SEWARD’S
All-tWeatker
SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Seward SeaporrRecord
Alaska Historical Libr
•nd Museum -
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD, ALASKA
Vol. VII, No. 2
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1950
Price 10 Cents
Hatch Remains
Champion Of
Marathon Race
Seward's own Ralph Hatch |
held his crown in the hotly con
tested Mt. Marathon Race July
Fourth, for the fifth straight by
winning with the official time
of 58:10.
Donald Stickman, from Nu
lato on the Yukon, ran a close
second with a time of 60:00. and
John McCall. Fairbanks, came
in third with the running time
of 64:35. Stickman and McCall
were climbing the mountain for
the first time. They followed
Hatch, and at several points
Stickman was ahead. He round
ed the judge’s stand at the peak
in 38 minutes with a lead of
about 75 yards, but lost the lead
on the descent. Both Hatch and
Stickman took bad falls on the
down run, but Hatch appeared
to be in good condition at the
finish. Stickman and McCall
showed severe exhaustion, as
did several others of the contest
ants.
Of 18 entries, 10 rounded the
peak, which is a better than
average record. The day was
clear and at the start of the
race at 5:10 p.m. the tempera
ture was 61 degrees. Photo
graphing the climb itself was
difficult if not impossible from
the town because of the sun
back of the mountain.
Robert Dietrich, the Navy
entrant from the USS Mahopac,
never having scouted the trail,
became lost from the main
group, but not to be outdone,
completed the climb after the
rest had returned from the
peak. He said the view from
the top was well worth the
effort.
One young fellow, Marshall
Cardiff, a University of Califor
nia student, who is working at
Girdwood for the summer, was
in Seward for the first time.
He entered the race, coming in
about sixth or seventh, pretty
well done in. but after a shower
he returned to Girdwood on the
special train.
Others rounding the peak
were Chas. J. Poindexter, Earn
est Baumann, of Homer, Oliver
Amend, Bob Eyinck, airport en
gineer, and Herbert Winans.
Donald Stickman, the chal
lenger for next year, was born
in Nulato, a village 18 miles
from the juncture of the Koyu
kuk River and the Yukon. He
is 28 years old, 5 feet, 8 inches
in height, weight 145 pounds.
He grew up on snow shoes and
driving a dog sled. Now he
holds a commercial pilot’s li
cense for instrument flying, and
arrived in Seward piloting a
Cessna plane. He says that he
intends to train on Mt. Mara
thon next year if possible, and
will challenge the world for the
race, even including Ralph
Hatch with his record of wins.
RECEPTION TONIGHT FOR
DR. PHILLIPS'
The people of Seward are in
vited to attend the reception for
Dr. Francis J. Phillips, thoracic
surgeon at the Seward Sana
torium. The reception will be
held tonight, July 7, in the din
ing room of the Sanatorium be
tween the hours of 7 and 9
o'clock.
Dr. Phillips took up his duties
at the Sanatorium in June after
two years in Louisiana. Other
experience includes that of
thoracic surgeon at the VA hos
pitals at Temple, Texas and Mar
quette, Michigan, and a year as
instructor of thoracic surgery at
the University of Chicago.
Alaska's Boy Scouts
Report From
Famous Valley Forge
Alaska's contingent of 37 boys
and five men arrived early on
the morning of June 27 at Valley
Forge, Pa., for their three-day
pre-Jamboree training camp, ac
cording to a report received
from scout executive Maurice
Powers, in charge of the group.
The group left Alaska June 12,
sailing from Seward on the
steamship Alaska and picking up
members as the vessel sailed
south. After a one-day stay at
the Y.M.C.A. in Seattle, they
went on to St. Paul where they
joined the 350 Seattle scouts
with whom they travelled, in a
swim at Lake Phelan. Proceed
ing on to Chicago they were the
guests of Marshall Field Com
pany for a special sightseeing
tour, big league ball game, and
luncheon. From Chicago the
group went to Washington, D.C.,
where they were met by Council
President George Parks and
Alaska's Delegate Bob Bartlett.
Six hours of sightseeing at the
nation's capitol included a visit
to Mt. Vernon and a tour of the
important shrines and buildings.
Formal opening of the Jam
boree was June 30. when the
entire assemblage of 45.000 boys
and men participated in a huge
celebration. Alaska's delegation
comprises one troop of Section
30, each section having over
1,000 scouts.
Alaska's boys have two genu
ine totem poles with them,
which they are using in the
(Turn to Page 4)
UNUSUAL PETS PARADED
ON JULY FOURTH
Hamsters, a turtle and a pet
owl on a chain were added to
the usual collection of cats, kit
tens, rabbits, chickens and dogs
in the pet parade this year. This
was the second annual Pet Pa
rade sponsored by McMullen's
Dress and Gift Shop.
Every child who had entered
a pet in the parade received a
prize of some kind. It was quite
a struggle for some of the tots
whose pets decided to leave the
line of march before reaching
the end of the route.
RAINBOW GIRLS WIN FIRST
PRIZE FOR FLOATS
First prize of S50 for the best
float went to Seward Assembly,
Order of Rainbow for Girls.
Seward Junior Women's Club
took second prize, S35. and third
prize went to Seward Elks.
Judges w'ere Mrs. Helen Brosius,
Bob Durall. and Chester A.
Lamb, USX.
GREASED PIG CHASE
Young Donald Strutz caught
the greased pig. provided by Pat
Bogan for the fun. It is said that
the porker must have slipped
away again, since it was seen
leading the chase down Railroad
Street later in the day.
KIDS SCRAMBLE FOR CANDY
FROM THE SKY
At about 3:00 o'clock in the
afternoon there was a wild
scramble over the fairway on
lower Fourth Avenue, when ap
proximately 300 kids went wild
over a show of candy parachut
ed from ‘the air by “Tiny” Tra
kowski and Gil Anthony, Sew
ard pilots. A few free airplane
rides were sprinkled among the
candy bars which added to the
fun. Whether the fluttering para
chutes landed on the street or
atop the buildings made little
difference, in a short time, every
one had been salvaged.
PILLARS-NORLEY
Miss Elsie Pillars and Mr.
Alfred W. Norley were united
in marriage in a quiet ceremony
at the home of U. S. Commis
sioner Anna B. Southard at
7 p.m. on July 5th.
Gov. Grueiiing
To Be Here
July Fourteen
Word was received by Mayor
Lanier July 5th, from Governor
Gruening that the Seward air
port will be constructed this:
year as proposed. To support his
word, the Governor will arrive
in town Friday, July 14. He will
remain over night, and requests
that the people of Seward meet
with him to discuss the situation
in general.
The meeting is set for 8:00
p.m. in the City Council cham
bers. All interested townspeople
are asked to be present, and to
have a correlated program of
questions to which we wish def
inite answers.
Special Train on 4th
Said Largest Ever
The 4th of July special train
on the ARR was reported to be
the largest civilian train in the
history of Alaska. Seven crowd
ed coaches left Anchorage an
hour late, being forced to wait
for additional coaches to carry
the crowd, so much larger than
i was expected by railroad offi
cials. It pulled into Seward at
2:19 p.m. with 640 passengers,
i many of whom had never taken
j the trip over the world famous
; Loop at Portage and Tunnel,
! and who had never seen Sew
ard. The city made a good im
pression on the crowd as a
i whole. The race was a thrill
; to all, even though there were
; hundreds of lame necks and
; strained eyes afterward.
People were found in groups
or singly at every point of van
tage, and there was no surface
noise during the race. When the
two runers in the lead were seen
! to start down the cliff, the
crowd hurried to the finish
line on Fourth Avenue and the
loud speakers to see and hear
the results. Amazement was the
; predominating emotion of the
hour. Even after watching the
whole race, people had trouble
i to believe their own eyes at
the amazing time made on the
climb of 3022 feet, one and a
quarter miles through town,
and return.
Mr. E. F. Senft of Mile Six,
made the greatest profit on his
investment on the day, to the
tune of S2500.
JESSE LEE STAFF MEMBER
TREKS 1400 MILES
IN PANHANDLE
Miss Helen Case, member of
the staff at Jesse Lee Home, re
turned Monday from a trek of
1400 miles through Southeastern
Alaska during her 18-day vaca
tion.
Miss Case used six modes of
travel. She had no reservations
and more or less hitchhiked by
any boat or plane that had a
vacancy. Leaving Seward by
train, she joined Mrs. Gertrude
Jurgeleit,, former Public Health
nurse of Seward. They took a
Jeep to Haines where they visit
ed at Haines House, a children’s
home similar to the one here.
At Haines, Miss Case got pas
sage on the barge Chilkoot to
Juneau, the mail boat Yakobi to
Petersburg, a plane to Sitka
where she visited old friends at
the Sheldon Jackson Junior Col
lege and Mt. Edgecumbe, then
boarded the SS Denali for Sew
ard.
She saw more country and
visited more celebrated spots on
the trip than she had seen dur
ing her nearly three years resi
dence in the Panhandle, Miss
Case said.
Navy Men Become
Honorary Officials
Of City of Seward
In a colorful ceremony in
City Council Chambers Monday
night, July 3rd, men of the
USS Mahopac became Honorary
Mayor and Councilmen of the
City of Seward, to hold office
for the period of 24 hours.
Samuel S. Dodd, 'Engineman
1st class, Osawatomie, Kansas,
received the oath as Honorary
Mayor. Chief of Police was
William F. Ward, Chief Metal
smith, from Anniston, Alabama.
Raymond S. Kohlman, Fireman,
from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was
made Honorary Fire Chief. The
honorary chief spent the rest!
of the night painting his helmet'
so as to act in the fire drill on |
the 4th.
Five Honorary Councilmen
were installed: Chester R. Elam,
Hospitalman, of Clearwater, Cal
ifornia; William W. Welsh, Quar
termaster 2nd class, of Tamaqua,
Penna.; Albin A. Koziol, En
gineman 3rd class, of Columbus,
Nebraska; Johnny D. Whitley,
Seaman, of Albemarle, North
Carolina: and S. A. Corbitt,
Fireman, of Noma, Florida.
Lt. Howard W. Jones, Com
manding Officer of the USS
Mahopac. was made Sanitation
Officer so as not to hurt his J
feelings or to have him feeling j
slighted. V. P. Berti, Executive j
Officer. USS Mahopac, received !
the position of Honorary Dog j
Catcher, and H. H. Green, En-1
gineering Officer, became Hon-|
(Turn to Page 4)
FORMER SEWARDITE VISITS
HERE ON FOURTH
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fritz came
down from Anchorage for the
Seward Fourth of July and visit
ed many friends here. Mrs.
Fritz is the former Eleanor
Holt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Harry Holt, who lived in Sew
ard for many years. Mr. Holt
was superintendent of schools
here.
Mrs. Fritz reported that her
father is living in Spokane but
at the moment is out westward
where he is employed at a can
nery .
Edward Holt, Mrs. Fritz's
brother, received his doctorate
in chemistry at the age of 26
and is now living and working
in San Francisco.
VACATION BIBLE TIME AT
ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHAPEL
j A good time for all youngsters
' between the ages of 4 and 14
years is promised at the Vaca
tion Bible School to begin July
17 in the Assembly of God
Chapel. |
Quite a number of children
i are already enrolled so children
should be sure and be present on
the initial enrollment day, July
17.
Miss Ruth Anderson, who re
cently returned to Alaska under
appointment from the Home
Missions Department of the As
semblies of God is to superin
tend the school.
She will be backed by a staff
of the best of teachers. Classes
begin at 9 a.m. and last until 12
noon.
LOCAL METHODISTS LEAVE
FOR CONFERENCE
The Seward group and Rev.
and Mrs. James Heilbrun, Unga,
will leave on the SS Aleutian
tonight for the Methodist Con
ference in Juneau.
Seward representatives are
Rev. and Mrs. Paul Irwin, Mr.
and Mrs. Geo. V. Green, Mr. Tom
Howell, Miss Ruth Murrell and
Miss Barbara McGhee. Miss
McGhee will continue on to the
States after the conference for
a year’s Jeave of absence to rest
and study, after which she will
return to Jesse Lee Home in I
Seward. I
Interior Dept.
Reply Very
Indefinite
Last month when the annual
excitement anent the disposi
tion of the ARR in Seward was
at its height, Mayor Eugene
Lanier wrote to Secretary Chap
man, Department of the Interior,
requesting a definite word that
would settle once and for all
the unrest in Seward, saying
that the economic balance of
the city must be adjusted to
compensate for a possible with
drawal of the railroad. Copies
of a letter from Delegate Bart
lett to the Interior Department
were sent here, saying that it
is owing to the people of Sew
ard that Department officials
recognize their right to know
the future plans, and that the
decision one way or the other
should be made known.
The following indecisive letter
saying exactly nothing in 139
words was received today:
July 3. 1950
My dear Mayor Lanier:
“This will acknowledge your
letter of June 12 regarding the
Seward-Portage line of The Al
aska Railroad and the dock
facilities at Seward.
“This Department fully appre
ciates the great importance of
this question to the people of
Seward. It is precisely because
of its importance that no simple
and final positive solution has
yet been reached. Involved are
taptical and strategic military
considerations, operating prob
lems of the railroad, develop
ment of highways, and the in
dustrial and commercial future
of the rail belt. Also of vital
importance is the attitude of
Congress towards further appro
priations for reconstruction of
the railroad. We are using our
best efforts to develop a plan
which will have the maximum
advantages in view of all the
factors involved.
“You will be advised of any
proposed change in service to
Seward as far in advance as
possible.
“Sincerely yours,
William E. Warne
Acting Secretary of the
Interior”
Nothing was said in theMay
or's letter about the present
management of the ARR, since
responsibility for the disposition
of the Seward - Portage end
seems to be out of the hands of
local management and to rest
entirely with the Interior De
partment. It seemed, therefore,
only fair that the department
should stop quibbling and give
the people a definite reply.
RETIRED HEAD OF U.S.F.W.S.
SEWARD VISITOR
Dr. Ira Gabrielson, retired
head of the U. S. Fish and Wild
life Service, and now president
of Wildlife Management Insti
tute, visited Carlos Carson,
game warden, over the 4th of
July holidays.
Dr. Gabrielson, who had been
up to Colville, Alaska, helping
to make a survey of the wildfowl
breeding grounds there, is now
on his way back home to Wash
ington, D.C. He stated that they
had unusually good weather at
Colville and accomplished in
five days what they had expect
ed would take them three weeks.
He reported that, according to
the results of the survey in the
Colville area, the wildfowl pop
ulation there is about the same
as last year.
Dr. Gabrielson was with the
Fish and Wildlife Service for
31 years.