The Wrangell sentinel., 1930-11-20

bIOLnDI- hood and Sisterhood, which met in Redmen's Hall at Ketchikan last week, James Wickersham, delegate elect to Congress from Alaska, stat ed that the possessory rights of the Indians are still retained by thom. He cited an act of 1885, kaown as the case of Mitchess vs. The United States, which, he said, clearly recog- nizes the possessory rights of h. dhans, even including their hunting rights.
 Resolutions
 Resolutions adopted by the con vention included the following:
 A petition to the government for adequate medical attention in some of the larger native fishing centeIs.
 A petition for the appointment of deputy U. s. marshals at Hydaburg, Klawak, Rake and Angoon.
 A request that the Haines "dea1 line" for fishing be established at a point not more than 1000 yards from the mouth of the Chilcoot riv- CT.
 Two resolutions were adopted protesting against fun farmers warning off camping parties as tres passers, and against a penalty being attached when blue foxes are caught off of fur farming islands by trappers.
 Brotherhood Officers
 President-Louis Shortridge of Klukwan.
 Vice President-Frank G. John son of Wrangell.
 Secretary-Eli Katanook of An goon.
 Treasurer-Ralph Young of Sit- lna.
 ergeant-at-arms- Walter Sobo- Jeff of Sitka.
 Sisterhood Officers
 President Margaret Ridley of Ketchikan.
 Vice-P President-Louise Martin of Haines.
 secretary-Ruth Hayes of Juneau.
 Treasurer-Mrs. Paul Jones of Ketchikan.
 Considerable attention was paid to fishing and resulted in the pass ing of number of resolutions by both the brotherhood and sister hood.
 Under the head of "opening day for fishing it was resolved that the opening dates for commercial fish ing be as follows
 Hoonah or Icy Straits district to open July 1.
 Sitka district to open July 15.
 Rake district and all districts south thereof to open August 1 ex cept east of Clarence Straits known as Ketchikan district.
 Ketchikan district to open July 20.
 Trap Closing Dates
 It was further resolved that the colsing dates for fish traps be as follows:
 In the Hoonah or Icy Straits dis trict, August 6.
 In the Rake district, August IA
 West coast of Prince of Wales Island, August "A.
 North Prince of Wales Island, August 20.
 East Prince of Wales Island from Cape Chacon to Point Lucky, Aug ust 20.
 East of Clarence Strait, Augu 16.
 Sitka district, August II.
 It was further resolved that there be no seasonal closed season for seines during the balance of the year.
 Another resolution contends that during the 1880 season fish wier maintained at the mouth of Kla- wax stream caused thousands and thousands of fish actually to be smothered and die before spawning, that this condition was so bad that 1t was necessary for the attendant to hire help to pitch the dead sal mon from the stream over the wier back into the salt water at the mouth of the stream; that these salmon were cut open by commit tee of natives from Klawak and it was found to be a fact that none of them had spawned as all Of the eggs were intact, and,
 Whereas, for the first time in history sockeye have appeared at the mouth of Klawak stream in September and as well at other smaller streams nearby in Septem Der; that these salmon were dis colored, showing that they had en- deavored to reach their spawning beds long time prior thereto and that the artificial barrier or ob- struction known as a wier in the Klawak stream undoubtedly pre- vented sockeyes from going into the stream to spawn, and upon en- countering the barrier the sock eyes, through natural instinct, post
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