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Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
VOl.
A,
JNO. 43
SEWARD, ALASKA, FjUDAY, APRIL 23, 1954
Price 10 Gents
I Paving of 3rd, 4th Avenues
Planned For Summer
The big news in Seward this
week is the paving project to
be undertaken by the City of
Seward during the summer
months.
This project brought about by
the Chamber of Commerce, with
the cooperation of the City, is
to include paving:
Third Avenue, from the present
terminal of the pavement on
the Seward-Anchorage High
way to Railroad Street; and
Fourth Avenue, from “D” Street
to Railroad Street.
Also cross sections between
Third and Fourth Avenues on:
Washington, Adams, Church St.,
Madison, Monroe. “B”, and “D”
Streets. The width of paving on
the roadwey is to be 22 feet. All
the rest, excepting Fourth Ave.
from Railroad to Jefferson, will
be paved curb to curb.
The estimate cost of paving,
which will be the bituminous
asphalt type, is $100,000. Those
areas having the 22 ft. pavement,
will not exceed more than $5.00
per front foot, according to City
Mgr. O'Hara, and those areas
which are paved from curb to
curb, will not run more than
$10.00 per front ft. The asphalt
has been ordered aggregate, and
has been made available to the '
at low cost.
Mr. O’Hara also stated that
overall plans of this paving pro
gram calls for considerable
saving over what it would be,
if the work was let to contrac
tors on bid. \
The proposed financing me
thod is that the City pay one
third of the cost and the pro
perty owners the other two
thirds. When the assessment roll
is prepared, Mr. O’Hara said,
the opportunity will be given
to pay in full for their share
of the paving, but if unable to
pay cash, they will be presented
the opportunity to make a down
payment of one-third of the as
sessment and the balance in
twelve equal monthly install
ments.
The city proposes to borrow
the remaining amount needed
on. the assessment rolls from
the local bank. Property owners
making time payments for their
share of the assessments, will
pay directly to the city.
It is the city's intent to do
all of the cut and fill work,
grading and sub-grade work un
der competent supervision. They
propose to rent the equipment
and crews of a paving contrac
tor to lay the paving.
If the petitions, now in pre
paration, are completed by May
first, Mr. O'Hara stated, the pro
ject will commence at that time,
and be completed in the latter
part of June. The total project
will include three miles of pav
ing.
Frank Roberts, Chairman of
the Public Relations Committee
of the Chamber of Commerce,
stated in a recent interview on
the paving project, that there
are several reasons for the eager
ness of the Chamber to push the
program through as quickly as
possible at this time. One reason,
he said,is that the City has the
opportunity now of getting the
asphalt aggregate, and another
reason is that Rogers Babler Co.
equipment, which the City pro
poses to lease will be nearby
this year, in the completion of
the Seward-Anchorage Highway
paving project, and thus will
be less costly to transport to
the city paving job.
The proposed plan of the City,
Mr. Roberts stated, will con
form to the plans which the
City hopes to enjoy later, under
the Alaska Public Works Pro
gram. The proposed City pro
gram, he said, is not a part
of the Alaska Public Works Pro
gram, but will fit in with later
plans of the APW for a com
plete paving project.
Both Mr. O’Hara and Mr.
Roberts expressed confidence,
that the project will be com
pleted this year.
IF THE TRUTH WERE OUT—
They are still having a lot of
arguing in Washington on
whether Alaska and Hawaii
should be given statehood. Both
territories have been excellent
places for congressmen to visit
(on official missions) to make
investigations on whether state
hood should be granted. There
are some of the congressmen
who have not made the trips
and many miss out if statehood
is granted at this time.
—Idaho County Free Press
COAST GUARD TO ACCEPT
PORT SECURITY CARD
APPLICATIONS
On 3 May 1954 a Coast Guard
representative will arrive in
Seward for the purpose of ac
cepting applications for Coast
Guard Port Security Cards from
eligible longshoremen, truckers,
hoist operators and all other cat
egories of workmen employed
on the waterfront or in connec
tion with waterfront activities.
Prior to his arrival in Seward,
the Coast Guard representative
will contact Mrs. Anna B. South
ard for the purpose of arrang
ing for office space for the dura
tion of his stay in Seward.
The Coast Guard'representa
tive will be in Seward for a
limited period of time for the
purpose of accepting the appli
cations. The applicants should
have proof of citizenship, which
may be a birth certificate, bap
tismal papers, certificate of nat
uralization, certificate of physi
cian attending the birth of ap
plicant, U.S. passport, a com
mission in one of the Armed
Forces of the United States,
school records or an insurance
policy which is at least ten years
old. The applicant must also
furnish two photographs which
are readily recognizable as that
of the applicant, and which must
measure one inch by one and
five-sixteenths inches in size.
The application form must be
signed by a sponsor, who is
normally his employer, or the
head of his unfon. Persons who
operate their own business and
are self-employed may sponsor
themselves and indicate their
line of employment.
Washington
News-Letter
By Mary Lee Council
Secretary to Delegate Bartlett
ALASKA LEGISLATION
Legislation providing for ap
pointment of deputy United
States Commissioners in Alaska
and a bill to permit removal of
volcanic ash from certain por
tions of Katmai National Monu
ment were signed into law this
week by the President.
The first measure was spon
sored by Delegate Bartlett and
the second by Congressman
D'Ewart of Montana. In addition,
the Senate received from its Ju
diciary Committee a favorable
report on Delegate Bartlett's
measure to reimbruse five per
sons, four now living in the Ter
ritory, for personal effects lost
almost four years ago when two
government boats capsized in the
Susitna River. It is anticipated
this bill will go soon to the
White House, having passed the
House a year ago.
Deputy commissioners under
the new law are to be appointed
by the judges of the District
Court in Alaska and their fees
are to be paid from receipts of
the commissioners’ offices in the
precincts for which they are ap
pointed. The fees would be fixed
by the judge concerned with the
approval of the Director of the
Administrative Office of the
United States Courts. The pro
visions of the law sponsored by
Delegate Bartlett were endorsed
by the Judicial Conference of
the United States, the district
judges of Alaska, the Adminis
trative Office of the United
States Courts and the Interior
Department. There are approxi
mately 65 United States Com
missioners in Alaska, and it is
estimated by the Senate Interior
and Insular Affairs Committee
that there is a need at the pres
ent time for at least four or five
deputies. “Each of the . . . com
missioners,” the Senate commit
tee pointed out, “is required to
perform not only all the duties
and exercise all of the powers,
civil and criminal, imposed or
conferred on a United States
Commissioner by the general
laws of the United States but
also those conferred by special
laws applicable only in Alaska.
An Alaskan commissioner ex of
ficio has the powers of a justice
of the peace, recorder, probate
judge and coroner. He also has
the power to grant 'writs of
habeas corpus returnable to the
district court. The Alaskan com
missioners also have the powers
of notaries public.
“Commissioners in Alaska
keep and maintain public rec
ords and vital statistics; make
adjuications of insanity; appoint
guardians for minors, insane
(Turn to Page 4)
SEWARDITES SEEKING ELECTION
WINFIELD ERVIN
Winfield Ervin, Jr., who is a
candidate for the Territorial
House of Representatives on the
Republican ticket, is one of
Seward’s leading business men,
being at the present time owner
and operator of Win Ervin Motor
Company here.
Winfield Ervin
Born in Portland, Oregon in
1902, Mr. Ervin came to Alaska
with his parents when he was
14 years aid. His family went to
Anchorage where he received
his early education. After high
school, the candidate attended
the University of Washington,
and then came back to Anchor
age to live.
Mr. Ervin came to Seward
early in 1952. He is president of
the Seward Chamber of Com
merce, a member of the Seward
Elks, and has been district g6v
ernor of Alaska and Yukon Ter
ritory for Lions International.
In his campaign for Territorial
office, Ervin endorses the Re
publican platform adopted at
Palmer and believes “we should
have more roads immediately to
develop Alaska, more schools to
properly educate our children of
today and future Alaska citizens,
and that we should have more
hospitals to insure their lives."
Truckers Advocate
Port Commission
Paul L. Gagnon, treasurer of
the Alaska Motor Transport As
sociation speaking at the group's
first annual banquet in Anchor
age earlier this week, hurled
charges of discrimination against
the Alaska Railroad.
"This discrimination against
the trucking industry is causing
a bottleneck at Seward that is
nothing short of public scandal.”
Gagnon spoke before a large
representative audience of truck
firms in Alaska.
While large trucks are not al
lowed on. the railroad dock at
Seward, on the railroads con
tention that the dock is not safe
far trucks, Gagnon went on to
say, that truckers have seen as
many as 30 loaded freight cars
and switch engines on the dock
at one time.
Attacking the railroad for
banning trucks from the dock,
from the hours of midnight to
8 a.m., and for charging $3.75
per ton for loading cargo be
tween the hours of 5 p.m. to
midnight. He stated that whar
fage at Seward was increased to
such a figure, for local shipments
destined for points beyond Sew
ard, that no trucker can possi
bly haul them at a profit.
He termed the policy short
sighted that failed to provide
trucking facilities at the new
$2,900,00 dock at Seward.
Charging the Railroad with
giving truckers the “runaround"
concerning dock operations at
the Army Dock, he affirmed that
“the Seward bottleneck must be
broken. The people of Alaska
have a right to equal use of fa
cilities at Seward.
“Now here is the way to give
the people of Alaska the break
they need:
“A fine modem dock, called
the Army Dock, stands virtually
unused. On inquiry we learned
from the Army that Alaska Rail
road leases and controls the
dock. From the Railroad we
learn that the dock is under the
supervision of the Army.
“Now we would like to sug
gest that the people—the tax
paying people of Alaska—the
people who in the end pay the
price—that they demand that
order be brought out of chaos at
Seward. We think that the Alas
ka Railroad should have a new
dock 90 that it can reduce costs
to the ultimate consumer. And
(Turn to Page 4)
SENATE APPROVES
A.R.R. FUNDS
Speaking from Washington,
D.C., Alaska’s Delegate to Con
gress, E. L. (Bob) Bartlett called
Mayor Russell Painter on the
telephone to announce the Sen
ate approval of two major ap
propriations for the Seward area.
The appropriations amounted
to two million nine hundred
thousand dollars for a new dock
at Seward, and four million five
hundred ninety four thousand
for rehabilitation'of the Seward
end of The Alaska Railroad.
Announcing the Delegate’s
call, Seward’s youthful mayor
expressed his gratitude to Dele
gate Bartlett for efforts in behalf
of Seward and the rest of Al
aska.
“Bartlett has been the friend
of the people all the way,” he
said. “He has never let Seward
down, and he has never let the
people of Alaska down.”
Mr. Painter also expressed his
relief that rehabilitation of The
Alaska Railroad is now an ac
complished fact.
“Ever since I was a young
ster,” said Mr. Painter, “that
threat of having the Alaska Rail
road discontinued has been
hanging over the heads of the
Seward Citizens. Now they can
relax and start building homes
and making plans to send their
children to school ancl devote
themselves to the improving of
our town. Sewardites who love
Seward and really want to re
main here can make up their
minds to be here from now on.
That railroad threat has kept
alot of fine folks from pitching
in and helping to improve this
town. Now we can all relax and
concentrate on making Seward
what it should be,‘The Garden
Spot of Alaska'.”
RUSSELL PAINTER
Mr. Painter, who is candidate
for the House of Representatives,
grew up in Seward. Before he
was elected to* the oltice ot
mayor, he served six years on
the City Council.
He is a member of the Ameri
can Legion, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, is vice-president of the
League of Alaskan Cities, and is
also Exalted Ruler of the Sew
ard Elks Lodge.
He is one of Seward's leading
business men. being owner and
operator of the City Express, a
local trucking firm, which he
purchased from his father in
1941.
Mr. Painter is a veteran of
World War II. is a Democrat and
endorses his party's platform in
its entirety.
He is married and has four
children.
FORMER SEW AEDITE IS
ELECTED MAYOR
OF UNION EAY VILLAGE
John B. Neal, a former Sew
ard resident, has been elected
mayor of Union Bay Village,
the University of Washington
married veteran’s housing unit.
Neal, an honor student, is a
senior majoring in Journalism.
He will take over his duties as
mayor of the village immediatly.
Union Bay Village has approx
imateily 1500 residents.
He is married to Grace Blatch
ford Neal whose parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Percy Blatchford Sr.,_
live here in Seward.
The new mayor will continue
his studies at Columbia Univer
sity in New York when ho
is graduated from his present
school.
He came to Alaska as an Army
Intelligence Officer in 1944.
After serving 17 months as as
sistant Post Intelligence Officer
at Attu, he was transferred to
the governor’s office at Juneau,
as a military aide. Most of his
work, however, was as an in
structor to the Alaska Terri
torial .Guard units near the
Bering Sea coast.
After the war, Neal returned
to the outside where he re
mained until discharge from the
Army in 1949. He returned to
Alaska to live in Sitka until he
moved to Seward a year later.
He entered the University of
Washington in the fall of 1951.
SEWARD MAN RECEIVES
DEGREE FROM U. of WASH.
More than 375 University of
Washington students received
bachelor’s degrees, teaching and
nursing certificates, and advanc
ed degrees Winter Quarter, Mrs.
Ethelyn Toner, registrar, an
nounced last week.
Among those receiving bache
lor’s degrees was Jack Allen
Erwin, bachelor of arts (mathe
matics), Seward.
PAUL NELSON
Paul Nelson, Republican Can
didate for the House of Repre
sentatives, is 39 years old, mar
ried and has four children. He
has a Bachelor’s Degree in Busi
ness Administration from the
University of Nebraska and a
Master's Degree in Hospital Ad
ministration from Northwestern
University. He is a veteran of
World War II, has lived in Alas
ka for nine years, and at the
present time is administrator of
Seward Sanatorium.
He goes on record to say, “I
believe that the right of good
health belongs
everyone# The
means for a
chieving good
health should be
accessible to all.
A person’s loca
tion, occupation,
age, race, creed,
or financial
status should
not bar him
from this access.
“There is a
good deal o f
thinking in our Federal Govern
ment at this time in connection
with health legislation _and we
need someone in our own legisla
ture to guide the planning of our
legislation. I believe it can be
said that the status of health of
the people of Alaska is worse
than in any other state or posses
sion under the United States
flag.
“Our platform calls for: Aid to
hospital construction in needy
communities; equitable payment
for hospital and professional
services on social welfare cases;
recognition of rehabilitation of
the handicapped; support for
nursing homes: adequate appro
priations for efficient control of
tuberculosis; assurance of im
mediate and complete treatment
of poliomyelitis; enlarging the
Mental Health Unit of the Terri
torial Department of Health.
“I feel that I can offer the
most help to improve the "health
standards of our people by be
ing a member of our legislature.
If we are to achieve this purpose,
I must receive every vote pos
sible in the primary election
April 27/
Paul Nelscn
C. of C. Endorses
lliilify Bond
RESOLUTION
A resolution of the Chamber
of Commerce of the City of Sew
ard, Alaska, supporting the issu
ance of $200,000 electric utility
revenue bonds and urging the
people of the City of Seward,
Alaska, to vote favorably on this
measure at the election to be
held May 5, 1954.
Whereas: The City Council and
the Electric Utility Board of
the City of Seward, Alaska,
have called for a special elec
tion to be held on May 5, 1954
for the purpose of issuing
$200,000 in Electric Utility
Revenue Bonds to purchase
additional generating equip
ment, and
Whereas: The Chamber of Com
merce has investigated this
matter and finds that it is in
the public interest and neces
sity and that additional elec
trical energy is urgently need
ed to meet the demands that
have been brought about by
the rapid growth of the City
of Seward in the past few
years, and
Whereas: The proposed Revenue
Bond issue will not increase
taxes or electric utility rates,
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved
by the Chamber of Commerce
of the City of Seward, Alaska,
that the full support of this
body be given to the issuance
of $200,000 in Electric Utility
Revenue Bonds, and that the
public be so advised of this
action and urged to join the
Chamber of Commerce and cast
a “YES” vote on May 5, 1954.
SEWARD CHAMBER OF CO
SEWARD CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
Win Ervin Jr., President
Rev. Charles Malin, Secretary
Dated this 20th day of April,
1954.
TYPHOID SHOTS
Lotte Hirsch, Public Health
Nurse for Seward, announces
that typhoid shots will be given
at the Health Center on Wednes
day, April 28, between 12 noon
and 7 p.m.
This service is free and avail
able to everyone. The Alaska
Department of Health recom
mends that everyone in Alaska
be immunized against typhoid
fever and have booster shots
every one or two years.
— Photo courtesy Harold Davisson
Two hundred Alaska flags
have been ordered by the Alaska
Committee. Here Seward, Ne
braska’s Mayor George Thomas
and President of the Chamber of
BOXJNG CARD
SATURDAY, MAY 1
The Alaska-Nebraska benefit
boxing card to be held in the
Civic Center "Saturday night,
May 1 at 8 o’clock, promises to
be a real evening’s entertain
ment. The main events will be
the three matches between Whit
tier boxers. We have not as yet
received the names of weights
of these boxers, but they have
all had experience and they will
definitely put on a good show.
Besides these headline bouts,
several of the Sea hawks are
matched.
Joe Hughes will box Peter
Wagner; David Hughes is match
ed with Danny Rose; Kenneth
Soper and Teddy Howell will
meet; Forrest Tressler and Jake
Titus are matched, and a couple
more bouts yet to be arranged.
It also appears that Gene Boe
and Leslie Brattain, lifetime
buddies^ have had a falling out
and want to fight a grudge bat
tle. This in itself should be well
worth the admission price, pro
viding, of course, that either one
or the other can last out the
fight or perhaps land a blow.
Also some eighth grade boxers
will perform blindfolded in the
ring.
Tickets are now on sale and
can be purchased from any of
the Seahawks. Refreshments will
be sold by the Seahawks. Come
out for a good time and support
this big event for the Alaska
Nebraska benefit.
Junior Class To
Present Tish'
inis year, me junior class piay
will be something a little differ
ent from the usual type the high
school students give. “Tish” was
written by Alice Chadwick and
arranged by Samuel French of
Hollywood.
Tish is an elderly lady, prob
ably in her forties, who is con
stantly getting into all sorts of
“jams.” She has two companions,
whom she regards as “practi
cal” sisters: Lizzie, an odd speci
men, extremely overweight; and
Aggie, a skinny old maid, who is
given to excessive sneezing. The
part of Tish will be played by
Carol Ann Trevethan; Lizzie by
Cherie Luben, and Aggie, Mur
lene Trevethan, Charles Sands,
Tish’s cocksure young nephew,
will be played by Gene Boe.
Charlie is constantly pursuing
Ellen Leighton, a young girl who
owns a hotel and lunchroom.
Ellen is played by Janice Framp
ton. Les Brattain will play the
sheriff, Lem Pike, who always
thinks he’s in love.
Other characters in the play
cast are Caliie Hopkins, played
by Hazel Brossow; Luther Hop
kins ,her father, Tucker Jones;
Charita, the Indian maid, Cindy
Coleman; Betina Trent, a charm
ing young girl, Mary Lou Sword;
Wesley Andrews, Bettina’s fi
ance, Pete Wagner; movie star
Denby Grimse, David Dyer; and
Dor ice Gaylord, also a movie
star, DeLoyce Smart.
The play cast is working very
hard and will produce the play
Friday and Saturday, May 7 and
8, in the school auditorium. Ad
mission charge is $1.00.
Commerce Wilbur Wood (an ex
Mayor) are shown holding one
of the flags. These flags will
ereet the 53 Alaska visitors
when they arrive in the Nebras
ka city on MemorM Day.
Isaac Walton League
Essay Contest Winner
In the Isaac Walton League
essay contest which has been
running since last December, six
winners from Seward have been
named. The judges of this con
test were chosen from National
Board of Directors of the Isaac
Walton League in Chicago, 111.
The first prize in the Seward
contest goes to Miss Ruth Sword,
second to Miss Winona Terry,
and third to Forrest Johnson.
Consolation prize winners were:
Richard Broshow, Sally Delaney,
Mickie Muir, David Rose, and
Dale Thomas. All these young
people wrote on Wildlife Conser
vation in Alaska.
Here is Miss Sword’s prize
winning essay:
CONSERVATION IN ALASKA
“I believe the practice of con
servation is a privilege given to
everyone—young, old, rich and
poor. It is a privilege, however,
that is often abused, either in
tentionally or through lack of
knowledge of the true facts. Con
servation does not mean locking
up our resources, but is wise
planning of their use for present
and future generations. Natural
resources are the greatest asset
any country can possess. With
out an abundance of them, a
country cannot be really strong.
Alaska is a great storehouse of
natural resources. To develop
Alaska, we must use these re
sources wisely. Alaska can profit
by the mistakes other countries
have made. We need to establish
conservation measures now in
order that these resources can
be developed and used wisely.
Our forests are a source that can
be replaced. Minerals cannot be
reproduced, so when they are
gone we must have something to
take their place.
There is much to be enjoyed
in the future if we take care of
what we have now. These won
ders of Nature were put here to
enjoy—not destroy. In his care
lessness and lack of planning for
the future, man has almost de
stroyed the very thing that has
been entrusted to his keeping.
Always, we must use our na
tural resources with thought for
the future. We must try to make
our resources last longer and go
farther. We, as students of to
day, will need forests, food, and
minerals for tomorrow. Now is
the time to insist on conserva
tion, not wait until it is too late.
The natural resources of Alaska
are its assurance of a great fu
ture. That is, of course, if wise
conservation is practiced now.
The recent drastic cut in the
salmon industry is an example
of what can happen to a resource
that is used up faster than it can
reproduce. We must see to it that
other resources in Alaska are
not allowed to suffer the same
fate. There is so much here to
protect and we are the chosen
custodians of this great land—
ours to enjoy, protect and con
serve.”
(Editor’s note: Miss Sword is
an eighth grade pupil in the
Seward school. She is 13 years
of age.)
Rev. Russell Clapp and family
returned to Seward late Wednes
day from a four day trip to
Kenai and Homer. Father Clapp
held Easter Services in Kenai
and Homer, and attended a Citi
zens Study Group in Homer,
before returning to Seward.