VOL. 21, NO. 50 KODIAK, ALASKA, DECEMBER 15, 1961 PRICE TEN CENTS
Strong Objection Made To New Tax;
Raise In Sewer-Water Rates Seen
Mrs. Alice Given, property own
er outside the city limits, appeared
before the City Council protesting
the paying of an additional one
cent sales tax.
Mrs. Given stated she spoke not
only for herself but a group of
people who lived outside the City
limits who now pay a personal
property tax to the Independent
School District. They felt they were
being put in a “squeeze” between
paying that and paying the new
sales tax, which, she said, is de
signed to eliminate the personal
property tax of City dwellers.
When assured that the School
District tax has been eliminated,
the spokesman for the group with
drew her objections.
In other action, the City Council
voted approval in the first reading
of Ord. 248, which covers the new
sewer and water project in the ad
dition.
The income from the City’s wa
ter system is paying a part of its
sewer costs, according to City
Engineer Jim Barr. Barr presented
a detailed study of the two sys
tems and recommended that the
charges for sewerage services be
upped.
The sewer department is runn
ing a deficit yearly of $75,000 ac
cording to the engineers figures.
This will be increased with the
construction of the Leite Addition
system. He recommended a $1.50
monthly increase for the service,
to pay for maintenance and also
debt retirement. Even this amount
will allow only a small surplus.
The engineer presented several
plans by which the City could put
its water system on a paying basis.
The plans involve using only the
present system, which so far has
been adequate, or whether the
City should plan for future de
velopments and additional use of
water by new industries. In that
event the Pillar Mountain water
project should be developed, thus
raising the cost.
Rates for industrial users of
water is not realistic, according to
the engineer. A rate of 7 cents in
the scale of charges for industrial
users, he said, is out of step, since
it costs the City more than 15-17
cents to provide the water. The
national average cost for provid
ing water is 15.3 cents, he said.
Copies of the report are being
studied by the Council members,
and a new rate schedule will be
determined at a later meeting.
Swimming Pool
By Next Summer
Kodiak will have a swimming
pool by next year, according to
Rep. Pete Deveau, who spoke brief
ly on a number of developments
affecting the City, at the Chamber
of Commerce meeting Thursday.
In his statement, Deveau outlin
ed a plan which he has been work
ing on by which the pool will be
built by private capital. He stated
he already has over $10,000 pledg
ed. The property has been acquir
ed, and he said he felt an open
pool could be built by next sum
mer. The pool will be operated
much the same as the one in
Anchorage, he said.
During his remarKS, the repre
sentative stated that he had been
advised that the plans for the
State-owned Kodiak-Homer ferry
are expected to be complete by the
end of the year.
Seek To Move
Alaska’s Capital
Several petitions are being cir
culated locally to put on the ballot
an initative to have the capital of
Alaska moved from Juneau to
Western Alaska.
Dr. Bob Johnson, who stated at
the Chamber of Commerce meet
ing Thursday he favors the move,
and is sponsoring a petition to the
effect.
Mirrored Reflections
By SIG DIGREE
There have been more than nine
cases of dog poisoning reported
this week-scattered over a wide
area of town. Two oases involved
litters of puppies.
This type of thing is upsetting
to say the least. A canine hater
with the mentality of a moron who
would stoop to this sort of thing
is just one step away from a kid
napper of babies, or even a murd
erer of same.
A killer in a community, whe
ther of human beings or dogs, is
a menace that should be eradicat
ed. He has no place in orderly
society. It will be too bad for him,
whoever he may be, if he is ap
prehended by dog owners who have
lost a pet this past week. They are
indignant and rightly so.
One instance we were told of was
that a female and her puppies kill
ed in just a matter of minutes—it
must be someone with a sick mind
to take out his hatred of dogs even
on helpless puppies.
It must be borne in mind, how
ever, by dog owners tnat apprenen
sion of a killer of dogs is not easy.
He has to be caught in the act, so
to speak. The Police force has been
bombarded to “do something”
about it. It must be remembered
that the force has limitations—par
ticularly in numbers. The Depart
ment is composed of family men
and dog owners such as yourselves.
We think you can rest assured they
will each individually do every
thing in their power to help and
to apprehend the killer.
We understand the victimized
dog owners are going to get to
gether—this is the right approach,
we think. It is only by vigilance on
the part of many that the poisoner
can be caught in the act.
* * *
We want to particularly thank
our advertisers who have been co
operating with us so wholeheart
edly in getting their copy into us
ahead of time—we are operating
one man short these days with the
(Continued on Page 4)
Mr. Dog Poisoner
I don’t know what satisfaction you get out of poisoning other peo
ple’s pets, but anyone who would deliberately plan wholesale murder
of dogs has a perverse streak in his makeup thait may prompt the urge
to kill human beings.
If you are doing this for a specific reason, that reason should be satis
fied by now—the toll of lives in dogdom has reached nine at lastt count.
That should satisfy your vicious nature. If you have a grudge against
dog lovers, then you have a long way to go.
Have you forgotten your childhood? A dog is loved by grownups and
children alike. His delight in his dog is a characteristic of a child—a
way of growing up. Deep sorrow is felt at the loss of his pet.
Think on these things. Live and let live. If you can’t you need help.
You’re sick!
Chamber Urges Requesting Opening
Pillar Mountain Road To Traffic
Members of the Kodiak Island
Chamber of Commerce present at
the meeting Thursday voted with
out a dissent to request that the
Pillar Mountain Road be again
opened to the public.
Several of the members spoke
favoring the opening of the road.
Dr. Bob Johnson sought to estab
lish the point that contamination
rather than polution was the ques
tion at issue. He said it was diffi
cult to see how people driving up
the road, no matter how heavy the
traffic, could contaminate the
water supply.
Emil Knudsen stated he couldn’t
see how the road traffic co(uld con
taminate the water. He said there
are huge areas in the larger cities
where people even live, and it
doesn’t seem to effect the water.
Dr. Bruce Keers countered this
by saying the chlorine plants in
reservoir areas of the big cities are
working all the time, which is not
the case here. He further stated
that Harry Carter, State Sanitar
ian, said he was checking the ecolo
count, in an effort to find out if
the situation was as bad as first
indicated.
City Manager Bill Poland spoke
briefly, calling the City’s water
system a “sitting duck,” stating the
Council was motivated in taking
its action by the reliance of the
City’s industries on its water sup
ply
Dr. Bob Johnson again brought
up the point of contamination. This
can only be done by continued de
fecation, he said, “highly imposs
ible.”
Bid For Alaska
As Center Of
Fur Processing
Washington (/P). The Depart
ment of the Interior will consider
a proposal to establish a plant for
processing Pribilof Island seal
skins in Alaska, Don Dickey, gen
eral manager of the Alaska Cham
ber of Commerce, said.
Here for two-day round table
talks with Federal official, he said
the plan was well received. He said
a fur processing plant in the state
would “provide an opportunity to
put Alaska resources into use by
Alaskans, and would help the
State’s economy.”
KODIAK MAKES BID
An attempt is being made to
bring the processing of seal skins
to Kodiak, according to Chuck
Weir, Harvey Flying Service pi
lot, who stated before a Chamber
of Commerce group Thursday, that
the first steps have already been
taken along this line.
Jack Hinckel stated he thought
the road was being closed because
of a maintanance problem. He was
highly skeptical of the amount of
wear and tear of the private cars
that use the road.
An amended motion to re-ex
amine the problem was made and
a request that the community be
allowed to use the road was passed.
School Board
Lifts Tax Burden
The Kodiak Independent School
District School Board at its meet
ing Monday rescinded the persona]
property tax on residents outside
of the City.
This action was taken in view of
the one cent sales tax which wiil
be levied beginning the first of
the year by the City, according io
Dr. A. Holmes Johnson.
The schools are maintained by
State and municipal support. A
mill rate will be set to pay the
City’s portion, following a study of
the schools budget.
Plan To Erect
Memorial Plaque
A memorial plaque will be er
ected at the small boat harbor in
memory of the men who have lost
their lives on fishing craft in wa
ters adjacent to Kodiak.
Action was taken at the Chamber
of Commerce meeting Thursday
noon at the Town Club to study the
idea, with the Chamber the spon
soring body. A committee consist
ing of Emil Knudsen, who brought
up the idea, as chairman and
Chuck Weir and Dexter Lall, will
study the idea and report back at
the next meeting.
Along The
Waterfront
A wellknown fishing boat in
these waters, the ALF-JIM, owned
by Alf Anderson caught fire and
sank Saturday, with Alf and his
crew member Eld Higgins coming
out of it with severe burns.
They had just finished refuel
at Port Wakefield. As they started
up the engine, an explosion oc
curred, and the vessel immediately
caught fire and was soon out of
control. Th fishing vessel MELVIN
II towed it away from the dock and
an attempt was made to beach it.
After it was turned loose, the cur
rent caught it and it drifted out
into Raspberry Straits. The vessel
burned to the waters edge and
sank in about 30 fathoms of water.
The two men sustained burns
about the hands and face, and were
taken to Kodiak in a Kodiak Air
ways plane, receiving treatment at
Griffin Memorial Hospital, but
were released shortly after. Causa
of the explosion and fire is un
known, according to Bill Damery,
Marine Surveyor.
■X
Kadiak Fisheries new vessel,
OCEAN MAID, was noticed around
the waterfront the past couple of
weeks.
A
The PREMUS, a fishing vessel
that operates out of Seldovia, was
reported in trouble. Coast Guard
reported the vessel has entered
Shuyak Bay near Pearl Island,
where it has sought shelter, and
was last reported safe.
A
Stop and warning signs will be
erected at the approach of the
Kodiak Airways taxi way on Ta
gura Road, following a letter from
the Airways and Council action
Thursday night to erect them.
Warning signs will be posted
above the approach with a “Full
Stop” sign at the approach. There
have been some near accidents
lately according to Airways per
sonnel.
It is also planned to explore the
possibilities of another approach
road eliminating this dangerous
stretch for traffic going to KEA j
and Alaska King Crab and resi- *
dents beyond.
Del Valley was granted a permit j
to berth his pile driver at the end
of a float in the small boat harbor.
The Council stipulated he drive i
two piles needed for tieup, at his •-*
own expense.
Bears To Play In Anchorage Feb. 5 :
The high school Kodiak Bears
have been invited to play in a pre
liminary game in Anchorage, when
the University of Alaska basketball
team plays the Peru Olympic team
in Anchorage in February.
The Peru National team will play
the the University of Alaska five
on February 5 and 6 at Anchorage.
The Bears will play East Anchor
age in a preliminary game, Feb. 5.
The invitation was extended by
Chester (Jordon on behalf of the
Anchorage Round Table, a sports
organization theie. 14 members of
the team, including Coach P- •
Floyd and manager of the team
are expected to make the trip.
- - *
Roberta Sinks
Seattle {/P). The 56-foot fishing |
boat, Roberta, from Bellingham, 4
caught fire and sank Wednesday •
night off the west coast of Van- ;
couver Island, the Coast Guard was !
informed.
Four crewmen were taken
aboard the southbound fishing boat j
Kodiak, Seattle, which answered
the distress call relayed through
radio at Tofino. The two crews a
'a -ently subdued the engine room
re, but it broke out again.