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VOL. 21, NO. 73 • KODIAK, ALASKA, JUNE 23, 1961 PRICE TEN CENTS
Expedition Leader To Address Society Powell Elected
Dr. William Laughlin, veteran
of several years anthropological
work in Alaska, will talk to the His
torical Society on “The Earliest
Aleuts and Eskimos” at 8 p. m.
Thursday, June 29. The program
will be held in the downtown
school and is open to the public,
according to Don Clark, president
of the Society.
Dr. Laughlin, chairman of the
Anthropology Department of the
University of Wisconsin, has spent
several seasons in the Aleutians
and other parts of Alaska doing
work in physical anthropology and
archaeology, Clark stated.
He is leader of the University’s
expeditions to the Kodiak area
which commenced last year with a
blood typing program at Old Har
bor. After July 1 this year sev
eral men including archaeologists,
anthropologists and zoologists will
be in the field in the Old Harbor
Rolling Bay area. According to
Laughlin the project involves a
comparison of the occupational
BRUCE LITTLE INNOCENT
IS PRONOUNCED INSANE
OLYMPIA, Wash. (JP) — Bruce
Dwain Little was found innocent
by reason of insanity or mental re
sponsibility in the shotgun slaying
of his younger brother, Lee.
Lee Little, formerly from Peters
burg, Alaska, was slain March 20
near his Littlerock, Wash., home.
The Jury ruled that Bruce Little,
33, is not safe to be at large.
history of that area and of the
southern end of Umnak Island in
the Aleutians. Several members
of the party will be arriving in
town during the following week.
Withdrawn Land
May Be Restored
Land on Kodiak Island with
drawn by Executive Order 8344 in
1940 may soon be restored accord
ing to a letter received by Dr. Bob
Johnson, President of the Chamber
of Commerce, from Sen. E. L. Bart
lett.
The Chamber has sought restor
ation of the land since last year. It
involves 2% million acres of land
on Kodiak, Whale, Uganik, Spruce
and other islands.
Sen. Bartlett’s letter stated in
part: “It is my understanding that
the restoration has been held up
because the Fish and Wildlife Serv
ice was concerned about Sally and
Omook Islands in case, should the
State of Alaska acquire the lands,
those islands might be leased for
cattle to cause a bear vs. cattle
problem which the Fish and Wild
life Service felt should be avoided.
“It is my further understanding
that an agreement has been
reached on this, and the Fish and
Wildlife Service has withdrawn its
temporary objection so I am hope
ful the restoration may take place
before too long a time passes.”
Mirrored Reflections
By SIG DIGREE
The meeting of minds in Juneau,
from British Columbia, the Yukon
and Alaska this week brings out a
few facts and figures about Alaska
that might otherwise be over
looked. As is true of any meeting of
this nature, planning is predicated
on future potential.
Richard Downing, Commissioner
of Public Works, is concerned with
transportation problems as they
affect the growth of this state. In
his speech before the group, he
quoted some interesting figures
on tourism, from the Battelle Me
morial Institute of Columbus, Ohio,
who made a one-year study of
Alaska. According to the report,
tourist travel round trip by air,
land and water was 194,000 in 1960.
This will be 850,000 in 1980. Expen
ditures by travelers in 1959 was
$66,000,000. In 1980 this will
amount to $289,000,000.
Other figures that might prove
interesting: Oil production in 1960
—600,000 barrels; in 1980—25,000,
000 barrels. Forest products, value:
in 1958—$22,000,000; in 1980—
$112,000,000. Metals and mineral
production: In 1958—$14,000,000; in
1980—$80,000,000. Bureau of Land
Management figures are even more
optimistic. This agency predicts
population increase from an esti
mated 210,000 in 1960 to 500,000 in
1970. In 1980 they expect a popula
tion of 1,500,000, and in 50 years,
5,000,000.
* * *
To get back to the present. There
are those of us who may not want
all those people around, but want
what we came up here for in the
first place—more elbow room.
Some like more wilderness, as sug
gested in an editorial in the Alaska
Sportsman recently, citing this as
more typically Alaskan. Advocates
of the great open spaces have a
point, but we can’t stop progress.
More about that some other time.
So much has been said about
travelling the Alaska Highway. To
this writer there is no point in mak
ing the trip unless it can be done in
leisurely fashion, gaining from the
mountains and streams, the foliage,
the surroundings much that they
have to offer. Steps are being made
to provide that type of recreation
for the highway traveller. The
State has 61 roadside campsites
located along the highway network.
Twenty are located on the Alaska
highway from the Canadian border,
or a camp about every 32 miles
along the route. Ten additional
sites are being built this year.
In another effort to provide rec
reation along the highway, the
State is providing trails to nearby
lakes, and erecting signs as to lo
cation, distance and species of fish
in the lake.
The Department of Fish and
Game is currently working on a
borchure which will provide infor
mation on sport fishing in the
lakes and streams and salt water
adjacent to roads near population
centers, and available by aircraft
or boat trip from communities
throughout the state. Those of us
who would like to get into some of
(Continued On Page 4)
Head of Chamber
Charles (Chuck) Powell was the
unanimous choice for president of
the Kodiak Area Chamber of Com
merce, when the group held elec
tion of officers at the meeting
Thursday noon at the Town Club.
Chuck Powell heads the firm of
Alaska Transfer. He has been ac
tive in Chamber affairs for the past
several years. Dr. A. Holmes John
son, nominated at the last meet
ing, withdrew in favor of Powell.
Other officers elected were Ed
ward Naughton as 1st vice-presi
dent; Jack Hinckel as 2nd vice
president. Directors elected were
Dr. Bob Johnson, Nick Frost and
Walter Kraft.
Retiring president, Dr. Bob John
son, who presided at the meeting
Thursday, stated he will give his
annual report at the next meeting,
which will be in July.
There were few committee re
ports. Under Tourism, Art Brooks
reported he may have to call on
members of the Chamber for as
sistance during the convention of
the Alaska Insurance Agents, to
be held here August 8, 9 and 10.
It was also stated by Dr. Johnson
that a mobile P. A. system is now
available for rental by Island Elec
tronics, for use during City cele
brations.
At the conclusion of the elec
tions, a movie entitled “Adaq, King
of the Alaskan Seas,” was shown.
This was the premier Alaskan
showing of a film produced by
Lowell Thomas, well-known travel
ler, for Wakefields Cannery.
Filmed mainly aboard the com
pany’s boats, the Shelikof and the
Deep Sea, the movie showed actual
scenes during harvesting the King
Crab from these boats, from the
time the crab pots are baited and
thrown overboard, crabs brought
aboard, cooked and cleaned, canned
and readied for freezing.
Of particular interest to local
people were scenes of Father Ro
man Sturmer conducting a wedding
at Afognak. Concluding scenes
were of the sehoolhouse and homes
at Wakefields, and a family scene
of the Wakefields and friends en
joying charcoal broiled crab legs
and other crab dishes.
The entire movie was in beautiful
color.
Russell Gross, Assistant Attorney
General, was a guest at the meet
ing.
To Re-imburse
For Tidelands
JUNEAU {IP)—Federal Bureau
of Public Roads officials have given
verbal assurance that the Agency
will repay the state for costs in ob
taining tideland for highway rights,
Gov. Egan said Thursday.
A formal ruling is expected with
in the next few weeks.
LITTLE LEAGUE
GAME SUNDAY
The two American Legion spon
sored teams will clash in the game
scheduled for the Kodiak baseball
diamond at 6th and IVlill Bay Road
Sunday afternoon.
The game will start at 2 p. m.
Rail, Highway
Group Ends Job
WASHINGTON (A5)—The Alaska
International Rail and Highway
Commission, its work completed,
goes out of business officially Sat
urday. This is 30 days after its re
port to Congress proposing $325
million rail and highway system
linking Alaska with other states.
Sen. E. L. Bartlett, Commission
member, said the Commission “has
provided a blueprint for negotia
tions with our Canadian neighbors.
Final success of Commission’s
work will rest largely on the suc
cess of these negotiations.”
The Commission was established
in 1956.
What its recommendations will
accomplish is now up to Congress
and the government of Canada.
Most of the rail and highway pro
jects recommended by the Commis
sion would be in Canada.
National Chamber
Favors Land
Withdrawal Ban
The United States Chamber of
Commerce has announced its sup
port of Rep. Ralph J. River’s bill
to require an act of Congress for
public land withdrawals in excess
of 5,000 acres for any project or
facility of any department or
agency. Rivers’ 'bill and three simi
lar bills are now pending before
the House committee on Interior
and Insular Affairs.
A spokesman for the National
Chamber said: “Large withdrawals
or reservations should not be left
to the discretion of the Executive
agencies involved. Congress itself
should determine if the proposed
withdrawal or reservation is neces
sary for the purpose stated, and if
the need outweighs the benefits to
the nation from the development
and utilization of the natural re
sources of the land involved.”
REIMBURSE UTILITIES
FOR POLE REMOVAL
JUNEAU (/P) — The Bureau of
Public Roads has agreed that
Alaska’s 1961 utility reimburse
ment act is constitutional, Gov. Wil
liam Egan said Thursday.
The statute permits the State
to repay utilities for the removal
or relocation of utility poles along
Federal aid highway rights of way.
New Radio Station
May Begin
Broadcasting Soon
Kodiak is to have its own radio
station this year, according to
Frank Irich, local businessman who
is starting one here.
Most of the details have been
worked out, he said. The site has
been selected, all the engineering
work completed, and it remains for
final details to be completed before
construction begins.
Irich pointed out that Kodiak is
the only city in Alaska that does
not have its own radio station. He
visualized Kodiak having a TV
station of its own someday.
He said the radio station should
be in operation sometime this fall.
Chignik Lagoon
Has Landing Strip
A landing strip at Chignik La
goon has recently been completed.
The strip is 1,450 feet long by 50
feet wide. The work was completed
by the Division of Aviation, Alaska
Department of Public Works.
The facility was constructed un
der the Pioneer Airport Program
which calls for maximum utiliza
tion of local resources. Local par
ticipation consisted of donation of
a catapillar D-4 bulldozer by the
Chignik Fisheries, Inc. cannery.
The Division of Aviation paid op
erator’s wages and fuel and lubri
cants costs. Total expenditures by
the State were approximately
$3,500.00.
Further participation by resi
dents of the community could re
sult in a landing strip 1,800 feet
long. Mr. Wendell P. Miller, Pro
gram Engineer, reports that a
stream which presently crosses the
end of the useable landing strip
can feasibly be rerouted using
local materials. An area 400 feet
long has been graded already, and
would be added to the landing
strip when the stream was diverted.
Seeks New Stamp
JUNEAU UPl — Gov. William
Egan said he has asked the U. S.
Post Office Department to issue a
new stamp in 1967 to commemor
ate Alaska’s centennial.
The Governor noted that Can
ada will celebrate its first 100 years
of existence the same year.
Big Bristol Bay Salmon Run Expected
Recent prediction of a heavy run
of red salmon in the Bristol Bay,
Alaska, area has been revised—up
ward.
Dr. William F. Royce, director
of the Fisheries Research Institute
at the University of Washington
forecasts that the run will be 30
million fish.
On May 15, a forecast made
jointly with the Alaska Department
of Fish and Game and the Bureau
of Commercial Fisheries of the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in
dicated that a run of 22 million
could be expected.
The new forecast is based on
purse seine sampling made through
June 15 by two University of Wash
ington research vessels.
“In all probability the salmon
are migrating through several
passes and many of them will not
go into the area of Japanese fish
ing,” Dr. Royce said.
Catches by the research vessels
have been best off Umnak in the
Eastern Aleutian Islands and very
good off Adak in the Central Aleu
are expected to reach Bristol Bay
tians.
The announcement said the runs
in large numbers by July 1.
On the basis of the forecast the
canning industry has been able to
make advance plans to harvest the
salmon. The runs are expected to
keep the canneries operating at full
capacity throughout the season.