SEWARD’S
All-cWeatltec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport Record
iu:r»
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VI, No. 30
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1949
Price 10 Cents
Census Of Bus.
For Seward
Is Under Way
Taking of the Federal business
census for Seward and the Seward
Recording District area of the
Kenai Peninsula began yesterday.
Paul Solka, Divisional Supervisor
for the Second and Fourth Divi
sions, arrived in Seward this week
to take the census.
Solka explained that the unusu
ally large increase in population
in the Third Division during the
past 10 years placed a heavy work
load on those charged with taking
the census in this Division. Ac
cordingly, when work was com
pleted in the Second and Fourth
Divisions, Clarence Keating, Ter
ritorial Census Supervisor, ordered
Solka here to assist in completion
of the business census.
Today Solka left with Territorial
Highway Patrolman George Puck
ett to enumerate the Seward-Hope
Highway area and the Kenai area.
The Highway Patrol has kindly
consented to furnish .transportation
for the work, he said.
Solka emphasized that the busi
ness census is a federal project,
authorized by Congress, and is not
in any way connected with Ter
ritorial Or other Federal agencies.
Reports submitted by business men
are secret and will be used only
for the compilation of general
figures by the Bureau of Census.
No other governmental agencies
has access to the reports which are
entirely confidential.
While this is the first time that
a business census has been ordered
in Alaka and Hawaii, the census
has been a regular duty of the
Department of Commerce in the
United States since first authorized
in 1928 when Herbert Hoover was
secretary of commerce. At that
time the business census was made
part of the work of the Bureau of
Census at the request of business
organizations throughout the U. S.
Splendid cooperation of business
men in Fairbanks, Nenana and
Nome speeded completion of the
census in that area, according to
Solka. Before assuming his duties
with the Bureau of Census in July
of this year, Solka was editor of
Jessen’s Weekly in Fairbanks.
Taking of the regular population
census will begin after the first
of the year.
C OF C VOTES TO COOPERATE
WITH CITY COUNCIL
At the regular meeting of the
Seward Chamber of Commerce last
night a resolution was passed to
assure the City Council by letter
that the Chamber of Commerce of
fers 100 per cent cooperation in any
and all propositions to the benefit
of the community.
FALLS CREEK MINE 1
CLOSES FOR SEASON
With snow and cold weather
posing a serious problem, the Falls
Creek Mine near Moose Pass has !
completed operations for the sea- i
son with the exception of a small
amount of milling that remains to
be done.
According to Mel Horner, one of
the owners, the mine has had a!
very successful summer, during
which twenty men were employed
and some heavy equipment added. •
The company expects to enlarge I
its operations next year.
You Can't Get a Good
Man Down...
Especially Soper!
A stout fellow, himself, H. Martin
Soper was not too stricken by the
$85,000 loss when his tourist lodge
on beautiful Lake Kenai was de
stroyed by fire last week, but he
was almost overcome by the kind
ness and sympathy expressed by
hundreds of his friends here.
The disastrous fire had scarcely
begun to cool down before Soper
was making plans to rebuild. While
he was grateful for the many offers
of aid he received, Soper will de
pend on his own resources to re
coup his losses. As one admiring
friend put it, “Soper' greatest asset
is Soper.”
One of the first things he did
after the fire was to bring a num
ber of excellent furs into town to
be sold. They were disposed of
through the Alaska Shop by a pub
lic sale.
Simeon Oliver To Give
Concert Here Friday
Simeon Oliver, noted Aleut pian
ist, lecturer and writer, whose na
tive name is Nutehuck, will be in
Seward for a piano concert to be
held under the auspices of the
Methodist Church Choir, Oct. 21.
There will be no admission fee
for the concert, but donations for
the organ fund will be received.
Personally autographed copies* of
Simeon Oliver’s books will be on
sale also.
Ladies of the Church are holding
a reception after the concert in
the church parlors, where refresh
ments will be served.
Oliver, being Alaska’s own, and
very popular, preparations are be
ing made to accomodate a large
crowd.
MOOSE PASS' WILD GAME
DINNER IS SUCCESS
A hundred and fifty guests thor
oughly enjoyed themselves at the
third annual Wild Game Dinner
by the Sportsmen's Club at Moose
Pass last Saturday evening.
Although, for some unexplain
able reason there was no bear
meat, the table was laden with
moose and goat meat prepared in
a variety of recipes.
It was another of the all-Alaska
dinners for which the Kenai Pen
insula is becoming famous. All
food served was produced on the
peninsula, and each item on the
menu was prepared in several dif
ferent ways.
Plans for entertainment fell by
the way, but at the last minute,
Robert Hartwell, well known safety
man for the Alaska Railroad, came
to the rescue with a two-and-a-half
hour showing of his color slides.
Even after that length of time the
audience didn't want him to stop.
Dancing had not been planned,
but after the pictures were shown
the guests started dancing of their
own accord, and they did not stop
dancing until four o’clock Sunday
morning.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND DP'S TO
ARRIVE IN U. S. PORTS
Washington — Thirteen chartered
vessels are expected this month
in United States ports with 14,900
displaced persons from Europe, the
U.N. International Refugee Organ
ization here announced.
The incoming refugees, who have
been selected under the terms of
the U. S. Displaced Persons Act
of 1948, are scheduled to dock in
New York, Boston and New Or
leans.
Last Rites For
Mrs. Bolan By
O.E.S. Sunday
Eastern Star funeral services will
take place at the Masonic Hall in
Seward Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for
Mrs. Jean Bolan, wife of Alex
Bolan, famous Alaska guide, who
died of a heart ailment Wednesday
afternoon.
Mrs. Bolan's last illness was of
less than a week's duration, and
she is reported to have passed away
quietly in her sleep at 4:30
Wednesday afternoon, about four
hours after being admitted to the
Seward General Hospital for treat
ment.
With the exception of her hus
band, Mrs. Bolan had no living
relatives. Born in Chicago, she
came to Seward about twenty
years ago. Prior to her arrival in
Seward she spent some time in
other Alaska towns. She and Mr.
Bolan lived for many years at
Cooper Landing.
Friends are invited to visit the
Adkins Funeral Home between the
hours of ten in the morning and
one in the afternoon.
DINNER TO HONOR METHODISi'
OFFICIALS TONIGHT
A “Carry-In" dinner will be held
tonight in the Methodist Church
to honor Rev. Frederick L. Peder
son of Philadelphia, son of the
founder of the Seward Methodist
Church, and Dr. Gordon Gould.
.Supt. of the Alaska Mission of the
Methodist Church. After dinner. Dr.
Gould will conduct the Quarterly
Conference.
Rev. Pederson will be guest
speaker at the 11:00 o'clock service
on Sunday morning. Many of the
older residents of Seward will re
member Mr. Pederson who attend
ed school here as a boy. His father,
the late Rev. L. H. Pederson, es
tablished the first Methodist
church in the city in 1906, holding
services in a tent on 4th Avenue in
the block between the present
church and the bank building. He
remained as pastttr from 1906 to
1916.
This is the first visit for Mr.
Pederson since the family left
Alaska. He recalls a hunting trip
with his father in 1910. when they
walked to the present site of An
chorage. They walked along the
shores of Turnagain Arm. some
times wading in tiie water because
there was no trail, and where An
chorage now stands was still wil
derness. He was amazed at the
city now standing there, and of
course finds Seward much changed
with streets and homes in what
was then largely woods.
IN APPRECIATION
Any thanks expressed are entirely
inadequate to tell of our deep ap
preciation for all the kindness
shown us by friends and strangers
after fire destroyed our home and
business at Lake Kenai last week.
We do. however, wish to say that
we are very grateful.
H. Martin Soper and Family.
LIONS LADIES' NIGHT
Seward Lions and their ladies
will? be entertained at a waffle sup
per Saturday evening at the Sew
ard Methodist Church basement.
Ladies’ Night is an annual enter
tainment of the Lions Club to
which Lions and their Ladies are i
invited as well as the Ladies and !
their friends. •
Mile 58 to Portage
Section Of Highway
Nearly Completed
The Mile 58-Portage section of
the new highway from Seward to
Anchorage has reached its final
stage. All bridges are completed
and it is expected that within the
next couple of weeks construction
crews will have moved out entirely.
This leaves only the final section
along Turnagain Arm from Portage
to Potter to be completed, and it
is hoped that by next year that
section will be passable for traffic.
Between Portage and Potter it is
necessary to make a rock fill for
many miles between the moun
tains and the shore. The railbed of
The Alaska Railroad will be moved
farther away from the mountain
side to make room for the highway.
Lytle and Green of Des Moines,
Iowa, were the contractors for the
Mile 58 section now being finished.
Munter-Phillips had the sub-con
tract for all bridges on the stretch
of road. The difficult construction
job called for excavating a large
amount ot rock in the mountainous
terrain through which it winds its
way.
Munter also had the contract for
the Kenai River Bridge, which is
also just about completed. At the
present time the company has no
more contracts to build bridges, but
more such work is expected next
year, and the company will con
tinue its office in Seward.
Businesses Close To
Observe Alaska Day
Next Tuesday is Alaska Day. a
legal holiday in the Territory. All
grocery.stores have agreed to nose
their doors for celebration o the
holiday and the Bank of Seward
will also be closed.
While no general announcement
has been made, it is expected tha.
other places of business will follow
suit.
No public celebration has been
arranged to date, although in other
parts of the Territory elaborate ar
langements are under way for a
grand celebration of what is hoped
will be the final Alaska Day cele
bration. Proponents of statehood
feel that when October 18 rolls
around next year Alaska will no
longer be a territory, but will be
looking forward to its first anni
versary as a state.
SOURDOUGH BILL SENDS
REGARDS TO SEWARD FRIENDS
Mayor Eugene N. Lanier received
a letter Thursday from William
Patterson — “Sourdough EMI” —
from Puyallup, Washington, where
he is visiting with his old friend.
Pete Ogle.
Bill says he's having a grand
time with his old friends and en
joying himself, but still feels a
little lost. He was especially anx
ious that his many friends here
should know he is grateful for the
fine send-off they gave him.
SCHOOL CHORUS ENTERTAINS
LIONS CLUB FRIDAY
A group of seventh and eighth
grade girls of the Seward Public
Schools entertained the Lions Club
with six choral numbers at its reg
ular meeting.
The group, singing under the di
rection of Miss Shirley Calnan, gave
an excellent performance of some
very difficult numbers. The final
number on the program was Brahms'
Lullaby with Donna Wells taking a
solo part.
Unions Boycott
Trade With Asa
Lathrop Crew
Marine unions are serving notice
to all places of business that cater
to seamen that they will withdraw
their patronage from any business
that trades with the crew of the
“Asa Lathrop.”
Little or nothing is known about
the ship which came recently from
the east coast to enter the Alaska
trade. Seamen on ships stopping
at Seward have called it a "ghost
ship.”
Labor Trouble
A source of labor trouble where
ever it has called since leaving the
east coast, she was known to have
left Tacoma on Oct. 7, and had
been picketed there. The under
standing wras that the ship might
be sailing for Haines, Alaska.
Armed Crew
Sailors claimed the crew of the
Asa Lathrop is a floating goon
squad whose sole purpose is to
break labor unions engaged in
west coast trade. According to
their stories, crew members are
armed. Besides doing their work
as crew members, sailors report,
the crew of the mystery ship also
does all stevedoring work and car
go handling.
I Boycott Notice
The boycott notice being posted
! by marine unions in Alaska ports
! reads as follows:
"We are today serving notice to
all places of business that cater
to seaman’s trade.
"We will boycott all places of
business that cater to Asa Lathrop
or their trade.
"Seamen that have traded here
all these years and have always
given you our patronage, don't
want goons, finks and gangsters
such as the Lathrop crew to take
our jobs and we know, as fair
people, that you don't want finks
as customers.
"However, if these finks trade
here—we will not!’’
The word “fink" is generally
used in reference to hired strike
breakers. These men are not
“scabs", because they don't want
jobs for themselves. Their onlyr
purpose is to break up a union
or to take control of it.
NEW GREEN LANTERN OPEN
B* HALLOWE EN
The Green Lantern Tavern at
Mile 5Vt> will be open by Hallow
e'en, owner Ted LaValle stated
Thursday.
A 40 by 60 foot building of
cinder-block construction is rapidly
nearing completion to take the
place of the building recently de
stroyed by fire.
One of Seward’s most popular
spots before the fire, the Green
Lantern expects to resume its
place in entertainment with an
all Hawaiian band and to serve
again the type of dinners for which
it was known.
LOCAL GIRL IS MAGAZINE
WRITER
Jerry Richardson, product of
Seward High School, daughter of
Mrs. Phil Harding, has a feature
article in “Western Horseman,”
September issue, entitled “Horses
in Alaska.”
In the article she tells of a trip
made on horseback to deliver the
horses to Fred Henton’s for his
first rodeo.
THE SEA HAWKS’ SPORTS SHOW
Benefit High School Athletic Fund
Seward Hi Gym - 8 P.M. - Friday, October 14