THE KUSKO TIMES
A. X. Grant, Publisher, Sole
Owner and Editor.
Published Every Saturday
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Entered as secona-tiass matter Au-i
jgust 29th, 1928, at the postoffice at
Tokotrta, Alaska, under the Act of
March 3, 1879.
Takotna. Alaska, inly 19, 1930.
JIS THAT ARISTOCRAT OF
FUR BEARERS, THE MINK. IN
DANGER OF EXTINCTION?
NEW YORK.—Is the aristocrat of
lfur bearers, the mink, in danger of
teytinction?
Yea!
Official opinion, as expressed from
tthe Bureau of Bological Survey in
Washington, D. C., through Frapk G.
^Ashbrook, biologist in charge of the
«divisio no ffur resources, saes a
i marked decline in wild mink which
-points to its gradual disappearance—
ilike that of the Anglican buffalo—in
mative haunts in tha^United States.
“The annual catdr of mink in the
lUnited States is becoming smaller
»every year,” he states. “The steadily
«diminishing supply of fur animals
itendS to prove that the fur wearer
I is increasing faster than the fur
Ibearer." v , *
What’s to be* done about it ?
Mink farming, one of the most re
tcent, highly-specialized forms of do
mestic fur production, is the answer
—applcation of the old law of eco
momics, supply and demand!
According to Ashbrook, in a paper
iresd at a recent annual convention of
tthe International Association of
*Game, Fish and Conservation Com
lmissioners, “the logical way to sup
ply the demand for furs and prevent
tstill further shrinkage in the source
<of supply, is to produce more and fur
.animals.
Hence domestic fur production has
lbecome one of the most promising in
dustrial divisions in the entire agri
cultural held. The country depends
more and more on the fur farmers
ifor its supplies.
In Washington approximately 5,000
{farmers are registered as engaged in
tthe production of one or more species
<of fur-bearing animals in the United
tStates and Alaska, wit ha total in
vestment of between $20,000,000 and
$30,000,000. These figures are swell
iing annually.
Production in captivity of the mink
Ibas only just begun and, according to
Paid G. Beddington, chief of the Bu
ir«au of Biological Survey, is still in
tthe experimental state.
Out of a'total of some 300 licensed
tfur breeders in New York State, 89
(include the breedin gof mink with
<other fur-bearers, while of this num
Iber 29 stipulate their sole purpose
iis the propagation of the mink.
“These figures reveal a definite pro
gress in the evolution of domestic fur
{production. With the open season for
imink (November 10 to March 15)
terminated, it is interesting to look
more .closely at mink farming. Per
haps the best perspective is from the
view «f a mink fanner himself. Rich
ard M. Decker’s American Minkery,
ne„ Which comprises nine acres and
some b00 animals, lies the nearest to
.the world’* greatest fur market—
Her* York t ity—at Valhalla, West
chester county.
"Mink fawns." said Decker, "are
essentially to raise akk for breed
ins purposes. 1 have devoted my life |
to experimentation. Breeding minks !
are valued at between $200 and $300 I
a pair. Today t^ne perfect pelt brings
around $60.”
t takes 100 pelts for one full
length wrap! Ami one such coat re
tails for from $1,000 to $15,000!
MR. CURRAN. A WITNESS.
Mr. Curran, its president, informs
the Senate lobby committee that the |
Association against Prohibition spent I
$427,000 n its campaign for repeal
last year. The outlay was in part for;
educational effort, in part for the as- i
sembling of. data and stud yof liquor |
conditions in other countries, and in ’
part for the support of candidates in
sympathy with the position of the as
sociation.
In short, the association has been
doing on one side of the perennial
issue exactly what the Anti-Saloon
League and the organizations allied
with it have been doing on the othir.
The principal dicerence between it
and the latter group is the one of ■
financial resources. The pro-prohibi
tion forces have been spending dol
lars where the antis have been able
to invest no more than dimes.
The Association Against Prohibi
tions does not encourage violations, i
It is conducting a constitutional cam
paign. It desires repeal of the
eighteenth amendment, or, failing
that, modification of the Volstead law.
It appeals to intelligence and reason
and seeks political expression by try
ing to obtain the election of senators
and representatives sympathetic with
its views. It holds the opinion that
when the average congressman is as
afraid of an organized revisionist
vote as for fhe past decade he has j
Been afraid of the organized prohibi- |
tion vote the division on questions af
fecting prohibition in Congress will
be more nearly iq accord with the di
vision of sentiment in the country at
large.
The association offers no apologies
for its program and its purposes. It
doesn’t have to.—Fairbanks News
Miner.
PSALM OF TRADE.
At the rising of the sun he goeth
forth to his place of business and
none interferes with his slumber. He
sitteth all day like a bottle of castor
»il, but people of shekels cqme not
near him. He advertiseth not his
wares and his place is forgotten on
the face of the earth.
Who hath dried apples ? Who hath
baking powder without end? Whose
groceries are old and stale? He that
sitteth like a bump on a log! He that
knoweth not the ways of printers.
Verily his days qn earth shall be as
a sore thumb; his business shall be
the main actor in a sheriff’s sale.
For even as a man shall cease act
ing indifferently toward his fellows
shall his days be long in the land.
And he who advertiseth long and
ceaseth not to advertise, to him shall
be added all the joys of gleaning ko
peks and plucking eagles.
Be ye, therefore, wholly observant,
abiding in the wake of those who
blaze forth to the world that they
have something to sell, and are .sell
ing it.
For verily it is good stuff.—Fred
A. Beard in the Grand River (Iowa)
Local.
10,000 CHILDREN ATTEND
SCHOOLS IN ALASKA
The schools of the Alaska Railroad
belt are rounding out a fairly success
ful year and improvement .and
growth are note din many of them
by L. W. Brener, commissioner of
education.
Anchorage is at present concerned
with the erection of its new $20,000
high school plant, which they hope to
put to use ne*t term.
Speaking of .new school buildings.
Wrangell, by an overwhelming vote,
decided to erect a new plant at the
cost of $50,000. It will also be an up
to-date modern building for use of
both the elementary and high school
classes.
Interest is being shown in .a pro
posed summer school for the teachers
of Alaska. The president of the
Alaska College and the regents have
endorsed such a move. It is thought
that the College could handle it more
satisfactorily, as the necessary ad
ministrative machinery is already
available. The conditions may ma
terialize so that a school can be held
the summer of 1931. A number of
teachers have shown keen interest in
such a move, and a thorough canvass
through a questionaire will be made
this coming winter to determine fur
ther information and data relative to
the advisability of a summer school
for teachers.
Figures to date show a favorable
growth in the enrollment of pupils in
the schools. The year 1929-30 showed
slightly more than 5,000 jsupils en
rolled in the Territorial schools. A
larger enrollment is looked for dur
ing the term soon to end.
For the information of the readers
there were approximately 10,000 pu
pils enrolled last year in all schools
of the Territory. The Territorial
schools showed about 5,000, the Bu
reau schools approximately the same
number, and the mission schools ac
counted for about 1,000 pupils.
MY FATHER’S CABIN.
Ob I am loncing .tonight for that
cabin
That stands by a bidden stream;
Grass and willows grow on the roof,
And the walls to the northward
lean.
The interior is old and smells of
must,
A miner’s clothes hang there still.
On the door are pieces of windlass
rope,
And a rusted bit and drill.
A rusted gun on a pair of moose
horns
Hangs over the sagging door,
And a fine network of spider webs
Hangs from roof to floor.
rhat was my father's cabin,
As it looked just ten years .ago;
rhe roof by now lias fallen in
And the north wind over it blows.
AUTHOR ESCAPED.
What a Difference!
When a plumber makes ji mistake,
he charges double for it. When .a
lawyer makes a mistake, .it is just
what he wanted, because he has a
chance to try the<case all over , again.
When the doctor makes a mistake, he
McGrath!
PoolHallj
Bresh Fruits
/ '■■■■ • -
[Candies
Tobaccos
Pipes:
Cigarettes]
Soft Drinks
Cigarette Holders !
FRANK LANGE
Proprietor
barias 3L When a judge makes a!
mistake-, it becomes the law of the i
land. And.-when a, preacher makes a j
mistaJbe. Robody knows the difference.
But wAen the editor makes a mis
wdkfieOD NIGHT1—Ex.
A comparison of the burden of ex
penditures.-far education of European
i countries and the United States is
shown itiy the following figures:
j Great Britain, 22 per cent; Norway,
20 per cent; Italy, 19.2 per cent;
France^ IAS per cent; Hungary, 18
per cent; Austria, 17.3 per cent;
j United States, 10.2 per centt. These
j figures represent the per cent of na
i
;ional Income in' the diffetent natidbs
:or education.
Mississippi ten /expended' fI23(0i)0
‘or legislative Juvestigatinna^ siace
L^8.
Frank J. Guskpy
Notary RubHc
- <
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McGrath, Alaska * |
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Takotna Pool Hall
i
‘Fresh Fmits Candies Soft Drinks
Tobaccos Cigars Cigarets j;
Apples Oranges j;
CharlieO’ Halloran - - Prop.j
MaxSimel : Sr,
STATION: ^AiRVTCW^NNOK O Rim
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Miners, Prospectors’ and j
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