- SEWARD’S
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81 APORT
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THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VII. No. 43
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, NOV. 28, 1950
Price 10 cents
SPECIAL ELECTION
Hundreds Answer Call
To Fight Forest Fire
Near Sanatorium
Men turned out not by dozens
but by hundreds to fight the
forest fire at the foot of Taylor
Mountain back of the Seward
Sanatorium Saturday night.
Wood cutters working in the
area reported the fire which had
grown out of hand just about
7:30 p.m. The fire alarm called
out the volunteer fire depart
ment and some of the equipment,
which was returned to the sta
tion when the fire chief decid
ed there was nothing more the
trucks could do. It was a matter
of hand fighting with back
packs.
The Army truck and pumper
was kept on the scene however
and the men managed to furnish
water by breaking holes in the
ice on the Jap Creek overflow
stream.
It was soon evident that more
jieip was needed than the fire
men could furnish and a call
was sent out by radio station
XIBH for volunteers. Men of
Seward responded with an over
whelming number. Armed with
buckets, shovels, axes and home
iire extinguishers, they swarmed
out to the fire in cars, trucks,
and the taxi companies carried
men without charge. Virtually
every car and every able bodied
/nan was on the job, within a
matter of 20 or 30 minutes.
Fortunately, even though a
brisk north wind was blowing
and fanned the fire, showering
sparks high into the air, it shift
ed slightly directing the fire up
the mountain rather than toward
the hospital or straight for
Marathon Mountain.
After battling for more than
two hours, most of the blaze was
extinguished, and men returned
to their jobs in town. Firemen,
however, remained on the scene
until early morning to prevent
any possible recurrance.
Four big caterpillar bulldozers
were taken to the area to be
ready for the dozing of a fire
break. They were not used how
ever, as the great number of men
on hand chopped ahead of the
fire and stood guard to beat out
the blaze.
With the temperature around
15 degrees, water froze almost
xnstantly, and with the frost on
the ground, the ground fire was
more easily extinguished.
According to an experienced
forest fire fighter who was pre
sent. this could have been a
serious fire, but it was well
handled by the boys who were
on the ground. There was ample
room for everybody to work,
and everybody did, with 20 men
ready to stomp out every spark
as it settled down.
One man remarked that he
had never seen a greater re
sponse to a call for help as that
given by the volunteers Satur
day night. “It was wonderful,” j
he said.
P-TA TO MAKE PLAN8 FOR
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY I
Seward Parent-Teachers Asso
ciation will meet Wednesday,
Nov. 29, in the high school
study hall to plan for the annual
Christmas tree and children’s
treat. Progress of the hot lunch 1
program will also be reported
and discussed.
OES PLAN BAKE SALE
The Ways and Means Commit
tee of Seward Chapter, Eastern
Star, is planning a bake sale to
be held before Christmas. The
date set is December 10, to be
held in McMullen’s.
Fire Department
Expresses Thanks
The Seward Volunteer Fire
Department expresses official
thanks and appreciation for the
quick response of the many vol
unteers. residents, Army and
Kavy personnel at the fire Sat
urday night.
Mr. Murl Trovethan states
that what stopped the fire was
the many people who battled it
with shovels, clubs and water
cans carried on backs. “If the
fire had worked around a few
yards farther to the sodth,’’ he
said, “it would have been much
more serious and harder to
control.”
Appreciation is also paid to
Lytle & Green, Carl Ling, Stew
ari and Muir, and the City Street
Department for the tractors.
They were not used, but at
first it appeared that they would
be necessary, and all four were
hastened to the scene to stand
by.
Several water-can fire ex
tinguishers are missing and were
probably taken home for safe
keeping. They may be left at
the Fire Hall or at the Dock
Fire Hall, or a call to Mr. Kiel
cheski, Mr. Trevethan or any
member of the Fire Department
will get them picked up at your
home.
GLENN WILLIAMS'
CP.AVE SUNSHINE
Air. and Mrs. Glenn Williams
are leaving Seward via the SS
Denali this week for the express
purpose of soaking up sunshine
after a seven year deficiency
of that delightful element.
The Williams' have lived only
one year in Sewrard, where Mr.
Williams owned and operated
Glenn's Second Hand Store, but
they spent the six previous years
on the island of Latouche in
Prince Wililam Sound. Mrs.
Williams, better known to Sew
ard as “Larry,” is the popular
pianist who has been at the
Nobby Club and Elks Club.
At present they have no plans
for returning to Seward except
for a visit, but their friends
expect to see them oack on the
job after they are well steeped
in that'California sun
Ralph Andrews has taken over
the stock in the store and the
building is under lease to Dr.
R. O. Sellers.
Shipping Mews
The Alaska Steamship Co.
freighter Susitna is due tonight
at 8 o’clock. Passenger ship
Denali should make port by 7
o’clock Thursday morning, and
the freighter Nadina is due on
Saturday.
Coastwise L i n e’s freighter
North Beacon is due sometime
today.
W. S. C. S. TO MEET AT
NURSES HOME
An interesting program has
been prepared for the meeting
of the Woman’s Society of Chris
tian Service, which will be held
at the Nurses Home Thursday
evening, Nov. 30.
Dr. Francis Phillips, surgeon
at the Seward Sanatorium, will
be guest speaker. Hostesses will
include the Misses Frances W.
Clark, Anna Martin and lone
Francis.
Mrs. Troy Bogard, president
of the Society, reported that the
bazaar held Saturday in the
Seward Memorial Church prov
ed successful and a large crowd
turned out.
'Whitey" Smith,
Well Known Alaskan,
Taken by Death
Albert Smith, loved by many
in Seward, but known only as
“Whitey,” passed away at the
age of 62 in Seward General
Hospital, Monday, at 3:05 p.m.,
after a long illness.
Mr. Smith left no definite
address of any relatives, al
though it is thought that he had
a sister in California. He was
born in Ohio, Oct. 20, 1888.
Loving the out-of-doors, he came
to Seward in 1033, where he
built a cabin in Resurrection
Pass, that was home to anyone
who passed by or wished to use
it in his absence.
His friends often tell the
story of a search party in 1045
or '40, looking for a steward
off a ship who was reported
missing from a fishing trip. The
party was climbing Lost Lake
Trail late in the evening, when !
Whitey’s sharp eyes caught sight
of a hand in the stream 75 feet
below the trail. Investigation
discovered the missing man who
had fallen into the stream.
Whitey’s cabin in the Pass
is a land mark and a way sta-,
tion for all hunters in the dis
trict. He was a friend to every
one, but his particular intimates
are Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kiel-,
cheski, who have charge of1
I funeral arrangements, \v h i c h i
I will be announced later.
Police News
I
| Police Chief Green made the'
‘public announcement today that
• because of actions unbecoming
an officer, Clark Ferguson is no
longer connected with the Sew
i ard Police Department in any
way.
1 At the present time there are
‘ no extra men on the force, the
only officers being Chief Green,
Patrolman Floyd Evans and Pa
trolman Harry Hall.
Twelve citations were issued
during the past four days by the
local department and the High
way Patrol, ten of them within
the city. Reckless driving, speed
ing and improper parking
brought fines of $25, S10 and
€5 each.
Three men spent the weekend
in city jail for drunkenness. An
other was fined in Commission
! er's Court, $25 on each of two
charges. He pleaded guilty to
: operating a car without an oper
ator’s license either on his per
son or in the car, and to operat
ing a car carrying only one
license plate.
Moose Pass News
Frankie Estes, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ed Estes, celebrated his
second birthday with a party
held at the home of his grand
mother, Mrs. Leora Roycroft,
Thursday, Nov. 23. Guests were
Mrs. Elliot and son Freddie, Mrs.
Merrit and son Billy, Mrs. Ra
cine and daughter Carol Ann,
Mrs. Jacobs and daughter Rita,
Billy Foster, Bruce Brattain,
Jess Estes, Pat Estes, Mr. and
Mrs. Clyde Smith, Pickles and
Rocky from Moose Pass and Mrs.
Harold Clark and son Jimmy,
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Sanders, Win
nie, Betty and Don Sanders from
Seward. Frankie blew out the
candles on his birthday cake in
one try. Cake and punch were
served to the junior guests and
cake and coffee for the adults.
Mrs. Phil Sanders is visiting
with her daughter, Mrs. Ed
Estes.
Second Concert
Set for Dec 7
The second concert of the
season by the Seward Concert
Association will be presented
Thursday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m. in
the Methodist Church.
Desire Ligeti, leading bass of
New York City Center Opera
and the San Francisco Opera
Association, will be the artist,
with Marcus Gordon as accom
panist.
Single tickets will be on sale
at the door for $3.00 each.
Immediately after the concert
there will be a reception honor
ing the.artists in the church par
lors. Alaska lota Chapter of
Beta Sigma Phi will hold the
reception. All music lovers are
invited to attend and meet Mr.
Ligeti and Mr. Gordon.
Postpone High School
Sports Show
The annual sports show put
on by the Sea Ilawks and physi
cal education classes of Seward
High School has been postponed
until Dec. 3.
A tentative schedule for bas
ketball games in Anchorage and
Palmer has been set up for Dec.
21) and 21. This gives the young
sters more time to perfect their
sports show.
All games with Fairbanks
have been cancelled for this
year. The Sea Hawks may not
participate in Rendezvous games
except upon an invitational
basis. This, however, has not
been definitely settled.
CONSTRUCTION INTERESTS
TO HEAR OF 1351-52
BUILDING PROGRAM
All construction interests in
Alaska will have an opportunity
to learn the details oi the 1951
52 building program of the mili
tary at a briefing in Anchorage
on December 9th, according to
Larry Moore of the Associated
General Contractors who is
handling arrangements.
Col. L. E. Seaman, District En
gineer at Fort Richardson, will
discuss the building oi Army and
Airforce projects throughout the
Territory and outline the influ
ence of the program on the ci
vilian economy of Alaska at
large.
Subjects to be covered by Col.
Seaman include appropriations
now available and planned for
the future, manpower require
ments, housing needs for peak
employment periods, procure
ment and shipping of construc
tion materials and local pur
chases of various supplies.
The meeting will open at 10
a.m. December 9 in the KENI
studio. According to Moore no
formal invitations are required
but all contractors, sub-contrac
tors, suppliers, transportation
agencies and allied building in
terests are requested to attend.
ENJOYING TOUR
Mrs. Ingcbord Jensen, mother
of Mrs. Ingor Watsjold, will
arrive in Denmark early in De
cember, where she will visit
relatives. Mrs. Jensen left Se
attle about Oct. 13 aboard the
Motorship Manchuris, one of 10
passengers on the little vessel.
They cruised down the coast,
through the Panama Canal, vi
siting the Virgin Islands, Eng
land, Ireland, and are about
now at Hamburg, Germany. The
next stop will be Denmark,
where Mrs. Jensen’s family live.
She writes that the trip has
been beautiful and restful. She
will be back in Seward some
time next summer.
Monday, December 11 was set
by the City Council as the date
of the special election in which
the people of Seward are to pass
on three important issues.
POWER BONDS
In view of the great increase
in power demands within the
city, it is “absolutely necessary”
to increase the output of electric
power in the city plant, accord
ing to a statement from the
Utility Board. The plant cannot
carry even the present load safe
ly, and any increase would be
impossible with the equipment
now in use.
Ordinance No. 206 was passed
by the Council in a special meet
ing Friday night to become effec
tive upon the vote of the people.
The ordinance provides for the
issuing of revenue bonds in the
extent of $200,000 or any part
thereof deemed necessary for
the installation of a new 7o0 kw
diesel generator, and a building
to house this and future equip
ment.
An approximate estimate by
architects Manly & Mayer on a
building, which would be an
addition to the present plant was
given as $40,000. This building
is designed to house the pro
posed generator and future
additions.
FRANCHISE ORDINANCE
Ordinance No. 205, which is
the second proposition on the
special election is. the ATEC
Telephone Franchise.
This ordinance was prepared
by the city attorney in prefer
ence to the original one proposed
by the company. Although it
incorporates most of the com
pany’s proposals, it is slightly
more liberal in one clause', and
some of the original wording has
been eliminated. This appears to
be a rock bound and fool proof
ordinance, entirely fair for both
the city and the company.
Among other things it pro
vides tree phones for the use of
police station and fire hall. A
20 year joint pole use provides
for the use of city power poles
with a yearly rental of one dol
lar each, but allows the company
to erect and maintain their own
poles or ground cables in sec
tions where joint use is not
feasible.
Under the ordinance the com
pany cannot raise the rates over
those established by the fran
1 ciiise withont the consent oi the
people in a public meeting, regu
larly called and duly recorded.
With the installation ox an ade
quate, manually operated switch
board within the next year, the
present rates are to be increased
about lu per cent, but not until
said expanded equipment and
increased service is actually in
operation.
A war clause was added to the
time limit tor the installing of
an automatic system. The limit
is given as 3 years, but the war
clause allows for the restrictions
imposed on the Department of
Defense covering manufacture
and sale of communications
equipment.
This franchise is the first step
in a proposed intra-peninsula
communications system which
would link Seward with Homer,
Kenai and all Kenai Peninsula
communities as well as Anchor
age.
BROWNELL HOMESTEAD
PURCHASE
The third proposition on the
ballot is the purchase of the 260
acres comprising the Brownell
Homestead. This purchase ties
in with the hospital and nurses
InnH for which must be
made available before building
iw0oiiatiOns cfm be entered into
th either the government or
i