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Kodiak Tracking Station At Chiniak
Link In Nations Missile Program
Open house at the Kodiak Track
ing Station at Chiniak January 10,
was attended by Chamber of Com
merce president Dr. Bob Johnson
and his wife and a number of
people from Kodiak. A program
oonsisting of a tour of the station,
an address by C.J. Paris, movies
am! concluded with dinner was
m* joyed by the visitors.
In his address Paris stated that
viUi developments in missHe tech
nology pi^oceeding at its present
rate, the ‘60’s will surely witness
man’s first flight inlto space.
The Station manager further
stated that through the primary
concern in the missile program is
that of defense, there are many
peacetime benefits ito be derived.
Among these, he said, are: Upper
atmosphere weather forecasting
and even weather control; provid
ing of long range radio and tele
vision broadcasting facility; inter
planetary and interstellar space
oxpioation; providing of world
wide navigation aids.
Stating that the program was
aimed primarily towards develop
ing military satellites and missiles,
Paris said that the U.S. spent $3
billion hi 1958, a sum which will
be increased Ito appoxiinanely $4
billion in 1959-60. Many com
panies are involved in the manu
facture of component parts used
in missile manufacture. “The space
program is a team effort,Paris
stated. “Right here on this station
we are a team with several
organizational affiliations.**
The Discoverer satellite project
is under the management of Lock
heed Missiles and Space Division.
The latter is responsible io the
USAF Ballistic Missile Division,
ARDC, which is represented here
at the station by Major Fred Ship
ley. Paris sltated that well over 50
primary Lockheed subcontractors
are involved in special develop
ments under the program. Philco
Corporation has a representative
here, and a support contractor, the
Hudson Company of Anchorage.
Paris then went on to explain
the function of the station at Kodi
ak, which he said was that of
tracking the satellites as they are
launched and go into orbit, trans
mitting data collected back to
launching center. The Chiniak
station is the first to follow the
satellite as it comes over Ithe North
Pole and to confirm whether it
has achieved orbit or not. The sta
tion here is only one of several at
points In California and Hawaii.
The movies shown were “Man
In space’ and ‘Teamwork Into
Space.’ A simulated tracking oper
ation wris conducted for the visi
tors by C. W. Spencer.
Guests in attendance from Kodi
ak included Dr. and Mrs. A.
Holmes Johnson, Dr. and Mrs. Rob
ert Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Lanune, Mabel Fenner, Ruth Arne
son, M-C. Coon, Mr. and Mrs. Emil
Knudsen, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hinc
kel, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Edris,
Mr. and Mrs, W.W. Stone, M.S.
Burnham, and Md. and Mrs. Ted
Schwartz
State Allocates
JUNEAU or—The State made a
vailabie up to $10,000 for use of
the City of Kodiak for employing
labor to restore the municipal
water service.
City officials had asked $20,000
from a $200,000 State appropria
tion for disaster purposes among
villages and cities. Egan said ad
ditional funds could not be spared.
The allocation restricted to the
paymene of labor, a|t a $2 hourly
rate. All funds for administra
tion materials must be provided
by Kodiak. The people hired
must be ineligible for employment
security or other benefits. Gov.
Egan said such restrictions are
required by the disaster appropri
ation program, which is designed
to add*workers in depressed vil
latges or communities where other
jobs are not available.
Two Killed As Plane Falls To Ground
Jens Nielson, 17, and Fred Lind.
38, pilot and passenger respective
ly, met -almost instant dealth when
the plane in which they had just
taken off, went into a spin 500 feet
from the ground, and spiralled to
earth again.
The two men. aboard an Aeronca
Chief, had just started on a search
«f the area near Chignik, in an at
tempt to locate a small plane re
ported missing. Their plane, equip
ped with skis, took otff from a lake,
gained an altitude of 500 feet,
when it suddenly shot straight up,
then flipped over and spiralled to
the ground, crashing near the take
aftf point. Cause of accident is not
known but it is believed was due
to a broken cable.
Neilson was killed in the crush,
but Lind, still alive, was picked up
by a Kodiak based Coast Guard
plane, and died halfway between
ignite and Kodiak. He has been
a widower the pas: few years, and
is survived by 5 children, the
oklest 12 years of age.
Burial services will be conduct
ed at 10 *-m- Saturday, Jarman
16, at the Kodiak Russian Ortho
dox Church.
Interment will follow at the
Russian cemetary.
Christmas Seals
Latest reports on the Christmas
Seal campaign of the Alaska Tul
berculosis Association show that
receipts are somewhat lagging be
hind those of a year ago. To date,
approximately $26,500 has been
received toy the state and local
unts throuhout Alaska. This is
about 769c of last year’s final sale
of $35,011.
In making this announcement
Mr. I. O. Gilbreath, Chairman of
the Kodiak committee said that
local receipts to date amounted to
$*19.50 as compared to $921.85
which was last years final figure.
Mr. Gilbreath said that it is not
too late to send in contributions
for the seals received before
Christmas and he hoped that last
years total in Kodiak would soon
be reached before the books were
finally closet
Chamber Group
Urged To Action
The members of the Chamber of
Commerce art their meeting Thurs
day were urged by President Dr.
Bob Johnson to generate more en
thusiam for civic betterment and
Chamber projects.
Dr. Johnson, in a report cover
ing the first six months period
since he I took office, reviewed the
accomplishments of the group, the
functioning of committees, and pro
jected into the future as to what
could be done.
“If there is a need—and there
definitely is,” he said, “Let’s work
up some enthusiasm.” Stating that
there is room for improvement
Johnson urged the reactivating of
commitiiees,which he said were not
functioning as they should. Tak
ing each committee to task, prais
ing some and critical of ollhers, the
president urged that more effort
be put forth in projects effecting
the city.
The balance of the meeting was
taken up wiltlh reports from comm
ittee chairmen. A1 Hochberger,
chairman of the industrial commi
ttee, which is preparing a report
on present and new industries,
stated that the survey being con
ducted has bogged down due to
reluctance of merchants and busi
ness men to supply'lh* necessary
information. The committee, he
said, is endeavoring to complete
the survey by a rephrasing oif the
question and other means.
A set of resolutions, similar to
those published in the KODIAK
MIRROR several weeks ago, on the
boundaries under the Borough sys
tem of government being get up,
was voted on, following a* report by
Chuck Powell.
The idea of a vocational school
for Kodiak was reviewed by Dr.
Holmes Johnson, Chairman of the
School Board. He read a letter to
Sen. Bob Logan on the matter. The
latter is an enthuiastic booster for
the school. The Chamber group
voted to write him and also the
Commissioner of Education urging
its- establishment here.
Two new members were in at
tendance, Joe Duffield and Dr.
Tom Ootford. Visitors present
were C. J. Paris and Ian Millett
of the Chiniak Tracing Station.
■ - «
Adult Education
Adult education classes will be
organized during the week oF Jan
uary 25 through January 29, ac
cording to an announcement this
week by Ivor S. Schott, Superinten
dent of Schools here. The main
school office wild be open on those
dates from 7 through 9 p.m.
Courses will be offered in for
eign languages, business subjects,
mathematics, science, art and shop.
A fee of $20 for each course will
J>e charged, according to the an
nouncement. Textbooks and sup
plies can be furnished at cost
through the school. Each course
will consist of 40 lessons. Classes
will meet for two hours twice
weekly for 10 weeks. High school
credit can be given for each course
completed.
Mr. Schott further stated that a
course in either ship and a course
in marine engine repair can be of
fered if as many as 10 person sign
Up for either. There is no cost to
the student for either of these two
courses.
City, Church, Win,
Judge J. L. MsCanrey- handed
down a decision declaring (be old
(batch plant adjacent to the Griffin
Memorial Hospital a public nuis
ance, at was learned this week
from City Attorney Russ Arnett.
The decision stemmed from a
suit against the City by the Rus
sian Greek Orthrodox Church, own
ers of the property, who sought
to restrain the City from taking
condemnation proceedings against
the plant. The City declared it a
public nuisance and an eyesore.
Judge McCarrey, however, in
handing down his judgement, in
effect stopped the (City from ex
ercising condemnation proceed
Fall Is Fatal
Death resulted for Joanna
Briggs, age 13, when she fell Sun
day, January 10, as she was hiking
atop Old Womans Miuntain.
Joatvat was reported as having
slipped on ice while on a hike with
a companion, and fell an estimated
800 to 1,000 feet, landing on rocks
in the area known as “Yale” grav
el pat. She died two hours after
falling. Cause of death was given
•as a brain contusion.
The deceased was the daughter
of Aviation Electronics section
Chief Vergal Briggs and his wife.
One brother and two sisters sur
vive. The father was attending the
Nuclear Weaapons Training Cen
ter School, NAS, North Island, San
Driego, Calif., at the time of the ac
cident. He returned to Kodiak
when notified of the child’s death.
The body was flown (to Yale, Ok
lahoma, for 'burial on Tuesday.
Jail Building
Offered Kodiak
The Federal jail building it row
■available to the City, according to
word received from the General
Services Administration.
The City sought the building for
possible use last year. At the
time word was received that the
State might taike over the struc
ture, Ibut since then it has been
learned it has no intention of do
ing so.
The stipulation, however, is that
it is to be used as a libnary, and
for no other purpose. City Man
age Poland pointed out, however
Lose In Decision
tags, lie' based his judgement ,
on the fact that the City had give®
permission for the fracture.
However, the plaintiff was or
dered to place warning signs i®.
the area and to construct a suit -lf
able barrier, fence which wall keep*
out children ani others, must be;,
constructed not later than ApriE
15. " „ . .
Briefs
The City Council in action Thurs
day voted to notify Tony Ferear
his building located on Soutfh
Brooklyn at the foot of Kraft’s
Street must be demolished or re
moved by March 1.
This action followed a discuss
ion in which it was revealed that'
the owner has had sufficient no
tification and time to comply with
an earlier request of the City to*
remove the building. It is situ
ated on City property adjacent to
Che small boot harbor.
Should the owner not remove the
building by that date, the City's
crew will move in and demolish
it., the owner to pay costs, it was
stated.
A discussion arose over the pass
ible use of the Kodiak Cold Stor
age Plant, which is now the prop
erty of the City.
It was proposed to advertise ft
for ossible sale and developement
In the meantime sections of it are
being ranted.
I. -
Councilmen frowned on the re
quest of the State Office of Pub
lie Safety for free office space
for the State police assigned tot
this areai.
The Council members felt it equit
aible to furnish tihe office formerly
used by the Deputy U.S. Marshal
on the same rental (basis. ActLom
to that effect was taken.
The councilmen did not take
kindly to a proposed agreement
from another State agency that
they pay $746 a year for the ser
vices of the Deputy Magistrate
The latter, reently appointed,
will try cases formerly appear
ing before the City Magistrate.
Objection was not so much to
the amount, but to the stipulation
that, the City furnish a court clerk
recorder, and ail other items ne
cessary, including the courtroom
Here, There and Everywhere
By SIG DIGREE
- -- - ---- —
(This week we had a lot to
write -4>oi*t, but refrain from com
menas and give over to Chuck
Hoyt, Sen. Bartlett’s Press Assis
tant, Alaska born journalist, who
has a few words to say albout Wash
ington, D. C. and his impressions
thereof.)
HOYT ON THE HILL
Things have sure been popping
around here lately.
Congress opened this week, the
President gave his message, the
new subway to the Capitol opened
and the joint is over-run with
Senators.
“The swift chariots of democra
cy,’’ whisk the Senators to and
from the Capitol with great speed
They (two) are supposed to deliver
er the lawmakers with speed and
dispatch. For six million bucks
they shoidd. I rode in the new
subway cars the opening day at
the session and found them very
comfortable, but not with the sarm
character of the old subway. These
are judt metal monsters with dig
nity but not the dignity of the age*
The opening session of the Sen
ate was held before a packed gaJ
lery. Quite ai noisy mob with tbe
Vioe President banging his gavel
repedtediy for quiet. The Sena
tors all (bounced around shaking
hands with each other They look
ed like they were campaigning lor
President.
FUlidly Mr. Nixon got everyone
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