The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-03-08
FISHERMEN
 TELL(.0 orc.
 BOAT NEEDS
Chamber to Try 10 Aid HaIi- bufers 10 Obtain Bet-
 fer Facilities

time residents of Juneau, Olaf Lar son and Ed Krause, appeared be- fore the Juneau Chamber of Com merce at noon today and again stated the case of the Halibut Ves- sel owners Association for more and better boat facilities for Juneau.
 Larson, introduced by Harry God son, program chairman, said he had been a Juneau resident since 1913. When he first came there were only two halibuters wintering here. Lar son stated the accent was on gold mining then and Juneau paid little attention to the vast riches that lay at its back door, in Davy Jones locker" He went on to say that Ju- Heau was the most favorably located port for halibut. The reason he gave for this was that the biggest and best halibut were found in the area nearest this port.
 Facilities Elsewhere
 He then went on to compare the facilities for boats here with other less favorably situated ports such as Petersburg. He told of the electric lines strung on the boat floats in the Shrimp Capital and of the re- pair yards. Larson flatly stated that $40 1000 worth of business had been lost in the last few months-be- cause local halibuters had to make long trips to other towns. to put their boats on the ways, there being no marine ways here.
 Larson then told of the need of a gear house, saying that the hali- but men used to store their gear up- stairs in the building next to the Juneau Cold Storage plant, but that space was no longer available. t'ss. Fire Hazard
 l. He then pointed out the fire haz- ard involved in attempting to dry out the hold of a small craft with a kerosene or gasoline stove. Larson atked for electric outlets in the small boat harbor so fishermen could plug in,. at nominal cost, an electric light or small heater, at a flat rate, as they do in other South- east Alaska towns.
 In the final phases of his talk he asked the Chamber to put pressure on the light company to install the needed lines. Larson warned that unless something was done for the local fishermen they would be forc- cd to locate in towns where facil- ties were provided.
 Dd' Krause then gave a few fig ufes. to show the value of the hail. but fleet to the city He said the 27 boats represented an investment Of $250 900; that it cost sl,2o0 a year to rig a boat with gear; that provisions for 10 to IA day trip cost $500, the money being spent here in Juneau; the wages of the c1'ewmen, e5 per cent of whom spent their money in Juneau
 Money Goes Elsewhere
 Krapse stated $l20.0O0 worth of business was being given to other towns every year by the halibuters- money that would be spent here if facilities were provided.
 At the conclusion of his speech, President of the Chamber. Dr. w. H Whitehead asked the Local Indus tries Committee to meet with the Executive Board next Wednesday to map out a plan of action.
 Many members asked questions on the matter with Senator Allen Shat tuck stating the tax rate could be raised to provide funds for these purposes, referring to the desired gear warehouse.
 Other matters to come before the Chamber were: letter was read from the Alaska Juneau Gold Min ing Company. thanking the Cham Der for it's interest in aiding it to ob- tain another waste disposal permit, if the need arose.
 "A letter. as sent to Delegate to Congress E. L. Bartlett, asking that the1 proposed canal from Seymour Canal to Divers Inlet be put on the next Rivers and Harbors Bill. A sur yey. made by. A. E. Glover of the Forest Service Is to be sent in with the letter.
 " Told To Watch House
 .R. E.tRobertson informed the body thAt the. Territorial Senate had pfSSed Bills 48 and .4I giving muni- cipalities the right to acquire lands for airport use. and urging them to keep in touch with the House of Representatives when the bill comes up there.
 Homer Garvin was congratulated on his election as President of the Territorial Chamber of Commerce.
 Guests at the luncheon-meeting were Senator Edward Coffey of An chorage: Bob Atwood, Anchorage; c. R. Burrell, Anchorage.
 Juneau fishermen guests were the following: Ed Krause, Sec retary of the Vessel Owrer's Association and owner of the St. Louis; Olaf Larson, owner of the Ar den; Ed Skaret, boat Rainier; Dan Tweit, President of the Vessel Own CTS Association and owner of the Valiant; Peter HLdre, boat Margar- ct; John Lowell, boat Fern II.