Territorial Library
SEWARD’S
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SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport Record
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VI, No. 96
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1950
Price '10 Cents
Agencies Work To Relieve
High Unemployment Rate
Appropriate measures to re
lieve the high rate of unemploy
ment among resident workers
was the subject of a number of
conferences between Territorial
and Federal agencies held last
week in the office of the Com
missioner of Labor, Henry A.
Benson.
Particular concern was ex
pressed over the current prac
tice of hiring and transporting
workers from Seattle while hun
dreds of competent residents are
available in the locality of the
work projects.
Director of the Territorial
Employment Service, Art Hedg
es, stated that “with the ex
ception of a few specialized
classifications the entire labor
force needed for this year’s
work is already in Alaska. We
have said before and we repeat
—‘jobs are scarce in the Terri
tory and only in exceptional
cases will travelling to Alaska
be advisable for stateside work
ers’.”
The practice of hiring non
residents while local people are
seeking work was condemned
by Labor Commissioner Benson.
“The Alaska Legislature has de
clared the public policy to give
residents of the Territory a
rightful preference to be em
ployed in our industries. Hiring
and transporting non-residents
is contrary to public policy and
can only create difficulties for
our local workers and burden
the community.”
To correct the situation the
conferences recommended:
1. Alaska Autonomy or local
control of all trade unions which
have Collective Bargaining
Agreements in force in Alaska.
Where sych exists there is no
problem of preference in hiring
for residents.
2. Provision in all Federal
contracts for preference in hir
ing residents.
3. Labor-Management Confer
ences in the major cities to
eliminate racial discrimination
which serves to keep many Al
askans unemployed.
4. Continued stateside publici
ty to discourage job seekers
from coming to the Territory.
5. Strict enforcement of law
requiring employers to provide
medical examinations before
shipping workers into Alaska
and returning those having con
tagious or communicable dis
eases to the States immediately.
SEWARD RESIDENT TO BE
BURIED SUNDAY
Mr. Clarence Leroy Baker, a
resident of Seward for the past
12 years, and of Alaska for 23
years died at the age of 80 in
Seward General Hospital at 5:00
Friday morning. June 2.
Mr. Baker, born in Elk City,
Kansas, Aug. 14, 1880, moved
to Alaska with his family in
1923. He was married April 22,
1903 in Billings, Montana, and
leaves his wife, Mrs. Ida Baker,
a son, Clarence L. Baker in
Seattle, and a daughter, Mrs.
Eva Lindsey of Seward. He had
four grandchildren and one
great-grandchild. The Bakers
have made their home with Mrs.
Lindsey.
Funeral services will be held
in the Methodist Church Sun
day, June 4, at 2:00 p.m., inter
ment in the Seward Cemetary.
For the first time the Port
Ashton cannery is routing its
men through Seward. Two came
in on the Baranof and 17 more
are due down by train tonight.
They will be flown from here
to the cannery in Prince William
Sound.
Men of Mahopac
Send Thanks To
People of Seward
The Kodiak Bear, newspaper
of the Naval Operating Base at
Kodiak, published the telegram
sent to Admiral Wagner by the
Lions Club on behalf of the
people of Seward, thanking him
for the band on Armed Forces
Day. The following letter was
received today by Mayor Lanier.
27 May 1950
Mr. Eugene N. Lanier
Mayor, City of Seward
Seward, Alaska
Your Honor:
The officers and enlisted men
of the U.S.S. Mahopac have re
quested that I write you and
ask that you make known to
the citizens of Seward our sin
cere appreciation for the manner
in which we were received dur
ing our recent visit Although
the band has since returned to
the Naval Operating Base at Ko
diak. I am sure that they echo
our sentiments.
Everyone, without exception,
appeared to take a personal in
terest in seeing that we enjoyed
our visit. It will be a never-to-be
forgotten memory. At first we
intended to personally thank
those who were especially kind
and considerate but any attempt
to do so would only omit some
one to whom we are indebted.
To be welcomed so royally was
beyond our fondest expectations.
We. one and all, are looking
forward to returning in the fu
! ture to renew the friendships we
made during National Defense
Week 1950.
Sincerely yours.
Howard W. Jones
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Mahopac
TWO MORE MOOSE KILLED
EARLY THIS WEEK
Two moose, a cow and a bull,
| were wantonly shot and killed
I and left lying at Mile 56 along
the railroad last week, accord
ing to Carlos Carson, enforce
ment agent of the Fish and Wild
life Bureau. The Izaak Walton
League has offered a S50 reward
for information leading to the
apprehension of the violator or
violators.
The moose, which were seen
alive by a railroad crew on
Monday. May 22, were shot with
a rifle. No attempt had been
made to skin out the animals
or take any of the meat. The
carcasses were noticed on Tues
day, May 23.
Any information about the
shootings should be turned in
to Mr. Carson or any law en
forcement agent.
Another cow moose in the
same locality was struck by a
train early in the week and in
jured so badly that it had to
be shot by a trainman.
Mr. Roland Nipps, who taught
in the Seward school from 1937
to 1939, has been appointed
registrar at the University of
Alaska, it was learned here re
cently. Mr. Nipps has been
teaching in Cordova and also
spent some time Outside getting
his Masters Degree.
The fish boat Northwestern,
will be off the ways at Marine
Ways in a few days and is ex
pected to leave for the West
ward on a fishing trip.
Mrs. Eda Myers was discharg
ed from the hospital Tuesday
after having been a patient there
for ten days.
Census Preliminary
Report Gives Seward
2,063 Population
Preliminary announcement of
the population of the Town of
Seward and the Seward Record
ing District was made this week
by James D. Brown, Divisional
Supervisor.
The count to date of the re
turns of the census, taken as of
April 1, 1950, is 2,063 for the
town and 2,653 for the recording
district.
This figure is believed to be
substantially correct but is sub
ject to revision after returns for
nonresidents are credited to their
proper localities and other rou
tine checks have been made. Al
though material revision of the
preliminary count is unlikely, it
may possibly occur after careful
examination of the returns.
The official announcement of
population will be made at a
later date by the Director, Bu
j reau of the Census, Washington,
DC.
i
Army Men Arrive for
First Rest Period
The first contingent of enlist
ed men and officers for the Sew
ard Rest Camp will arrive on the
regular train tonight and remain
in the rest area until Tuesday
morning.
Miss Rhoda Wherry, Special
Services, has been in town mak
ing arrangements for recreation
for the men who may want to do
other than just rest and sleep.
A dance has been arranged
for one night during the week
end to be held at the barracks.
Later, it is hoped that the
chaperoned dances reminiscent
of the war time schedule can be
arranged for Saturday nights.
Young ladies of the town will be
invited to attend, bringing their
own chaperones. The Army will
provide the music, the place,
and the boys, from fifty to sev
enty five of them each week.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM
GRADUATES FROM U OF I
John Cunningham, son of Mrs.
Phil Harding, is being graduated
fifth highest in the class of min
ing engineers at the University
of Idaho this month, according
to word just received here. As a
result of his high scholastic
standing he will have a life
membership in the Honor So
ciety of Mining Engineers. Fol
lowing his graduation Mr. Cun
ningham may visit his sister
and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Richardson, in Dixie, Idaho.
The rest of his plans are still un
certain, according to Mrs. Hard
ing, although he has had offers
of employment by mining firms
in South America. John has
lived in Seward and has many
friends who would like to see
him return here.
Four black bear were bagged
by Peter Kalamarides of An
chorage, Foss Sargent, Gordon
Black, Jimmy Black, and Vern
Trakowski of Seward over the
weekend. The hides are stretched
and drying on the side of the
Alaska Scenic Air Service shop
building at the airport, and the
participants in the hunt have
been enjoying bear liver.
Seventeen little Jesse Lee-ers
are now minus bad tonsils, hav
ing had them removed at the
Seward General Hospital during
the past two weeks.
There will be a Communion
Service at the Seward Lutheran
Church, Monday, June 5, at
8:00 p.m., Reverand A. O. Ode
gaard officiating.
Mr. Charles Fairweather, city
tax assessor, is recovering at
home after several days illness.
Committee Recommends Area
For Group Settlement
Rev. Odegaard To
Deliver Farewell
Sermon Monday
Pastor Albert O. Odegaard of
Anchorage and Seward Lutheran
Church will deliver his farewell
sermon Monday evening at 8:00
o’clock in the Seward Lutheran
Church. There will be Commun
ion service.
Rev. Odegaard held the first
service in the Lutheran Church
here October 15. 1945, with an
attendance of 19. Since that time,
the congregation has built up to
103 members. Rev. Odegaard
Rev. A. O. Odegaard
made the pilgrimage twice each
month from Anchorage to bap
tize 25 children and adults, or
ganize a Sunday School, an ac
tive Ladies Aid and to assist in
the dedication of the church
building on May 7, of this year.
After five years in Alaska as
Area Missionary, Rev. Odegaard
has accepted the call to Central
Lutheran Church in Anchorage
as pastor. His services in the
Seward church will terminate
with the Monday service, after
which he will spend some time
Outside.
Rev. Odegaard will return to
Seward to install the new pas
tor. Rev. Kent Spaulding, the
last Sunday in July.
KIELCHESKIS TO MAKE
MOTOR TRIP TO STATES
Fire Chief Fred Kielcheski, ac
companied by Mrs. Kielcheski
and their son Dennis, is expect
ing to leave about June 10 on a
motor trip to the States.
This will be Mrs. Kielcheski’s
first trip Outside in 25 years and
she is looking forward to it with
pleasure.
Mrs. Kielcheski will stop at
the Mayo clinic to see if they
can help her foot. She broke it
four years ago and has had con
stant trouble with it ever since.
They will also visit Mr. Kiel
cheski’s relatives and friends in
Hollister, Antigo, and Milwau
kee, Wisconsin.
Miss Betty Boyd is visiting her
home in Colorado this summer.
Later she may go on a tour of
Europe.
Mr. W. H. Knapp and family
are leaving this weekend to go
Outside. Mr. Knapp has been a
teacher and basketball coach in
the Seward Public Schools for
the past several years.
Mrs. Dorothy Frost is expect
ing to leave the end of this
month for Fairbanks where she
will attend the summer session
of the University of Fairbanks.
The progress report of the
Committee on Group Settlement
in Alaska, under the U. S. Dept,
of the Interior Bureau of Land
Management, recommends the
Kenai-Kasilof area for group
settlement.
The report states that the re
sults of the survey in that area
are gratifying. Not all the agri
cultural land is available for
group settlement. Some 2,860
acres of the better land are pri
I vately owned, and 12,240 acres
are entered land. About 15,000
acres are reserved and 740 acres
are leased. There remain, how
ever, at least 53,000 acres of
vacant public land of agricul
tural quality that may be used
for group settlement.
In addition, the prospective
owners of more or less land
already entered might choose
to avail themselves of the op
; portunities provided by the pro
, ject. Much of the good land of
' the project area is in sizable
; blocks.
| The committee recommends
that the first group settlement
be located in the Kenai-Kasilof
area. It recognizes, however that
the area must be studied in de
tail before any settlers are put
i on the land.
If it is decided to establish the
settlement, in the area now with
drawn from entry, the commit
tee recommends the following
program:
1. The Bureau of Agricultural
Economics will assume leader
ship in determining the type or
types of farm economy best suit
ed to the area.
2. The Bureau of Land Man
agement will assume the leader
ship in mapping the layout of
full-time and part-time farms,
fix location of roads, locate and
plot sites for villages.
3. With joint cooper&tion of
I the Soil Conservation Service,
' it will determine what parts of
the different farm units should
I be left permanently in timber as
a protection against erosion. It
will survey the timber to be cut
| and appraise its value.
January 1, 1951 is set as a
target date for submission of the
report.
The report is long and de
tailed. As a final word: “It is im
possible of course, to say at this
time when the findings and rec
ommendations that will result
from the foregoing studies could
be put into effect, if approved.
The possibilities within the ex
isting statutory framework are
restricted. Much will depend on
whether or not a settlement bill
and a development bill (one or
both) are passed by the present
Congress.”
MAIL BOAT TO START
FIRST TRIP ABOUT JUNE 20
Word was received from C. W.
Priest, who received the mail
contract for the Westward, that
the first trip will begin at Port
land around June 20th.
Orders can be sent to 921
Northwest 21st Street, Portland,
Oregon for shipment from either
Portland or Seattle on the first
trip of the ship leaving Port
I land, using current Seattle rates.
The ship is of the same type
as the Garland, which formerly
had the mail contract.
Major Wm. H. Maxie, presi
dent of Alaska Telephone En
i gineering Corporation, and Mrs.
) Maxie arrived in Seward Tues
I day evening for an indefinite
: stay.