SEWARD
The Gateicay City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Record
Sezcard’s All-ITrather Port is Alaska’s Greatest Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. VIU. No. 79
SEWARD, ALASKA. FRIDAY, JUNE (i, 1952
Price 10 Cents
Recreation Areas Classified On National
Forest; Granite Creek Area Development
EIGHTEEN AREAS IN FOREST
WITHDRAWN FOR
PUBLIC RECREATION
Eighteen locations in Seward
Anehorage area of the Chugach
National Forest have been with
drawn and classified as public
recreation areas according to
B. Frank Heint/.lemen, Regional
Forester tor the Alaska Region.
This was done at the request
ol the U.S. Forest Service. These
areas will be held for the sole
benefit ot tiie public lor the pur
pose ol recreation.
"Tiie steady increase of pop
ulation in and adjacent to the
National Forests has created a
greater need for the retention
of areas for picnics, camping
grounds and otner public uses,"
Heintzleinen states. "This is par
ticularly true ol the S.ward and
Anchorage area . . . where many
people make the drive for rec
reation. Sunday picnics, week
end outings or just camping."
Camp ground and picnic im
provements will be placed on
the areas as rapidly as Forest
Service funds arc available or
local organizations become in
terested and willing to assist in
financing the costs. The Kenai
Peninsula areas are as follows:
Cooper Creek. 9.15 acres:
Lower Trail Lake, 9d acres;
Ptarmigan Creek, 23.5 acres;
Daves Creek-AIud Lake, 1150
acres; Q u a r t z Creek, 1359.2
acres: Primrose. 29.5 acres; Up
per Trail Lake (1), 9.92 acres;
Upper Trail Lake (2). 3.18 acres.
10 recreation ar^as adjacent to
Seward-Anehorage highway with
a total of 433.30 acres.
In addition to the above, two
areas on Kenai Peninsula have
been withdrawn for administra
tive purposes totalling 50 acres.
All these areas are dedicated to
the use of the public in general
rather than to any individual
and are withdrawn from entry
under the public land laws.
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK
We note this ween that some
have gone and others have re
turned to town, and a tew are
still planning.
Billy and Yvonne Evins are
moving with their iamily to
Vale, Oregon. Billy was a mem
ber oi toe lighting Sea Hawks
basketball team lor two y ars
and will be sadly missed next
year. School iriencis gave Billy
a farewell parly in the Metho
dist Church basement Tuesday
night.
Airs. Victor Mahan with her
daughters Lura and Sara Peck
returned this week after a three
months vacation Outside.
The John Mattsons are pre
paring to move to Kodiak in the
near future. They have lived in
Seward for several years and
will be missed here.
Rev. and Mrs. Gunter Hut
son and the Harlan Garretsons
were in Anchorage over last
weekend, as were the Kirkpat
ricks. While there the latter met
George and Jackie Daniels while
watching the baby flat top, the
“Skotah" through telescopes on
the hill.
Mrs. Helen Brosius went to
Cordova to attend the GOP con
vention June (i and 7. Airs. Bro
sius is treasurer of the Republi
can Central Commtitce.
Jack Webb is sem around
town again after a stay in Ore
gon. His wife, the former Tanya
Malcom, is expected back in a
few days.
T li o s c property assessment
blanks are flooding the post
office! Each taxpayer is required
to make his own assessment,
upon which the city will base
individual tax s due in 1952.
GRANITE CREEK AREA
BEING DEVELOPED
The Granite Cre. k area in
Johnson Pass Valley will be de
veloped as a recreation area
this summer, according to a call
for bids by the Forest Service.
An invitation for bids de
scribes about one and a quarter
mile of new road and approxi
mately three acres to be ci. ared
for parking spaces. The section
lies in the beautiful broad val
ley west of Summit Mountain.
Rolling hills and many streams
running into Granite Creek offer
a wide variety of outdoor sports,
fishing, hunting and camping,
on th. nortiu rn edge of tiie
Chugaeh Forest. This is the first
area to lie developed since the
opening of the Seward-Anchor
age highway, and represents an
approximate half-way point be
tw.en the two cities, easiiv ac
cessible to both.
NEW TRUCKING COMPANY
MAKES FIRST HAUL
Nine diesel-powered t r u c k s
with a capacity or In to 30 tons
each put m an appearance in
Sewara this week. The trucks,
owned by Gateway Transporta
tion Lines, made their first haul
over the Seward highway to
A11 chorage \V „ dn esday.
The Gateway Transportation
Lines, owned by Leonard Mucc
iacciaro and Charles G. Moore,
is consolidate d with the recently
incorporated Northwest Freight
Lines & Dock Company which
leased the San Juan dock ami
warehouse from Seward Fish &
Coid Storage Company here.
rlliey will do all the hauling
from the San Juan dock after
certain changes are made to
allow docking of Liberty type
freighters at that dock. In tin
mean lime. freight is being taken
off th. city and Army docks.
Scheduled trips to and trom
Anchorage, Kenai. Lone r, and
Seward began this week.
Mucciaceiaro is a former Sew
ard resident where he operated
a taxi busine.-s. lie left Seward
about three years ago, but re
turned to set up to Seward
Oil ice lor the freight lines.
HELD x Oil GRAND JURY
ON A rib ON C'JrlAxlGE
John Francis Utz ami Nick
KoKOlavieh, both z‘J. wtiv neld
tor the grand jury aiitr a hear
ing before Commissioner Anna
B. Southard in Commissioners
Court Thursday morning, l'h.y
were charged with arson on the
complaint of Floyd Evans, chief
of police.
The two young men were
identified by Elnora Jones and
Goldie Smith as having forced
their way into the Jones house
at 1:30 a.m. May 29. After caus
ing a disturbance, threatening
to “tear the joint apart." they
were heard to run from the front
door. Upon entering the room
immediately, Goldie Smith testi
fied, she found curtains and win
dow drapes blazing from bottom
to top. Neither of the women
saw the curtains set afire but
both knew the men were in the
room.
The house was gutted by fire,
although firemen saved all build
ings nearby, confining the blaze
to the dwelling house of Elnora
Jones.
Both Utz and Kokotovich
were arrested sometime later in
Seward and identified by the
women and o ther witnesses.
They are held in lieu of $2500
bond each. The men claim to
have been in Seward only a
short time, having come from
Anchorage to get construction
work.
CRITICAL DEFENSE
HOUSING PLEA UNDER
CONSIDERATION
A letter was read to the Sew
ard Chamber of Commerce from
the office of President Truman
and of Defense Mobilization at
the Tuesday meeting. Informa
tion contained was to the effect
that Seward's petition to be de
clared within the critical defense
housing area under Public Law
139 is under consideration in
Washington.
Jusfr One More Day To
Finish Swimmin' Hole
Everybody should visit the
swimming hole at First Lake and
see tii fine job of cleaning up
and damming that has been done
by a few volunteers during the
past two weeks.
At least 2 a of the visitors
should go armed with axe, rake,
or shovel and help finish the
job. So say the small group of
m.n who nave done such a big
job.
Saturday and Sunday could
see the finish ot the work if
enough turn out to help. A few
feet around the north and west
enus of the lake are still to be
cleared and sand has to be
spread, th.n it will be ready for
t illing.
Rainbow Girls spent Friday
on the grounds, picking up
branches and sticks, cleaning off
the beach. They also plan to
paint trash barrels to be placed
at convenient intervals, hoping
that no more be r cans and
broken bottles will be thrown
into the water and in the brush
where kids walk barefoot.
Ir the weather remains good,
swimming season will begin next
week. and the pool will be
ready, thanks to a few public
spirited fat tiers and young peo
ple. Seward can be proud of
these people and the sale pin v
they have made for the chil
clren's summer play.
DAVIS' FIGHT TO RETAIN
CUSTODY OF OVERTURFEOY
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Davis
wont to court this work in an at
tempt to retain custody of and
adoption of Donald Overturf,
when Ids mother. Opal Over
turf, sought to rein we ldm with
others of her family to Calif
ornia.
The children have be n under
the custody of the Territorial
Department of Public Welfare
for the past several years. Don
ald was placed with the Davis’
as a foster home. Mrs. Davis
has ben trying to adopt the
child, according to her state
ment. but was not permitted to
do so by the Welfare Depart
ment.
The mother has been separat
ed from her husband for several
years and has recently been re
siding in California.
After a hearing in Commis
sioners Court Wednesday, they
were given 30 days in which to
appeal the adoption ease, Mrs.
Davis said today.
LITTLE COUNTRY CHURCH
DESTROYED BY FIRE
A little cabin church at Mile
(ib on the highway, known lo
cally as “Stradley’s Church,"
was completely destroyed by fire
of unknown origin early in the
afternoon of Sunday, June 1.
An alarm was sounded in town
and the volunteer fire depart
ment responded, but by the time
a fire truck arrived on the scene
the building was b yond saving.
Worshippers had left after the
morning service and no one was
around to know what caused the
fire, although it is supposed to
have occurred from an overheat
ed stove or spark.
Strike Settlement Not Expected Soon; PM A
Has "Never Declined To Negotiate"
PACIFIC MARITIME ASSN.
REPLY TO GOV. GRUENING
ON STRIKE
Paul St. Sure, president of
Pacific Maritime Association, re
leased this slat rni'iit Wednes
day, June 4, in reply to Gover
nor Gruening's message concern
ing sailors’ strike:
“While it is true that S.U.P.
(Sailors' Union of the Pacific)
opened its agre moot with Pi\IA
on February 27, the notice of
reopening came less than tour
months alter SUP had received
wage increases amounting to
more than 2a per cent. Despite
the fact that th notice of re
opening was received on Feb.
2 7. SUP submitted no proposals
lor amendments until April 2a,
two days before expiration of
the til) day notice.
“The union proposals were
not presentc d to PMA until
alter PMA notified the U.S.
Conciliation service that no at
tempt had been made by the
SUP to negotiate.
"PMA lias never declined to
negotiate. Following receipt of
the proposals 3 negotiating meet
ings were held during the cours,
of which SUP informed PMA
that its contract had expired.
“The Pacific Maritime Asso
ciation has insisted that the
union enter into a firm contract
for a reasonable period of time
in order to give assurance to
the maritime industry and the
customers it serves, including
the people of Alaska, that ships
will sail on schedule and that
normal commitments can be
kept. SUP has declined to dis
cuss any contractwhich will not
provide for a tit) day reopening
clans, as well as a provision
which permits SUP to cancel
its contract on la days notice,
“Proposals to submit the wage
dispute io the Wage Stabiliza
tion board couki not have tae
etiect or correcting the situation
won regard to open end con
tracts winch have made it im
possible tor ihe industry to con
tinue normal op.ratons," stated
Si. Sure.
These statements cover the
position of Alaska Jicamship
■ Company according to a message
from F. A. Zeusier, i xecutive
assistant to the president.
CHAMBER Of COMMERCE
SEiNiDS 'lELEGiiAMo OR
STRIKE PROTEST
Three telegrams were sent this
week by the Seward Chamber
of Commerce to John R. Steel
man, Secretary of Interior Chap
man and Secretary oi Commerce
Vinson.
The messages asked that each
department use influence in
every way possible with botii
labor and management in the
Pacific Coast maritime strike to
bung about a spe.dv settlement,
or to assure the delivery of much
needed commodities and goods
to Alaska while settlement of
the dispute is being negotiated.
They asked that defense mater
ials should not be separated from
civilian goods, but all be allowed
to come through, as interrup
tion of the seasonal industry is
working a great hardship upon
the people of Alaska.
Another telegram was sent to
the Sailors’ Union requesting
that the SS Victoria be released
with a load of commodities for
Seward.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY
TO MEET
The Women’s Missionary So
ciety. formerly Lutheran Ladies’
Aid, will hold their regular
business meeting Monday, June
t), at 7:30 in the Church parlors.
POOR PROSPECTS FOR
EARLY STRIKE SETTLEMENT
ACCORDING TO UNION
In reply to a telephoned ques
tion of (I o v e r n o r Gruening,
Harry Lundeberg, s e e r e t a r y
Ireasurer ol ti11* Sailors Union
ol the Pacuie in San Francisco,
said that prospects for early set
tlement of tile strike vver ■ ex
tremely poor "because ship
owners had met only occasion
ally with representatives of the
Sailors' Union, appeared not de
sirous of settling differences and
refused to accept compromise
offer of union as w. il as recom
mendation 01 Federal Commis
sioner of Conciliation to place
wage demands bt ■on NSB."
Gov. Gruening asked why this
side of the controversy had not
appeared in the newspapers and
Mr. Lundeberg said that the
newspap. rs liad been given il
but had not used it.
The Governor then asked that
Lundeberg wire his version of
the dispute and that the Gover
nor would be glad to release
it acre mum an) to radio stations
and the press. The Governor also
asked for the release of the
Coastal Monarch wlncn had al
ready been loaded for several
days and was ready to sail north
ward. The wire was promised
by Lundeberg and read as fol
low:::
"bailors Union oi the Pacific
opened its ugreemnet with Paci
no -Maritime Association Feb. 117
on two months opening
Clause, in the two months (Feb.
2 f-Apr. 2!5) when our agreement
expired, shipowners met with
our commuted oniy twice at re
4U<.oi i cdeiai Conciliation
service. We extended our agree
ment m days m order to rmish
negotiations, in trial lo days
'time smpowners met with us
dure, ii was v ery evident that
they didn't intend to set tie any
thing. e finaliy request, a Fed
eral Medallion service to arrange
a nit eting in order for us to find
out v.nuv we stood inasmuch as
wt had no agreement.
lids meeting was set on May
2t> Under auspices oi Federal
Uomm.srioner Umar lioskins. In
tms meeting shipowners were
adamant m their position in re
fusing to offer anything. Sailors
union was agreeable to settling
dispute on payment of penalty
time for Saturdays at Sea in
line with 40 hour week which
is already now enjoyed by every
maxitime union in the country
with exception of the sailors
union. Shipowners refused our
compromise.
"Commissioner Hoskins then
called in both parties and stated,
'the Federal Government re
quests that both parties agree
to put the wage demands mlo
the -National Wage Stabilization
board as a wage dispute, and
meanwhile ships will be run
ning.’
"Sailors Union in meeting up
and down coast composed of
4.000 men agreed unanimously
to accept government's r.quest.
Paeitlc Maritime Association re
fused government’s request. By
way Alaska Steamship Co. is
prominent member of P M A.
Since that time Federal Concil
iation s rvice has attempted to
get shipowners to meet with us
but so far lias been unsuccessful.
"This is our side of the story
which we request you check on
with Federal Conciliation Serv
ice thru Commissioner Hoskins
if you so desire."