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Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e 0 P 0 r t
Record
Sezvard’s A HAPeather Port is Alaska’s Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X, No. 2
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1953
Price 10 Cents
Hatch Wins 1953
Mt. Marathon Race
Hatch Regains Title
Ralph Hatch, Seward's own
entry in the Mt. Marathon race,
came in first after 54 minutes
56.5 seconds, to regain the title
which he held in 1950 for five
consecutive wins. This makes
his sixth win out of eight runs.
Ironically enough Hatch held
the ticketed guess on the near
est to winning time, but refused
to accept payment, because of
his position as one of the racers.
The winning time ticket was
awarded to E. F. Lambert on
his guess of 54:56.8. He collect
ed S800.
In 1951 and '52 Hatch lost to
Don Stickman of Ruby, Alaska,
who incidentally made a record
run for the present course of
53:56 in 1952. Stickman took
a bad fall on the descent which
stopped him on the mountain
momentarily, but he recovered
and continued the run in second
place only to lose it to Sven
Johanson in the last few feet.
Watchers from the town below
gasped in surprise when Hatch
took to the snow patch of about
300 yards at the top of Mara
thon on his downward trip.
The others followed his lead.
They jumped onto the drift and
slid on their pants to its base
when they were forced to take
to the shale and run the rest of
the way. As the snow—the only
remaining remnant on the moun
tain—coves an almost perpen
dicular incline they shot down
with a speed so great that they
were hard to recognize as men
from the streets in town. It was
a most spectacular race.
HATCH'S WINNING TIMES:
Paredo Winners:
The 4th of July Parade was
“bigger and better" this year, as
promised. Following are the
prize winners as judged by
Mrs. Pearl Milrov. Walter Blue
and Tom Jones.
Commercial:
1st prize: Forward with Sew
ard, Northwest Freight Lines.
2nd prize. Looking for Sour
dough Transfer, Mrs. George
Everitt. 3rd prize: S.S. Baranof.
Alaska Steam.
Non-Commercial, Adult:
1st prize, S.S. Jelp. APR Sec
tion Gang. 2nd prize, Moose
Gooser. Schaefermeyer Bros. 3rd
prize, Kitchen Band, American
Legion Auxiliary.
Non-Commercial, Juvenile
1st prize, 4-H Club. 2nd prize,
Gateway City, Girl Scouts. 3rd
prize, Rainbow Girls.
Miscellaneous
2nd Buggy, Joan McCann; 1st
Buggies, Carol Hatch and Joe
Ellen Folz: Best Pet, Gail Mc
Cann; Best Costume, Chief Man
nytrees, Forest Nelson.
A special prize was won by
the children representing the
Mart Variety with their safety
campaign and a prize was issued
to all other children entering
the parade and helping to make
it a success.
Schaefermeyer Bros, also won
a prize for the most unusual
entry and the ARR Section Gang
received the Sweepstakes prize.
In issuing the prizes, Frank
Roberts gave special thanks to
all entries for making it the
biggest and best parade and
disclaimed any credit to himself.
The 4th of July Committee feels
differently about it, however.
Their thanks to Frank Roberts
(with the help of his wife) for
all their time and effort.
Three little people who were
awarded prizes in the parade
but who failed to pick thorn up.
One clown and two little girls.
If you did not gel your prize,
have mother contact Frank Rob
erts. He's looking for you but
doesn't know your names!
1940
1947
1948
1949
1950
1953
WANTED
Race Entries:
The following named men fin
ished the Mt. Marathon race
Saturday, given in order of plac
ing at finish.
Official time was kept only
on the first three who received
$800, $400 and $200 in order of
finish time.
1. Ralph Hatch, Seward, 54:
56.5.
2. Sven Johansan, Sweden
and Anchorage, 55:46.
3. Don Stickman, Ruby, Alas
ka. 55:47.
4. Keene Frick, Forest Grove,
Oregon.
5. F. G. Randell. Lazy Moun
tain Home, Palmer. Alaska.
6. Sidney Lindeke, Lazy
Mountain Home. Palmer. Alaska.
7. Edward Robinson. Jr., Sew
ard.
8. G. L. O'Brien, Elmendorf
Air Force Base.
9. Jan D. Brewer, Anchorage.
10. D. K. Hendrickson, El
mendorf Air Force Base.
11. Don Hazlett, Houghton,
New York.
12. Duncan Jamason. Juneau.
Alaska.
13. Jack K. Tuttle. Fort Rich
ardson.
14. J. W. Coleman. Fairbanks
and Seward.
15. Neil Holmberg, Seattle.
Fifteen out of the nineteen
registered entrants finished the
race.
Judge at the peak, Charlie
Peterson.
Judges at finish line, Carl R.
Carlson. Carl Orlander, Irwin
Metcalf.
With walkie-talkies from Fort
Richardson. A1 Goebel. Dick
Grant and Fred Meagher.
Winning time ticket, E. F.
Lambert.
Sidelights on the
Runners
Champion Hatch is a Seward
man, employed by the ARR. He
is married and the father of
three children. His parents grew
up in Jesse Lee Home and have
lived for many years in this city
and general area. He is easily
the most popular figure in Sew
ard. Naturally shy and reserved,
he nevertheless accepted the
first place trophy and the per
manent trophy (given after a
3-time win) with a grin and
great pride in his accomplish
ment. He is a veteran of World
War II.
Don Slickman, an Athabasca
Indian from Ruby, also shows
the shyness characteristic of his
race. He took the prize from
Hatch for the past two years
but dropped to third place this
year. He is a licensed commer
cial pilot and flys his own plane.
He is married and has two chil
dren.
£tickman spends the winter
flying and trapping in his north
country home, depending upon
snowshoes and dogteam for his
ground travel. He is a very inter
esting person who expects to
try again next year.
Not much is known about
Sven Johanson except that he
is from Sweden in recent years
and now lives in Anchorage.
He is a champion in the cross
country ski group, having taken
prizes in the States last year
in that field. He is said to have
around 200 prizes for racing in
Sweden. From his appearance
it is easy to see that he can out
run any ordinary man on the
level. He is also expected to
try the mountain again next
year.
Keene Frick, age 46, a resi
dent of Forest Grove, Oregon,
proved a big surprise to every
one. He was the first to reach
the peak with the unprecedent
ed time of 42:40. He was not
familiar with the mountain,
however, and had not planned
his descent. By the time he de
cided how to get down, the
others had rounded the peak and
started own. Frick came in 4th
at the finish line. If this man
runs next year he will be defi
nite competition.
Washington
News-Letter
By Mary Lee Council
July 2, 1953
WHITTIER
Although no official an
nouncement lias yet been made,
Delegate Bartlett has been ad
vised informally by Defense
Department officials that a de
cision has been reached to re
build the facilities at Whittier
recently destroyed by fire.
DIRECT HOUSING LOANS
TO VETERANS
Early action by the President
is expected in signing into law
legislation sent to him this week
which would extend for one
year the program of direct hous
ing loans to veterans.
The present law, which ex
pired on June 30, would be
amended to operate until June
30 of next year. The bill auth
orizes an increase from 4 to 4'^
per cent in the interest rates
on such loans and permits $100
million additional to be avail
able for the program, based on
quarterly a-lotm nts of $25 mil
lion.
Up through the April 1 allot
ment this year, Alaska’s share
of the program was $3,834,000.
An additional allotment of $30,
000 was made to the Ti rritory
on May 22 and it is anticipated
that soon after the President
approves the legislation an ad
ditional $200,000 will be made
available for Alaska veterans.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
INVESTIGATIONS
The field work in Alaska
which will be carried out by the
Mineral Classification, Water
and Power Branches. Geologic.
Water Resources and Topograph
ic Divisions of the Survey of
particular interest to Seward
are:
Survey of the Kcnai River
from the outlet of Kenai Lake
to the head of Skiiak Lake, in
cluding one or more dam-site
surveys:
Mapping of the Kasilof River
from its mouth to Moosehcad
Rapids, including one dam-site
survey;
A dam-site survey below the
confluence of the North and
South Forks of the Anchor
River;
Reconnaissance coal examina
tions in The Alaska Railroad
Belt;
Continuation of the investiga
tions of the geology and mineral
deposits of Prince William
Sound region started last year;
Sediment discharge investiga
tions in the Tanana River and
Copper River basins and on the
Kenai Peninsula from which it
is planned intensive river basin
studies will stem;
Topographic mapping in the
Kantishna* River, Melozitna, Ta
nana. Fairbanks, Healy and Mt.
McKinley areas and in the Sew
ard. Kenai, Tvonek, Blying
Sound and Seldovia areas, a
considerable amount to be per
formed by helicopters.
HOUSING LOANS
Legislation permitting private
lenders in Alaska to make cer
tain Federal Housing Adminis
tration-insured loans on the
same terms as made by .the Al
aska Housing Authority was ap
proved this week by Congress
and signed by the President the
same day.
Tlie provisions were included
in the legislation amending the
National Honsing Act.
(Turn to Page 4)
Acknowledgment:
To the Business & Professional
Women's Club for their activity
in collection funds for prizes;
To the Longshoremen's Un
ions for contributing so gener
ously to children's awards;
To the American Legion Aux
iliary for handling of ticket
sales;
To members of the Culinary
Union for their generous con
tribution;
And to all the others who
contributed so handsomely in
time and money to make the
1053 Fourth of July Celebration
a sticeess:
Our heartfelt thanks! It was a
pleasure to work with and for
you.
SEWARD FOURTH OF JULY
COMMITTEE
No Sign of Volcanic
Clouds in Seward
Sewardites watched the skies
all day Thursday dreading the
appearance of the cloud of vol
canic ash that was enveloping
Anchorage.
Stories flooded the town by
noon of the conditions in the
big city just 128 miles away and
every radio was tuned to the
news.
A brilliant sunset reflecting
on the high particles of volcanic
ash was the only evidence here
of the eruption.
By Friday, however, the sun
was obscured by haze which
was supposed to be left over
from Thursday's cloud. A brisk
south wind on Thursday and
Friday was thought to have kept
the worst of the flying ash out
of this region.
DRIVERS LICENSE DUE
The City Clerk reminds mo
torists that the C;ly driver's li
cense is due as of July 1, 1353.
License may be obtained at the
office of the City Clerk for SI.
Reporter's
Notebook
Fire Chief Fred Kieleheski
reports that tire 4th of July
Committee left the Civic Center
in the most orderly and clean
est condition of any group to
have used the building. So much
so, Mr. Kieleheski thinks, that
the situation warrants a public
compliment.
Sharon Jones and Chuck Barr
are announcing their engaga
ment. Wedding to be in August.
More later.
Marjorie Turnbull and her
mother, Mrs. George Turnbull,
got a full view of the volcanic
eruption effect in Anchorage
Thursday. They went up by bus
in the morning to put Marjorie
on the plane. She is going to
Kelso, Washington, to visit her
brother until school starts.
Because planes were not fly
ing, even on Friday, they had to
spend the night and wait until
Marjorie can get a plane out.
Bob Hakes and Helen, his
wife, leave Seward with Fred
Wilmans Saturday for a pros
pecting and assessment trip in
the mountains north of Anchor
age. They hope to avoid the dan
gerous volcanic region by going
around it. but may see some of
the effects of the eruption.
It has come to our attention
several times lately that Seward
has one enthusiastic booster
who does more than talk. Miss
Lily Stevens, Home Ee. teacher,
Seward High School, is spend
ing her vacation in town this
year. She has been very nice
to tourists, it is reported, tak
ing various ones on trips in her
own car to points of interest—
Jesse Lee, the Sanatorium, etc.
In this busy work-a-day town
it is gratifying to have someone
take a personal interest in show
ing friendliness to strangers.
Moose Pass Class
In First Aid
Honors Instructor
The safety conscious people
ot Moose Pass have been attend
ing a class in standard first aid
for the past eight weeks. It is
conducted by Mildred Kirkpat
rick, instructor, under auspices
of the Seward Red Cross chap
ter.
The class, held each Wednes
day, will end next week with a
series of outdoor problems posed
by the instructor and designed to
cover all emergencies the first
aiders are likely to encounter.
In addition to the standard
course, Mrs. Kirkpatrick has also
prepared several boys and girls
under 16 years of ape for cer
tificates in junior first aid.
After class last Wednesday
evening, the class presented the
instructor with a beautiful peice
of Alaskan jewelry, in the form
of a frog made of gold nuggets.
“This has been a most recep
tive class,” Mrs. Kirkpatrick
stated. “It was gratifying to find
them so eager to learn and so
conscious of the need for a safety
program.”
'Tiny' Trakowski Killed In
Washington Plane Crash
Army Rec Center
Reopens July 15
A big barge APL 55 called the
‘ Apple" by its occupants docked
at the cement pier of Seward
Fish & Cold Storage plant this
week. It is to house the port
transport crews and Army per
sonnel now working on the
docks in Seward.
Use of the barge for housing
releases the facilities of the
Seward Recreation Center,
which was closed at the time
of the Whittier fire to house
the crews.
The Rec Center is now being
made ready the second time for
recreation use by military per
sonnel. Plans call for reopening
of the Center next week. July
15. for the remainder of the
summer.
DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN?
Anyone knowing the where
abouts of William Struve is
asked to contact Earl M. Greg
ory, attorney at law, Seward.
Kenai Group Forms
N.R.A. Chapter
Kent Cummings, Kcnai, Al
aska, has been elected president
of Kenai's new senior shooting
group, the Kenai Sportsmen's
Club, the National Rifle Asso
ciation announced in Washing
ton, D.C.
Instructor for the newly char
tered club is Vernon Nelson,
Kenai. Officers, all of Kenai, are
Alan Peterson, vice president;
Morris Porter, executive officer;
and James Bevan, secretary and
treasurer.
The new shooting club joins
thousands of others similarly
chartered by the National Rifle
Association in the promotion of
competitive shooting and the
teaching of safe firearms han
dling for all in the community.
Members will compete for fir
ing honors in a series of regis
tered tournaments on the club's
ranges.
Lcclics: Repori Name
Changes to 5.S.A.
“June, the month of brides is
over,'’ says James G. Browne,
manager ox the Social Security
Field Office in Juneau. “Oniy
the Bureau of Vital Statistics
can tell us how otter, during the
month a "miss" became a “mrs."
Actually, we do not care.”
"However, the Social Security
Administration does care if you
change your name. We want to
know about it so that we can
change our records and your
card," says Mr. Browne.
“A Social Security account is
something like a bank account,”
he states. "If it belongs to Miss
Jones, we cannot post credits to
it for Mrs. Smith. Unless we
have been officially informed,
we really do not know that Miss
Jones and Mrs. Smith are the
same person. Mrs. Smith may
work and pay Social Security
tax, but we cannot credit her
account since it was issued to
Miss Jones.
"It is very easy to change your
name in the records,” Browne
continues. “A simple form,
which takes a couple of minutes
to complete, is all that is re
quired.”
These forms can be obtained
at any Social Security Adminis
tration Field Office. The Juneau
Field Office is located at 104
Front Street, Box 1331, Juneau.
MARATHON CAFE UNDER
NEW MANAGEMENT
Milton Broadwell, a former
Anchorage restaurant operator,
took over management of the
Marathon Cafe Friday. Mr.
Broadwell is also a chef.
There is to be considerable
remodelling and painting in the
building. Mr. Broadwell states,
but opening of the cafe would
net be delayed for this work.
Broadwell is known in An
chorage and the Territory as a
sourdough hotoako specialist.
These will, of course, be on the
menu.
Friends in Seward waiting for
the return of Vern (Tiny) Tra
kowski this week were shocked
to hear of his death in a plane
crash instead.
His body was discovered in
the wreckage of his Seabee
plane near the Newaukum River,
15 miles east of Chehalis, Wash.
Trakowski had left Bishop, Cal
ifornia for Seattle on Wednes
day, July 1, where he was to
join his wife Bernie and daugh
ter Susan for the trip to Seward.
Mrs. Trakowski and Tiny's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Tra
kowski, and Susan had gone
by car to Seattle for the take
off to Alaska. When Tiny failed
to keep his appointment with
them, his wife reported him
missing. Coast Guard and air
rescue planes from Hamilton
Field, Calif., began a search
which ended when the Washing
ton State Patrol reported the
wreckage was located by a for
estry crew working in the area
of Chehalis.
The plane had not burned and
indications were that Trakowski
had run out of gas. This was
not the plane he used in Sew
ard, but one he had purchased
at Bishop for use in his work
of flying fish-trap patrol in the
Prince William Sound area. He
has done the patrol for the past
two years.
The Trakowski home at Sew
ard airport is well known to
every flier and resident of town.
They were always obliging with
the use of their telephone and
in rainy weather passengers
crowded into the little house for
shelter and were made welcome.
Tiny was the "indestructible"
type who was perfectly familiar
with Alaska flying and was
proud of the fact that he had
never lost a passenger. He oper
ated the Alaska Scenic Air Serv
ice from Seward. Hundreds of
Alaskans and Stateside tourists
have flown with him to all parts
of the Territory.
Tiny was also known in Sew
ard for having served as relief
man with the Seward Police De
partment.
His friend and associate in
the business. Harry D. Hall, lost
his life in the crash of a similar
plane just 10 months to the day
before the death of Trakowski
and shortly before the Trakow
skis left Seward for the winter
touring the States.
Nothing has been heard by
friends here as to Mrs. Trakow
ski s plans now, but it is ex
pected that she may come home
to dispose of their property.
Letter 'R' Does Net
Apply To Clams
The letter “r” may be ttfe
guide to the months to eat oy
sters, but Alaska butter clams
are firm and tasty the year
around, according to John A.
Dassow and Ray Landgraf, Jr.,
of the Fishery Products Labora
tory in Ketchikan.
Spring clams have a slighter
stronger flavor because of the
green algae on which the clams
feed during this season, Dassow
said. Alaskans may take clams
at any time of year, although
the season is closed to commer
cial fishermen from April 15 to
September 15, the spawning per
iod.
Shellfish toxin or poison oc
curs at certain periods during
the year on the Atlantic and Pa
cific coasts; however, in Alaska
clams and mussels may contain
a poisonous substance at any
time of year. Clams from most
beaches in Southeastern Alaska
contain little of this toxin and
are perfectly safe. Clams from
other beaches may be unsafe
to eat raw at any time. One
soph beach is on Roberts Island
near Cape Faashaw. Clam dig
gers should be cautious in the
use of clams from untested
beaches.
Since most of the poison is in
the neck or siphon of the clam,
the cook should pull off the
necks, rather than cut them off,
and throw them away. C’am
necks should not be fed to cats
because they are poisoned by the
toxic substance.
“The Seward economic pic
ture as a port must stand more
■or less on its own, and AnchoT
age likewise,” Fred Axford, An
chorage Port Committee direc
tor told members of the Seward
Chamber of Commerce here
Tuesday.
WE, (Anchorage) arc not op
posed to the facility in Seward,”
Axforcl went on. “In my opinion
we have no quarrel with Sew
ard.”
Axford was one of a group of
five from Anchorage who were
guests of the Seward Chamber
in a return visit. Win Ervin and
Charles Malin, chairman and
member of the Board of Direc
tors of the local Chamber of
Commerce, attended the An
chorage meeting last week.
Others of the Anchorage group
were John Croul, manager; Bob
Baker; Augie Hebert, president
of the Anchorage C. of C.; and
Hal Knudson, KENI program
director.
Heberl staled that the visit
was made in an effort "to create
a better era of understanding."
They will visit other cities, he
said, and that Seward was the
first of a series.
In speaking of the proposed
Anchorage port facilities. Hebert
commented that "what benefits
one place eventually benefits
another." He dwelt at some
length upon the "great poten
tial" developing with comple
tion of the highway between the
two cities, and suggested that
Seward concentrate upon the
tourist industry. He promised
the wholehearted aid of the An
chorage Chamber of Commerce
in development of that business
on the Peninsula.
Bob Baker, First National
Bank of Anchorage, assured the
Seward peonle that this was a
“Friendship trip” and that there
is “no animosity in Anchorage.”
He then spoke of Tommy Bie
as having done a wonderful job
in creating friendship in An
chorage. “Everybody in Anchor
age loves Tommy and has great
respect for him,” Baker de
clared.
In speaking of port facilities.
Baker slated that if it is proven
to be practical. Anchorage prob
ably will have a port of its own.
He cited the number of ports
around the harbors of Seattle
and San Francisco as proof that
a large number of ports can
exist in close proximity without
interfering with one another.
John Croul stated that "we
are facing a lot of very tough
decisions in the railbelt" in the
next few years. Very fine nat
ural resources are considered
marginal, he explained, because
of transportation difficulties and
the high cost of working them.
After the military boom has
ended. Anchorage will be the
"back scratching center" for
wholesale distribution, the "solid
economic future for us all."
The only comment made by
Seward to the speeches was
given by Tormod Bie, president
of the Seward Chamber.
"We are not in opposition to
the Anchorage port program,"
Bie stated, "but the thing that
concerns us now !s the money
already budgeted by She Senate
Appropriations Committee. Ir is
too late for you to get anything
done this year by Congress, but
it is not too late to lose it for us.
"If too much H—(hullabaloo)
is raised now about ports and
appropriations in A’aska, we
may all lose out," Bie declared.
In a meeting of the Board of
Directors following the lunch
eon, the two groups agreed to
work together to obtain the pro
posed hydro-power projects on
Kenai Peninsula and to promote
the tourist industry to the bene
fit of both cities.
MARTIN BROOKS EARNS
'DOLPHINS' EMBLEM
PACIFIC FLEET (FlITNC)—
Martin K. Brooks, gunner's mate
second class, USN, son of Mr.
and Mrs. A. R. Brooks of this
city, and husband of Mrs. Lois
A. Brooks of Honolulu, T. H.,
has won the right to wear the
“Dolphins” of the submarine
service when he qualified in
submarines aboard the sub
marine USS Besugo.
The “Dolphins” are awarded
upon the conclusion of a course
which includes the mechanical
and electrical operation of the
modern submarine. Brooks, as
a qualified submariner, is cap
able of performing the duties of
any of his shipmates.