Published every Friday at Kodiak, Alaska
Yearly Subscription Rate $8.08
Second class mail privileges authorized at Kodiak, Alaska
Send notices of undeliverable copies to:
THE ISLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY
Box 1307. Kodiak, Alaska
John Salmine, Bob lies Publishers
Bill Mason, Editor
Karl Armstrong, Marine Editor
Problems Lie Ahead Of Us
The future of Kodiak in 1963 looks exceedingly bright, so rosy
in fact that there is a move to employ a full-time Chamber of Com
merce manager to concentrate on attracting new industry here.
There’s little question but that our economy is as sound as any
community in Alaska, but that is not due to anything we have done
but rather because of the vast resources here.
It’s time for us to start moving into action. In today s modern
industrial world, manufacturing plants are located where transpor
tation facilities are good; where utility rates are favorable; good
living conditions for the employes which covers homes, recreational
facilities; an adequate water supply; a favorable tax structure; good
roads; and adequate housing. . .
Unfortunately, Kodiak doesn’t measure too high on anytmnft
but what nature has provided for us. , A ^
We are fully aware that much has been done in the past two
decades, but we are equally aware that we have just scratched the
surface on what remains to be accomplished. If employing a full
time chamber manager or establishing a borough form of govern
ment will speed the program, we’re all for it—B.M.
Worthwhile Reading — “Katmai”
Unfortunately, too little has been written about Alaska’s most
historical island, Kodiak. We know because we prowled through
numerous libraries in the Lower 48 in an effort to learn something
about the Island before we came here, and all the guidebooks and
Alaskan histories barely mention Kodiak. It seems that few of the
authors got off the mainland.
Since our arrival we have read the valuable information com
piled by Yule Chaffin in “Alaska’s Kodiak Island” and just this
week thoroughly enjoyed the account of the volcanic eruption of
Katmai and its effect on Kodiak a half-century ago. Descendants of
many of the people written about still live here such as Karl Arm
strong, son of the U.S. Marshal at that time with the same name.
The black and white sketches by author Wilson Fiske Erskine
are excellent as well as the narrative.
For our own enjoyment and for a book of Kodiakana, we per
sonally recommend that you obtain a copy of this excellent book
—B.M.
We Don't Like 10-Page Papers
Nor do we like 12 or 14 page Mirrors.
Last week we published the second 10-page edition of the Mir
ror since the present publishers took over last July, and frankly we
don’t like them.
We had to leave out the Base news, some of the sports stories,
a story on the Rainbow girls, Church news and many other items,
because we simply didn’t have room for them. You can’t get very
much news in a 10-page tabloid newspaper.
Most of the past six months the Mirrors have had 16 pages which
is just about right for a paper which serves a trading area of 5,000
readers.
But the size of the paper is determined by the volume of ad
vertising, not the amount of news we have on hand, and we don’t
believe we missed any opportuinties to call on potential advertisers.
We sincerely believe we have given you a readable and interest
ing newspaper in recent months, and we most certainly would like
to keep it at the 16-page level,
We hope the readers understand, and we trust after this week
that we won’t find it necessary to publish a 10-page paper the re
mainder of 1963. At least we’ll do our level best to keep that prom
ise.—B.M.
M I
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Walnut Cake. 830 Ea.
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They Brought Reefer II Here
Norman Holm (r.) is shown with his eldest son, Oliver, shortly after
their arrival in Kodiak this past month aboard th/e processing ves
sel Reefer II. On hand to greet Holm and the 14-year-old six foot
Oliver were Mrs. Dorothy Holm; another son, 12-year-old Peter, and
10-year-old Peggy, their daughter, all of whom had flown ahead and
had been house guests of the Basil Clarks. The family now resides
in Aleutian Homes. The Holms operated a King Crab venture .in
Juneau for two years before entering into a join* operation with
Pan-Alaska Fisheries with the Reefer II. The 105-foot vessel arrived
with a crew of 11, including Oliver who was accompanied by the
family dog, Renee. It was skippered by Dan Stanworth of Seattle
and has been followed by three fishing boats: the 63-foot Rio De
Oro, skippered by Knute Akre; the 50-foot Apex No. 1, skippered
by A1 Bales; and the 58-foot Tern, skippered by Gil Hamilton. The
boat Neptune, under command of A1 Frederickson preceeded the
move here from Juneau. Kodiak wUl be the base of operations of
the crabbing operation and all of the boat skippers plan to locate
their famiUes here.
King Crab Catch High In Alitak
Informational Leaflet No. 19,
mimeographed by the Division of
Biological Research in Septem
ber, is entitled “King Crab Recov
eries in 1962 from Alitak Bay Tag
ging,” and written by Guy C. Pow
ell. The report presents informa
tion and figures of a preliminary
nature only, as the data from the
program had not yet been run
through the Departments’ IBM ma
chine.
\’1
The preliminary figures indicate
that 42 per cent of the 5,976 male
king crabs tagged in August of
1961 had been captured by the
following July. The report also
mentioned that, as in other areas,
the Alitak Bay crabs move shore
ward in fall and winter, seaward
in spring and summer.
Alitak Bay is the largest king
crab producing area in Alaska.
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PHONE — 486-2411
Mrs. Roy Kvalheim and her
daughter, Ingrid, daughter and
granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.
D. Simmons of Kodiak, returned
to Coos Bay, Oregon, after the hol
idays to return to her home there.
Read the classifieds for profit,
use them for results.
THE BUOY LINE
As I tore the last page off the
1962 calendar this morning, I
couldn’t help but stop for a mo
ment to think of all the things—
good and bad—which had hap
pened to our many friends in
Kodiak and other parts of Alas
ka during the past year.
The tick of the office clock
was strangely loud as I remem
bered the terrible losses suf
fered in early 1962 when the
Silver Star and Ruth L of Sel
dovia were lost with all hands—
and the mysterious disappear
ance of the new seiner sent out
by Packers. The sea can be ter
ribly cruel and unforgiving.
Our only loss was the Juno,
skippered by Richard Olson,
which sank in Jap Bay. Lloyd
Cannon, owner of the Juno, is
owner and skipper of the
Oceanic — an 85’ ex-herring
seiner.
Pan-Alaska—and the fleet—
had a tremendous summer sea
son. This was due entirely to
the fact that we were able to op
erate the Mercator right with
the fleet in Alitak. Our high
boat probably an all time indus
try record, by the way—earned
a phenomenal $108,000 in 60
days with an eye-bugging man
share of about $17,000!
As you know, the Mercator
type operation means not only
crab which are green-water
fresh—the best top quality pro
duct available anywhere, but it
also saves countless hours of
running time for the fishermen.
And during these dark, cold,
winter months with the ever
present storms and ice danger,
this is important.
And it’s going to count even
more. As the Mercator moves
into the Aleutian Island area,
she will be followed by the
Alaska Trader which will leave
Seattle for Adak in early Janu
ary. These two ships will really
Pay big dividends, not only in
added safety, but in much better
fishing and better earnings for
our fishermen. And on this Hap
py note, let me close by wishing
you all a very Happy and pros
perous New Year.
Wish Best Wishes, I
Bill Ritter \