VOL. 22, NO. 49_ KODIAK, ALASKA, DECEMBER 7, 1962 PRICE TEN CENTS
Gillnetters Charge Starve Out By State
Department Of Fish & Game Board Acts
“A starve out.” . . . It’s clear they
have a policy of knocking off Gill
netters bit by bit,” . . . these were
the reactions of local gillnetters
who met Tuesday night to discuss
proposals of the ADF&G board.
Proposals for the coming season
would in effect virtually wipe out
Kodiak Island gillnetters,” said
DeWitt Fields, who called the
meeting and was elected president
pro tern of a newly organized Ko
diak Setnetters Association during
the meeting.
“About 95 per cent of our island
gillnetters are Kodiak Island resi
dents and some have been gill
netting for a living for 30 to 40
years,” Fields stated, adding, “It
is a way of life, and a good one.
These people are self supporting
Alaskan residents whose very live
lihood is threatened by the ADFG
state board proposals. This will put
them all on relief.”
The proposal being protested
would provide for a mid-season
closure, commencing June 21, 1963,
to Aug. 12. 1963, and would apply
to Karluk district, Inner Karluk
and Uyak Section.
SIGN PETITION
A petition signed by 22 resident
gillnetters of Larsen Bay protest
ing the closure was read. It re
quested that the mid season clos
ure reopen not later than July 15,
1963, to extend to Sept. 30, 1963.
While the proposal would not
affect gillnetters in some other
bays, John Shriner, who was chosen
secretary-treasurer pro tern of the
group, pointed out that “what
hurts one of us, hurts all of us.”
“Last year they closed 90 per
cent of Kodiak Island to gillnetters
entirely. This year they want to
starve out a few more of us. They
eventually will knock us all off.”
He predicted that at the rate “this
policy is being applied, there
won’t be a gillnetter left on Ko
diak Island in five years.”
The new gillnetters association
decided to contact all gillnetters
and set the first Tuesday in March
as the date of a meeting to be held
here.
Santa Breathing
Down P.0.’s Neck
All airmail packages to the
States should be on their way by
next Monday, Dec. 10, for assured
delivery before Christmas, Post
master William Lamme reminded
today.
There is now just a week to go
on airmail Christmas cards, as they
should be mailed by next Saturday,
Dec. 15. “After that you mail your
mail and take your chances,” Post
master Lamme said.
Regarding the special Christmas
stamp, this region is out of them,
but a supply is expected here this
week if additional stamps are man
ufactured and shipped in time
from Washington, D.C. The de
mand for them was unprecedented,
with the original 600,000,000 al
ready exhausted.
n
S?.—/c a
The Wonderful World Of Christmas
Jimmy Johnson, young son of Dr. Bob and Marian, is more than
slightly awed by the toyland at Kraft’.s The youngster just can’t
decide what should be his first choice when it comes to telling Santa
what to bring.—(Mirror photo and engraving)
Bennie, And The Flag He Designed
Cannery Contributions Push Funds
For Bennie Benson To Near $2,000
Funds for the Bennie Benson drive neared the $2,000 mark
today with nearly two-thirds pf the goal of $3,000 reached.
Among the larger donations were $50 from Alaska King Crab
Co., $50 from the Chignik Fisheries Co., $50 from Kadiak Fisheries
Co.. $50 from Pan-Alaska Fisheries, Inc. and $150 from a prominent
Kodiak business man who chose to remain anonymous.
But by and large the bulk has come in $5 and $10 checks mostly
from the Kodiak Island area and throughout the vast state of Alaska.
The $200 contribution last week attributed to Alaska King Crab
was actually from the crew of the Jaguar, Antril Suydam, Harold
Anderson, Henry Sanguinette and Glen Suydam, each who pitched
in $50 to make the total of $200.
One donation, 50 cents in coin, was mailed in by a youngster
at the Base school whose contribution was probably from an allow
ance.
The Mirror staff is still compiling a complete list of donors
and these who do not object will be acknowledged.
Benson, who as a 13-year-old youngster designed the Alaskan
flag, stopped by at the Mirror office, Thursday afternoon, and again
expressed his deep gratitude to his many friends who contributed
towards partial payment of the large hospital bill. He was in a Se
attle hospital for 56 days prior to and following surgery.
Along
The
Waterfront
Ity Karl Armstrong
The good news this week was
Mitkof Skipper Doug Putansu’s re
port on the Dungeness develop
ments (see story). According to
crewman Jerry McDonald they’ve
been waiting on weather to head
straight across the gulf for Grays
Harbor, Wash. Third Mitkof crew
man Tom Kelly won’t be leaving
’til the 18th when he and his be
trothed (Marie Prior of Naugliton’s
Bakery) will depart.
. • &
Finally made it past the bosses
to the dock where the Merganser
was tied up. She had all her pots
aboard and about 15 to 20 tons of
ice sheathed her from stem to
stern. Skipper Lee Andrich told
me he had come in at 4 a.m. that
day with 2,000 crab from Wide
Bay on the mainland. Had a tough
Shelikof crossing what with a 3
degree temperature and winds
from 50 to 60 knots. Skipper And
rich said he will be taking a short
vacation until the first of the year.
. . . going south on the 18th. “The
crew is going south, too, but the
Merganser will be moored in the
small boat harbor, he said, adding,
“She'll be safe cause Tom IMcAlli
(Continued on Page 3)
Borough Meeting
Tuesday, Dec. 11
The next borough study group
meeting w ill be held on Tuesday,
Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. in the court
room over the postoffice.
The public is not only encour
aged but urged to attend.
There is a need for volunteers
to work on the various groups,
according to T. T. Jackson.
State Local Affairs Director
Ronald Cease has advised he will
be at the meeting to answer any
questions.
35 Kenai Couples
Guests Of Kodiak
On December 15-16
Over 35 couples from Kenai, rep
resenting the Chamber of Com
merce, will be guests in Kodiak on
Friday and Saturday of next week,
according to Art Brooks, president
of the local Chamber.
The Kenai couples will come in
a chartered plane to attend the
two game basketball series be
tween Kenai and the Kodiak Bears
and to hold a joint meeting with
the Chamber, Saturday noon, at
the Town Club.
Housing for the guests is urgent
ly needed and any one having a
spare bedroom to take in the
guests for the two nights is urged
to call Mrs. Bill Frost, new Cham
ber secretary, as the Kodiak Hotel
will only be able to handle a small
portion of the Kenai visitors.
Topics for discussion at Satur
day’s joint meeting will be the Ko
diak-Homer ferry and the roads or
lack of them in both Kenai and
Kodiak.
Be sure to call Mrs. Frost at 6
2455 if you can provide a bedroom
for a couple.
Cornin’ Events
Friday, December 7
Basketball, Kodiak vs. Homer.
Preliminary game at 6:30.
Saturday, December 8
Emblem Club Circus Carnival
for Elks, Emblem Club members
and guests. Elks Lodge starting at
6:30 p.m.
Basketball, Kodiak vs. Homer.
Preliminary game at 6:30.
Sunday, December 9
Attend the church of your choice
today.
Tuesday, December 11
Public Borough Study meeting,
courtroom above post office 8 p.m.
Thursday. December 13
Chamber of Commerce meeting,
12 noon, Town Club. ,
%
WATERFOWL DEADLINE
Waterfowl season closes at sun
set Dec. 14, according to Dick Hen
sel of the U.S.F.W.S. office. Hensel
pointed out that the regulations
cover both salt water and game
ducks, including geese.
— Kodl iak Kapsules -- !
(By Bill Mason) ^
21 YEARS AGO
Exactly 21 years ago today is
one which America should never
forget. It was the attack by the
Japanese on Pearl Harbor.
Do you remember where you
were that day?
We were in the small town of
Espanola, N.M., a small com
munity north of Santa Fe, en
route to Denver, Colorado, when
we turned on the car radio to
learn the news first.
The reports were so conflict
ing for the first few hours, that
most commentators believed the
attack was prompted by a hand
ful of fanatics.
Wonder if there is anyone liv
ing in Kodiak today who was at
Pearl on that day.
* * * * •
If you have read the current edi
tion of the Rotarian, please for
give us, but we couldn’t resist
passing this one along.
It concerns a boy named David,
age 5, who was giving his mother
every conceivable argument why
he should not go to school one day.
After giving every reason why
he should go to school, but without
convincing him, his mother finally
added, “Why, David, don’t you
know that if you didn’t go to
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