SEWARD’S
All-cWeather
SEAPORT
Is Alaska s
Greatest Asset
Vol. VI. No. 57
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JAN. 17, 1950
Price 10 Cents
“Buck” Lang Dies In Fire
Early This Afternoon
Buck Lang, resident of Sew
ard for the past eight years or
more, was found dead in his
bed when Volunteer Firemen
answered a call to his cabin on
Washington Street between 3rd
and 4th Avenues at 3:10 this aft
ernoon.
Very little information could
be obtained about the man, who
was known only as “Buck,” ex
cept that he has worked at long
shoring and odd jobs for eight
years or more in Seward.
He was found on his bed,
which was afire, and his clothes
were partly burned off the body.
There is some doubt as to
whether he was dead before the
fire started, because of the po
sition and condition of the body.
He had been seen on the street
only an hour before the fire.
Lang’s feet were frozen last
winter, an injury from which he
never quite recovered, and for
which he required occasional
hospitalization.
Fire Chief Kiclcheski and Po
lice Chief Leonard Clark are in
vestigating cause of the fire, but
nothing had been reported at
press time.
MOOSE PASS LIBRARY
COMMITTEE MEETS
The regular meeting of the
Moose Pass Library Committee
was held at the Max Foster home
on Jan. 11. Several new books
were prepared and placed in the
library.
Native Alaskan Dies
After Long Illness
Mrs. Ann Swanson Mathison
was born September 27, 1891 at
Kenai, Alaska and passed away
January 8, 1950 at the Ocean
View Home in Seward.
Mrs. Mathison had been an
invalid for the past eight years
and has been at the Ocean View
Home for the past two years.
Before coming to Seward she
had lived at Hope and Valdez,
Alaska. She is survived by three
children, Mrs. Robert Annly, So-!
attle: Mrs. Virginia Jackson, Se
attle; Mr. Ed De Hart of Haw
thorne, Calif.; her mother, three
sisters, one brother, and seven
grandchildren.
Interment will be in Seward
Cemetery on Wednesday, Jan.
18 at 2 p.m., with the Rev. L.
Russell Clapp of the Seward
Episcopal Church in charge of
services.
ANCHORAGE POSTPONES
GAMES. TO JAN. 27
Confirmation of postponement
of previously scheduled Anchor
age Eagles-Seward Sea Hawks
basketball games for this com
ing weekend has been received.
Anchorage has informed;
Coach Knapp that the Eagles
will come to Seward on Friday,
Jan. 27 and again; for a second
game here, at a later date.
*Round V 'Bout Town . . .
—The Roving Reporter—
Orrin Kimball has received
word of his transfer to the Ju
neau office of the Alaska Steam
ship Co. Mr. Kimball will be
leaving on the Denali for his
new assignment as assistant
agent.
Orrin has been in Seward
since last March and has made
many friends here. His leaving
will be a loss to Seward.
Several parties have been
given in his honor this last
week. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Jeff
reys had a dinner and card
party for him Saturday nite.
Sunday nite he was a guest of
the Arthur Gray's. Monday nite
there was a quiet dinner for two
with you know who. Tuesday
nite a dinner at the Bill Yonk
ers and Wednesday nite with
the Ed Cowans.
Mr. and Mrs. Waller Sipprell
are returning home on the
Denali. ,
Shirley Calnan, Jane McMul
len, Marie Mullens, Ruth Leicn
liter. Enid Elbe and Dick Walk
er had dinner together Sunday
evening.
At the regular Friday noon
meeting of the Seward Lions
Club, Miss Shirley Calnan and
Mrs. Beryl Wagner together
with students at the school, pre
sented a music drama based on
the life of Stephan Foster.
Blanche Miller entertained at
bridge Monday nite. Her guests
included Grace Campen, Flavia
Hansen, Marian Munson, Jane
McMullen, Marie Mullens, Ruth
Leichliter and Shirley Calnan.
5&
Arthur and Bob DeSylvia,
Glen Bowers, Jr., Louis Faulk,
Bill Johnson, Bob Walli and Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond Lynch from
Homer were in town.
& j
There was a party at the
Dan Bedfords Saturday nite.
Their guests were Mr. and Mrs.
Whipple, the O’Briens, the
Kirchs, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Jones,
and the George Pucketts.
The Seward High School bas
ketball team will play Anchor
age soon. Between halves of
the main game the 6, 7 and 8
grade pupils will do a routine
entitled “Meet the Navy.” Shir
ley Calnan will direct it.
fe£'
Lucille Stephan entertained
Mr. and Mrs. George Everitt,
Julia McCann, Virgil Dahler,
and Cral VanSittcrt at dinner
Saturday nite.
Mr. and Mrs. George Puckett
had a dinner party for Dr. and
Mrs. Lowell and children and
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Carson.
Mr. Carson showed his pictures
which he took in Africa.
Mrs. Park is home from a
trip Outside. She saw the Ur
bachs in Portland.
Pete Sather came to town to
market his furs and will be here
for a few days to make some
repairs on his boat. He brought
in five lion otters, twenty-five
mink, one wolverine and five
weasles.
Pete lives on the island oi
Nuka, which is 74 miles from
Seward. He and his wife are
the sole inhabitants oi the is
land. He has a fox farm, raises
chickens and has a pet rooster.
During the fishing season he
fishes for herring, salmon and
halibut. During the w inter
months he traps and at present
has ninety traps set out.
His wife writes articles for
the Alaska Sportsman magazine.
Pete, who has earned the
nickname * “Herring Pete”, can
keep you spell bound with sto
ries of his adventures. He came
originally from Norway and has
lived here since 1916. He enjoys
telling of his boat trips, the
more dangerous and hazardous
they are the better he likes
them. After talking with him
one can understand why he is
liked and • trusted by people
throughout Alaska, why he is
an unforgetable character, a
prototype of a salty courageous
fisherman. j
Hamilton's Gets Bid
For Police Car
Hamilton’s Garage submitted
the lowest bid on specifications
isssued by the City Council for
a Sedan Dleivery type police
car, to replace the one now in
use.
Specifications included heavy
basket-wire screen partition;
heater, siren, red-flasher spot
light, heavy duty generator and
heavy duty battery, spot light,
two-tone paint.
The police car now in use
must be given trade in allow
ance.
Bids were opened Monday
night by the City Council in
regular session. Hamilton's sub
mitted bids on seven models,
their low bid being on a Chev
rolet Sedan Delivery, equipped
according to specification, price,
$1981.55 delivered in Seward,
including $500.00 trade in al
lowance on the old car.
The Seward Machine Shop
submitted bids on 1950 Tudoor
Police Patrol Sedan, V-eight.
$3142, FOB Seattle; six cylinder
$3066. FOB Seattle. Also on
1950 model Ford Police Patrol
Car, panel delivery equipped
to specification, priced FOB Se
attle. V-eight and six cylinder,
$3165 and $3135 respectively.
Trade in allowance on old police
car, $635.
rat s uarage submitted bids
on stock cars, not according to
published specifications, for
which reasons those bids were
immediately rejected.
All bids submitted are in the
City Clerk's office and open to
inspection.
Fish & Cold Storage
To Have RR Spur
Tom Riley, business manager,
and Wm. (Bill) Pege, official of
Seward Fish and Cold Storage
Company, announced Monday
night at the regular meeting of
the City Council, that they ex
pect to begin work in February
on a railroad spur track leading
onto the loading platform and
marine ways operated by that
company.
An agreement has been reach
ed with ARR which will permit
the icing of refrigerator cars in
Sewhrd. thus effecting a saving
for the railroad whose cars are
now iced, in Anchorage, making
it a double run for the trans
portation of cold storage from
the ships docking in Seward.
WELL BABY CONFERENCE
TO BE HELD THURSDAY
Mrs. Gertrude Jurgeleit, Pub
lic Health Nurse, announces a
Well Baby Conference to be held
Thursday afternoon, Jan. 19,
from 1 to 4 o'clock, in the base
ment of the Methodist Church.
This is the first of the con
ferences and will be an open
meeting with mothers. There
at tor the Thursday conference
will be conducted by appoint
ment only.
Immunizations will be offered
at the conferences each week.
LUTHERAN SERVICES
SUNDAY. JAN. 22
Lutheran Church services will
be held Sunday, January 22, at
11 a.m. at the Seward Lutheran
Church. Dr. Arthur Coldberg,
Lutheran medical missionary,
will oficiate. Everyone is invited
to attend.
Dr. Coldberg was medical mis
sionary in China for 20 years.
Sunday evenirig at 7:30 in the
Lutheran Church, Dr. Coldberg
will speak on his experiences in
China. This promises to be very
interesting and is open to the
public.
Basketball . . .
CITY LEAGUE:
Wed., Jan. 18—School Gym.
7:30—DeHorns vs. Sea Hawks.
9:00—Nobby Club vs. Boosiers.
All |Out For The Mid-winter
Kenai Peninsula Potlatch
Name Chosen For
Kenai Festival
The Festival Committee has
finally decided upon a name for
the first of the annual friendship
celebrations for Kenai Peninsula
people. From now on it will be
known as “Kenai Peninsula Pot
latch,’’ probably shortened in
time by usage and familiarity to
“K.P. Potlatch."
The name was submitted by
a local resident whose name will
be announced later.
A "potlatch” is described by
the dictionary as a word peculiar
to Indians of the North Western
United States from Puget Sound
to Alaska. It was a totem rais
ing; a feast at which a chief or
rich buck gave away the greater
part of his possessions as a sign
of generosity.
Because of this definition, the
committee feels that the word is
particularly descriptive for an
Alaskan institution such as Sew
ard is proposing to inaugurate,
and to localize it, Kenai Penin
sula is included in the name.
Small Boat Owners
Should Register
All owners of boats in the
Seward Small Bodt Harbor
should register the boats with
their names, address and tele
phone number with Mike Clip
per, harbor master. If this is
done, owners will be notified
when wind or water puts the
boat in danger of sinking, and
save the owner considerable
time and money by preventing
damage and the difficulty of
j raising a sunken boat.
1 It is understood that the har
! bor master is not responsible
| tor keeping ice, snow and water
J from accumulating in open
| boats, nor is he responsible for
'improperly docked or tied
| craft.
All small . craft should be
| beached for the winter. It is
left in the water at the owner’s
risk. The harbor master will,
however, notify owners of dan
gerous conditions, if he has
proper information. It is to the
i advantage of all small boat
owners to register with Mike
Clipper.
I
| Sea Hawks Defeat
Pairsier Moose 54-38
The Seward Sea Hawks, be
fore a large and enthusiastic'
I crowd, proved in their first
interscholastic game that they
are strong contenders for the
Western Class “A” crown by
defeating Palmer High School
54 - 38 here Friday.
The Sea Hawks set the game
afire by scoring twenty points
to Palmer's two in first minutes.
Their aggresive defense and
attack made it look like a bad
night for Palmer. Stan Ander
son scored 12 points in the first
quarter, normally a high score
for a full game. Suydam added
7 and Steel 4 to close the quar
ter 23-7.
In the second quarter the Sea
Hawks slackened their pace
with Palmer slicing through
their spread defense. Hiber,
Pederson and Walt Bendixen
of Palmer scored to close the
gap 29 - 16 at halftime.
The Sea Hawks renewed their
drive in the third quarter, using
a tighter zone and doubled the
score to 46-23.
A fourth quarter letdown by
the Sea Hawks saw the Palmer
team come to foreground.
(Turn to Page 4)
Plans are popping for the
mid-winter friendship festival
in Seward. An expedition will
leave town Wednesday morning
returning Thursday night, to
line up talent, hobbys and the
number of visitors to expect
from all communities on the
peninsula.
The Housing Committee is
threefold. George Lesko is in
charge of commercial housing,
hotels. Frank DeLoughery is
handling dormitories and Mc
Mullen’s store is headquarters
for private homes. All persons
who are willing to invite friends
into their homes for the two
nights are asked to register
with Mrs. Stephan at McMul
len’s, so the committee will
know definitely how many to
provide for. Anyone who has
an extra bed is asked to take
in a guest.
Friday afternoon and evening
and all day Saturday will be
filled with a choice of enter
tainment.
Hobby Show
Get your hobbies ready for
exhibition. Anything you prifce,
heirlooms, collections, etc. Di
rections for preparing hobbies
for exhibition will be published
later.
Talent Show and Amateurs
During the hobby show there
will be an amateur show in
which everyone, boy, girl, or
adult who has any ability to
entertain, is requested to regis
ter with Peggy Goodrich at the
Alaska Bookkeeping Co. office.
Talent offerings will be judged
on Friday night, the winners to
be presented at the big March
ot Dimes Dance on Saturday
night.
Matinee Movies
The Liberty Theater will pre
sent a matinee show on Satur
day. All out-of-town guests will
attend without charge. After
the show, from 4:00 till 5:00
o'clock, there will be a “Get
Acquainted Tea” in the Metho
dist Church parlors, conducted
by the women's groups of the
city.
Dance
The March of Dimes Dance
on Saturday night is the only
event at which any charge will
be made. Even there our guests
will receive complimentary
tickets. The dance is sponsored
by the Junior Woman’s dub.
The orchestra will be under the
direction of “Chuck” Anderson
of the Nobby Club. Chuck w7ill
also be Master of Ceremonies
and conduct the presentation of
the amateur winners of the pre
vious night.
Square Dance Coniesi
As a special feature of the
dance, a square dance contest
with teams from every commun
ity and Seward displaying their
Terpsichorean skill in the typi
cal pioneer dances, which have
regained popularity in iate
years.
7Cs added attractions, Gentry
Shuster says that his ski tow
will be “open house" to any
and all comers who like to ski
at Mile 12, all day Saturday.
All business houses will be -
open with special invitation to
visitors and home folks to shop
and buy, or just look around.
Basketball Game
Palmer High School basket
ball team will be in town for
their second game with the Sea
Hawks on Friday evening, Feb.
3. The game will be played as
early as possible, so as to give
players and onlookers time to
participate in the celebration in
the Civic Center, and try out
for the talent show.
Churches
All churches uyJl Tpo hosts on
Sunday morning»t»*«iir visitors,
after which they will begin
their long trek homeward.