WARD
'he Galescay City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Seward's A UAPeather Port is Alaska's Greatest Asset
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
jl. VIII. No. 53
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1951
Price 10 Cents
)e Story of
EWARD
By Jay Siauler
XXVII
EWARD'S PART IN THE
COAL CONTROVERSY
?ward‘s secret of survival
always boon two-fold. On the
hand, the town has always
/ided a minimum livelihood
a certain number of workers
i commercial enterprises,
s in the heyday of early rail
! construction, when at least
ousand men wer. employed
lin 50 miles of the townsite
in the town itself, retail
ness boomed and there was
Lively easy opportunity for
laborer, the small business
. and the professions. Yet we
* seen that Seward at the
? time was becoming a sup
ind tnyisportation center for
rapidly-growing mining ac
y on the Kenai Peninsula
in the Susitna Valley, which
independent of the progress
e railroad. Hone . when now
truction gradually ceased,
the Alaska Northern Com
bocame progressivel> bank
Seward did not die, but
sted partially on the im
ate business from mining
ity. and partially on the
that the railroad would b -
tualiy completed. It was al
the reality of the bird in
land, plus the hope of the
in the bush, that kept Sew
ilive. During most of Sew
ui fAibltrllLc,
ler practical reality alone,
lope for the future alone,
have prevented disaster.
>eople of Seward somehow
knack of hanging on to the
|in the hand, while at the
time going after the two in
lush.
1909 it had become pain
clear. despite tn_ rather
lily optimistic position of
rd's newspaper, that only a
He could bring about the
letion of the Alaska Norih
tailroad as a private pro
tn fact, only a certain sp
tniracle could do the trick,
that was the successful
Isaie exploitation of the
luska coal deposits, which
the projected route of the
lad from Seward to the
|a.
beside the point whether
facts indicate that neither
Sallaines, nor the Shedd
|ers, nor the Frost-Osborn
.‘ate, nor any other inter
group was in any actual
|ial position to complete
roject, in 1909, regardless
eventual rewards to be
ted. History, as a record of
nen did, depends as much
I belief as upon fact, and
[ople of Seward fervently
id that only the limitations
(.he private exploitation of
coal lands prevented the
ition of the railroad, and
Icted accordingly.
|jok several years for the
[ive Proclamation of No
r 17, 1900, to take full
This w’as the order by
mt Roosevelt withdraw
Alaska coal land from
t e entry, and placing
rritory’s coal resources in
le class as forest lands
future, in the National
We have already noted
jokesmen for the Alaska
Railroad denied at the
|at this prohibition would
“bearish” effect upon
Iprospects. The Seward
\y, the organ of the Bal
frothers, said at the time
fficient coal claims were
I (Turn to Page 4)
Send Christmas
Cards To The
Boys In Service
Many of our Seward Boys will
not get home for Christmas. It
always makes the holiday a little
less bleak to hear from friends
and acquaintances at home. The
following addresses have been
turned in for publication and it
is hoped that others will be re
ceived in time for next week's
issue.
Pfc. Donald M. Smith,
US 50200C76
SRV Company, AGDAU 8385,
APO 949, Care Postmaster,
Seattle, Wash.
Pfc. Bill G. Kibsgaard,
Master T-205 Fire Boat,
Whittier, Alaska
Pfc. William H. Green,
Bex 456,
Anchorage, Alaska
Pfc. James Webb US 50200305
ATB, AFF,
APO 733, Care Postmaster,
Big Delta, Ialra Alaska
John Salit, UNTC, Co. 196.
San Diego 33, Calif.
John W. Hoogiand, YNSN,
388-19-12,
US LST 715, Care Postmaster,
Fleet Post Office,
San Francisco, Calif.
Pfc. Paul E. Owens,
US 55117272, Company F,
9ih Ini. Reg., 2nd Div.,
APO 248, Care Postmaster,
San Francisco, Calif.
Pfc. Gone P. Kirkpatrick,
2bih Ordnance Service Co.,
Fori Richardson, Alaska
Pvt. Willard E. Dunham,
US 50200483,
2nd Medical Dispensary.
APO S37, Eielson Field,
Intra Alaska
Pvt. Earl Moore, Jr.,
Ptarmigan Park,
Spenard, Alaska
Pfc. Richard W. Bogard,
US 502U0125.
Hqs. & Hqs. Co.,
Whittier, Aiaska
Pfc. Lyle M. Reed,
US 5020031 ~,
Hq. & Hq. Co.,
Fori oL Wh.ttier, Alaska
APO 307, C~ xo Posimasier
Intra Alaska
Pvt. Edmund F. Goreson,
US 50200485
Co. C, 1st En. 4th. Inf.,
Ladd AFB, Alaska
Intra Alaska
Terry R. Fiilirgim, SM
388-13*09
U.S.N. Receiving Station,
Treasure Island,
San Francisco, Calif.
Pvt. Raymond Kibsgaard,
US 50200510.
Co. M, 3rd Dn„ 4ih Inf.,
APO 731.
Ladd AFB, Alaska
Intra Alaska
Woman's Club V/ill
Send Christmas
To Korea This Year
Instead of the usual exchange
of Christmas gifts among mem
b. rs of tiu* Seward Woman's
C lub, each lady is asked to bring
a dollar contribution for Care
lor Korea to thc~ next meeting,
Thursday, Dec. Id.
The meeting will be held in
the Methodist Church basement
tiiis month to allow more space
for presentation of the program.
Mrs. Roberta Thornton, pro
gram chairman, has arranged tor
entertainment by Kay Johnson's
School of the Dane , which is a
very popular group ot entertain
ers.
All Seward women are invited
to attend the Christmas party
meeting, but each visitor will be
asked to contribute to the Ko
rean refugee, as well as the reg
ular members.
Hostesses for the evening are
Mrs. Tom Jones, Miss Mar> Ran
dolph, Mrs. Keba Rose, Mrs. Jean
Easton, and Mildred Kirkpatrick.
Civil Defe tu Food
Supplies and
Emergency Ceding
Am rica’s b ichors, bakers,
grocers and milkmen \v<'rn call
ed upon recently by Federal
Civil Defense Administration
and the Department of Agricul
ture to help set up immediate
plans for nation-wide emergency
civil defense i-eiUng in event
of enemy attack.
The statement was made in
an announcement that FCDA
and the Department of Agricul
ture had reached agreement on
detail, d plans to provide ade
quate food for the nation under
emergency attack conditions.
"We are counting on the peo
ple who know mod about this
problem—the food merchants
and handlers themselves—to as
sist us in this program and make
it work,” Deputy FCDA Director
James J. Wadsworth stated.
”K nresg.ntativ( s of the food
industry are being asked to serve
on state and local emergency
food supply advisory commit
tees to consult with civil de
fense directors planning for
transportation, distribution and
control of food supplies neces
sary to sustain the people bur
in : u .usual circumstances,” he
said.
"Food hoarding or heavy
stockpiling is unnecessary, unde
sirable and definitely unpatri
otic in a land where food is plen
tiful,” Mr. Wadswirth said. "One
of the reasons is that if stored
foods become damaged or spoil
ed under attack conditions—
then eaten—there is a chance
that much food poisoning might
occur at a time when everyone’s
efforts and strength would be
needed tor cari ig for th injured
and r;storing community. ’
T’ne joint agreement spells out
the responsibilities of the re
spective agencies. The Secretary
of Agriculture is charged with
production, processing and allo
cating food during the present
emergency. In addition he will
redistribute food supplies to
damaged cities, to reception and
evacuation areas, as requested
by the FCDA Administrator,
under emergency conditions.
The Federal Civil Defense Ad
ministration will provide plans
and programs for emergency
feeding of victims of attaci .
From time to time FCDA wdll
transmit to regional and state
civil defense directors additional
information on the food plans
in instruction m a n u a 1 s and
guides.
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Chas. Lechner Sr. In
Highway Accident
Narrowly escaping serious in
jury, Charles Lechner Sr., was
resting at his home today fol
lowing a highway accident which
almost completely wrecked 11 is
S. ward Machine Shop pickup.
The accident occurred Wednes
day evening, as Mr. Lechner
was returning Inane from the
town of Ilomer. Nearing UK
third covered bridge, the- pickup
struck a loose plank and skid
ded off the road, rolling do.vn
a gulky. Mr. Lechner was un
conscious, and has only a hazy
m mory of the details of the ac
cident. He regained iiis senses
while being deposited in the
Seward General Hospital by Mr.
and Mrs. John Walsh, passing
motorists who found him in the
wreck and rushed him to the hos
pital. lie was attended by Dr.
Deisher for sev. re cuts about
the face and head, but apparent
ly there were no fractures or
internal injuries.
Mrs. Lechn r stated that the
pickup was found to bo 75 per
cent demolished when it was
towed into the shop yesterday.
She said that Mr. Lechner would
rest up a few days before resum
ing his work.
The entire Lechner family ex
pr ssed its deep gratitude to Mr.
and Mrs. WaLh fer their prompt
and unstinting aid, without
which Mr. Lechner might have
suffered great physical harm
from the combination of cold
and hi" injuries.
Canned Sulmon Mot
Involved ;n Pr©be
Seattle—Alaska canned sal
mon is in no way involved in
the investigation by various fed
eral agencies of fish sales to the
army, a spokesman for the in
dustry pointed out this week.
Loose use of the word "pro
cessed" instead of "frozen” lias
caused many people to think
that th 125.000 pounds of sal
mon by federal court order at
the Army's Auburn General De
pot represented canned salmon,
the spokesman said. Many let
ters have been received by the
industry from people in Alaska
and the United Stat s.
"The canned salmon industry
is an innocent bystander in this
case." the spokesman declared,
"but the resultant publicity has
led many people to believe that
cans of salmon were seized. Ac
tually every pound involved
was frozen, uncann d fish.”
The spokesman explained that
tlie industry very carefully in
spects its products to insure high
quality.
"Since 1919,” he said, "the
industry, through the Northwest
Branch of the National Canners
Association, has conducted its
own research to improve the
pack and make careful, scient'fic
inspection of canned salmon be
fore it reaches the markets of
the world. Careful inspection by
a staff of trained men makes
certain that every can of Alaska
salmon meets the requirements
of the U.S. Food and Drug Ad
ministration. This rigid inspec
tion applies to salmon whether
it is for civilian or military con
sumption.”
BULLETIN
Governor Ernest Grucning to
day announced the resignation
of Colonc! Earl Landrelh as Di
rector of Civilian Defense, and!
the appointment of Colonel
James C. Crockett, who has been
serving as Acting Director.
C. of C. Endorses
Development
Board Action
The Seward Chamber of Com
merce at the regular noon lunch
c on meeting this week, endorsed
aetion taken by the Alaska De
velopment Board on six differ
ent issues.
The Board has offered all pos
sible assistance to the Interior
Department in obtaining funds
for the enlargement and im
provement of port and railroad
facilities at Seward. Requ st.s
for additional appropriations will
be made of Congress in the near
future. With this in mind, the
Development Board will give
any assistance required of it.
Secondly, the Board reiterated
its repeated recommendation to
the Bureau of Land Managemmt
for the opening of lands on the
Kenai Peninsula which have
been withdrawn from settlement.
The third point was a request
to the Department of Labor for
an autonomous office in Alaska
which would aid contractors and
labor in the s ttlement of dis
putes and wage stabilization.
The fourth letter recommend
ed and requested the re-estab
lishment of an office of the De
partment of Commerce in Alas
ka.
Fifth was the request to the
Bureau of Public Roads, asking
that all possible consideration
be given to the building of roads
connecting every community in
the Territory with aiIcrinl high
ways, thus giving now isolated
communities access to their
neighbors and hastening develop
ment in the Territory.
The Board also asked that an
office of the American Automo
bile Association be established in
Alaska.
All six of these letters sent by
the Development Board to the
various organizations were en
dorsed by the Chamber of Com
merce and copies of the endorse
ment s nt to the Board.
Members also discussed a
change of meeting days, to in
crease the number of meetings
each month, to give prospective
members a better opportunity to
attend.
Cards are now ready for 1052
membership and dues are due.
A.S.C. Releases >952
S&iting Schedule
Tiie 1952 summer schedule of
sailings for Alaska Steamship
Company passenger vessels has
just been announced by H. N.
Peterson, General Traftic Man
ager.
The Alaska Line will operate
the steamers Baranof. Denali.
Alaska and Aleutian on twelve
day trips with sailings from Se
attle every Wednesday and Fri
day throughout the summer.
Each ship will feature a distinc
tive itinerary. While all the
line's vessels will call at Ketch
ikan, Juneau, and Seward this
year, the ports of Petersburg,
Cordova, Wrangell. Valdez. Sit
ka and Kodiak are on the sched
ules of one or more of the ships.
The steamer Denali visits Alas
ka’s three capitals—Juneau, the
present one; Kodiak, the first
capital under the Russian re
gime; and Sitka, where the Unit
ed States took formal possession
of Alaska in 1867.
On May 23 the Aleutian is
scheduled to make her first voy
age of tli? season, augmenting
the steamers Denali and Bara
nof, presently in service. The
Alaska udll join the active fleet
on June 11.
Beginning in June. Alaska
travelers will be able to visit
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