SEWARD’S
All-cWeather
SEAPORT
la Alaska’*
Greatest Asset
Seward Seaport
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT 8EWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VI, No. 77
SEWARD, ALASKA. TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1850
Price 10 Cents
Bartlett Fights
For Alaska
Public Works
Word was received here this
week from Delegate Bob Bart
lett that he expects to present a
good fight to the Senate in sup
port of the Alaska Public Works
Act which was cut by two-thirds
in the House Appropriations
Committee last week. That com
mittee also wrote in a provision
requiring military recommenda
tion before any further partici
pation by municipalities can be
considered. This is in direct op
position to the original intent of
the act as passed by both Houses
of Congress.
In a letter from Bartlett, and
also by request of Lew Williams,
Acting Governor, cities and
towns in Alaska are asked to
submit complete details of abil
ity to pay, and strong justifica
tion for the various projects in
which participation has been re
quested or is proposed.
Following is the telegram sent
in reply to the request for in
formation from Seward:
Reurtel information tor Dele
gate Bartlett’s information, Sew
ard’s justification of participa
tion in public works submit fol
lowing: Estimated population
3300, with completion of high
way to Anchorage opening the
Peninsula to travel and settle
ment from States, considering
volume of inquiries from pros
pective settlers permanent pop
ulation expected to increase by
15 per cent yearly. 794 lots with
in city limits now serviced by
cesspools in contact with water
supply constitute definite health
hazard, many lots already filled
with cesspools and no room for
expansion. Sewer system abso
lute essential, can be complete
ly financed through assessment.
Privately owned water system
established in 1905 with piece
meal additions of four- and six
inch wooden pipe is no longer
adequate to serve the town,
small volume and low pressure
causes main to freeze, and added
drain of the supply by railroad
and ships leaves householders
absolutely without water for pro
tracted periods causing great
danger from fires and inconven
ience to people in homes, hos
pitals and public buildings.
Water system can be financed
bv revenue bond.
Seward General Hospital is
the only hospital on Kenai Pen
insula comprising an area of 9,
063 square miles, with an esti
mated population of 9,500 per
sons. This is a 30-bed hospital
which during the month of Feb
ruary housed 75 patients 17 of
whom were from the Peninsula,
and 5 from ships, making an al
most 30 per cent load of out-of
town patients. With the rapid
increase of settlers this hospital
is wholly inadequate. After con
struction it is expected to be
self-supporting.
A conservative estimate of
Seward school requirements
given by supt. of schools shows
an increase of enrollment' of
from 30 to 50 children per year,
for the past two years, with a
present enrollment of 350. Predi
cated upon this increase the
school population by 1955 will
be at least 500. The present
plant will be wholly inadequate
within three years. Can be fi
nanced through Territorial to
bacco tax and local 2 per cent
gross sales tax voted by the peo
ple in 1949. The present program
calls for a gymnasium and swim
ming pool as first unit of a pro
posed high school building, to
provide some sort of recreation
in Seward which at present has
absolutely nothing to offer to
(Turn to Page 3)
The Alaska Chambers of Commerce booth at the Seattle Times Sports and Vacation Show, pic
turing a few of the thousands who viewed it during the first week.
Alaska Booth At
Seattle Show Draws
Many Spectators
Thousands saw the Alaska
Chamber of Commerce booth at
the Seattle Times Sports and
Vacation show from March 17
through the 26th, sponsored by
the Alaska Steamship Company,
reports from Seattle indicate.
Over 15,000 pieces of litera
ture, descriptive of Alaskan
cities, sports events, products
and vacation possibilities have
been distributed.
The booth has created much
interest and was described by
the show manager, Mr. Martin
P. Kelly, as one of the finest in
the exposition.
Anchorage Bowlers
Return Match
Approximately 40 Anchorage
bowlers arrived here March 25
for a return bowling match with
Seward teams.
A committee was formed to
prepare a lunch and coffee for
the fine and sportsmanlike group
from the Interior city. The lunch
was served at Dreamland Bowl.
learn events tor ootn men
and women lasted from 3 p.m. to I
12:30 a.m. The Seward bowlers j
were most successful, the women !
losing only one of three team I
events. Mae Hoy came up with
a 522 with games of 219-160-143,
which is real bowling in any
team’s league.
The Seward men played four
team events with the Anchorage
people and won all of them with
safe margins. Frank Lewis rolled
a 575 series and Louis Dick 220
which was high game for the
tournament. Ed Burke rolled a
573 series.
Sunday the women started
doubles at 10 a.m. Seward wom
en won half of the events. Betty
Lafrenere of Anchorage was
high pointer of the tournament
with 202-201-184 which made
her a series total of 587, which
was high for both men and
women. Only one set of doubles
was played by the men because
of limited time. The game was
won by Seward men.
After Saturday night’s bowl
ing a buffet dinner was held at
the Elks Club and a good time
was had by all.
FREIGHTER SQUARE KNOT
DUE SEWARD APRIL 1
The freighter Square Knot of
the Alaska Steamship Company
is reported due to dock at Sew
ard on April 1.
Sewer Project Delay
Explained By
District Engineer
March 24, 1950
Seward Seaport Record,
Seward, Alaska.
Dear Editor:
Reference is made to your
letter of March 14, 1950 pro
testing the exclusion of Seward
from the construction program
for this year and requesting re
consideration of the sewer pro
ject to bring about construction
this year if possible. We appre
ciate your feelings in the matter
and we do not in any way ques
tion your statement as to urgent
need from a health viewpoint.
We wish to explain that such
priorities as we have established
have been based not entirely on
need but weight had to be given
to the practical consideration of
whether a project could be
placed in the contract stage in
time for construction this season.
Following the appropriation last
fall of funds to start the Alaska
Public Works Program, it was
immediately recognized that en
tirely too little time remained
before starting of the construc
tion season in view of the fact
that it was necessary to set up
an office, accept applications,
complete plans and specifica
tions, obtain approval of Federal
and Territorial agencies, and
carry out the other detailed
paper work which seems inevi
table on a public works project.
The desirability of early bids
in Alaska was recognized. Ac
cordingly, in choosing projects
for the construction which we
expect to have under way before
the end of this fiscal year, we
were influenced by the availa
bility of completed plans and
specifications, or the existence
of completed surveys and pre
liminary plans if the project
was simple in nature. By Feb
ruary 24, 1950 this office had
completed the work of process
ing all projects which we expect
to get under construction this
fiscal year, and the projects so
processed obligate the funds
which are available at this time,
unless bids are considerably
under estimates, with resulting
savings.
We explain the above so that
you may understand that Sew
ard’s project is not in this sea
son’s construction program simp
ly because, like many other pro
jects, plans were not immediate
ly available, and good public
works planning cannot be done
over night. We are agreeable to
early consideration of your pro
(Turn to Page 4)
Valdez Is Port of Call
For Coastwise Ships
Coastwise Line recently an
nounced that Valdez, Alaska,
has been added as a regular
port of call for all its vessels.
The John Cropper inaugurated
the new regular service, leaving
Seattle on March 17. Vessels
will call at two-week intervals
at that port.
Coastwise Line has been ad
vised by the Alaska Road Co n
mission that the Valdez-Fair
banks highway will remain open
in its entirety until about June
1, which is the approximate
time for the start of the spring
break-up. The Glen Allen-Fair
banks portion will be closed
during the break-up but the
Valdez-Glen Alien-Palmer road
will remain open.
Moose Pass News . . .
The latest knitting meeting
was held at the home of Mrs
Bill Brattain. Ice cream and
cake were served with a St.
Patrick's theme.
Joe Pearson returned home
from the hospital Tuesday a.m.
by train. We are glad to have
him back with us again. He is
resting at home now but hopes
to return to school in the near
future.
A new citizen for Moose Pass
put in his appearance at the
Seward General Hospital March
22nd. He is Jeff Lynn Estes,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Estes.
Jeff was born at 8:00 p.m. He
is their second son.
The men and women played
a hard fought game of basket
ball Saturday night. The final
score was 40-12 with the men
the winners.
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Howe
returned to Moose Pass via the
Baranof. They have had an ex
tended trip Outside. They state
they are very glad to be back
and the community is glad to
welcome them home.
DINNER TO HONOR SENIORS
OF SEWARD HIGH SCHOOL
There will be a carry in din
ner in the Methodist Church din
ing room this evening, March 28,
honoring the seniors of Seward
High School.
The dinner is open to the pub
lic. Just bring a covered dish
and your own china and silver
ware. No charge.
Drive slow in school zones.
One third of all pedestrian acci
dent casualties are among school
children.
Long Whiskers
Ordered For
4th of July
Seward men will prove their
virility by the luxuriance of
their beards before the 4th of
July celebration of the plans of
the Fourth of July Committee
materialize. They are looking
for a sponsor for the plan right
now.
Aside from the fun to be had
by everybody (except the beard
ed men) in a beard growing con
test, it is one of the best adver
tising mediums for any kind ot
community participation cam
paign. Besides advertising the
celebration and Mt. Marathon
race to all visitors and boat
passengers, it serves to create
interest locally, in the opinioh
of the committee.
It was also suggested that if
the ladies would be willing to
wear long full pioneer type
skirts and sunbonnets or old
time hats, during the month pro
ceeding the 4th of July, ending
in the dance on the 2nd, with
a committee in costume to greet
all incoming passenger ships,
j it would add to the spirit of the
occasion.
In the interest of advertising,
one man offered to trundle a
wheelbarrow filled with gold
painted stones, just to prove to
visitors that “thar is gold ip
them thar hills,” and to induce
them to return for the races.
If whiskers, long dresses and
' gold by the wheelbarrow load
will attract a crowd on the 4th,
. the committee is all for it.
! -■
$1000 FOR MT. MARATHON
RACE WINNER THIS YEAR
The first man over the top of
Marathon Mountain and return
in the 4th of July race will re
ceive $1000, Second place, $500,
Third, $250, as announced offi
cially by the Seward Fourth of
July Committee. This is the
highest prize offered so far for
the Marathon Race which will
be run this year for the 35th
consecutive time.
The call is out for racers to
compete in this unique race.
Any and all parts of the Terri
tory or Outside are welcome
to enter in competition with
Seward’s own champion, Ralph
Hatch, who is a four-time win
ner. All entries must pass a
physical examination on the
day of the race and contestants
or prospective contestants are
invited to try out the course
and plan their own attack any
time before July 4th.
The Marathon Race is the
most unusual course in the
world so far as is known here.
Beginning at the corner of
Adams and Fourth Avenues in
down town Seward, the runners
are required to make their way
up Lowell Canyon to the base
of the mountain, climb to the
peak which rises at a 60 degree
angle to the height of 3022 feet,
pass the judge’s stand there and
return to the starting point. The
limit of time allowed for third
place is 90 minutes. Strangers,
seeing the mountain for the first
time, will never believe that
the race has been won year after
year in less than 60 minutes.
Weather conditions, especially
heat or wind, are a contributing
factor in the running time.
As the mountain stands like
a sentinel at the northwestern
edge of town, the race is visible
from any point, and the intense
excitement of the breathtaking
feat holds hundreds of watchers
spellbound every year.
Ralph Hatch, who has won
for the past four consecutive
years, plans his fifth race this
summer.