The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1949-11-04
THROUGH
THE SENTINEL
PERISCOPE

flSnefleS subcommittee, winch was
originally due to be in Wrangell
Sunday has stepped up its schedule
and now plans to be in Wrangell
today friday, arriving aboard the
Coast Guard cutter Storis from Pc
tersburg. The group, - headed by
Representative Victor Wickersham
of Oklahoma, arrived in Juneau
Thursday by army plane from An
chorage. After a hearing yesterday
afternoon there they left last night
for Petersburg where a hearing
was held this morning.
Gov. Ernest Gruening flew to
Washington, D. c., last weekend
for conferences on Interior Depart
ment budgetary matters. Returning
he will stop over in Salt Lake City
the first of the week for the West
ern Governors Conference and ex-
poets to be back in Alaska Novem-
Der IL.
Secretary of the Treasury John
W. Snyder will stop over in Alas
ka few days on his scheduled trip
to the Orient. The secretary is due
to arrive in Juneau by plane No
Vember 13 and after two days in
that area will go on to Adak and
thence to Japan. Secretary Snyder
visited the territory a year ago.
Skagway airfield has been add
ed to the CAA approved list for
a new 3,60O-foot runway. Territor-
ial Director of Aeronautics Tony
Schwamm reached an agreement
this week on private property
rights near the strip and the port
lie on the master airfield plan for
construction next year If CAA
funds are forthcoming Schwamm,
who has his headquarters at An
chorage, is in Southeast Alaska
this week. calling at Juneau,
Wrangel, Petersburg and Ketchi-
kan On aviation matters. It's his
first official trip to the Southeast
since he went up to Anchorage
from Petersburg last summer to
take over the aeronautics post.
Tony will be recalled as the found
er and operator for many years of
the old Petersburg Air Service, now
Alaska Island
Territorial income tax law which
was upheld by District Judge
George w. Folta has been taken
up to the Circuit Court of Appeals
by the Alaska Steamship Company,
plaintiff in the case, and argu-
ments are scheduled to be heard
in the San Francisco court Decem-
Der 6. Judge Folta ruled that the
law, passed by the last legislature
and which leyies a tax of 10 per
cent of the amount paid by the
taxpayer under the Internal Reve-
nue. Code, was valid in all its pro-
visions. The steamship company
had argued the law could not per-
tain to merchant seamen who are
hired out of Seattle and paid there.
not necessarily earning any of
their income in Alaska although
the vessels call at Alaska ports.
The law provides a tax on any in
come earned in Alaska regardless
of where it might be paid.
1t is probable no appeal will be
taken in the fish trap license tax
casa in which Judge Folta upheld
that portion of the act quadrupline
the license fee ON traps but hold
ing excessive and therefore invalid
the provision of the law levying
tax on fish caught in the traps
which was graduated from cents
a fish over 5000 to 25 cents a
fish over 100000.
The trap license increase is ex.
pected to yield the territory about
100000 this year, some 5000, zoo
of which has been collected Actor
against the act was brought by
the P. E. Harris Company and tn,
Mutual Trap Company. 1t is under
stood the trap owners have ex
pressed willingness to accept th'
district. court decision on the quad
rupled license fee and it is not an
ticipated the territory will tax,
the case up on the fish caught pro
vision which is now yoided.