The Ketchikan miner., 1915-04-29
FROM MONDAYS DAILY NOTHING MORE THAN RIGHT

According to the findings or tne committee recently appointed by the Commercial Club of Ketchikan, to take up the matter of retaining the halibut business here in Ketchikan, there is every reason to believe that our purpose can be accomplished, and this industry, now among the most important to Southeastern Aiuska, will not be lost.
 As is pretty generally known here, the coming into the transcontinontal transportation business of the Grand Trunk Pacific railroad, with its ocean terminus at Prince Rupert, ninety miles from Ketchikan, Is bounl to cause a change in the methods of handling the fish, which in the past has gone through Seattle and then to the eastern markets by way of the railroads with terminals on Puget Sound. This has meant two and one-half to three day haul to Seattle, before the fish could start overland to the ultimate consumer. The injection of the Grand Trunk into the game will eliminate this haul to Seattle and thus deliver the fish in better ccn,li- tion to the eastern markets of the United States, thus cutting Seattle and American railroads out of this bus mess which they have had in tho past, and the residents of this region are now desirous of securing national legislation or a departmental order which will result in the fish markets coming to Ketchikan from Seattle and the granting of terminal rates to Ket- chikan ivy the Grand Trunk Pacific.
 The legislation asked for is such that will require American vessels catching fish for the American mark est landing same in an American port. A recent order in council by the Can adian government has extended cer- tain privileges to American fishing vessels in the attempt to induce them to make their headquarters in Prince Rupert, but did not grant them the right to sell their fish duty free in Canadian ports for Canadian consump- tion, that right being reserved to Canadian or British bottoms.
 In asking for this legislation we do not aim to increase the cost of the fish to the American consumer in the least, since, to get the land haul, the | Grand Trunk will undoubtedly ab- sorb the cost of the carriage of the fish from this port to Prince Rupert. This is a small item and is being done by practically all the other rail- roads on the Pacific Coast. For in- stance, the Canadian Pacific road will take freight from or deliver same to any of the points on Puget Sound where such terminal rates are granted by the American roads, thus showing that nothing unusual is asked at this time. Port Townsend, Wash ington, for instance, not being reach cd except by water by any of the transcontinental railroads, and still the Canadian company will deliver freight there at the same rate as it charges it's customers in Vancouver, B. c. Pout Townsend is further from Vancouver than Ketchikan is from Prince Rupert.
 Unless this is done, the halibut in
 iustry now employing thousands of people, with millions of American capital invested, will be driven from the Alaskan ports, and these men and their families will be compelled to live under another flag, thus depriv- ing Alaska of their presence and bus. mess at time she needs it so much.
 As loyal Americans, and the United States has no better citizens any where than those of the North, we are asking the American government to aid us, and at the same time guar antee to the American people this great food supply at no additional expense This is no more than fair