Juneau Observing "Warm"
(Continued from Pg. 1)
Deputy Commissioner of ‘Public
"Works, the moment his boss left
town, made public a letter in which
he stated that the four million dol
lar highway supplemental appropri
ation was not needed, or that some
highway officials were making un
authorized public statements indi
cating the organization was falling
apart.
With disclosure of Johnson’s let
ter. however, the governor appar
ently decided that the game had
gone on long enough, that many
•who had been urging the Legisla
ture to “take the road program out
of politics" had in fact made Sher
ard's dismissal a political football.
The governor began the second
day of spring by issuing a stinging
denunciation of Sheradd, setting
forth, for the first time, some of the
reasons why he could no longer
trust his former highway chief, why
he thought Sherard no longer
capable of administering forty mil
lion dollars of public money.
Hardly had this declaration had
time to sink in when Egan fired
assistant state highway engineers
Donald R. Roser and A. G. Gard
ner and accepted Johnson's resigna
tion. Few considered it a coinci
dence that at the same time Com
missioner of Public Works Downing
fired his deputy, L. D. Wilson.
Minced No Words
Egan minced no words in an
nouncing his action. The events of
the recent past, said Egan, "con
vince me that personal politics and
self-interested intrigue have de
stroyed the usefulness of some top
level administrators in the Depart
ment of Public Works."
In other words, the governor ap
parently believed that not only had
the highway officials in question
gone too far in previous actions, but
that they had also been responsible
for the writing of the Johnson let
ter and its clandestine release.
Surprisingly, a good many Alas
kans who only knew of the situa
tion what they read in the papers
—which by no means necessarily
reflect the true story—have ap
plauded the governor’s actions. His
office reports that a significant
volume of mail has been received
since the housecleaning and that it
overwhelmingly endorses his de
cision.
Immediately some anti-adminis
tration members of both parties ex
pressed “concern" that the shake-up
would cause Alaska to lose its fed
eral aid entitlement — which
amounts to about 80 per cent of all
money spent on the road program.
Somewhat Relieved
Indications are, however, that the
Bureau of Public Roads, the fed
eral agency that watches over these
funds, is somewhat relieved that a
change is taking place in Alaska's
highway leadership. Under Sher
ard's guidance, the State road build
ing agency was generally at odds
with the BPR.
The governor has said flatly that
rumors that Alaska's road money
will be cut off at the federal level
are untrue and that the BPR is
actively assisting in the search for
competent highway administrators
to fill the empty room at the top.
The episode has been one which
weary legislators could generally
observe as interested bystanders
None have come to the defense of
the Sherard lobby.
On the contrary, the House, on
the day after all this activity oc
curred, approved the four million
dollar highway supplemental re
quested by the governor and called
unnecessary by Sherard. The vote
was decisive and included members
of both parties, none of whom, one
would guess, is interested in voting
for a nickel more than is necessary
this election year.
As if all this activity wasn’t
enough, the opening week of spring
in Juneau included a destructive
avalanche that damaged many
homes and a monumental snowfall
for this time of year.
Things may not be light-hearted
in the capital, but they certainly
are not dull.
FORD TAKEN
On March 21 Jack McCord, Fair
view Manor, reported that his 1960
Ford had been stolen from the Arc
tic Bowl parking lot. McCord later
recovered his vehicle.
More than half of the 1,900 large
fishing craft in Alaskan waters in
1960 were based in other states.
Interested In A
Quartz Platinum
[Wining Prospect.'*
It’s a well known fact that the
Goodnews Bay Mining Co., at Plati
num, the sole operating platinum
mine on the North American conti
nent, has produced millions upon
millions of dollars since placer op
erations began in 1934 with drag
lines. A few years later a huge
dredge replaced draglines.
But it is not well known at all
that barely five miles away on the
east slope of Red Mountain, a plati
num quartz prospect has been un
covered on one of eight claims be
longing to Gus Berness, now nearly
80, and the oldest oldtimei in the
entire Goodnews Bay area. Gus
says he also has three claims ad
joining the Goodnews Bay Mining
Co. diggings.
Berness has just arrived from
Platinum, via Alaska Airlines He
said he is staying in Fairbanks until
he can contact someone to finance
development wrork on his ground
which will include diamond drill
ing. He believes his claims could be
the biggest platinum quartz produc
ing mines in the country!
Copper deposits are also found
in his ground, as well as some placer
gold. Berness has done some open
cut work on his claims and there
is ample water available. He has a
cabin on Clara Creek, and a home
in Platinum, proper.
In 1936-1941, the Stiandberg in
terests cleaned out placer platinum
on Clara Creek down to bedrock,
then took a lease on Dowry Creek
and cleaned out the precious metal
there, down to bedrock, as well.
The Strandbergs are reported to
have taken out good money from
those two operations.
Anyone wanting to know more
about the Berness claims should
wire or write Gus B. Berness, Gen
eral Delivery, Fairbanks. Alaska,
U.S.A.
CAB STOLEN
On March 22, Transfare Inc., re
ported that one of their Checker
Cabs had been stolen from the cab
stand at the Nordale Hotel. The
cab was later recovered by City
Police at the Foodland parking lot.
ALASKA NEWS IN BRIEF
(Continued From Pg. 3) I ‘
M. Pentecost, planning director for ; <
the Department of Highways.
CAPITOL MOVE
ANCHORAGE — Dr. Merritt P. (
Starr and Clarence J. Bailey of An- (
chorage have asked the Superior
Court at Juneau to let them inter- j,
vene in the trial of a taxpayei s suit
aimed at keeping the capital relo
cation initiative off the Aug. 14
primary ballot.
CONVAIRS COMING
SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines an
nounced this week it is disposing of
its fleet of four DC4 airplanes and
acquiring three Convair 440s for the
company's Alaska operations.
It was learned that the 440s which
will be acquired from major air
lines switching to jets, may be in
use on the airline’s Alaska routes
by mid-June.
NEW ADMIRAL
KODIAK—Rear Admiral Fred E.
Bakutis, USN, will assume com- j
mand of the Alaskan Sea Frontier
REA Group...
(Continued from Pg. 1)
ine whether or not a Generation
and Transmission Cooperative
should be organized and made up
of members of the CAAP.
Logical Approach
This is said to be the logical ap
proach to the matter—in that it will
eliminate duplication of effort by
the individual companies, going off
on their own.
Another problem which will no
doubt be under consideration is
whether steam power plants will
be built or that an alternative such
as atomic power will be utilized.
Nearly everyone is agreed that
the power shortage is here. The
question is, “How will it be sup
plied?”
Power authorities all agree that
if and when Rampart Dam is con
structed, local and railbelt troubles
will be over—but in the meantime
additional generation must be ob
tained or the whole country will
lie dormant.
Try Jessen’s once, you’ll buy it
always.
ind Seventeenth Naval District in
■eremonies here, Friday, March 30.
ALLSTATE VOLUME
SEATTLE — Increased sales vol
jme in Alaska contributed to the
:ompanies in 1961. Allstate's direct
premiums written in Alaska were
>569,000. an increase of $119,000 over
he previous year.
Attention
Mining
Men!
Now On Sale
Introductory Prospecting
and Mining Bulletin No. 4,
by Leo Mark Anthony, As
sociate Professor In Mining
Extension, University of
Alaska; The Alaskan Pros
pector's Short Course.
Also containing Mining
Law and Claim Staking
$3
Per Copy
On Sale at
JESSEN’S
WEEKLY
Box 970, Fairbanks, or
Call at Plant in Graehl
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!
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