Seward Seaport Record
Formerly‘The Seward Polaris & Ktnai Peninsula-Aleutian Chain News
Vol. V, No. 47
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, DEC. 14, 1948
Price 10 Cents
Longshoremen
Ask for More
Freight Cars
The Seward Longshoremen's;
Union sent a letter to The Alaska i
Railroad several days ago asking<
that more railroad ears be allotted I
to the Seward terminal to expe
dite unloading of ships.
• 1
The information was released
yesterday by Hank Railage, chair
man of the public relations com
mittee of the Seward Longshore- j
men's Union. Pallage stated that ■
officials of the railroad had been
invited to attend a conference with
the local unions to discuss the
matter.
I
k
It is the contention of the union
men that they can do a faster job
of unloading if the cargo can be
placed directly in the railroad cars.
If the goods has to be stored in
the big warehouses here, it results
in the added cost of double han
dling.
A check at the office of the
Northern Stevedoring and Han- ,
dling Corporation disclosed that
the company was well satisfied
with the speed with which the last 1
several ships had been unloaded at
Seward. Enough cars had been
available for all purposes, it was J
said.
Mr. Tom Jones, dock superin-1
tendant, said that the railroad had |
sent all the cars ordered, and that,
while there had been a couple of.
close calls, there had been no work (
stoppages because of car short
ages.
I
It was learned that the Army ;
t transports which have been in
Seward in the past ten days had
arrived on twenty-four hours,
notice, but that when the ships
arrived there were cars in the
yards to handle the cargo dis
charged.
Mr. Jones stated that the rail-'
road had replaced most of its
worn out cars with new ones, and 1
that about 250 cars had been de
livered, with an equal number still
on the way.
The great bulk of goods going to
the Interior go over the docks at
Seward, including most of the
Army’s shipments.
Community Christmas
Tree When
Treats Arrive
There will be a community
Christmas tree program this year
as usual, but the date has yet to
be announced. The candies and
other treats for the children are on
The' Alaska Railroad barge, and
their arrival will naturally influ
ence the date of the program.
It is proposed to hold the pro
gram in conjunction with the
school's Christmas program if the
supplies" arrive on time. If they do
not arrive on time for the school
program, the celebration will be
held at a later date with a special
entertainment for the children.
ABOUT MAILING THOSE
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Those mailing Christmas cards
are warned that if one and a half
cent stamps are used the envelopes
must not be sealed. If they are
sealed they are considered first
class mail. Cards bearing the cent
and a half stamps can neither be
forwarded to changed addresses
nor returned to the sender.
Salisbury Would Abandon
Seward Railroad Line
vims is me nun or a series 01
news reports on potential indus
tries for the Railbelt. The reports
ire based on analyses prepared by
G. Reed Salisbury, engineer con
sultant, who was employed by the ;
Alaska Railroad. The railroad
management has released these
news stories as a public service. >
Alaskans suffer from hardening
of the arteries—that is, the arter
ies of transportation.
Lack of Sufficient economical/
transportation—possibly more than
any other single deficiency—hind
ers development of the territory.
The key to the solution of Alas
ka's transportation problems, ac
cording to the Salisbury report, are
what he calls “transportation com
panies.” They are the skillful in
tegration of railroad, truck and bus
service, air and water lines. Salis
bury's advice is Don't rely on one
and neglect the others.
"This does not imply a single
management or a transportation
monopoly,” he said, "but instead
some form of traffic commission
which would evaluate the require
ments of (all' and then synchron
ize the rates, schedules, and other
pertinent factors. . . "
For instance, a "feeder” system
of bus and truck transportation
seems the logical answer for the
Kenai Peninsula. Salisbury cut a
pattern for the Kenai because this
area is further along in develop
ment planning than any other area
which can use a feeder system.
me Kenai pattern may give other
areas in Alaska the answer.
The Kenai, Salisbury claimed, is
not readily adaptable to rail trans- |
potation. The rugged, mountain- !
jus terrain is a harsh strain on the
railroad. Grades are excessive;
cars must labor up inclines.
"Trains must be divided and
boosted over humps and nursed
around curves," he wrote.
This results in special handling,
extra equipment, and slow sched
ules—all of which jacks up the
cost of operating and hikes the
overall freight rates.
"In the final analysis, it (the
Seward Division of the Railroad)
becomes a subsidy paid by the in
dustry and commerce of Alaska in
order to sustain an uneconomic
operation,” Salisbury maintained.
"In the main. . .it has been a sym
pathetic consideration for the Wel
fare of the Sewardites which has
weighed most heavily in the con
tinuance of this white elephant
despite the overwhelming evidence
regarding its prodigal nature.”
The Kenai’s lone advantage is
the ice-free deep water port at
Seward, he contended.
Cutting off the Seward section of
the railroad, however, does NOT
meaning abandoning the Kenai,
S ilisbury m a d e plain. Push
through the road network from
Sew aid and Homer to Anchorage,
he advocated. In fact, the Kenai
highway system deserves more
funds to build a better roadway.
(Turn to Page 3)
P-TA Christmas
Party To Be
Friday, Dec. 17
This Friday evening the Parent
Teacher Association is foregoing
the business meeting and staging
a lively Christmas party for ail
parent members, non-parent mem
bers, their children, their guests,
and the faculty of the Seward
Schools, in the school building.
The program committee h a s
planned an interesting thealie
party presenting a lull length fea
ture comedy (16mm) preview and
are topping it with delicious re
treshments for all. The title of
the picture is to be announced dur
ing the week.
The party will be at 8 p.m. Fri
day, Dec. 17. The party is expected
to last past curfew hour and all
children should be accomponied by
a parent and also parents inviting
guests should accompany them.
Refreshments will be served by
seventh and eight grade mothers.
There will be no admission
charge and an enjoyable evening
has been planned by the commit
tee in charge.
BALLOTS BEING PRINTED
FOR SCHOOL ELECTION
Ballots for the school bond elec
tion, to take place December 20,
are being printed now. Several
hundred sample ballots are being
printed also. The samples will be
given to the public for study.
With the election less than a
week away, no concerted opposi
tion to the school board’s plan has
been brought to public notice.
A few people, who have asked
that their names be withheld have
expressed dissatisfaction with the
building plan opposed. A large
turnout of voters is expected, how
ever.
Shipping News . . .
All arrival dates of ships pub
lished here are tentative.
Passenger Ships:
SS Baranof, due Seward, Dec. 16.
SS Alaska, due Seward, Dec. 23.
SS Denali, due Seward Dec. 25.
Fieighiers to Leave Seattle:
Terminal Knot, Dec. 16-18.
Victoria, Dec. 16-18.
Chief Washakie, Dec. 19.
'Hie Terminal Knot will make
stops at Cordova, Valdez, Seward,
Port Graham, Seldovia, Port
Bailey, and Uyak, besides South
eastern ports. The Victoria will
call at Ketchikan and Juneau,
Whittier, Seward, Valdez, a n d
Whittier a second time.
Barge 754 of The Alaska Rail
road was due to leave Seattle Dec.
11, with a cargo of food, supplies
and building material for the Rail
belt. With the end of the emer
gency the Railroad will discon
tinue barge operations, which have
been so greatly appreciated by
Alaskans during the strike.
The Baranof was carrying a full
load when it left Seattle, which
means that it unloaded and re
loaded in less than five days, and
that all freight had to be checked
into the docks before loading.
KIBH To Repeat
Bob Hope Seal Show j
Mrs. Carl Ling announced today
that the Bob Hope Christmas Seal
program aired by KIBH last Fri- i
day night was so well received j
that the Tuberculosis Association
has been requested to sponsor a
repeat performance Wednesday at
8:15 p.m.
The program featured twelve
famous Hollywood stars, with Bob
Hope, and music furnished by
Johnny Merton’s band. Don Wil
son is announcer on the program.
Junior Traffic
Patrol Goes on
Job Today
The Junior Traffic Patrol today
began its work of controlling auto
mobile and pedestrian traffic at
the school under the guidance of
Chief of Police Leonard J. Clark.
The Boys were doing a splendid
job as the children and teachers
arrived at school. The teachers on
the whole cooperated good humor
edly when asked to observe the
rule of crossing at corners of the
streets. One of the boys even made
his mother go to the corner in or
der to cross to the other side of
the street.
The boys on traffic duty this
morning were Ted Gerwer, Arvid
Keidsed, Donald Gray, Derrick
Williams, and Mike Stradley.
Don't Ignore Boy
Safety Patrol
Chief of Police Leonard J. Clark
said tnis morning that he is quite
pleased with the way ‘the Boy
Traffic Patrol is working out.
The Police Department will co
operate with the boys, he said. The
chief issued a warning to motorists
to observe the signals given by the
boys while they are on <luty at the
school.
Motorists are to slow down .on
approaching the school crossings.
When the boy gives the signal to
proceed, cars are to move slowly.
If the boy holds up his stop sign
| directly facing the approaching ve
hicle it must come to a halt, and
i proceed only when given the go
ahead signal.
j License numbers of cars not ob
[ serving the signals will be taken
: and turned over to the Police De
j partment, Clark said.
George Puckett of the Highway
Patrol warns motorists tiiat water
' forming small glaciers on the
: roads are oiien dangerous. He sug
gests that ail motorists carry axes
with which to chop ruts in the ice
i so that cars can travel safely over
them.
Liquor License
Fee Decision
Postponed
I At msi mgnt's special meeting
■ of the City Council with Seward
bar operators no decision was
reached concerning the increase in
liquor license fees. The meeting
was continued till this evening, at
which time it is expected that a
, vote will be taken,
i With Attorney R. E. Baumgart
ner representing the bar operators,
a solid lroni was presented in op
1 position to the raise. Baumgartner
, stated that the burden of proof
j rested on the city in showing that
t h e population h a d increased
aoove tne futeen hundred mark.
Bar license fees are auto
. matically increased from $500 to
i $1000 when the population in
creases above the 1500 mark, as
pointed out by Councilman Painter,
i While an official United States
J census w ill not be made in the
| Territory until next year, it is the
i ueuei ot council members that,
| since the tuberculosis x-ray survey
| of last year showed that 2700 peo
ple had x-rays taken, this figure
could be used as a basis for com
i puting population.
Some interesting facts were
brought out during the meeting. It
seems that while business in Sew
ard was not too hard hit by the
recent shipping tie-up, the" bar
owners took a severe beating.
Hal Gilfilen stated that his pay
roll runs to a huge sum and that
one-third of his gross income goes
to taxes. William Novick stated
that he thought the bar owners
should have more time before hav
ing to meet the present issue,
j The meeting tonight will be
called to order at seven o'clock, at
which lime the council is expected
to make its decision.
i Seward police reported a quiet
weekend with only one arrest for
vagrancy on the books. Last week
there were tlirce arrests reported.
Christmas Message
Rules Given by ACS
Due to expected large volume
ot greeting messages to be hand
led during the holiday season, the
Alaska Communication System
and the Western Union will accept
greeting messages commencing
today, December 14, 1948, tor de
livery on the holiday. Such mess
ages will be accepted at normal
rates and held at point of destina
tion for delivery on the designa
ted holiday. It is requested that
patrons who desire to send Christ
mas or New Years greeting mess
ages do so as early as possible.
The office hours of the local Alas
ka Communication System are 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Saturday. 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4
p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and
holidays.
For those who wish to telephone
their friends and relatives within
Alaska and elsewhere the Alaska ^
Communication System in Seward i
has been alloted five (5) calls not,
to exceed five minutes each on
December 24, 25, 26, 31, January 1
and 2. Such calls will be on reser
vation basis and should be made
as early as possible. Reservations
for Christmas period must be
.marie by the 18th of December and
those for the New Years period by
the 26th of December. Reserved
calls will be handled between 9
a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 4
p.m. and 5 p.m. on days specified.
No reduction in rates will be made.
Regular holiday rates will apply
only on Sunday, Christmas and
New Years Day. Circuit time will
be reserved for emergency and nor
mal business calls but due to large
number of calls, those not made on
a reservation basis will be sub
ject to delay.
9
CHOPPING
PAXT LEFT,
Buy _