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The Daily Alaska Empire
Juneau, Juneau County, Alaska
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Frank Peratovich reports dire conditions for Chitina's Indian population, including job scarcity and failed trapping, and proposes roadwork employment solutions. He highlights challenges for the local nurse and single school, and urges Native Brotherhood affiliation. (248 characters)
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CHITINA VERY
BAD, IS CLAIM
Indians Face Hard Winter.
Trapping Failure, Says
Klawock Man
Conditions among the Indian population in the Chitina region are bad, according to Frank Peratovich, Mayor of Klawock, who returned here recently from a trip there. There was little work available for them last season and trapping this winter has so far been almost a total failure.
The great need of the district is a source of steady employment at least during the summer months, Mr. Peratovich said. This in the past has been lacking.
He has hopes, however, that the situation can be remedied. He conferred with Superintendent Shepard of the Alaska Road Commission relative to using an Indian crew on roadwork and found him willing to co-operate if the Indians would do their part. He is now working out a program which, he expects, will provide labor for all of the Indians at Chitina who are willing to work.
At Chitina, Mr. Peratovich called on Mrs. Agnes Fletcher, formerly nurse in the Juneau Government Hospital, and later at Sitka and Klawock in the same capacity. She is now the nurse at Chitina.
Mrs. Fletcher is working under several handicaps, he said. The people to whom she is ministering are scattered over a wide area and she has to walk long distances to keep in touch with them. Her average daily round of visits covers about 10 miles.
There is but one school with a single teacher, and Mrs. Fletcher as nurse, for the Indian population over a radius of some 50 miles. The population is widely scattered and this makes their work doubly difficult, Mr. Peratovich said. He believes that the situation could be bettered some if the school, which is two miles out of the town of Chitina, were moved into the town itself. A second school would improve conditions greatly, he said.
While at Chitina, Mr. Peratovich, who is active in the Alaska Native Brotherhood, called a meeting of the Indians and urged them to affiliate with the Southeast Alaska organization. He pointed out some of the benefits to be received from such action and suggested that they send delegates to the next annual convention to be held at Ketchikan next fall.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Chitina
Event Date
Recently
Key Persons
Outcome
little work available last season; trapping failure this winter; hopes for steady summer employment via roadwork; suggestions for school relocation and additional school; urging affiliation with alaska native brotherhood
Event Details
Frank Peratovich, Mayor of Klawock, reports bad conditions among Indians in Chitina due to lack of work and trapping failure. He conferred with Superintendent Shepard for Indian crew on roadwork and is planning a program for employment. Visited nurse Mrs. Agnes Fletcher, who faces challenges with scattered population and long walks. Single school and teacher for 50-mile radius; suggests moving school into town and adding a second. Called meeting to urge affiliation with Southeast Alaska Native Brotherhood and sending delegates to Ketchikan convention.