"CAUGHT IN
THE RIFFLES"
(Continued from Page 1)
very little underbrush. It was al
ways a little dark and had the fra
grance of verdant earth, of birch,
leaves, spruce and hundreds of oth
er things found in the woods.
Down the hill a short distance
was Carl Lindstrand’s cabin with
its ricks of wood piled nearby
which would go out over the winter
trail to Fairbanks and wood burn
ing stoves and furnaces.
Beyond Carl's place we walked
out into the open flats of Hopper
Creek, stumbled over a few nigger
heads and swung easily up to
Adolph Sharer's house. Here we
enjoyed the taste of bread made
by the former Alsatian baker that
was a looked for treat.
If we had time, we’d go on over
to the point and visit with Frank
Betchart who spent his last years
developing wheat and other grain
on a five acre plot overlooking the
Chena River Valley,
Later, early in the 1940's. Joe
Kruger homesteaded near the trail
that led up east over the ridge out
of Steel Creek, and we watched him
wrest a farm out of the timber and
brush.
Today a good road takes farmers
and their families through the
countryside that affords an oppor
tunity for townspeople to get out
into the country effortlessly.
%
'mm
As a reminder of a bygone day
is a cache, with its door gone, list
ing slightly up the hill where the
road straightens out to push on to
Chena Hot Springs. It is reminiscent
of Nels Jackson and others who cut
wood for the market in Fairbanks,
spending lonely days in the timber
with their one-room cabins, swede
saws, drum stoves and pole bunks.
These men lived alone, worked
atone and played their part in ad
vance of the men with families who
are turning the forest into pasture
and field.
On Columbia Creek is the Green
Valley Farm, owned by Bert and
Leah Stimple w'ho started their
farming career in the Farmer's
Loop road many years ago, working
in Fairbanks to supplement their
income.
The Hemings have cut out farms
• on Steele Creek and the John Halls
are developing farm produce just
off the Haggaman or Steel Creek
road, he after spending a couple
of winters in school to learn the
latest in seed production.
The A1 Wendts have done a re
markable job raising 1000 chickens
and putting in barley and oats in
a year's time,
* The whole area is coming alive
with those who like living in the
country and can see a future to
farming. Although starting a farm
in the Tanana is not the easiest way
to serve one's fellow man it has its
rewards.
Lack of capital is the main hurdle
and many of the people who have
carved out a place in the wilder
ness find it necessary to hold dowr
jobs in town w'hile working on tht
farm in their spare time
The country to the east of Fair
Clarence Isbergs
Grandparents
Of New Daughter
Word has been received in Fair
banks of the birth of Maurya Ann
Isberg to Lt. and Mrs. William
Howard Isberg on August 5 at Ft.
Beivoir Va. She weighed 7 lbs.
7 ozs.
Paternal grandparents are Mr.
and Mrs. Clarence Isberg of 537
Eighth avenue. Isberg is airport en
gineer with the CAA.
Lieutenant Isberg was graduated
from the University this past spring.
He received his commission at the
same time.
Mrs. Isberg is the former Mau
rine Bauer, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph Bauer of 760 Eighth
avenue. She is a graduate of Fair
banks high school and attended the
university.
Contracts Let
Contracts totalling $188,087 for
construction of four TACAN facil
ities for the Air Force have been
awarded by the Alaska District
Corps of Engineers.
American Service. Inc., Spenard.
won a contract for $69,915 for TA
CANS at Homer and Elmendorf Air
Force Base.
Heed & Martin, Inc., Fairbanks,
was awarded a contract for $118,172
for the TACANS at Fort Yukon and
Betties.
On two other sites which were
included in the same bid Invitation
56-63 at Northway and Bethel, the
bids still are under consideration.
banks will continue to grow as these
farm pioneers tackle the job of
turning timberland into garden. Any
assistance that they may get will be
an aid to the economy of the Fair
banks community as a whole. Mean
while. Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks will
find it an interesting country to
explore on a Sunday afternoon.
• * *
Even a Jack Rabbit
Since the project to straighten out
the Steese highway three miles out
has been in progress this summer,
maniacs armed with a couple of
tons of steel have been taking to
the Farmer's Loop-McGrath road
to get around the construction.
Mrs. L. H. DeSacia, who lives on
the McGrath road, has had to keep
her young children corraled. They
are capable of dodging ordinary
traffic but when a car hurtles
around one of those curves at 50
to 60 miles an hour, even a jack
rabbit would have difficulty in sav
ing his skin.
Game From the Air
Considerable concern is being felt
, over airplane scouting of big game
in Alaska by persons who should
i know better.
Specific instances have been cited
without names. Suffice it to say tha1
it is against the law to pick ou1
game from the air for the front end
result of a .30-06. As the old say
: ing goes. “Let's play it straight
| boys."
i---— ■ - --
Fairbanks Is
^Building As
Summer Ebbs
(Continued frem page 1.)
concrete and cement block build
ing. hopes that it will be completed
sometime in November. Currently
: under construction by Vehmeier
and Son. the building will feature
a full 24 by 62 foot basement and
offices on the second story'. The
owner of Link Plumbing and Heat
ing plans to rent the offices as
soon as they are completed.
A new addition, to be used as a
private lounge, is currently being
built onto the Pastime Bar at First
and Cushman. The latest designs
and architectural styling will be
featured in the new wing, accord
ing to owners George Hanley and
Robert Portman. The lounge, which
will accommodate from 40 to 50 pa
trons, is slated for completion by
the middle of October
A new addition to the Hall build
ing is currently being built by Ken
Anderson and is slated for com
pletion by late September. Andrew
I Hall, the owne|. says that the
new' building will face on Fifth
avenue, in back of the present
building which faces on Fourth.
One of the most modern build
ings in Fairbanks is the new Chand- I
lei4 building at 10th and Cushman
: street. The top story has been 1
eliminated from the former struc
ture, the front has been extended 1
eight feet, and the entire
building has been completely ren
novated. Gull's Plumbing and Heat
ing. which has recently moved in
to the structure, is especially proud
! of the large show room window
facing on Cushman street.
Over 3.000 square feet of park
ing space has been cleared on the
10th avenue side of the building.
A new flat roof has been added, and
cedar siding graces the outside.
Bids for the new Hunter elemen
i tary school in South Fairbanks will
be opened August 28. according to
j superintendent of schools Dr. James !
C. Ryan. The 10 classroom building
is not expected to be ready until
next fall, how'ever.
The new $415,000 Monroe high
school, located near the Catholic
parochial school on Illinois street,
should be completed some time
next week, according to Father
George Boileau, Although the paint
ing outside has been finished, final
touches still need to be completed
inside the building The completion
date, Father Boileau said, would
give the school authorities time to
install equipment and prepare the
building for the beginning of clas
I ses.
High school freshmen and sopho
j mores wall be housed in the build- |
ing, in addition to the seventh and
eighthgraders. A new multipurpose -
room, a music room, library, book- j
store and several offices are among
the school’s many features. Regular j
classrooms include modern science j
and commercial departments.
A new 30 by 50 building being
built by the Burgess Construction
company, has been erected down
t
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Across from the Northward
Harry Lawrences
Move To States
Harry Lawrence, Alaskan pioneer
since 1894, headed southward recent
ly with his wife and family to
make his home Outside.
Lawrence, with his wife, Flor
ence headed down the highway on
their first trip to the States in
43 years. They are accompanying
their daughter and son-in-law.
S Sgt. and Mrs. Paul Quails and
their children. David, age 6, and
Paul. S1* months, who are being
transferred to Fort Lewis Washing
ton with operation Gyroscope.
Lawrence came to Juneau from
England in 1894 working in the
Treadwell mine for several years.
Later he moved to the Koyukuk
town on Fourth avenue directly be
hind Jessen’s Weekly. The structure,
which is being put up by the Green
stone Corporation, is all concrete
Offices will be constructed on the
second story, and Title Trust and
Insurance, presently located on
Fourth avenue across from the
Northward building, will move in
the main floor of the building some
time this winter.
Many new ranch style homes are
going up in the newly opened re
strictive residential Weeks Field
subdivision. The lots on Weeks <
Field, which are sold to individual
residents by the city for 20 cents
per square foot, are being purchased
in increasing numbers with new
homes going up on each _lot just'
as rapidly.
country, where he was a mail car-<
rier for 30 years and became a
charter member of the Pioneers of
Alaska.
Lawrence met his wife in Anvik.
He was operating a general store;
there, and she had come up from
Jamestown, New York as a mis
sionary nurse for the Episcopal
church at the Christ Church mis
sion at Anvik. Their daughter, Eva,
was born in 1929.
The family owned a small hotel
at Flat until 1943, when the aoute
nursing shortage called her back
to the mission at Anvik. They
moved to Fairbanks in 1948.
Here Mrs. Lawrence has been
active in community' life, serving
as president and recording secretary
of St. Matthew's Guild, and club
historian of the Fairbanks Women's
club.
Although it is with nostalgia that
they even think of leaving the Ter
ritory, they are looking forward to
seeing new country and meeting
new people in their Stateside home.
Good printing of all kinds and
at reasonable prices at Jessens
Weekly.
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FOR RENT Modern apartment,
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