Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e o P o r f
Record
Seward’s All-Weather Port is Alaskrfs Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
ol. X, No. 33
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1954
Price 10 Cents
rwo Fourth Avenue
luildings Damaged In
Early Morning Fire
Fire, reported at 5:10 a.m. Fri
»y, starting in the Seward Ba
tery building, spread to the sec
fond floor and to the adjoining
[wilding on the north. The front
lapartment, occupied by Mr. and
■Mrs. Leonard Soley with their
Itwo small children, were re
Imoved to safety by firemen. Oon
I tents of the apartment were a
I total loss. No injuries were sus
Italned, although the children's
pet Pekinese is feared lost in the
fire.
The bakery business, formerly
I owned and operated by Ed Ren
I wald, was purchased by Leonard
Soley and Robert Sims, who took
over operation of the business
February 1. The building is own
ed by Mr. and Mrs. Otto Schal
lerer of Ketchikan, former Sew
ard residents. The rear of the
building suffered little damage
and the partners plan to con
tinue baking for the time being,
although damage to the roof and
ceiling will need immediate re
pairs before business can go on
in the front part of the building.
Tons of water were puoured
on the fire, which apparently
started in the partition from
faulty wiring. Water, smoke and
fire damage was almost as great
in the Balmat Realty office, next
door to the bakery, as in the
main building. The ceiling in
this office collapsed or was torn
out to permit fire fighters to get
at the hidden fire running be
tween partitions. By noon, the
Balmat Realty office had been
removed to its former location
at 338 Fourth Avenue. Valuable
papers, filing cabinets, typewrit
er and adding machine, as well
as desks, chairs and couches in
the Balmat office were severely
damaged.
Firemen battled the stubborn
blaze until nearly 8 o'clock.
Other buildings in the block
were made ready to evacuate,
but a fortunate lull in the brisk
north wind made this unneces
sary. The salt water main, pump
ed from the dock, furnished suf
ficient pressure for fire fighting,
firemen state.
V.F.W. News
By Jack Kuensler, Comm.
Seward’s Post 3836 has sched
uled a meeting for Monday night
February 15th, at 8:00 o’clock
at the American Legion Building
and we would like to see all
the members and prospective
members that can possibly make
it there. Meetings are the back
ground of any organization—it
is your chance as a member to
express your views and offer
your sugestions—and NO organ
ization can successfully operate
without them. I know, meetings
seem to be one of the main
things Sewardites shy away
from. They seem to be so repul
sive that just at the sound of
the word “meeting" you can
think of a dozen and one things
you should do instead of go to
your meeting but how do you
expect us to act without your
opinion? We’re not infallible—
we make - mistakes—p erhaps
more than we should, but how
do you expect us to act without
knowing what it is you, as a
member, expect from us? Come
on down and express your ideas
—now in reforming we need
those ideas—and let’s see if the
bunch of us, members of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars rep
resenting an International Or
ganization here in Seward, can't
make this one of the thriving
and up and coming outfits of our
town.
V.F.W. "22“ SHOOT
Wednesday’s turnout for the
shoot wasn’t bad considering all
the various meetings and the
activities on the waterfront and
we hope that all of you that
couldn’t make it this week can
show up next Wednesday, Feb
ruary 17th, same time, same
place. A lot of you shooters
haven't shown up yet—come on
down.
-
PROMINENT SHRINER
DEAD IN SEATTLE
Word was received here today
of the death of Frank Lazier,
prominent Mason and Recorder
of Nile Temple, Shrine, in Seat
tle for 35 years. Mr. Lazier died
January 24 at the .age of 94
years. He had been Recorder
emeritus since 1946, and is well
known to all Alaska Shriners.
Reporter's
Notebook
Mrs. Kathryn Ryan and chil
dren returned to Seward last
Thursday after seven weeks In
the Puget Sound area visiting
relatives. Her husband, Bill Ryan
was Outside, too, but returned a
month earlier. Mrs. Ryan said
that she was glad to get back
home and that Seward looked
good to her. It took them as long
to make the trip from Anchor
age as it had on the plane from
Seattle.
Marshall, son of Mr .and Mrs.
Woody Mahurin, had an emer
gency operation for appendicitis
last Sunday at Seward General
Hospital. He improved so rapid
ly that he went home Wednesday
to finish the job of getting well.
Mrs. Phil Harding, who has
been a patient at the hospital
for the past several weeks, is
now home.
Mrs. Kathryn Galen is also
home from the hospital and con
ducting the insurance business
from the Spokane Rooms. She
had been ill for several weeks
but is well again now.
Gene Sutt, who used to work
in the ARR freight office, ar
rived back in Alaska via the SS
Baranof this week. Gene, a popu
lar square dancer and instru
mental in forming the square
dance club here, has spent the
past year in Saudi Arabia. After
a visit in the States, he has de
cided that Alaska is the best
place after all.
The hosoital is filled to ca
pacity again this week, and with
new patients. Miss Murrell stat
ed today. Many of last week’s
patients have returned to their
homes.
Cecil Brooks. ARR employee,
is a patient at Seward General
this week.
Dr. Joseph Shelton and his
family are expected in Seward
next weekend to visit. He is now
specializing in eye, ear. nose and
throat ailments in Anchorage.
Jack and Esther Werner left
Thursday for two weeks vaca
tion in the States.
Junior Women's Club met at
the home of Phvllis Inglis last
Tuesday night. June Jones was
hostess with Mrs. Inelis. The
club donated $10 to March of
Dimes and planned the annual
cedar chest protect, which will
end May 12. the day before
Mother's Day.
Adult Education
Possibility
A request made to the school
board Wednesday night for co
operation in organizing adult
education classes in Seward, met
with full approval of the board
and school facilities were placed
at the disposal of any group
wishing to promote such classes.
Frank Roberts, who attended
the session with Mr. O'Hara,
stated that it is his opinion that
many adults would attend classes
in political science, typing, short
hand, bookkeeping, and possibly
shop or home economics if these
subjects were made available.
No planning will be done on
the proposal until there is an
indication from the public that
enough persons would be inter
ested. Adults are requested to
register with Mr. Carl R. Carl
son at the school if interested
in the project.
Amateur Show
"Major” Bob Sheffield’s ama
teur show last Saturday night
in the high school was the most
successful effort to date finan
cially for the Alaska-Nobraska
fund. Exact figures have not
been reported, but it is under
stood that the show netted some
where in the neighborhood of
$400.
First price in the children's
section went to a group of danc
ers pantomiming the record
“Dragon Net.” Second prize went
to Barbara Vaughn, for the can
can. Margery Turnbull won third
. prize for a tap dance. Prizes
were awarded as the result of
audience applause.
In the adult division only one
prize was given. It went to
Bucky Nelson of Seward Sana
torium.
Home made candy, popcorn,
hot dogs and pop were sold on
the floor by members of Beta
Sigma Phi, who dressed as cig
arette girls.
Republican Caucus
Expected To Draw
Large Attendance
Republican Party caucus for
the Seward Precinct slated for
Tuesday night, February 16, is
expected to draw a large group
of local Republicans. On the
agenda are the election of dele
gates to the party’s convention
at Palmer on March 19 and 20,
the adoption of resolutions also
to be acted on at the convention
and the election of a new pre
cinct committeeman and com
mitteewoman.
On the basis of one delegate
and one alternate for each 50
votes cast for Robert Reeve at
the last general election, Seward
precinct is entitled to three vot
ing delegates and three alter
nates at the convention. The
local group is expected to send
a strong delegation to Palmer
and several persons from labor,
management and business have
been mentioned as likely dele
gates or alternates.
Several persons are known to
be preparing resolutions to be
presented on various subjects
vital to our schools, health and
economy. Anyone desiring to
present a resolution should have
it drawn up in such form as to
facilitate reading from the floor.
Other matters of local interest
will also be discussed.
Present committeeman, Mar
vin Viale and committeewoman,
Patricia Williams are not ex
pected to be candidates for re
election to these posts.
P.-T.A. — and You
You should be a member of
the P-TA because it is a com
munity club made up of good
citizens and good parents. Any
interested adult may become a
member on payment of dues; in
Seward this is $1.00, of which
5 cents is national dues, the rest
being used to maintain the local
branch. The entire organization
works to improve the homes,
schools and the communities,
and the achievements can be
felt throughout the nation. As
a member you will be given an
opportunity to take an active
part in the program and plan of
the organization. You can gain
a better knowledge of the child’s
growth and development. You
will become acquainted with the
problems of the youth of your
community and with other in
formed workers can provide for
their present need and future
development.
Interested and enthusiastic
members build a vital organiza
tion which can by its own en
thusiasm contribute in a large
measure to progressive programs
for child development. You can
help establish other needed pro
jects in which children are in
volved. You can best become in
formed on the curriculum of
the school by participation in the
organization most closely asso
ciated with the school. You can
learn how well it fits into the
needs of the complex world of
today.
With 7,000,000 other citizen
members of the P-TA you can
help build an America where
free men stand out as a symbol.
Our educational system must
strengthen our faith in basic
democratic value and our public
schools stand out as the funda
mental training ground for good
citizenship. Your membership
will add your voice to these
other citizens whose support and
interest in the school program
will bring about better under
standing of the needs of the
growing child. You will work in
cooperation with other organi
zations whose programs are
based on the common interest of
child welfare. In fields of edu
cation, recreation, health and
social service the P-TA shares
and contributes its experience
to joint projects.
In the Parent-Teacher Asso
ciation you count as an individ
ual, it needs your ideas, interest
and support. This then is your
invitation to join the growing
organization whose active pro
gram reflects their faith in the
American way of Life.
Next week: Cooperation with
other organizations.
GOP Dinner Sold Out
Tickets are sold out for the Re
publican Lincoln Day dinner to
be held Saturday, February 13
at the Seward Sanatorium, it is
reported today.
Third Division candidates will
be present at the dinner, but the
main speaker has not been an
nounced.
O'Hara To Head
Seward Utilities
Unexpected action by the Sew
ard Utilities Board Thursday
night, resulted in the appoint
ment of Raymond O’Hara, city
manager, as manager of Seward
public utilities. Jack Jordan will
remain as plant superintendent.
Action along this line has long
been advocated by many Seward
taxpayers, who felt that the
utilities business has grown be
yond the capacity of any one
man to handle as a single job.
Details of the separation of re
sponsibility hare not been out
lined in detail today, but it is
assumed that Mr. O'Hara will
take over the business manage
ment of power and water facili
ties.
Another unexpected develop
ment of Thursday's meeting was
the resignation of H. J. Amend
from the Utilities Board. He was
re-elected to the board last Oc
tober. Mr. Amend plead poor
health and the possibility of an
extended visit Outside as his
reasons for resigning, according
to the report of a board member.
Bishop Gordon Here
Next Week
Bishop William J. Gordon, Jr.,
head of the Episcopal Church in
Alaska, will be in Seward at
St. Peter's Church Sunday, Feb
ruary 21.
Rev. Russell Clapp announces
that there will only be one serv
ice that Sunday, at 10 a.m.
Bishop Gordon will conduct the
service and hold confirmation.
The annual parish dinner and
meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in
the church dining room.
On Sunday, February 14,
Father Clapp announces a num
ber of baptisms at the regular
service.
THUNDER AND ROBINS
The old saying “If winter
comes, spring is not far behind,’’
came to the minds of Sewardites
last Saturday -morning, when
they thought spring had jumped
the gun.
Between midnight and six
o'clock Saturday morning, the
weather ran the gamut of per
formance. Sharp lightning and
hard thunder claps, rain, snow,
sleet and hail stones big as mar
bles pelted workmen on the
waterfront.
On Saturday morning, Glen
Drown got all excited over see
ing a robin, “a big fat one, with
a bright red breast,” he said, in
his yard. So, it certainly looks as
though “spring can’t be far be
hind.”
If that is not enough, our re
porter got excited over chasing
the first fly of the season. When
thunder, lightning, robins and
flies all defy the blasts of zero
temperatures, something must
be going haywire.
Washington
News-Letter
By a vote of 14 to 1 the Senate
Interior and Insular Affairs
Committee this week approved
reporting the Alaska statehood
bill to the Senate with several
members, however, reserving
the right to vote against the
measure when and if it comes to
a vote in the Senate.
In acting on the measure eight
days after reporting the Hawaii
statehood bill to the upper house,
the committee made several
major amendments in compari
son with the version on the
House side which was reported
last June 26 by the House Com
mittee on Interior and Insular
Affairs.
On February 3, the day before
the Senate committee voted to
report the Alaska statehood bill
to the upper house, Congress
man Engle’s peition to discharge
the House bill from the Rules
Committee was placed on the
desk of the Clerk. If 218 signa
tures are placed on the petition,
representing a majority of the
House membership, the Alaska
statehood bill would then be
considered in the House. “The
Rules Committee,” the California
Democrat stated, “has failed to
grant a rule on Alaskan state
hood, and our Information is that
the Rules Committee does not
intend to do so. Consequently,
the, discharge petition procedure
is the only one left to us to get
consideration of this measure.
Many of us have long supported
Hawaiian statehood, but we be
lieve that Alaska should be given
similar consideration. As a mat
ter of fact, our Committee on In
terior and Insular Affairs has
always considered them as com
panion measures.”
C. of C. Members
Make Plane Trip
Cook Inlet City
Twenty-two members of Sew
ard Chamber of Commerce visit
ed the Homer Chamber of Com
merce last Monday, on a good
will mission.
They brought back stories of
overwhelming hospitality from
the Kachemak Bay city, and
gained the impression that the
visit accomplished a betterment
of relations between the two
peninsula cities. Stress was laid
on the growing cooperation be
tween towns on the peninsula.
The group went in a Cordova
Airline charter plane under a
special arrangement made by
Gil Anthony, new manager of
the Seward office of Cordova
Airline. Brisk competition built
up during the trip over as to
who was to sit beside the stew
ardess at lunch. Incidentally, a
local banker won out.
At luncheon, which was
served at the AuRoRa Cafe,
pictures were taken and record
ings made for an Anchorage TV
station.
On the return trip, unusually
fine weather permitted plane
passengers an unobstructed view
of Harding Ice Field, which is
the second largest in the world.
Most of the people living in
Seward have never seen this
vast mass of ice and snow, even
though it lies at the back door
of town. Atmospheric conditions
over the glacier prevent sight
of the field most of the time.
Another sight beheld by some
for the first time was that of
Resurrection Bay and the en
trance from the air*as the plane
swung around before landing.
Another such visit is planned
by the Chamber of Commerce
to Cordova in the near future.
amdULAm.L k-unra
EXTENDS
TRAINING COURSE
Members of Seward Volunteer
Ambulance Corps agreed unani
mously Tuesday night to an ad
vanced training course of study
in first aid, which will include
civil defense instruction for
emergency work in disaster or
state of war.
This special study will begin
Monday, February 15 at 8 p.m.,
in the high school building. Per
sons who have completed any
recent course in standard first
aid, and who wish a refresher or
practice work, are welcome to
attend this class, although it is
not planned to give certificates,
nor is it the regular standard
course.
SWINGERS SPONSOR
SQUARE, FOLK DANCING
BLOCK OF LESSONS
The Seward Gateway Swing
ers, the local square and folk
dance group, is sponsoring a
block of lessons for those in
terested in learning to square
dance or for those who have
done some square dancing but
feel that they need a refresher
course. The class will meet once
a week for six weeks, at the end
of which time those who have
completed the six lessons will
have acquired sufficient skill to
enjoy the regular activities of
the Seward Gateway Swingers.
The charge for the six-week
course (to defray expenses of
records, utilities, etc.) is $2.50
per person, $5 for a couple.
Anyone interested in registering
for the course or obtaining addi
tional information may call Bar
bara Bedford at Adams 410.
Beryl Wagner at Lincoln 43, or
Joanne Lind at Adams 31.
The first session is scheduled
for February 22, at 7:30 p.m.,
at the Jesse Lee Recreation
Center. At that time the most
suitable night for dancing will
be discussed, and possibly the
group will decide on an evening
other than Monday.
The Seward Gateway Swing
ers urge that everyone interest
ed in square and folk dancing
should avail himself of this op
portunity to become a part of
the club’s recreational program,
and have a lot of fun and re
laxation when the call goes out,
"Sets in order!”
QUEEN TO BE ANNOUNCED
AT DANCE FEB. 27
The big question as to who is
to be queen of basketball at the
games in Seward, Nebraska, is
not to be announced until Febru
ary 27 at the Queen's ball in the
Civic Center.
The contest for queen ends
Sunday, February 14, which
leaves two weeks to keep the big
secret. This word was given by
Mr. Malin, manager of the con:
test and fund drive.
Boat Club Asks
Harbor Repairs
At a meeting of the Seward
Small Boat Owner’s Association
Monday night, a state of emer
gency was declared by club
members regarding repairs to
the city-owned boat float.
Members of the club stated
that high winds, waves and
ground swells have wrought
havoc to the float, and that if
emergency repairs are not made
soon, Seward faces the danger
of losing the entire float and
boat owners may suffer property
damage.
Volunteer work was offered
by several members of the Boat
Club, and negotiations are under
way to effect the repairs imme
diately. A small fund made
available by the City Council
two years ago will be sought to
aid in the necessary expense to
tie the floats together, chain and
strap ties between the sections
of the floats have separated and
the entire dock is in a hazardous
condition, according to the
newly-formed Boat Club.
Funds for rehabilitation of the
Small Boat Harbor are being
sought from the Alaska Road
Commission and through the
Northwest District Engineers,
who in 19 5 1 authorized a
$97,000 expenditure for new
work on the Seward Harbor.
The Corps of Engineers at
Fort Richardson is calling for
bids, to be opened Feb. 14, for
raising the north breakwater.
The local boat club is also seek
ing Army aid in improving the
harbor, including removal of the
sunken Quackenbush, which is
regarded as a hazard to boat
operations in the Small Boat
Harbor.
Dr. F. J. Phillips is president
of the local club; Phil Durant,
secretary-treasurer and O. L.
Gilbert, Dave Lefton, Mel Dec,
Mark Walker and Mac Eads
members of the board of trus
tees.
Meetings are open to all per
sons interested in boating in
Resurrection Bay and are held
in the basement of the Moody
building the second and fourth
Mondays of each month.
Annual Boy Scout
Rally Sunday
Seward Boy Scouts will hold
their annual rally Sunday at 2
p.m. in the high school gym.
Parents of the boys and the gen
eral public are invited to attend
the rally, giving support to the
Boy Scout movement in Seward.
A large number of boys are
joining the Elks sponsored troop
which has received an enroll
ment of .50. Another troop must
be started in order to give the
boys good training. Any organi
zation willing to sponsor a troop
should contact the adult council
here or Stan Neigemann.
As part of Sunday's rally
there will be a Tenderfoot In
vestiture and other ceremonies.
NOTICE TO VETERANS,
LEGIONNAIRES, MEMBERS
OF SEWARD POST NO. 5
From the February issue of
The American Legion Magazine,
under the heading of Veteran's
Newsletter, comes the following
notice:
“Deadline for filing applica
tions for the North Dakota WW2
bonus is February 17, 1954 . . .
Pays $12.50 for each month of
stateside service and $17.50 for
foreign service between January
1, 1941 and January 1, 1946 . . .
Application forms from Adjust
ed Compensation Division, Of
fice of The Adjutant General,
Bismarck, North Dakota.”
Also on the 17th of February
1954 is the final meeting of Sew
ard Post No. 5 with its present
officers, it is your duty and
interest to be present at this
meeting to voice your vote for
whom you wish to hold office
for the coming Legion year.
Let’s see a big turn-out at 8 p.m.
at the Legion Clubrooms.
—Arlce W. Hayne,
Adjutant
March of Dimes Dance
Well Attended
The March of Dimes dance or
President's Ball, by which it
was also known, which followed
the show at the high school
Saturday night, was well at
tended by young people.
Total proceeds are not all in
yet but it is expected to amount
to $160. This brings the total
of March of Dimes in Seward
to nearly $2000. Exact figures
will not be available for a few
days.
Evangelism Crusade
Starts Feb. 14
At Local Church
Twenty Methodist ministers
and laymen from all parts of the
United States under the leader
ship of the Rev. P. Gordon
Gould, superintendent of Metho
dist work in Alaska, will be in
the Territory until February 24
to conduct an evangelistic cru
sade.
Aim of the crusade of visita
tion evangelism is to double the
m
Dr. Clarence M. Ball
membership of the Methodist
Church in Alaska. The outstand
ing preachers and lay leaders
gathered in Seattle February 10
for a day of orientation and
briefing. From there they were
to proceed to their assignments
to communities in Alaska to
meet with the local pastor and
his organization for the week of
visitation evangelism, calling on
residents of those communities
and asking them to join the
church.
At the end of the week, local
pastors and their guests will go
to Anchorage where they will
make reports on the progress of
the campaign. A similar program
was held in 1952 and greatly
increased Methodist membership
in Alaska. The Board of Evan
gelism and the Board of Missions
are jointly sponsoring the pro
ject.
Dr. Clarence M. Ball, First
Methodist Church, Wewoka, Ok
lahoma, is assigned to Seward.
He is a graduate of Oklahoma
University and has the Bachelor
of Divinity degree from South
ern Methodist University. He has
served in Oklahoma all his min
istry. His longest pastorate was
in Tulsa.
His companion on the visita
tion evangelism crusade in Sew
ard is Dr. George W. Pomeroy, a
Methodist district superintend
ent from Ruston, La. He attend
ed Centenary College, La., and
Southern Methodist University,
and received his B.D. degree
from Yale University. He has
served many pastorates in Lou
isiana and since 1950 has been a
district superintendent. He has
been delegate to national and
international Methodist confer
ences.
The two evangelists will be in
Seward Feb. 14 through Feb. 21.
Seward Teachers
Attend Convention
Two local teachers. Miss Helen
Case and Mrs. McDonald, from
Seward Sanatorium staff, at
tended the second annual re
gional teachers convention held
in Anchorage last week.
Theme of the conference was
"Share an Idea.” The keynote
speech was made by Dr. Julio
Bartolazzo, President of the Uni
versity of Stockton, California,
on "Sharing Education with the
Public.”
Other speakers were Donald
M. Dafoe, Commissioner of Edu
cation: Dr. Dorothy K. Novat
ney, Deputy Commissioner of
Education: Mr. Granville, Edu
cation Supervisor: and John
Dapccvich. Secretary of Teach
er’s Retirement—all of Juneau:
also Mary Lou Prawl, Psychi
atric Social Worker of the Men
tal Health Team.
After the convention Mrs. No
vatney left for Australia for four
months on a United Nations Fel
lowship to study the Australian
School System, since it is the
only one in the world adminis
tered similar to Alaska.
Music was furnished by the
Anchorage High School Band
and Glee Club.
B&PW TO ENTERTAIN
ALASKA PRESIDENT
A visit of the Alaska Federa
tion president of Business &
Professional W o m e n’s Clubs,
Mrs. Hazel Johnson, was an
nounced at the meeting held
Tuesday night.
Mrs. Johnson will not be here
on a regular meeting night,
Juanita Everitt reported, conse
quently a special meeting will
be called for the event.
Membership in the Seward
club is growing rapidly, and this
will be the first official visit
of the federation president since
the local club received its char
ter last August.