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VOL. 20, NO. 34 KODIAK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 10, 1960. PRICE TEN CENTS
Cdr. G. P. Steele, commander of the nuclear submarine Seadragon,
is pictured above as he reads a telegram of congratulations from
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, after completing the East-West
underwater trip through the Northwest Passage. Pictured with Cdr.
Steele aboard the USCG Cutter Northwind as they are being inter
viewed upon arrival at Nome, is Dr. Waldo Lyon, from the Naval
Electronics Laboratory, San Diego, who was aboard the sub on its
historic trip. U. S. Navy photo
Nuclear Sub Cdr.
Envisions Alaska
As Strategic Base
Commander George Steele II,
captain of the nuclear submarine
Seadragon, upon arrival at Nome
Monday after the submarine had
just completed the East-West trip
under polar ice through the North
west Passage, stated that Alaska
is growing in strategic importance.
Rear Admiral H. H. Caldwell,
and a group of Navy officials were
in attendance from here and par
ticipated in welcoming ceremonies
in Nome on the submarine’s ar
rival. Newsmen from Alaska and
West Coast cities covered the
event.
Enemy submarines in the future
wijl be able to lie under the arctic
ice and launch missiles at Ameri
can cities, Cdr. Steele stated. The
present means of striking at sub
marines are hunter-killer groups
of planes and ships but these units
could not hit submarines hidden
under the ice pack. Only a nuclear
submarine such as the Seadragon
can knock out such submarines, he
stated.
Nome was the first American
port reached by the Seadragon
which Monday completed a 35-day
cruise from Portsmouth, N. H. The
nuclear submarine traversed the
passage through the Canadian
archipelago ice by way of the
Parry Channel to reach the Pacific.
It went under and around huge
icebergs, pausing long enough for
the scientists aboard to study them.
The route may be designated as
Seadragon Passage, the Command
er stated.
Cdr. Steele foresaw nuclear-pow
ered commercial submarines ply
ing the Northwest Passage in the
future. “But,” he said, “I think
that’s probably at least a genera
tion away.”
Fish Pack Count
JUNEAU ‘/Pi—The Alaska salmon
pack edged past the 2Vz million
case mark last week.
The State Department of Fish
and Game says the total pack was
2,516,568 cases through Sept. 4.
The year ago figure was 1,702,841
cases. Central Alaska accounted
for 1,173,192 cases. Pinks account
ed for 523,316 cases, chums 358,862
cases. The Western Alaska pack
was 1,044.692 cases, Bristol Bay
Red pack 852,645, and chums 106,
856
The total Alaska pack is made
up of 44,137 cases Kings, 1,175,486
Reds, 55,312 Cohos, 671,971 Pinks,
and 569,662 Chums.
Sea Explorers Launch Training Vessel
The Sea Explorers from Units
726 and 826 in this area succeeded
in a joint effort last Saturday
morning in launching the S. E. S.
(Sea Explorer Ship) Chinook at
Mission Beach. This was a mile
stone in two years of reconversion
done by the explorers and their
leaders.
Chinook was a surveyed L. C. S.
when it was donated by the Navy
to the Explorers in October of
1958. It has an overall length of
37 feet and is powered by a 225
H. P. Gray-Marine diesel. The boat
has been rebuilt from the decks up
as a training vessel with accommo
dations for a crew of 11 and is
capable of about 13 knots.
Although the Chinook has been
launched, it probably won’t be
until spring before she is officially
christened and is fully operational.
In the meantime the Explorers
have been doing everything possi
ble to make her shipshape.
Vernon Draper, leader of the
local Sea Explorer unit and skipper
of the Chinook, Tom Fairhurst, his
mate, and Ralph Moss, leader of
the Base unit all believe that by
spring the Chinook will be able
to start the long-awaited training
cruises and round-the-island trips
that the boys have looked forward
to for such a long time.
“We are grateful to the many
people and organizations who have
given us their time and material
that made the boat possible,” Mr.
Draper said.
Ouzinkie Road
Engineering Work
9$ Now Underway
Final engineering work is now
underway on the first portion of
the Kodiak-Ouzinkie road, Richard
A Downing, Commissioner of Pub
lic Works, said this week.
The first section which will take
the Federal aid secondary road to
Pillar Creek is scheduled for let
ting before the end of the fiscal
year. Downing and T. D. Sherard,
Director and Chief Engineer of
Highways, were in Kodiak Sunday
and Monday looking over various
public works programs slated for
future construction in the Kodiak
area.
Sherard was especially interest
ed in the long delayed street im
provement project here. The de
sign requested by the City of Ko
diak was worked up ready for
contract but was turned down by
the Bureau of Public Roads. Sher
ard said he thought a compromise
plan can be worked out which will
be acceptable to the Bureau and
which will provide the service de
sired by the City. “We will pro
ceed immediately to revise the
project accordingly and hope it
can be placed under contract in
the near future,” Sherard said.
While in Kodiak, Downing and
Sherard met with various officials
including City Manager Bill Pol
and, Sen. A1 Owen and Chuck Weir,
chairman of the Airport Study
Committee of the Chamber of
Commerce. Owen stated he was
most happy and pleased with the
results of the visit and said that it
was evident the projects would
soon be underway.
School Enrollment
Sets New Record
The total enrollment in City
schools shot upward this year,
according to figures just released
by Superintendent of Schools Ivor
Schott.
Total enrollment is 841, an in
crease of more than 100 over last
year, when 740 enrolled. Year be
fore that was 756.
The high school enrollment is
226. Last year there were 217. The
1958 figure was 199.
606 are enrolled in the elemen
tary grades, increase over 1959
when 523 were enrolled. Two years
ago 557 were enrolled. The kinder
garten is included in the figure for
the elementary grades. 87 are en
rolled compared to 76 last year,
and 71 two years ago.
Filing Date Set
Dates for filing for the office of
City Councilman begins on Wed
nesday, September 14, ending Sep
tember 26. A petition with 25 sig
natures is required. The City elec
tion will be held October 4.
GUIDE EXAMS MONDAY
Guides examinations will be
given by A1 Erickson of the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game on
Monday and Tuesday, September
12 and 13. Persons interested are
asked to contact the local office
of the APF&G.
City Manager Bill Poland is shown as he points the way for the new
municipal airstrip now under construction. With Poland are, left to
right, Richard A. Downing, Commissioner of Public Works, Chuck
Weir, local pilot, and Sen. Al. Owen. Photo by Ameigh
Chamber Supports
City Road Paving
Support of the proposed paving
and road project was given by the
Chamber of Commerce at its meet
ing Thursday at the Island Foun
tain, following a discussion in
which pro and con arguments were
presented. Only one dissenting
vote was heard.
City Manager Poland stated in
his remarks that he would like to
clear up an erroneous conception
share by many people as to the
kind of road that is proposed. It
will not be a super hyway as has
been expressed by some, he said,
who visualize it as a freeway. The
actual road will only be about 40
feet wide, he said, sufficient for
three cars to travel abreast be
tween cars parked on either side
of the road.
Poland also stated the proposed
route through the school area will
be of more benefit to school chil
dren than a menace to their lives.
It will make the school more ac
cessible to both children and par
ents.
Art Brooks, another advocate of
the new road, with his residence
facing it, also brought up the point
that children have no other place
to walk than the road. A major
problem, he said, at present is one
of drainage. “During heavy rains,”
he said, “the water drains into my
front yard.” The several new
houses now under construction in
the area of the new road is an
other argument for its construc
tion.
Russ Wright brought out the
point a road constructed by any
other means would be of consider
able cost to the City. “That’s a lot
of paving for $25,000,” he said. He
referred to the City’s share of 10
per cent in the cost of construction.
The balance of the meeting was
taken up in committee reports. A
new development in the street
numbering program was brought
out by A1 Hochberger, who said
an individual may take over the
job on a paid basis—thus insuring
getting the job done.
The Chamber went on record as
favoring inviting the Insurance
City To Purchase
Paving Equipment
Road construction equipment
was purchased this week by the
city, following action by the City
Council at a special meeting au
thorizing its purchase.
The equipment, owned by the
Ramstad Construction Company,
has been stored here since the
company completed the paving of
the new stretch of paving on the
Base-town road last year. It con
sists of a used Adnum Paver, a
Universal crusher, new jaws and
rollers, and a 13-wheel Bros Wob
bly Wheel Roller.
Mr. Ramstad offered the equip
ment to the city for a total price
of $17,500. The offer was made
rather than ship the equipment to
Anchorage as planned.
The company official also in
cluded in his letter prices on small,
compact portable hot plants from
Craig Taylor Co. Also mentioned
was a 15-20 ton per hour plant,
new last year, which would be for
sale this fall in Anchorage due to
the purchase of a larger plant by
the operating firm.
City Manager Poland stated in
announcing its purchase, that the
City could set up a complete pav
ing plant for around $40,000 which
would enable it to embark on
a road improvement program
throughout the city.
Chamber To Meet
Next Thursday
A special meeting of the Cham
ber of Commerce will be held at
the Island Fountain next Thurs
day noon, it was announced by
Dr. Bob Johnson, president of the
Chamber who said the City’s sys
tem of tax evaluation will be ex
plained and a discussion will fol
low.
City officials will be on hand, he
said, to explain the system. The
public is invited for the luncheon
which will begin at 12:10.
Agents of Alaska to Kodiak for
their convention next year. Brooks
leaves soon to attend a meeting of
the group on the mainland, and
will extend the invitation.