SEWARD’S
All-£Weatkec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport Record
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VII, No. 37
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, NOV. 7, 1950
Price 10 cents
Council Reaches Compromise
With Water Company
A special session of the City i
Council, which was attended by
City Attorney Ed Arnell, Mrs.
Jean Thorne. Alex Petrovich,
and John Connally, attorney for
the Seward Water Company,
reached an amicable compro
mise.
“I do not believe that anyone I
cares particularly who owns ■
the water facility,” said Mayor i
Eugene Lanier, "just so there
is an adequate service at all
times.” Members of the council
expressed willingness to leave
the facility in the hands of the
present owners, considering it
less costly to taxpayers, but in
sisted upon rehabilitation and
an increase in supply.
A tentative sale price of
S100.000 was set by the com
pany's attorney, which is fifty
per cent less than the price
given in the spring of this year.
Mr. Connally stated that he had
not understood that the city had
ever offered any alternative
agreement, than the sale. After
being brought up to date on
the negotiations and the reasons
for the condemnation proceed
ings, he offered to compromise.
After much discussion it was
decided that the city will engage
a hydro-engineer to make a
survey of the present condition,
source of supply and approxi
mate cost of rehabilitation. His
report will be taken into con
sideration with the purchase
price and regarded as a totpl
cost of reconstruction. The pur-.
chase price is to be adjusted ac
cording to the whole.
If the total amount is more
than the ability of the city to
acquire a bond issue to cover,
the Water Company will then
assume the cost of the engineer's
survey and negotiate privately
for refinancing to rehabilitate
the system.
In the meantime, Alex Petro
vich, maintenance manager for
the company, has agreed to keep
a man on the job full time if
necessary to remove ice from
Jap Creek, thus preventing a
freeze-up which stops the flow
of water at the source, causing
a shortage in the lines such as
that of last Friday.
The agreement was presented
in writing at the regular meet
ing last night.
School Donation Adds
To Pool Fund
The freshman class of Seward
High School raised $26.85 for
the Memorial Swimming Pool
Fund, bringing the previous total
of $973.15 to an even $1000.
The fund is growing slowly,
but steadily, and the committee
expressed gratification at this
evidence of interest from the
children as w’ell as adults in the
city.
GRASS FIRE AWAKENS
TOWN
Breakfast was interrupted and
reluctant risers hauled rudely
irom their beds at 6:37 yesterday
norning when the fire alarm
jlasted out of the silence.
A grass fire at Oliver Amend’s
lad a good start and was spread
ng rapidly up the mountain.
\ big turn-out of volunteer fire
nen extinguished the blaze and
he trucks were back in the
tation by 7:15.
The fire started while Amend
vas thawing frozen water pipes.
Mrs. R. V. Keller and Mrs.
!. E. Mueller from Ninilchik
re in Seward for a few days.
It is much colder in Seward,”
hey say. “We don’t have the i
irind out there.” i
School Bus To Run To
Woodland Acres
A delegation of mothers from |
Woodland Acres, Bartlett, and
Nash Road with Mrs. Earl
Moore as spokesman, appealed
to the School Board and City
Council for additional bus serv
ice for the 18 children who are
not accommodated by the Terri
torial school bus at this time.
Mrs. Moore stated that they
“have every reason, to believe”
that Dr. Ryan, Alaska Board of
Education, will approve of the
added bus service when addi
tional funds are made available
to him for that purpose, possibly
by the next Legislature.
The mothers declare this to be
an emergency situation, in which
three children are being de
prived of school attendance be
cause of lack of transportation.
The school bus. under contract
with Carol Gage, now covers
the main highway as far as Mile
8. Children at the Bear Lake
Lumber mill are carried for an
additional charge of $10 per
month each, and the Moore chil
dren (the only ones on Nash
Road now attending Seward
schools) for a smaller sum.
Mr. Gage offered service to
the Woodland Acres and Bart
lett children for \2 and one-half
cents per ride on a monthly
basis, but the parents feel that
inasmuch as they pay the two
per cent sales tax for any com
modities purchased in Seward,
that a portion of that tax should
be allocated to extra bus service j
for their children, according to I
Mrs. Moore.
Upon the recommendation of
the School Board, the City Coun-|
cil somewhat reluctantly agreed
to pay the sum of $90 per month
for the bus until such time as
Dr. Ryan can consider the situ- j
ation, or until February 1, 1951. ,
The present bus cannot carry
the added 18 children, which
will necessitate the use of a sec
ond vehicle and driver, accord
ing to Gage, who has agreed
with the rural parents to under
take the transportation for S90
per month.
HENNING CARLSON IS
DECLARED DEAD
Henning Carlson, who disap
peared from Nuka Bay seven
years ago, Nov. 3, 1943, was
declared dead by U. S. Commis
sioner Southard, Nov. 3, 1950.
Nothing is known as to the
circumstances of his disappear
ance. A search party lead by
Dave Anderson and Pete Sather
found tracks leading onto the
glacier, but no body was found.
It was supposed that the man
must have fallen into a crevass.
The legal period of waiting.
expired last week and his wife
was notified in Wisconsin.
GERMAIN-RYAN WEDDING
Mrs. Jean Germain and Glen
E. Ryan were married Oct. 31
by U. S. Commissioner, Mrs.
Bonnie L. Southard in her home.
Matron of honor, Mrs. Doris
Smith, and Jack Janicula as j
best man were their attendants, j
Others of the wedding party'
were Howard Smith, Agnes Jani- ■
cula and Gabe Santos.
The Ryans will make their
home in Seward.
An Alaska Railroad repair
gang and pile driver are at work
on the City Dock repairing thej
break caused by the wind and
SS Seafair last week. j
High School Coach
And Fire Department
To Make Skating Rink
Coach Dahlberg offers to clean j
up First Lake swimming hole to
be used as an ice rink, if the
Fire Department will keep it ,
flushed occasionally during'!
freezing weather.
Mr. Dahlberg suggests that
high school boys and girls will
be only too glad to work on the .
snow and debris in order to have ' '
a safe and close place to skate.
Ice on the pool is now six inches |
thick, according to his tests, <
Members of the Fire Depart- (
ment agree to cooperate on the I
project. (
With a good rink, it may be
possible to promote some hockey
this winter, at the very least the i1
lake will eliminate the long trips !'
out of town to other skating [ i
spots. I'
Mr. Brownell, who owns the I;
property where the lake is lo- ’
cated, volunteered to cooperate •
with the scheme by forbidding '
the cutting of ice on the lake 1
this winter if the children can ,
use it for skating.
PASSENGER SERVICE
RESUMED WITH DENALI
i
Passenger service will be re
sumed from Seattle with the; ,
SS Denali, leaving Friday, No- '
vember 10. | ]
Resumption of service was j;
made possible by the agreement,
of the Marine Cooks and Stew
ards' Union to submit to screen
ing. as announced Saturday by
D. E. Skinner, general manager
of Alaska Steamship Company.
Brownell Homestead
Offered To City
Don Carlos Brownell offered
to sell his entire homestead
property, except the home and
the land it occupies, to the City
of Seward for the sum of $12,000
at the meeting of the council
last night. Payments of S100 per
month over a period of 10 years
were the terms offered.
This property consists of about
40 acres, all within the city lim
its, extending from and includ
ing First Lake which adjoins
the Park Reserve, south along
Marathon Mountain west of First
Avenue, including one half mile
of Lowell Canyon, and a strip
at the foot of Bear Mountain to
the bay.
The offer w?as made when the
subject of purchasing a hospital
site was raised by the hospital
board.
Mayor Lanier appointed a
committee of three from the
council to consult with Mr.
Brownell and report at a later.
date. I
CITY JAIL PAINTED
I
The city jail has a new coat of
paint in the hall and cell room. I
A soft, light gray covers the j
heretofore bare concrete wall. 1
Gus Johnson donated the decor
ating material which was ap
plied by the jail attendant, who
also built a door into the east
wall of the office, thus permit
ting more economical heating of
the cell block.
EUROPEAN TOUR SLIDES
SCHEDULED FOR MEETING j
An interesting feature of the
Seward Woman’s Club meeting
to be hqjd Thursday, November
9th at 8 p.m. in the Methodist i
Church parlor, will be color
slides taken by Miss Betty Boyd 1
during her recent holiday spent
in Europe. Miss Boyd will show ;
her slides and comment on her !
tour. ! (
A cordial welcome is extend
ed to the ladies of Seward ahd i
vicinity to attend. i i
Fire Chief Reports Hazards
At Hospital, Ocean View
Five Local Boys In
November Draft Call
Selective Service Board No. 1,
\nchorage, lists five local boys
o be inducted next Tuesday at
i'ort Richardson.
Gene Kirkpatrick, Earl Moore,
jeorge (Bobby) Wells, Francis
Frank) Sanders, and Donald,
smith received notice and travel
irders last week.
Gene Kirkpatrick was born in
Baltimore, Md. He graduated
rom high school in Havre de
jrace, Md., in 1946 and came]
mmediately to Seward with his
irother, Jim, where he worked
'or the Alaska Transfer and
Seward Water Supply until last
^ear when he joined the staff
)f the “Record.” Gene is the son
)f Mrs. Mildred Kirkpatrick.
Donald Smith, son of Mr. and
ilrs. Clyde Smith, was born in
Wexford. Montana. He came to
Maska with his family in 1941.!
;ettling in Moose Pass. They
noved to Seward three years,
ater. Don has worked in local
jarages and more recently for
[Tie Alaska Railroad, where he j
low operates a crane in the
,ards.
Earl Moore was born in Mus
cegon, Mich., the son of Earl
Vfoore. Sr. The family came to
■\laska in 1933. living at or near
Zenana. They moved to Seward
ive years ago. and now have a
lome on Nash Road.
Earl is a fisherman, owner of
he vessel Sortland (which, inci
dentally, he has for sale, in order
:o go into the service). He had
aad luck two years ago when he
lost a boat on the rocks at Mon
tague Island, bu. never gave up
tiis ambition to own a larger
boat, which he accomplished
with the Sortland.
George (Bobby) Wells was
born in Seattle. He has lived in
Seward for three years, driving
taxi and working on the dock.
His family lives in San Fran
cisco.
SCHOOL CARNIVAL HUGE
SUCCESS
The Annual School Carnival
held last Friday night at the
high school was a huge success,
both as an entertainment and
financially, stated Carl Carlson,
Supt. of Schools.
Receipts totaled over $1200.
Expenses are expected to run
high, however, as all merchan
dize was purchased, with the
exception of a few items that
were contributed.
Both staff and student body
worked very hard on the pro
duction. They expressed satis
faction at the fine support of
the townspeople in spite of the
bitter weather Friday night.
OSCAR THORMUNDSON.
OLDTIMER, IS DEAD
Word of the death of Oscar
Thormundson in Seward General
Hospital late Tuesday afternoon
came too late to get all particu
lars in this issue of the Record.
It is known, however, that Mr.
rhormundson was born in Ber
gen, Norway, in 1877. He has
been living at the Ocean View
Apartments. Mr. Thormundson
is the second aged resident of
Ocean View to die in the past 10
lays.
~OW MOOSE KILLED
Carlos Carson, enforcement
lgent for the Fish & Wildlife
service, reports the killing of a
:ow moose near Kasilof.
The animal was shot through
he neck and left lying in the
oad.
Letters from Fire Chief Fred
Kielcheski and Police Chief Dale
Green report fire hazards and
health conditions in Seward to
be serious in at least two pub
lic buildings.
Kielcheski states that over
three weeks ago upon inspecting
Seward General Hospital he in
structed the manager and gen
eral supervisor to take certain
steps to minimize the fire hazard
existing there. Instructions were
to recharge existing fire extin
guishers, to acquire additional
fire extinguishers, to fire-proof
the entire furnace room and to
properly insulate the hot water
tank.
“Tuesday, October 31,” the
report states, “I again inspected
the hospital and to my amaze
ment I found the following:
“Extinguishers not recharged.
No new extinguishers installed;
furnace room not properly in
sulated; and the hot water tank
and boiler a greater fire hazard
than when previously inspected.”
It is understood that since
Nov. 1, date of the report, the
first two items have been reme
died. There has been no report
of change in the furnace room
and boiler, of which Kielcheski
says, “The present condition of
that furnace room would not
pass inspection in any city in
th,.- country. Something must be
done immediately.”
Ocean View Firefrap
Police Chief Green reports
that upon inspection of Ocean
View Apartments by himself,
Chief Kielcheski, Wm. Deering,
Dcp't. of Health Sanitation Offi
cer, and the Public Health
Nurse, Mrs. LaPreal Bie. they
found the place a definite fire
trap as well as a health hazard.
“There was no fire escape
| (steel) on the building. Upon
| further inspection we found . . .
i kerosene, gas and paint sitting
! around the furnace, and the
j place was exteremely dirty
i with trash and garbage being
stored in the basement. Electric
wiring is exposed in the base
ment and the ‘old fellows' (Al
aska pensioners) are sleeping
(Turn to Page 2>
Council To Purchase
New Caterpillar
Street Commissioner A. G.
McRae pointed out to the City
Council at last night's regular
meeting that the condition of
the old city tractor is very poor
and that repairs on it are be
coming increasingly costly. Last
year, major replacements and
repairs amounted to well over
$500.
“The big graders will not ne
gotiate alleys for snow removal,
and rental on caterpillar dozers
amounts to $10 to $12 per hour.
Opening and grading of new
streets, pulling stumps and re
l moval of boulders, require the
; use of a heavy bulldozer, also.”
j “The cost of heavy equipment
; is rising steadily,” stated the
| mayor, “and if we want and
need additional street machines,
now is the time to get them.”
The distributor’s representa
tive for Diesel Caterpillar trac
tors presented a DC-6 for the
total sum of $11,978.50, includ
ing estimated freight and insur
ance charges.
Lengthy and heated discussion
ended in a vote of four in favor
of the purchase with Council
woman Kirkpatrick voting
against and Councilman Whit
more declaring “no vote.” Nego
tiations will b^ entered for pur
chase from the Northern Com
mercial Company of Anchorage.