THE SMALLEST TOWN IN THE WORLD PUBLISHING A DAILY PAPER!
VOLUME XVI NUMBER 69. SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1931. PRICE TEN CENTS
DEDICATED TO ALASKANS
Aleutian History
J. N. Cannon
The following is practically a literal translation
from the Russian taken from the manuscript of Fr.
Gedeon, priest-monk of the Alexandro-Nevsky Cathe
dral, Moscow, Russia, and was written in Kodiak be
tween 1804 and 1807. It has never before appeared in
print.
GOVERNOR ROOSEVELT
I
IS POM MCE
fOR PRESIDENCY 195G
NEW YORK, Mar. 31. (/P)—Frank
lin Roosevelt, governor of New
York, who appeared as the presi- j
dential choice of ttje majority of
delegates and alternates at the 1928 j
Democratic National Convention, |
answered queries by Jesse Straus,;
New York merchant.
He said that out of 2,000 men and
women Straus got 942 replies; 98;
expressed no preference.
Foui* hundred and seventy-eight j
were for Roosevelt, 125 for A1 Smith; .
73 for Owen Young; 39 for Governor
Ritchie of Maryland; 38 for Sen- j
ator Robinson; 35 for Newton D.
Baker; 15 for former Senator Reed i
of Misouri. and 41 were scattered, j
ST. JOSEPH, Mich., Mar.. 39,uT)
—Fred Burke, the “most dangerous
criminal,” was returned by an arm
ored motor convoy from St. Joseph,
Mo., in a 15-hour trip to stand trial
for the murder of Traffic Officer
Jcesph Shelly during a trivial ar
gument a year ago.
The penalty of conviction will be
life imprisonment.
He has hired lawyers from St.
Joseph and Chicago for his defense.
He was put in the strongest cell in
the old Berrien county jail.
Skelly’s father’s plea to be a
guard was refused.
SNOWBALLS LEAD TO BULLETS
TICONDEROGA, N. Y., Mar. 31.
t/P)—A snowball battle among four
boys developed into a gun play, re
sulting in one hoy being taken to
the hbspital and the three others
arrested on a charge of assault.
JAPANESE CHILDREN GROWING
TOKYO, Mar. 30. (/P)—Japanese
children of today are taller and
heavier than the youngsters of
30 years ago. Average figures
from the Tokyo municipal edu
cation bureau show that an inch
has been gained in height and
nearly six pounds in weight by
both boys and girls of the age of
12 attending school.
ARTIST NORTHBOUND
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 31. (/P)—
Otis Oldfield, marine painter, sailed
for Alaska waters on the fishing
boat Louise to paint crews and
scenes. He will, be put ashore at
some Alaska port and return on the
government cutter. The Louise has
a crew of 38 members.
continued irora yesteraay
THE IDLE RICH
A rich toyon with a family
would have a kazhim of 8 or 10
arshin square, lined to the height
of 2Vz arshin with thick, unhewn
boards, entrance from the entrance
hall. Heavy posts are set in cor
ners and on these are laid cross
pieces already decribed, forming
a hatch, which is covered with sea
lion or hair intestines, thereby
lighting up the whole kazhim.
On all sides of the interior are
benches for guests, while the ex
terior is covered with grass and
sod. “I only saw three such kaz
hims on the whole of Kodiak in
1804”—Gedeon. In these kazhims
they have their igrushkas—dances
and games.
RUSSIAN OCCUPATION
Toyons were established on the
arrival of Shelekoff in Kodiak;
prior to that, each village was
ruled by an anayugak—chief. Ob
viously he had to be the owner of
a kazhim. This distinction was
hereditary for his children and
nearest relatives, sons, brothers,
uncles, nephews was the order of
primogeniture.
The anayagak appointed his
own heir previous to death. On
such occasions, everybody was
called to the kazhim and the
anayugak would announce his suc
cessor, who would be present in
feathers and splendor. After the
announcement, followed treats
for the entire assembly. Nature’s
noble men are not wanting in
ceremonies.
On grave occasions as these no
women are present, except those
bearing masculine names and who
were treated as sons, had the priv
ilege of attending these assemblies;
their fathers had to treble the usual
individual male gifts to the anayu
gak for this privilege. At the con
clusion of the ceremony that eve
ning, all the women flocked to the
igrushkas—dances.
The anayugaks authority consist
ed as follows; he occupied the first
seat near the entrance, the seat of
honor; absentees had to account
for being absent; gave instructions
regarding hunts and errands; was
only allowed to punish for personal
offenses; managed his own family
pupils and slaves—war prisoners;
small children had to observe si
lence and make no outcries during
meetings; kept open house to neigh
boring anayugaks; was the arbiter
elegantarum in settling disputes
among the single couples and the
triangle couples, polyandry being a
custom among the industrious wo
men.
(Continued tomorrow)
TERRIFIC EARTHQUAKE
PANAMA CITY, Mar., 31, (/P)—
A terrific earthquake shook Mana
gua, Nicaragua this morning at
8:10, Pacific Standard time, re
ports the Tropical Radio. Managua
was totally destroyed and only a
1 few houses are standing. All is afire.
GORDON'S NOMF
DERBY CLASSIC
WON BY CAREY
ALL-ALASKA CHAMPIONSHIP
RACE WILL BE RUN OFF
APRIL 8
NOME, Mar. 31. (/P)—A1 Carey won
first prize when he covered the dis
tance in one hour, 54 minutes, 21
seconds; Amos Statuk, Eskimo, was
third, one hour, 56 minutes and 21
seconds; Fred Topkok, a native,
was fourth, one hour, 58 minutes
and 35 seconds.
Among the 14 entrees were teams
from Nome, Dime Creek, Deering,
Nulato, White Mountain and two
from Mary’s Igloo.
Joe Stickman from Nulato, who
lost his leaders a week ago en route
here, was handicapped wtih a new
leader picked up here. He expected
another leader via plane Monday
from Nulato for the Nome cham
■ pionship race April 8. Stickman’s
[time was two hours, nine minutes
land 45 seconds.
The race was run over the most
j favorite trail and weather condi
j tions but in two minutes and a few
; seconds longer than Leonard Sep
: pala’s record time a few years ago.
' The race started on the ice in
j Bering Sea poposite Nome before
I the largest crowd in years, in zero
temperature but sunshine. Auto
i mobiles, dog teams and airplanes
were all moving on the frozen sea
I at the same time and at Golovin
I was the greatest aggregation of
j speedy dog teams ever to have as
sembled.
Carey, the winner, was the 13th
man to start; he lost five minutes
| by his team turning off the track
at the start; he was also forced to
! pass all teams ahead of him other
| wise he would have broken Sep
i pala’s record.
; John Bordon, Chicago millionaire
| and nationally known sportsman,
| was the sponsor for this great an
i nual race years ago when visiting
! Nome after being wrecked in a Ber
i ing Sea expedition vessel after Pol
ar bear.
; The next big race will be from
Golovin and return for the All-Al
i aska championship whe'n practical
ly the same teams will compete on
April 8 in conjunction with the op
; ening of the big four-day winter
i fair at Nome.
SEARCH WAS USELESS
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, Mar.,
31,'W—Enroute to the United
States after a fruitless search for
the sealer Viking victims, Bernt
Balchen, Merion Cooper and Ran
dy Enslow hopped for Boston via
Portland, Maine.
Fll. WOODLEY WILL
FLY ALtSKO IPRIL15
t
i ROOSEVELT FIELD, N. Y., Mar.
31. (IP) — Rev. George Woodley,
| Catholic priest, said he would leave
April 15 for Alaska and take up his
duties as flying missionary.
He will go by easy stages from
Seattle, where pontoons will be put
on the plane, thence up the coast
to Nome.
He learned to fly at Brooks and
Kelly fields, Texas, with his bro
ther, Arthur, an army flier, as his
instructor.
Axel Edgerg of Bethel died at Ak
iak recently reports the Anchorage
[Times.
NO BUSINESS MONDAY
. JUNEAU, Mar., 31, Special to
The Gateway—Lack of quorums in
both houses owing to the absence
of the legislative committee at Sit
ka whither they journeyed to in
spect the Pioneers Home, permitted
only formal sessions Monday. To
day the legislators were due to re
turn during the early hours of the
mom.
PAVLOF VOLCANO
NOW QUIET, SAYS
SMOKE AND FLAME HURLED IN
AIR 2,000 FEET; MOUNTAIN
BLACK FOR 12 MILES
i PORTLAND, Mar.,. 31, </P)—Pav
jlof volcano is quiet, said a short
iwave radio message picked up by
' C. W. Watson, amateur operator,
who said Lilly Osterback, Unga
! amateur, signed the message read
ing as follows:
i “Pavlof volcano is now quiet
i after throwing great clouds of
| smoke and flame which started
I at 8 p. m. March 29 and lasted un
i til 6 a. m. today.
! “Onlookers estimated the smoke
;and flames were thrown 2,000 feet
; above the top of the mountain on
jits southeast face which is now
{black for a space of 12 miles; from
the peak to the water.
“It is als othought that the
crater is filled with hot lava.”
KILLS INVALID WIFE
I STRATHRCY, Ont., Mar. 31. (£>)
;—Learning that his wife, Agnes, had
| no hope of recovering her speech
or sight, Thomas Statham, 52, killed
;the invalid and then turned the
gun on himself.
T
I
i
i
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 31. (&)—
Major General George S. Gibbs,
Chief of the Army Signal Corps,
aid that within a few months Al
| aska and the United States will be
in direct radio communication.
He is a visitor at the Presidio on i
' his way to Seattle to inspect the j
Army’s new radio installations link j
between Alaska and the United
States.
MEXICO PLANS FIVE-DAY WEEK j
MEXICO CITY, Mar. 30. (/P)— j
The five-day week for Mexico
workers will be given every con
sideration at the* coming econ
omic congress, according to the
committee in charge of the con
vention program.
NEW LITERACY PRIZE
PARIS, Mar. 30. (JP)—A new
literacy prize, a ludicrous diplo
ma upon donkey skin, is being
offered to the author of the
greatest number of ridiculous ar
ticles and stories for the French
Press.
ACTRESS SUED FOR DIVORCE
CINCINNATI, Mar., 31,
Mac Cloy, 21, film actress, was
sued for divorce here by Wilbur
Guthlein, 28, Cincinnati repre
sentative of a moving picture cor
poration, who alleged his wife re
fused to give up her career and
declined to live wtih him.
Thomas Mahr, old-timer, passed
away in Anchorage recently, says
the Times.
i
ALASKA YUKON
HIGHWAY CERTAIN
SECURES PREMIER
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE TO
GO ROUTE DURING COM
ING SUMMER
VICTORIA, B. C., Mar., 31, (#)—
The Alaska-Yukon Highway is an
accomplished fact and will be in
use within a few years, Premier
Tolmie predicted to the legislature
after the subject had been opened
by member Kergin from Atlin.
Kergin wanted to know what pro
gress had been made with the pro
posals and if route is to connect
up the North through the Stewart
country.
Premier Tolmie replied that ne
gotiations for the investigation and
feasibility of the road, will be car
ried forward this summer when the
International body will go over the
ground.
He said this committee will
have representatives from the
United States, Ottowa, Yukon and
British Columbia.
Meanwhile, private offers have
been received by the Province for
the privilege of constructing some
sections of the road in return for
concessions to recover the cost or
construction.
These construction offers could
not be entertained at this stage,
the Premier said.
rig declared the Alaska route is
feasible beyond all doubt.
Just double the amount of for
estry work over last year is sched
uled for this season, announced
W. J. McDonald, forest supervisor,
Chugach National Forest, who de
parted today for his Cordova head
quarters.
And about 30 miles of new trails
will be constructed.
Mr. McDonald spent a number
of days at the Anchroage office of
his assistant, Wm. Sherman, going
over this season’s program which
will be made public with the arri
val here in a few days of Mr. Sher
man who moves down to the Law
ing station, on Lake Kenai, proba
bly this week.
As usual, said McDonald, a co
operative fire patrol will be main
tained along the southern division
of the railroad belt jointly by the
Alaska Railroad and the Forestry
forces.
FATHER TIERNEY DIFS
OF EXPOSURE, BEATIKGS
SHANGHAI, Mar. 31. (£>)—Father
Superior Tierney, 55, of the Kien
cheng missiion, captured by China
communists and held since Novem
ber 17 for a ranom of $40,000 in
silver, died March 5 from the effects
of exposure and beatings received.
He was held in the mountains
and efforts to rescue him were fu
tile.
11 NEGRO CONVICTS BURN
KENANSVILLE, N. C., Mar. 31. </P)
—Trapped in their cells, eleven ne
gro convicts burned to death as
flames swept through the huge
wooden stockade.