WASHINGTON NEWS-LETTER
By MARY LEE COUNCIL
Secretary to E. L. (Bob) Bartlett, Alaska's Delegate to Congress
Budget for Alaska
President Truman’s continuing
interest in Alaska’s development
was reflected by items requested
for federal activities in the Terri
tor contained in his recent and
final budget message to the Con
gress for the 1954 fiscal year.
The Alaska program, including
expanded construction on roads,
The Alaska Railroad and public
works, totals $139,852,043 of which
the largest portion is earmarked
for the Department of the Interior
in the sum of $83,955,339 followed
by $20,494,780 for the Department
of Commerce, $11,983,500 for the
Department of Defense exclusive
of military and naval public
works), $11,376,363 for the Post
Office Department, $6,136,131 for
the Department of Agriculture,
$4,380,200 for the Treasury De
partment, $1,107,000 for the Fed
eral Security Agency and $249,800
for the Judiciary.
Interior Department
A six-point road construction
program is asked under the $18,
400.000 road request, and in ad
dition the President has requested
$3,400,000 for maintenance of
riads including funds for winter |
maintenance of Thompson Pass, j
The 1954 road program includes: I
Improvement of approximately 20
miles of the Taylor Highway ad
ditional paving on the Richardson,
Alaska and Glenn Highways; ex
tension of the Cordova-Richardson
Highway road by approximately I
27 miles; and extension of the:
Richardson Highway — McKinley
Park road by nearly 25 miles. It
was revealed in the budget that
the Alaska Road Commission
plans, if budget figures are ap
proved. to start work on the con
strutcion of an alternate through
route of the Seward-Anchorage
Highway approximately 6 miles
in length to by pass Anchorage
on the route to Elmendorf and
Fort Richardson, and to construct
a road approximately 20 miles
long between Kasilof, Kenai and
the Stering Highway.
iVie Construction fund request
of $16,311,000 for The Alaska Rail
road would provide reconstruction
of the Seward-Portage portion of
the railroad in the sum of $13,
592.000 with the additional request
of $2,719,000 to be used for added
rolling stock “to meet increased
military demand for coal.”
The budget included $15 million
requested for the Alaska Public
Works program. $559,600 for the
care and custody of Alaska’s in
sane, and $102,000 for the office
of the Governor and Secretary of
Alaska.
Classroom additions at Moun
tain Village and Gambell, new
schools and quarters at Kaltag,
and Tanacross, quarters for medi
cal employees at Kotzebue, and
certain improvements at Mt. Ed
gecumbe would be provided un
der the appropriations requested
for the Alaska Native Service. The
total sum sought in the Presi
dent’s budget for the Alaska ac
tivities of the Bureau of Indian
a
ho
GOOD
FOOD
ANY TIME
It’s time to eat .... anytime you're hungry! You'll
always find the Alpine Inn ready to satisfy that
hunger. For complete dinners, lunches, breakfasts or
snacks you will always find just what you crave at
the Alpine.
For "Home Style" food and a pleasant atmosphere
stop in at the Alpine and bring the family.
Alpine Inn
Mile 61 — Glenn Highway
Phone l-J-31
I
Affairs amounts to $11,186,313 tor
assistance in the health, educa
tional, welfare and othr programs.
The Interior Department’s Al
aska budget of $83,955,369 is com
pleted by requests for the Bureau
of Land Management in the sum
of $1,055,500; the Alaska Field
Staff, $38,356; the Geological Sur
vey, $2,195,000; the Bureau of
Mines, $474,477; the Fish and
Widlife Service, $1,553,512, includ
ing $818,466 for administration of
the fisher and $271,474 for game
enforcement; and the National
Park Service, $558,011.
Agriculture Department
An estimated $5 million loan
program under the Rural Elec
trification Administration is in
cluded in the $6,136,131 sought for
Agriculture Department activities
in Alaska. Other funds earmarked
sion Service, $121,013 for the Ex
periment Station, $270,000 for ag
riculture research, $685,260 for
include: $59,858 for the Exten
the Forest Service, and $168,900
for Production and Marketing, in
cluding $31,900 for the school
lunch program.
Control of Fisheries and
Game and Other Legislation
Transfer of the control of Al
aska’s fisheries and game to the
Territory from the federal gov
ernment is sought in a bill intro
duced this week by Delegate
Bartlett.
In addition five other bills were
dropped in the House hopper by
Delegate Bartlett, one to provide
for a second federal judge for
the Third Division: the second to
allow the University of Alaska to
lease land it owns for 50 instead
of 10 years as now permitted; the
third to provide for appointment
of deputy United States Com
missioners; the fourth to increase
the authorization for appropria
tion of funds for the Eklutna hy
droelectric project near Anchor
age; and the fifth to permit under
special circumstances the appoint
ment of federal or territorial em
ployees as members of the Alaska
Game Commission.
The game and fishery transfer
bill differs in two ways from the
legislation sponsored by Delegate
Bartlett in previous Congresses.
Prior legislation was confined to
the fishery resources and provid
ed that 50 percent of the net pro
ceeds from the sale of sealskins on
the Pribilof Islands would go to
the Territory to aid in the cost
of administration of the fisheries.
The new bill extends control to
cbe game resources of the Ter
ritory and increases to 70 per
cent the funds from the Pribilof
Islands operation to help meet
the costs of administering game
controls plus those of the fishery.
Delegate Bartlett’s bill relative
to the Eklutna project would raise
the present authorization of $20,
565.400 to a figure “not to exceed
$35 million.’’ Congress in 1950
authorized appropriation of funds
for construction of the project but
in the ensuing period construction
costs have mounted, and the De
I
partment of the Interior now es
timates that the project will cost
$33,800,000 to complete, or $13,
434,600 over the original estimate
and authorization.
Senate Interior and Insular
Affairs Committee
A fifteen-member Interior and
Insular Affairs Committee was
organized in the Senate this week
headed by Senator Hugh Butler
of Nebraska.
The commitee, which handles
the major portion of Alaska legis
lation, will be composed of eight
Republicans and seven Demo
crats. as follows: Republicans:
Senators Butler of Nevada, Milli
kin of Colorado, Cordon of Ore
gon, Malone of Nevada, Watkins
of Utah, Dworshak of Idaho,
Kuchel of California and Barrett
of Wyoming. The Democrats are:
Senators Murray of Montana, An
derson of New Mexico, Long of
Louisiana, Smathers of Florida,
Clements of Kentucky, Jackson
of Washington and Daniel of
Texas.
Alaska Legislation
Three bills affecting Alaska
were introduced this week in
Congress, one in the Senate and
two. in the House.
Senator Butler of Nebraska
reintroduced his bill seeking to
abolish presently existing native
reservations in Alaska and to re
peal present law providing for
establishment of such reserva
tions. In addition, the measure
would authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to issue patents “to
the appropriate native tribes and;
villages or individuals for the
lands actually possessed, used, or
occupied for town sites, villages,
smoke houses, gardens, burial
grounds, or missionary stations,” :
with concurrence by the Secre-:
tary of Agriculture necessary for
issuance of patents to any lands
within the exterior boundaries
of a national forest.
Congressman Yorty of Califor
nia introduced statehood bills this
week for Alaska and Hawaii,
while Congressman D’Ewart of
Montana sponsored a bill to per-;
mit the removal of volcanic ash j
from certain parts of the Katmai j
National Monument, a proposal j
long urged by Delegate Bartlett, i
Hew Radiator
Service in Palmer
New business service in Palmer
is Lee’s Radiator Service, located
at the Palmer Body and Paint
shop.
Coming to the Valley from Au
burn, Washington, this past Aug
ust, Lee L. Hendershot has many
years experience in radiator work
behind him. He has conducted
radiator businesses in North Da
kota and in Auburn, specializing
in cleaning, re-coring and com
plete building.
He, Mrs. Hendershot and their
son Bill, who is freshman in Pal
ner High, school, are making their
borne on the Glenn Highway, just
below Hartley Brothers garage.
ESSAY WINNER TO
ATTEND UNIVERSITY
The University of Alaska will
see an airman on the campus
when the next semester opens
January 16. He will be Airman
First Class Edwin D. Stapleton of
Boston, Mass., and more recent
ly from Elmendorf Feild.
Through a territory-wide essay
contest, sponsored by William J.
Wagner. President of the Alaska
Broadcasting System, Stapleton’s
paper was chosen. “Why I’d like
to attend the University of Alas
ka” was the topic of this year’s
annual $250.00 scholarship.
Alaska’s Governor Gruening,
Dr. Terris Moore, President of the
University and Mrs. LaDessa Nor
dale, Chairman of the Territorial
Board of Education were the
Judges of the contest.
Airman Stapleton, the winner,
comes from an Irish family of
aleven children who reside in Bos
ton. Five of his brothers are in
the army, two are Korean veter
ans. A sixth is in the navy.
In order to have the opportun
ity to take full advantage of the
(\BS scholarship, Stapleton was
recently assigned to Ladd Air.
Force Base, which is close to the
University. Here Stapleton will
major in English Literature and
Psychology.
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIED
ALWAYS GET RESULTS
WAS1LLA GIRL WINS
P-TA ORATORY PRIZE
Rose Church of Wasilla was
awarded ten dollars and a gold
pin as first prize in a declamation
contest sponsored by the Wasilla
P-TA at their Januay 16 meeting.
Subject of the contest was, “The
Future of Wasilla.”
Coleen Teeland, as second
prize winner, was awarded five
dollars and a silver pin. Jim Wil
son and Allayne Nelson tied for
third prize, receiving three dol
lars and bronze pins.
The many who attended the
£««««««
meeting agreed the teen-agers
had given the subject a thorough:
going-over; starting with the
foundation of Wasilla and1, its
growth, up through present-day
times.
The speakers, all high school
students, gave their own versions:
of the future of Wasilla. Several
industries and activities were
suggested as possibilities^ to aid.
the future growth of the town
with emphasis on "pulling to
gether” for an unlimited expan
sion of Wasilla, in time to come.
««.*.< <<<<<<<
*»
FOR YOUR SAFETY!
In case of a fire or a burglary in your home
what might you lose? Probably many items that
it would be impossible to replace. Of course none
of us expect any such things to happen to us but
we never know.
I
Why take chances when you can rent a safe
deposit box at the Matanuska Valley Bank that
will safely hold all your prized possessions and
valuable papers. The cost is small but the safety
is sure.
MATANUSKA VALLEY BANK
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Palmer, Alaska
OPEN FRIDAY EVENINGS 6—8 P:M. a
DAILY 10 A.M. — 3 P.M. ^
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ALASKA SALMONS INSTITUTE
ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS!
Robert H. Secrist, Jr.
> I
... MX:
Carroll Haggard
Many entries were received in the recent essay contest sponsored
by the Alaska Salmon Institute. All were of extremely high calibre
and reflected a great deal of research and effort upon the part of
students in both contest divisions.
First place winner in the Elementary School Division was
Carroll Haggard, a fifth grade student at Denali School in Fair
banks, who receives a $300 Alaska Salmon Institute award for
her outstanding essay. A set of beautiful encyclopedias will be
awarded to the Denali School library.
Top honors in the High School Division were won by Robert
H. Secrist, Jr., a senior at Juneau High School. In addition to his
$300 cash award, the Alaska Salmon Institute will also present
a $125 set of encyclopedias to the Juneau High School library.
John Jensen
Other priie winners are:
Hugh M. Spurr
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DIVISION HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
Jemei C. Leveque
Second Prise of $100
Hugh M. Spurr
Ft. Richardson Grade School
Third Prixe of $50
Guy Barber
Anchorage Junior High School
Fourth Prixe of $25
Diane Burnham
Sitka Public School
Second Prixe of $100
John Jensen
Douglas High School
Third Prixe of $50
James C. Leveque
Fairbanks High Schooi
Fourth Prixe of $25
Gerda Nergaard
Ketchikan High School1
Certificates Are Being Sent To All Honorable Mention Winners
Alaska Salmon Institute
S t A T T l t • KETCHIKAN • J U W i A U
Guy Barber
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