the president of the Board of
Directors, Jim Garoutte, vice-presi
dent, and Pete Ramaglia, secre
tary. Present board members nomi
nated again are Bill Bocast, Sig
Digree, Eldon Lester, Russ Wright,
Cecil Wilson and Tom Frost.
New nominees proposea are:'
Allen Heitman, Harold Stover, Don
Wolfe, Royal E. Munson, Jay Tol
bert, Charles R. Conners, Robert
C. King, Dal Valley, Robert Daw
son, Don Lawhead Fred Breachan,
Jim Healey, William E. Worth, Os
car Hanson and Ernie Harding.
The meeting will again be held
at the Elks hall this year accord
ing to KEA manager Ole Johnson.
King Crab Fishing
Active This Week
The crab canneries had a week
of activity following a slow winter
as compared to previous ones.
Good weather brought in many
boats from points all around the
Island.
Pete Deveau of the Island Sea
foods reports four boats in with
an estimated 53,000 pounds of
King crab, up to and including
Thursday. Four more boats are ex
pected. 20,000 pounds were
brought in by the Susie Q, skipper
ed by Oscar Dyson. The Orianius
came in with a load of 10,000 lbs.
Albert Peterson is the skipper. Hi
ram McAllister, owner of Miss Arc
tic, brought in 11,000 pounds, and
the Eldorado, Louie Wick, skipper,
brought in a load weighing 12,000
pounds.
brought in a load weighing 12,000.
Bob Resoff’s nearby King Crab
cannery .had four boats in Thurs
day k*rhe boats and their loads
were as follows: The Roxanna
Dawn. Pat Mulliit skipper, unload
ed 700 crab, estimated to weigh
8400; Sea Mount unloaded 500
weighing about 6000 pounds; The
Bonnie with 450 crab weighing
4500 and the GPC-18 carried 900,
weighing approximately 9000
pounds. Resoff expected three
more boats to bring in loads this
week.
This has been an off year, due
mainly to bad weather. Crabs are
processed for shipping, mainly by
freezing, but as the quantity in
creases, they are canned.
Driftwood Products have cur
tailed their crab activities lately,
but processed 500 pounds brought
in by Hiram McAllister this week.
Harvey and ~*<5riff ’ Griffin are
partners in 'this operation.
C of C Endorses
Cert. Of Airlines
Members of the Chamber of
Commerce at their meeting Thurs
day voted to support the Alaskan
Airlines in their efforts to secure
permanent certification* They also
sought the establishment of a col
lector of customs’ office in Kodiak.
These questions and that of
bringing tourists to Kodiak and
caring for th^m, occupied the at
tention^ the group attending the
noon luncheon.
Sen. Magnuson of Washington is
seeking an amendment to the Civil
Aeronautics act of 1938. He is in
troducing legislation which, if
adopted, will give permanent cer
tification to airlines flying between
Seattle and carriers flying within
Alaska and Hawaii.
Members of the Commerce body
attending voiced complete confi
dence in the airlines flying in Al
aska and expressed themselves in
support of PNA in particular.
They voted to send letters to Mag
nuson in support of his legislation.
Ray Martin, agent for PNA, stat
ed before the group, “It would
have a stabilizing effect on the
territory if the airlines were given
permanent certification. The air
lines could then plan a long-range
program of expenditures-thus im
proving the service.”
The Commerce body voted to
support the City Council in their
efforts to have a National Guard
armory built here. Many expressed
the belief such a building would
fulfill a need here and would be
an asset to the community.
The establishment of a Collector
of Customs’ office here was felt
to be a means of bringing more
business to Kodiak. One point that
was brought up was that Canadian
fishermen fishing nearby waters
for halibut, would clear their catch
here and more money would be
spent here. At present the fisher
men have to take their catch to
the ports of Cordova and Ketehi
can.
The question of housing for tour
ists and convention delegates visit
ing Kodiak came up for some dis
cussion. The inadequacy of present
hotel accommodations to care for
even a minimum of tourists visit
ing hele was pointed out. One solu
tion offered was the seeking out of
people who would rent rooms to
visitors. This plan, it was said, has
been used in other small communi
ties, with good results.
Attracting tourists to Kodiak,
aside from caring for them when
they get here, was a question that
evinced considerable discussion. It
was pointed out by several of the
members, Kodiak has considerable
to offer the tourist in the way of
historical sites and data, fishing,
scenery, the Naval Base and other
attractions. It was brought out
that there are several fair sized
groups who are planning now to
visit Kodiak this summer. Seg
ments of a group of Baptists at
tending a convention in Seattle
this summer may come to Alaska
and Kodiak if present plans ma
terialize. z
Direct plane service to Kodiak
from Seattle would aid in bringing
tourists to this city, it was Jxiihted
out.
District Calls For Bids
To Construct NS Housing
Woman Alone is Found
Unconscious in Apt.
Mrs. William Smith, wife of a
serviceman attached to the Naval
Station, was found unconscious on
the floor of her apartment in the
Pearson duplex. She was rushed to
the Station Infirmary Wednesday
afteroon, where she is now recup
erating from shock.
Discovery of Mrs. Smith was
made by Mrs. Sullivan, who lives
in the same building. Knowing
that her neighbor was unwell, and
an expectant mother, and not see
ing her or hearing her around, she
investigated. It was then she found
her lying unconscious on the floor.
She had apparently hit her head
on the stove in a fainting spell.
The Naval Station ambulance,
rushing to the scene, was bogged
down in the snow. City Clerk Dick
Berg then rushed Mrs. Smith to
the Infirmary in the City ambu
lance. Upon arrival, the baby, born
prematurely, was dead.
The husband is out on emergen
cy leave at present.
Ordinance Would
Abolish Fish Traps
The abolishment of fishtraps is
up for consideration by the Con
stitutional Convention. The resolu
tion, introduced by the committee
on Ordinances and Transitional
measures this week, is in the form
of an ordinance that seeks the dis
continuance of this form of fishing.
The measure, though not a part
of the constitution, according to
Jack Hinckel, Delegate from the
Kodiak area, will go along with it.
“I cannot guarantee it will pass,”
he stated in a letter to the Mirror,
“but I am supporting it.”
Section 20 of the ordinance reads
as follows: “As a matter of im
mediate public necessity, to relieve
economic distress! among individu
al fishermen and those dependent
upon them for a livelihood, to con
serve the rapidly dwindling supply
of salmon in the public domain of
Alaska, to ensure fair competition
among those engaged in commer
cial fishing, and to make manifest
the will of the people of Alaska
pending thfc,establishjnent of the
first state legislature, the use of
fish traps for the taking of salmon
for commercial purposes is hereby
prohibited in all the waters of the
State until otherwise provided by
law. Violations of this section shall
be punishable by a fine not to ex
ceed $5,000.00 and by confiscation
of the fish traps. The police power
of the State shall be used to the
extent necessary to enforce this
section.”
Alice M. Huyke of Seattle be
came the bride of William E.
Thonnsen, of the Public Works
Electric Shop on the Naval Station
last Friday evening at the Star of
the Sea Chapel. Mrs. Mary Heffner
Daniel Sullivan, station Catholic
was Matron of Honor and Edward
C. Pecdre was Best' Man. Father
Chaplaih. ^ffftfeted-at the cere*
mony.
One hundred and fifty-one hous
ing units will be built on the Ko
diak Naval Station, starting this
year, according to the 17th Naval
District Public Works. The depart
ment is issuing calls for bids on
the housing projects and also that
of a: direction finder facility
Specification No. 37595 provides
for 71 units of family housing with
wood frame construction, cement
asbestos wrterior and drywall in
terior construction. In addition to
the living units, this project Will
include site grading, streets, curbs
and sidewalks, and utilities such as
hot water heating system, water,
power, telephone, fire protection
and storm drainage.
Specification No. 37597 provides
for 80 more units of family hous
ing of similar construction as
above.
Specification No. 37596 provides
for a Directive Finder Facility.
This consists of an operations
building emergency generator
building, pump house, antennas
and utilities, including roads, tele
phone line, water supply system
and power.
Buildings are to be of wood
frame construction, cement asbes
tos exterior and drywall interior
construction.
Bids to be made are for furnish
ing all labor, equipment and ma
terials, and will be received until
2:00 p. m. March 8, 1956, at the of
fice of the Resident Officer in
charge, 908 Seventh Avenue, Seat
tle, Washington. Bids will be open
ed at 2:30 p. m. of the same day
at the Seattle Chapter of AGC of
America, Inc., 215 West Harrison
St. in the same city.
Bid openings on the second hous
ing project will be received at the
same address until 2:00 p. m. on
March 13, and will be opened at
2:30 that afternoon.
CONTROL HEARINGS
TO START FEB. 16
Hearings by the territories sub
committee -on Delegate Bartlett’s
bill to transfer control of fishery
and ^game from the Interior De
partment to the Territory will
start February 16, according to
tentative arrangements now made
by Chairman Claire Engle of the
House Interior and Insular Affairs
Committee.
The measure, upon which the
Interior Department has not yet
submitted its views, was introduc
ed by Delegate Bartlett on January
5 of last year. In providing trans
fer of these resources, the legisla
tion would retaiii the administra
tion of the fur-seal and sea-otter
fisheries in the federal govern
ment with 50 percent of the net
proceeds from these resources go
ing to the Territory to assist in
meeting costs of territorial admini
stration of fish and game.
- < :
The Valentine Dance, sponsored >
by the V.FW,.]^ been set for Tues
day, February 14 at tho'lISO. Thtf \
deter previously announced was
February 13.