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Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e t P 0 r f
Record
Seward’s All-Weather Port is Alaskc/s Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X, No. 36
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1954
Price 10 Cents
Money On The Line For Trip
To Seward, Nebraska
The question of who is going
to Seward, Nebraska and how
has been uppermost in a good
many minds for some time. With
the contracting for an airplane
this week the Chamber of Com
merce is receiving money from
those who are paying their own
way. There were over forty who
said that they would definitely
like to have their names on the
list to go and since the number
of seats available is thirty-five
it was announced that first come
with cash, first served.
We are going via Alaska Air
lines on a DC-4 which will hold
fifty-two passengers. We will go
by way of Seattle and will carry
a double crew—that, is, four pi
lots will be in the operation
room at all times. We will leave
from Anchorage in the late af
ternoon or evening of Sunday,
May 30th.
So far seventeen have put
their money down with a good
many others planning to right
away. Those going so far are
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Deisher
and son, A1 Trump. Patsy Wil
liams. Andrew Corpin. Mrs. Vic
tor Mahan, Lura and Sara Peck.
Clyde Sume, Mr. and Mrs. Sol
Urie, Dr. and Mrs. R. M. Wag
ner, Ted Howell, and one who
is buying the ticket as a sur
prise present for another not
named. Jacque Roth has added
his jpame to the list today and
a couple of others have their
checks in the mail and so will
be listed later. Ten players, a
manager and a coach, two cheer
leaders and a queen will be
taken back and there are two
and possibly three seats that
will be used for special invita
tions, i.e.—the Governor has
been invited as have newspaper
and magazine folks. There are
many folks who asked to have
their names on the list and they
are there but the time has ar
rived when only those with their
money on the line will be con
sidered as on the list of who
is going.
Arrangements are being made
through King Television in Se
attle to have the group televised
with outstanding sports figures
from that City when the plane
lands there. Both A.P. and U P.
news coverage has begun in the
states with about forty-five pic
tures already in their hands
from here. These will appear
from time to time in many of
the stateside newspapers and on
T.V. stations. The fund drive
is at the half way mark with
many very interesting events
scheduled to take place.
$6,COO
S5.000
$4,000
$3,000
S2.000
SI.000
5650
ALASKA - NEBRASKA
FUND
B&PW TO ENTERTAIN
TERRITORIAL OFFICERS
Hazel Johnson, president of
the Alaska Federation of Busi
ness & Professional Women’s
Clubs, will be a guest of the
local club next Tuesday night.
G. Helen Brown, district direc
tor, Northwest Alaska district,
of the Federation will also be a
guest as well as several members
of the Anchorage club.
The visitors will be entertain
ed at an unusual kind of dinner
to be held in the Legion Club
at 6:15, Tuesday, March 9. What
makes the dinner “unusual” is
being kept a secret, but the 50
club members are promised
something worthwhile by tire
committee.
The visitors plan to drive from
Anchorage in two cars, weather
and road conditions permitting.
P.T.A. MEETING
The regular meeting of the
P.T.A. will be held Saturday
• night at 8:00 o’clock in the high
school auditorium. Announce
ment of the membership winners
will be made.
Mary Walker Wins
Basketball Queen Title
Mary Walker, dark haired 16
year old sophomore, was crown
ed Alaska-Nebraska Basketball
Queen for 1954, at the coronation
dance held last Saturday night
in the Civic Center.
Miss Walker won in a closely
contested election sponsored by
the Seward Chamber of Com
merce with the cooperation of
city business houses. Total num
ber of votes cast for hor amount
ed to 15,507. Murlene Trevethan,
runner up. received 15.419 votes,
according to Rev. Charles Malin,
committee chairman who was
one of three who made the
count.
The Queen will receive an all
expense paid trip on the DC-4
plane to Seward. Nebraska with
the Seahawk < in June. Other
prizes are a hair styling, photo
graph, train case, nylon night
gown, Jantzen sweater and
skirt, bottle of Arctic Scent, ny
lon slip and a dinner for four.
Miss Trevethan receives a $25
Savings Bond from Harold Da
visson of Seward, Nebraska.
At the Coronation Dance, the
first five girls in the contest
were called to the platform.
None of them knew which of
their number had been elected,
until Mary’s name was announc
ed by Win Ervin, president of
the Chamber of Commerce. She
was then crowned by Mr. Ervin
and presented with her gifts.
The Queen has dark hair, a
creamy complexion, is about 5
ft. 4 inches tall; she is a bowling
fan and goes in for all sports.
She is a typical high school girl,
and other girls in the contest,
being good sports themselves,
expressed pleasure that Mary
would represent them in the
coming interchange of games in
Seward, Nebraska.
FORMER RESIDENT
PUBLISHES MYSTERY
Helen Smith Head, former
Seward resident, has just pub
lished her first book, a mystery
story called 'Death Below Zero.”
It is published by Comet Press
Books in New York.
Miss Head will be remember
ed as part owner of the Treasure
Cove here, and also worked part
time on the newspaper Polaris.
She is now director of public
relations of the M. H. deYoung
Memorial Museum in San Fran
cisco.
The book's setting is an iso
lated village in the far north.
When mystery-writer Lee Evans
and his wife Barbara choose this
village to hole up in while he
writes a novel and at the same
time to look over a gold claim
he has acquired, they become
entangled in solution of a series
of murders stranger than any
he ever contrived.
The murders begin with the
death of Ruth Craig, a beautiful
Hollywood entertainer whose
very presence in the gloomy vil
lage is a mystery, and continues
through the investigation by the
U S. Commissioner and the U.S.
Marshal from Fairbanks. Events
surge ahead swiftly, as the ter
rified townspeople are drawn
into a suspicious, apprehensive
circle. The familiar setting and
good plot should make the story
popular in Alaska.
ANCHORAOE CHAMPS
DEFEAT ALUMNI
The 3rd Bn. team of Fort
E'.ehardson, champions of the
Anchorage post, defeated the
Seward High School Alumni in
two games Wednesday and
Thursday evenings with scores
of 71-31 Wednesday and 35-54
Thursday. This 3rd Bn. team
consisted of several former col
lege stars; among them was Don
Steele, former Seward High
School star and Red Kammayor,
6'6", who played four years for
Missouri State Teachers College.
SQUARE DANCE LESSONS
RESUME MONDAY
SqTtare dance practice sessions
will resume next Monday, March
3 at 7:30 p.m. after a week’s va
cation because of heavy snow
and road conditions. These ses
sions are held in the old Jesse
Lee recreation center, better
known as the service club.
Everyone is invited to attend
even though he may have been
unable to come to the first ses
sion, Miss Joan Lind announced
today. A thorough review will
be given of everything covered
previously.
California Man Made
Chief of Police
Here This Week
Michael Burke, of Bakersfield,
California, and Matanuska Val
ley, Alaska, took oath of office
last Saturday night as chief of
police. The former chief, Don
Balmat, resigned as of that date.
Mr. Burke comes to Alaska
with a record of three years ac
tive duty with the police de
partment of Bakersfield, Calif
ornia and three years in Oak
land, California, Where he grad
uated from the Oakland Police
Academy. He also attended Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation
schools of instruction.
The Burke family came to Al
aska in December to live on a
homestead in Matanuska Valley,
which they took sight unseen.
Upon arrival there, the place
was discovered to be inadequate,
and they moved to Seward. Mrs.
Burke is from a distinguished
California family. She is not ac
customed to the kind of weather
she found in Alaska, but like
other Californians expects to ad
just quickly to the climate.
There is one child in the family,
a little boy not yet of school age.
Another Californian on the
police force is Robert Jackson
who replaced Officer Bundy,
on the latter’s resignation sev
eral weeks ago. Mr. Jackson is
also from Bakersfield with good
recommendations and experi
ence.
SUDDATH SON DEAD
OF MENINGITIS
Steven W. Suddath, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Ben B. Suddath on
Nash Road, died March 2 of
spinal meningitis. The little boy
was born in Seward September
17, 1948. He had been a patient
in Seward General Hospital for
seven days before his death.
Little Steven is survived by
his father and mother Jeanette,
and two brothers Robert and
Joseph, the eldest of whom is
a patient in Seward Sanatorium.
Funeral services were held
Friday, March 5, at 2 p.m. in
Odd Fellows Hall, Rev. L. C.
Hopkins officiating. Burial was
in Seward cemetary.
ANCHORAGE FIRM BIDS IN
SEWARD BREAKWATER
Clarks House Moving Com
pany of Anchorage was apparent
low bidder on a Civil Works
proposal (invitation 54-1) for re
construction of approximately
600 feet of breakwater at the
harbor of refuge (small boat
harbor) here.
The Anchorage firm’s bid was
$22,400. Only one other bid on
the proposal was entered, by
Eads Brothers of Seward, whose
bid was $28,000. The govern
ment estimate was $24,800. Work
is expected to begin very soon
on this project.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank all the kind
friends and neighbors who have
given us their sympathy in our
hour of bereavement at the loss
of our little son Steven.
Ben and Jeanette Suddath
Driver Fined In Car
Accident Case
Dwight Mei^han, driver of a
taxicab, was fined $100 and a
suspended sentence of 30 days in
jail in city magistrate's court
Wednesday.
Meighan was driving a taxi
which ran into the rear of a
pickup truck operated by James
W. Perkins, early in the morn
ing of last November 20 on the
Lagoon Road. The truck was
knocked into the lagoon, and
Perkins, who was unconscious
in the truck cab, was rescued by
police officer Oral Bundy.
Meighan was seriously injured
in the wreck and spent weeks
in Seward General Hospital af
ter losing an eye.
Passenger in the cab, Robert
McManus, was also fined $10 on
a charge of being under the in
fluence of intoxicating liquor.
Driver’s license for both men
was suspended for 90 days.
Reporter's
Notebook
Little Christine Larson cele
brated her seventh birthday
Wednesday with a party of 14
guests in the home of her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Larson.
We hear that our Oldtimer
A. L. Peel also had a birthday
this week. Congratulations, Mr.
Peel!
Everett Hoy suggested to the
Chamber of Commerce this week
that the town send a couple of
bowling teams to Seward, Ne
braska with the basketball boys.
Sounds like a good idea, but
can they all get on that plane?
Tom Bie, manager of Northern
Stevedoring & Handling Corp.
Seward office, is enjoying the
“fine” weather in Seattle this
week.
Mr. Otto Shallerer, owner of
the fire damaged Seward Bakery
building, is expected from Ket
chikan sometime this week.
Mr. Charles Lechner under
went surgery in the hospital at
Loma Linda, California last
week. He is doing well, accord
ing to reports received by his
family.
Seward Chapter of Eastern
Star invites all Masons, with
their families, and all members
of Eastern Star whether local
or members of other chapters,
and guests to attend an evening
of music March 13 at 8 p.m. in
the Masonic Hall. The variety
program includes instrumental
and vocal music and special
dances to be followed by refresh
ments. There is no charge for
this event.
A public card party will be
held by Eastern Star March 27
in the social room of the Ma
sonic Hall. Details to be an
nounced later.
Street Department
Clearing Streets
After Big Storm
Seward is blanketed by 21
inches of snow which fell in the
first three days of this week.
Snow removal facilities are talc
ed to keep the business section
cleared but general satisfaction
is expressed at the success of
the street department in Unis
work.
Graders, cats, trucks and
scoopmobile work nearly around
the clock as the snow continues
to fall, and streets are remark
ably clear, with very little ob
struction to the heavy truck traf
fic in town this year.
Slides on the Turnagain Arm
stretch of highway between
Portage and Anchorage have de
layed both highway and rail
transportation, but unless the
temperature rises over the week
end, the highway is expected
to be in good condition.
Eight to twelve foot snow
walls along the highway tend
to give drivers a false sense of
security, and motorists are urged
to continue careful driving to
enjoy the vivid beauty of the
drive through the Kenai moun
tains.
SEAHAWKS LEAVE MONDAY
FOR TOURNAMENT GAMES
A Cordova Airline plane will
again take the Seward basket
ball team to Fairbanks next
Monday. This time they will
make a try for the Western Al
aska championship, which Coach
Don Dalberg thinks they have
a good chance of winning.
Although the Seahawks have
actually won only two confer
ence games, they lost five games
by only two points, two of these
being overtime games. It is felt
that the Seward team is now
as strong as any of the Railbelt
teams, although on a whole, it
lacks height. This young team
has now been building for two
years and looks good. Home
town fans will be rooting for
the Seahawks and hoping to hear
some of the games by radio.
Since the plane will not be
filled by the team, several seats
will be available for other per
sons who plan to go to Fairbanks
on that day. Round trip tickets
for this special plane can be
had for §25.
AUXILIARY COLLECTING
CLOTHES FOR
KOREAN KIDDIES
Korean children from the
ages of 7 to 12 are badly in need
of clothing. The American Le
gion Auxiliary of Seward is
making a eollection of such
items. Mrs. Mina McCann, chair
man for the drive, announces
that any clothing, either winter
or summer, which is in good
repair and clean, will be wel
comed in this drive for Korean
children.
A box has been placed in the
front of the newspaper office.
Anything your children have
outgrown may be placed in this
box and will be properly han
dled by the Legion Auxiliary.
The drive is open through the
month of March.
Mayor Buys Cookies from Brownies in Current Girl Scout Cookie Sale
Fifty little girls and nearly as
many Brownies have been on
pins and needles all week with
worry over the fate of the long
awaited shipment of Girl Scout
Cookies.
They were informed today
that the cookies were not dam
aged in the fire of the James
Lick and everything is going
along fine.
Two Brownies are shown sell
ing a box of chocolate cookies
to Mayor Russell Painter in the
picture abve, and Mr. Painter
looks as happy over the deal as
the girls.
Freight Line Barge Aground
On Montague Island
PRAISES RING FOR
ZABALETA CONCERT
A larger than usual crowd
heard the Spanish harpist, Nic
anor Zabaleta, in the final con
cert of the Alaska Music Trail
season Thursday night at the
Methodist Church.
Mr. Zabaleta plays without ac
companiment. He held his audi
ence enthralled with his won
derful artistry, and listeners
emerged from the auditorium
with loud praise of the music
which was a rare pleasure in
Alaska.
The children, too, who heard
the special children’s concert in
the afternoon, were unstinting
in their praise. They pronounced
it “good," which is the exact
opposite of what has been said
of some concerts. Coming from
young fry, this is high praise.
Seward 4-H girls held the re
ception following the concert.
They served a variety of cook
ies, all of which they had made
themselves. Coffee and tea were
also served on the beautifully
arranged table.
Earlier in the evening Mr.
Zabaleta was the guest of the
concert committee at a dinner
held in the Nurses’ Residence.
The artist seemed to enjoy his
stay in Seward and proved to
be one of the most popular
guests of the season.
Jesse Lee News
By Tommy Dillard
If discussion is any indication,
the Staff talent show Saturday
night was a big success. It has
been the prevalent topic of con
versation during most of the
week. With everything from
“meller-dramer” to an imported
hill-billy artist on the program,
there was something for all ages.
It would be difficult to decide
which group had more fun, how
ever—the audience or the per
formers!
Room by room Jesse Lee Is
blossoming into its Easter out
fit. The latest “accessory'’ is the
brown and yellow mail room.
By April there should be sev
eral more painting jobs added
to the ever-growing list.
A guest during the week has
been Miss Ann Duncan. She has
spent her time revolving be
tween the Home and the San,
visiting friends in both places
before her trip on to Fairbanks.
Mrs. Connelly's art class is
having to manage without her
while she is working on the
school annual, but she left them
with plenty to keep them busy.
At present they are block-print
ing the Alaskan flag on hand
kerchiefs to be used during
Methodist Conference meetings.
The young “artists" cut the
block designs themselves and
are now decorating the handker
chiefs.
FOUR LOCAL CONTEST
WINNERS
Albert Brown, Jr., of Kla
wock, Alaska, who is a patient
at the Seward Sanatorium, won
an Honorable Mention Certifi
cate of Award in the 1953 Alas
ka Salmon Institute Essay Con
test. The title of his essay was
"Chums Beware of Fish Traps.”
He has been a fisherman in
Southeastern Alaska, so writes
from experience. He received
his early education at Sheldon
Jackson School. Sitka and at
Craig. Alaska- and his High
School at Wrangell Institute and
Anchorage High School. He
plans to complete his High
School work upon his discharge.
Three girls in Seward schools
also received Honorable Men
tion certificates on essays. They
arc Lura and Sara Peck, daugh
ters of Mrs. Vic Mahan and
Patsy Williams, daughter of Mrs.
Patricia Williams, all of Seward.
LUTHERAN LADIES
MEET MONDAY
The Women’s Missionary Fed
eration of Seward Lutheran
Church will meet at 8 p.m. on
March 8 in the basement of the
church.
Topic for the evening has the
intriguing title “The New Wom
an Bridles Her Tongue.” It will
be presented by Rev. Dwight
Boe.
Hostesses for the evening are
Mrs. Clarence King and Mrs.
Oscar Watsjold.
THURSDAY MATINEE AT
LIBERTY THEATRE
There will be a special mati
nee Thursday, March 11 at 2:00
p.m., starring Abbott and Cos
tello in "Captain Kidd.”
Efforts were being made
Thursday night to float Barge
No. 1654 belonging to Alaska
Freight Lines, off the beach on
Montague Island. Company of
ficials hoped that the high tide
of Thursday night might aid in
nudging the big barge loose from
its sandy bed.
Before noon Friday, the
Freight Lines office stated that
three powerful tugs of 2000
horsepower were standing by
and working on the stranded
barge, ready to unload part of
the cargo if necessary. Brief
squalls with 35 mile winds are
not helping the situation any.
the barge broke loose at about
4 o'clock in the morning of Tues
day, March 2. It lies on the out
side beach where it drifted in
after breaking away from the
tug Osage in a storm.
Thursday night reports here
were that the barge was leak
ing, but that deck cargo of trail
ers was in no danger. It is
thought that the barge was car
rying about 850 tons of general
cargo for Valdez and Seward.
Alaskans and The
McCarran Act
January 20, 1954
Mr. John P Boyd,
Distriot Director,
Immigration and Naturalization
Service,
815 Airport Way,
Seattle, 4, Washington
Dear Mr. Boyd:
I was rather astounded to read
in the Alaska papers an Associ»
ated Press dispatch sent out
from Seattle in the forepart of
November quoting you as saying
that Alaskans now believe the
McCarran Act in its application
to the Territory is beneficial.
You must have been talking to
different Alaskans that I. Not
yet have I found a single
Alaskan who was other than in
dignant that a classification of
his citizenship is required before
he can enter the states from
Alaska.
It is noted you were quoted
as having said the Act kept out
of Alaska a good many “agitat
ors and trouble-makers”. By
whose definition are they to be
designated as such? I did not
know that the standards set up
under the McCarran Act were
such as to allow the special cat
egory of “agitators and trouble
makers". I rather believe, Mr.
Boyd, that if a plebicite were
held in Alaska on the question
of the McCarran Act about 99.9
per cent of Alaskans would de
sire to amend it to exclude the
Territory from its provisions.
Sincerely yours.
E. L. Bartlett
P.-T.A. — and You
Action Program of the P-TA
A program of action has been
adopted by the National con
gress in order that both nation
ally and locally the entire or
ganization can accomplish more.
Since the program is broad
and extensive it is probable that
many points will be closely re
lated to our immediate needs.
This program can be realized
only thru your volunteer co
operation with the Parent Teach
er Association. In no other or
ganization can you as an indi
vidual contribute more to the
community. The foundation of
the nation begins in the home
and PTA stresses family unity
and its importance to our na
tion's strength. It urges schools,
churches and other groups to
extend course to prepare young
people for family life. It pro
motes a new and better health
program not only in home and
school examinations but also in
counseling services. It urges
court procedures to be redesign
ed where laws are out dated and
inadequate. It is cooperating
to establish counseling services
to include mental health, child
guidance and family relations.
Thru this action program PTA
is promoting a better under
standing of the function of the
schools. America owes much to
the system of public education
and it is by continual study that
the school program can be im
proved. Because of its unique
position the parent teacher work
can coordinate the efforts of all
those interested in the school.
It plans a more cooperative pro
gram between school and busi
ness whereby work experience
can be provided. Thru publicity
PTA keeps the public informed
of the events and activities of
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