1914 and only one year out of the
Lvvelve has it shown any results
That was in 1922, but there was
a freak run all over the Coast that
year, as nearly all the streams
of the coast were visited by this
specie of salmon, the blue back or
Quinault salmon. That year we had
what we call snow water, owing
to lots of snow in the mountains.
The fish scientists cannot deny
now that they may have been
on their way to some other stream
but in passing the mouth of the
Quinault River got a taste of the
glacier water and kept coming in.
However, this was not the biggest
year in the Quinault river, as 1915
was the best year ever known on
this river. Even so, the Indians
made more money in 1922 as the
price paid in 1922 was nearly double
that of 1915.
The Indians will bo pertectu
satisfied if the hatchery is abolished
and also the river taken over at the
entrance of the Quinault Lake.
If the Spawning beds of the “blue
blacks” are left alone that is all
the Indians ask.
Some 30 years ago A. P. Stock
well now of Aberdeen, sold his
business at Taholah to W. W.
Kurtz. Thinking that the “blue
backs” were about fished out by
the Indians, he considered himself
fortunate i,n being able to dispose
of his- interests. Since that time
Mr. Kurtz has made a fortune
and moved to his vast estate in
Alabama.
The writer has been fishing on
the Quinault River since 1911.
1912 and 1913 were very poor
years. This rather discouraged the
Indians and they immediately con
sidered a Sunday closing law, which
was voted and carried.
In 1914 the hatchery began op
erations. In 1914 or 1915 some
14,000 fingerlings were marked
and a reward offered for them
in 1918 or 1919. Not one of the
14,000 every returned; at least we
never heard of anyone receiving
the reward.
We were not the only ones who
were fooled. The cannery men
made big preparations for a big
year. One old Indian said that
the hatchery had made a mistake
and hatched out dog salmon in
stead of blue-backs!
The Indian Office with the assist
ance of the Bureau of Fisheries,
made our present regulations, which
are being followed as scrupulously
as possible by the Indians. The
assigning of the llower location
will not affect the number of sal
mon reaching the spawning beds
so long as there is a closed season
strictly adhered to.
The taking out of the fishing
locations at the mouth of the river
was agitated by the Bureau of
Fisheries for the sole purpose of
Salmon escapement but only escape
ment to the nets further up above,
the locations cancelled.
Since the Indians won the suit
these locations have been reassigned
only that their nets have been limit
ed by the Indian committee, which
has been empowered by the tribe
to conduct the business affairs of the
reservation.
The dead line has been extended
further up the river and if this
privilege is abused by the Indians
it will be cancelled and the dead
line brought down to where it for
me rlv was.
The Indians are interested in the
perpetuation of their fish and they
have asked the Indian office to have
their agent, W. B. Saws, instruct
his officers to enforce the rules
and regul itions and to co-operate
with the Indians, and this will be
carried out to the letter.
We do not wish the other Indians
of the state of Washington to aocept
as facts the insinuations and com
plaints that the Indians of the
Quinault Reservation are there to
annihilate and destroy and catch
all the fish that come in the river.
So long as destructive traps
and purse seiners cannot operate
on the shores of the Quinault Res
ervation we will always have fish
as we have for generation past.
In 1915 some Harbor people sent
out a purse seiner boat to lay and
watch for the blue back salmon
but owing to the reefs and rocky
formation of our coast it was
useless for them to try.
Many thanks to our creator for
such £-oo(l protection and if nature
is left alone to carry on the work •
salmon will continue plentiful on the
Quinault Reservation for ages to
come.
Good dance music always reaches
the sole.
It isn’t necessary for an -exsoldier
to be an artist to draw a pension.
A man’s wife never thinks his ill
ness is serious until he quits using
language that wouldn’t look well in
print.
DOUGLAS SCHOOL
The Four Leaf Clover Club which
was organized by Rose Davis
teacher last year has just been re
organized by the pupils of tne gov
ernmont school who voteu to *res
trict membership to the pupils only.
Native children attending the white
school may become honorary mem
bers.
The club plans a bazaar for
which the girls will begin sewing
at once Totem poles and other art
icles made by the annual training
class will be turned over to the
bazaar.
Talking the Indian language on
the school grounds is prohibited
and to help enforce this the club
has been divided into two sections,
the Eagles and the Foxes. Each
group will watch the other and the
one having the most marks against
it March 1st, 192G will give a din
ner to the other group at the teach
erage.
The community room is open to
students from 7 to 9 p. m.
Last month had the heaviest rain
fall on record for any month in the
history of Cordova since weather
observations were take,n there. Total
figures compiled showed 43.77 inches
of rain in October. The highest
month before this was September,
1018, when 42. 51 inches fell.
SITKA CAMP
ALASKA NATIVE
BROTHERHOOD
Meets 8 P. M. Mondays
President: Secretary:
Frank Price A. Hope
MAUD HAZEL
For
CHARTER
Ketchikan, Phone White 83
WILLIAM L. PAUL
Lawyer
No. 35 Dock Street
Ketchikan, — Alaska
Thwaites Photo Shop
Ketchikan
Kodak Finishing
Copying—Enlarging j