* JlRhITORIAL museum
FIGHT TB
•■y Christmas Sods
Seward Seaport Record
Formerly The Seward Polaris Sr Kenai Peninsula-Aleutian Chain News
Vol. 5, No. 42
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, NOV. 26, 1948
Price 10 Cents
Housing Held
Alaska’s One
Great Need
“The situation, though difficult,
is not hopeless.”
This terse comment, which re
minds one of a war communique,
is a summing up by Reed Salis
bury of the Railbelt’s housing situ
ation. Housing—and who hasn’t
felt the squeeze—is the Railbelt’s
No. 1 problem.
The purpose of his report on a
tiouse-construction-industry is this:
he hopes that the report may en
courage venture capital to inves
tigate the feasibility of going into
the business.
Salisbury doesn’t underestimate
the importance of housing:
“No enterprise can flourish with
out reliable and contented em
ployes,” he says, “and no em
employe can be satisfied without a
reasonable home life. Such envi
ronments do not exist in Alaska
for the newcomer.”
Now many people are impro
perly housed? He modestly estim
ates that “present living quarters
do not ptovide an acceptable
standard for over three-quarters
of the current population.” This
figure is much smaller than those
advanced recently by housing
authorities.
In fact, there is a danger of ex
aggerating the number of houses
Which could readily be absorbed.
Such an exaggeration can rebound
and harm the territory’s economy,
he claims. “The clamor for 2000
houses (apparently he refeis Imre
to Anchorage) is too enthusiastic
and Chamber of Corcmerco-ish for
such *\ number would result in the
cc-31ap.se of realtv values, hence
upsetting the terri;o-y rat'n-r than
stabilizing it,” he wane
What is the numorr of homes he
thinks can be absorbed without too
grt at an impact cm existing vnl
(Tum to Page 3)
Seward Seaport Record
Changes Publication Lays
Keaaers may expect tneir news
papers to reach them a day earlier
than in the past. The reason is
the change in publication dates,
by which the Record will be in a
position to give advertisers better
service.
The change will be especially
advantageous to those whose
ucstomers come to town on Satur
days for their shopping. By having
the papers in the hands of the
shoppers on Friday evening, the
service win oe iar more elective.
The same applies to the merch
ants who conduct midweek sales
on Wednesdays.
As for the news angle, the Re
cord has found that an evening
paper brings out the latest news
available on the evening of pub
lication, which is generally all the
news to be found in a morning
paper. The Record, however, will
continue to give the best possible
service on news, even when that
service involves extra editions.
Less Wind Promised as Storm
Damage in Seward Surveyed
A great deal of suffering and |
damage were caused by the ter
rific windstorm which swept Sew
ard over the holiday period. With a
slacking in the velocity today, re
lief was in sight. Conditions for
tonight are expected to be better
generally, with the temperature
expected to climb from a low of
four above Thursday.
Mrs. Tom Howell, who operates
the Seward weather station, said
that the wind averaged a 43 to
45 mile per hour velocity yester
day, but the station here is not
equipped to measure the gusts
which at times reached a terrific
velocity.
- A quonset hut across from the
Record office was turned half-way
around before it finally collapsed.
A building at the radio station
collapsed, and the building in
which Hoogland’s Boat & Cabinet
Shop is housed suffered consider
able damage, with one end blown
Mr. W. L. McNutt, a member of
the Anchorage Fire Department,
has been in Seward over the holi
day to visit friends. Mr. McNutt
came to Alaska last spring from
Southern California.
U. S. O. Building Us
Awaits Heating
it was announced today that
the City Council is in complete
accord on the use of the USO
building for amusement purposes.
The great drawback is the lack
of funds in city coffers. The city
can not undertake to heat the
building for a few hours a week.
Unless an administration group
can be organized for the purpose
of backing the plan financially,
such operation will be out of the
question. The council will collect
figures on the cost of heating the
USO building for the last year.
The figures will be released very
soon.
Councilman Russell Painter said
^^StlOPPING
£ £,VPXS LEFT
V
CHRISTMAS
ff SEALS
ho thought the fuel bill for last
year was about $1900. The Police
Department is located in the base
ment of the building, and could
absorb some of the cost. But un
less more money is forthcoming,
the building will have to be closed
up.
An offer has been made by the
Basketball League to make use of
the building, along with other or
ganizations, and pay for its use.
It is hoped that some organiza
tions will take over the building
for dances and social functions. j
The building would serve many
purposes for entertainment and
comfort. It could be Used for a |
gymnasium and game room. When
trains or ships are off schedule it
would be a fine place to accommo
date those who have to spend sev
eral hours here. Many people who
live on the highway have no con
venient place to go when they
come to town to shop.
The great difficulty is that it
does not pay to open the USO un
less it can be used every day. If
enough activity can be centered
there to pay for heating and main
taining the building, the city coun
cil is more than willing to open
the building.
UUl.
A metal cornice was blown off
the building which houses Hinie’s
Liquor Store. Many windows were
gone this morning, and garbage
cans were scattered helter skelter.
Roofing was blown off the dock
warehouse, and a great deal of
damage was done at Seward Light
and Power.
There has been no real estimate
of damage done, but many water
pipes are reported to have frozen
as a result of windows being brok
en out, or because of furnaces and
stoves being shut down when the
power lines were downed.
Chief of Police Clark said that
city police kept a twenty-four
hour continuous patrol as a guard
against fires and broken wires.
Many old timers said there never ,
has been such a wind storm with
in memory. There may have been
stronger winds, but never of such
long duration.
H.S. Operetta To Be
Given Dec. 3 and 4
B? sure to remember the dates
—December 3 and 4—because on
those evenings a rootin', tootin’,
hillbilly musical comedy is going
to be presented by the senior class
of the local high school.
With plenty of singing, dancing,
and specialties, “Kentucky Sue”
promises to give a rip roaring
evenings entertainment.
It is the story of Lew Wheeler,
a young author who goes up to
the hills of Kentucky to write a
book. He takes his room and board
at the "Widder" Roys, where he
walks into one of the longest,
most bloody, and funniest feuds
in that part of the country.
What happens to Lew Wheeler
when he gets in the middle of all
this is just too good to tell; so be
sure that you don’t miss one of the
finest evenings entertainments of
this or any other year. It’s one
you never will forget.
Shipping News . . .
No official news has yet been
received here concerning the ar
rival of The Alaska Railroad
barge. Latest reports are that it
has taken shelter from the weather
in vicinity .of Cross Sound. How
ever, with milder weather in store,
the vessel could make the remain
ing distance in a little more than
a day. Barge 742 was loading in
Seattle, and due to sail this week.
in town for the holiday. Mr. Urie
will be associated in business with
his father after having left the
Army. Martin Urie will take care
at the business in Seward.
First Ship Expected in 10
Days as Strike Agreement
Reached by Longshoremen
Moose Plentiful i
Says Road Man
Many moose hunters, with hopes
of bagging their game in the
Kasilof area have been concerned
about the status of the highway in
that area. Mr. Ralph Soberg of the
Alaska Road Commission, said this
morning that a great deal of care ;
must be used in driving over this
road, because it has become cov- j
ered with ice in spots.
Mr. Soberg said, however, that
the road is generally in fine shape,
and aside from the icy spots no
trouble should be encountered.
There is no snow in that area, he
said.
William Allen, Fish and Wildlife
enforcement officer, could not be
reached this morning, but Mr. So
berg himself warned that hunting
within a half-mile of the highway
is not permitted. According to So
berg there is quite a concentration
of moose south of the Kasilof
River.
Anchorage Elks
Postpone Trip
Anchorage Elks sent their re
grets to the Elks of Seward this
week, because they will not be
able to make the trip here for the
initiation ceremonies set for Sun
day.
Hal Giifilen said today that the
affair had been postponed till
Sometime in January. The get-to
gether has not been cancelled, and
work done in preparing for the
visitors will not be wasted.
—Buy and Use Christmas Seals—
j. i i ou-utiy-uiu iiicuiuiiit' iicr-up
which has paralyzed West Coast
shipping since Sept. 1 and has
allowed a mere trickle of food and
supplies to enter Alaska came to
an end this morning.
The strike, which has cost ship
pers $4,000,000 a day in business
and maritime and longshore work
ers $3,000,000 a day in wages, was
one of the most bitterly contested
in history. Although remarxable
for lack of violence on both sides,
bitter accusations and recrimina
tions have been hurled by both
sides.
BULLETIN
According to unverified reports
late today, another hitch has de
veloped in strike negotiations. The
8ailors Union is said to have de
manded the right to discharge
ships in Alaska ports, a subject
that has been cause of disputes
in the past. Local authorities, how
ever, believe that the dispute will
be successfully ironed out.
Stateside loading of the vessels
can be accomplished in 24 to 36
hours, and it is expected that the
first ship will arrive in about ten
days.
The Seward office of the Alaska
Steamship was closed today, and
Mr. Lorang of the barge line could
not be located. Therefore it was
not possible to get any definite
information about expected arriv
als of vessels.
Local merchants have been cast
ting anxious eyes at the shipping
news for a long time, since cargo
destined for Christmas sales wa^
in danger of arriving much too
late for the holiday season.
While their stocks are still in
that holes were appearing in
fair condition, it was apparent
shelves, and very soon serious
shortages might have been felt.
With Alaska caught in the bight.
Alaskans chose sides also, with
Governor Gruening accusing the
shippers of refusing to negotiate,
(Turn to Page 3)
Trash Burning Danger
Told by Firemen
The Seward Volunteer Fire De
partment has asked us to print the
following message to the public:
The reason for the city ordinance
prohibiting burning anything out
doors unless in an incinerator
should now be apparent to every
one—a terrific wind and everything
dry, especially the grass. Just a
spark in the dry grass and it's any
body’s guess where the fire would
be stopped. The Fire Department
requests your very strict observ
ance of this ordinance.
During the past year not all of
the fire calls have been clear as
to the exact location. It is entirely
up to the person turning in the
alarm to give the location prop
erly. Give your name. Give your
house number. Give the avenue
you live on.
If you do not know your house
number you can get it from the
city clerk. All the lots face the
avenues. The avenues run north
and south. The numbers start at
the south end of town and in
crease to the north. Of course, we
all know where all the business
houses ar^. We also know where
the old-time residents live. If you
are one of the more recent ones to
take up residence here you should
be especially careful to learn your
house number. Then if you ever
need help from the Fire Depart
ment—1, give your name; 2, give
your house number; and 3, the
avenue you live on.
KIBH, while on the air from 5
p.m. to 12 midnight, will broadcast
all fire alarms. If you are tuned
in to your local station you will
immediately know where the fire
is. If you hear the siren and want
to know where the fire is, turn
on your radio and get the location.
This procedure will save many
calls to the phone operator. Unless
you are a fireman, do not go to
the phone when the siren blows.
The operator is busy calling 20
firemen and giving them the fire
location.
Thanks,
Seward Volunteer Fire
Department