Library u Kuseuin
Junoau* Alaska
YOL. 19 NO. 3 KODIAK, ALASKA, JANUARY 24, 1959 PRICE 10 CENTS
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Question Of Passes To N.S. Aired
Col. A. Wood Speaks to C. of C. Group
The question of passes for
Kodiak residents going to the
Naval Station, and easing of re
quirements for those who do not
have passes, was discussed at
length at the Chamber of Com
merce meeting Thursday.
In a speech before the group,
Lt Col. Albert Wood, Command
ing Officer of the Marine Barracks
here, gave an insight into the
reasons back of the regulations
requiring visitors to state their
destination aboard the station.
“The regulations are for your
safety as well as ours,” he stated.
He clarified this by stating that it
is necessary to know where a
visitor is because of the compact
nature of the base. “Operations
and dwelling are so close,” he said,
•that we cannot lighten or leesen
precautions. Fuel dumps and am
mo storage facilities are all close
together.” He cited Elmendorf at
Anchorage as not having this
same problem. “Strategic materials
and operational activities are
fenced in,” he said. “Here we de
pend on our patrols. There are
eight of them. Patrol personnel
are instructed to shoot when their
challenge goes unanswered.” He
cited a recent instance of this
happening.
Another function of the secu
rity patrol is the enforcement of
the fish and game regulations on
the Naval Station, he said. He
cited instances in which two does
had been killed, requiring search:
mg. Ranchers have requested a
lookout for persons killing their
beef cattle and transporting the
meat through the gate.
"Believe it or not, we have a
list covering four pages of people
barred from the station,” he said.
“That is one of the reasons for
checking people in at the gate.”
Col. Wood stated however, a
system is being worked out to
Cost-of-Living
Extra Not Taxed
Washington Ltt. The Internal
Revenue Service Thursday, revers
ed an.earlier ruling and said the
eoct-of-living allowance paid
Federal employees in Alaska
won’t be taxable.
Sen. E.L. Bartlett (D-Alaska)
said he was so advised by Dana
Latham, IRS Commissioner. Bart
lett said he understood the ruling
had been approved by the White
House. IRS ruled last month that
the previous tax-exempt status of
25 per cent cost of living allowance
paid Federal employees over basic
salary would be lost when Alaska
became a state. The new ruling
would have affected an estimated
8,500 Federal employees.
IRS had concluded that Con
gress, in exempting allowances in
1943, based its action “on the
geographical and economic factors
rather than upon the status of
Alaska as a territory.”
eliminate the inconveniences as
much as possible. “I know that
one of the real beefs from, people
is to have to get out of the car. We
have complaints from ladies at
tending luncheons, etc.” This
problem is now under considera
tion. It is hoped to put into use a
combined passenger and vehicle
pass in such cases.
People can eliminate much of
the inconvenience of waiting by
phoning him before hand, the
Colonel stated. This can be done
by either the person being visited
or the one coming aboard. Col.
Wod said he saw no reason why
anyone making frequent trips on
the base couldn’t secure a pass,
which would be issued annually.
“It would make it a lot easier for
us,” he stated.
Guests at the meeting were
Adm. Arnold McKechnie, Lt.
Agmew, Lt. Col. A. Wood, John
Lotz and Howard Wakefield.
REPRESENTATIVE LEAVES
Rep. Pete Deveau left Friday
for Juneau, whore he will attend
the legislative sessions aeon to
begin. .... .
Hie temporary address will be
the Baronof Hotel.
Poland Elected
Need Of New
Fisheries Gronp
A new organization, the Alaska
Fishing Industry, Inc. was formed
at a meeting in Anchorage last
Monday and Tuesday, January 19
20. Kimball Poland of Kodiak was
elected president.
Representatives of the United
Fishermen of Alaska, of Kodiak;
Bristol Bay Fish Producers
Association, Bristol Bay; Cordova
Aquatic Marketing Association,
Cordova; and Cook Inlet Gill
netters met for the purpose of
organizing a state-wide federation
of fishing unions, associations and
cannery workers.
Purpose of the new organization
is for the exchange of informa
tion and ideas, representation in
State legislation and unification
of the fishermen, boat owners and
cannery workers of Alaska.
In addition to Poland, the new
officers of the Alaska Fishmg In
dustry, Ibc. include Les Myers,
Cordova, vice-president; Denton
Moore, Bristol Bay, sect’y-trea*
urer.
Another meeting is to be held
in Anchorage next week to Com
plete organization and clarify
issues under consideration during
the last meeting. *•
* . ' . ► - * • : 4•
Chamber To Spoiler Crab Festival
The King Crab festival will
aga>a be held this year. Dates have
not been set, but final approval
of the sponsoring body, the Cham
ber of Commerce, was given.
The action was taken following
a report by A1 Hochberger for the
committee making a survey of
business houses and people of
Kodiak on the question as to
whether it should be staged again
this year.
“The committee received fifteen
replies,” Hochberger stated. “This
represents about 25% of the re
quests sent out. The majority of
them were favorable.”
It had been suggested that the
name be changed to incorporate
other seafoods canned here, but
the Chamber group voted to leave
it as it is.
“Miss Alaska" contest will be
run in conjunction with the
festival. Eldon Lester, chairman
of the committee checking on sup
port that may be expected for the
staging of such a contest here,
stated he found the organizations
he had contacted as favorable.
The idea of such a contest
originated in Anchorage,, where
winners from various towns will
compete for the “Miss Alaska"
-title. Winners in turn will be sent
to Atlantic City and entered in
the “Miss America" contest staged
their annually.
The festival will probably he
held in early or mid April.
Lengthy Session
Is Anticipated
Juneau UP). Alaska’s first legisla
tors are pouring into the eapitol
city this week. The conversation
immediately turned to the ques
tion as to how long they would he
here.
The opinion among lawmakers
was divided, with some favoring
a split session, with time in be
tween to sound out constituents,
others speaking for a longer, more
thorough session now. Sen. eject
John Coghill (R-Nenana) was un
reservedly of the latter view.
“Now that we’re here lets get in
and get it over with,” said Coghill.
The Nenana Republican, Chairman
of the Legislature audit committee,
said he expected the session to
run from three to six months.
Sen. William Beltz is as firmly
convinced that the split session
is inevitable. Beltz, Democrat,
Unalakleet, says he thinks the
Legislature should hold two 90
day sessions.
The new state constitution is
silent on the subject—except to
say that there shall be annual
sessions of unspecified duration,
Chamber Approves
Proposed Ferry
: The idea of a ferry from Kodiak
to the mainland was approved by
the Chamber of Commerce at its
meeting Thursday. ,
Inaugurating a ferry service to
Homer was proposed by Rep. Pete
ftfiveau, - who said he would like
to have the opinion of the Cham
ber members on the ideas. Con
siderable discussion ensued, but
it was approved by the body, with
only two dissenting votes.
John Gibbons stated lie was not
in favor of it because the ferry
would have to be subsidized by the
State and the State was not in a
position at the present time to
finance such a project. “We should,
look into this a little further,” he
stated. “As it is, we would be
jumping into it without the facts.”
Dick Berg then stated he
thought the Chamber should sup
port the representatives in the
(Continued on Page 7)
Economic Trends
Alaska’s Potential
"\\'
The Japanese are investing a
sum totalling more than 8 times
the amount the U.S. paid Russia
for Alaska in 1867, in a pulp mill
at Sitka.
They have a large investment in
a lumber mill at Wrangell.
More recently, Japanese inter
ests in Alaska has broadened from
timber to minerals.
A Japanese company holds pro
specting permits covering between
10,000 and 15,000 acres of the most
promising parts of coal fields in
the Bering River area along the
Gulf of Alaska.
Sparks Huge Japanese Investments
By Sig Digree
Another exploration company,
50% financed by Japanese inter
ests, will drill for iron ore in the
panhandle south of Juneau this
spring.
A third geological party under
Japanese-American auspices next
year will look into the oil prospects
in Alaska.
Options on likely oil properties
in five of Alaska are held by the
organization.
These startling facts are brought
out in an article in the January
21 issue of the Wall Street
Journal. Startling, yes, because
they raise the question: Where is
the enterprising American spirit
of yesteryear, looking for new
fields to conquer? Is the Ameri
can investor looking to the suppos
ed greener hills far away—in
Canada, South America or Mexico
—and overlooking his own back
yard?
What effect on the future of
Alaska and the United States will
these heavy Japanese investments
have.
Dollars from any country are
not to be despised. They are just
(Continued to page 10)
ALONG THE WATERFRONT
Alaska Ktag Crak
Now la ProductioD
<!?'. • ‘ , *
The wheels of a . new industry
for Kodiak have been turning for
the past two weeks, with the be
ginning of operations at the Alaska
King Crab Company.
. The firm is operating from the
old Walt Muller cannery os
Tagura Road. The plant has been
completely remodelled, and new
machinery installed. Following the
ironing out of the usual kinks
that develop when starting a new
operation, the cannery is now
functioning quite smoothly,, ac
cording to Emil ^Norton, tbt
superintendent. *
The cannery is both packing antf
freezing crab. * Emil is ver}
enthusiastic about the frozen pro
duct. “You should see it—it’ll
make your eyes pop out!” he said.
We did. He was right. Theac
tender morsels from the sea art
beautiful to behold—clean and
fresh in appearance with thete
colorful red jackets. He says tlx
crab are running pretty weli
average—about 10 pounds. * •
Minnie Deveau. is floojc. lady, *1
job not new to her by any
She r held the same position whet,
she and her husband, Pete, ,rac
the Island Seafoods.* 43 people, a! «.
local,, are employed whei\ tbt. ‘
cannery is running at top spee<t
The cannery is suppliectjty pne .
tender—the Sunrise, which , U- ,
skippered by Fred. Muller. The
crab are taken by about , a half
dozen fishermen in the Alitak are^
and along the south end <tf;tbe
island. The Sunrise brought in
6000 Thursday.
-A.
' kLa *
In other waterfropt area9, there
is quiet,, with the exception of
King Crab, Inc., where the shrimp
operation is going along nicely.
There is a limited activity in crab
too. The Afognak came in Wednes
day with crab and again on 'Friday.
The Totem brought in shrimp and
was awaiting good weather to re
turn to the shrimp grounds yester
day.
T
The City Dock, Alvin**} and
other waterfront spots have it
pretty quiet. This includes Kodiak
Airways, which is hampered, by
low ceilings and bad weather. Dr.
Bob Johnson has been awaiting
good weather since Tuesday for
his trip to various villages, where
he expects to conduct a clinic.
Rep. Rivers Enters
New Fishery Beil
United States Representative
Ralph J. Rivers (D-Alaska) this
week introduced a bill designed tc,
protect the Alaska North Pacific
salmon fishery from further de
pletion by Japanese fishermen.
The measure would ban the im
portation into this country of
salmon taken by nationals 02 any
country which permits fishing by
nets or other means on the high
seas at times and places where
(Continued to page 10)