/•"
SEWARD’S
All-cWeatkec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska s
Greatest Asset
Territorial Library
Seward Seaport Record
Vol. V. No. 96
SEWARD, ALASKA. FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1949
Price 10 Cents
?
New Automatic Phone
System Offered City
The City Council held a special
joint meeting with the utility
board last Tuesday evening to con
sider an offer front the Alaska Tel
ephone Engineering Corporation to
install a new automatic telephone
system in Seward.
Thu offer came in a letter which
the Mayor read, stating that the
company has a firm contract to
purchase the Seward Light and
Power Company from its present
owners as soon as the receivership
is settled.
Performance Bond Demand
Before considering the offer of
the telephone company, the coun
cil, at the suggestion of Mayor
Lanier, passed a resolution that
any company which receives a
franchise will be required to post
a bond of $25,000 as evidence of
good faith.
L. L. Glascoe, who is receiver
for the Seward Light and Power
Company, said that there can be no
contract or sale at all until the
court releases the company from
the receivership.
No Competition
The letter from the Telephone
Engineering Company stated that
the company does not believe that
it is efficient or economical to have
competition in public utilites, and
suggested that the city buy the
power facilities of the Seward
Light and Power Company.
In addition, a suggestion was
made that the city could get along
with only one distribution system
and rent pole facilities to the tele
phone company. This would rid the
city's streets and alleys of one
complete set of poles.
Automatic System
With the addition of new gener
ating equipment, which city offi
cials expect the voters to authorize
in the coming bond election, the
city will have sufficient generating
facilities to service the whole
town. Therefore, members of the
utility board believe the city
would not find it advisable to buy
the equipment of the other plant.
The new company would, it is
believed, install- a complete new
telephone system, as it has in other
Alaska towns, and would do away
with all open wires. A letter was
to be sent to the Alaska Telephone
Engineering Company stating the
position of the city in regard to
the telephone franchise and leav
ing the way open for negotiations.
Clean-up Month Ends;
Civic Committee
Continues Awards
Although the clean-up month
ended officially the last day of
May, the Civic Committee will
continue to give weekly awards
through the whole summer for
outstanding improvement by local
residents.
This week's prize was awarded to
Harold Edwards for the great im
provement he has made in the ap
pearance of his property at the
foot of the mountain in town. The
prize of five dollars in trade was
donated this week by the Blue
Shop. >
Difficult Decisions
So many people have done such
excellent work that the committee
has been finding it more difficult
each week to pick a winner. Others
who were considered this week
were Alfred Brossow, Joe Doyle,
George Werner, Rex Chaney, Ted
Bristow, Prossers and Gilberts.
Another improvement was the
cleaning out brush and. rubbish
from the lot across the street from
the Civic Center. The lot, which
is owned by the Forest Service,
formerly a dismal rubbish catcher,
now has a pleasant clean appear
ance.
, CHANGE ROLLER RINK
I SCHEDULE
The Seward Athletic Association
I announced that, until further
j notice, the roller skating rink will
be open on Saturday, Sunday and
j Monday evenings only. The hours
j will -be from 7 till 9 for children,
and from 9 till II for adults.
With the arrival of more pleasant
weather and the summer school
Vacation, other forms of recreation
have become available. Although
the crowds have thinned out con
siderably, during bad weather the
roller rink is as popular as ever.
Many residents claim that the
roller rink under the direction of
Harold Maxwell has given the
city the most wholesome recreation
for youngsters ever known here.
Rudy Raschka reports that Mrs.
Raschka, who has been a patient
at the Seward General Hospital
with their three weeks old baby,
is recovering from her illness.
Overseas-bound aboard a chartered refugee ship, each DP wears
an IRO “tag” identifying himself and the sponsoring agency which
will receive him. Other DP’s are resettled in Old World countries
which can be reached by train. All go through standard customs
and immigration inspections, look forward to starting new lives.
Congress Withholds
$15 Million Alaska
Housing Fund
The Alaska Housing Authority
was advised recently by Delegate
E. L. Bartlett that the Senate Ap
propriation Committee has with
held action on the appropriation
requested by the Allaska Housing
Authority pending a report from a
survey group being sent to Alaska
by the Housing and Home Finance
Agency.
| This announcement comes as a
[ blow to the hopes of the Authority
I to get a sizeable housing program
| under way this season. Heretofore
| word received from Washington
j had appeared to be encouraging.
Serious Handicap
i The appropriation requested was
to act as the working capital of
j the Authority in the amount of
fifteen million dollars in its lending
and construction program under
the recently enacted Alaska Hous
ing Act. Since the passage of this
j act there has been a great deal of
i interest shown by private home
! and apartment builders to eon
: struct new housing units in the
Territory under the provisions of
j the Act.
One of the most serious handi
caps in the past to home building
has been the lack of available fi
( nancing. This fund was to be used
! as a revolving fund by the Alaska
. Housing Authority to offer princi
] pal mortgage lending to private in
vestors. It was to be used for di
iect construction purposes in com
munities where sufficient private
' sponsorship was not available.
!
Not a Defeat
The announcement came from E.
Glen Wilder, executive director of
the Alaska Housing Authority who
; does,not consider this as a defeat
of the appropriation, but certainly
' an action that will postpone the
benefits derived by the housing
, legislation and will probably reduce
i the amount oT construction ob
| tained this year to comparatively
limited number of housing units.
The fund was not a grant, but
was rather a loan and one looked
upon with favor by most congress
, men. Wilder stated that the Hous
ing and Home Finance Agency
1 group was expected in Anchorage
June 5th and after spending about
1 a week there and making a tour
I of other principal points of Alaska
i were expected to return to Wash
ington by June 20th at w'hich time
j a report would be available for the
. Senate committee.
i _
Shipping News . . .
The SS Baranof arrived at the
Seward dock at seven o’clock Fri
day morning, a special train was
on hand to transport passengers to
Anchorage.
The freighter Victoria is sched
uled to sail from Seattle June 3,
and the Harold Whitehead is ex
pected to leave Seattle June 4. The
Coastal Monarch is not expected to
arrive at Seward until June 11.
ALASKA EXHIBIT AT
CHICAGO FAIR
Juneau—A special exhibit illus
trating industrial and business op
portunities in Alaska has been pre
pared by the Alaska Development
Board for the Alaska Railroad dis
play at the Chicago Railroad Fair.
This annual fair opens June 25.
and will continue for 100 days. Last
year’s fair drew an attendance of
2.500.000 persons.
A notice has been posted in the
Federal Building that the Bayview
School is calling for bids for inter
ior decoration of the school, with
the right to reject any and all bids
1 reserved.
Bartlett Tells Congress
Of Navy Visit To City
To the residents of Seward who
remember the days when two Navy
ships visited here last winter, the
following excerpt from the Con
gressional Record will awaken
pleasant memories. Those who
missed the radio broadcast of this
item may read it here at their
leisure.
Navy Ships Visit Seward
l _
Extension of Remarks
of
HON. E. L. BARTLETT
Delegate from Alaska
In the House of Representatives
Monday, May 16, 1949
Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. Speaker, j
not too many weeks ago two ships
of (lie United States Navy visited
Seward, Alaska, and people of the
community were so delighted with
the cordial relationships that were
formed and with the demeanor and
behavior of the visitors that they
have written me giving written ex
pression of the pleasure of Seward
at having been able to act as host
to the United States Navy. For
those who do not know, Mr.
Speaker, Seward is the southern
| terminus of the Alaska Railroad.
! It is located on Resurrection Bay,
! Seward-Kenai Road In
I Good Condition
Highway patrolman George
Puckett said Thursday that the
road to Kenai is now in good con
dition all the way, except for
thick dust in a few spots. The rock
crusher, which the Road Commis
sion moved by barge from Seward
to Kenai, is now in operation and
low spots are being filled.
Road houses and lodges along
the road are now open for the
j season. Fred Soper reported that
Soper’s Lodge can now accommo
date all guests. He has all facilities
and supplies for hunters, fishermen
and tourists. Besides his regular
lodge facilities, he has one large
cabin designed to accommodate a
party of twelve for private parties.
Recommends Natives for
Jobs Near Home
Juneau (Special)—Alaskan Na
tives should be given every op
portunity to fill all jobs in their
communities This was the recom
mendation of Bob Druxman,
j Juneau public relations counsel,
released today by the Alaska Na
tive Service. Druxman recently
made an inspection of Alaska Na
! tive conditions for ANS.
, He declared that Natives should
j have preference for such jobs as
| U. S. Postmaster, Weather Bureau
observers, Alaska Communications
System radio operators, Deputy U.
S. Marshals, U. S. Commissioners,
; various CAA positions and other
' such jobs which are found in most
! Native villages.
| The Juneau man stated that Na
tives are now filling these jobs in
some communities but expressed
the belief that it should be wide
spread. The Natives, he said, can
not reach a state of independence
and be self-sustaining until they
are given every opportunity. These
people can be trained for these
positions and fill them more satis
factorily than the average white
man because they are used to local
climatical and other living condi
tions. Where they are now em
ployed in such jobs, their work has
proved to be more than adequate,
he concluded.
discovered in 1790, and is named
in honor of the farsighted Secre
tary of State responsible for the
purchase of Alaska. It is one of
the finest little towns in the world.
I have letters from both Mayor
Lanier and Mr. W. C. Erwin of the
chamber of commerce pertaining to
the Navy visitation. They are re
printed here:
City of Seward
Seward, Alaska
Hon. E. L. Bartlett.
Delegate from Alaska',
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Delegate Bartlett:
The United States Navy visited
Seward February 17, 18. 19 and 20,
as represented by the personnel of
the U.S.S. Salisbury Sound and the
U.S.S. Suisun. Crews of both ships
together numbered about 700 and
about 50 percent were allowed
liberty ashore at one time. Seward
residents expressed great satisfac
tion at seeing the Navy blues on
the streets, and the city officials
stated that the crew members were
extremely well behaved and order
ly. Seward extends its welcome to
the Navy to visit them at any time.
Captain E. J. S. Young, com
mander of the detachment ex
tended the invitation to an “open
house” aboard the ships on the
Saturday and Sunday afternoons
they were in port to adults and
children of our city. The town
turned out in great numbers to
board the ships and take advan
tage of the opportunity to see
first-hand how the ships of our Na
vy are manned and equipped. The
members of the crews were excel
lent guides and hosts and made a
great impression on the youngsters.
When the ships steamed out of
the harbor they left behind them
a fine feeling of friendliness and
mutual hospitality and the people
of Seward extend them a whole
hearted invitation for them ta
come back again.
Very truly yours,
Eugene N. Lanier
Mayor
Seward Chamber of Commerce
Seward, Alaska
Hon. E. L. Bartlett
Delegate, House of Representatives
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. Bartlett:
I We are taking the liberty of
j writing you relative to the visit
| to the port of Seward of two naval
vessels during the month of Feb
: ruary.
As you know, we had the pleas
(Turn to Page 3)
Tide and Sun
AT SEWARD
High
5:34 a.m.
6:58 p.m.
High
7:02 a.m.
7:50 p.m.
High
8:21 a.m.
8:38 p.m.
High
9:30 a.m.
9:24 p.m.
Saturday Low
7.6 12:10 a.m. -1.2
8.8 .
Sunday Low
7.3 1.07 a.m. 0.9
9.7 1:12 p.m. -0.7
Monday Low
7.4 2:19 a.m. -0.5
10.5 2:12 p.m. -0.2
Tuesday Low
7.7 3:19 a.m. -2.0
11.2 3.08 p.m. 0.1
June 4
Daylight:
June 5
Daylight:
June 6
Daylight:
June 7
Daylight:
Sunrise Sunset
2:45 a.m. 9:11 p.m
18 hours, 26 minutes
2:44 a.m. 9:13 p.m,
18 hours, 29 minutes
2:43 a.m. 9:14 p.m,
18 hours, 31 minutes
2:42 a.m. 9:16 p.m.
18 hours, 34 minutes
Greased Pig, for the July Fourth Celebration Q
furnished by PAT BOGAN! Whatre YOU furnishing?