SWARD
The (i(iit'H’ity City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Record
Seward's All-IT rather Port is Alaska s Greatest Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vo 1. VIII, No. 70
SEWARD, ALASKA. FRIDAY. APRIL 4, 1952
Price 10 Cents
Seward C. of C. Asks
Critical Area
Housing Aid for Area
At the luncheon of the Seward
Chamber of Comm/rce last
Tuesday, the membership passed
a unanimous resolution to peti
tion the President of the United
States to designate the city and
vicinity as a “critical defense
housing area.”
According to Public Law 139,
any civic organization may make
such a petition. “If the designa
tion should be made,” Jay
Stauter stated, "building materi
als and materials for construc
tion of community facilities
would be easier to get.” The
Public Law 139 provides for as
sistance in housing, hospitals,
recreation, water purification,
streets and roads and sewage
disposal. Aid to the municipality
in any one of these items would
relieve the strain of providing
the rest.
An increase of 20 per cent in
population was indicated by the
increase in school population as
shown in a survey made by Carl
R. Carlson, superintendent of
schools. The increase is also
proven by the census taken by
churchmen late in 1951.
People are pouring into town
every day looking for work and
housing. Many workmen bring
their families for whom there
is no place to live.
Th.' Seward Housing Area
under management of Alaska
Housing Authority will eventual
ly be replaced with permanent
buildings, but this offers no im
mediate solution to the problem,
it was stated. Lack of materials
and the need for priorities lias
delayed the private home build
ing to the point that it is prac
vi^ cui > iiuirt <\i. t lit. .vii. otciiiu i
commented in reply to questions
from the floor. Even with the
unwelcome controls imposed
under the critical housing area
designation, housing might be
provided more rapidly with the
ultimate lifting of controls after
the mergency.
More than 50 per cent of real
property in Seward is govern
ment owned or operated. This is
non taxable and brings in no
tax revenue to the city. Unless
some payment in lieu of taxes or
other assistance is given, the
city will be unable to provide
even the, most common utilities
and service to the people com
ing in. This was pointed out
during the discussion of the
re-elution.
Jay S', uier is seer tary of a
cornin': i ‘ ; pooio'ed by Cham
ber ( • c< lent Tor
m l Bie. to s udy the situation
rod n port on a possible solu
tion, Other members of the
committee- ar Clarence* Keat
ing. Carl R. Carlson, and Rev.
Kent Spaulding.
Copies of the r solution were
mailed to Washington D.C. and
to other interested r a i 1 b e 1 t
Chambers of Commerce.
GI L SI OOKIES
ARE SELL-OUT
The Girl Scout Cookie Sale
went over bigger than anticipat
ed. Many people have not had
their orders filled.
More cooki s have been or
dered. It will be about three
weeks before they arrive. How
ever. all orders which have been
taken will be filled before any
other orders are taken.
The Brownie and Girl Scout
Troops which meet in the Meth
odist Church are sorry to lose
Mrs. H. Christenson who has
been one of the leaders helping
in both troops. She lias been a
very popular leader and worker
with every phase of Scouting
this winter, and they will be
leaking for her back this fall.
EVICTION NOTICES GIVEN
HOUSING AREA RESIDENTS
Eviction notices were served
on 14 residents :>f the Seward
Housing Area this week. Reason
was given as non-payment of
rent.
Dispute and dissatisfaction
over a $10 raise in rent for
quonset hut units in the area
prompted residents' refusal to
pay the increase, it was stated.
Eviction notices were given in
preparation for the transfer of
management to Alaska Housing
Authority in the near future.
Messages Handled By
ACS During Strike
Seattle-—U n t i 1 the present
Western Union strike is culmin
ated, the Alaska Communication
System will again accept mes
sages and Transfer Money Or
ders destined to Alaska at its
counter in the Federal Office
Building, Seattle, Washington,
First and Madison Streets.
The ACS will deliver Seattle
messages originating in Alaska,
Col. Fred P. Andrews, Com
manding Officer of the Syst.m,
announced yesterday. The ACS
counter will be open between
the hours of 5:00 a.m. until
midnight on week days and 8:00
a.m. until midnight on Sundays
and holidays.
Patrons having charge ac
counts with the ACS may file
messages by tel, phone at the
Seattle counter office. All other
patrons must file their messages
over the ACS counter.
Col. Andrews emphasized that
this announcement should in no
way bo int rpreted as a solicita
tion of business but that this
temporary service is offered as
an iiutT.m measure during me
present situation.
BEISSNER RETURNS AFTER
YEAR'S ABSENCE
Dick Re issuer, member of the
firm of James Construction Com
pany returned home to Seward
after the absence of a year on a
building project in Southeastern
Alaska.
"It is good to be back.” says
Dick. lie xpects to stay in Sew
ard again for a while.
Airport Bids Opened
Apr\] 4 in Anshorcige
Bids for construction of the
Seward airport were opened
Fiiday morning. A ;ril •! at tee
Territorial Department oi Avia
lion office in Anchorage.
The apparent low b ! '.-.•as sub
mitted jointly b.v C e ! Oakes
Anchorage, and O.c e. Butcher,
Fairbanks. Their bid on tin
3.8G0T;>ot runway was $113,423.
Other bidders on the project
\v< re Stock and Grov< . $124,773:
Munter Construction Co.. $128,
SOd: Kent a)id Slrandberg. Fair
b iks S ? ' 221. A i < ' the bids
were weil b( low the depart
ment’s $175,000 estim.b .
Tony Schwamm. director of
aviation, said construction of th
Seward runway, which will be
tied in with the existing runway
to permit the landing of DC-3’s,
should begin within 30 days ot
the date the contract is awarded.
The project is to be built un
der the federal airport aid pro
gram with the Territory provid
ing one fourth of the funds and
the U S. three-fourths.
JACK WERNER LEAVES
FOR VACATION
Jack Werner, Worm r’s Mar
ket, left Thursday for a well
earned vacation in the States.
His wife Esther will leave Sat
urday to join Jack on their va
cat ion.
APW Calls for Olds On
Sewerage Disposal
System for Seward
An invitation for bids on con
struction of Seward’s extended
sower system including outfalls
is announced today by Don Wil
son, Director Alaska Public
Works, Departure nt of Terri
tories.
The sewer system will extend
throughout the north end of
town from Jefferson Street to
and including D treet, and from
First Av nuc to Seventh Ave
nue, thus completing the system
in the city.
The application to Alaska
Public Works was approved
alter a special election held in
Seward November 2(5. 1951, in
which the voters agreed to an
issue of general obligation bonds
in the amount of $150.000—the
city’s share in the expense of
the project.
Bids are to be in the Direc
tor’s office bv May 14, after
which time the contract will be
awarded.
It is to be noted that the City
of Seward nor any of its officials
have any responsibility concern
ing awarding of bids on this
contract. After approval of APW
on a works application, all fur
ther conduct of the project is
in tiie hands of that agency.
Officials Welcome
Seattle Mayor
To Gateway City
Mayor Eugene X. Lanier, city
officials and members of the
Chamber of Commerce met the
steomshio Denali Wednesday
night to welcome mayor-elect
of Seattle. Allan Pomeroy and
his party to Seward.
Pomeroy and his party are
■ >n a good-will tour of Alaska
and a rest after his strenuous
campaign in Seattle. lie will
also visit his brother Lt. Col.
Roseo E. r,omerov. who is sta
tioned at Fort Richardson.
Mayor Pomeroy was accom
panied by his wife. Loretta and
his mother. Mrs. Molly Pomeroy.
Others in the party were Web
s'or Harrison, pre.vdent of the
n vt r Engraving Co., and hi
wift • Harold Kir ib 11 publisher
( ' the Ballard News, and Mrs.
Kimball: and Mr. and Mr
Thomas Burke.
'die party was met at th boat
and escorted uptown for an
• nonj lg in enter! in 1 They
: ' r And ra earlv
Th u rsday m i >rn i ng.
P11 »
to L.ar-riors
O', interest to local • " •
is the following notice from tin
i S. Coast Guard:
Resurrection "ay — 1 r*
lighted. Lmht r to pru
characterislc. Hive Island Light
1L.L. No. 2*470) previously re
ported extinguished has b *en r
light, d. Caines Head Light (L L.
No. 2471) previoush reported
burning dim has been restored
to proper characteristic.
U.S. Coast and Geodetic Sur
vey Chart Nos. 3529, 3552 and
Chugach Passage — Light ex
tinguished. East Chugach Lignt
(L.L. No. 2477) reported extin
guished will be relighted as sc. mi
as practicable. U.S .Coast am
G.odetic Survey. Chart Nos.
8531, 3532. 3554 and 3502.
Sewardites are glad to see
Dick Myers back on the job
again. Dick was injured last fall
in an auto accident.
SHIPPING INDUSTRY 100%
IN RED CROSS DONATIONS
Individual and firm donations
to Seward Chapter of Red Cross
from Alaska Steamship Com
pany and North rn Stevedoring
& Handling Corporation have
been 100 per cent according to
Chapter authorities here.
Letters are going out this
week to business and civic or
ganizations. announcing the fund
campaign in Seward which is
about to begin.
The shipping industry is the
second to turn in a 100 per e. nt
contribution, the first one being
the Navy Control of Shipping
Office.
Tennis Court Fund At
Half-Way Mark
After the card party in the
high school last Saturday night,
Leon Lewis, secretary of Seward
Parent Teacher Association, re
ported that the tennis court fund
has reached its half-way mark,
or enough for one court.
The Association has been hold
ing one activity each month to
raise funds for the combination
tennis court-skating rink to be
built on the north end of the
school ground. It is hoped that
by the end of the school year the
project can go forward with
ijuipuiio success.
"If the p ople just stay with
us." Mr. Lewis commented, "we
will have something for Seward
children this summer."
A bake sale is scheduled by
the P-TA for Saturday. April
12. at the Seward Trading Com
pany store. People are urged to
contribute to th? cause of recre
ation lor cnuoron by buying the
home baked goods at the sale.
TRAKOWSKI RETURNS
FROM TRIP EAST
Vern "Tiny- Trakowski re
turned last Saturday from a
business trio to the east coast,
with numerous stops in between.
He says it looks good there, with
th hillsides green and tempera
ture- r aching the 80's.
Tiny visited his folks on the
trip and savs they are honing
to \ :s;t Seward again this sum
mer. The eld"r Tmko skis mode
niii’ v friends during their stay
here last year.
A.'
Prrg
- 3
ri in- lrighw: y out of Sever I to
other Peninsula towns and An
chornge is v. rv rough and no*,
advisable far pier sum trip--. a •
cor >' to tii ■ Mask a Road Com
mission.
With tile daily thawing and
‘ Mug the commission lug
be; n ii:’ bio to put equipment
'o ■ ■ . to nalco tvvel phawnt.
I. s not i xu- cteil that t'-ie roads
will- vo. to be closed during
Hi! tiiaw. but b-'avy loads may
have to be r - ricted later.
Sowarditcs making the trip
from Outside ' p ear have re
ported the Anchorage Seward
stretch by far the worst. The
break-up has not hit the north
ern highways as yet. leaving
them still in good condition.
SEEKS HEIR
A Seattle attorney is seeking
an heir through the classified
section of this paper.
Cara Dygert of Seattle di d
Ik b. 2 rf this year, leaving a
step-niece as sole ' heir. The
niece, whose only .identity is
th maiden name of Skinner, or
anyone knowing her where
abouts, is requested to contact
the attorney.
Sea hawk Is Voted
Most Valuable
Railbelt Player
Ronnie Lewis, captain of the
Seward Seahawks was almost
unanimously selected as “most
valuable player" in the Anchor
age Times' Railbelt Conference
basketball team which was an
nounced this week.
The s lection was made by
coaches Bob Crites, Palmer:
“Slick” Wolheter of Fairbanks;
Bud Ottmar, Anchorage; Don
Dalberg, Seward; and “Red”
Murray of station KENI who
broadcast the conference games.
In voting for Lewis, Coach
Dalberg said that the Seward
boy was “more responsible for
Seward winning the Railbelt
Conference than any other play
er and he certainly held the team
together.
“His value to us was shown
very clearly when he couldn't
play in the Class A Western
Alaska Tournament. I am sure
that with him we would have
been battling for the champion
ship of the tournament. He is
also one of the finest sportsmen
I have ever been privileged to
coach.”
Don Sanders of Seward and
Chuck Millis of Palmer both
narrowly missed making the
first team. Pedro Denton was
named with Joe Tremarello of
Fairbanks as the most under
rated players in the conference.
They tied with Bob Seppi for the
fifth spot on the second team.
Port of Seward Is
Definitely Essential
To Alaska Develoment
By Jay Slauier
The testimony, of General Kep
ner and Assistant Secretary of
the Army Bundetson before the
House Appropriations Commit
tee, just published this week,
confirms b yond any reasonable
doubt what most Seward folks
had known for years: That Sew
ard's natural position makes its
port absolutely essential to the
logistics of Alaskan develop
meilt, both military and civilian.
General Kenner's testimony
made it crystal clear that the
P' -rt in Vvhitti r is adaptable
only' Id' limited and highly spec
ialized military operations; that
it would be enormously expens
ive and impraci'
expans
tl at th
Seward
Tense a;
me;
Kmy
port
1: r
to tl
grown. el the
poii ted ( ut ton.
take millions in
vestments, a
labor force, and t
dewlopment befo
trucking plant, ec
carrying power
souther
road, eou
Then
n to even at
n as a civilian
ports of Whit
r, BOTH vital
! to the future
t aritory. He
that it would
additional in
itly increased
nanv years of
re a io.it hwny
-qual in cargo
to the present
end of The Alaska Rail
bo achieved,
did the committee
de:\\ the a;v"onriation for rail
road m-liaioilit.itiai:. after such a
forceful statom nt of the tacts
from unquestionable military au
thorit\ ?
The answer is Politics. \V >
still have certain men in Wash
ington D.C. who prefer politics
as usual to an aggressive pro
gram for the defense and de
velopment of Alaska.
The game of playing politics
with railroad terminals is just
as ancient, and not one bit more
honorable, than the old shell
game, an art brought to a cul
mination of perfection by the
late Soapy Smith. In fact, there
are several other points of re
semblance. In the shell game,
the “sucker” b:ts a few coins
on which of three walnut shells
has a dried pea or bean under
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