EWARD
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Seaport
Record
Seward's All-HPeather Port is Alaska's Greatest Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
|l. VIII, No. 5
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1951
Price 10 cents
he Story of
EWARD
By Jay Slauler
XII
THE GREAT COAL
CONTROVERSY
t has always been Seward's
to be at the mercy oi deci
is made thousands of miles
ay, often by persons who
rer saw our town, and per
>s never even heard of it.
So it was in 1799, when
?xander Baranof ordered a
ty of ship-builders into Res
ection Bay, to start work on
Phoenix. Records do not at
f point show that Baranof
aself ever saw the rugged
ruties of Renard Island and
ine's Head.
So it was again, in 1901,
en a group of engineers in
ittle made some measure
nts on a map, and selected
surrection Bay as the South
1 terminus of a great railroad,
iberately choosing an un
own, undeveloped site for a
vn-to-be. And now, once more
war'd was to experience an,
>entee decision affecting its
ry existence, in the matter
the withdrawal of coal lands
m entry.
in order to see now seriously
s aifecteci Seward's prospect;,
■'ll have to turn back again
0 a little general history of
? Territory.
Alaskan events might have
d an entirely different turn,
instead of the gold strikes
Dawson, Nome and Fairbanks
;re had been a less spectacu
• and more normal develop
?nt of mining. It may be n.vvs
some of oar readers to learn,
’ instance, that several years
fore the Klondike gold dis
very, the largest stamp-mill
ne in all the world was oper
ng night and day at Tread
11, just across the bay from
neau. Hydraulic streams were
the same time tearing away
eat chunks of the mountain
les at Silver Eow Basin, just
tside the same town of Ju
au, the gold capital of Amer
1 in the 80's.
Important, too, was the fact
at in Southeastern Alaska,
istol Bay, and on the Aleutian
tain, yes, even in Cook’s Inlet,
Imon canning was flourishing
ig before George and Kate
rmack and Tagish Charlie
irted the big rush to the
ikon.
Most assuredly, Alaska's ec
omic development did not
gin with the gold rushes, as
many seem to believe. If
ything, the sudden influx into
? territory of wandering
ausands seeking something for
thing, retarded rather than
mulated this normal economic
owth, which seemed so firmly
ablished in the late 1880’s.
Suddenly Alaska had ceased
be a place where shrewd
pital investment brought a
od return, where men could
i their skill'd trades and earn
excellent livelihood. Gold
Ter turned everything topsy
wy like spiked punch at a
urch picnic. When the steamer
rtland landed in Seattle bcar
l a ton of gold, a sort of mass
;anity swept the Pacific Coast,
■ead to eastern United States,
d even to England and
rope.
Charlie Fisher, who later be
ne one of Seward's most pop
ir restauranteurs, could tell
about it. He was a gentle
in’s gentleman in London in
97, when word of the Yukon
ike reached England. A small
(Turn 10 Page 3)
Homer . . .
(3y Carolyn Turkingion)
For our first column on
Homer we’d like to give the
readers a brief resume of what
Homer has to offer for the home
steader or tourist other than its
natural beauty.
For entertainment there is a
theater, several night spots and
excellent fishing at Anchor
River. A poolroom will be open
in the near future.
There are several good res
taurants and grocery stores, a
washeteria, drug store, variety
shop, clothing stores, bakery,
garages, furniture and hardware
stores, lumber yards, three ho
tels, dry cleaners, bank, library,
churches, and taxi service.
There are several organiza
tions to which one may belong.
To name a few there are the
American Legion, Lions Cluu,
and Elks Club.
The summer season is bring
ing many visitors to our fair
town.
Mr. and Mrs. It. A. Johnson
ci' anchorage, and Miss Edna
Johnson oi Oakland, Cam., are
visiting tiie jan Graham home.
Miss Johnson was employed as
a nurse at the Seward General
iriusp.ial tor a snort unie.
Pvts. Ted Wythe and Paul
Joi.°s are at home enjoying a
short lurlough from their duties
at Fort Richardson.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Plummer
and two children of Ancnorage
were Homer visitors last week.
They are vacationing at tne Le.i
f.nnk home at Anchor Point.
Mr. Plummer is an Anchorage
attorney.
Jim Wilcox and Bill Hartin
visited with their families over
the Fourth. They are employed
by the Ivi.-K. Co. at Rainbow.
Mr. and Mrs. George Dennison
of Kenai attended the Elks pic
nic on July Fourth at Ancnor
River Mrs. Dennison is Public
Health nurse for lower Kenai
Peninsula.
Larry Duarte and William
Jensen of Los Altos, Calif., ar
riveci in Homer recently and are
visiting the Eric Andersons. The
men are flying their own plane,
and have made an extended tour
of the Territory. They found
Homer much to their liking and
hope to return in the future.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Graves
and Wally Graves were visiting
in Homer from Seward last
week. Lyman Graves is in the
contracting business and his
brother Wally Graves is em
ployed by him for the summer.
Wally Graves formerly lived
in Anchorage where he was in
the newspaper business.
Carl Kibbey and Brabson Mil
ler and Howard Ettlcs, brother
of Mrs. Clair Heiner, arrived in
Homer last week in a 32-foot
boat with which they had come
from Anacortes, Wash. They re
ported a rough trip.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Morris
of Seldovia visited the Guy Wad
dell family over the Fourth.
Mrs. Lillian Miller and Mrs.
Lonnie Schroggs left for Seward
(Turn to Page 4)
Moose Pass
Mr. and Mrs. Max Foster and
sons Larry and Billy returned
from a trip to Fairbanks and
Circle last Saturday evening.
While* in Palmer they visited
with Mr. and Mrs. Howard
Campbell, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Bell and Mr. and Mrs. A1 Brat
tain, all formerly of Moose Pass.
On leaving Palmer they met Mr.
and Mrs. Lyle Saxton who were
going Outside and drove with
them as far as Toe Junction.
Mrs. Bell accompanied the Fos
ters back to Moose Pass via The
Alaska Railroad and were joined
by Mr. Bell and son Phiilip Sun
day when they flew down. The
party is now on a fishing trip at
Hidden Lake.
Mrs. Sherman Pearson and
Mrs. James Smith were Anchor
age visitors last week.
Pvt. Louis Soper, son of Mr.
and Mrs. H. M soper, is home
on pass from Big Delta, lie is
visiting at Kcnai at the present
time.
Mr. Merle Reed is on a busi
*^iess trip to Fairbanks, lie plans
to return in about a week.
R.O.T.C. Promotes
Mocse Pcsss Man
John R Thurston, Moose Pass,
was r.ecently promoted to cadet
sergeant Lrst class in the Re
stive Officers Training Corps
at the University oi Colorado.
Thurston graduated Irom high
school in Seward where the
family lived for several years.
They went Outside for a year,
then returned two years ago to
settle in Moose Pass.
1950 Salmon Pack
Over $1 CO Million
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
Fish and Wildlife Service said
today the pack of canned salmon
in the Pacific Coast and Alaska
last year totaled 4,274.462 stan
dard cases, valued at $108,590,
571 to the canners.
Compared with 1949, this was
a decrease of 23 per cent in
quantity but an increase of five
per cent in value.
Alaska accounted for 77 per
cent of the 1950 pack. Alaska's
1950 catch, by standard cases
and value: Chinook or King, 54,
053 cases, 51,542,709: Chum or
Kota, 777,779 cases, $15,212,302;
Pink, 1,095.534 cases, 525,663.
330; Red or Sockeye, 1,153,508
eases, $33,845,862; Silver or Co
ho, 191,502 eases, $5,131,834;
Steelhead, 263 cases, $7,474.
The Pacific Coast states: Chin
ook or King. 151.928 cases, $5,
382, 820: Chum or Kota, 539,982
cases, 51 1.260,800; Pink, 2.277
cas:s. $61,855: Red or Sockeye,
136,741 cases, $5,308,048; Silver
or Coho. 160,625 cases, $4,812.
707: Steelhead, 10,266 cases,
$360,830.
The service said the 1950 pack
of pink salmon “was only 34 per
cent of the 1949 production due
to a combination of poor runs In
Southeastern Alaska and the
fact that practically no pink
salmon are caught in Puget
Sound in the even numbered
years.”
Kenai . . .
A perfect summer day assist
ed Kenai in the observance of a
“safe and sane” Fourth of July
celebration. A decorated-bicycle
parade opened the program of
games and races which was held
in the forenoon at the Kenai
Civic Center. Various races and
games for different age groups
were enjoyed by contestants and
observers. Cash prizes were
awarded to the winners. A base
ball game—Libby's vs. Army—
was played in the afternoon on
the school ground. Libby s scor
ed the victory. Koolade punch
was served free—a treat on that
warm day. The volunteer com
mittee that made the Fourth pro
gram possible are duly com
mended for their good work. The
committee was composed of Kay
Lemmon, Morey Gross, Victor
Miller, and W. E. McGrath. Fif
ty-five dollars was contributed
by business houses and a few
individuals. A small balance
from this collection will be used
to start a July Fourth fund for
next year with the hope that
there will be a bigger 'and bet
ter Fourth at Kenai in 1952.
A number of Kenai folks plan
to attend the Victory Bible Camp
at Index Lake, 95 miles north of
Anchorage, during the summer
camping program. The camp
opened on June 25 and continues
through August 20. All ages
from six years through high
school may attend. A program
of Bible study, games and craits,
recreation including swimming
and boating, is carried on by
well qualified volunteer coun
selors. Rev. John G. Gillespie,
pastor of the Church of the
Open Boor, Anchorage, is camp
daector*. Victory Bible Camp,
Inc. is backed by a group of
Christian men in Anchorage and
Kenai Peninsula area. Those
who have attended camp this
summer from Kenai and Soidot
na include Mrs. Walter Covich,
Carol Covich, Phyllis Wilson,
Rhoda Sandstrom, Glenn Kooly,
and Douglas Jones.
Funeral services for Odman
Kooly, Jr., were held at the
Kenai Chapel on Tuesday, July
3. Rev. Walter Covich and Mrs.
Covich conducted tlie services.
Special music included vocal du
ets by Paul Murray and Jim Pet
ersen, and a solo by Jim Peter
sen. Odman Kooly. Jr., was
drowned while working with
fish nets at the fishing location
owned by his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Odman Kooly, Sr. Deepest
sympathy is extended the be
reaved family.
Considerable building activity
is in progress on Mission Avenue
in Kenai these days. E. W. Rhein
gans is pouring cement for the
foundation of their new house
by the postoffice. Carl E. Zeh
rung has the rafters up on the
new Church of Christ chapel.
The excavation work lias been
completed for the new Kenai
Chapel to be built by Walter
Covich. The new chapel is to be
52 feet by 40 feet with full con
crete basement, chapel, and liv
ing quarters.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Miller are
staying at Kay Lemmon’s home
for the present. They expect
their trailer house to arrive at
Moose Pass soon, from where it
will be transported to Kenai. Mr.
(Turn to Page 4)
SEOUL. KOREA (AP) — The
Allied command told the Reds
today: Korean war cease-fire
talks will be resumed oniy when,
United Nations delegates have
unrestricted movement in an
area free of armed guards.
Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway
sent that virtual ultimatum to
top Communist commanders aft
er the Reds rejected an Allied
demand that news correspond
ents be accepted as part of U.N.
personnel in the conierence area.
The Supreme Commander
demanded lhai:
1. Tne Reds gel their armed
guaras out of Kaesong—orig
inal siie of armistice xaiKs—
or agree 10 meet somewhere
else.
2. End "unreasonable and un
necessary restrictions" on his
negonators and let them move
freely.
3. Accept anyone he names
as part ot tne U.N. delegation.
Ridgway s message was broad
cast just two hours and 2u min
utes alter the Reds rejected the
third point, originally made yes
terday by Atirn. C. Turner Joy,
chief U.i\. negotiator.
The rejection cam. from North
Korean Cron. Nam II, chief Red
cease-fire delegate, in a reply to
Joy
Nam suggested the delegates
meet at 1 p.m. Friday (8 p.m.
Thursday, FDT) for further dis
cussions.
The U.N. answer came at 1:15
p.m. in RidgNay s expanded de
mands.
Joy said Thursday that ne
gotiations wouid be resumed
as soon as the Communists
agreed to pass any U.N. per
sonnel dssignaiod by the Al
lied command, inducing news
papermen.
Nam replied: "Neither side’s
news reporters or news repre
sentatives can come into tne
area . . . until both sices have
agreed.”
This reply was delivered to a
U.N. liaison officer at lo:55 a.m.
'but the Allied command did not
announce it until 12 hours later
—after Nam s message had been
broadcast by both the Red Pei
ping and Pyongyang radios. The
delay was not explained.
General Ridgway's head
quarters in Tokyo said:
'This reply offered no set
tlement of the issues contained
in General Ridgway's message
to Generals K*m II Sung and
Peng Teh-Huai, which was
then in preparation and later
broadcast at 1315 hours (1:15
p.m.) today.
"No reply to General Ridg
way's message has been re
ceived."
Kim is the North Korean pre
mier. Peng is the commander of
Chinese troops in Korea.
By going directly to them,
General Ridgway took the issues
out of the hands of the cease-fire
delegates.
REGISTRATION BOOK TO
CL.03E TONIGHT
City Clerk Sigrid Stearns an
nounces that tlie registration
book for Monday’s special elec
tion will be open until 10 o’clock
tonight, Friday, July 13. It will
be closed Saturday.
Polls for the special election
(city limit exclusion) will be
open at the City Hall July 16,
from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.