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VOL. 21, NO. 48 KODIAK, ALASKA, DECEMBER 1, 1961 PRICE FIFTEEN CENTS
Mirrored Reflections
By SIG DIGREE 1
mis ween we nave a guest
writer for this column, Bill Sheri
dan, of the Research Center of the
ADF & G. We pllanned on com
menting on the closure of the Pil
lar Mountain road, but the follow
ing letter expresses our thoughts
completely:
As a private citizen of Kodiak,
I wish to register a protest against
what I consider to be premature
judgement on the part of the City
Council. I refer to the decision to
close off the road to Pillar Moun
tain for an indefinite period. I un
derstand this decision was based
on recommendations by Mr. Carter,
state sanitarian and Mr. Daven
port, site supervisor of the White
Alice project. After reading a
newspaper account in the Kodiak
Mirror November 24, 1961, I do
not consider the arguments of
either gentleman sufficient to bring
about such a drastic decision. First,
let us dwell briefly on the benefits
of Pillar Mountain to me and other
people residing in Kodiak. Then
let’s take a close look at the argu
ments presented in favor of closing
off this area.
I can leave Kodiak with my wife
and children and in a few short mo
ments, arrive at the top of Pillar
Mountain. We enjoy the scenery on
the way up, and on the way down.
Near the top, we are presented
with a view in both directions
equalled by few, if any, readily
accessible areas on the present
road system. We can hike, pick
berries or just enjoy the glorious
scenery.
When we have visitors from out
of town or ouit of state, I may wish
to impress them with Kodiak. Of
course, I take them out the road to
Chiniak and out the road to Mon
ashka. But what is more impressive
than a drive to the top of Pillar
Mountain? Visitors are often in
town for a short time, and in that
short time, they have a lot to see.
They like to be driven to a local
scenic point; they do not wish to,
(nor do they have the stamina or
time) to hike to the top of Pyramid
or nearby mountains.
Rather than close the Pillar
Mbuntain road, I think we should
exploit the area; perhaps construct
a small park on top. Other states
and other cities exploit their scenic
points of interest. Why can’t we?
Mr. Carter requested the area be
closed to traffic because streams
feeding into the city watershed
show positive test with pollution
content very high. He said this has
been going on for the past six
weeks or two months. I have no
quarrel with Mr. Carter’s further
statement that the council should
be concerned with the quality of
its water. Of course they should!
To Issue Cards
On Dec. 2 and 9
Port Security cards will be issued
by the Coasit Guard both Dec. 2 and
Dec. 9, according to word received
this week from a spokesman from
the activity.
Facilities are being set up at the
Police Station for taking pictures
and fingerprinting for all dock
workers, fishermen and all those
having access to dock facilities in
Kodiak. The service is free.
If they are not, they are derelict
in their duty and should be re
moved from office. However, I won
der if the Pillar Mountain area
should be their primary concern.
I understand there are at least two
sources of water supplying the city
of Kodiak in addition to our main
reservoir. Are these other sources
treated? Are they contaminated.
Should not all our water be routed
through a central treatment plant
to avoid waste of money and to
achieve complete control?
Mr. Carter points out that high
pollution content has been going
on for the past six weeks to two
months. First, what is the pollution
content based upon? The number of
coliform organisms? If so, these
can be contributed by man and by
wild animals. What exactly is the
origin of the coliform organisms if
these are what the “pollution con
tent” is based upon? Second, how
does the pollution content of
streams entering the watershed
compare with the content 3, 4, and
6 months ago? With the content a
year ago? And with the content be
fore White Alice Station was in
stalled? Third, does not our chlor
ine treatment plant kill most of the
(Continued On Page 4>
Elks Bowlers
In Tournament
Four Elks Club teams will com
pete in the State Elks Bowling
Tournament to be played in An
chorage over the weekend.
Five men left yesterday for the
mainland city and 18 leave today.
They will participate in the team,
doubles and single events, repre
senting the Elks Club here.
Kodiak made a clean sweep of
the tournament last year. With 34
teams competing, teams from Ko
diak took the team event, doubles,
and placed second in the singles
matches. They pllaced 1st, 2nd and
5th in all events.
The tournament will be played
over two weekends. The Kodiak
bowlers will return Sunday.
Tax Bonanza
For Some Told
JUNEAU (/P) — A list of 561
persons who have refunds coming
for 1959 and 1960 State income tax
payments was made public by
State Revenue Commissioner Peter
Gatz.
Gatz said his department has
been unable to locate them, and
they have a total of approximately
$9,000 due them. The list is being
mailed to all news outlets.
Homer-Bears Game Tonight—Saturday
The first game for the Bears
against a visiting high school bas
ketball team will be played Friday
evening when they meet the Homer
high school cagers in the first of
two games. A second game will be
played Saturday evening, with pre
liminary games both evenings.
The Bears are out to even their
won-lost record as this season’s rec
ord so far is one win against two
losses to the Seward Seahawks.
Starters for tonight’s game will
be Kennedy and Olson at guards*,
Mize at center, and Michell and
Sargent at forwards.
Preliminary game Friday night
will see the JV’s go against the 8th
graders, while the 6:30 Saturday
Christmas Trees
Again Available
Boys from Boy Scout Troop 625
will cut trees again this Christmas
and will have them on sale across
from O. Kraft & Son’s store.
The trees will be cut Dec. 9 and
10, and will be available after that.
Anyone wanting a tree over 6 feet
tall, is asked to order in advance.
This may be done by calling 486—
2943.
THIS INTERESTING PICTURE is Kodiak taken in 1943 or 1944.
Photo by courtesy of Magnel Drabek.
Kodiak’s Growing Years-1940-1941
Kodiak 20 years ago was in a
transition stage.
Suddenly confronted with the
problems of emerging from a vil
lage of 500 people to a city with an
exploding population of 1,500, the
town had to seek out ways and
means of earing for its growth and
wellbeing.
Actually, 1940 marks the year
that Kodiak began to wrestle with
its problems in earnest, for it was
on August 27, 1940, that the voters
went to the polls and by their bal
lot made Kodiak a first class city.
Its incorporation stemmed from
that time.
Tlhe comparatively minor prob
lems of having cows strolling down
the main thoroughfare, a constant
irksome episode to be sure, was
one of the irritating occurrences
that could be solved by the passage
of an ordinance—but which didn’t
resolve itself until many years
later—this actually was a minor
problem.
However, the bigger problems
such as money for public services,
law enforcement, fire protection,
light and power, telephone service
—all the conveniences that go with
a modern metropolis even if it was
on the Last Frontier, these had to
be solved.
This was not easy.
There were factions and conse
quent disagreements as to how
these benefits could be accomp
lished.
There was no mastermind to
guide the destiny of Kodiak’s fu
ture, despite the fact that the first
form of city government under in
corporation was composed of busi
nessmen in all kinds of endeavor
who presumably were capable of
running their own businesses.
There necessarily had to be differ
ences of opinion.
We bring you in this edition of
the Kodiak Mirror an authentic ac
count of those stirring days. Rather
than call on people “who were
there”—of which there are a few
here now—we have turned to the
pages of the 1940-41 editions oi tne
Kodiak Mirror for a running ac
count of these eventful days —
from the reading of them you can
draw your own conclusions, and
make your own evaluations.
We have purposely confined our
research to this era — for if we
hadn’t, we would of necessity have
had to enlarge and expand this edi
tion to the size of a book.
We assure you, it will not be bor
ing, nor will it be merely factual,
for it offers you a chronology of
events depicting a changing scene
as seen through the eyes of a jour
nalist—its accuracy will have to be
judged on that score and that alone.
What you read here will be what
one journalist takes from the writ
ings of another journalist who was
there—an interested eyewitness.
Read the prose of his writings,
but in order to gain a better con
cept—read between the lines— in
other words, let your imagination
have full sway.
Happy reading!
night game will be Junior varsity
vs. Holiday Beach. Admission is,
adults, $1.25 and students 75 cents.
These games were announced in
error for last Friday and Satur
day, but will definitely play this
weekend.
Juvenile Problem
Aired At BPW
Panel Discussion
Juvenile delinquincy, said by
some to be prevalent here, and by
others, non-existent, stirred a
lively session at the Kodiak Busi
ness and Professional Club meeting
Monday evening at the Town Club. ''
A group of panelist, with Mrs. *
Verne Draper as moderator, gave *
their views and were questioned
further afterwards. On the panel
were Mrs. John SpringhUl, Mrs.
Mabel Fenner, John Boucher, Jim
Hussey, Rep. Pete Deveau and Rep.
Gil Jarvela.
Several solutions were suggested
by members of the panel and from
the audience.
The first speaker, John Boucher, -
outlined some of the problems a
patrolman faces in dealing with
juveniles, such as enforcing the
curfew laws. Parents in many
cases, he said, complain when no
tified that their children have been
picked up. Other times the police
are unable to locate the parents,
and the child has to be held at the
station, “sometimes until as late
as three in the morning.” Boys are
the most frequent offenders. He
was asked if there were repeat vio
lators. “Yes, over and over again,”
he stated.
Jim Hussey, State Trooper, stated
in his remarks that Kodiak does
not have a juvenile delinquency
problem. All the cases he has in
vestigated, he said, were minor
with the exception of three, which
he said could tie called serious
cases.
The big problem in the villages
on the Island is alcohol, he stated.
Mrs. Springhill, grade school
principal at the Kodiak school,
stated that some children would
be better off in a foster home.
“They do not have the proper en
vironment in their homes to make
good pupils. You cannot teach an
emotionally disturbed child. What
I feel concerned about are the po
tentials who can become juvenile
delinquents.”
Mrs, Springihill stated that there
are many border line cases of ju
veniel delinquency that the authori
ties who spend a day or two here
don’t see.
Rep. Deveau opened his remarks
by stating that Alaska has the low
est rate of crimes than anywhere
in the U. S. Alaska, he said, has
very little juvenile delinquency.
He cited the “forestry camp” bill
as a very effective means of dealing
with the teen-age problem. He did
not believe, he said, that a teen
ager should be put in jail. “It gives
them too much time to brood.
“Teaching them a trade or giving
them other interests is a better
way.”
Deveau also cited bowling, Ar
mory activities, swimming as pre
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