SEWARD’S
All-cWeatket?
SEAPORT
Is Alaska's
Greatest Asset
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VII, No. 13
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1950
Price 10 cents
Mrs. Gruening
Recommends
L. Of W. V.
Communications from Mrs.
Ernest Gruening expre-cec her
recommendations for one or
more units of the League of
Woman Voters in Seward. Mrs.
Gruening talked extensively on
the subject while she was a vis
itor here and has since contacted
Mrs. W. C. Erwin and Mrs. Mil
dred Kirkpatrick on the subject.
The League is entirely non
partisan. It promotes study of
government from the municipal
body to international situations,
and encourages intelligent vot
ing by acquainting women with
every situation.
The unit plan means that, in
stead of following the old pat
tern of meeting with a “speaker”
doing all of the talking, and the
League members sitting passive
ly as an audience, there is no
one speaker, there is an active
discussion in which everyone
joins. Taking part in this pro
cess of talking over govern
mental problems helps each
member to think about the is
sues objectively, and to learn to
express herself about them. She !
comes to base her opinions less ■
on prejudice and more on facts.!
The important thing is that all
the members should be abreast!
of the whole program, local,1
state and national. In order to do
this and to be prepared for ef- (
fective action, when the time
comes, the work of the units
should be so planned that they
are all discussing the same sub
jects at approximately the same
time. The more the program is
taken out to the member at the
place where it is easiest for her
to take part, the nearer we shall
come to making our goal of all
member activity a reality, the
communication stated.
Each unit needs a chairman,!
who may or may not be the dis-!
cussion leader, a resource per
son, and someone to take notes,
keep records of attendance, and
handle the sales of League pub- j
lications. The leader may or
may not be the same person at
each meeting, although it is de
sirable to have the same discus
sion leader through a year if
possible.
A discussion unit may consist
of about fifteen or twenty mem
bers of the League.
In order to organize a League
or a unit of the League in Sew
ard, any women interested
should contact Mrs. Hazel Erwin
or Mrs. Kirkpatrick, neither of
whom is in a position to assume
the leadership, but they will as
sist in forming a group if some
woman will volunteer as a
leader.
MARY ANN B. BROWN
RETURNS TO SEWARD
Mary Ann B. Brown and her
son Don Balmat returned to
Seward Friday after driving
over the Alaska Highway from
Tulsa, Oklahoma. They put in
5000 miles on the trip.
Mrs. Brown has been in the
real estate business in Tulsa
since leaving Seward about two
years ago after having spent
some time in the realty business
here. She has reopened her real
estate business in Seward under
the name of Balmat Realty and
is located at 338 Fourth Avenue
next door to the newspaper of
fice.
Mr. Balmat has for the past
several months been a special
agent for the Fort Worth and
Denver Railway Company.
Mrs. Jesse Robinson of Kenai
visited in Seward last week.
Two Planes Cracked
Up In Resurrection
Pass Sunday
Keith Lenhart and Tiny Tra- j
kowski were flown into Seward !
unhurt today by Everett Skinner
after he received word from1
Sidney Stephans that the two
were waiting at Whitey Smith's
cabin for transportation into
town.
One plane, a Cub J-5, cracked
up Sunday with Lenhart and
Stephans. Trakowski went after
them on Monday in a Taylor
craft belonging to George Lind
of Seward, but it too was crack
ed up on the take-off from the
cabin strip.
Stephans made his way into
town on foot where he notified
Gordon Black at the airport, and
this morning Skinner and Black
went out to bring the other two
men in.
No one was hurt in the two
crackups, although the Taylor
craft received fairly extensive
damage. The Cub was damaged
in the landing gear, but only
slightly. Skinner stated that Tra
kowski had been unable to take
off because of debris on the
ground. It could not be learned
here how Lenhart had happened
to land at the cabin or how he
cracked up the J-5.
Whitey Smith’s is a trapper's
cabin about 10 or 12 miles up
the pass. Mr. Smith now lives
in town, but the cabin is a land
mark for hunters, who often use
it during the moose season. The
walk to town is a rough and
long one.
Bartenders' Picnic For
Kids Next Sunday
Seward Bartenders, members
of Local 883. for the second
year are making preparations
to entertain the kids of Seward
and vicinity. The picnic this
year will be staged at the swim
ming hole (also known as First
Lake or Harriman Lake.)
Jack Janicula is in charge of
the refreshment committee, as
sisted by Ross Parkinson and
Glen Ryan. They have on their
menu soda pop, hot dogs and ice
cream, and guarantee “full tum
mies” to all.
Walter Holben and Bob Trot
ter will look after the entertain- j
ing part of the day's program.!
They say lots of games with |
cash prizes in racing events.
The date for all this is next
Sunday, August 20th. All the
bartenders need to put the event
over the top is a good day of
sunshine and lots of kids!
Repair Rafts On
First Lake
Dick Beissner and Jim Kirk
patrick repaired the rafts or
floats on the First Lake swim
ming hole last week. They re-;
placed the oil drum floats with
logs so that target shooting
youngsters can no longer shoot
the drums full of holes, allow
ing the rafts to sink.
It has been suggested that to
raise the level of the lake would
provide a longer gentle slope
of shallow water for the small
children to play in. The boys
are looking into this possibility.
It has been observed that
more mothers are accompanying
their little ones to the pool for
afternoon swimming parties.
The water has been very warm
during the past week and many
have enjoyed the swimming
there.
Mrs. Jack Kelley and chil
dren, Mrs. Joe Doyle and son
Gregory, and Mrs. Leon Lewis
and son Bruce are spending the
week at the Lewis cabin at Sum
mitt Lake.
Swimming Pool
Committee To
Make Plans
Seward's Swimming Pool
Committee, with Murl Treve
than as chairman, will hold its
first meeting tonight. They will
draw up an estimate of the total
amount necessary to construct
an indoor pool and what amount
will be required to put up the
first unit as an outdoor summer
pool.
The committee will also de
cide on one of three prospective
locations for the pool.
Watch the thermometer for
the goal and amounts contrib
uted as it comes in.
THREE SEWARD BOYS
LOSE DRAFT CARDS
The draft registrar in Seward
received word this week from
Terry Fillingim and Jack Hoog
land who went Outside a few’
weeks ago, that they both lost i
their wallets and need new reg
istration cards. They did not
state how they happened to lose
their wallets.
Losing a draft registration
card seems to be a habit among
Seward boys. LeRoy Borders
also wrote that while crossing
a creek on a log, he fell in and
his wallet was soaked so badly
that his card was destroyed.
Duplicate cards cannot be
supplied locally, but must be
obtained by a request from the
Selective Board No. 1 in An
chorage.
CARD OF THANKS
We take this opportunity to
express our gratitude to all our
kind friends for the sympathy
and consideration extended to
us at the time of our recent
great bereavement.
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Shea
Bill and Frances Jones
Jim and Anne Shea
Seward and Barbara Shea
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Petersen
of Kenai were in Seward last
Friday. Mr. Petersen is U.S. j
Deputy Marshall at Kenai.
Mrs. Ray Seferovich and chil
dren plan to leave on the Aleu
tian Friday for a visit Outside. I
Senffs Entertain
1950 Fourth of July
Committee
Mr. and Mrs. Mannie Senft
entertained the 1950 Fourth of
July Committee at their home
on the highway last Sunday.
Hot dogs, fresh cucumbers and
home grown tomatoes and straw
berry shortcake filled the guests
to repletion. The most popular
spot for camera fans was the
green house where huge ripe J
tomatoes hung so heavily on
the vines that they had to be
propped up. The largest of the
lot, when Mrs. Senft pulled it
to slice for the party, weighed
two pounds. Many passing mo
torists stop to photograph the I
unusual sight of ripe tomatoes
in Alaska.
Ten and twelve inch cucum
bers growing in the green house
also attracted much attention
from vegetable hungry guests.
Several fishing rods were put
to use, but only a few anglers
were successful, although large
numbers of salmon and dollies
were plainly flirting in the
creek that runs through their
back yard.
Mrs. Senffs beautiful flower
garden was also the subject of
many snap shots and the family
of Manchester Terriors were
very popular as entertainers at
the party.
At 8:00 o'clock in the even
ing, Mr. Senft showed four reels
of movie film of Mexico, Flori
da, Canada and of the 4th of
July celebrations for the past
two years, in the American Le
gion Club where there is a pro
jector and screen. Other towns
people who are known to have
slides and movies of the cele
bration were invited by radio
to bring them to the showing,
but no one could be located who
was able to attend.
It is planned that at a later
date, all the locally owned pic
tures, both movie and still, may
be gathered in one place for a
public showing.
PIANO TUNER TO SPEND
SEVERAL DAYS IN SEWARD
Mr. Wm. G. Loffin, member
of the firm of L and J Music
Store, Anchorage, will arrive in
town Monday, August 21. Mr.
Loffin is a member of the Na
tional Association of Piano Tun
ers, and is said to be an expert
in the business.
The firm sells all band and
orchestra instruments, as well
as pianos. This is the first visit
by Mr. Loffin in SeWard where
piano tuners are few and far
between. He can be reached by
calling Adams 77 for appoint
ment.
Dennis Lee was born to Mr.
and Mrs. Clark Peterson of An
chor Point at the Seward Gen
eral Hospital Monday, August
14. He weighed eight pounds.
Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Denton are
parents of a son born Tuesday,
August 15. He weighed five
pounds and 11 ounces and was
named Terry Allen. He was born
at Seward General Hospital.
A son was born to Mr. and
Mrs. Bob Cruzen at Seward
General Hospital this morning,
August 15, at 6:45. He was
named John Bradford, and
weighed five pounds and 14
ounces. Mrs. Cruzen has been a
nurse at the hospital for the
past two years.
Eastern Star
Official Being
Entertained
Mrs. Abbie Hanson, Most
Grand Worthy Matron of the Na
tional Grand Chapter, Order of
Eastern Star, is visiting Seward
this week. In addition to observ
ing the exemplification of the
ritualistic work of the Order
here she will spend the remain
der of the week resting before
continuing on her tour of the
Territory and return to the
States, and her home in Ham
mond, Indiana. Mrs. Hanson is
accompanied by her husband,
who is affectionately known as
“Brother Jake” wherever they
go.
A banquet in honor of the
Most Grand Worthy Matron will
be held Wednesday night in the
parish hall of the Episcopal
Church, followed by an hour of
music at the Masonic Temple.
The Hansons have been en
tertained since their arrival
Sunday by members of Seward
Chapter. They had a drive to
Moose Pass and Lawing Sunday
and dinner at Gabe’s. Breakfast
Monday at the home of the Ma
tron and Patron of Seward
Chapter, Mr. and Mrs. Tom
Howell.
Luncheon on Monday at Jesse
Lee Home was an entertaining
experience for the visitors. Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Lechner had
them as dinner guests Monday
evening. Mr. and Mrs. Phil
Harding entertained them at
breakfast Tuesday, and officers
of Seward Chapter held a
luncheon at the home of the
Howells.
Bob Stearns will treat the
visitors to a fishing trip on
Resurrection Bay in his boat
Wednesday, and the rest of the
week will be spent fishing on
Russian Lake with Phil Harding.
They will leave Saturday for
Valdez and Cordova.
Mrs. Hanson stated that be
fore planning her trip she was
advised in Washington that it
would not he wise to travel to
Alaska at this time, that she
might be “bumped’’ off planes
and ship reservations would be
hard to arrange. She insisted on
following her plans to make her
visit this year, however, and
has met with no difficulties
whatsoever in transportation.
She remarked that she has
found Alaska and Alaskans very
cordial and living conditions
much different than what she
expected. Folks back in Indiana
have the idea that this is a land
of ice and snow, and Mrs. Han
son will prove a good ambassa
dor for Alaska.
AUTO WRECK NEAR LAWING
Late word is that a truck is
off the road between Lawing
and Lakeview. T. D. Smiley or
dered the train flagged as the
truck is reported lying close
enough to the track to obstruct
the train.
Patrolman Puckett went to the
scene and at press time had not
returned to town. Nothing is
known as to the extent of the
accident or whether the driver
was injure'd.
Mrs. Rachel Puckett is Out
side on a short buying trip and
a visit. She plans to visit the
Phil Hardings’ daughter and
baby in Dixie, Idaho. Her bro
ther-in-law is forest ranger near
Dixie, so Mrs. Puckett will have
an excellent chance to bring
back first hand news to Grand
mother Harding.