Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Seaport
Record
Seward's All-lVcalker Port is Alaska's Greatest Asset.
’ol. VII, No. 93
SEWARD.
ALASKA, TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1951
Price 10 cents
Auxiliary to Sell
'Buddy Poppies"
^ext Thursday
Volunteers for the American
Legion Auxiliary's Poppy Day
forces are being enrolled from
other organizations as well as
the Auxiliary’s own members,
Mrs. Grace M e r r i 11, Poppy
Chairman, announced t o d a y.
The volunteers will give part
or all of Thursday, May 24, to
the work of distributing memor
ial poppies to be worn in tribute
to the nation's war dead.
Other groups, which will am
the Legion Auxiliary in keep
ing the memory of the war dead
bright and in receiving contri
butions for the welfare of the
wars’ living victims, include the
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and
others. All will give their time
as unpaid volunteers.
“The enthusiastic response to
the Auxiliary’s call for Poppy
Day volunteers shows the
same patriotic spirit today that
they displayed in the wat
years,'' said Mrs. Merrill. 'Dis
tributing poppies on the streets
on Poppy Day requires real sac
rifice of time and energy, yet,
of course, it is nothing compar
ed to the sacrifice made for us
by all the men whom the poppy
honors, and by those still living
whom the poppy aids. Realiz
ing this, members of the Auxili
ary and other cooperating organ
izations are showing genuine
eagerness to do their part on
Poppy Day. I am sure they will
be met by the public with the
same spirit of patriotic remem
brance.”
Made by Veterans
Making memorial poppies to
be worn in honor of the war
dead is providing employment
lor thousands of disabled veter
ans in hospitals throughout the
country. The work not only en
ables the veterans to earn much
needed money, but also is valu
able occupational therapy. Pop
pies which will be worn in Sew
ard were made by patients at
the Veterans Hospital, Portland,
Oregon.
The flowers are made of crepe
paper with wire stems and are
accurate replicas of the wild
poppies of France and Belgium,
which grew in such profusion
on the battlefields of both world
wars. This “Flanders Fields"
poppy has been the memorial
flower of all English-speaking
countries ever since the first
World War. They arc an impor
tant source of funds for the wel
fare of the disabled veterans
and needy children of veterans.
The veterans work on the
flowers in their hospital beds,
wheel chairs, or in the hospital
hobby shops. In some states, spe
cial workrooms are maintained
by the Auxiliary where the dis
abled men outside the hospitals
are employed. The veterans de
velop great skill and speed in
shaping the flowers and are able
to earn substantial amounts with
out overtaxing their strength.
For them the poppy fills empty
hospital hours with interesting,
profitable employment.
JACK HOOGLAND BACK
FROM KOREAN WATERS
John W. Hoogland, seaman
apprentice, USN, of Seward has
returned to the United States
after more than seven months’
combat duty in Korean waters
aboard the landing ship tank
USS 715.
Decommissioned at the end of
World War II, the ship was re
commissioned at the start of the
Korean conflict and reported to
the Pacific Fleet Amphibious
Force. She took part in the as
saults on Inchon and Wonsan
and in the redeployment from
Hungnan.
Wanted: Group To
Buy "Dog Tags"
Eight hundred persons were
typed during the blood typing
program just completed in Sew
ard, including 427 school chil
dren. Each person was issued a
card bearing his type and RH
factor.
How long will school children
have their cards? To be effective
this important information must
be carried on the person at all
times. It is quite often the only
means of identification after a
fire or bombing. The only solu
tion is indestructible metal tags,
like those worn by the military.
Tags are worn by school chil
dren in Anchorage and other
cities which have completed the
program. They wear their "dog
tags” on a chain around the
neck, and soon feel quite un
dressed without them.
The machine for making the
metal tags is owned by an An
chorage' minister who will do
nate the use of it to Seward, but
it cannot be moved. Robert
Sharp, Anchorage city manager,
offered to donate the metal tags.
The services of a st°nograph< r
for four days to type the tags is
the only expense to Seward.
What organization or group is
willing to pay a stenographer to
make indestructible metal iden
tification tags for Seward chil
dren?
SEWARD NURSES HOLD
OFFICES IN ASSOCIATION
Three Seward nurses repre
sented profession and city in the
first annual Alaska Nurs.'s
Association meeting held in An
chorage last week.
A “no-hostess” luncheon was
held at Club 25 on May 18, at
tended by approximately 25
nurses. In the evening the annu
al meeting and election of offi
cers was held in the study hall
of Anchorage High School. By
laws and Constitution approved
by the American Nurses Associ
ation were adopted by the Alas
ka Nurses Association. Officers
elected for the coming yrftr
were: President, Elizabeth Fritz,
Anchorage; first vice president,
Bernadine White, Fairbanks;
second vice president. Josephine
Cohen, Anchorage: treasurer,
LaPreal Bie, Seward; secretary,
Lynette Mann, Anchorage: board
of directors, Magnhild Bogue,
Juneau; Florence Winchell. Mc
Grath; Dortha Claypool and Ma
bel Brude, Anchorage.
A vote of thanks was extend
ed by the entire group to the
retiring officers of the past year,
temporary chairmen Mabel
Brude and Dortha Claypool. Mel
ba Torvangcr and LaPreal Bie
of Seward were appointed chair
men of constitution and By laws
and Finance committees. Mrs.
Torvanger is also chairman of
the Service fund, with another
Seward nurse, Ann Duncan and
Mrs. Bie as committee members.
The Association accepted the
invitation of Seward nurses to
meet here for the next annual
convention which will be in Mav
1952.
PILOT AND AIRCRAFT
FORMS AVAILABLE
Forms for the registration of
pilots and aircraft are again
available from the Alaska High
way Patrol office in Seward.
An insufficient number of the
forms was sent here originally,
but this does not relieve pilots
and aircraft of the responsibility
of registering.
Armed Forces Day
Dance Poplar
With Young Fo!!<s
Many young people and sol
diers enjoyed dancing at the
Armed Forces Day dance last
Saturday night.
Hal Gilfilen was master of
ceremonies for the Fourth of
July Committee, sponsor of the
dance.
A four-piece orchestra played
until 1:00 a.m. In analyzing the
results, some committee mem
bers express:d surprise at the
apparent lack of support in the
effort to hold a celebration as
big as that of last year. “It is
hard to understand,” one man
commented, “why so many of
the leading families were so
conspicuously absent.”
T en-agers wore present in
unusually large numbers, how
ever, and the military was well
represented by the officers and
men of the 30th Topographical
Engineers. Everybody expressed
satisfaction at the quiet and or
derly conduct of the Army men,
and the affair as a whole.
Jets Did Fly Saturday
Saturday, being a legal holi
day, many Sewardites took the
opportunity to leave town. The
jet planes from Elmendorf ap
peared exactly on schedule at
2:23 in the afternoon. Flying
high, they could be heard for a
few seconds, but only glimpsed
through one hole in the clouds
over the Bay. Motorists reported
a good view of them over the
lake, however, to refute some
claims that the jets had not ap
peared in the promised salute
to Seward.
Prepare for 75 at
Recreation Center
Seward Recreation Center of
ficers and men will receive their
first guests of the season on
Thursday.
Facilities at the Center will
accommodate 75 persons, includ
ing quarters for 12 families.
Every sort of recreation is avail
able to the guests, but no plan
ned or supervised program will
be in force. Guests may do what
they like, visiting, sleeping, fish
ing, boating, hiking—-or nothing.
“This is a recreation and rest
center.’’ Captain Bistany stated
last week, “we do not intend to
force p; oplc to play if they don't
want to.”
GARBAGE COLLECTION TO
BE PUT ON CONTRACT
A decision was reached by the
city council Monday night to
put the collection of garbage
out on contract, and proposal
bids are open until 3 p.m. June
4.
This move was attempted sev
eral years, but at that time the
bidders were required to furn
ish a covered disposal truck,
and the movement failed. No
specifications as to the kind of
vehicle are asked this time, and
the successful bidder will be
awarded a three year contract.
Information as to the poten
tial income to be received on
such a contraet, can be based
upon present collection costs and
returns from the office of the
city clerk.
One time which should be
considered in the bid, is the
proposal of the city to establish
a new dumping ground outside
city limits, making a slightly
longer haul.
Lindsey Refused Cab
Easiness Licence
The application of Cecil Lind
sey for a business license to op
erate the fifth taxicab company
in Seward was definitely re
fused by the city council in reg
ular session last night.
Councilmen maintained their
belief in the legality of Ordi
nance 179 which limits the num
ber of licenses according to the
population. Lindsey was told
that he could purchase an exist
ing business, but could not set
up a new one.
An application for the fifth
license is already on file by an
other person, who has also been
r. fusnd until such time as the
population officially reaches
2500 within the corporate limits,
I indsry was told.
Independent School District
Considered
Other business discussed by
the council was the suggestion
of Councilwoman Kirkpatrick
to study the establishment of an
independent school district. At
torney Baumgartner was in
structed to investigate the ad
vantages of the system, which
would cover the outlying area
beyond the city limits.
• As it is now,” Mrs. Kirkpat
rick commented, ‘‘the city bears
the entire burden of school ex
penses. that should be shared by
the families of 50 or more chil
dren outside the city limits.”
For three months during the
past winter a special school bus
was run at city expense to trans
port about 18 children to the
city school, all of whom lived
off the regular Territorial bus
route.
Street Department
"With many thousands of dol
lars worth of new equipment,
the city streets are in terrible
condition,” two complainants
stated.
Fred Kielcheski was author
ized to put in as many hours as
die weather will permit, with
the grading equipment on the
streets. The city cannot compete
with the high wages being paid
by road construction companies
for heavy equipment operators.
As a consequence, all city ma
chines have been idle for over
three weeks, and the usual
street grading work done after
the spring break-up has not been
done Kielcheski is familiar with
this work and consented to take
on the extra duty in addition to
his duties as fire chief.
In reply to several verbal in
quiries as to the disposition of
sales tax monies, Mayor Lanier
stated that the public should be
informed, if it is not generally
known, that the city books are
always open to inspection by any
taxpayer. Between the hours of
10 a.m. and 3 p.m., any person
may consult the city clerk and
see the record of every transac
tion of city business. Actual
sales tax collections of business
houses is kept confidential, but
totals and expenditures are pub
lic information, as well as min
utes of all council meetings.
SEWARD MOOSE PASS ROAD
CLOSED 10 P.M. TO G A.M.
The road between Seward
and Moose Pass will be closed
until further notice from 10
p.m. until 6 a.m. except Sun
days starting Wednesday. May
23. due to blasting and high
way construction work be
tween Mile 7 and Mile 24. The
road will be open all Sunday
night.
Si ward was shocked by the
news of the death of Elwyn
Sw'etmann, president of the Bank
of Seward, early this morning,
in a Riverside, California hos
pital.
Mr. Swetmann was born in
P taluma, California, July 4,
1892. He attended St. Vincent's
Academy and school in Petalu
ma. During World War I, he
held a commission as 2nd Lt.
in the U. S. Army.
In 1919 Mr. Swetmann came
to Alaska, working for a few
months in Anchorage, but left
that city for Seward late in that
year. He worked as a pharma
cist for Alex MacDonald in the
drug store which he later pur
chased and owned until recent
years. He met and married Miss
Viola Triplett, who was teaching
school here, in 1920. After the
last war Mr. Switmann acquir
ed controlling interest in the
Bank of Seward.
Mr. and Mrs. Swetmann have
been the social leaders in Sew
ard for many years, both active
in church and social life. Mr.
Swetmann was Worshipful Mas
ter of the Seward Masonic Lodge
for three successive terms, and
also served as Worthy Patron
of Eastern Star. He was a char
ter member of both American
Legion Post No. 5 and of the
Seward Lions Club, where he
was largely responsible for the
$500 scholarship and loan fund
to Seward High School gradu
ates.
He was the owner of the Hopc
Hirshey mine in the Palmer
Creek Valley and interested in
several other mining ventures
in the Territory. He was a mem
ber of the Alaska Board of
Pharmacy and on the Board of
Directors of the newly formed
Alaska Visitors Association.
Elwyn Swetmann was consid
ered to be a hard and shrewd
businessman, but of unimpeach
able integrity. He was very mod
est and never allowed his many
kindnesses and charities to be
made known.
Mr. and Mrs. Swetmann have
gone back to California for the
past few years to escape the se
vere winters here, but always
returned with the Spring. He
will be burled in Riverside on
Thursday with Masonic honors.
He is survived by his wife. Viola,
one sister and three brothers,
all of San Francisco.
By request of the family, and
in keeping with his own wish
es, friends are to send no flow
ers. A Swetmann Memorial
Shelf will be set up in the Sew
ard Community Library which
will be far more lasting than
flowers.
MRS. LECHNER IMPROVING
IN HOSPITAL
Advice from Charles Lcchner,
Jr., is to the effect that he is
very much encouraged over the
condition of his mother, Mrs.
Charles Lechner, who is a pa
tient in Seward General Hos
pital.
Mrs. Lechner entered the hos
pital Friday, and has been very
ill. Complete quiet is necessary
for her recovery, and she is al
lowed no visitors, but the word
is that she is improving.
LAND OFFICE OFFICIAL
ON BUSINESS HERE
Victor Fisher, townsite plan
ner for the Bureau of Land
Management, Anchorage, ar
rived in Seward today.
He will consult with the city
council and give assistance in
land problems in this area.