Seward
The Gateway City uf Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e & P o r f.
Record
Sen aril’s A HAPeather Port is Alaska’s Create.) Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Vol. IX, No. 37
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1953
Price 10 Cents
More Power for Alaska Freight
SIX NEW ENGINES of the FP-7 type are now operating on The
Alaska Railroad. The units are the most powerful on the line,
1500-horsepower each, and were piaced in service recently on
the Anchorage-Seward run. To the railroad ihe engines mean
greater efficiency at less operating cosis. Two unils can move
a train that formerly required three to tour engines and crews.
(Photo courtesy ARR)
Col. J. P. Johnson, ARR
Requests $16 Million
For Rehabilitation
Following is part of the report
on The Alaska Railroad rehabili
tation program which is being
studied by Congress. A hearing
was being held in Washington
March 11, the same day that Col.
J. P. Johnson. ARR general man
ager. met with a group of Sew
ard people and explained to
them what he is asking for in the
way of appropriations. The full
report, complete with estimates
has been in the hands of a Con
gressional committee for several
months.
Estimates of Appropriations
for Alaska Railroad, for Fiscal
Year Ending June SO. 1954:
Justification ot Construction.
ARR S16.311.000
Permanent Improvements—
Seward to Portage—64.1 Miles
The amount of $9,094,000 is
required for improvements to the
track and other facilities on the
Seward-Portage portion of the
ARR so that the Port of Seward
will be accessible for civilian
use. These improvements are
mandatory as the Port of Whit
tier is to be used exclusively for
the national defense program as
proposed by the military.
With the ARR as the main sup
ply line into the central part of
Alaska, in view of the unsettled
world situation and from the
standpoint of long and short
range planning, provisions must
be made to provide for the con
tinued operation and permanent
improvements of the Seward to
Portage section to the same high
standard maintained on the bal
ance of the ARR for the dual
purpose of serving the increased
civilian population and the mili
tary in this area.
The military has advised that
the Port of Whittier will be re
quired indefinitely for the ex
clusive movement of military
freight and the Port of Seward
will be required to handle all ci
vilian freight with the availa
bility of further facilities for
miltary shipments through Sew
ard as a second port of entry and
discharge point.
Construction—Seward Dock
on West Side of Bay
The amount of $4,498,000 is
required for the construction of
a new dock at Seward.
The first dock constructed at
Seward was built in 1904 by the
Alaska Central Railroad. This
< ck was destroyed by fire in
the year 1916 and was replaced
by an untreated pile dock con
structed in 1916 and 1917 by the
Alaska Engineering Commission,
which was a forerunner of the
present ARR. The dock as con
structed by the Engineering
Commission has been under a
constant process of extension
and revitalizing.
At the present time the dock
has a mooring face of 826 ft. (2
berths) with a railroad track ap
proach of- 716 ft., which feeds
two tracks on the mooring face
and a depressed track on the
shore line side of the main dock
warehouses. This depressed track
accommodates seven cars under
cover and three cars in the open.
The dock warehouses are divided
into two parts. The first part ad
jacnt to the depressed track is
890 ft. long by 69 ft. wide. The
second portion for handling local
freight is 175 ft long by 30 ft.
wide, with a lean-to for local
truck loading leading to a truck
ing approach.
The prevailing winds are from
the north or shore side, with oc
casional severe storms from the
south. Inasmuch as there are
mountains on each side of Res
urrection Bay, the winds are con
stantly in either of these two di
rections. As the dock bears ap
proximately west of southwest,
which is at righ angle to the pre
vailing wind, there arc many
days when accurate or safe moor
ing is unctic'nable. Extensive
damage is frequently done to
the dock by ships attempting to
berth or get away from the dock
during heavy blows.
Inasumch as a larger portion
of the dock was built during the
years of 1917 to 1922, extreme
deterioration has taken place,
namely the bracing and the piie
structure. The weakened condi
tion of both of these components,
together with the numerous col
lisions with the dock, have cre
ated a situation which could
cause a major failure of the
structure at any lime.
According to the diver's report
made in 1947, 50 per cent of the
pile throughout the dock are in
fested with marine borers. This
condition was particularly pre
dominant under the warehouses.
Approximately 75 piling which
are located under the warehouse
portion of the dock have com
pletely failed. The replacement
of failed piling and piling in poor
(Turn to Page 6)
Reporter's Notebook
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Urbach
got back to Seward Thursday
night by train. They have been
Outside tor the winter. Leon
looked spry and chipper as contd
be after his vacation.
Mr. and Mrs. John Mushier
lc‘! Seward for a new assign
ment in the States. Mr. Muchler
is with BPR. Mrs. Muehler has
1.^.1 on the teaching staff in
Seward Public Schools. Her posi
tion will be filled for the re
mainder of the term by Mrs.
Sue Hollenbeck, teaching one
ot the fiftli grade classes.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Kireh'
left on the Baranof for a three
month vacation Outside. They
will go to Billings, Montana, and
see other friends and relatives
throughout the West.
Charles Lechner, Sr., left this
week for Palm Springs, Califor
nia, where he will take medical
treatment.
Herman and Bill Dana have
returned after several months
Outside. They visited California,
Iowa and Wisconsin.
Bernie Hulm is back. He left
town in November and went
home to South Dakota—prob
ably came back to Seward to
avoid the hard winter they are
still having in Dakota. Incident
ally, Bernie brought a brand new
Packard back with him. He
hasn’t taken it out of the wrap
ping yet, waiting for the streets
to get fixed up. No sir! no bumps
and scratches on that car! Just
you wait, Berni“, we'll have
paved streets before long.
Jimmie Webb is back in town.
Uncle Sam let him out of the
Army after two years.
Arne and Wilma Tisch and
the baby have come home to live.
Arne is just out of the Army,
too. He is working as special
agent on the ARR.
We see by the passenger list
that Sylvia Sexton was booked
on the Baranof. Although we
haven't seen her here, we pre
sume that she is home and had
a fine time Outside.
Letter From Seward
To Seward
“Seward, Nebr., has had a
good season although Coach
Bowmaster had more-or-less of
a green squad to contend with.
Each game was a tough one and
most of them were decided in
the last few minutes. No stars on
the team at all, but apparently
well balanced.
“As far as the game up there
is concerned, who wins is of little
consequence. Though our team
here has a better record, they
will hangup their suits after the
tournament this week and will
have no more basketball prac
tice until shortly before they
start to Alaska. A 4000-mile bus
ride may also tend to cramp
their style. Regardless of the •out
come, we are hoping to start
something that will continue in
years to come.
“The thing we must do is to
emphasize the fact that this is
strictly a civic undertaking and
has nothing whatever to do with
the Seward (Nebr.) High School.
Our State High School Athletic
Ass'n has given permission un
der tiiis agreement. As the game
will be played after school is
out, it will be okay, minus the
“Seward High.” We will just
have to call it the Seward Team
or something else. Would not
(Turn to Page 6)
DIRECT PHONE FOR
SEWARD PILOTS
As of March 11, 1953, Seward
pilots have the same direct tele
phone service to CAA in Anchor
age as is given to pilots at Pal
mer.
Pilots wishing to file flight
plans, or inquire as to weather
and landing conditions at other
fields can now place a phone
call, collect, and get their in
formation.
This service was requested of
Tony Schvvamm, Director of Avi
ation. Iasi, month by the Seward
Chamber of Commerce. It will
be a boon to local pilots.
Pianist To Appear At
Third Concert Here
Pierre Sancan, concert pianist,
will appear in tire third concert
•of the season of the Alaska Music
Trail under auspices of the Sew
ard Winter Concert Committee,
March 20 in the Methodist
Church.
Although Pierre Sancan has
been actively concertizing only
since 1946, the brilliant and gift
ed young French pianist has al
ready rolled up a truly impres
sive concert mileage and has a
passport book full of the stamps
and scrawls of officials in a
dozen countries covering Europe,
North Airica and the New East.
Now adding a second visit to the
United States and Canada, with
the many miles of his Alaska
tour, his itinerary can be con
sidered not only extensive, but
world-wide.
The program to be played
here is a fine combination of
music by the masters, Bach, Mo
zart, Debussy, Chopin and Liszt
which are known to all music
lovers.
Former Folsom Prison
Guard Dies In Seward
George William Wiegand died
in Seward at the age of 73 last
Friday. Before coming to Seward
about six years ago, Mr. Wiegand
had worked for 20 years as a
guard at Folsom State Prison in
California. He and his sons have
been fishing for several years in
this area.
Wiegand was horn at Gibson
ville, California June 18, 1378.
He died March 6 at his home at
906 Second Avenue, Seward. He
is survived by three sons, Louis,
living in Kenai: Wallace of Sew
ard, and George, living in San
Mateo, California.
Funeral services were held
March 11 in the Seward Meth
odist Church. Rev. Charles Malin
officiating.
FUNERAL SERVICES SUNDAY
FOR GLADYS WALUNGA
Funeral services will be held
Sunday, March 15. at 2:30 o’clock
p.m., in the Sc ward Methodist
Church l'oi Gladys Walunga.
wife of Frank W. Walunga of
Seward. Mrs. Walunga died Mar.
9 at Seward Sanatorium where
she was under treatment for pul
monary tuberculosis. She was 34
year of age.
Mrs. Walunga was born at
Aleknagik, Alaska. She is sur
vived bv her husband; a brother,
Dan Tatoowi, Bartlett, Alaska,
and four children, Kenneth, Ron
ald, Melvin and Esther, all living
in Aleknagik.
City Council Refuses
ATC Request For
Phone Rate increase
Application for a raise in tele
phone rates in Seward, ma le by
Alaska Telephone Corporation,
was refused lav the City Council
last Monday night. The council
met in special session^) r\ le on
the application after a -public*
hearing held March 2,
Concensus of opinion at the
hearing was in opposition to the
rate raise until the company can
and does furnish better service
to the city. Council action fol
lowed the same line of reason
ing.
There has been no indication
of company action since the
council meeting. Telephone oper
ators, according to their agree
ment, will be denied their pay.
hike, which was dependent upon
the raise in rates. At the hear
ing, considerable complaint was
heard on the service given by
the company, although personal
service of the operators was
highly praised, and everyone
tried to separate the personal
service from complaint against
the company.
Sam Romach Puts On
St. Pat's Open House
Thoughts in Seward seem to
be running to food this week.
Sam Romach invites every
one to attend his annual open
house^oelrbration of St. Patrick"*
Day at Tony’s Bar. March 17,
from noon on. Many kinds of
food, plenty of it, for all comers,
without charge.
Sam docs this every year, but
this year he has planned the big
gest celebration of all. Those
who have tasted Sam's home
made sauer kraut and other
foods will not be disappointed.
Those who have not, have a real
treat in store.
Arrangements are being made
so the ladies and youngsters can
dine in comfort. Sam invites
everyone, young and old.
Seward Entertains
Military Visitors
Brig. Gen. Ethelred Sykes.
USAF, Assistant Chief of Staff
of Plans and Operations, Elmen
riarf Air Force Base, and Com
mander John L. Butler, USN,
Assistant Inspector General, Al
askan Command, were guests of
Col. J. P. Johnson, General Man
ager, ARK, and the pecale of
Seward, Wednesday.
They were accompanied by
Mrs. T. Fitch, Department of In
terior; Frank Settersten, Dan
Cuddy, and several other An
chorage and Seward business
men. The group had lunch with
Seward people and were taken
on a tour of the town and vi
cinity.
General Syk'es and Command
er Butler are new to Alaska and
this was their first visit to Sew
ard. They are looking forward
to fishing and hunting on the
Peninsula.
Col. Johnson was questioned
on the rehabilitation program
after he had read several reports.
He answered freely, and urged
support of local businss enter
prises and residents in the pro
gram. Letters and telegrams to
Congress requesting the appro
priation will be of great assist
ance in obtaining the needed
(Turn to Page 6)
St. PATRICKS OAT PARTY • March 17
CIVIC CENTER Starting at 8:00 P.M. Admission Free