~ SEWARD’S
All-cWeathec
SEAPORT
Is Alaska’s
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport Record
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Territorial Library
Vol. VI, No. 93
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1950
Price 10 Cents
IISS Mahopac |Bade Farewell
With ‘fluid Lane Syne’
The USS Mahopac bade fare
well to Seward at 1:00 p.m.
Monday with “Auld Lang Syne”
played by the Admiral’s Band
on the deck as she pulled her
lines. This compact little ship
of 850 tons, an auxiliary power
tug, with an overall length of
143 feet, 35 foot beam, draught
of 14V2 feet, with 1500 h.p.
engines, was the center of in
terest to all Seward during its
three and a half day visit.
After a continuous stream of
visitors during the Saturday and
Sunday Open House hours, the
watch was practically worn out,
what with helping the ladies
up and down the ladders and
over the high combings, and
the nervous strain of riding herd
on some 350 children to keep
them from experimenting with
the machinery or falling over
board—not to mention the dogs
of all sizes and description that
were equally curious.
The open handed hospitality
of the officers, Lt. Howard W.
Jones, USN, Commanding Offi
cer: Victor P. Berti, USN, Exec
utive Officer: H. H. Green, USN,
Chief Engineer: and the patient,
cheerful, friendly crewmen will
be remembered here for a long
time.
A number of persons were
entertained in the wardroom,
and on Sunday afternoon over
100 chickens were fried in the
tiny galley by overworked cook
and mess boys for guests of the
boys in blue.
The band was deeply appre
ciated. For the first time in
many years, a parade in Seward
was led by a band, which was
a thrill indeed for this city. In
addition, parts of the band could
be found in several points about
town on Friday night making
their contribution to the car
nival spirit everywhere, me
big success of the dance in the
Civic Center on Saturday night
was due largely to the music
furnished by the Navy Band,
and their concert in the Meth
odist Church on Sunday night
was a real treat.
Open house was held for all
men in uniform at the Legion
Club and the Elks Club. They
found entertainment everywhere
in town, and seemed to take
particular delight in the Mara
thon Derbies, cleaning out the
present supply.
Seward thoroughly enjoyed
the visit of the USS Mahopac,
and coming as it did when spir
its were low, it contributed
mightily to the morale of
the townspeople. Commenda
tions are heard on all sides on
the fine conduct of the boys, and
everybody hopes that the ship
will be allowed to return on the
Fourth of July.
RAINBOW DERBY STARTS
JUNE 5
The Rainbow Derby opens at
Henton’s Kenai Lodge on June
5, and will be open to all fisher
men pntil the closing of the sea
son Sept. 1. Fred Henton always
gives the winner a moose-hide
jacket, and there are two cash
prizes for the longest trout
caught during the derby. Sixty
per cent of the entry fees of
$2.50 each, goes as first prize;
40 per cent as second prize.
Many fabulous stories of the
fish that got away fly around
the Territory during the Rain
bow Derby at Henton’s, but the
real proof of the great size of
the game fish caught out there
is to be seen each year in the
fish itself that did not get away.
The Derby is known among
sportsmen everywhere, and the
coming season is expected to be
a good one.
ACS Demonstrates
Teletype Machine
There was more late news
read in Seward last Saturday
afternoon than any other time
in its history, during the two
hours that the ACS had the
teletype machine set up at the
Armed Forces Day demonstra
tion in the Civic Center.
A fascinated crowd of chil
dren and adults watched the
ghostly machine print out line
after line of type without the
aid of human hands—on the
receiving end. Every line was
scanned and discussed by the
entranced crowd. Both Associ
ated Press and United Press dis
patches were being received all
afternoon.
The demonstration was set
up under the direction of Master
Sergeant Willie Williams, in
command of the Seward ACS
station, who was also Liaison
officer for the Armed Forces
Day program.
Friends Say Farewell
To Baumbergers
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Baum
berger leave on the SS Denali
today, retiring from Seward and
30 years on the ARR to their
home in Minnesota, where Mr.
Baumberger will be a gentleman
farmer, he says.
A farewell tea at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Larsen
honored the Baumbergers Sun
day from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. The
hostesses, Mrs. Robert Elhard.
Mrs. K. S. Rustad and Mrs. Lar
sen, had arranged the decora
tions of the house to the pattern
of a sea voyage.
The front steps were covered
by a gangplank, with side rails
of rope, leading into the sun
porch. There one met "Mrs.
Baumberger” in effigy, "sleep
ing” in a deck chair, a magazine
in her hand. A much labeled
suitcase beside her proved her
many travels and travel maga
zines and folders nearby pro
claimed "her” interest in the
subject.
The centerpiece on the beauti
fully appointed tea table was a
ship's wheel, marked “Denali,”
May 23, 1950. A pair of Chinese
dolls peered through the spokes.
On either sfde of the wheel is a
“tug” boat, with the stacks for
candle holders, each carrying
two tall white tapers. The tug
boats are of purple wax on a
wax sea and very realistic. A
paper model of the Denali is on
the buffet.
Members of the Seward Nurses
Association, of which Mrs.
Baumberger is a member, and
of the Lutheran Ladies Aid
poured during the afternoon.
Mrs. LaPreal Bie, president of
the Association, and Miss Lucille
Stephan, president of the Ladies
Aid poured for the first hour.
Mrs. Melba Torvanger and Mrs.
Fern Burke officiated the next
period, and Mrs. Johanna Hor
ton and Mrs. Chris Jensen serv
ed during the early evening.
About 50 guests were present
throughout the afternoon, ladies
whose husbands are ARR men,
members of WSCS. Nurses and
Ladies Aid, friends .and neigh
bors all came to honor the
Baumbergers, who have been
known and loved for so many
years in Seward. A gift of jew
elry was presented by the group.
George Tschertner, Foss Sar
gent and John Hardcastle all
made round trips to Anchorage
Monday on business.
Game Commission
Releases 1950
Regulations
New fish and game regula
tions for the 1950 hunting sea
son have been released by the
Alaska Game Commission. They
lift last year’s ban on the hunt
ing of mountain sheep, which
was the first time in the Ter
ritory’s history that the shoot
ing of mountain sheep was pro
hibited.
The hunting of rams will not
be permitted on the Kenai Pen
insula. Tanana Hills, White
Mountain and Mentasta areas.
They can be hunted in any other
part of the Territory from Aug.
20-31. Mountain sheep hunting
in the Talkeetna and Chugach
Mountains controlled areas may
be done only on permit. Rams
must have a minimum of three
quarter inch curl in the con
trolled areas.
Moose may be hunted on the
Kenai Peninsula Sept. 1-30.
Limit is one moose to a hunter
in all areas.
Mink and Land Otter — For
i fur districts, two, EXCEPT on
Kenai Peninsula, Nov. 16-Jan.
31. No limit. (Whether there
will be a season for the Kenai
Peninsula is not known, but
may be announced later.)
Beaver—Fur district two, ex
cept for strips of land border
ing the Copper River Road.
Feb. 1-March 31. Limit is 10
for the season.
Mountain Goats—East on lon
gitude 138 W, Aug. 20-Nov. 15.
West of longitude 138 W, (Sew
ard area) the season is Sept. 1
Oct. 31. Limit for residents is
two goats: non-residents, one
goat.
Under the new game regula
tions hunters may not remove
the evidence of the sex of the
carcasses they have 1 died, until
it has been cut and placed in
storage for preservation at the
locality where it is to be con
sumed.
Strips of land one-quarter
i mile wide bordering all public
I highways in Alaska and on each
i side of the ARR are closed to
hunting, except for black bear,
hare and rabbit.
Non-residents hunting big
game animals or going afield
to photograph brown or grizzly
bears are required to employ
and be accompanied by a li
censed guide.
The Alaska Game Commission
will establish guide districts and
maintain a register of such per
sons qualified and licensed to
act as guides.
The new regulations make a
major change in the guide rules
— permitting one registered
guide to take charge of parties
with the assistance of licensed
resident hVinters. The resident
hunters must be over 18 years
of age. Previously licensed
guides were required to hire
licensed assistants. This change
was made, according to the reg
ulations, “due to changing con
ditions in the guiding profession.
Many guides now engage in
other permanent business and
are not available to guide non
resident hunters.”
Printed booklets of the 1950
game regulations will not be
available to the general public
until early in July.
SUMMER TRAIN SCHEDULE
ANNOUNCED
The ARR announces a change
of schedule for passenger trains
to meet the two boats a week.
A passenger train is to leave
Seward each Tuesday and Fri
day morning at 9:00 o’clock. It
is to return to Seward on the
same days, leaving Anchorage
at 3 p.m. The new schedule
went into effect today, May 23,
and will be effective through
the entire season.
Infantry Troops Return Home
After Celebration and 'Rest’
Airport Work To
Start By June 15
•
Telegram dated May 23, 1950: ■
"Engineering firm of Victor I
Rivers has been authorized to
proceed with the surrey and
engineering of the Seward Mu
nicipal Airport. Survey will start
no later than June 15. This pro
ject will be constructed under'
the Federal Aid Airport Act, j
and the proposed landing area j
will be large enough to accom-'
modate airplanes of the Douglas
DC-3 class.
"Our engineer and myself will j
arrive in Seward in the near fu-;
ture to contact parties interested
where land acquisition is re-1
quired.
"TONY SCHWAMM.
Director of Aeronautics"
"Guide to Alaska"
Publisher Visits Here !
Mr. Lou Jacobin, publisher of
“Guide to Alaska and the Yu
kon" attended the meeting of
the Seward Fourth of July Com
mittee Sunday evening. Eight
pages of the Guide are devoted
to Seward in the 1950 edition,
and next year, Mr. Jacobin
promises, the story of the Mara
•thon race and the work of the
Committee will receive special
notice. He stated that we are
on the right track in the race
promotion and does not see how
it can fail.
The Guide to Alaska has been j
printed annually for the past six
years. Mr. Jacobin spends ap-!
proximately six months of each
year in the Territory gathering
material, and the remaining six
months compiling and getting
the book into production.
It is one of the fastest selling,
and has the widest circulation of j
any publications about Alaska. j
Mr. Jacobin is doing a real serv
ice to Alaskan communities in
his accurate descriptions, and
friendly approach to local prob
lems.
PINTO MOOSE SEEN
NEAR LAWING
Fred Henton, in from the;
lodge this weekend, reported i
seeing a spotted moose ahead of
him on the road south of Law-j
ing. This is the first pinto moose,!
a cow, ever heard of on Kenai
Peninsula, although many pic-1
tures were taken of an albino!
moose around Russian Lake a
few years ago. 1
Mr. Henton said the moose
trotted along the road ahead of
him for several minutes, so that
he had a good view of the ani
mal.
MRS. JURGELEIT LEAVING
FOR ANCHORAGE IN JUNE
Mrs. Gertrude Jurgeleit, Ter
ritorial Public Health Nurse, is;
leaving about the 13th of June j
to go to Anchorage where her
husband is working with the
Alaska Road Commission. i
Miss Virginia McMullen, who
has been Territorial Public
Health Nurse in Anchorage for
the past year, will come to Sew-1
ard to take Mrs. Jurgeleit's j
place. Miss McMullen is on leave,
of absence in Oregon at present j
but is expected to arrive in
Seward within a few weeks.
DENALI FIRST SHIP ON
DOUBLE SCHEDULE
The Alaska Steamship Denali
made port about 11:30 Monday
night, as the first of the double
schedule, bringing passengers
into Alaska twice each week (
through the summer.
Members of the 1st Battalion
of the famous 4th Infantry Regi
ment, who made up the march
ing unit in the Armed Forces
Day celebration in Seward, this
morning boarded the train to re
turn to Anchorage.
This was the first military
marching unit to have taken part
in any parade in Seward for
several years. It brought a lump
into the throat, and a lift to the
hearts of these marching stal
warts. One felt less neglected, a
greater safety, just being re
minded that although the Army
is no longer in town in large
number, these competent look
ing men are within a short dis
tance of us, and will come in
case of danger. Led by the tall
Lt. Trotter, a man of long serv
ice, the group seemed to irradi
ate strength and confidence.
The Infantrymen presented a
most interesting display of
equipment in the Civic Center
Saturday afternoon. It was view
ed by most of the town people
who seemed particularly in
trigued by the cold weather
clothing and camping gear. The
new glass fiber foot wear and
underwear was carefully exam
ined. and the immediate query
was, “Is it on the market, so
that we can get some?”
A demonstration of an eight
man squad armed with Ml
rifles, one Browning Automatic
Rifle and one Browning machine
gun was well attended in Lowell
Canyon in spite of the cold wind.
The men were quartered in
the Seward Rest Camp area
under the direction of Lt. John
Burke, who met the contingent
on their arrival by train Friday
night.
In earlier days one might
have expected some evidence
of strained relations between the
two groups of servicemen, but
under the Unified Forces pro
gram, the Army and Navy serv
icemen were in complete accord
for defense. They were all “bud
dies” in Seward. No complaint
can be made as to the conduct
of the Infantrymen, all of whom
seemed to enjoy themselves
while in town as much as the
townspeople enjoyed their
presence.
Col. Willard Perry returned
with the unit to renew old ac
quaintances in Seward among
the friends with whom he at
tended school here as a boy.
Airforce Speaker
Col. R. C. Ruegg, USAF, in
his talk to the people after the
parade, mentioned the high level
of cooperation and unification
reached by the military forces—
not only at the top level in
Washington, but overseas in
such strategic areas as Alaska.
“It is a tribute,” he said, “to
the successful application of
democratic principles to the
strengthening of our National
Defense establishment — our
Army, Navy and Air Force.”
He reminded the people that
the Alaskan Command is not a
Cheechako, but has been in the
Territory since 1930 in the days
of Hap Arnold and Billy Mit
chell. It has grown up with the
country. “We do not want an
Alaskan Pearl Harbor—and we
do not propose to have one. We
are making sure of this by keep
ing constantly on the alert and
in readiness for any emergency
. . . by looking ahead to any
possible future attack and plan
ning for it.
“The Alaskan Air Command
is a direct descendant of the war
tried 11th Air Force that fought
over the Aleutians and in the
defense of Alaska during the
last war. Its present command
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