The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-02-17
METL AKATLA WILL DEDICATE
 HER NEW HALL
Mayor of Indian Commun- ity Wants All Southeast
 Alaska Represented

"Metlakatla will dedicate a new building early next winter, and We are anxious that all other cities in Southeast Alaska shall be rep resented at the exercises said Roderick F. Davis, mayor of the native municipality near Ketchi- kan. He and the Rev. Edward Marsden, who is pastor of the Presbyterian Church and secretary of the town, were it's delegates to the formal dedication of the capi- tol here last Saturday. They also took advantage of their visit to Juneau to discuss school matters of interest to their community with Charles w. Hawkesworth, acting chief of the office of education. The two sojourners will leave to- morrow on the steamship North western for their homes.
 New Community Hall
 Our new building will be our Community Hall" explained Mayor Davis. We have just started con- struction. When completed, the property will represent an invest ment fo $3O000. It will be, be- lieve, the finest building of it's kind in the Territory
 "The structure will be only one story, but it's ground dimension will be TO feet in width and 120 in length. The auditorium, or hall proper, will be 70 feet wide and 30 feet long and the heighth to the ceiling will be 22 feet, inches. The floor will be of maple. At one end of the auditorium there will be a stage, 20 by 36 feet. The building will also contain kitchen, rest rooms and shower baths for both men and women.
 The structure will be used for public m eetings. entertainments and athletic events.
 Large Oil Painting
 One of the walls of the audi tcrium will be decorated with an oil painting, 16 by 26 feet, depicting early days in Metlakatla It is the work of F. Harold, young man of the community"
 Mayor Davis is proud Of the success that has been achieved by the public utilities of Matlakatla
 The community operates it's own electric light and power plant it's own water system, it's own can nery and it's own sawmill. Our cannery is our chief source os reVe- nus We levy no taxes, charge no water or light rates At pres ent, our treasury contains 0,300
 We have a band of 40 pieces, the largest and the best band in Alas ka We recently bought from the c. G. Conn Company new instru- ments costing S5,4oo.
 'Metlakatla, I am confident, is the most progressive and the most prosperous Indian community ir the world Certainly, I have seer nothing to equal it in the Ameri- cas, and l have travelled extensive ly
 Alaska natives have 50 years of civilization behind them. They compare favorably with the whit; race when one considers that it has thousands of years Of civilizing ef- forts and activities back of it. During my visit here, I havt made inquiries into the Southeas Alaska Fair that is held in Jul neau every fall. Metlakatla vii be suitably represented at this ex' position this year.
 Our purpose in inviting oul neighbors to the public dedication of our community hall next wintel is not only to have them help u observe it's completion but also t acquaint them with the progress we have made industrially, educa 4 tionally and religiously
 We shall have a grand timS then. Already, we anticipate witt pleasure the presence of larg, : delegations from all communitie in Southeast Alaska