davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14
CAPTAIN N0RD
CKetehikan Chronicle

Captain Gus Nord, best known
mariner in Alaskan waters, viii
call at the port of Ketehikan again
Friday-for the lasI time. The cap
tain who brought the old Jefferson
to Ketchikan on her maiden voyage
in 1904. and for decades gave or
ders from the bridges Of various Al
aska Steamship company ships, is
on his last voyage. His body is being
shipped south on the Baranof
It was a strange fate for a man
who spent his life besting the
hazards Of the sea. as did Captain
Nord. to drown. trapped in an auto
mobile which plunged into a river
near Haines. The accident occurred
last week when Captain Nord, pilot
of the steamer Alaska. was riding
with Captains Q. S Anderson of the
Alaska, Luken, of the Alaska aud
Roy Wheeler, of the Torrance.
Oldtimers in Ketchikan can re-
member as if it were yesterday how
Captain Nord used to lean on" the
whistle OF his ship when he arrived
here and even when it was after
midnight a large part of the towns
population would run down to the
dock.
There weren't SO many boats in
those days.
Some can remember him before
that, in the days when he was a
Puget Sound navigator. VI. S. Dobbs
Of the customs office, knew him
when he was mate of the Willapa,
which ran from Port Townsend in
the 1903. When Captain Nord
brought up the Jefferson, just after
it was built at Tacoma in 1904 and
was the queen of the fleet, Mrs.
Dobbs was a passenger. Peter John
son, of the cable office, came up
with Captain Nord on the Faralon
in 1902. Hundreds of others now
here made voyages with the famous
skipper.
G. H. Bach, Eorthland line agent
Harry Elliott, of the Alaska line,
and many others in Ketchikan knew
him well.
After commanding the jefferson
many years. Captain Nord was the
skipper on many of the Alaska line s
leading boats. He had the title OF
commodore of the fleet when he
brought the Alaska north on its
maiden trip in 1928.
The old Aleutian was his last
passenger ship command. The yeter-
an mariner had the misfortune to
run her aground on Amok island in
the late twenties. She foundered. 1t
was a blow, after such a successful
maritime career, but Nord didn't
quit the sea. He skippered various
freighters until he passed the age
limit of SIS, then became a pilot.
He was gruff, but kind, and had
the reputation of being popular
with his crew.
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14
" CORNER

The nations drink bill for 1895
was s2.45O.o00.0Oo. for 1886. So
99O.00O.000 and for 1887. $3.50
100000. The total amount for all
education expended in the United
States for 1886 was S2.630,000,00O.
sixty-two per cent of our youths be
tween ages 16 and q years are
drinkers. How long can a nation en-
dure when drink prevails over ed
ueation.
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14
FATHER WALSH CALLED
TO JUNEAU OVER SUNDAY

Father Walsh. assistant at Plus
X mission at Skagway, who has
been in Wrangell for the past two
weeks on temporary service during
the absence of Father Monroe, was
called to Juneau by the bishop yes
terday. He will return here the first
of next week.
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14
BOOK ABOUT ALASKA
WRITTEN N HAWAII

An account OF an Alaska book
written in Hawaii By a man who has
never been in Alaska, was contained
in a recent issue of a Honolulu pa
per and a clipping mailed TO the
Sentinel by John Richie, former
Wrangell resident.
The story follows.
Upsetting popular conceptions Of
the correct way to write stories,
Hubert Y. Coryell. PunahOu teacher.
wrote a book about Alaska without
ever visiting that country. As a fin
ishing touch, he wrote the last half
of the book while living il semi
tropical Hawaii.
Nevertheless. Klondike Gold is
infinitely accurate in its details Of
the geography OF Alaska and meth
DDS Of travel during the gold rush
days. The story is a boys book of
fiction about the adventures of a
16 year old lad but contains many
real characters.
I've never been to Alaska. g"
smiled Mr.. Coryen, who is the
author Of four other books for boys.
Things strike you from a more
romantic angle before you've been
there. / was a lot more romantic
about Hawaii before I came here.
1T didn't hinder me to be in Ha-
waii while I was writing about Al
aska. I'm not sure II helps to be in
a place to write about it. Ny ma
terial was all gathered and my
story all planned before 1 came here
in August, 1881"
Having taught in a private school
at Cambridge, Mass, % years, he
FASTENED to accept the position
which his friend. Oscar F. Shepard,
president OF Punahou, offered him
in Honolulu.
He is head of the junior division
OF the English department. Half the
fun OF writing books is in digging
up the background. he believes. The
other half is having his students
tell him they stayed up until mid
night to finish his book.
You never get rich writing books
the way I do" he explained Il be-
gan writing at s. When l was about
p, I began selling. I wrote a great
many short stories and serials for
pulp magazines under pseudonyms
Considering the time I spend on
the background. I don't get one
fourth the return from a children s
book as l did from those cheap
serials. All put together was three
years writing Klondike Gold. Il isn't
as though I put three solid years in.
teach school"
Bayne Beauchamp, Punahou, who
took a party of boys over the same
route that Mr.. Coryells characters
took in the book, read the manu-
script and found practically no err
rors.
Other books by the author are
Tan-Ta-Ka, story about life
among the Sioux Indians in 1910;
Lives of Danger and Daring, which
is a series of biographical sketches;
Indian Brother and the Scalp Hunt
ers, two books set among the Maine
Indians about 1925. He eolIaborat-
ed with his son, Vansant Coryell, in
Lives of Danger and Daring.
Klondike Gold was published by
the Macmillan Co., in October, 1898.
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14

Wallace Smith, youngest brother
OF Oar and Sue Smith, arrived from
Langley, Wash, this week and will
spend a month in Wrangell. He
made his first trip up the Stikine
Tuesday aboard the Hazel B No. 2.
The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-07-14

Coin boxes for the annual Penny
Drive sponsored by the Cordova
Women's Club for the Children's
orthopedic hospital in Seattle, were
recently placed in Cordoya business
houses The Women's club has spon-
sored this drive in Cordoya for a
number of years.
Evening star., 1939-11-19
Flame spouts from rnountaintop. Frightened throngs
flee in panic. False ALARM. Frank Perret
and terror ends. The story of who risks death
taking the pulse of volcanoes to predict eruptons
by j. D. Rafcliff
by j. D. Rafcliff

refugees could return to the deserted city.
Pelee might frighten them, but it wouldn't
destroy them this time. Displaying faith in his
own judgment, Perret moved permanently to
the city He had staked his own life as well
as the lives of thousands of Others on his
science.
In the months that followed Perret stayed
on the job He explained in advance what was
going to happen. and the people were un-
afraid when it did happen. He allowed
notables to listen to the sounds gathered by
his buried microphone - the deep waterfall
roar of subsurface lava movements and the
earsplitting detonations of subterranean ex-
plosions. All of these things inspired the
people to have confidence in the shy, mild
hammered scientist.
Frank Perret has been interested in vol
canology for sixty-six of his seventy-two
years. AS youngster he was fascinated by
a chrome which hung in the New York office
of his father, watch importer. The lurid
picture showed tongues of flame licking out of
Vesuvius to destroy wicked Pompeians.
At college he took an acknowledgements
course and later got job with Edison. After
a while he set up his own eectrical-manu-
featuring business, but nervous breakdown
Evening star., 1939-11-19

was again showing signs of intense activity.
Was it again bent on destruction? All
evidence pointed to this Its crater flow
lighted the night sky for twenty miles. Sui
phurous fumes belched forth to blacken silver
and brass in households miles away.
Tormented officials besieged him. What
should they do? Evacuate the entire island to
prevent a recurrence of the 1902 disaster:
Would Pelee again go mad? A week would be
required to get answers to these questions,
Perret told his questioners Was there week
to spare? they asked. He thought so, hoped
So His preliminary examination would re-
quire at least that much time. He would go
directly to the deserted town.
ALoNE at the foot of the wrathful mountain,
Professor Perret started work.
He watched the peak day and night from
the roof of an unfinished hotel, trying to
determine the contours of ridges that would
govern the direction of lava flow. With head
phones connected to buried microphone. he
listened to the churnings inside the volcano.
During the War this same instrument was
used to detect mining operations under
trenches.) On the promised day he delivered
his verdict. People could go back to work and
Evening star., 1939-11-19

forced his retirement in 1903. He went to
Naples to recuperate, became interested in the
work of the Royal Vesuvian Observatory, and
finally joined the staff.
He observed Vesuvius for twenty years but
found time for scores of trips to other vol
canoes. He was present at eruptions in
Hawaii, Japan. and at two eruptions of Etna
and four on the island of Stromboli in the
Mediterranean volcanic belt He even spent
several nights in the crater of Nesuvius.
! Perret a volcano isn't an evil and fear
full thing He proposes the volcanic eruption
as nature noblest spectacle; a symphony of
violence Molten rivers of lava, travelling on
beds of buoyant gas rush down mountain
sides with the speed of express trains. They
have sufficient energy to transport house
sized boulders. Friction between gas and vol
canic ash produces an electrical display which
no summer sky could duplicate. Gas bubbles
rising rapidly through lava in the volcano
chimney heave bombs" thousands of feet
into the air. All this is accompanied by med
ley of weird and deafening sounds.
feIIeI has dClutVeO d NlllIlulS DtuSlIC Illdll-
ner with his beloved volcanoes. To him, each
one has its personality. Taking volcanic pulse
beats with his mcrophone, he forecasts ac-
tivity with astonishing accuracy. There is
nothing uncanny about this, he says. 1T is
as simple and natural as it is for physician
in treating a case, the like of which he has
witnessed hundred times previously, to
understand and forecast the progress of his
patient"
From this it must not be inferred that the
volcanologist can foretell eruptions years in
advance. He cannot. Forces working on the
heated interior of the earth are the determin-
ing factors, and only when surface symptoms
are available can diagnosis be made. How
ever, such diagnoses allow ample time for the
evacuation of people from the danger zone.
In 1902 Pelee. for example, was active for
days before its disastrous eruption. Had
trained volcanologist been present he doubt
less could have saved thousands of lives.
Good points in favor of the volcano far
outbalance the bad ones, Professor Perret
thinks. People are forever asking him why
anyone would live on the slope of volcano.
He explains by listing the volcanoes virtues.
They produce the earth's most exquisite
scenery and enact natures most awe-inspirlng
drama. They fertilize the soil with their
incredibly rich ash and attract a flood of
tourist dollars. Some Italian villagers vel
come eruptions. Scientists give them ample
warning so that little danger is attached.
(Confinved on pose 81
Evening star., 1939-11-19

4 RENrloN of a volcano almost auto
" matically summons picture of vio-
AVA lence; picture of destroyed homes,
buried towns and widespread death. Actually
the volcano represents the pulse beat of liv-
ing earth Without them life would rapidly
become extinct. All water would sink into the
earth and our planet would become dry,
barren waste.
As things are at present, when water sinks
too far into the earth, the heat of the interior
transforms it into steam and blasts it back to
the surface through volcanic openings. The
volcano is simply an exhaust pipe for the
heated interior comforting indicator of our
planet S life and vitality. Eruptions of varying
degrees of importance take place almost con-
stantly The most notable recent activity has
been the mild eruption of Vesuvius. There
was a more violent eruption on the tiny
Japanese island of Toroshima in August. but
no lives were lost
There are something like 400 active vol
canoes in the world, many of which are on
the ocean floor. Generally speaking they are
ranged along cracks in the earth's eggshell
crust. Lava has sealed great stretches of these
faults. Volcanoes represent the weak spots.
The Hawaiian Islands, a chain over 1000
miles long, were formed by volcanic activity.
So were the Aleutians and many of the West
Indian islands.
Beneficial and necessary as this activity is,
volcanoes still require constant vigilance if
people who live near them are to be safe.
Watching them is the job of the volcanologist
1t is up to him to detect, weeks in advance if
possible, minor signs that foretell coming ac
tivity. Frank Perret is one of the men who
hold down these vitality important jobs
Professor Perret, seventy-two, is frail-
looking little man with cropped white beard
He lives at the foot of Mt. Pelee in Martinique.
This was the volcano, recall, that in 1902 put
on one of the most destructive eruptions in
all history. 1t disgorged an avalanche of hot
ash and live steam that swept down the peak
at three miles minute and buried the town
of Saint-Pierre Out of population of 28,OOO
there was but one survivor. Ironically enough,
this lone survivor was in Jail - for nom
payment of taxes Of all the ships in the
harbor only one managed to escape.
At the moment Pelee is something OF an
adopted child of Perret's; unruly at times,
perhaps, but generally tractable. The cere-
mony of adoption took place four days after
Christmas, 1929. Perret had been summoned
to the island by terrified officials. He stepped
ashore at Fort -de-France to find demoralized
population. Cultivation of cane fields had
stopped and rum distilleries lay idle, Pelee
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
Smith Heads Infantile
Paralysis Campaign
State Internal Revenue Collector to Direct Annual
Celebration of Presidents Birthday for Connecticut

/ the Connecticut State Chairman
ship.
In announcing the acceptance, Mr..
Morgan spoke OF the excellent re-
suits in past years In Connecticut
under Mr.. Smiths leadership. Con-
necticut has been an outstanding
state in the national fight against
the body-crippling plaques. Year
after year 1t has Fundamentally
supported the Fight Infantile Par
alysis" campaigns. Furthermore, 1t
is doing splendid work in caring
for It's crippled children, Mr.. Nor
gan declared,
"At this time we can all pause to
give thanks that here in America
we fight to save children not to
destroy children.
LAS Eddie Cantor recently said,
There can be no neutrality in the
fight against infantile paralysis.
I'VE are glad to have Mr.. Smith
once again directing the drive in
Connecticut. We are sure his state
will do its full share.
1.-The way the organization Is be-
ginning to roll throughout the colin-
try, even the early signs pint to
tremendous nationwide campaign"
Connecticut thus far this year has
had total Of q cases of infantile
paralysis. They cover forty-siX
weeks ending November 10, 1899
Thees helped TO swell the national
total to 6,803. which figure, when
compared with the 1896 cases for
the same forty-siX weeks In 1888
emphasizes the need for continuing
the warfare along all fronts.
Funds raised will be distributed
according to the fifty-fifty plan
which won nationwide endorsement
in 1899.
Fifty percent of the proceeds will
be left in the country where raised
for the benefit Of the chapter OF the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis embracing that country.
The other fifty percent will be sent
to the Committee for the Celebra-
ton of the Presidents Birthday and
be turned over by the committee to
the National Foundation.
Mr.. Smith. who Is Collector Of In
ternal Revenue for Connecticut, IN
writing Mr.. Morgan today said;
II have sat In with the Executive
Committees of our county organiza-
tons, read applications for aid and
have seen thousands Of dollars APP
propriated for braces, shoes, crutch-
es, wheel chairs and other necessary
equipment. I have seen the funds
used for hospital out-patient and
home treatments for the afflicted
and for the work of rehabilitating
infantile paralysis victims.
For these and many other rea-
sons. shall do all In my power to
make this years campaign more
productive than ever.
Our organizations will INCLUDE
yomen's divisions sports councils
and school groups. have been as
sl,red wholehaarted cooperation from
those who took part in last years
campaign when more than 30 NJ
our 1859 towns and cities staged
novel birthday celebrations and
there and elsewhere. thousands par
ticipated in the March OF Dimes.
"rhe unified war being conducted
bv the National Foundation has so
completely won the support OF the
cities In my State that there Is
every indication every town and
community this year will participate
one hundred percent.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
BY ELMER c. Waller
limited Press Financial Editarl

New York, Dec. L--(UP)--A ARM
er tone developed on the stock mar
ket today after yesterdays drop to
a new low since September 2. Bonds
were mixed. Cotton gained 8 to Q
points.
steel shares led the recovery.
United States Steel opened 1000
shares at 65 5-8 up / IA. Bethle-
hem gained q similar amount to 70.
American Smelling, selling ex-
dividend, was up a point at 81.
Curtiss- Wright featured the open
ing with q block of $500 shares at
o ga up Ia, followed by q similar
block at the same price. Other avia-
tons were firm.
New York Central gained Ia
point to IS. Utilities, oils, motors
and some mercantile issues firmed
small amounts. j. I. Case lost near
ly 2 points.
Small gains were noted in Penn
sylvania Railroad, Southern Pacific,
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
BRIGGS COMPANY
ANNOUNCES RAISE

Detroit. Dec. 1.-(UP)-The Briggs
Manufacturing company today an
nounced a blanket 3 cent pay in
crease for all employees on an hourly
basis as workers idled by the
Chrysler production dispute returned
to their Jobs. 1t came as the first
new automobiles completed by
Chrysler In more than month
rolled of final assembly lines,
Briggs makes bodies for both
Chrysler and Ford.
A company spokesman said the
raise, effective as of yesterday, would
affect l6040 workers and would
mean an annual Increase Of "about
81 100000" In wages.
officials said the Briggs increase
was a voluntary revision Of the
original contract between the COM
pany and the United Automobile
Workers Union (CIO) In which the
company agreed to a wage Scsale
similar to that OF Chrysler plants
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
SECOND DEGREE
VERDICT FOUGHT

New Haven, Conn, Dec. ! - ~.
P)--Defense counsel today filed
motion to set aside verdict Of Sec
ond degree guilt in the murder cases
Of George Parelli and Camille Vene-
Ma, .both Of Bridgeport, accused OF
the murder of Amanda Salvione
also Of Bridgeport, at Orange in
1894.
Chief Defense Attorney Louis
Feinmark was granted special dis
pensation on Thanksgiving Day to
1lle motion to have Superior Court
Judge Robert L. Munger set aside
the jury's verdict, which came late
Wednesday night after fortnight's
trial.
Arguments will be heard Tuesday.
This was the second trial for Par
eli and Venezia, who previously
we're sentenced to life imprisonment
81 the murder charge, but appealed
successfully 10 the state supreme
e0urt for new trial
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
ATLANTIC MONTHLY
CHANGES HANDS

Boston. Dec. 1.-(UP)-The At
lant!c Monthly, long controlled by
Ellery Sedgwick. today was owned
BY Richard e. Danielson OF Boston
former president and editor OF the
Sportsman.
Sedgw!ck, announcing the sale
last night. said the cash payment
was every satisfactory" and consti-
tuted one of the largest transac-
tons In the magazine field In recent
years.
Changes In policy OF the monthly
were not anticipated by Sedgewick
He said Edward Weeks would re-
main as editor, while Donald B.
Snyder OF Dedham who became
president last year when Sedgwick
retired will continue IL that post.
Sedgwick will continue as active
head OF the Atlantic Monthly Press,
the book publishing house.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
WILLIAM Minor,
ORGANISE, DIES
Former Music Supervisor
in Naugatuck Schools
Succumbs in Ohio

Naugatuck, Conn.,, Dec. l-William
Hall Minor, former organist at st.
Johns Episcopal church here, died
last night after six months illness
at his home In Norwalk, Ohio.
Mr.. Minor was supervisor Of mu-
sic in Naugatuck schools for 30 years,
leaving the Rubber Town 10 years
ago to become music director at
Cranbrook School for Boys in De-
troit, Mich, where he was also a
church organist.
He is believed to have been one
of the first to ever operate an elec-
trio carlton in this country. He was
well known in Naugatuck,
He Is survived by his wife, Leafy
Page Minor; two sons, William Of
New London and Arthur Of Cleve-
land, Ohio; and two daughters, Mrs.
David Englund Of Detroit and Mrs.
George Adams of Tucson, Arizona.
The funeral will be held Monday
morning from his home, 1923 East
Main street, Norwalk, Ohio, with in
terment in Detroit, Mich.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-01
CHURCH OFFERS
AMATEUR PARTY
Program to Be Given To.
night at Congrega.
tiOnal Hall at 1880
OAKVILlE
Correspondent: Mae Villa Babin
1917 WatertOwn Avenue

Oakville, Dec. 1.--Amateur night
will be held at the Union Congre-
gational church hall this evening
at 1880 o'clock. This Is project
of the religious education commit
tee, Ralph Flor!an, John Mclean
and Mrs. Harris Scott, IN coopera-
ton with the church school for the
purpose Of raising funds for the
Christmas treat for the church
school. Admission, adults 20 cents
children 10 cents. Others who wish
TO help with the Christmas treat
may make contributions to Ralph
Florian, ST..
Choir Rehearsals
Both choirs OF All Saints church
will rehearse this. evening.
The senior choir Of the Congre-
gational church will rehearse at 1880
o'clock Saturday evening. Summer
Libbey, director.
Catholic Youth Organization
Bartholomew J. Miniter was elect
*. p.esiGI..t Of the reorganized
senior chapter Of the Catholic
Youth Organization OF st. Mary
Magdalen's church. Other officers
are: Mary Machokas. vice-presi-
dent; Patricia Boxx, secretary: Paul
Maxi, treasurer. These are all new
officers, although all have been ac-
tive In the chapter since Its organ
ization. The bylaws committee
members are: Lillian Germano Ed
mund Beauty, Mary Machokas, John
Verbila and Bart Miniter. This
committee are working on O set OF
by-laws and will report next week.
The chapter will hold a study
club after the regular meeting on
Monday, with Miss Constance Glib
bons as leader. The topic will be
improvements 10 Our Town" A
basketball is being organized and a
bowling team Is already In action,
rolling games each Sunday at 2 p.
m. at the Community alleys.
There will be barn dance at Rus
sins Barn, December Is. Edna Van
Wagner Is chairlady.