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Seward Seaport Record
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Vol. VI, No. 79
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 1950
Price 10 Cents
Council Passes Ordinance On
Establishing Utility Board
The original ordinance which
was passed by a vote of the
people setting up a Utility Board
in 1948, was not conclusive
until a ruling of the 1949 Legis
lature made municipal utility
boards lawful.
In consequence Ordinance No.
202 was passed by the city
council in regular session after
the second reading and discus
sion, implementing, and regu
lating the Seward Utility Board.
It is given in part as follows:
Ordinance No. 202. An Ordi
nance to create for the City of
Seward, Alaska, a Utility Board:
to delegate and to define the
powers and duties of such board;,
to provide for the membership
thereof: and to prescribe the
rules which shall govern said
board and its proceedings.”
Sections 1 to 3 state the rea
son for the Board. That it is
created to manage and operate
the municipally owned electric
system and all public utilities
now or hereafter owned by the
City, pursuant to the provisions
of Chapter 92, Session Laws of
Alaska, 1949, as amended. All
propertied and business affairs
of the municipal utilities, sub
ject to rules, regulations and
limitations are committed to the
jurisdiction, management and
supervision of the Board.
Section 5 sets up the composi
tion of the Board. It is to con
sist of five members, one of
whom is elected annually, each
for a term of five years. Sec
tions 6 to 8 stipulate the conduct
of meetings and set the time
and place of meetings, as the
second Tuesday of each month.
All meetings shall be public
and held in the Council cham
bers and all proceedings by
and before the Board shall be
recorded and permanently re
tained in the offices of the City
of Seward, and shall at all times
be available for public inspec
tion and use.
Section 13. The Board shall
appoint a manager whose term"
shall not exceed five years and
at a salary fixed by the Board.
Before any manager shall be
removed he shall, upon his re
quest, be permitted to appear
before the Board to answer com
plaints against him. Such hear
ing shall be public and the
Board shall, upon hearing all
issues, vote upon the questions
of dismissal. If a majority of the
Board by recorded vote shall
favor dismissal, the manager
shall be discharged forthwith.
Otherwise he shall be allowed
to retain his position.
Section 14 outlines the duties
of the manager who shall fur
nish a surety bond in the sum of
$10,000, premium to be paid by
the Board. Section 15 states the
Board shall impose and collect
such rates for utilities services
rendered to different classes of
consumers as the Council of the
City of Seward shall hereafter
establish.
I Section 16. “All existing prop
erties of the Seward Municipal
electrical utility and all future
acquired additions, replace
ments, improvements and better
| (Turn to Page 3)
Police Force Gets
New Patrolman
The city council approved the
appointment of Dale Green,
World War II veteran, to the
police force as night patrolman.
Mr. Green, a former resident
of Elk City, Oklahoma, was
highly recommended. The son of
a sheriff in his own county, he
has grown up in the police busi
ness. His experience in the Sea
bees also constituted a recom
mendation.
Chief Leonard Clark reported
that several other local men
had been interviewed for the
job, but they did not submit
applications.
Ughtfoq Completed
lA O’d School Bui'dirsa
The relighting of the old
school building, placing of flu
orescent fixtures, and more of
them, so as to bring the lighting
in each classroom and the halls
up to standard, has been com
pleted.
The work was done by Osbo’s
Electric, and upon a favorable
inspection of the wiring by Jack
Jordan, manager of the Seward
Electric System, the job was ac
cepted by the City Council and
the contract price of $4232.65
was ordered paid.
Social Security
Representative Here
Edward Paluska, field repre
sentative of the Juneau field of
fice of the Social Security Ad
ministration, is in Seward and
expects to remain here several
days. During his stay here, Pa
luska can be reached at the New
Seward Hotel for information
about the social security pro
gram or assistance in filing
claims for payment under the
Old-Age and Survivors Insur
ance provisions of the Social
Security Act.
Federal old-age and survivors
insurance is designed to give a
measure of protection after
reaching age 65 and to protect
survivors in the event of death.
Old-age and survivors insur
ance payments are a matter of
right, Paluska said. The pay
ments are not based on need
and they are not made automati
cally—a claim for them must
be filed.
U. of A. Scholarships
A total of 95 scholarships at
the University of Alaska are
available to the young men and
women of the Territory during
the 1950-51 academic year, ac
cording to an announcement
made last week by Dr. Terris
Moore, president of the Uni
versity. The scholarships range
from $500 in cash, sufficient to
pay all normal school expenses
for one year, to amounts cover
ing dormitory expenses for one
year.
“Scholarships are financed by
public-spirited individuals and
(Turn to Page 3)
City Council Pledges
Better Seward In
New Chambers
The Seward city council met
for the first time Monday night
in the new chambers over the
fire hall. The body pledged
themselves individually and col
lectively to a greater and better
Seward.
The council chamber is a room
about 30 by 40 feet, soundproof
ceiling, walls finished in polish
ed birch plywood panels, with
the upper part in straited birch.
The floors are red and black
mottled tile. Eight, four foot
fluorescent fixtures flood the
room with light.
A beautiful council table was
built by Dick Beissner and pre
sented to the city on behalf
of the James Construction Co
with a gavel and plate. Built of
Konai birch, the table is 10
feet, 8 inches in length, and
4 feet wide, supported by lyre
shaped stands instead of straight
j legs. Thirty folding chairs in
I harmonious colors for visitors
j have been ordered, to complete
!the furnishings.
Offices of the city clerk and
Seward Electric System occupy
the front of the building, and
a five room apartment for the
fire chief is located at the back.
The fire fighting equipment
will be moved in Wednesday,
if the siren is installed by that
time, completing the occupancy
of the building.
The mayor and city council
issued a public invitation to all
Sewardites to inspect the build
ing. and attend future meetings
of the council in an atmosphere
of light and comfort.
Oscor WefsjoJd Buys
| Out Waeshter Bros.
i Announcement was made this
week that Oscar Watsjold has
! comleted the transaction which
I now makes him the owner of
j Waechter Brothers Meat Market.
Mr. Watsjold has operated
the establishment for Waechters'
for the past nine years. No state
ment was obtained as to any
changes of name or policies by
the new owner.
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE
BY YOUNG PEOPLE
The Youth Fellowship of the
Methodist Church will conduct
!the Good Friday services in the
church at 8 p.m., Friday.
The service was planned and
will be given by the young peo
ple themselves, and the public is
cordially invited to attend.
i FUNERAL SERVICES FOR
MRS. ISAACS TODAY
j
l Mrs. JoAnn Holman Isaacs,
j who died in Anchorage last
: Wednesday, March 29, was bur
ied in the Seward Cemetary
today. Services were held in
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church,
Rev. Russell Clapp officiating.
Mrs. Isaacs was the daughter
of Charles Bern and the sister
of William Bern, owner-operator
of Seward Steam Laundry and
Dry Cleaners, and of Bob Bern,
also of this city.
Mrs. Isaacs is survived by
seven children, some living in
Seward, two in Kodiak, and in
other territorial communities.
5 Million For Alaska Housing
Received In Juneau
Red Cross Disaster
Fund Aids Nurses
The 14 nurses who lost all
their possessions in the fire at
the nurses quarters at the Sew- j
ard Sanatorium last week are
being rehabilitated under the!
Red Cross Disaster plan. The i
work is being handled by the!
local chapter of American Red
Cross.
This is the first time since the !
(sinking of the SS Yukon that1
the disaster fund has been in-:
voked in Seward, according to
an anouncement by Mildred
Kirkpatrick, chapter chairman.
—
Census Takers On Job
Ear'y Saturday
The big job of census taking
was begun early Saturday morn
ing, April !. Mrs. Pearl Milroy
j and Mrs. Alice Lorang, enimier
j ators for the city, are now a
familiar sight with their big
books under arm.
Mrs. Alice Kennedy, crew
i leader in the district, reports
that the enumerators are receiv
ing splendid cooperation from
the people, and wishes to ex
press thanks for the reception
j given the workers.
Funds From Bake Sc?ia
For Playground
The Parent-Teachers Associa
tion is holding their Easter Bake
Sale at the Seward Trading
Company again this year on
Saturday, April 8 at 10:30.
Proceeds from last Easter's
sale were given to the school:
j for the purpose of buying chairs!
j for seating in the gymnasium!
I at school functions. This year i
; proceeds will be used for en-\
I larging and improving the play
! ground and it is hoped enough
I money can be made to buy some
' piece of new playground equip
ment. Since the building of the
new addition to the school has
considerably lessened the play
ground space and the six aged
and dilapidated swings are only
reasonably safe, the P.-T.A. vot
ed that money spent for a new
playground and equipment
would be well worth while.
A special cake will again
hold the spot light this year. |
Mrs. Rafter, one of the town’s I
most eminent cake bakers, has
consented to bake it. The boy
and girl selling the most tickets
will receive two free trips each
to the theatre.
The Bake Sale will be priced
for the buyer and the committee
in charge is working hard for
a gala display for their cus
tomers.
COOPER LANDING RIFLE
CLUB TO HAVE DANCE
This Saturday, April 8th, the
Cooper Landing Rifle Club is
holding an Easter Hop at Hen
ton’s Lodge. The public is cor
dially invited out to enjoy the
fun and dancing will begin early
in the evening after dinner.
Five million dollars have been
deposited in Juneau, in the Fed
eral Disbursing Office, for the
use of the Alaska Housing Au
thority in connection with its
new housing program which was
approved by Congress last year,
it was announced last week by
E. Glen Wilder, Executive Di
rector. “This fund, together with
the recent ‘unfreezing’ of a por
tion of the Alaska Housing Au
thority Territorial funds by the
Board of Administration in Ju
neau puts the AHA in a posi
tion to proceed with its broad
new housing plans." Wilder
stated. "We arc now ready to do
business and invite all prospec
tive housing sponsors to contact
the AlIA for further informa
tion, he said.
Approximately two years ago
the AHA initiated its legislative
program seeking to obtain the
means to alleviate the acute
housing shortage throughout the
Territory, and to assist in the
encouragement of a home build
ing industry. During the year
1949, the Territorial Leg stature
passed authorizing legislation
and the Congress approved an
enabling Act known as the
“Alaska Housing Ad:' tiie di
rect result of the efforts of the
AHA, and which has already
resulted in a quantity of hous
ing units in the major communi
ties of Alaska to be 'planned
for early construction as soon as
the building season opens this
spring. The 67 unit Turnagain
Arms Apartment building in
Anchorage, and the 682 unit
apartment project for the Alas
Ka Railroad and fort Richard
son also in Anchorage, is al
ready well underway, and oc
cupancy of these two projects
is expected this spring and
summer. Construction of a 132
unit, 12 story apartment build
ing is getting underway in Ju
neau. These projects were made
possible by the provisions of the
Alaska Housing Act.
“We may assist corporate
sponsors with the financing of
their projects if private financ
ing is not available. We also
wish to help home builders
otherwise by giving planning
and design advice on their pro
jects,” Wilder said.
Wilder stated that the prime
purposes of the programs of the
Alaska Housing Authority is to
encourage the greatest quantity
of private financing and private
construction that is possible. It
is by assisting, financially and
otherwise, prospective housing
sponsors that the AHA hopes to
encourage and develop a self
suporting home building indus
try for Alaska. The Alaska Hous
ing Authority was approved by
Congress as a mortgagee, and as
such will use the available funds
to lend to private housing spon
sors. Loans may be made for
the first mortgage and pre-con
struction financing and advances
during construction. It was em
phasized that loans by the AHA
may only be made to corporate
borrowers and when private
financing is not otherwise avail
(Tum to Page 3)
WATCH FOR OUR GRAND OPENING
SPECIALS GALORE!
New Store Hours for Your Convenient
Phone Garfield 149
SATURDAY, APRIL 8th
FREE COFFEE and DONUTS
-9 A.M. to 7 P. M. Two Deliveries Daily—-10:30 A.M. and 4 P.M.
KENAI CO-OP
ACROSS FROM THE
POST OFFICE