SEWARD’S
AlU'WeatKec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska s
Greatest Asset
Territorial Library
rr a
Seward Seaport Record
Vol. VI, No. 5
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1949
Price 10 Cents
New City Hall
To Be Located
In Fire Station
The City Council Monday voted
to make $2,000 available to the
Seward Volunteer Fire Department
to hell) build a second story on the
new fire station for city offices.
The $2,000 will be pajd back to
the city by the Fire Department,
and in the end both will benefit
from the arrangement.
With the City Hall installed
above the fire station, it will be
possible to effect a saving in heat
ing costs with a central system to
take care of Police Department,
Fire Department and City Hall.
The firemen and the City Council
can both make use of the same
meeting room.
Since Fire Chief Kielcheski also
takes care of the Street Depart
ment, the fact that the offices will
be together can make it unnecessary
to have an extra employe to take
fire calls.
The added second story will cost
considerably more than the $2,000
granted by the council, but it is
believed that by selling the old fire
hall and the present city hall
enough money will be realized to
make up the necessary sum. The
Fire Department has about S2.500
to add to the cause.
COUNCIL CONSIDERS
PETITIONS
Two petitions were presented to
the City Council Monday concern
ing the reinstatement of George
Turnbull to the police force. All
persons except the council mem
bers, the mayor, clerk and city at
torney were barred from the coun
cil chamber during consideration of
the petitions for and against Turn
bull. In support of this action the
visitors .were referred to Ordinance
86. Section 9.
When the discussion was over
visitors were called back and told
that a motion to reinstate Turnbull
had died for lack of a second.
MARILYN ANN TOLOFF
CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY
On July 15 Marilyn Ann Toloff,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James
Toloff, celebrated her first birth
day. Among the guests present
for an afternoon birthday party
were Mrs. Kenny Wilde and her
son Kenny; Mrs. Bill Saindon and
her children Sandy, B’lly and
Donny; the Rudolph children,
Celia, Kenny and Fern; and Mrs.
Curtis with'her daughter Christine.
PIERCE-FORSYTHE NUPTIALS *
Mrs. Betty Pierce and Bob For
sythe were married Sunday in the
chapel at Jesse Lee Home by Rev.
James Gaiser, president of the
Board of Missions of Erie Confer
ence.
The chapel was decorated with
native wild flowers, which added
to the attractive wedding.
Glen Carrington, head of the Se
attle company which bears his
name, was in Seward last Thurs
day with Col. John P. Johnson,
general manager of The Alaska
Railroad.
Edward M. Seidenverg of Seattle,
three times mayor of Nome, arrived
in Seward aboard the SS Baranof
Thursday evening. Seidenverg, a
manufacturers agent, has traveled
through the Territory for many
years.
Bud Johnson, well known as a
former resident and engineer in
Seward, is back on the Kenai Pen
insula making a survey of possible
sites for hydro-electric installa
tions on the Peninsula. The survey
group has borrowed old maps of
such surveys made in the past for
the City of Seward.
Diesel Expert Here
To Repair
5.L.P. Power Unit
E. V. Parrett, engineer for the
Washington Iron Works, is in Sew
ard for the purpose of making
repairs on the large diesel gener
ator of the Seward Light and
Power Company here.
In order to furnish uninterrupted
service during the winter, the com
pany announced, it is necessary
that these repairs be made now.
With the diesel out of operation
for repairs, the waterpower will
have to carry the entire load, and
company officials express the hope
that power consumers will not put
any unnecessary strain on the
system during the week.
Although the work will be done
at night as much as possible, it
is possible that the diesel will be
j out of action over Saturday and
I Sunday, July 23 and 24. This shut
down period was chosen because
| the water power can carry the
I light week end load without any
trouble. '
New School For
Village of Kenai
News has been received here that
the town of Kenai is to have a new
$300,000 school, and that there are
hopes it will be completed within
the year.
A survey of available skilled
labor is being made by the unions
at the present time with a view to
having sufficient help on hand
when building operations start.
Work on the new school is ex
pected to begin this August and
continue through the winter.
| Shipping News . . .
PORT ACTIVITY HEAVY
While only a lumber barge and a
Standard Oil Tanker were discharg
ing cargo at the Port of Seward on
Monday, the freighter Coastal
Monarch docked shortly after eight
I o'clock Tuesday morning. Three
| other freighters and a passenger
! ship are expected to arrive during
i the week and three other freighters
’ are leaving Seattle for this port.
' The ships arriving this weeli, be
; sides the Coastal Monarch, are the
| Harold Whitehead, the Victoria and
the Sailor’s Splice. The passenger
ship SS Aleutian will dock here
Thursday. The freighter James W.
Cannon is scheduled to arrive at
Seward July 27.
Ships scheduled to leave Seattle
are the Square Knot on July 21.
the Flemish Knot on July 25, and
the Square Sinnet on July 27.
At The Hotels . . .
The New Seward — Neil D. Bea
ton, Anchorage; S. Wallstedt, Se
attle; Christine Halversen. Los An
geles; E. V. Perret, Seattle; Mr.
and Mrs. T. A. McClindon, Anchor
age; Zelle Pelmicky, Perryville.
Alaska; Margaret Gunn, Perryville;
Bishop and Mrs. Gerald Kennedy,
Portland; Mr. and Mrs. J. Vic
Brown, Jr., and Mrs. J. E. Laurie,
Anchorage.
MRS. KEIDSER ON TRIP
AROUND TERRITORY
Lt. John Keidser, commanding
officer of the security detachment
at Seward, reports that Mrs. Keid
ser has left for a trip through the
Territory with friends of the fam
ily.
The group will visit Nome, Kot
zebue, Circle, and many other parts
of Northern Alaska before return
ing via Fairbanks, McKinley Park
and Anchorage.
Lewis A. Rodgers, prominent
businessman of Anchorage, is visit
ing with his familyNn Seward this
week. The Rodgers are guests of
the J. A. MacDonalds at their home
in the Infantry Area.
Logan Varnell returned to Kenai
Sunday evening after spending the
day in Seward with his family. Mr.
Varnell is fishing in Cook Inlet.
Safety Rule Toj
Govern Fuel
Storage Here
A new ordinance is being drawn
up by city officials to safeguard
Seward business and residential
buildings against the chance of fire
caused by improper storage of fuel
oil.
The new regulation, if adopted,
will call for burial of all fuel oil
tanks in the business district from
Third Avenue to Sixth between
Washington and Jefferson Streets.
In the residential districts it will
not be necessary to bury the tanks,
but they will have to be located at
least 10 feet from any building. All
stoves and furnaces supplied by
gravity oil lines must be set up so
that the line from the tank will
not be more than 24 inches higher
than the carburetor on the heating
unit.
A proposal that all new fuel in
stallations must be underground is
now being studied.
The new ordinance, if properly i
enforced, should effect a consider- '
able saving resulting from lower ■
insurance rates, according to the !
opinion of council members. The
fact that the salt water system for
firefighting is being brought into
efficient operation should also aid ;
in reducing rates. I
Firemen have pointed out that ,
most of the fire calls they receive ;
result from flooded stoves and fur
naces caused by having the storage
tanks too high above the carbu
retor. The height increases pres
sure and prevents the automatic
valve from functioning properly, it
was said.
COLD STORAGE HAS BIG
HALIBUT SEASON
The Seward Fish & Cold Storage
plant reports that it has had a
highly successful halibut season
and the plant is full to capacity.
On Tuesday morning packing of
the season’s fish started and in the
near future it will be ready for
shipment to Stateside markets.
Shipment this year will be ban- j
died by the Alaska Steamship I
Company, and the cases will be j
loaded from the Seward Fish &
Cold Storage Co. dock.
Only a few salmon have been re
ceived by the firm so far, but it is
believed that black cod will be
coming in very soon.
SEWARD LEGIONNAIRES
RECEIVE 30-YEAR CARDS
Two Seward Legionnaires were
included in a long list of Alaskans
who received 30-year cards in the
American Legion this year. They
are Albert Baumberger and Orin
T. Brooks.
It is reported that a very intense
membership campaign will take
place in the next few months.
Frank Blanchard, commander of
Seward Post No. 5, has been asked
to give an estimate of the number
of new members which will be
pledged during the period ending
next November.
FAMOUS WRITERS SPEND
WEEKEND HERE
Bud and Connie Helmericks, who
have written four books of their
experiences in the Arctic, spent the
weekend in Seward as guests of
the Murl Trevethans.
They landed on Bear Lake Sat
urday in the new float plane in
which they flew from the States,
and went immediately to Treve
than's home.
The four books which the Hel
mericks have written are “We Live
in Alaska,” “We Live in the Arc
tic,” "Our Sumpier With the Eski
mos." and “Our Winter With the
Eskimos.” They are especially fa
mous for their excellent photogra
phy, and each winter they make a
lecture tour of the United States.
Mrs. Lou Skinner is a patient in
Seward General Hospital to which
she was admitted Sunday.
Selective Service
Registrations
Decrease Here
Local registration of 18-year-olds
has fallen off to practically noth
ing, according to Mrs. Mildred
Kirkpatrick, Seward representative
of Local Board No. 1. Because I
there has been a recess in the cal!
for men, people may have a mis
taken idea that it is no longer
necessary to register.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick reminds the
young men that it is still necessary
and required by law for young
men reaching the age of 18 to reg
ister within 5 days after their
birthday or as soon thereafter as
possible.
It is also required of men 26
years or under, who have recently
received discharge from military
service, to register within 30 days
after discharge.
City Payroll Is
19 Days Late
Employees of the City of Seward
were to be paid Tuesday. The pay
roll, which should have been taken
care of on the first day of July is
just 19 days late.
Even this payment would not
have been possible if the city had
not received a payment from clerk
of the District Court of $1300 as a
business license refund.
City Clerk Martine Johansen re
ceived her first paycheck since she
took office May 15. The mayor and
council are hopeful that the taxes
for the new year will start coming
in on time to meet the next pay
roll.
OLD TIME MOOSE DIRECTOR
VISITS SEWARD
Sigurd Wallstedt of Seattle, dis
trict manager for the Garland Com
pany, is spending several days in
Seward on business. He has been
coming to Alaska for 51 years and
is well known throughout the Ter
ritory.
For 1G years Walstedt was re
gional director of the Moose
Lodges and had the nickname of
“The Big Moose.”
Born at sea on an old windjam
mer one week out of Pensacola,
Fla., Wallstedt has been traveling
all his life. His father died of yel
low fever at Colon. Panama, in the
days when the French were trying
to build the canal.
FAREWELL TEA PARTY
FOR MRS. LARRY SHAFTER
A tea was given by Mrs. Clark
McCann and Mrs. T. J. Gerwer at
the McCann home last Sunday in
honor of Mrs. Larry Shafter. The
tea took the form of a farewell
party for Mrs. Shafter, who expect
ed to leave by plane for Michigan
with her family on Tuesday.
The Shafters have lived in Sew
ard for many years, and Larry has
been dispatcher for the dockside
union. They expect to go into busi
ness with Mrs. Shatter’s relatives
in Michigan.
MRS. BROSIUS ENJOYS
MAILBOAT TRIP
Mrs. Cal Brosius returned to
Seward Monday evening from what
she described as the most enjoy
able trip by water she has ever
made. She was also full of praise
for the accommodations and serv
ice aboard the mailboat Garland.
Two other ladies, Mrs. Stephen
McCutcheon, wife of the Territorial
senator, and Mrs. Millard Harmon,
widow of the famous general, also
made the trip.
Several parties were given for
the group, including one by Mr.
and Mrs. Tom Moyer, formerly of
Seward. Mrs. Brosius said the. trip
is interesting not only for the scen
ery, but also for the old Russian
churches, the fishing villages, var
ious types of business and many
other features.
The Garland left Tuesday noon
for Seattle, but will return for the
next mail run about, the third of
August.
Largest Budget
In History Of
Aaa. Approved
The Senate has received the In
terior Department appropriation
bill with’ its appropriation com
mittee’s recommendation that
$66,715,858 in cash and $31,387,500
in contract authorization be al
lowed for the department's acti
vities in Alaska for the 1950 fiscal
year, or a total of $9b,103,358.
The allowance restores the major
cuts made by tjie House from the
President’s budget estimates of
S104,207,594 in cash and contract
authorization. The House appro
priation which applied large cuts
from requests for The Alaska Rail
road, the Alaska Native Service
and the revolving fund for Indian
loans, among other items, totalled
$75,894,158, or approximately $22
million below the Senate com
mittee figures.
Although the Senate committee’s
recommendation is $G million be
low the President’s budget esti
mates for the Territory it is about
$29 million greater than any pre
vious fiscal year appropriation for
Interior Department functions in
the Territory.
ARR APPROPRIATIONS
By giving The Alaska Railroad
$8 million more in cash and $10
million more in contract author
ization than approved by the House,
the Senate committee emphasized
its disagreement with the House
i committee’s conclusion that reha
bilitation of the system is net a
matter of first importance.
The House granted S17 million
cash and S12 million contract auth
orization for rehabilitation and con
struction of the railroad, with the
Senate committee allowing $25
million cash and S22 million con
tract authorization,
r* The Alaska Ro*ad Commission
i will have $26,762,000 in cash and
S8 million in contract authorization
for construction and maintenance
of roads should the Senate com
mittee’s recommendation prevail.
The House allowed $25,692,000
cash and S7 million contract auth
orization, the Senate difference to
be applied to continuation of con
struction of the Turnagain Arm
road.
PUBLIC SURVEY
Public survey work in Alaska
received a large share of additional
Senate committee allowances for
the Bureau of Land Management
for such work irf both the States
and the Territory.
An appropriation of $200,000
above regular appropriations for
this work throughout the United
States, including Alaska, was ap
proved, with $75,000 going to
Alaska. The allowance together
with public survey funds allowed
by the House total $160,155. This
allowance ups to $653,095 the
amount of money approved for
Bureau of Land Management acti
vities in Alaska as compared with
the House allowance of $578,095.
BOLSTER NATIVE ECONOMY
Under the general appropriations
for the Office of Indian Affairs the
Interior Department sought a total
of $2,400,000 for the revolving
credit fund for Indians; if allowed,
Alaska’s portion was to be $500,000
for establishment of industries to
bolster the economy of Alaska
natives. The House cut the entire
request to $500,000,. necessitating
the complete elimination of the
Alaska program. The Senate com
mittee, however, restored the ori
ginal figure of $2,400,000 and added
$1,000,000 to bring the total to
$3,400,000, which would allow the
$500,000 ^credit fund for Alaska.
Delegate Bartlett has been in
formed that should the House
agree to the increase, a figure in
excess of $500,000 would be avail
able for application to Alaska.
The House and Senate committee
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