The Story of
SEWARD
TIME OF THE RUSSIANS
Resurreciton Bay was named
Voskresensky Bay, a Russian
word of approximately the same
meaning, because it was dis
covered around Easter of 1793
by traders of the Russian-Ameri
can Company, under Alexander
Baranof. During this same year.
Baranof selected Resurrection
bay as the site for the building
of the first ship to be construct
ed on the west const of America.
This ship, the Phoenix, was
launched in 1794. and made a
trip to Siberia before finally
being wrecked during a stoim
in 1799.
Apparently, n o permanent
settlements were undertaken
by the Russians in Resurrection
Bay- But early Russian trading
and exploring vessels made
rather frequent use'of the bay,
to escape the violent storms that
are still experienced in the Guli
of A1 ask a and along the Aleu
tian chain. Since Resurrection
Bay also provided tall timber
and many sources of fresh water
well as deep, quiet waters
for protection against gales, it
was also used frequently for re
pairing Russian ships. A dam
aged vessel would sail into Res
urrection Bay, locate a spot
where suitable timber grew near
the water line, then anchor, or
if possible, beach the craft until
broken masts and spars could
be replaced.
Little is known of the history
of Resurrection Bay from the
late 18th century, down to toe
vear 1884, when Frank Lowell
is said to have moved here from
Kodiak. We also know that the
famous old steamer ‘Dora en
tered the Bay in 1894. on ner
way from Sitka to Dutch ILu
With those few simple met.-'
we will have to close the first
episode in the story of Seward,
unless some of you old timers
can supply further information.
Now just a word about the
project in general. In order to
do a professional job on tne
story of Seward, a budge, ot
perhaps 10 or 15 thousand dol
lars would be necessary. Origin
al sources, such as the official
papers and logs of the eai *y
Russians, are scattered from
Washington, DC, to Moscow,
and a full-time research worker
might well spend six months
checking them, and still find
no additional facts. As to the
first American settlers in this
region, many additional months
of interviewing and of examin
ing old letters and documents
would be needed. Needless to
say, we have no such appropria
tion. and therefore, cannot em
ploy competent people to con
duct interviews. Hence, were
.relying on two sources and two
sources only, in attempting to
compile the story of Seward.
1. Material already in print
and available in Seward at this
time.
2. Letters voluntarily submit
ted by our readers. Let's repeat
that word “letters.” Simply and
frankly, no one is available to
conduct interviews at this time.
So, much as we’d like to hear
the personal reminiscences of
Seward's old-timers, and to take
the necessary notes and tran
scribe them, we must instead
rely upon their letters or post
cards, providing specific infor
mation upon specific points as
we progress down through the
years.
In closng, if anyone knows
any further facts about happen
ings in Resurrection Bay prior
to 1900, we’d be more than
pleased to add them to our
brief story. For next week's
episode, we need further infor
mation, too, about the Lowells,
and about the forming of the
Alaska Central Railroad, and
the laying out of the townsite
in 1902. We’re depending on
our readers to start those letters
and post cards—and the more,
the better.
Patronize Home Industry
GRADUATES WARNED OF
DRAFT DEADLINE FOR
COLLEGE TEST
John L. McCormick, Alaska
director of Selective Service,
today called attention to the
fact that May 15 is the deadline
for mailing Selective Service
Qualification Test application
cards. All postcard applications
for the test must be postmarked
not later than midnight May 15.
The three testing dates are
May 26, June 16. and June 30.
All these dates are Saturdays.
Scores of the qualification test
will be used by local boards
in considering student defer
ments.
Application blanks may be
obtained from Local Board No.
1, Anchorage, for the Seward
and Kenai Peninsula district.
Students do not have to return
home to the local board which
has jurisdiction over them, if
residing in some other district
now. Applications may be ob
tained from the nearest local
board.
To be eligible to take the
Selective Service College Quali
fication Test, an applicant:
(1) Must be a registrant who
intends to request occupational
deferment as a student;
(2) Must be under 26 years
old at the time of taking the
test;
(31 Must have already begun
and plans to continue his college
or university studies (the appli
cant need not be in a four year
college but his entire course
must be satisfactory for trans
fer of credits to a degree grant
ing institution.)
The test will be given by the
Educational Testing Service at
no cost to the registrant. The
registrant will be required to
pay only for his own transporta
tion costs to and from the test
ing center.
You have to carve out your
own destiny in life, regardless
of how many smart ancestors
you had.
Patronize Home Industry
SANATORIUM TO OBSERVE
HOSPITAL DAY
Hospital Day observance at
Seward Sanatorium on Sunday,
May 13, will include a tea in
the dining roam and - a tour
through the hospital from 2 to
4 p.m.
Guests will be registered in
the dining room where they will
enjoy a welcoming address by
Francis J. Phillips, M.D., Medi
cal Director, after which they
will be divided into small
groups and conducted on a tour
of the building by Mrs. Eliza
beth Reynolds, Supervisor of
Nurses, and her staff, who will
explain the work of various de
partments. Hospital information
literature has been compiled
and will be made available to
visitors; articles made by pa
tients in the Occupational Ther
apy department will be on dis
play and there will be an in
teresting exhibit of actual x-ray
studies.
No story of the Seward Sana
torium would be complete with
out mentioning the invaluable
contribution being made by a
volunteer staff of Seward towns
people under the direction or
Mrs. Ray James. These ladies
include Mrs. Cora Jacobs, Mrs.
Georgia Todd, Mrs. C. C. Ing
lis. Mrs. Lewis Ha; Ay, Mrs.
Kathryn Ling, Mrs. R. K. Os
bon and Mrs. Victor Mahan.
Ladies who previously served
are Mrs. I. L. Metcalf, Mrs. Earl
Cass, Mrs. Paul Nelson, Mrs.
Claire Rose, Mrs. Wayne Gil
lies, Mrs. Lawrence Kirch, Mrs.
Margaret Hafemeister, and Mrs.
Re no Skinner.
This group assists in the li
brary and in the distribution
of books and magazines to the
patients. "It is not amiss to state
m a n v small kindnesses that
mean so much to the individual
pate nts. It is not amiss to state
that the visits of these workers
have contributed greatly to the
well being of the patients and
their acceptance of m e d i c a 1
ear.." hospital authorities state.
"Mrs. Ling's teaching of art and
various school subjects has op
ened new channels of interest
for many and it is hoped will
i
■
2 <00
equal to
SWSTZSRLAKD!
BETWEEN SEWARD AND PORTAGE BY BUS
EACH WEDNESDAY
One "Way S4.05 plus tax
Round Trio S6.Q3 plus tax
To KOMER SS.70 plus lax
Round Trip SI3.05 plus tax
Mondays and Thursdays
MA7ANUSKA VALLEY BUS LINES
Information: Van Gilder Hotel
Anchorage - Seward
SUMMER TRAIN SCHEDULE
TEE ALASKA RAILROAD
Effective June 15
EACH FRIDAY
Depart Seward for Anchorage
EACH SATURDAY
Depart Anchorage for Seward
EACH MONDAY
Depart Seward for Anchorage .
Depart Anchorage for Seward .
8:30 A.M.
1:30 P.M.
3:00 P.M.
3:30 P.M.
EACH THURSDAY
Depart Seward 2 hours after passenger boat docks
Depart Anchorage for Seward .3:30 P.M.
For Passenger Train Service Prior to June 15.
Telephone ARR Agent at Main 153
THE ALASKA RAILROAD
"Mf. McKinley Park Rente"
lead to gainful occupations for
some following dismissal.”
The American Legion and its
Auxiliary, Lions Club, the Elks
Club, Junior Women’s Club,
Seward Chapter AT*A, and other
local organizations and individu
als have been most generous
with gifts that help relieve the
tedium anC monotony of hos
pital life.
A vote of thanks is offered by
the hospital to the Seward clergy
for the service rendered in tak
ing care of the spiritual needs
and education of patients.
The public is cordially invited
to attend the open house cele
bration Sunday afternoon.
INSTALLATION DINNER
FEATURES TURKEY, MUSIC
Seward Woman's Club was es
tablished in 1915, one of the
oldest clubs of its kind in the
Territory, according to the brief
historical sketch given by Mrs.
W. C. Erwin, at the 36th annual
installation dinner Thursday
night.
A turkey dinner was served
by girls from Jesse Lee Home,
on tables laid in orchid and
gold. Orchid tapers and pots of
purple African violets carried
out the color scheme, with dain
ty place cards in a flower
theme.
A harp-violin-piano trio, a
general favorite in Seward,
0 People are wonderful. You,
for < x.: • ,}>!.». \ i>.j d go i (trough
st: • ml -ir.iin risk your life
— to saw another. Will you do
a simple Hide tiling? Wo each
ha\e more than lt.df-a-niillion
hours ina normal lifetime (live
just one of those hours and a
pint of blot :t lo sure a life in
an emergency. The Walking
B.'i lU ink prut eel . too.
Telephone or mail the coupon.
/ % ' ■■ VA*‘
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SEWARD
SANATORIUM
Without obligation tell memore
about The Walking blued Bank.
Name .
Address ...—
nr
played two numbers; a chorus
of ten school girls; and a solo
by Miss Betty Boyd, composed
the musical program.
Miss Frances Clark, retiring
president, was presented the
past president’s pin, a gift from
the club. Presentation was made
by past president Mildred Kirk
patrick, who also installed the
officers for toe coming year,
assisted by Miss Clark.
Great interest was shown in
the club history as given by
Mrs. Erwin. It tics in very close
ly with the community library,
which was established by the
club in 1915, occupying a por
tion of the Egiscopa* Church
basement.
Needing more space, the li
brary was transferred to the
school building, where it re
mained until 1925, when it was
re-established in a downtown
building and later in the Bank
Building, which location it now
occupies, with a total of 7000
books.
Several charter members of
both the Woman's Club and Li
brary Board are still serving,
and were present at the dinner.
Personalized Stationery
Made to Order
PASSENGER
from Se\
SS DENALI ] S
Thursday
May 17
Cordova
Juneau
Petersburg
Wrangell
Ketchikan
Seattle
SERVICE
yard
1BARANOF
Thursday
May 24
Sitka
Juneau
Ketchikan
Seattle
FREIGHTER SERVICE
from Seattle
MV COASTAL MONARCH
May 13
Cordova. Valdez, Seward
SS VICTORIA
May 16
Seward
MV SQUARE SINNET
May 23
Seward, Seldovia. Homer
For Information
PHONE MAIN 125
W. W. Sipprell, Gen. Agl.
oasTtuist Line
OFFERING FREQUENT FREIGHT SERVICE BET"'EE IT
CALIFORNIA—OREGON—WASHINGTON—A -.ASK A
SS NORTH BEACON
Ar. Seward .May 12
SS JOHN W. BURGESS
Lv. Portland
Lv. Seattle
Ar. Seward
May 8
May 14
May 21
Lv. Portland .
Lv. Seattle .
Ar. Seward .
LOS ANGELES
LONG BEACH
Pier A
ANCHORAGE
223 Central Bldg.
P.O. Box 592
Ph. 3-4401
George Hutton
District Mgr.
SS SEAFAIR
SAN FRANCISCO 4
150 Sansome St.
Pier 40
SEATTLE 6
Pier, Ames Ter.
3200 28th Ave.. S.W.
FAIRBANKS
M. J. (Bill) Wilcox
Diet. Freight Agt.
Jameson Eng. Bldg.
.May 15
.May 21
.May 26
PORTLAND 5
Pier, Columbia
Basin Terminals
Broadway-Oak Bldg.
Beacon 7301
SEWARD
ARR Freight Depot
Main 164
Captain T. Rie
Operating Mgr.
Modern Coastwise Steamship
Transportation