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Seward
Record
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Seward’s All-Weather Port is Alaska’s Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X. No. 24
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1953
Price 10 Cents .
Sanatorium Children Write '
Letters To Santa Claus
By Robcri Briggs
When you walk down the
narrow, lonely corridors of Sew
ard Sanatorium all the fervent
plans to make Christmas memor
able for the children patients
suddenly makes sense. First, you
notice the overwhelming cool
ness of the halls, the absence of
holly and contenting scents of
Christmas tree bows, and the
efficiency of the personnel, me
chanical and unerring, but not
without tenderness. Yet, there
exists an emptiness that the ten
derness of this vast organization
cannot quite touch. This empti
ness grows in the hearts of the
child tubercular patients, many
in such lengthy confinement the
memory of their parents has
become a vague silhouette.
In their interest Seward Sana
torium extends vigorous efforts
to encourage gift donations for
its children, but frequently the
child’s humble request is unat
tainable.
You'll notice when entering
the children’s ward innumerable
little eyes compelling your at
tention. There's happy-faced
Esther Hunt, age 6. who will
spend her fourth Christmas with
in the Sanatorium. In her letter
to Santa she thanked him for her
present last year and asked to
be remembered Christmas morn
ing with a doll.
The requests of Dolores Al
bert, an Eskimo 6-year-old. are
not less humble in her hopes for
a doll and doll bed. Sensitive
and shy, she calls frequently for
the nurse, snuggles close, and
talks quietly about her mother
and dead sister.
Next, you'll see 11-year old
Rhea Sam who wants a doll and
doll dishes, and then Julia Dopez
who wrote almost pleadingly to
Santa for "a doll with real hair.''
Unfoituna. ',y. th« doll supply is
inadequate an t none have real
hair.
Dorothy Stump, also 11, ask ' l
for a "toy talc phono, building
blocks, and a nurse's sot." and
then added apologetically. 1
know you can't bring all of this
but I will tell you what I'd like."
Barbara Boskoffsky. age 7. re
quested only a toy piano from
Santa.
Most of the boys are usually
busied with cowboys and In
dians. and buckcrco Paul Alex
anderoff, a 9-year-old Aleut,
asked Santa to bring a cowboy
pistol and rope. George Eningo
wuk. 11, wants a cowboy hat,
and Tony Mitchell, also 11, has
asked for cc'vhpv boots — re
quests that indicate the joint ef
forts of three bays to piece to
gether a complete cowboy suit.
In turning to leave you'll no
tice Robert Hand, 18 months old,
whose quizzical face searches
you for affection. His mother is
a patient on Ward II. and brief
reunions occur infrequently.
Staring silently, could he speak,
you can almost hear him, ‘‘Mis
ter. are you Santa Claus?”
‘‘No, I'm not Santa Claus. But
Santa will be here Christmas,
you know.”
“But. how will he know . . .”
“Tell me what you want and
I'll see he gets it for you.-’
“Can you mister? Well, on
Christmas I just want Mommie.”
There are many others, but
their desires are composite and
fundamental, that despite being
unbridgeable distances from the
love and attention of parents,
the spirit of Santa Claus—sym
bol of remembrance—will some
how from somewhere reach
them.
Mrs. Florence Heaston return
ed to Anchorage Thursday. She
has been in Seward for some
time settling the estate of her
brother, the late H. H. Leonard.
$5,000
$3,000
SI,000
SG.000
$4,0C0
$2,000
S850
ALASKA - NEBRASKA
FUND
To Prosecute School
Bus Law Violators
Officer Roberts, Territorial
Police Department, reminds mo
torists of the law concerning
passing of a school bus.
"The driver of any vehicle on
any public highway or city street
upon meeting or overtaking
from any direction any school
bus which is stopped on the
street or highway for the pur
pose of receiving or discharging
any passenger, shall bring the
vehicle to a complete slop not
less than 20 feet from such bus
and remain slopped while such
bus is receiving or discharging
passengers, or such passengers
are being aided across the street
or highway in connection there
with."
Persons in violation of this
law arc liable to a fine of not
more than $200 or imprisonment
for 90 days or both.
Several complaints have been
received. Officer Roberts states,
of motorists passing a stopped
school bus.
i
A!:iska-Nebraska
f*und Progress
Ey Chas. Malin
Tilings have slowed down a bit
on our drive as we approach
Christmas. We did however re
ceive a check for $25.00 from
Osbo's Electric Store this week
for which we are thankful. The
Bowling Benefit Tickets are not
moving very fast. If seems that
the league bowlers are getting
their tickets but the ones that
don't bowl as a regular thing
arc a bit fearful tiiat they cannot
compete. This is not true as there
is a special class for non-league
bowlers with the same prizes of
fered as to the league men and
women. Get your tickets today
and join in the fun. We bowl all
day and all evening on both the
29th and 30th of December.
We have talked to a number
of folks that are planning on
entering the Amateur Contest
on Feb. 6th, but so far only one
person has filled out the en
trance blank. Now we knofv that
there are several planning on en
tering so why not till in the
blanks provided for in this pap
er and thus make your entry
legal. There are tiiree classes:
The School Children will com
pete against each other: the Bar
bershop Quartets will compete
against each other and there will
be a non-competing group. Then
too we will open for bids on any
talent that you care to hear—if
they won't perform then they
have to pay.what you bid.
We had word this week that
the Sunday Supplement to the
Nebraska papers are planning an
article shortly on this affair and
a group of University of Nebras
ka journalist students are doing
something on it for some maga
zine.
There is still room fbr some
of you folks that want to take
the trip with us at your own ex
pense. The transportation will
be $150, so don't be bashful
about signing up.
Christmas cards are going like
hotcakes. These original cards
by the High School students are
really something to behold and
the entire proceeds go to our
fund. The very fine minstrel that
was recently put on in Anchor
age will be put on here shortly,
too, and we will solit in that
with the Child Welfare fund of
the Vets, and the Legion. Jack
Werner is anxious to get rid of
those fine Christmas Baskets.
Russell Norton has a hobby of
making some lovely Alaska-Jew
elry and he has made two very
fine pieces that he has donated
to the fund. We haven’t quite
decid'-d just how vve will use
them but they will be very use
ful. we will guarantee.
We have the film of the Ne
braskan Boys’ trip to Alaska
last summer along with some
other very fine film of their
Pioneer Day Celebration and
their Championship play off
football game that Seward, Ne
braska won. These will be avail
able for showing along about
the middle and end of January.
Any organization interested can
contact Rev. Malin. This is sound
film.
Alaska Railroad Cuts
Tuesday Train
For Winter Months
Discontinuance of passenger
train service between Seward
and Anchorage was announced
here today by The Alaska Rail
road.
Railroad officials said the
move followed the action of the
Alaska Steamship Co. in reduc
ing service to the port of Sew
ard. The railroad will still oper
ate its regular train on Thursday
between the two cities.
The last Tuesday run of the
train was December 8. It is ex
pected the service will be re
sumed again in the summer
months.
Lions Club Sponsors
Fund Raising
Local interest in the fund
raising activities of the Seward
Lions Club this past week were
centered on Dollar Day spon
sored by the local bars and clubs
in Seward with proceeds being
turned over to the Sight Con
servation and Blind Committee,
Martin Uric, chairman.
“It is the purpose of the Com
mittee to assist our neighbors
in Seward because of the ter
rific expense involved in hos
pitalization and care of eye op
erations," said Mr. Uric, com
mittee chairman.
Mrs. Agnes Saindon, wife of
J. W. Saindon, and daughter
of Mrs. Harold Painter will be
the- first participant in the funds
raised through the efforts ui
the Seward Lions Club. Mrs.
Saindon is at present a patient
at the Virginia Mason Hospital,
Seattle, having had one eye re
moved, and undergoing further
surgery of the other eye.
All funds raised over and
above Mrs. Saindon's expenses
will be used locally to further
the local work of the Sight Con
servation Program.
Other activities planned in
addition to the fund - raising
project already completed, will
be a radio request program
over KIBH. Donations will be
picked up by members of the
Seward Lions Club.
On December 18th, a Benefit
Shew and Dance will be held
at the American Legion Club
with proceeds from the ticket
sales added to the fund. All
local talent will participate and
a fine show is promised.
A movie, bake sale and games
are planned in the near future
with dates to be announced by
the end of next week.
Public accounting of the re
ceipts and expenditures of the
committed will be made at the
end of the fund-raising cam
paign.
Former Seward Man
Buried In Anchorage
Funeral services were held
lor Algot H. Mattson Monday,
December 7 at the Elks Club,
Anchorage, under direction of
the officers of B.P.O.E. No. 1351.
Mr. Mattson was born Sept.
28, 1898 at Brahani, Minnesota.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Isaac Mattson of that city, who
later moved to Fine City, Min
nesota. On January 4, 1926 he
was married to Thelma A.
Rogers of Fin Jayson, Minnesota.
Eight children were born to this
union. He is survived by his wife
Thelma, three children, Richard,
Darlene and Gary; his mother,
Mrs. Betsy Mattson of Thule
Lake. California, five brothers
and three sisters, all living in
the States, as well as other rela
tives.
Jinks Mattson, as he was
familiarly known to friends had
followed electrical construction
nil his life starling out with
Northern Pacific Railway when
he was 16 yeai's old. At the time
of his death he was employed
by the City Electric Company
of Anchorage.
The family first came to Al
aska in 1938 living in Anchor
age until 1948 when they moved
to Seward, and in 1952 they
moved to Kodiak. Mr. Mattson
was a charter member of B.P.
O R. No. 1773, Seward Lodge.
He suffered a stroke caused
by cerebral hemori-hage Novem
ber 28 in Anchorage while
visiting his son Richard and
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Firoved over Thanksgiving be
fore leaving for a two months’
vacation in the States. He was
taken to Providence Hospital
where he died December 3. In
terment was in Anchorage cem
etary.
The family is staying at 821
C Street, Anchorage, until fu
ture plans are made.
Truck Route Through
City Designated
Effective immediately all freight
and commercial trucks entering
the City of Seward shall follow
the route as indicated below:
Entering the city from the
north on Third Avenue they will
turn left on "A" Street thence
cast on "A" Street to its junction
with Seventh Avenue which is
just east of the Army Rec Cen
ter and west of the railroad
tracks. At this point they may
cross the Alaska Railroad to the
San Juan or Army Docks or they
may turn right and follow Sev
enth Avenue south to where it
enters Railroad Avenue follow
ing Railroad Avenue on around
to where it passes the turn in to
the City Dock. Trucks leaving
the city will reverse the process.
This routing change is being
made in the interest of safety
and will provide for routing
through the least settled area of
the city. Also it will eliminate
going by the public school where
two stop lights are located, both
on steep hills.
The route will be clearly des
ignated by standard approved
signs as soon as possible.
D. P. Balrnat,
Chief of Police
f.and Registration At
Commissiercors Office
Although several people have
been to the Commissioner’s of
fice to comply with the new
Land Registration regulation.
Commissioner Anna B. Southard
stated today that she has receiv
ed neither definite instructions
nor materials for the program.
Mrs. Southard is accepting
registrations on property both
inside the city limits and out
side. To register, the owner must
furnish in duplicate a descrip
tion of his land and date of pur
chase if it was acquired since
1949.
BEG YOUR PARDON!
We pot nixed up last week in
reporting the S500 donation from
the Longshoremen's Union to the
Ambulance Fund. It was the
Shipside Union. ILWU Local
1-39 that made the big donation.
It is understood, however, that
the Dockside group is also mak
ing a very substantial contribu
tion to the fund on a monthly
basis.
BIG MINSTREL SHOW FROM
ANCHORAGE NEXT WEEK
American Legion, Auxiliary
anti VFW orders of Seward are
bringing the minstrel show put
on in Anchorage last week to
Seward December 19.
The show is a professional
troupe which played successfully
in Anchorage three days last
week. Proceeds will go lo the
Child Welfare Fund of the Le
gion and to the Nebraska Fund.
More publicity is promised
next week, giving the program
and highlights on the perform
ers. a cast of 35. They are being
brought here through the work
of Jack ~Hull in the interest of
local projects.
Reporter's
Notebook
Clarence Keating was in town
for a c-ouple of clays last week.
Alberta Lee and Max L. Lud
low were married by Commis
sioner Southard Friday morning.
They were attended by Geral
dine and James F. Smith. Mr.
Ludlow is employed by ARR
and the bride is nurses’ aide at
the Sanatorium.
The Junior Women’s Club will
hold its annual Christmas party
at the Elks Club Sunday night,
preceded by a potluck supper.
Dean and Stella Bedford flew
to Seattle this week to pick up
a new car which they will drive
back.
Mrs. Bill Kane is still a patient
in Seward General Hospital.
CHILDREN MAY TALK TO
SANTA DECEMBER 19
Santa Claus will visit the
Seward Junior Women's sale
December 19 from 2 to 5 p.m.
to talk to the kiddies.
Club members will be hold
ing a Christmas sale of home
made candy, -cakes, cookies,
aprons, and other gift items.
They will also serve coffee and
wrap gifts. The sale and Santa
will be next door to Vina’s
Beauty shop.
Residents Request
Go Ahead on
Lagoon Guard Rail
A delegation of residents head
ed by Oliver Amend, Mrs. Lu
ther Jones and Mrs. Frank
Woods, requested permission of
the city council Monday night
to erect a guard rail along the
Lagoon highway.
The council gave its permis
sion, although the party was in
formed that the road is not own
ed by the city. Ownership of
tidewater roads is held by the
government. There seemed little
possibility however of permis
sion being refused for such a
safety measure.
C. of C. Directors
Name Committees
The new Board of Directors,
elected at the December 1 meet
ing of the Chamber of Com
merce, met Wednesday morning
for breakfast at Tony’s. They
elected Dr. Joseph Deisher chair
man of the Board. Committees
were appointed as follows:
Membership: Clarence King,
chairman; Juanita Everitt; Sol
Uric. -
Airport: Bob Stanton, chair
man; Joel Buffington, Gene
Magers.
Transportation: Tormod Bie,
chairman; Ralph Fisher, JaeK
Jeffrey; Russell Painter; Tom
Jones; Jack Hull; John Rose.
Civic Development: Bob Shef
field. chairman; Bart Stanton;
Dr. Francis Phillips; Clarence
Larson; Phil Durant; John Cole
man; Sam Romack; Ray Lee.
Public Relations: Hal Gilfilen;
Joel Buffington; Mildred Kirk
patrick; Muble Wisdom; Charles
Lechner; Hinie Werner.
Economic Development: Ne
ville Hodson, chairman: Pat Wil
liams; Louella James; Leon Ur
bach; Gus Johnson; Jack Wer
ner: Scoltie McRae; Ray Scfero
vich.
Honorary membership was
voted at this time for Ralph
Tudor. Undersecretary of the In
terior Department, and to E. L.
(Bob) Bartlett, Delegate to Con
gress. Honorary membership
plaques are being framed and
will be mailed to these men this
week.
Two Ice Skating Rinks
in Preparation
Two outdoor ice skating rinks
are being prepared for the plea
sure of Seward skaters this week.
The first is at the corner of 4th
and Washington Streets. This is
expected to be ready for use by
the end of the week if the wea
ther holds cold.
A second rink will be ready
in a few days at Second Lake
on Cliffside Addition. This little
lake needs only removal of sur
face snow to give good skating,
according to Frank Roberts, who
lias sparked the project. Funds
were made available by the city
council to start the project. The
Fourth Avenue rink has to be
flooded and is a considerable
project, but street lights and the
close proximity to a large por
tion of residents is thought to
make it more feasible for night
skating.
WITHHOLDING TAX DOWN
TWO PER CENT JAN. 1
Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue T. Coleman Andrews has
announced in Washington that
the law provides for changes on
January 1, 1054. in the rates for
Federal income tax withholding
and for employer tax and em
ployee tax under the Federal In
surance Contributions Act (for
old age and survivors’ insur
ance).
This was reported this week
by District Director of Internal
Revenue William E. Frank, who
explained that the rate of income
tax withholding will be reduced
from 20 per cent to 18 per cent
and that the law increases the
employer lax and the employee
tax from 11 l> par cent for each
tax to 2 per cent for each tax.
"These rates will apply to
wages paid on or after January
1, 1954, even though the wages
were earned in 1953,” Director
Frank added.
‘•Tax tpbles for income tax
withholding and for employee
tax deductions on and after
January 1. 1954, are included in
a new revision of Circular E,
Employer's Tax Guide,” Director
Frank said. "District Directors
of Internal Rcvenu&^wiU ' mail
Circular E as early asNpossible
in December to those emplojj^rs
who have been reporting tax^S>
each quarter on Form 941.”
All tax returns arc to be
mailed to the District Director
•of Internal Revenue, Tacoma,
Washington.
Fairbanks Ball Team Here For
Opening Railbelt Games
Tug Arrives Here
After Barge Sinking
The Tug Hercules arrived in
Seward Thursday night after the
wreck of the barge Attu Island
near Ketchikan last Saturday.
The barge, owned by Portland
Tug and Barge Company, had an
estimated value of $200,000 and
was carrying 5,000 tons of ce
ment for the Superior Portland
Cement Company bins at the
Seward Fish & Cold Storage
Company docks here. In addition
to the cement were five new cars
and a coverall carrier consigned
to Westwood Motor Company of
Anchorage. Total loss is estimat
ed at $300,000.
The skipper reports that the
Hercules hit a reef off Pennock
Island in a snow storm that ob
scured navigation lights. He
shortened tow, the skipper said,
and the big barge swung in, hit
ting the tug and knocking it off
the reef, but tearing a hole in
the barge. The Hercules man
aged to haul the barge off the
reef and made for Bar Harbor
at Ketchikan where they anchor
ed. Water pouring in through the
hulled barge, however, pulled
her under and about dawn Sat
urday she turned turtle and
sank, bottom side up.
The cement was reportedly in
tended for the Eklutna, hydro
electric project. Loss of it will
not, however, affect the work at
Eklutna, as the warehouses here
are full and the supply is suffi
cient to carry on the work of the
project, according to company
officials here.
Tree Cutting Policy of
Forest Service
Residents of the Chugach Na
tional Forest may take Christ
mas trees for their own personal
use from the National Forest
without permit. No trees are to
be cut within 300 feet of any
main highway or on established
homesite, summer home, or
campground areas. Cutting of
large trees just for the top is not
allowed. Any cutting of trees for
sale must be by permit.
Although the town of Seward
is outside the National Forest,
Christmas trees for personal use
of residents will be treated in
the same manner as those actu
ally living on the National For
est. The boundary of the Nation
al Forest is located approximate
ly 6 miles outside ox Seward.
The land outside of that boun
dary is either privately owned
or under the jurisdiction of the
Bureau of Land Management.
The Bureau allows no cutting
within 300 feet of roads, and any
cutting of Christmas trees is by
permit in authorized areas.
School, church or community
trees may be taken from Nation
al Forest land under the same
procedure as for personal use.
Trees for business establishments
are not allowed under free use.
Persons cutting trees should
make sure that they are not cut
ting on private or Bureau of
Land Management land without
permission. The Kcnai Division
of the Chugach National Forest
does not have an abundance of
timber. Therefore, we must con
serve what we have by wise use
if we expect to maintain a sup
ply for the future.
Wayne Sword,
Division Supervisor
IZAAK WALTONS TO
DECIDE EXISTENCE
Members of Seward Chapter
of Izaak Walton League will
meet next Friday December 13,
at 7:30 p.m. in St. Peter’s
Church basement.
This meeting will decide the
future of the Chapter, whether
to continue or disband. Tor this
reason, all members and sports
men interested in Izaak Walton
are requested to attend *hc
meeting.
IEGION AUXILIARY TAKING
CHRISTMAS TO SAN
PATIENTS' CHILDREN
Patients in Seward Sanatori
um will send Christmas gifts
home to wives and children this
year due to activities of Seward
Post American Legion Auxiliary.
The ladies have worked hard
all year to build up a fund for
this project. Sunday dinners put
on by Auxiliary members in the
Legion Club have accumulated
eTHnyjh money to furnish and
mail the gifts that fathers and
mothers who are patients in the
Sanatorium have requested for
their families.
Ten players, the Malemutes of
Fairbanks, arrived in Seward by
train Thursday night to open the
interscholastic series in basket
ball. They were accompanied by
their manager and Coach Woh
leter. All are quartered at the
Hotel Renwald.
Fairbanks has a good team
this year. Coach Dalberg says,
although four are sophomores
and three are juniors. They beat
Anchorage easily with a score
of 52 to 41, and have won eight
out of the nine games they have
played this year, losing only to
the University of Alaska team.
Teddy Butcher, a senior and
a starter last year, is close to 6
feet tall. Robert Seaborn, senior,
was sixth man last year. He is
5 feet 11 inches tall. Raymond
Keturi, senior, is 6 feet 1 inch.
Vernell Horn, a senior, 6 feet
2 inches, played last year on a
team at Fairborn, Ohio, which
was just beat out for the cham
pionship of the state. Dennis
Krize is a 6 foot 3 inch sopho
more who played last year in
Caliiornia. Bruce Barber, a ju
nior, is 5 feet 9 inches. Robert
Boswell is a 6 foot sophomore.
Noel Smith is a 6 foot junior
from Twin Cities, Washington.
Charles Cohoe is the team shorty
at 5 feet 3 inches. Jerry Williams
is 5 feet 11 inches. Both the last
boys are sophomores.
Coach Wohletgr left their 6
fool 9 inch player at home.
The visitors were given an as
sembly this afternoon at school,
and the coach was a guest of the
Lions Club for lunch.
The Fairbanks games will not
be broadcast. Season tickets are
on sale at the box office for
S5.00. The ticket entitles the
holder to attend all Railbelt Con
ference games and to half price
on the Cordova games here. The
Cordova games will be January
15 and 16.
The Seahawks will play in
Palmer next Friday and Satur
day. leaving here on Thursday.
It looks like a good and ex
citing season of basketball, and
fans are urged to help the Sea
hawks by the purchase of season
tickets.
FORMER SCHOOL SUPT.
SUSTAINS HEAVY LOSS
EY FIRE
William (Bill) Baker and Roy
Lovitt, former superintendent
and shop teacher in the Seward
schools suifcred severe loss by
fire recently, according to a mes
sage received by friends here.
The two, now' principals of
Fruitdale and Jerome Prairie
schools in Oregon, own a ranch
on the Applegate River at Grants
Pass, Oregon. The ranch is op
erated by Mr. and Mrs. Nathan
Chatfield, who were at a church
supper when the fire started.
A 14-year-old boy who first
told a wild tale of being shot at
by prowlers, admitted setting the
fire which destroyed a large
barn and about 160 tons of hay,
according to sheriff's deputies
who investigated the blaze.
The boy, against whom no
formal charge has been file J,
may be held for psychiatric ex
amination, admitted setting the
fire, then in o’ der to make it
look like the work of outsiders,
he fired a .30-.30 rif'.e bullet into
the door of the caretaker’s home
and fired two shots in the air
after the fire started, thus ex
plaining the sharp explosio is
heard by neighbors as flames
shot cut from the barn.
A herd of 78 cows, and other
buildings were saved from the
fire.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS BEING
ACCEPTED AT SANATORIUM
Christmas gift donations for
patients at Seward f.anatoriu n
are being accepted at the bu i
ness office daily between 8 a.i l.
and 4 p.m.
Packages should be address d
to the care of Miss Sarah Gar
rett, Supply Officer, and inclu e
the name and address rf the co i
ir'bidor.