SEWARD'S
AlUcWeatKer
SEAPORT
Is Alaska's
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport Record
Formerly The Seward Polaris 6r Kenai Peninsula-zlleutian Chain News
Vol. 5, No. 75
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1949
Price 10 Cents
Director Davis Says
No Need for
Emissaries Now
The following wire was handed
in to the Record office shortly be
fore press time:
WASHINGTON. D.C.,
MARCH 18. 1949
DIRECTOR DAVIS OF DIVISION
O F TERRITORIES, INTERIOR
DEPT., RECOMMENDS AGAINST
SENDING ANYONE HERE AT
THIS TIME BECAUSE HE SAYS
NO FINAL AND CONCLUSIVE
COMMITMENTS CAN NOW BE
MADE. APPARENTLY DEPART
MENT WILL NOT EVEN AT
TEMPT TO REACH DECISION
UNTIL SURVEY BEING MADE !
UNDER AUSPICES ARMY ENGIN- |
EERS IS COMPLETED SOME
TIME HENCE. DIRECTOR DAVIS
ASSURED ME FIRST THAT
SOUTHERN SECTION RAILROAD
WILL NOT BE CLOSED THIS
YEAR AND SECOND, IT WILL
NOT BE CLOSED AT ANY TIME
WITHOUT FULL OPPORTUNITY
FOR PEOPLE OF SEWARD TO BE
HEARD. DECISION AS TO
WHETHER EMISSARIES SHALL
BE SENT TO WASHINGTON
MUST BE ONE TO BE MADE
LOCALLY AND I MERELY COM
MUNICATE DIRECTOR DAVIS'
RECOMMENDATIONS.
(Signed) E. L. BARTLETT
Tobacco Tax
Is Now Law
Alaska Tobacco Tax Act is now
LAW!
Sellers must pay a registration
fee of five dollars ($5.00)
Violations punishable by a fine
not exceeding $1,000.00.
The Alaska Tobacco Tax Act is
now law and becomes effective
April 1, 1949. The major require
ments of the law, in brief, are as
follows:
The Act levies an excise tax on
all tobaccos and tobacco products
sold or offered for sale in Alaska
on and after April 1st, 1949, in
cluding stock then on hand. The
levy is upon sellers of cigars, ci
garettes. tobaccos and snuff, etc.
The sellers must collect the tax
from the buyers and same is pay
able quarterly to the Department
of Taxation and shall be due not
later than one month after expira
tion of the quarter immediately
preceding, beyond which time it
shall be delinq-uent.
The excise tax upon tobaccos
and tobacco products is as follows:
Cigarettes—,2 cents per pack of 10
Cigarettes—3 cents per pack of 20
Cigarettes—8 cents per pack of 50
Cigars—Retailing at 10 cents or
under - 1 cent
Cigars—Retailing at 11 cents to 15
cents - 2 cents
Cigars—Retailing at 16 cents to
25 cents - 3 cents
Cigars—Retailing at 26 cents to
35 cents - 4 cents
Cigars—Retailing at 35 cents or
over - 5 cents
Snuff and tobacco in containers
will be taxed at the rate of 2 cents
per ounce regardless of the size of
the container.
Every person in Alaska, who
sells any of the articles taxed und
er the Act in the usual course of
trade or business or by any vend
ing machine of any .kind or char
acter, punch boards, et cetera, are
required to register with the De
partment of Taxation on or before
(Turn to Page 4)
Tourist Season To
Be Greatest In
Eighty-One Years
According to Alaska’s pre-season
tourist barometer—the bombard
ment of letters from all parts of
the world—the Territory antici
pates in 1949 the greatest influx
to tourists in its 81-year history.
Thousands of persons, from Alex
andria, Egypt, to Omaha, Nebras
ka, to Buitenz.org, Indonesia, sat
down during the winter to write
the Alaska Development Board for
information on how to get to the
Territory things to do and places
to see in America’s Land of the
Midnight Sun.’
An attorney in Omaha requested
directions to drive to the Yukon
River. A school teacher in New Or
leans asked if she should wear
“longies” aboard ship while cruis
Alaska waters. A welder in Tren
ton wanted to fly above the Arctic
Circle and across the International
Dateline into tomorrow'. A secre
tary in Los Angeles thought she
would go husband hunting in the
north and asked for particulars.
The Egyptian sportsman and In
donesian student wanted general
tourist information.
In addition, various transporta
tion companies serving the Terri
tory are advertising Alaska in a
big way. One Canadian company
put its Alaska cruise at the head of
a list of “Canada’s 10 Most Popu
lar Vacations,” in an advertise
ment appearing in leading U. S.
magazines.
Iowa Legion Praises
Navy Reception
Aside from the mutual goodwill
gained by the visit of the Navy
ships to Seward recently and the
opportunity for citizens to make an
inspection of the Navy ships, fav
orable reactions have been received
from unexpected quarters.
The following letter from the
Clinton, Iowa Legion Club was re
ceived by Seward Post No. 5 last
week:
"Commander
Legion Post No. 5 American Legion
Seward, Alaska
Dear Sir:
“I want to thank you, your offi
cers hnd the Legionnaires of Sew
ard Post No. 5, for the splendid
welcome extended to the boys of
the USS Suisun, and the USS Sal
isbury on their recent visit to your
fair city. I have the leaflet here
on my desk, sent to me by my son
who was aboard the Suisun. He
really had a splendid time.
“Seward seems to be so far away
from us dowm here in the States,
but it is things like this that make
us proud of our wonderful country
and the people that run it. I am
passing the leaflet around for the
boys to see and appreciate the
swell job you folks up there are
doing.
In closing, I wish to send greet
ings from the Legionnaire Club
and its staff to Seward Post No. 5
and again say well done.
“With sincere regards,
“I remain cordially,
“Geo. A. Owen, Mgr.
Legionnaire Club,
Clinton, Iowa.”
Collect Taxes
By Civil Suit
Urges Hutton
City Attorney Carl J. Hutton
told the City Council at Monday
•night's Council meeting that it
may collect taxes by civil action.
Attorney Hutton read two deci
sions by the United States Su
preme Court to back up his state
ment.
The basis of the argument for
collection by civil action lies in the
decision that taxes are a just debt
against the property and therefore
may be collected by court action.
It would be possible to hear the
cases in the municipal court, Hut
ton stated. It would be necessary,
however, for tlie City Council to
pass an ordinance to give the city
a first class magistrate’s court.
This first class magistrate’s court
is legal according to territorial law,
Mr. Hutton says, and the court
may hear cases in civil action
where the sum involved does not
exceed $100.00. Very few of
the delinquent tax accounts in
Seward amount to more than that!
sum.
These court actions would not
cost the city anything because the
city attorney would receive only
his regular pay, and also the ma
gistrate. City Clerk Troy Bogard
is also the city magistrate.
Where the delinquent taxes
amount to more than $100.00 other
action would be necessary, accord
ing to Attorney Hutton, and it
will always be possible to go
through with the usual tax sale
procedure.
Census To Be As
Of April 1. 1950
j The 1950 census of Alaska will
( be taken as of April 1, 1950, accord
j ing to word received this week by
the Alaska Development Board
from Director J. C. Capt, Bureau
of the Census, Department of Com
merce. Washington, D. C. Enumer
ation of certain areas of Alaska
will begin at a slightly earlier date
to aviod delay occasioned by thaw
conditions.
i In the past, Alaska's enumera
tion has been made in October of
the year preceding that of the na
j tional decennial census. The Bu
reau this time will take the Alaska
census at the same time the enum
eration occurs nationally. For a
time the date of January 1, 1950
was being considered for the Alas
ka census but the Bureau finally
fixed on the April 1 date after con
sidering all the factors involved
in getting a complete count.
“It is our intention to complete
the census of Alaska in as short a
period as possible and with the
; fullest coverage.” Director Capt
stated. “We are certain we shall
obtain the complete cooperation
of all interested persons in the
| Territory to achieve this goal.”
A supervisor of the census will
be appointed at a later date, he
advised.
The Development Board has
been conferring with the Bureau
on preliminary preparations for the
census.
Last official census figures, from
an enumeration made in 1939, list
ed Alaska’s population at 72,524. i
Estimates prepared by the Devel
opment Board last October indi
cated Alaska had recorded a net
! gain of 22,351 persons since that
| time, placing the total population
j at 94,875.
Don S. Wilson Is
Seward's Only
Naval Admiral
Don S. Wilson; Seward agent for
the Railway Express Agency, Inc.,
received his appointment as a
real, live, Admiral Friday morn
ing.
He is the only Admiral in Sew
ard, and probably is the only dry
hind Admiral in the Territory of
Alaska.
The perfectly legal document,
signed by the governor of Nebras
ka tells the whole story.
“The Great Navy of the State
of Nebraska, To all who shall see
these presents, greetings: Know
ye, that reposing special trust and
confidence in the patriotism, faith
and abilities of Don S. Wilson and
knowing him to be a good fellow
and a loyal friend and counselor
I have nominated and appointed
him an Admiral in The Great
Navy of the state of Nebraska. He
is therefore called to diligently
discharge the duties of an Ad
miral by doing and performing all
manner of things thereto belong
ing. And 1 do strictly charge and
require all officers, seamen, tad
poles and qoldfish under his com
mand to be obedient to his orders
as Admiral — And he is to observe
and follow from time to time such
directions as he shall receive, ac
cording to the rules and discipline
of the Great Navy of the state of
Nebraska.
“Given under my hand in the
City of Lincoln, State of Nebraska,
the 20th day of January, 1949, in
the year of our Lord.”
The document bears the signa
ture and seal of Val Peterson, the
governor of Nebraska.
Don Wilson was born in the
state of Nebraska and has been
a personal friend of the governor
for many years. He came to Alas
ka three years ago when he was
given a choice of Alaska or
Hawaii for a position with his
firm.
Wilson is having his attorney,
Bob Baumgartner, prepare a legal
form of acceptance of the appoint
ment, in which Wilson promises to
uphold the traditions of The Great
Navy of Nebraska, and to teach
them how to run a navy in North
Pacific waters.
NEW MEMBER ON THE
ALASKA STEAMSHIP STAFF
The Alaska Steamship Company
has added a new member to its
staff in the Seward office. He is
Orbin Kimbal, who has been em
ployed in transportation work with
the Northland Transportation Com
pany at Juneau and Ketchikan.
Before coming to Seward he was
employed by Standard Aviation
Products on Annette Island. He ar
rived last Friday on the SS Alaska.
He reports that lie is a bachelor.
The City Council Monday eve
ning agreed to hire a man to help
with the collection of garbage at
a monthly wage of $375. The city
attorney receives a fee of $100 per
month. He requested that his pay
be increased to $200 per month,
since the work of city attorney
takes up the greater amount of
his time. The council promised to
take up the matter when the new
annual budget is drawn up in
April.
The city clerk informed the coun
cil at Monday evening's meeting
that the City of Seward has a cash
balance of $6,185. Outstanding bills
come to considerably more than
that amount, with a bill of more
than $3,900 for the garbage truck
M c "ost item on the list.
Honor Sheldon
With Banquet
Thursday Eve.
Chas. A. Sheldon, postmaster of
Seward for many years and one of
Alaska’s best known and best liked
pioneers, will be the guest of honor
at a banquet given by the Seward
Chamber of Commerce Thursday
evening, March 24.
Sheldon has served the U.S. Gov
ernment for many years, and has
given Seward the kind of postal
service that is the wonder and en
vy of other cities. He has reached
the age of retirement, and whether
he retires or remains at his post,
'the Chamber of Commerce is tak
ing the opportunity to express ap
preciation for his faithful servic'd.
The banquet will take place at
the Army Mess Hall on Fourth Av
enue at seven o’clock in the eve
ning. All members of the Chamber
of Commerce will be present with
their wives and invited guests.
Tickets are available at the Sew
ard Machine Shop. Urbach’s, the
Seward Drug Company, or they,
may be obtained from George Les
ko, Sam Romack, Marvin Viale, or
Bob Freeman.
Shipping News . . .
The passenger ship SS Baranof
is due to arrive at Seward Thurs
I day, March 24 and depart for Seat
tle Friday, March 25. The freighter
Chief Washakie left Seattle at 8:45
a.m. March 21 and the Terminal
: Knot sailed from Bellingham.
Washington, Friday, March 18, and
is due at Seward sometime next
week. Ports of call for the Coastal
Monarch, which is scheduled to
leave Seattle March 22, will be
Kodiak and peninsula ports, then
Seward and Whittier. The Ring
Splice is not scheduled to sail from
Seattle till March 26. It will make
! southeastern Alaska ports and will
come to Seward before making
ports in Prince William Sound.
j Mr. and Mrs. Ray Markovich be
came parents of a girl. Dianne
Patricia, at 1:55 p.m. Saturday.
March 19 at the Seward General
Hospital. The baby weighed seven
pounds. Both mother and child are
reported to be in excellent health.
Breakup Dates
At Nenana
1917 . April 30. 11:30 a.m.
1918 May 11. 9 33 a.m.
1919 . May 3. 2:33 p.m.
11920 . May 11. 10:46 a.m.
1921 . May 11, 6:42 a.m.
1922 ..... May 12. 1:20 p.m.
1923 . May 9. 2:00 p.m.
1924 . May 11. 3:10 p.m.
1925 . May 7, 6:32 p.m.
1926 . April 26, 4:03 p.m.
1927 . May 13. 5:42 a.m.
1928 . May 6. 4:25 p.m.
1929 . May 5, 3:41 p.m.
1930 . May 8, 7:03 p.m.
1931 . May 10. 9:23 a.m.
1932 . May 1, 10:15 a.m.
1933 . May 8, .7:03 p.m.
1934 . April 30, 2:07 p.m.
1935 . May 15, 1:32 p.m.
1936 . April 30, 12:58 p.m.
1937 . ... May 12, 8:04 p.m.
1938 . May 6, 8:14 p.m.
1939 . April 29, 1:26 p.m.
1940 . April 20, 3:27 p.m.
1941 . May 3, 1:50 a m.
1942 . April 30, 1:28 p.m.
1943 . April 28, 7:22 p.m.
1944 . May 4, 2:08 p.m.
1945 . May 16, 9:41 a.m.
1946 . May 5, 4:40 p.m.
1947 . May 3, 5:53 p.m.
1948 . May 13, 11:13 a.m.