SEWARD’S
All-cWeatkec
SEAPORT
Is Alaskas
Greatest Asset
Territorial Library
44
Seward Seaport Record
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD, ALASKA
Vol. VI, No. 94
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1950
Price 10 Cents
Child Labor Law Limits Type
Of Work For Juveniles
School is out (to whom is
that news?) and many young
sters are job-hunting. If you are
not certain as to what kind of
jobs they may legally hold, here
is a condensation of the Alaska
Child Labor Law.
Under 21: May not work in
any place where intoxicating
liquors are sold for consump
tion on the premises, nor may
not sell nor serve intoxicating
liquors.
Under 18: The above restric
tion, plus: May not work more
than 8 hours a day, 40 hours a
week, nor more than 6 days a
week. May not work in any oc
cupation dangerous to life, limb
or injurious to health or morals.
Girls under 18 may not work
in restaurants nor as maids in
hotels or lodging houses, nor
may they work at any occupa
tion which requires constant
standing, i.e. on their feet for
more than 50 minutes in any
hour. Excepted from the res
taurant clause are fountain girls
or soda dispensers engaged only
in serving soft drinks or ice
cream.
The dangerous occupations in
clude work around mines, any
thing to do with explosives, any
work with power driven ma
chinery, driving or being a help
er on a motor vehicle, work
with electrical equipment, load
ing and unloading boats, work
on ladders or scaffolding, and
work in a dry-cleaning plant.
Under 16: All the above re
strictions, plus: May not work
between the hours of 7 p.m.
and 6 a.m., nor more than 23
hours in a week, domestic work
and baby sitting excepted. May
not work in manufacturing or
processing operations, in any
work requiring the manual use
of sharpened tools, in any work
pursued in a public place such
as street trades (excepting news
paper sales), clerk, usher, cash
ier, attendant, culinary worker
in hotels and restaurants or soda
dispenser which require serving
or dealing with the public, in
cluding the work of pin setter
in bowling alleys.
Under 14: All the above re
strictions, plus: May not work
in anything except domestic em
ployment. baby sitting and han
diwork in and about private
homes, newspaper delivery and
sales, or in canneries in ware
house work under* competent
supervision casing cans.
A direct quotation from the
Alaska Child Labor Law is,
“Nothing in this Act shall apply
to situations in which a child
works under the direct super
vision of a parent in a business
owned and operated by such
parent nor the work of a child
on a boat owned and operated
by the child's parent.’’
Since the listing of prohibited
occupations is necessarily con
densed for this article, anyone
in doubt at all about the legality
of child labor in any situation
should refer to the Child Labor
Law. copies of which are to be
found in most business estab
lishments and in the office of
the U. S. Commissioner.
MORE MARATHON RACE
UNDERWRITERS
Eleven more names were add
ed to the list of the Mt. Mara
thon Race underwriters this
week:
Seward Fish and Cold Stor
age Co., Seward Trading Co.,
Cobbs, McMullen’s Dress and
Gift Shop, The Alaska Shop,
Doyle’s, Werner’s Market, R. E.
Baumgartner, The Mart Variety,
Osbo’s Electric Supply, Seward
Hardware.
Repertory Movement
Gains Momentum
The little theater group known
as the Gateway Repertory, start
ing with -a half dozen enthusi
asts, is growing into a real
company.
They have undertaken the
tremendous iob of rehabilitating
the old machine shop building j
belonging to the city, next door j
to the Legion Club on Fifth1
Avenue. Undaunted by the vast
amount of physical labor and
engineering know-how. not to
mention the material needed to
make over this building into a
theater, the group is pioneering
the little theater movement with
an optimism that is contagious.
This will be the first company
in Alaska to have their own
building. All other little theater
groups, in Anchorage, Kodiak.
Fairbanks, and Juneau, make
their presentations in school
auditoriums or recreation build
ings. When completed, the Gate
way Repertory Theater will
have sloping floors, a good stage,
dressing rooms, scenery and
work rooms. It is the aim of the
group to conduct craft, painting,
and other artistic hobbies, while
keeping a play in continual re
hearsal so as to have something
ready for production at any
time.
“The Drunkard,” a melo
drama first produced by P. T.
Barnum one hundred years ago,
will be the first presentation by
the Repertory group. This will
be produced in the original. It
is an extremely funny story of
family life. They expect to be
ready for presentation by Sep
tember 1.
Cow Moose Attacks
Dighton Gilliland
An enraged cow moose ripped
open the sleeve of Dighton Gilli
land's leather jacket and knock
ed him over a 25-foot cliff early
this week, according to Mr. and
Mrs. W. C. Zimmerman who
were bear hunting with Gilli
land when the attack occurred.
The cow and a calf were by a
snow bank near Fuller Lake
when the party came upon them
unexpectedly. Bloodstains in the
snow suggested that perhaps the
cow had had two calves and one
had been killed by a bear. At
any rate, upon sighting Gilliland,
the cow reared up before he
could raise his rifle and. slashing
downward with her hoofs, ripped
through the sleeve of his leather
jacket with her left foot and
barely missed his other side with
her other foot. Hitting him hard
with her briskit, she knocked
him backwards and over a 25
foot stony drop. Miraculously,
Gilliland suffered no cuts nor
broken bones. The moose and
calf then left.
Cow moose are especially
touchy at this time of year and
Carlos Carlson, Fish and Wild
life Service enforcement agent,
issues a warning to all persons
who encounter moose anywhere,
in the woods or on the highway,
to exercise the utmost caution
in their vicinity.
The Gilliland family has been
having a rough time with moose, j
incidentally. Dighton’s son was
recently treed by another cow
moose.
City Clerk Sigrid Stearns and
Tax Assessor Charles Fair
weather are distinctly pleased
with their new desks which ar
rived the first of this week.
Wm. (Bill) Noviek
Died Monday
In Chicago Hotel
Word of the death of Wm.
(Bill) Novick of Seward of a
heart attack in a Chicago hotel
early Monday morning was con
firmed today.
No details of the death have
been received here by the fam
ily of Mrs. Novick, only that
Bill died suddenly. He is sur
vived by his wife, Anetta, a
foster son and daughter, both
in Illinois.
Bill and Anetta Novick, after
selling Novick’s Bar and Liquor
Store, left Seward early in the
winter to go into business in
Berwyn, Illinois, a suburb of
Chicago. A few weeks ago they
started arrangements to dispose
of the business and return to
Seward, planning to drive back
some time this summer. They
had been in business here for
the past nine years, and were
not satisfied Outside.
'Alaska So Selfish,1 i
Says Visitor
“Alaskans are so selfish that
it is pitiful,” stated W. C. Zim
merman, retired contracter from
Albuquerque, N.M., who. with
his wife, has been spending the
last month and a half touring
and hunting in Alaska. “Why,
you have the most magnificent
scenery in the world here—and
you keep it all right here!"
In spite of the large amounts
of rain they have encountered
this spring, Mr. and Mrs. Zim
i merman are so intrigued with
the Alaskan scenery and the
friendliness of the people that
! they are planning to come up
again next year. The luck they
have had in hunting may have
had something to do with their
decision, also.
They stated that after 8 days
of hunting on Kodiak Island with
Charlie Madsen, celebrated big
game guide, they had separated
into two hunting parties 10 miles
apart and Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer
man each shot a Kodiak bear
within three minutes. Mr. Zim
merman's bear, a 9 footer, was
shot at 8:15 p.m., and hers, nine
and a half feet in size, was shot
at 8:18 p.m. The coincidence
ended there since he shot his
bear at a distance of 133 yards
after having had plenty of time
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BILL PEGE LEAVES
COLD STORAGE COMPANY
The Seward Fish and Cold
Storage Company and Marine
Ways announced this week that
Mr. Wm. Pege has sold his
interest in the business to the
three remaining partners. Tom
Riley, Fred Wilmans and Frank
Burns.
The company, under the man
agement of Tom Riley, is in
full swing of the season's halibut
processing. They also plan to
handle salmon from Cook Inlet,
trucking it down from Kenai.
MURPHY HAS A BIRTHDAY
9
Mr. Arthur Murphy, better
known as “Murph,” well known
mixologist at Tony’s Bar, will
celebrate his birthday tomorrow.
Saturday, May 27, by holding
open house from 5 p.m. until
closing time. The public is -cor
dially invited to partake of a
light lunch with him. along
with his many friends in the
Territory, in celebration of
Murphy’s birthday.
Cordial invitations were re
ceived here from H. S. Kawabe
& Company, to the exhibition
of old and rare masterpieces of
Japanese wood block prints and
paintings in the establishment
of the company at 515 Madison
Street, Seattle, May 23 through
Saturday, May 27.
Golden Anniversary Observed
By ACS Installations Today
Special Services At
Methodist Church
Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
at the Seward Methodist Church
the Roberta Smith Memorial
Organ will be dedicated. The
public is cordially invited to
attend.
A special recital by Mr. Henry
Brooks will be presented. Mr.
Brooks recently thrilled Seward
music lovers in a concert of
organ masterpieces. His program
for the dedication will be entire
ly of different numbers.
The church is pleased to an
nounce that not only is the organ
completely paid for but over
two hundred dollars is in a spe
cial fund toward chimes to be
added to the organ.
In the evening a special pro
gram of films will be shown
by the new sound projector re
cently given to the church by a
Methodist Church in Norfolk,
Virginia, through the efforts of
Mrs. Schnoeker. Two travel
ogues, Lake Louise-Banff and
Mexico, plus a religious film
made by professional Hollywood
actors entitled “Walking With
God,” will be shown.
There is no charge but an
offering will be received to help
cover the cost of rental and
mailing.
Alaska Steam Starts
Summer Schedule
Frequent steamer service for
Seward is now available under
the Alaska Steamship Company
summer schedule, Walter W.
Sipprell, local agent of the com
pany, said here today.
“Each week three vessels sail
from Seattle for Seward, devel
oping what amounts to practical
ly a milk-run schedule, direct
connection being made with
Alaska Railroad trains,” he
stated.
This sailing frequency, is was
explained, is the way the Alaska
Steamship Company meets the
transportation requirements of
the trade. Vessels are scheduled
according to traffic needs with
sufficient ships in readiness to
meet unusual demands.
“We are in business,” Sipprell
stated, “to give the Territory the
best possible service we can and
as the traffic volume warrants,
more sailings are added. This
practice enables The Alaska Line
to keep pace with Alaskan pro
gress and development.”
MRS. COULTER SPONSORS
DISPLACED LATVIA FAMILY
Mrs. Minnie Coulter received
word this week that the family
of Mrs. Almo Kristensen, for
whom she stood sponsor, recent
ly arrived in the United States
under the Latvian Displaced
Persons nuota, and is established
in Des Moines, Iowa, where they
are very happy in their new
home.
Mrs. Coulter was particularly
interested in this family, having
been friends in the Old Coun
try. She signed the affidavit of
financial security which allowed
them to come into the United
States. •
As proof of the eagerness of
the Kristensens to .become good
citizens. Mrs. Coulter says, on*
of the children, a daughter, Birn
ta, is being confirmed in the
Lutheran Church in Des Moines
next Sunday.
Miss Doreen Brooks of Saskat
chewan, Canada, is a new addi
tion to the nursing staff at the
Seward Sanatorium. She arrived
in Seward last week.
Fifty years ago today, May 26,
1900, Congress approved legisla
tion providing for the establish
ment of communications among
the outpost forts along the Yu
kon, St. Michael near the mouth
of the Yukon; Fort Davis, near
Nome; Fort Gibbon, near Tana
na; Fort Egbert, at Eagle; Fort
Liscum, near Valdez: and Fort
William H. Seward at Haines
Mission near Skagway, the site
later known as Chilkoot Bar
racks. This was the beginning
of the Washington-Alaska Mili
tary Cable and Telegraph Sys
tem, commonly called the
“WAMCATS.”
By line and cable, link by
link, hundreds of miles were
crossed, poles set into frozen
ground, cables splashed into the
depths of polar seas. This, the
ACS story, is the story of pio
neering in communications. But
the untold story can be imagined
only by Alaskans, who know
from personal experience in
these days of relative ease of
travel, by highway, water and
air, how difficult it must have
been 50 years ago to transport
! the men and materials to set up
; these communications lines.
In 1864, Queen Victoria had
1 granted to the Western Union
Telegraph Company a right of
way across British Columbia for
building a telegraph line from
Portland, Oregon through Alas
ka and across the Bering Straits.
Here the line was to meet a Rus
j sian line, stretching 7000 miles
1 over the Siberian tundra to
Nickolayevsk. near the mouth
of the Amur. It was then planned
| that by 1900 one line would
' reach into China, another into
Central Europe. Although work
was begun, particularly in west
ern Canada, the successful com
pletion, in 1866 of the Atlantic
cable, put a halt to the gigantic
scheme.
Much had been done, mean
while, on the “telegraph trail”
through British Columbia. When
the expedition came to an end,
the glass insulators were sold
to the Indians who used them as
drinking cups. Spools of tele
graph wire, bartered for furs,
I soon served the natives as sus
| pension bridges and fishing nets.
rne ieiegrapn Iran itseii tin
ally became the Alaska High
way. Perhaps the Canadian line
would never have been pushed
to completion had it not been for
the discovery of gold, south of
the Yukon in 1877, and in the
Klondike in 1896. By 1900 the
Canadian telegraph was in oper
ation between the United States
and Quesnel, British Columbia,
and Whitehorse and Dawson.
Another line was run along the
110-mile narrow-gauge White
Pass and Yukon railroad, con
necting Whitehorse with Skag
way, Alaska.
In 1900 the War Department
had established a Department of
Alaska, with headquarters at
Fort St. Michael. In June of that
year, three Signal Corps detach
ments were created. One at Val
dez. one at Fort Davis, and the
third at Fort Egbert. A detach
ment of infantrymen at Fort
Davis began constructing a tele
graph line on iron poles east
ward from Nome, along Norton
Sound, to Port Safety, some 25
miles. It was completed by Sep
tember, just three months after
the beginning of the work over
the frozen wilderness.
Lt. William “Billy” Mitchell
was assigned to the third crew.
He had charge of the open wire
from Igloo to Yukon and from
Valdez to Eagle from 1901 to
1903.
Within a year, direct com
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