Mass ssel Wm
'W
The Seward Irola^ is k$
Ch. o Commerce
It is understood that represen
tatives of the U.S.C.G. were in
town last week and were well
satisfied with the idea of making
Seward the headquarters for a
cutter. The main obsticla was the
absence of suitable housing. Infor
mation on any action taken will
be made public as soon as pos
sible.
* * *
The situation regarding the
‘'send-off" banquet remains the
same but the roster is filling up
and definite action will be taken
soon.
It seems tHat Mr. Sunborg of
tlie Alaska Developement Board
wishes to obtain the facts and
figures regarding the money ex
pended and tlie work accomplish
ed on the Lost Lake Hydro-Elec
tric Power Project. This inform
ation will be forwarded him at
once through Eng. Win. Estes and
Secretary Turner.
• • *
Letters were read which were
copies of those forwarded to the
Territorial Engineer. Mr. Metcalf,
on how the appropriations for the
improvements on the airstrip and
the small boat harbor were to be
spent These letters were sub
mitted through the City Council.
♦ * *
Paid-up membership is 52 in the
new Chamber with 11 yet to come
in and a possible 22 listed in ad
dition. A 100c enrollment would
mean about 85 emmbers.
* * *
Mayor Gene Lanier received a
round of anplaus as he finished
giving the Chamber an insight in
to the problems of the city “dads"
and reouested their help in solv
ing civic problems.
He also told of the $6,000,000
Hospital for which Seward has
long been angling and which was
promised to us under HR 5021 two
or three years ago.
* * *
The short session came to a
close after a very interesting lec
ture by Professor Eric Mann of
Los Angeles who is in Alaska
gathering data for the lecture
Platform. fOur space is short as
the deadline approaches and in
our next issue we will attempt to
give our readers some of the sal
ient points of the Professor’s dis
course ).
• -I
TWO VESSELS TO
OPERATE WESTWARD
a
Two cargo and passenger ships
are to start taking the mail west >
about May 1st, and will probably |
proceed to Atka at least one trip
out of the two per month called ■
for in the contract with the gov- '
eminent.
The company known as the
Coastal Trading Company (they
may change the name and also
the ship's names to comply with j
the area in which they operate) |
have two modern ships of 115 ft.1
length and of about 200-ton reg- 1
istery.
They are large enough to carry
25 and accomodate 12 in sleeping |
quarters.
Arrangements have been mad ■ j
by J. O. McArthur who is a stock ,
holder and business representative 1
for the company who was a visi- j
tor in Seward Thursday.
This company will finish out |
the 2 remaining months of the |
contract with J. H. Petrich of the
M. V. Aleutian Ma'il at SI 10.000
per year and on July 1. 1948 a
new contract at $125,000 yearly
will be entered into.
This new and necessary servu e
is badly needed Westward. We
are glad to state that the new
company has selected Seward
for their headquarters.
•
DEAD LINE ON
MAY 15th 1948
*•>0
Buildings, with the exception of j
No. 2. must be off the Fort Ray- 1
mond area by the 15th of May or
the perforance bond and what re
mains of the ubilding purchased
from the WAA will be forfeited.
Doubtless, the reason behind
this is the desire to complete all
arrangements by July 1st the
end of the fiscal year when it
is understood the WAA will be
closed or turned over to another
bureau.
m
Head the THl'TIT in tin* Polnrls. j
Junior Class Play
The Junior Class Play “Double
Exposure” will be given on April
29 and 30 at 8:15 in the High
School Gym. The cast is as fol- 1
lows:
#DOUBLE EXPOSURE
Junior Class Play
APRIL 29th and April 30th
CAST
Dr. Markham P. Carruthers, a psychiatrist RICHARD DANGLER
Markham (“Mark") Carruthers, his nephew— PAUL MCMULLEN
Maidee Holmes, of the Old Mill Theatre Edona Myers
Curtis (“Curt") Ellis, director of the Old Mill Theatre.
.-. TERRY FILLINGIM
Tate Smithers, a constable WILLARD DUNHAM
Ginny Gates, of the Old Mill Theatre JUNE WOODS
Norma Slater, of the Old Mill Theatre PHYLLIS BAKER
Mrs. Darlene Phipps Hoislngton RENEE FAULKNER
Genevieve Hobart, of The Old Mill Theatre WILMA MYERS
Marian Wylie, of the Old Mill Theatre PATSY WOODS
Cristobal (“Cris") Crenshaw, a friend of Mark's
. BEVERLY SEATER
Sarah Crenshaw, her aunt WILMA STICHT
Henry Hoisington, a businessman RICHARD CASSEL
Douglas of Seward
Answers Valdez Queries
Below we print the letter which
was sent to the Valdez Chamber
by the local Candidate for Repre
sentative, Leo M. Douglas.
Valdez, Alaska
The questions listed below were
submitted to all of the people
filing as candidates for public of
fice in the coming Primary Flec
ion. Among those who respond
ed by April 1st from the first Di
vision was Leo Douglas.
List of questions submitted to
candidates:
1. What is your opinion regard
ing a General Property Tax?
2. What is your opinion regard
ing a Territorial Tax?
• Continued on page 4
BROWNELL’S LETTER TO COMM.
OF CONGRESSMEN IS PUBLISHED
GENERAL WEEDING NEEDED.
ALASKA RAILWAY; PLANT
NEW CROP
■t
Published in the Seward Weekly
Gateway, Seward, Alaska; Satur
day, September 13. 1930
□
By DON CARLOS BROWNELL
i Comiiuit il (rum la.-i Lsu. i
»*r *
It a real change IS wanted, 1
propose the following:
TRUNK HIGHWAY
TEAR UP THE RAILS. LOWER
THE RAIL BED BY SPREADING
FOR WIDTH; SURFACE FOR A
HIGHWAY; AND CHARGE TOLL
ON BOTH FREIGHT AND PAS
SENGER TRAFFIC FOR MAIN
TENANCE. I firmly believe lhat
if this was done, the resulting ef
fects would stimulate development
of Alaska resources far more than
ihe railroad. A truck loaded her;
in Seward coudl deliver the goods
right at the mine, pro;poc.l, farm,
extra handling. Then all ot th se
town residence, without the now
many short highways would be
connected,, making rapid inter
communication. If a man wants a
ton of freight at the end of one
of ih • many short roads leading
to the railroad, he ships a truck
out by train to do the hauling,
leaving it idle there when done,
or sending it back by rail to the
town, a costly operation that dis
courages traffic. On the other
hand, if he could run back and
forth to the nearest towns at will
he would buy more and do mot
There would be no more ex
pense to the Government after
the highway was finished; a sav
ing to the Treasury of probably
a million dollars for another 1
years. Conversion to the highway
could be carried on from the
north this way without interupt
ing traffic, and with great rapid
ity.
If tite plan to change the whole
railroad at this time cannot be
accepted, then convert that sec
tion between Mt. McKinley Park
station to Fairbanks, making it
the connection link between the
already constructed 30 mile road
in the Park, and the present
Richardson Highway. If this is
not done, the railroad will most
assuredly be paralleled by a high
way in the near future to make
the link. The agitation, promo
tion and governmental attention
already goven to the proposed in
ternational highway, (connecting
British Colombia southern Yukon
Territory, and eastern Alaska),
has reached such proportions as
to assure its construction in the
near future. Tourist travel to A
laska then will almost wholly be
by auto, with the terminal, Fair
banks. The fact that Mt. McKin
ley is the highest mountain on
the North American continent
gives it an attraction far more
than its beauty justifies, and all
tourists who came to close at
Fairbanks, will constantly agitate
for a connecting highway until
it is built, enabling them to drive
on down into the National Park.
Experience elsewhere, under sim
ilar conditions, have always
brought that result, and will in
evitably do so here. Under simi
lar conditions lsewhere experience
has also shown that a highway
paralleling a railroad, where pas
senger travel is predominant, ru
ins the railway.
It would be wi'e to continue
the conversion on down to Anchr
age. making that town the end
of the highway, and the northern
terminal of the Government Rail
way. This plan would stop the
railro'd deficit and enhance the
growth of central Alaska. It is
quite safe to say that even the
tourist travel coming into Alaska
would be gre-tly increased. There
is no freight traffic north of An
chorage that could not be hand
led. by truck. Then fleet? of
trucks and buses would ma>
their headquarters at Anchorage
and Fairbanks.
The ease of exnmin’n"
cent land when traveling in a
private car would tend to induce
settlement along the highway
more than at present; also, easy
access by private cars lo Fair
banks or Anchorage from farms
along inis route, (in a few hours
any ay), would also be attractive.
| Numerous filling stations and
! road houses would be established,
and each of these would be its
little garden, demonstrating to
travelers the agricultural possibili
ties of adjacent land. They would
also make neighbors closer.
By the time the conversion was
complete, and n good wo; king or
der, the intermit iional highway
would probably be well along in
construction, soon bringing large
numbers of autos from the staUs
into Anchorage. it is in order
here to voice the opinion that
cars reaching Fairbanks over the
International highway would NOT
| be shipped by train from there
j to Seward. A 470 mile train lift
would not look attractive to the
average auto tourist. Ho would
I states, or go down over the Rieh
! either retrace his course, to the
ardson Highway to Valdez and
take the boat there. It is improo
uoie mai me ranroaci at its pres
|cnt lengh would gain any travel
j from the completion of the in
national highway -more likely to
lose. The closer the tourist can
drive to Anchorage, the surer he
will take the train and boat
south.
I believe the above plan to be
the best solution to the puzzle
this railroad has been to Congress.
It is the only way to divorce the
Government from a project that
was never necessary .and has
never accomplished its objects.
IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO
QUICKLY, AND WHOLLY STOP
THE DRAIN ON THE UNITED
STATES TREASURY. It is the
only way those results can be ob
tained, and at the same time
j start and stimulate real central
' Alaskan development. As a rail
, road it will go on being a failure
and a Treasury leak for an in
i definite term of years. Converted
j an auto-highway, it will
bring immediate prosperity to
this Territory, and save $1,000,000
■ a year.
If the above scheme as a
whole or in part, is unacceptable.
I herewith suggest changes in
policy, and radical remedies, in
the operation of the railroad that
I believe would alter the present
negative influence the railroad
has on the development of this
part of Alaska, to a strong posi
tive one.
GENERAL MANAGER
The failure of the railroad to
bring Prosperity and Development
to this part of Alaska; the huge
deficit in operation each year: the
lack of new industries; in fact
the decline ofeverything in the
Railroad Belt rests wholly and
squarely on the shoulders of the
General Manager.
There can be no valid excuses
offered; each was given plenty
of money and time to bring re
sults, but from the time the Gov
ernment took over the Railroad to
the present time, the MANAGER
HAVE NOT BEEN THE MEN
FOR THE PLACE. In making
that statement there is no inten
tion of belittling their ability;
they are no doubt high class rail
road executives with great exper
ience and successful records.
They have received their appoint
ment on that reputation, and if
placed in a situation, where such
talen and experience could be
used, hey would no doubt bring
forth good results. BUT, those
recommending the man, and the
President in appointing hmi, and
the man h'mseU, fail to see that
th:s Alaska Railroad has nothing
in common with the railroads in
the states, except the rails, the
ro'lig so^k "d tb^
poorest man to be in control of
transporta* ion up here in a 100
per cent ’•-> ’’•nador The •'->nre ef
fSH^nt e.- r> *t> ’■>->' n*
.the head r a * --u— * ---
I ’ p’o*v. rrT"r* T rxr' re; QTJAL
take a man, we will say, who has
been superintendent of a busy di
vision of the Great Northern and.
put him in charge of this road,
is a mistake, sure to be unpro
ductive results The longer and
more intense his railroad experi
ence. the more foolish. This is no
discredit to the man; he is just a
HIGH CLASS PEG IN THE
WRONG HOLE. A railroad man.
of that type sees everything and
judges everything, from a sched
ule standpoint. His one guiding
thought for years has been. "Keep
the trains moving on time”, and
the more rapid the movement of
freight and passengers, the great
er efficiency.- These principals are
so ingrained that everything he
does is influenced by them. TO
GUIDE THE OPERATION OF
THIS RAILWAY BY THOSE
PRINCIPALS IS NOW AND WILL
BE FOR MANY YEARS AD
VERSE TO ITS ECONOMICAL
OPERATION, AND WILL RE
TARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ALASKA'S RESOURCES.
The qualities most desirable in
a General Manager are: a strong
aversion to waste, (even of Gov
ernment funds); a deafness to the
many hoggish demands io. un
necessary service; a keen eye to
detect the multitud? of small
leaks: originality, balance with
good business judgement. In short
a man who sees the need and
value of reducing the service and
i upkeep epense, to the point of
absolute necessity, giving service
I "nly on the showing that it
'would directly help develop the
country and encourage land set
tlement. A man who would not
let the steamship companies be
guile him into tourist chasing. A
man level headed enough to rea
lize that the New York Central's
schedule ideals are whcllv out
i-t place on the Alaska Railroad.
Place a man with these quali
ties in control of the railroad and
'he whole situation would change
for he better in a very short
time. Inside uf a year the road
would be self-supporting; there
would be renewed interest in
farming and mining: in meat in
dustries and wood products; a
restored confidence of the people
in Alaska.
To assist the Manager in deter
mining. policies, and to make it
difficult for one town to exert
more influence than another, I
suggest that a Railroad Advisory
Board be created; to meet wita
the General Manager to consider
and pass on policies he may
wish to inaugurate. If a majority
of the Board was opposed to the
Manager, the subject would be
submitted to the Secreary of the
Inerior for decision. The ir.embei -
ship could be composed of the
Mayor of each of the three larg«
towns, and the Territorial Repre
sentatives of the Third and Fourth
Division.
COMMUTERS
Ninetenths of the people of Al
aska do not regard themselves
as permanent residents. (This is
a sad state of affairs, but true.*
They eontantly hope to make a.
clean-up and go back to the
States. All have a strong desire
to spend each winter below. Yes,
they own homes here, and busi
ness property; but careful inquiry
will prove the correctness of the
statement. Therefore, ANY IN
FLUENCE MAKING IT QUICK
ER. OR EASTER OR CHEAPER,
FOR ALASKANS TO GET TO
THE STATES IS ADVERSE TO
BUILDING UP A PERMANENT
POPULATION. The heavv travel
south in the winter, and the ex
pressed wish of those remaining
North shows the strong tendency
of Alaska to be commuters. The
rigors of Alaska winters stimulate
the desire. Frequent train service,
luxurious cars, cheap mileage,
quick eonnect'on between train
and boat, fine quick boat service
all coax Alaskans to go outs:de
for the winter, and if they do it
once, they want to do it again,
for-a-,- the hab't.
next issue)