God offers to every mind its
choice between truth and re
pose. ..Take which you please,
you can never have both.
Emerson
The Seward Seaport Record
Is independent in every re
spect and none shall ever be
denied the right to use its col
umns for any legal purpose or
expression.
VOL. X. NO. 49
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1954
PRICE 10 CENTS
CITY MANAGER GIVES REPORT
ON HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT
In a discussion with the City
Manager Raymond O'Hara a report
er got the low down on the latest
ilevelopements on several projects
which the city has been working on.
HIGH SCHOOL
The City Manager told us that
as far as was known early this
week the bid for the new High
School will be awarded on sched
ule Friday, September 3, to the
J. B. Warrask Co. which was ap
parently the lowest bidder on the
job. “Award of the contract had
been held up for some time." O'Hara
said, "while the title to the school
site was clarified." The Juneau
office of the Alaska Public Works
is working though its Washington
D. C. office to see if the Bureau
of Land Management will clear
the tvay for construction on the
lots which had been previously
set aside for recreational purposes.
RECREATIONAL PROGRAM
The way has been cleared for
an active childrens’ and adult rec
reational program, it was announ
ced this week by the City Mana
ger. Turing the closure of the
Civic Center this summer it has
been renovated and Badminton and
Vollelball courts set up.
ARMORY
The City Manager also reported
that the City had recently complet
ed arrangements to have the new
National Guard Armory construct
ed adjacent to the new High school
building.
The building will cost an es
timated $100,000. of which the Fed
eral Government will pay three
quarters of the cost and the City
will have to pay the remaining
one quarter, or about $25,000.
Design of the building will be
such that it will conform to the
architectural design of the high
school building. The Armory will
be available for use by the high
school as a gymnasium.
Lower Landing Speed
For Safer Planes
What's your landing speed?
Acording to an article in the An
chorage Daily News, there is now
under test a 214 ton plane (roughly
comparable, we believe, to a Wid
geon) that can cruise at 11 miles
per hour without losing altitude.
The plane, designated CCW-5 util
izes 2 pusher props on the trailing
edge of scooped out wings that
operate in such a manner as to pull
air across the scoops and create
a vacuum. The plane is said to be
in the 200 miles per hour class, and
to have climbed from the Oxnard.
California airport at the rate of
3,000 feet per minute after taking
off in less that 200 feet of runway.
The Custer Channel Wing Corp..
of Hagerstown. Md.. claims that the
CCW-5 can hold its altitude at
speeds that stall out conventional
aircraft; and their flight engineer
and test pilot, Walter J- Davidson,
is reported as saying he believed
the performance was the slowest
“in-the-air speed recorded by a fix
ed-wing plane since and including
the initial flight of the Wright Bro
thers at Kitty Hawk.”
The inventor, Willard R. Custer,
claims that the plane, named the
Custer Channel Wing-5, will revo
lutionize aviation by lowering the
landing speeds to safe limits while
still giving future aircraft a lift
and air speed equivalent to cargo
and passenger carrying airliners.
»
Pioneer Fire Chief
Died Last Month
Tlje people of Seward were sad
dened the middle of August by the
death of Melvin Horner, pioneer
fire chief and hotelman.
Mr. Horner was born in Bright
on, Indiana on February 11, 1879
and came to Alaska in 1908. Two
years later he moved to Seward
where he had resided until the
time of his death.
Firechief of the Seward Volun
teer Fire Department around the
first World War. Horner had also
worked as a big game guide and
at different times in his career
had also managed the Seward and
Overland Hotels. He was a mem
ber of the Masonic Lodge.
In late years Mr. Horner had
made his home at Mile 26 at the
Cal Brosius mining camp. Only
surviving relative is Mrs. E. L.
Senft of Seward.
Rural Area Electricity
Awaits OK By REA
Rural Electrification Co-opera
tive No. 17. comprised of residents
along the Seward highway as far
as Coopers Landing, are anxiously
awaiting the granting of their loan
to construct a power line Into the
area.
REA officials, in a meeting with
Co-op and Seward Utility Board
officials last Friday, expressed
satisfaction with the loan applica
tion, and indicated the loan would
be processed very shortly.
The Co-operative group has about
400 members, and already has a
contract with the City of Seward
for adequate electricity for pre
sent use.
Rumors that another source of
power could be furniished at a
much lower rate than Seward of
fered, are entirely unfounded, ac
cording to City and Utility Board
members. REA officials expressed
approval of Co-op 17’s contract
with Seward, and they are not
considering any other source of
energy.
If the loan for a transmission
line is granted this year, work
will start early in the spring, and
power should be available by mid
summer, Co-op officials stated.
SEWARD SEAPORT RECORD
RESUMES PUBLICATION TODAY
After an absence from the
streets of Seward for three months
the Seward Seaport Record was
once again on newstands. in the
mails and available from neighbor
hood newsbovs.
The Seward Seaport Record was
j suspended last spring following a
j fire which destroyed or seriously
j damaged most of the production
I equipment of the Hunt Publishing
I Co., which was used in the print
I ing of the paper at that time.
Since that time John M. Colman.
| Editor and Publisher of the Record
has given up the printing business
for the life of a homesteader, and
is now living with his family at
Mile 56 on the Seward Highway
near the Hope Cut-off.
The salvaged printing equipment
of the company has been sold to
Pete DuBeau who plans to set up
a job printing plant in Seward in
the near future.
Mr. and Mrs. Coleman have sold
their interest in the newspaper to
The Bonser Company. Inc., an
Alaskan corporation which pub
lishes The Cordova Times in Cor
dova, Alaska.
The Bonser Company has sent
to Seward to take charge of its
operations here. William E. Bonser
who for the past 4 years has been
Editor of the Cordova paper.
Mr. Bonser is a veteran o f
World War II, having served with
the Army Transport Service in
the Pacific as a civilian and with
the Infantry and Ordinance Corps
in the American and European
Theatres of operations.
For the time being the actual
printing of the Seward newspaper
will be done in the Cordova plant
of the company and will be flown
to Seward each Friday.
Company office has been set up
in the Arcade Building in the
former location of the Alaska
Steamship office.
Mr. Bonser and his wife make
their home at 225 Fifth Avenue in
Seward and may be reached by
| telephone at Main 168.
NEW GREYHOUND SCENICRUISER
- ~ * -»- ■■<■■%
Here is the first of a fleet of 500 new dual-level Scenicruiser
highway coaches being delivered to Greyhound Lines by the GMC
Truck and Coach Division of General Motors Corp. Costing $49,000
each, the luxuriously appointed buses ride on cus^gans of air instead
of metal springs. They have a complete, year-’round air condition
ing system; extra large picture windows, tinted to reduce heat and
glare: power steering; extra leg-room due to increased overall
length; toilet and lavatory facilities and a giant "laxy susan”
baggage compartment.
Seaplane Facilities
Sought By City
Facilities for the servicing and
I docking of seaplanes and float
I planes are now being sought by
j the City of Seward, it was recent
ly revealed.
Application has been made by
the City Council for funds from
the Territorial Department of Av
! iation for construction of a sea
I plane float.
A letter has been received from
the Department acknowledging the
application and stating that action
will be taken on the requset by
the Aeronautics and Communica
| tions Commission at their next
meeting which is scheduled for
j October 26 in Nome.
Estimated cost of the new fac
ility would be about $72,000, which
funds would he provided by the
Aviation Department. Funds for
the construction of the floats would
be provided from the collection of
motor fuels tax which is charged
on all gasoline, diesel oil used by
boats, airplanes, automobiles, and
trucks. A certain portion of all
the tax collection is set aside for
construction of aircraft facilities
such as floats and airfields.
--
Health Report Issued;
Precautions Advised
In an interview with Dr. DeiBhre
this week the Record obtained the
! latest information on the Polio
and Typhoid outbreaks in this area.
Dr. Deisher stated that so far
there is but one case of typhoid
diagnosed in the Seward area and
as is known there is no cause for
alarm though he would advise
that water be boiled as a pre
caution against _ possible further
infection.
The City Manager has also been
advised by the Alaska Department
of Health that it would be very
advisable to boil water or to use
home chlorination process to guard
against any possible contamination.
On the polio front there have
been two new cases reported in
recent days, but otherwise it is
believed that the outbreak is on
the decline. Dr. Deisher told the
Record.
Gamma Globulin lias been given
to all the children at the Jesse Lee
Home and also to all known con
tacts of persons who have come
down with polio.
Miss Mary Jerome from the Nat
ional League for Nursing was in
Seward recently for two days to
consult on nursing problems of
acute cases and the long time
care for patients who have been
pa ralized.
Dr. Deisher told our reporter
that one of the most troublesome
problems in the treatment of polio
was the long time care. Once the
patient is up and about again
they tend to overdo, he hold us. It
is most important in their treat
ment that they do not get over
tired. The 'best treatment on the
long haul is to resume activity
slowly and not get all tired out
trying to exercise the paralized
member too much and thereby do
permanent damage.
New Generator
Due Here Shortly
The Seward Public Utilities will
receive additional power equipment
next week when the Alaska Steam
ship Co. vessel S. S .Tonslna ar
rives in port.
Mdre powerful than a small
diesel locomotive or the U. S. Army
LT type tug boats, the new Coo
per-Bessemer diesel has been pur
chased by the Utilities to meet
the growing need for additional
power in the area. The unit will
produce 1,500 kilowatts.
The James Construction Co. has
the contract for building the con
crete base on which the large
engine and generator will be moun
ted.
Director Anderson
Tells of Proposal
Mr. C. L. Anderson. Director
ot the Department of Fisheries,
informed a group of Cordova cit
izens that he had spent a year,
working in his spare time, on
outlining a tentative new bill for
Alaska's fish conservation program.
According to Mr. Anderson, a
"model bill”, proposed a few years
ago, relating to the fish code, was
not satisfactory. It was compared
with the codes of California .Wash
ington, and other areas, and mod
ified to include their best points,
adapted to Alaska's needs. The
finished tentative bill was sent
to the Anchorage Sportsman’s
group near the first of July . The
Anchorage group will send copies
to all sports groups in the Council
for study and recommendation. If
found satisfactory by both sporting
and commercial interests, the bill
will then be sent to the Legislature.
In brief, the new bill, in its pre
sent tentative form, would call for
an eight man commission to be
set up to govern general policies.
Said commission would consist of
3 commercial fishermen represent
ing the three major commercial
fishing districts, and one packer.
Sporting interests would be rep
resented on the commission by
one sportsman from each of the
four districts. A provision would
be written in, eliminating any
, sports fisherman who had any
connections with commercial In
terests.
A Department of Fish and Game
would he set up. to take over
such jurisdiction as might be allow
ed under law. The commission
would hire an executive director
for the Department, who would
in turn hire his own staff. The
general policies set by the com
mission under present Territorial
status would become rules and
regulations at such time as Alaska
may gain statehood.
The purpose served by such a
bill would be multiple. It would,
if properly handled, eliminate much
of the overlap and duplication that
now exists in licensing and other
fishing regulations, while at the
same time it would provide one
more properly set up governmental
agency, thus bringing Alaska one
step closer to qualifying for
statehood. According to Mr.
Anderson, such a depart m e n t
would be self supporting from lic
ense fees, and would not affect
taxation in any way.
Such bill, assuming it should be
passed by Territorial Legislation,
would then have to be accepted by
Mr. Farley, Mr. McKay, and the
U.S. Congress.
Sewardites Called
For Petit Jury Duty
The names of 2S Sewardites were
drawn last week to serve as jurors
at the session of the District Court
which is to convene here Sept. 21.
This week, on Wednesday, the
Deputy Marshall was busy serving
summons to the folks picked to
serve on the Petit Jury. The list
of jurors is as follows:
George Doughler
I.eora Roycroft
A. Jacobsen
Alonzo Moser
Robert H. Kidd
Gart Smith
Cora Jacobs
Ruth Murrell
Alice M. Coleman
Joseph R. Murphy
Murl Trevethan
Margit Edwards
Ruth P. Cooper
Barbara G. Shea
Everett House
Vernon Stumvall
Melvin L. Deck
Onnolee O’Brien
Margaret Deck
Carl R. Carlson
Nellie Graham
S. A. Balmat
Arthur C. Jorden
Hetty R. Lindburg
Thomas Fillingim'
Ralph Rider Jr..
Erma Walker J
David Kimball
City Engineer Firm
Studies Hydro Project
Mr. Harstad of the Engineering
firm of Metealf and Harstad is in
Seward this week preparing pre
liminary estimates and surveys
of an anticipated developement of
Ptarmigan Lake as a source of
Hydro-electric power.
Preliminary investigations hy
the District Engineers have show
ed a potential generating capacity
of nearly 5000 kilowatts.
Following the completion of this
preliminary investigation the find
ings will he submitted to the Util
ities Board of the City Council
for their appraisal and a decision
will be made as to whether or not
to proceed with the developement
which is estimated to cost in the
neighborhood of $3,000,000 by the
time full generating capacity is
reached. The initial stage of the
developement is to >>rovide 1500
kilowatts.
Should the Council and Utility
Board decide to proceed with the
plan then Seward voters will be
asked to vote on an issue of Rev
enue Bonds to cover the cost of
construction.
SEWARD SUPERINTENDENT
BREAKS BAD NEWS GENTLY
Charlotte Sallows
To Be Married Sunday
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Duront ann
ounce the forthcoming marriage of
their daughter, Charlotte, to C’has.
Simon, Jr., of Anchorage, the wed
ding to take place Sunday, Sep
tember 5.
Miss Sallows was formerly em
ployed in Seward, but is now with
the CAA in Anchorage. She is
a graduate of a Portland High
school, but attended Anchorage
schools up to her senior year.
Mr. Simon is a graduate of An
chorage high school, and is now
serving in the Armed Forces at
Elmendorf.
The wedding will be solemnized
at the Seward Lutheran Church.
The couple will reside in Anchor
age.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HEARS
AREA DEVELOPMENT REPORT
At recent meetings of the Cham
ber of Commerce reports of Sew
ard progress were heard, among
them a report from the Bureau of
Public Hoads that during the month
of July 20 thousand cars were
counted as using the Seward high
way.
A report on City activities was
also heard at which time it was
reported that application had been
completed for a new National Guard
Armory to he built near the new
High School. Also that the City
was investigating the possibility
of getting some Federal Housing
money to provide low cost homes
or rentals.
A project looking to the devel
opement of hydro-electric power at
Ptarmigan I-ake is also on the
City's list of activities the Cham
ber was told.
In response to a request from
the Winter Concert Association.
President Win Erwin, appointed
Sol I'rie to b the Chamber's repre
sentative to the group.
GUESTS
Two guests were present at the
August 24th session of the Cham
ber. They were Mr. Roy Franz
of Pueblo, Colorado, a friend of
President Win Erwin and Wells
Erwin, brother of the Chamber
President.
It was also reported that Tom
Osboe had recently been appoint
ed to serve as a member of the
board of directors for the Sitka
Pioneers Home.
On Tuesday, August 31. the Cham
ber was once again in regular
session with only a light agenda
before it.
Chamber President Erwin read
two letters from the Fairbanks
Daily News - Miner in which the
paper invited Sewards participation
in gathering material for their
forthcoming progress edition. The
idea was well received by the group
and it was agreed to refer the
matter of a large Chamber of Com
merce advertisement to the Board
of Directors.
Tommie Bie told the Chamber
that the call for bids on the new
dock was about to be issued. He
also reported that Crescent and
Copper Bakes were now being sur
veyed by a team of engineers to
determine their value as possible
hydro electric power sources.
Guests at the Tuesday meeting
including Mr. William Renfrew of
the First National Bank of An
chorage who is in town taking
Jack Roth's place while Jack is
outside attending his fathers fun
eral.
Another guest at the luncheon
was Mr. Arnold Anderson, formerly
of Nenana, who is now' the Assist
ant Manager at Seward for Stand
ard Oil of California.
Boy Scout Meetings
To Be Resumed Soon
It was announced this week
that the Seward Boy Scout Troops
would once again start meeting
this month if the present down
ward trend in polio Incidence con-,
tinues.
The first meeting has been ten
tatively set or September -13 and
all Boy Scouts are urged to keep
watcbing- for a more definite ann
ouncement.
►
Special Election Vote
Adds to City Area
At the special election held in
Seward Tuesday, August 24, the
voters of Seward were asked their
decision on the question of annex
ing new territory to the City.
Shortly after the polls closed
Tuesday evening it was announced
that the proposition for annexing
the area which includes the “Hickle
Homes’.’ had passed 101 ad 4.
It lias been estimated that the
new addition will add between
$500,000 and $1 million to the tax
roles which should mean that local
property owners cafi look forward
to another tax cut next year.
Tacoman Bids Low
On Whittier Work
According to n recent release
from the Alaska District Engineer,
Corps of Engineers, Anchorage,
Pacific Alaska Contractors, Inc.
of Tacoma, Washington appeared
to offer the lowest bids or combin
ations for invitations 55-7. This
project includes a station storage
warehouse, utility yard shed, and
railroad spur in Whittier.
Science Conference
In Anchorage Sept 7
The Fifth Alaskan Science Con
ference will open in Anchorage on
September 7, and continue through
the week. The annual meetings
are sponsored by the Alaska Div
ision of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science.
Hugh Johnson, of the Agricult
ural Experiment Station in Pal
mer, and President of the Alaska
Division, has announced that the
program will include 26 sessions,
150 scientific papers to be read,
and some 500 scientists or persons
interested in science. •
f
■superintendent oi aenoots, uarl
R. Carlson had bad news fdr the
kids this -week when he talked
with the Record reporter and told
us that the number one rumor
making the rounds of the school age
set was not so, and school would
start on schedule this fall.
The Alaska Department of Health
is satisfied, said Carlson, that the
danger of a reoccurance of the
Polio epidemic is not likely if
school opens on schedule, and there
after the school bells will ring out
for all grades at 10:30 next Tuesday
morning. Easing into the 1954-55
school year gradually there will
only be a morning session on the
first day.
Enrollment of first graders should
j have been completed by paper time,
but if for some reason your first
grader was not enrolled this week
on Wednesday, Thursday or Fri
day at the Superintendent’s office,
then you may call Adams 126 and
give your child’s name and date
of birth.
“According to preliminary estim
ates,” Mr. Carlson said, “there will
be about 700 pupils in the Seward
schools this year as compared to
approximately 615 last year.”
“Few people realize just how fast
our school system has expanded",
the Superintendent told us, “that
since I came here 7 years ago
the enrollment has tripled.”
In order to meet this ever in
creasing student load the faculty
has been expanded again this year
adding three new teachers to bring
the total to 34 with the prospect
that more may have to be added
during the year.
“Double shifting will also be nec
essary this year,” Mr. Carlson
informed us, "with the second
and fifth grades attending in half
day sessions.” The morning ses
sion will be from S to 12:30 and
the afternoon session from 12:30
to 5:00.
New members of the High school
faculty this year will include:
Miss Lucia McGrath, English and
Latin. Miss McGrath comes to
Seward from Boise, Idaho where
she taught Latin, English and His
tory for the past 17 years in the
Bosie High School. She is a grad
uate of the Fargo College and also
has a Master’ degree from Col
umbia University.
Home Economics and Biology
will be taught by Miss Nancy
Loftus, formerly of Fairbanks, and
a graduate of the University of
Alaska.
Miss Margaret Olsen comes to
Seward from Montevideo. Minne
sota and has taught English and
Physical Education in the Herman,
Minnesota schools for four years.
She will be teaching the same sub
jects in Seward. Misg Olson is a
graduate of Gustavus Adolphus
College.
Coming here to teach Shop and
English is Mr. Larry Cathcart form
erly of Greely, Colorado. Mr. Cath
cart formerly taught in the grade
school of Hayden, Colorado. He
is a graduate of Colorado College
of Education and has both a Bach
elor's and Master's degree from
that school.
In the Elementary School there
will be six new teachers with only
(Continued on Page 4)
WHERE’S THE FIRE!
THEY CAN'T BE
GOING TO MY HOUSE -
I CLEANED IT UP
DURING CLEAN-UP
iunoNAi i(mw or me uHOEHMim