E. E. RITCHIE, VALDEZ LAWYER,
DECLARES STATUTE WAS
DRAWN BY EMPLOYER.
WORKMEN NOT PROTECTED.
Attorney Insists That Needed Changes
Should Re Made Issues of Cam
paign and That Candidates Should
Declare Themselves.
Candidates for the legislature
should be forced to declare their posi
tions on proposals to amend the ter
ritorial workmen’s compensation act,
so as to make it more effective, in the
opinion of E. E. Ritchie, a lawyer of
Valdez. His views on the subject fol
low :
"The workmen's compensation law
of Alaska has been declared constitu
tional by the courts. This was ex
pected because courts are reluctant to
lay themselves open to the charge of
usurping legislative powers. In this
case the courts have said that if the
lew is defective it is up to the legis
lature to amend it.
“That the law ought to be amended
in order to make it a real compensa
tion law is easily demonstrated. Sev
eral amendments passed the senate
in the legislature of 11)17 but were
killed in the house. The vital objec
tions to the law as passed in 1915 are
such that a mere statement of them
seems to state a sufficient demand
for their correction. The following
amendments have been suggested:
"1. .-v provision for compulsory ar
bitration, such as several states now
have.
“2. Amendment of the method of
> giving notice of intention to reject the
law, or of a change of attitude regard
ing it.
“M. Amendment of some provisions
of the schedule of compensation, par
ticularly for partial disability.
“4. The law, which now applies on
ly to mining, should include all other
hazardous employments as compensa
tion laws do in the states.
Compulsory Arbitration.
“First. Compulsory arbitration is a
feature of the compensation laws of
several states. The arbitration provi
sion of the Illinois law was incorp
orated almost verbatim, one section
being taken from Nevada, in an
amendment which passed the Alaska
senate of 11)17 but was defeated in
the house. An arbitration plan which
works satisfactorily in a great indus
trial state like Illinois and in a sparse
ly settled mining state like Nevada
ought to do fairly well for Alaska, but
corporate lobbying defeated it.
The arbitration plan offered pro
vides that in case of injury to an em
ploye if he can not agree with the
employer on the measure of compen
sation under the law either party may
serve notice on the other of a demand
for arbitration and in such case each
party must name an arbitrator, the
two arbitrators to name a third. If
they cannot agree the judge of the
district court is to name the third
arbitrator. The arbitrators meet
within a few days, take evidence and
make an award. Either party is al
lowed an appeal from the award to
the district court within twenty days.
It is hardly necessary to suggest that
there would be few appeals from
awards made in this way.
“The existing law simply gives the
injured workman the right to sue in
the district court. How that works is
shown by the history of a recent Val
dez case. A man was injured in a
mine in January, 1916; his case was
tried at Valdez in January, 1917; the
judgment was affirmed by the cir
cuit court of appeals in January, 1918,
and the plaintiff will probably get his
money in March, 1918.
Notice of Rejection.
“Second. The law of 1915 provides
that an employer or employe who
does not wish to be bound by the
lav must file notice in the recorder’s
office of the precinct in a form pre
scribed, but a manifestly unfair ad
vantage is given to the employer,
without doubt intentional. He simply
has to file his notice on the employe,
swear to the service and then file the
notice.
“From this it is plain that the em
ployer in every case is given actual
notice. The employe can get actual
notice of the employer’s position only
by consulting the record. For exam
ple, a miner working at Latouche is
obliged to consult the record at Val
dez, ninety miles away. When the re
corder’s office of Chitina precinct was
at Chitina, a miner at the Kenne
cott had to examine the record at Chi
tina, seventy miles away, to learn the
company’s position regarding ,the law.
Not only that but it is the privilege
of the employer, as it is of the em
ploye, to reverse his previous posi
tion on the law by filing notice, but
1 with this difference. The employe
again has to give personal notice to
the employer, who merely has to file
his notice, at a recorder’s office, many
miles away in most cases.
Was Intentional.
“That this inequality in giving no
tice was intentional seems evident
from circumstantial evidence. Many
of the provisions of the Alaska act
are taken verbatim from the Kansas
law, but the Kansas law requires am
ple notice to be given by the employer
without any expense or trouble to the
employe, of the employer’s election or
refusal to accept the provisions of the
compensation law. Here is the Kan
sas provision:
‘Notice of such election or with
drawal shall be forthwith posted by
such employer in conspicuous places
in and about his place of business.’
Equality Not Wanted.
“Nothing could be easier or fairer
than this. But the corporate lobby
ists who jammed the Alaska ‘compen
sation law’ through the legislature of
1915 omitted this provision while they
were lifting half of the Kansas law
bodily into the Alaska act. It is hard
ly necessary to argue that they were
not working for ‘pitiless publicity’ in
the matter of notice to employes.
“Third. While the allowance in
case of death is liberal in view of the
fact that it includes all cases regard
less of negligence, the allowances for
crippling and other partial disabilities
are small.
“Fourth. The act applies only to
mines. In every one of the thirty
live states which have real compen
sation laws all hazardous employ
ments are included. Why should such
a law include only mining in Alaska
and exclude sawbills, railroads, can
llPT'lO:
Answer Is Easy.
" The answer is easy. The Alaska
law was enacted by and for the two
big- Juneau mining companies. They
foresaw that within a short time an
honest compensation law would be en
acted in Alaska. The demand was
growing. So they took time by the
forelock and secured the enactment of
an emasculated law that contained ev
erything usually found in such laws
to the advantage of the employer and
left out as much as they could of us
ual provisions useful to employes.
“Amendment of the compensation
law ought to be an issue in the cam
paign of 1!)18 and candidates for the
legislature forced to declare their po
sition.”
“Under and pursuant to the provi
i sions of the act of congress, approved
March 12, 11)14 (88 Stat., 805), enti
tled: “An act to authorize the presi
dent of the United States to locate,
| construct, and operate railroads in the
! territory of Alaska, and for other
purposes”, it is hereby ordered that
the following described lands, with
drawn by executive orders Nos. 1 and
2, Alaska, dated April 21, 1014, and
June 28, 1014, respectively, for town
site and railroad purposes under said
act, be, and the same are, hereby elim
inated from said orders, to-wit:
Township 1, south, range 2 west,
Fairbanks meridian, N’a NEH and
lot 8, section 82; NW% NWU and
lots 1 and 2, section 38.
“This elimination shall not affect
the withdrawal of any other lands by
the executive orders referred to here
in.” '
SAME OLD STORY.
A careless spendthrift is Bill Bree,
And he’ll be broke through all his
life;
Me practices economy
By preaching it to poor Friend
Wife.
TERRITORIAL ROAD COMMIS
SIONER SAYS MACHINE WILL
DREDGE JUNEAU CHANNEL.
DOES WORK OF THIRTY MEN.
When Not Needed in Water Opera
tions, Effective Piece of Machinery
Will Be Used in Improvement of
Public Highways.
“The new Marion steam shovel is a
‘bear,’ ” Ed Hurlbut, territorial road
commissioner, is quoted as saying in
an interview in the Juneau Dispatch,
“and it will eat up ground faster than
thirty men could shovel it.”
Mr. Hurlbut has just returned to
Juneau from a three months’ visit to
the states, where he made a special
investigation into the various kinds
of equipment that would be suitable
for dredging the bar between Men
denhall glacier and Douglas island.
Many machines were examined that
would be serviceable for bar work,
but the one Mr. Hurlbut selected was
j one which in his opinion would be of
I constant service either for bar work,
I which is required from time to time,
! or for road work, which is always ne
i cessary.
This machine has been ordered from
! the factory, to be delivered at Seattle
l not later than the first of April, gov
| eminent orders not interfering, and
; the factory price, not including the
! freight, is $8,790. If everything goes
i as it is calculated, the small boats can
be crossing in the new channel by
June 1. But the channel will be deep
! ened and widened by going over it
a second time as soon as possible.
This machine is of the traction en
gine type, with a donkey engine
mounted on four 24-inch traction
wheels. While the machine is widei
than the average wagon, it is not sc
wide that it will not run on a wogar
i road. The weight is approximately
: eighteen tons, the heavy steel boom if
thirty-three feet along and is rigged
to be changed, with the shifting of n
few bolts, from a water digger, oper
ated on a clam-shell basis, to a land
! digger for road work.
GAS IN' AUTOS KILL WOUNDED.
I
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
IN FRANCE, March 23.—Carbor
; monoxide pas has caused deaths
among patients being transporter
within the closed bodies of some Am
erican-made ambulances equipped
with exhaust gas heaters, it is an
nouced. All precautions now have beer
taken to insure these vehicles being
i safe in the future.
Investigation disclosed the presence
of gas in lethal quantities within am
bulances, it having passed througf
highly heated iron parts and leaks ii
! exhaust pipes. Poor ventilation wa;
responsible for the gas remianing ir
the closed bodies.
1 Orders now have been issued for the
boring of one inch holes at three inci
; intervals in a double row through the
1 wooden front of all vehicles being
used by the American Expeditionary
i forces. Similar holes will be made ir
the tailboards. All exhaust gas heater?
in the future will be carefully inspect
ed under operating conditions and re
pairs immediately made upon those
found even slightly defective.
All ambulance drivers and orderlies
have been ordered to investigate the
condition of all passengers withir
their cars at five minute intervals
This will be done by requiring an an
swer to an interrogation. Particulai
attention will be paid to the condition
of patients when ambulances are at a
standstill with the engine running.
FROZEN WHALE MEAT.
SEATTLE, Wash., March 23.—
Frozen whale meat is to be shipped tc
all sections of the United States this
year by a northern whaling company
which has opened a cold storage plant
at Bay City, Grays Harbor, Washing
ton. The whale hunting season opens
about April 1.
L. L. JAMES, SECRETARY OF THE
SEWARD CHAMBER OF COM
MERCE, VISITS SOUTH.
RETURN CARGOES NECESSARY.
California Business Men Will Charter
Steamer As Soon As War Condi
tions Permit to Investigate South
western Ports.
If Seward and other southwestern
Alaska ports could promise return
cargoes, San Francisco shipping men
would enter the Alaska field with their
steamers. This is the information re
ceived in Seward from L. L. James,
secretary of the Seward Chamber of
Commerce, in a night letter from San
Francisco.
Mr. James, who is in San Francis
co, says that he has interested whole
j salers there and that they have en
I thusiastically consented, in conjunc
tion with the San Francisco Chamber
of Commerce, to charter a steamer to
tour Alaska as soon as the war condi
tions permit securing a steamer with
out injuring the shipping program of
the government.
Mr. James told the San Francisco
wholesalers and the members of the
chamber of commerce that there
would be return cargoes of coal.
1 It is expected that by next Septem
| ber the San Francisco delegation will
have paid a visit to the Alaska ports.
Mr. James wired that he has had
conferences with L. M. King, secre
tary of the San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce, and he is satisfied that the
future will bring perfect business re
lations with Seward. The San Fran
cisco Chamber of Commerce has ex
pressed a most friendly desire to as
sist Seward in all matters and greet
ings were sent to the Seward body
from the organization at the Golden
Gate, says the Seward Gateway.
Chas. Crawford, of Valdez, has two
contracts for driving piles for canner
1 ies. One cannery will be erected at
Dryer bay, the piling having been
driven. The other cannery will be
erected at Shelter cove on Hoodoo
island.
—
Mark A. Miller, brother of Arthur
Miller, Indian agent for Alaska, the
southeastern district, died at his home
in North Dakota recently.
) A “bridge” meeting was held in Xe
nan recently in regard to the logical
place for constructing the bridge, as
there were so many places that need
ed it. A committee was finally ap
pointed to write to Juneau for author
ity to move the bridge and instructed
to reply to V. J. Dwyer.
Emil almblom, manager of a log
ging camp at Freshwater bay, was re
icently arrested on the charge of hav
ing venison in his possession. Four
| large whisky barrels were found to
be filled with the meat and the hides
and carcasses were found scattered
about the camp. The deer killed were
last year’s fawns. He plead guilty
and was fined $10 and costs. The meat
was sent to the Pioneers’ home at Sit
ka.
Douglas has been suffering from
the visits of its old friend, the Taku
breezes. After a foot or so of snow
| had fallen the gentle zephyrs swoop
ed down upon the town and generally
turned things upside down. Douglas
has decided that earthquakes are pref
erable to the winds for they at least
do not last for hours, days and weeks.
Twenty-three men, residents of
Fairbanks and surrounding towns re
cently made application for naturali
zation. The judge held rather a busy
session as the applications were all
made during the same period.
Andrew Takkala, a well known min
ing man and a member of the Fin
nish society, was recently killed at the
Perseverance mine by falling rock dur
ing a cave-in. He was a single man,
47 years of age and had been working
with the Gastineau company at vari
ous times since 1912. John Sorri was
also badly bruised during the cave-in.
Ben Lindsay was recently arrested
at Chatanika and fined fifteen dollars
and costs on the charge of being
drunk. He paid his fine.
Herbert Shearer, of Seward, recent
ly caught a small wolf whose hide was
in perfect condition, in his trap. He
skinned it and will devote the fur to
some use.
Victor Sogura, well known wood
cutter in Fairbanks, is now a residenl
of Nenana where he has started a ci>
gar store and pool room and will also
run a rooming house in connection
with his store. As he is also well
known in Nenana, it is predicted that
he will have little trouble in making a
success of his venture.
Chas. Walker, of Ketchikan, has on
display in a building opposite the
! bank a small devil fish, 18 inches long
| with eight feelers protruding from
; the head, some of them being pronged
; with a row of small warts like teeth
i and a tail shaped somewhat like a
i propeller. The beast is described as
I being decidedly ugly.
Tex Zimmerman, of Juneau, recent
| ly had the misfortune to fall on the
! icy sidewalk and break two of his ribs.
After that accidcent he was visited by
a severe cold, accompanied by a se
I vere cough and manifold sneezes.
' Having survived his numberless afflic
| tions his friends think that he now
; ha* a chance for recovery.
H. Peterson, of Latouche, was killed
there this week in a rock slide and
brought to Valdez for embalming. His
body will be shipped outside. Juan
Logos, his helper, was also killed but
1 was buried at Latouche.
ALASKA FISH SALTING AND BY
PRODUCTS COMPANY MAR
KETS NEW COMPOUND.
—
SNOW WHITE IN APPEARANCE.
“Our products this year will bo
largely converted into a lard com
pound suitable for cooking purposes.’’
states L. A. Feike of the Alaska Fish
Salting and By-Products company in
a recent issue of a Juneau newspaper.
“I have a sample of this compound
made from herring oil which I would
be glad to show to anyone interested,'
he said. “It is snow white and re
sembles lard. It is manufactured from
; our tish oils by the firm of W. P.
Fuller Co., of Seattle. This firm
has been handling our entire output
and it is likely they will continue to
do so.”
Mr. Feike states that his company
expects to salt herring this year, and
if the salted herring meets the expec
tations, it will put up in the neighbor
hood of 5,000 barrels of salt herring,
as well as its usual products.
Regarding the manufacture of fish
meal, Mr. Feike states that this meal
has been used for fertilizer in times
past, but that at the present time it
is found more valuable as a hog food
and as chicken food than for fertilizer.
Before it is manufactured into this
meal, all the oil is extracted, and it is
from this oil that the company makes
its lard substitute compound.
The saving of all the waste fish
heads and offal from the canneries, as
was suggested and recommended by
the conservation commmittee of the
Territorial Council of Defense, is con
sidered a move in the right direction
by Mr. Feike.
“This will lead to the saving of
enormous tonnage of raw fish prod
ucts which we can in turn work up
into valuabel food products,” he said.
Mr. Feike says he intends to leave
for Killisnoo, taking along several
men to assist in getting things in
shape for spring business.
ROSE SILBERG IS MURDERED
FOR HER MONEY AND JAP
ANESE IS SUSPECTED.
JOE PETRIE DIES IN HOTEL.
Man’s Demise May Be Connected With
Woman’s Assassination, But Whe
ther He Succumbed to Poison or
Heart-Failure Is Not Known.
■ _
j Rose Silberg, a resident of the re
stricted district in McCarthy, was
found murdered early the other morn
j ing in a room in a resort known as
the Chili Con Came parlor there, ac
| cording to mail advices received here.
Robbery was the motive of the crime.
S. Himiju, a Japanese, is suspected
of having perpetrated the homicide
and is held in jail at McCarthy.
j
i
A circumstance in connection with
the tragedy was the death in the Gold
en hotel at McCarthy, several hours
after the murder, of Joe Petrie, who is
known to have visited the woman’s
house the night of her death.
The woman’s throat was cut with
a knife and she had been stabbed in
the face and breast.
A pistol belonging to her was found
in her hand. Two of the shells had
snapped and a third had exploded,
burning the carpet. On the floor
were many bloody finger marks.
A large man in a gray overcoat was
seen at 3 o’clock in the morning of the
murder, smoking a cigar in the vi
cinity of the Silberg woman’s house.
Labelle, the night watchman, flashed
a light in the face of the man, who
was moving quickly away from the
restricted district.
The Japanese under arrest wears a
gray overcoat.
Rose Silberg was 37 years of age
and a Polish-Jewess. Her parents’
home, it is said, is in New York. She
recently returned to McCarthy from
the Tenakee Hot Springs where she
had been visiting her husband. She
was reputed to be worth about $25,000
and owned considerable property at
McCarthy and Prince Rupert, B. C.
She always carried considerable mon
ey on her person.
That robbery was the motive for
the crime is apparent from the fact
that everything in the room had been
ransacked, and an empty pocketbook
was on the table. The search was for
money, as a considerable amount of
jewelry was worn by the woman when
she was found dead.
Petrie’s Mysterious Death.
The body of Petrie, fully dressed,
was found on the bed of Ben Richard
son, in room 7 of the Golden hotel, at
11 o’clock in the morning of the mur
der, by Ben Richardson. Dr. J. T.
Hill made an autopsy but the cause of
death has not yet been determined.
Poisoning is suspected. However, Pe
trie is known to have been a sufferer
from heart trouble.
Petrie was seen in the Silberg wom
an's house at 11 o’clock on the night
of the murder.
COTTON iS MADE
OF NETTLE FIBRE
GERMANS ARE URGED TO GROW
PLANTS TO BE MADE INTO
TEXTILE MATERIALS.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, March
: 23.—Nettle fibre, as a substitute for
J other textile material seems to have
; come to stay in Germany. The gov
: ernment bureau entrusted with the
: “nettle exploitation” in a circular
j eulogizes the grammar school of
i Lansberg, the pupils of which collect
ed a large amount of nettle stalks, and
j says “if every school in Germany did
| the same, we should be easily abte to
! dispense with American cotton.” The
: government circular at the same time
| urges all towns and cummunes in Ger
many to plant nettles as “processes
have now been perfected to such a de
gree that the finished article not only
I replaces but excels cotton.”