. SEWARD’S
All-cWeathec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Territorial Library . #
Seward Seaport Record
Vol. VI. No. 9
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1949
Price 10 Cents
Voters Decide
Major Issues
In September
Seward voters will be called upon j
to decide two major issues in a !
special election early next month. |
A sales tax ordinance to take the ;
place of the present law will be
one of the propositions, and the j
second proposition will be the term j
of office for city officials.
At Monday night’s council meet
ing City Attorney Carl Hutton re- I
ported on both questions, lie stated j
that workable ordinances will be j
drawn up within the week. They j
will cqnform to new Territorial '
laws passed by tiie legislature j
earlier this year.
City officials agreed that every!
effort would be made to acquaint
the public with the content of the
proposed ordinances so that the
voters will be well informed on
the subject when they go to the
polls.
While the legislature authorized
sales tax for either the general
fund or for a special purpose, the
city administration feels that the
sales tax money should be used
only for education, health, and
sanitation.
Enforcement provisions will be
placed in the new tax ordinance |
with sufficiently sharp teeth to en
able tiie city to administer the law
with impartiality, and make, col
lection efficient. It is expected that
collections will be on a 30-day
basis.
special Account
At the present time the city
keeps a special bank account for
the sales tax fund, and money may
be withdrawn only for the school.
It is proposed that if there is a sur
plus at any time, it will be placed
in a sinking fund to be used for a
new high school when it is needed.
Term in Office
The second proposition concern
ing the length of term for city of
ficials will be placed before the
voters as a choice between the
present set up and the longer term
authorized by the new Territorial
law.
According to the new law, the
mayor may be elected for a term
of two years, beginning October,
1949. Two eouncilmen would be
elected each year for a three-year
term.
The law makers in Juneau felt
that a longer term in office would
make for more efficient city gov
ernment in the Territory, since it
will be possible for the city admin
istration to plan farther ahead.
If the voters reject the proposed
election law, the length of time in
office will remain as it is now, ex
cept that elections will be held in
October.
CATHOLIC CHURCH TO HAVE
CARD PARTY
The ladies of the Sacred Heart
Catholic Church will give a card
party at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday,
August 3, at the quonset next to
the church. Only women have been
asked to attend the party.
CITY EMPLOYES TO BE
PAID THIS WEEK
Employes of the City of Seward
will receive their pay by Wednes
day of this week. When the coun
cil approved the monthly payroll
of $3331 at Monday night’s meet
ing, the City Clerk disclosed that
the money was expected to be
available by mid-week.
The payroll for June was not
paid until July 19 and even at
that date payment was possible
only because money was received
from the refund on business li
censes.
The City Council granted Russell
Painter a ninety day leave of ab
sence from his duties as council
man Monday evening. Painter ex
pected to Wave Tuesday with his
family for an extended trip in the
States.
Change Approved
For School
Heating System
After a detailed discussion on
the subject, the City Council ac
cepted the change order to include
the revision of the present school
heating system in the contract for
the addition to the school building.
The plans and estimate provided
by the Anchorage architect firm of
Manley and Mayer were submitted
to two Anchorage plumbing firms,
both of which refused to bid on
the job. Mayor Eugene Lanier
stated that the plans would be
available at the Seward City Hall
for any interested in making an
estimate on the job.
The $19,000 job of revising the
heating system will include vac
uum return lines to the boiler, re
setting old radiators, installing
some new ones, new thermostats in
every room, new firebox and reno
vation of boiler, and resetting of
tiie boiler.
Fish & Wildlife Regs
For 1949-50
Hunting mountain sheep in
Alaska will not be permitted dur
ing the 1949-1950 season, according
to Fish and Wildlife Service regu
lations effective July 1.
The December season on caribou
south of the Alaska Range was
eliminated, as was the December
moose season on Kenai Peninsula.
The Southeastern Alaska deer sea
son was shortened to September 1
to November 7. with a limit of two
to a resident and one to a non
resident.
In most of the rest of Alaska
the deer season will be Sept. 10 to
Oct. 10, with a one-deer limit.
Mountain goats may be hunted be
tween Aug. 20 and Nov. 15. except
in closed areas, with a limit of
two to a resident and one to a
non-resident.
The caribou season south of the
Alaska Range is Sept. 1 to 20, In
most other sections a one-limit
season is open from December 1
to 10. Moose season in most of
Southeastern Alaska is Sept. 1 to
20, and on the Stikine and Unuk
Rivers and most of the Kenai.
Sept. 15 to Oct. 14.
The new regulations, most dras
tic in the history of the Territory,
“were made to conserve seriously
depleted herds,” the Interior De
partment announced, and were
formed on the basis of "investiga
tions by the Alaska Game Commis
sion. personal observations of pri
vate citizens, of hunting guides
and agencies within the Territory,
and testimony presented at public
hearings in Juneau last February.”
IMMUNIZATION CLINIC
TO BE AUGUST 11
Mrs. LaPreal Bie, public health
nurse, is taking her well-deserved
vacation this month. She wishes;
however, to make it known that
the immunization clinic will be
held as usual on Thursday, August
11, in the Health Center.
It is expected that the public
health offices will be moved to the
new city hall upon completion of
the building.
WARREN BOUND OVER
ON NARCOTICS CHARGE
In the U. S. Commissioner’s
Court in Seward last Friday after
noon Sidney Warren, colored chief
janitor from the SS Alaska, was
bound over to the Grand Jury on
a charge of possessing narcotics.
Warren was picked up July 26
after the Alaska docked at Seward.
He was arrested by Chief of Police
Clark as he knocked on the door
of a house in the alley between
Second and Third Avenues above
Railroad Avenue. Clark had trailed
him from the ship.
Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Spain’ ex
pected to fly to Anchorage Tues
day morning, to be there for sever
al days. Spain is manager of the
Kenai Co-Op.
Police Report
July Busiest
Month In Year
The Seward Police Department
turned in its monthly report on
Aug. 1, with a record of 30 arrests
and 10 traffic violations for the
busiest month in over a year. The
total of fines collected was $482.50.
A breakdown shows that there
were 13 arrests for drunkenness,
three for drunk and disorderly con
duct, three for drunkenness and
indecent exposure, one for grand
larceny (later reduced to misde
meanor), four arrests for investi
gation .one for possession of nar
cotics and two sleepers.
Of the traffic violations, three
were for parking in restricted
zones, one for not having a city
driver's license, five for speeding,
and one for not having a Territorial
license.
Routine Police Work
A typical report shows that po
lice also perform such small tasks
as finding lost bicycles, checking
auto accidents, keeping an eye on
the children around buildings un
der construction, and a man who
wants to be locked up until he
becomes sober.
Police watch trains and boats,
investigating activities of arrivals
known to have records, and watch
ing for people wanted in other
towns. Sometimes they're called
to break up a fight, but no one will
sign a complaint for arrest.
They took injured persons to
doctors, and sick dogs to the pound
master to he -dint; checked reports
of Peeping Toms, broken power
lines, stolen dogs, and answered all
fire calls.
Since the council cut the police
force down to two officers, each of
them is on a 12-hour shift, seven
days a week. They have no days
off.
Chief Leonard J. Clark was off
duty for four days in July, due to
illness, and was under a doctor’s
care. When the council approved
the July payroll, the four days pay
was deducted from his salary. The
insurance which the city carries on
employes covers only accidents.
Clark was given the alternative of
taking the four days from his an
nual leave.
Shipping News . . .
The passenger ship SS Aleutian
will arrive at Seward Thursday
and the freighter Square Knot
should arrive August 5 about 8 a.m.
The Flemish Knot is also clue to
arrive August 5 in the afternoon or
evening.
The SS Victoria will sail from
Seattle August 4, arriving at Sew
ard five days later. Other ships
scheduled from Seattle during
August are the Coastal Monarch
on August 6, the Square Knot on
August 20, the Victoria on August
22, the Chief Washakie on August
25 and the Flemish Knot on Au
gust 27, all calling at the port of
Seward.
SOCIAL SECURITY SERIES
ON KIBH
James G. Browne, manager of
the Federal Social Security Admin
istration field office in Juneau an
nounced that a series of weekly
radio broadcasts are now in pro
gress in Seward every Tuesday at
6:30 p.m. over station KIBH.
These broadcasts inform the gen
eral public of their rights in the
Old Age and Survivors Insurance
program under the Federal So
cial Security Act. Browne ex
plained these monthly benefits and
lump sum payments are made as
a matter of right and not according
to want or need. However, a claim
MUST be filed in order to partici
pate in the program.
He urges people to listen to
these programs over KIBH and
write to the Social Security Admin
istration, P.O. Box 1331, Juneau, for
further information or pamphlet.
Check Mechanical
Condition of
Autos in District
Annual check-up on the mechan
ical condition of all vehicles in the
Seward district is to begin Wednes
day, August 10, the Alaska High
way Patrol and Chief of Police
Clark warned today.
Although the police departments
have no equipment for testing
brakes, garages do have. Drivers
are expected to have these safety
devices in tip-top working order,
the police chief said.
Both headlights and tail light
should he working and correctly
adjusted. Brakes must have at
least a two-inch pedal clearance
when depressed.
The officers also will check for i
defective horns, mirrors, mufflers,
steering, windshield wipers, stop \
lights, etc., as well as for proper !
Territorial license plates and driv
ers license.
The officers will work on the
Fourth Avenue in the vicinity of;
the new fire hall between 9:00 and
11:00 a.m. each day for the benefit
of those who prefer to have ve-1
hides checked at their convenience.
Wili Study Fur Seal
On Pribiiofs
Dr. G. C. L. Bertram of St. John’s
College, Cambridge, England, has
been appointed a Visiting Re
search Scholar according to an an
nouncement released by Dr. Terris
Moore, president of the University
of Alaska. Dr. Bertram will head a
party of research workers to the
Pribilof Islands where he will
study the fur seal.
This project is being conducted
to study the Fur Seal Herd in the
Pribiiofs during the breeding sea
son this summer. Dr. Bertram ex
pects to remain on the field for i
a period of from two to three
months. He states, “This herd of
seals affords the finest example
of the rational use of a stock of
| wild animals (under the auspices!
of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service* in the world.” The field
work would involve three main
i aspects, 1. Census work and age
| determination; 2. Utilization of ear
I casses; 3. Extension of biological
theory on the comparative behav
ior of the Pinnepedia (fur seal).
At present Dr. Bertram is a fel
low arid Tutor of St. John's Col
lege, Cambridge, occupied jointly
in administration. College teaching
in Zoology and research on prob
lems of population relative to the
| world’s biological resources.
| -
WS.C.S. HEARS TALK BY
MRS. .L A. HEILBRUN
The Woman’s Society of Chris
tian Service met Thursday evening
at the home of Mrs. Charles Cole.
Many members and several guests
were present which made the meet
ing of special interest.
An interesting speaker was Mrs.
L. A. Heilbrun who is the wife of
Rev. Heilbrun, recently appointed
minister at Unga. Alaska. They ar
rived here recently from Boston
and expect to be on their way to
Unga in a few days. The subject
of Mrs. Heilbrun’s talk was youth
work and activities in the Metho
dist Church.
During the business meeting
tentative plans were outlined for a
bazaar to be held this fall.
Reports on the recent conference
at Anchorage were given by Mrs.
George Green and Mrsr Paul Irwin.
Mrs. Green also reported that a
concert will be given in the Metho
dist Ohurch some time in October
featuring Simeon Oliver, noted
Alaskan pianist.
The August meeting is greatly
anticipated as it is to be a picnic
at Bear Lake. Members will take
lunches and will leave towm in the
afternoon prepared for a good time
and outing.
A social evening honoring sever
al members who are soon leaving
Sew’ard will be held in the Church
next Tuesday evening.
N. Stevedoring
Wins Local
Dock Contract
Col. J. P. Johnson announced
last week that Secretary of Inter
ior Krug approved the award of a
stevedoring contract to the North
ern Stevedoring and Handling Cor
popration to handle Alaska Rail
road cargo at Seward.
The contract goes into effect
Sept. 1 and will provide better
freight and handling service and
greater efficiency, the Railroad be
lieves.
♦
Northern Stevedoring also held
the old contract. New bids were
sought July 1 to obtain a better
method of handling cargo. Under
terms of the new agreement, the
firm will take care of cn-shore
handling of all cargo for move
ment over the Railroad and also
shore-side handling of freight for
Seward.
The Railroad will pay for the
cargo handling on a tonnage basis.
Formerly, payment was on an
hourly basis. Under the new ar
rangement, the ARR will have a
key to the Cost per ton of all types
®f freight. The new system will
doubtless result in more efficient
and swifter handling of cargo, the
Railroad is convinced.
There will be no effect on long
shoremen's pay. This pay scale is
handled by the contracting firm
itself, the Railroad said.
VETERANS REQUESTED TO
'WRITE RIGHT'
Veterans finding it necessary to
correspond with the Veterans Ad
ministration are urged by the VA
to “write right” in order to get
prompt service.
Because VA files contain mil
lions of records of veterans and
their dependents, letters containing
insufficient information are almost
impossible to match with the cor
rect file and answer.
Just as an example one VA re
gional office in the Pacific North
west has 2500 Johnsons, 2100
Smiths, 1200 Jones and 1500 An
dersons. A large number of them
have common first names, such
as John, Charles, Donald, William,
James and Carl.
Complicating the task is the
heavy volume of letters which the
VA receives. The agency’s annual
volume of incoming mail runs well
over one hundred million pieces of
correspondence.
Therefore, the VA says, it is
important that each veteran iden
tify himself fully when writing to
the VA. He should include his full
name, service number, complete
address and C-number, if one was
assigned, or N-number, if the let
ter concerns National Service Life
Insurance.
Veterans should not write to the
VA in Washington, D. C., the VA
also warned. Instead, they should
write to the nearest VA regional
office in their state. Insurance in
quiries from veterans living in the
Pacific Northwest should be ad
dressed to the Insurance Service,
VA District Office, Exchange
Building, Seattle 4, Washington.
MONROE STREET TO BE CUT
THROUGH TO FIFTH AVENUE
Fred Kieleheski, head of' the
Seward Street Department, ap
peared before the City Council
Monday evening to request author
ization to have Monroe Street sur
veyed so that it could be cut
through from First Avenue to
Fifth Avenue.
Monroe Street is the last street
in the city to be cut through. One
reason Kieleheski asked for the
work to be done now is that it
would make the fire hydrants
more accessible.
The survey was authorized and
city equipment will be put to work
on the job as soon as the survey is
completed.