A vivacious woman of 93, now
living in Williams, Arizona, cele
brated last Monday as an occasion
worthy of note.
What’s more, Kodiak figured in
the celebration.
She is Mary Platten, born in Ko
diak June 11, 1869. What makes
the occasion much more memor
able is the fact that she holds the
distinction of being the first white
child to be born in the then terri
tory of Alaska, after it became an
American possession. Her father,
Sgt. Patrick Ford, was stationed
here at that time.
Designated as the “darling of
Williams” in a newspaper account
from that city, on the occasion of
her birthday, Mary Platten re
ceived word recently from the Vet
erans Bureau that she is the only
living widow of a participant of
the Indian Wars now on the pen
sion rolls. She went to Prescott,
Arizona, as a young girl when her
father was sent to Fort Whipple.
She later married Sgt. Fred Plat
ten, fighter of Indian Wars. He
died several years ago.
One newspaper account of her
has this to say: "Aunt Mary is a
Five Scientists
(continued from page 1)
“This area is of particular scien
tific interest since it remained ice
free during the last two major gla
ciations and permitted the survival
during glacial maxima of hardier
types of plants and animals,” Karl
strom said in a letter to the FWS
officials.
“A group of biologists plan to
join me during the latter part of
June for the purpose of undertak
ing a joint geologic-biologic inves
tigation of the glacial refugium
area,” he added.
“The success of our joint ven
ture depends on as extensive a sys
tematic coverage as possible in the
Refugium area this summer. The
botanist and entomologists would
like to concentrate on collecting
along the ridge tops in the refu
gium; the larger alluvial fans at
the mouths of tributaries in the
Sturgeon and Ayakulik valleys also
constitute important collecting
sites for them.
“Geologic mapping of the Karluk
Quadrangle is planed as a two or
three summer enterprise. This first
summer will be but a geologic re
connaissance in preparation for the
next summer’s efforts. Among
other critical geologic localities I
will map the sea bluffs sear Aya
kulik, and the river bluffs along
the Karluk River west and north
west of Larsen Bay in search for
isotope datable material and other
geologic evidence in order to pro
vide a firmer basis for correlation
of the Kodiak Island glacial depos
its with the radiocarbon-dated de
posits of the Cook Inlet Region,”
Karlstrom wrote Troyer, adding,
“I trust that we will have the op
portunity of discussing mutual
problems with you in the field. I
just received a reprint from Dr.
McPhail of McGill Usiversity on
the char distribution of the Arctic
and subarctic regions in which he
postulates that the char found in
Fraser and Karluk lakes strongly
suggests local persistence in a gla
cial refugium. Your research on
the Kodiak Bear bears on the same
problem, and we will be most in
terested in comparing notes.”
Troyer, vcho will be working in
the Karluk Lake area on brown
bear investigations, has been han
dling arrangements for transporta
tion and accommodations for the
group while in the field. The Geo
logical Survey has requested heli
copter and fixed wing plane sup
port from the Naval Base here, ac
cording to Dr. Karlstrom.
lot of things—a wearer of stunning
hats, a card player, a baker of
cakes, a wit, a humorist, a good
Catholic, a giver of readings, a
spirited, friendly, gracious, de
lightful LADY.”
In 1910, Mrs. Platten gave a read
ing at Arlington Cemetery, which
she says is one of the most cher
ished of her legion of happy me
mories. She’s in great demand for
local gatherings to give her nu
merous and often original read
ings. The newspaper account con
cludes: “And isn’t Williams for
tunate that of the many places
Aunt Mary might have chosen to
settle, she picked this place?”
(Ed. note: Material for this ar
icle from newspaper clippings
Furnished us by Miles and Mary
Ourkee. The latter is attached to
Dperations on the Naval Station.)
NOTICE
Dates to remember: Halibut Der
LV July 7-8; July 14-15; and July
11.22. Season ticket only $5.
-— _
Lt. James McDonald Is New C.O. At
C G.’s Spruce Cape Loran Station
Change of Command ceremonies
were held at the Coast Guard Lo
ran Station on Spruce Cape earlier
this month.
Assuming command of the Loran
Station on June 5th was Lt. j.g.
James L. McDonald who relieved
Lt. Robert DeMichiell.
Lieutenant McDonald reported
to his new command from a 95-foot
Coast Guard patrol boat operating
out of Providencetown, Mass. Pre
vious to that he was stationed at
Portland, Maine.
Lieutenant McDonald, 25, is orig
inally from the state of Maine and
graduated from the Coast Guard
NEED LIFEGUARDS
Pete Deveau is opening his swim
ming pool to the public on the 4th
of July providing lifeguards are
available. Persons interested in
lifeguarding please contact Carl
Rodli, 486—5375.
Academy in the class of 1959.
The new commanding officer,
who is married and has two chil
dren (ages 2Vfe and 1), finds Ko
diak “very similar in its topogra
phy to the coast of Maine.”
TO APPEAL CASE
Walter Soehner, 18, was con
victed on a charge of disorderly
conduct and sentenced to 180 days
by Magistrate Mabel Fenner last
week. 90 days of the sentence was
suspended and bail set at $300. The
case is being appealed to a higher
court.
Mosquitoes and Flies
Don’t be chewed to bit* by fth ^blood
thirsty peats. Just burn a little BUHACH
wherever you want peace and comfort.
?J2, BUHACH
—S«fo—E*»y To Uco—Economic**—
Everybody Welcome
To Get In The Parade
(
on the 4th of July
i
Merchants, Housewives, Husbands, Children,
Churches, Clubs, Organizations Marching Units
Join the Parade
with an entry. It can be -
Humorous - Educational - Patriotic -
Or With A Message
Join in the fun of a real Old Fashioned
4th of July Celebration.
Call Chuck Edris, Parade Chairman
Ph. 486-5404
for more information
From Parade To Fireworks
A Happy Fourth
This Ad Sponsored by
American Legion —Fleet Reserve Association
Veterans of Foreign Wars — Kodiak Mirror
i