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VOLUME XVIII NTTIMBER 241
SEWARD, ALASKA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1923
PRICE FEN CENTS
BRISTOL BAY CANNERIES
ARE SEVERELY CRITICIZED
IN GRAND JURY REPORT
The grand jury at Valdez which ad
journed last week, until after the Cor
dova term of district court, submitted
a special report to Judge E. E. Ritchie
dealing principally with the fisheries
to the westward, and is as follows:
We, the Grand Jury for September
-4, 1923, term of the above entitled
court, held at Valdez, Territory and
Division aforesaid, composed of elev
en women and eleven men, beg to
submit a special report. As the Grand
Jury is now in adjournment until Oct.
25 and many members of the present
panel will perhaps not be present
when the Grand Jury reassembles, we
beg leave to submit this special re
port upon certain matters herinat'ter
set forth, which we believe require
action.
In the fishing districts in the west
ern part of the Third Division, and
especially in Bristol Bay, we find con
ditions appalling and on account of
the character of labor employed and
the conditions existing at many of the
canneries the government is put to
the expense of many thousands oi dol
lars, which in our judgment should be
avoided.
We wish to call attention to nar
cotic conditions. Many addicts and
a large amount of narcotics find their
way to the canneries and fishing
grounds through the cannery help,
and it has become a grave menace to
the safety and health of the people of
Alaska, and especially to the food
supply through the use of diseased
help in the packing and handling of
salmon. At one cannery it appears
there were at least forty men addict
ed to the use of various narcotics,
such as opium, cocaine, marihuana,
and other habit forming drugs. In
many instances foremen of China
crews handle narcotics and dispense
them to the men under their charge
in the canneries and there appears to
be narcotics sold, and addicts at all
canneries.
une msiauL'tf «.
man in the advanced stage of syph
ilis, and having ulcers therefrom all
over his body, was employed in press
ing the fish down in the cans with his
hands, which were protected only
with cotton gloves. Another instance
is reported where a member of the
China crew was allowed by the com
pany $1 per day to buy narcotics on
the plea that if he did not obtain the
narcotics he would not and could not
work. There appear to be men, im
ported in China crews by some of the
canneries, who come north for the
sole purpose of practicing the detest
able crime against nature. These men
it appears, dress themselves in silks
and women’s clothing and indulge in
these terrible practices, passing from
one cannery to another and doing lit
tle work. At one cannery, it is report
ed there were a large number of cases
of rectal syphilis resulting from these
practices, more than twenty. There
appears to be no provision made for
the inspection of the bodily health ol
the men who handle with their hands
the salmon packed, and several in
stances are reported where men hav
ing actual handling of the salmon
were infected with venereal and other
loathsome diseases.
We wish to call the Court's atten
tion to the fact that at the present
term here are two cases of homicide
and three cases of assauit with dead
ly weapons and other crimes originat
ing among cannery help imported by
the canneries, which will cost the gov
ernment many thousands of dollars
in prosecutions.
We also beg to suggest that anoth
er source of trouble in the canneries
appears to be quality of food Jurnish
ed and fed to the China crews by Ori
ental contractors in the employ of the
canneries. Some of the crime and
much of the trouble originating in the
cannery districts has been through
strikes on account of China crews.
One of these food strikes terminated
with the killing of one man and the
wounding of two others.
Evidence has been deduced before
us showing that a common practice in
many of the cities of the Pacific
Coast is to release men serving terms
in jail to come North to the canneries
which results in unloading upon the
t
Territiory of Alaska an undesirable
and criminal class.
In brief, we find conditions in the
Bristol Bay district most deplorable
and alarming, especially with regards
to narcotics and bringing in ot fire
arms by Oriental foremen and mem
bers of the China crews. There seems
to be no provision made for prevent
i nig men employed by the canueries,
- and especially Orientals, from bnng
] ing all kinds of firearms with them to
! the fishing grounds. We believe tha.
many of the crimes committed in the
Bristol Bay district is due to peimit
ting Orientals to have firearms which
they use on slight provocation, result
! ing in murder, assault and crimes.
We also beg to report tha’ it ap
' pears from our investigation that on
| account of the poor food furnished by
i many of the contractors, the men are
' forced lo supplement their rations
with purchases from the commissary
and what is known as the slop chest,
j which are sold to them by the fore
men of the China gangs and Oriental
i contractors at exorbitant prices. Many
cases are reported where the earnings
of the men were consumed in pur
[ chasing food to supplement the defi
i ciency of rations and when the men
I finished the season and returned to
the States they were indebted to the
companies.
We further wish to call the Court’s
I attention to the nature of contract
under which these men are employed
and which they are compelled to sign
before leaving the States to go to the
fishing fields. These contracts leave
| the men at the mercy of the Oriental
i contractors, and under their terms
\ slight infractions of the onerous reg
ulations will and do result in penal
* ties which consume the wages of the
; workers.
We further report that men are
employed for cannery woik in the
packing oL fisu in the fishing fields in
Bristol Bay and other fishing dis
tricts, who are subject to no adequate
medical examination, otherwise it
would not be possible for men with
venereal diseases or extreme drug ad
dicts to enter the employ of the com
panies.
\\ e iurther imu tnai riu adequate
examination or inspection is made oi
men who have the actual handling ol
the fish products as reported above,
as to their being infected with conta
gious and loathsome diseases.
Alaskan fishing and especially sal
mon is one of the nation’s greatest
food supplies, and yet it appeals tha
there has never been any government
supervision to guarantee the cleanli
ness, purity and whole.-,omeuess 01
the product packed. The only action
taken along these lines that the Grand
Jury is aware of is that in rare cases
where the fish are decayed before be
! ing packed, parts of the pack have
been condemned. If there were inspec
tors in the buildings at all times,
not only the quality of the fish to be
packed, but the cleanliness of the
buildings and employes and the sani
tary conditions, the danger of con
j tamination would be avoided.
Many of the matters and conditions
set forth demand legal action and
prosecution, but this Grand Jury did
not convene until after the crews had
departed from the fishing fields and
scattered throughout the country and
, it was impossible, except in a few in
stances, to obtain the necessary proof
for conviction, but we have not the
slightest doubt that conditions are as
bad as set forth above and worse.
We Therefore recommend:
First. That a rigid inspection be le
,quired of cannery employes at the
i I)01’t of departure on thp Pacific coast
to ascertain whether the men to be
I employed are infected with venereal
or other diseases. We also suggest
that the examination so made shall
cover the question of whether or not
such candidates for employment are
narcotic addicts, and if found to be
diseased or addicted to the use of
narcotics, they be refused* employ
ment and not be taken to the fishing
fields in Alaska.
Second; We recommend that nar
cotic officers be placed on board these
ships at the time of leaving port for
; the fishing fields and after they have
i (Continued on Page Five)
TACOMA, Sept. 29—The mystery
surrounding the injuries sustained by
John W. Sandahl, a prominent club
man in a row at the University Club
over a well known Tacoma woman,
took a new turn today, when the
commanding officer at Camp Lewis
ordered the arrest of Major John G.
Beller, pending an army invesiigation
into his alleged connection with the
affair. Beller is in his quarters un
der guard.
PROMINENT SURGEON DEAD
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 29—
Halday Croom, former president of
the Royal College of Surgeons died
here last night. He was one of the
best known surgeons on the continent.
LLOYD GEORGE SAILS
SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 29.—Lloyd
George, with his wife and daughter,
Megan, sailed today on the Maureta
nia for New York.
Osake and Kobe Tossed Abcjt by
Another Seismic Disturbance
PEKING, Sept. 29.—Osaka and
Kobe, Japan, were badly shaken to
day by an earthquake. While much
damage was done no loss of life is
reported.
TODAY’S FISH PRICES
Ketchikan—Fresh halibut, loVs and
1114 cents.
■CITES REPEiL BE
TIBS IIS
ATLANTIC CITY, Sept. 29.—Waldo
Newcomber, president of the National
Bank division of the American Bank
ers’ Association in a speech here ad
vocated the repeal of the prohibition
amendment saying that the constitu
tion was not intended to be a criminal
code, but a crime law. If meant the
laying down of respective rights of the
national state governments and opens
the way for other amendments cover
ing all crimes.”
LONDON, Sept. 29.—“I go to Amer
ica, neither as a missionary nor a
bootlegger, but simply to see how
America is handling her problems,”
said Lloyd George, addressing the
American society at a luncheon.
GOOD RELATIONS RESTORED
BETWEEN ENGLAND FRANCE
NORTH HAMPTON, Sept. 29.—
Prime Minister Baldwin in a speech
here last night said his recent con
ference with Poincare in Paris last
week resulted in the restoration 01
good relations between France and
Great Britain. It is recognized that
without the complete harmony of both
Britain and France the final settle
ment of chaotic conditions in Europe
is endangered.
ANOTHER BOOST IN SUGAR
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29.—Anoth
er boost in the price of sugar by local
refineries increased the price of re
fined sugar to 9.60 per hundred. All
local refineries simultaneously follow
ed the advance.
STOCK MARKET ALTERNATES
IN HIGH AND LOW PRICES
NEW YORK, Sept. 29.— Alternating
periods of weakness and strength
characterized the stock market today,
closing prices showing mixed prices.
The resumption of the Baltimore and
Ohio dividend on common stock and
the continuance of million carloadings
in ’oLrage was genen'.y regarded ns
constructive factors. Sales were 650
000 with an irregular closing.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 29.—
Stringent martial law in Oklahoma
widened tonight when the Governor
ordered troops rushed to Payne coun
ty in response to an appeal from the
district judge at Cushing, who said
the Klans were committing many dep
redations.
FIFTY MILLION LIRE PAID
BY GREECE AS INDEMNITY
ROME, Sept. 29.—Fifty million lire
indemnity was paid by Greece to
Italy today as a result of the Janina
incident. The money was sent to the
director of the General Bank of Italy
from the Bank of Switzerland.
BURGLARS TRY TO ROB BANK
SEATTLE, Sept. 29—Cracksmen at
tempted to blow the vaults of the Se
attle Branch of the Bank of California
last night, but were unable to get
in to the currency.
ALAMEDA SAILS TDDAV
Passenger Travel from South Fa 11 i ng
off Rapidly in Past Month
SEATTLE, Septi 29.—The steam
ship Alameda sailed this morning with
but 65 passengers, the smallest listing
of the season. Her passengers foi
Seward are: C. A. Schonacker, Nora
McBride, Mrs. C. W. and Virginia
Mortimer, P. J. Keeley', Miss Bessie
Thatcher, Mrs. P. H. McCauffty, A. M
Thatcher, G. Hernsdorf, Christ Amodt
J. Killparke.
CASPER, Wyo., Sept. 29.—This
morning, thirty hours after the Chi
cago & Burlington passenger train
had dropped through the bridge ovei
Coal Creek, only two bodies of the
forty victims of the wreck had beer
recovered owing to continued flooc
waters in the creek.
Frank Skeen, discoverer of the val
uable ore deposits at Nuka Bay, Ton;
Babcock, an old time Dawson and
Willow creek miner, with many years
experience in lode mining; Dave An
derson, Earle Barnette and Eric Bur
man, the latter an old time Nome
miner, arrived today from Nuka Bay
In talking over the newr discovery
Mr. Babcock stated that it was one oi
the best he had seen in late years. He
declares that about 70 feet of the ore
shoot, now uncovered, runs from £
foot to 314 feet in width, and that the
ledge has free walls and will un
doubtedly increase in depth. Mr
Babcock prospected the country whilt
at Nuka bay, and found three claims
cn an opposite mountain, tracing the
ore vein for 1200 feet. In the opinior
of all who have seen the discovery
all the country needs in prospectors
and indications are unusually rich.
A tunnel has been started by Mr
Skeen and associates, to cross cul
the vein.
COURTS OF COUNTRY ARE
IN MOST CONGESTED STATE
\\ ASHINGTON, Sept. 27.—Congest
ed conditions of the courts of the
country were discussed at a confer
ence this afternoon, presided over by
Chief Justice Taft and attended by
Federal and Circuit judges.
NEW YORK STRIKERS REMAIN
FIRM IN DECISION STAY OUT
NEW YORK, Sept. 29—Publishers
of combined papers here during the
present pressmen’s strike have an
nounced that they plan to increase
the size of the paper to 16 pages as
the strikers remain adamant.
DELANO DEO CROSS
Miss Stella Fuller, Jane Delano Red
Cross Nurse, who has spent the past
three months to the westward, looking
alter conditions within the scope of
her activities, returned on the Starr
and makes the following report ol aid
extended and cases alleviated.
Surgery in the Aleutian Islands
In July I received the following ra
dio:
“Capt. R. R. Lukens, U. S. S. Pio
neeV, Coast and Geodetic Survey will
be in Unalaska when the next mail
boat arrives. His surgeon, Dr. Fred P.
Nevius, will operate tonsil cases. Can
you come?”
My reply, “Coming on August Star”
was sent immediately.
To one accustomed to doing public
health nursing in a community where
there are doctors, hospitals, dispen
saries, clinics and nurses a sudden
transfer to a district lacking all these
is rather upsetting and a bit discour
aging at times.
To a nurse used to city n”'1 "-Minty
nursing where there is a street car
or auto transportation and where if
is possible to reach home every night
it is somewhat of an adventure to
charter a gas boat to make a call, or
to travel by steamer for a week be
fore reaching one’s destination.
For ten months I had travelled on
the Steamer Starr, visiting villages,
calling in the homes of the people,
trying to learn their medical needs,
and doing any public health nursing
that was possible under the condi
tions.
The month of June had been spent
ir. Unalaska. While I was there Dr. J
R. Gralf, of the U. S. S. Algonquin o!
the revenue cutter service, examine'
the boys and girls in the Jessie Lee
Home, a Methodist Orphanage. Twen
ty five of the children were in need
of tonsilectomy, but Dr. Graff had
instruments with him. We planned to
do the operations next year when t’->
Algonquin would return from the'
States, but through Mrs. Goss, who
has been interested in the Home for
years, the co-operation of Capt. Luk
ens and Dr. Nevius was secured.
On our arrival in Unalaska we wer<
met, as usual by practically the en
tire population, for the coning month
ly mail boat is an event in every vil
lage to the westward.
We hurried to the Jessie Lee Home
to prepare for the first free tonsil
clinic ever held in Alaska. Dr. Nevius
examined the children and gave or
ders for their preparation.
During my June visit I had conduct
ed classes in home hygiene and care
of the sick and first aid; the boys and
girls who had been members of the
classes were eager to help. A satis
factory schedule was arranged allow
ing for the care of the younger child
ren first. J’nis gave the older ones a
chance to be on duty until the day
they were to have their tonsils re
moved. By three o’clock we had
transformed the Home office into an
operating room and the parlor into a
ward of six beds; our supplies were
ready and every one knew his or her
duties for the week.
The next morning we began operat
ing about eight o’clock—Dr. Gralf
starting the ether with the mask and
Mr. Murphy, pharmacists’ mate, con
tinuing the anesthetic with a nasal
outfit improvised by Dr. Nevius. Six
children were operated each day for
four days; there were no accidents;
the team work was like a well-oiled
machine.
When we left for False Pass a week
later, nearly everyone of the conva
lescents was on the wharf to wave us
goodbye. At False Pass the superin
tendent of the P. E. Harris cannery
•gave us the use of his new four room
cabin, which was easily turned into a
cottage hospital. Three cases of ton
sils were operated the day the ship
docked and three the next day. Dr.
Nevius also removed a growth from
the breast of a small baby.
Shortly' after an emergency call
came from Father Hotovitsky, the
Russian Priest at Belkofsky. A man
had been shot; we rushed to his aid
but arrived too late. Dr. Nevius vis
ited all the sick and examined the
school children before we left.
There seems to be little more that
I could do in False Pass, so I decided
to try to get to Unga via gas boat.
On account of a storm I had to put
into Belkofsky. Father Hotovitsky
wished to have me return to False
Pass with a native woman and wait
for the Pioneer and Dr. Nevius.
When the wind had moderated and
we could get out to the launch in a
dory—there is no dock at Belkofsky—
we headed for False Pass with the
patient; by the time we reached King
Cove the sea was decidedly “lumpy,”
and we were storm bound for two
days; the wind blew at such a terrific
rate on the pier that we were com
pelled to creep along the boards for
fear of being blown into the bay.
In the meantime one of the engin
eers on the U. S. S. Pioneer was seri
ously ill with appendicitis and the
ship was searching in the settlements
toward Unga for me to assist Dr. Nev
ius with the operation. Captain Luk
ens finally came into King Cove and
I was taken aboard and brought to
False Pass, arriving there the follow
ing morning. We were ready to oper
ate by noon. The appendix had rup
tured and the man’s condition was
critical. He made a splendid recovery,
however, and two days later we did
another tonsilectomy. I took care of
the patients until the Starr was East
bound again.
The travelling clinic we have asked
the government to provide has not ma
terialized but the help already given
by the different government services
operating along the Alaskan coast
demonstrates the great need tor it.
The conditions here are quite similar
to those in Labrador where Dr. Gren
fell is doing such conspicuously re
markable work. Like Dr. Grenfell we
need money, ships, doctors and nurs
es.
I
OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 29.—Eighteen
are dead as a result of a heavy wind
and rain storm which swept Nebraska
and Iowa during the night. Eight
were killed at Louisville, Nebraska,
while attending the funeral of Mrs.
'j Mary McCarver.
—
SEATTLE, Sept. 29.—Mrs. Blanche
Seavy and Mrs. Sophia Gardner, for
mer maids of Mrs. Buckhardt, in per
sonal testimony and through affida
vits, gave damaging testimony this
afternoon in Judge Hall's court,
| against the wife of Frederick Otto
Burckhardt, the Alaska canneryman.
Their statements alleged gross indis
cretions by Mrs. Burckhardt in her
relations with Jerry O’Keefe, house
boy, and Maurice Golpin, the family
chauffeur.
Mrs. Burckhardt was also pictured
as being frequently drunk and with
having had love affairs with Denver
men.
SOFIA, Sept. 29.— Semi-official
statements of the revolutionary move
ment in Bulgaria can be considered as
approaching the end. It is stated the
insurgents are deserting their leaders
and surrendering in parties. A deci
sive battle was fought in the village
of Berkowitza where five thousand
communists were besieged after hav
ing proclaimed a Soviet republic. They
were completely surrounded by na
tional troops aided by citizens. They
were armed with Soviet arms it is re
ported.
JAPANESE WANT 120,000 TONS
OF U. S. BUILDING MATERIAL
TOKIO, Sept. 29.—The Japanese
government is making inquiiies in the
United States regarding 120,000 tons
of building material as soon as the
financial and economic policy of the
government is framed. A loan will be
floated abroad and business men will
be allowed to borrow through govern
ment supervision.