God offer* to every mind It*
choice between truth and re*
po*e. ..Take which you please,
you can never have both.
Emerson
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
§ e 0 P 0 r f
Seward’s dll-We other Port is Alaskafs Greatest Asset.
The Seward Seaport Record
i* independent In every re
spect and none shall ever be
denied the right to use its col
umns for any legal purpose or
expression.
1
VOL. XI, NO. 10.
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1954
PRICE 10 CENTS
COUNCIL OK'S CRESCENT LAKE;
PROJECT NOW UP TO VOTERS
The proposition of hydro-electric
power for Seward and vicinity was
once again in the limelight this
week when the Utilities Board, City
Council and representatives of the
Grant Lake Power Company met
together to hear a report on the
investigation of the Crescent Lake
area as a possible site for a city
owned power development. The
Grant Lake Company had made
proposals to the City earlier offer
ing to construct a hydro-electric
plant at Grant Lake and sell pow
er to the City.
Mr. Howard Harstad. an engin
eer retained by the city to study
the Crescent Lake project was on
hand Monday evening to make the
report of his firm's findings to the
joint meeting.
According to the review of the
Crescent Lake project presented
by Mr. Harstad his engineering
survey just completed would in
dicate that the City of Seward
could develop cheaper power at
Crescent Lake than they are now
producing with their diesel plant.
The Grant Lake proposal submit
ted some weeks ago indicated that
the cost of power to the city from
that company would be approxim
ately what it is at present from
the city diesel generating plant.
£ Running through the written re
port Mr. Harstad Interpreted his
report for the group, explaining
that the Crescent Lake project
looked sf favorable that he would
suggest that they proceed to call
an election for purposes of getting
public approval of a revenue bond
issue in an amount not to exceed
$3,500,000 for the construction of
a pipeline, powerhouse and power
line and distribution system.
The power line would bring pow
er to Seward and the distribution
system would serve custome r s
(along the way between Seward and
Moose Pass where the powerhouse
■would be located. Also in the plans
J would be an extension of the dis
tribution system as far as Mile 57
on the Sterling Highway and pos
sibly a power line to Kenai Junc
tion where it could be tied in with
the Homer REA line which is pre
sently served by diesel generating
units in Homer.
In the first stage of development
a 3500 kw turbine driven generator
would be installed and as the de
mand builds up two more units
could be added to give a total in
stalled capacity of 10.500 kw.
On the all important question
of what the actual cost of power
to the city would be, the engineer
suggested that upon the approval
of *he project by the voters, an
immediate adjustment in electric
rates might be possible basing the
cut on the anticipated revenue
from the cheaper source of power.
Estimated at about 2.4 cents per
kw at the city limits, which does
not include distribution costs or
any bond coverage or administra
tive costs, however it is slightly
less than diesel generating costs,
which are figured about 2 per cent
higher, but amount to a sizable
sum when you start talking about
power in 6 or 7 million kw’s per
year, which is in the neighborhood
of the level of present usage.
By the time the first unit was
being used to fifty per cent of its
capacity the cost of power would
be down to about 1.6 cents per
kw and so down until the full use
of the project was being made. At
that point the cost of power would
be down to about two thirds of a
cent per kw and Seward would be
in line with other communities in
the Territory which have hydro
electric power which retails to the
consumer for an average cost of
5 or 6 cents per kw.
Upon completion of the Harstad
report the Grant Lake Company
was asked if they had any new
proposal to make and they did not
indicate that they did.
The Utilities Board then adjourn
ed to another room to discuss the
report and bring back a recom
mendation to the City Council.
Following a period of an hour or
more, while the City Council took
up the matter of the recreation
Council and liquor license applica
tions for renewal, the Utilities
Board brought back a unanimous
recommendation that the City pro
ceed with plans to develop its
own plant at Crescent Lake. The
Council then accepted the report
and agreed to go ahead and have
the preliminary legal steps taken
to place the proposition before the
voters.
Gateway Swingers
Offering Instruction
I An instruction class in folk and
; square dancing is being sponsored
j by the Gateway Swingers, local
l Square Dancing Club, it was an
! nounced this week by the group's
president, “Red" Griffin.
Set to tun for a period of six
weeks, the classes will be held in
: the Jesse Lee Recreation Hall on
I Sunday afternoons. Miss Joan
; Lind will be the instructor for the
series.
A moderate charge of $2.50 to
cover cost of music, lights and
I heat will be made.
4-H Baking Groups
Schedule Meetings
December meetings for the Bak
ing I unit of the 4-H Club was an
nounced this week for both boys
! and girls groups.
The girls will have their meet
ings on the 4th and lHth of Decem
j ber in the basement of the Meth
odist Church starting at 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
The Boys' session will be held
on the 11th of December and it.
will also be held in the basement
of the Methodist Church at 2 p.m.
I
SCHEDULED FLIGHTS
WITH NO CHANGE IN PLANES
DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY
Anchorage - Valdez
_Cordova_
ON TO
YAKATAGA — ICY BAY
TUESDAY
ON TO
MIDDLETON ISLAND
THURSDAY
THESE ABOVE FLIGHTS DEPART
SEWARD 9:35 A.M.
For Information or Reservations, Call Main 99
QosuHaua AisilimA.
☆ Serving the Heartland of Alaska Since 1934
Liquor Licenses
Approved by Council
At a special meeting of the City
Council held this week on Monday
the City Fathers voted to approve
the applications for renewal licen
ces for six local bars and liquor
stores. A number of other liquor
establishments in town have not
yet applied for the renewal of their
licenses.
The licenses approved included:
Tony’s Bar, Seward Bar, Gil’s
Lounge, Flamingo Club, Yukon Bar
and Gil’s Liquor Store. Upon ap
proval of the Council the applica
tions are forwarded to the Clerk
of the Court for the Third Division,
who issues the license.
Boy Scout Troop 630
Take First Aid Course
The boys In Troop 630 started
a ten hour course In First Aid this
week under the direction of Jim
Kirkpatrick, it was reported this
week. Upon completion of the
course each of the Scouts will re
ceive a Junior Red Cross First Aid
certificate and will automatically
qualify for his Firt Aid merit
badges.
Other news of the Scouts this
week was a report that Don Lee
of the Jesse Lee Home is building
a .22 riflle range in the basement
of one of the Home’s buildings. The
range will be for the use of Scouts
and children of the Home.
SEWARD AREA X-RAY PROGRAM
GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEKEND
The Alaska Department of Heal
th Mobile X-Ray unit arrived in
Seward this week preparatory to
starting the program of local TB
I x-rays which will be available to
! all persons in the Seward area.
According to Mrs. Hull, president
of the Seward Health Council, all
Is in readiness for the x-ray pro
ject which will start Saturday,
December 4th at 2 o’clock p.m. and
run until 5 that afternoon and again
in the evening of the same day
from 6:30 until 9:00 o'clock. The
x-ray unit will be set up in the
basement of the Civic Center.
Committee Chairmen in charge
of the program locally include Mrs.
E. W. Hull, Program; Don Dalberg,
Facilities; Mrs. Droun, Canvassers
, and Services. The actual canvas
ing was handled by the ladies of
the Legion Auxiliary.
Mrs. Carl Ling is Publicity Chair
j man, Mrs. Carl Stoeckle. Hostess
' and William E. Bonser, Education.
Monday, December 6th will be
■ devoted entirely to the x-raying of
I School Children who will be handl
ed through arrangements with the
Schools.
Tuesday, the 7th of December \
will be the final day for getting
your x-ray. Hours of operation
of the unit will be from 9 to 12
in the forenoon and from 1 until 4
in the afternoon.
The x-rays are entirely free
though the persons who can afford
it are asked to make a donation
for service to help defray a por
tion of the expense involved. Other
support of the program comes from
the Alaska Department of Health.
Alaska TB Association. Alaska
Division of the American Cancer
Society, various Heart associations
and the U. S. Public Health Ser
vice.
The reason for the support from
the Heart and Cancer groups as
well as the TB associations is that
the x-ray program is also aimed
at finding heart and cancer dis
eases as well as TB.
Dr. John Weinberg. Radiologist,
is in charge of the x-ray unit and
he is assisted by Mrs. Wenberg,
clerk, and Ray Kennedy, x-ray
technician.
One hundred percent local sup
port is desired in order to get the
full benefit of this service.
OLGA COELHO, SOPRANO-GUITARIST
An unusual ana brilliant musical
personality will make her bow be
fore our local audience at the Se
ward Memorial Methodist Church
on Saturday evening December 11
when the Alaska Music Trail will
present Olga Coelho, the Brazilian
soprano-guitarist, in the second
gala event of the current concert
season.
Born on the Amazon and brought
up in Bahia, the heartland of Bra
zilian folklore, Olga Coelho listen
ed in childhood to the ancient mel
odies and traditional songs sung
to her by Paulina, her grandmo
ther's ex-slave from Africa. Her
training as a vocalist was received
in the Conservatory of Rio de Jan
eiro; as a guitarist, she mastered
the art of classical guitar with
Andres Segovia, Spain's fam o u s
master.
Olga Coelho has popularized a
fascinating pattern of music, and
will present one of those programs
which have made her famous on
four continents. These programs
are colorful blend of voodoo and
new world culture, of fiery rhy
thms and soothing lyric, of 19th
i entury Alacumuas ana classic love
songs.
Her undisputed reputation of the
greatest singer-guitarist of the
day is the result of a career radiat
ing, in terms of critical salutes
ind audience ovations, from every
leading music center of the globe.
'The most eloquent interpreter of
folk music that this reviewer has
yet encountered,” wrote Olin Dow
nes of the New York Times; “Folk
lore in Sunday clothes,” exclaimed
Virgil Thompson of the N.Y. Her
sld Tribune; "A magnificent artist”
schoed Alfred Frankenstein of the
San Francisco Chronicle..
The varied groups in her program
range from South American folk
songs of Brazil, Argentina, Peru
Dolombia and Mexico, thro ugh
songs which were originally scored
tor lute or spinet and were trans
cribed for guitar by her celebrated
teacher Andres Segovia. Of special
Interest is a group arranged for
her by the great contemporary
composers, Villa-Lobos and Cam
srgo Ouarnieri. The program will
culminate in a series of guitar-in
spired Brazilian songs which ar«
Dlga Coelho’s own arrangements.
Seward Businesses
In New Quarters
Two Seward business houses
moved to new locations this week,
it was noted, as your reporter
cruised the downtown streets, in
search of news.
On last Friday evening is was
noted that Mr. J. B. Woods and a
crew of young huskies were busy
moving equipment and stock of the
Lamplighter, the new store just
completed by Mr. Kawabe. The
new location is next door to the
Seward Bakery.
Other moves completed this
week included the Lesko Brothers
Paint Store which has been moved
from the former Second Avenue
location to Fourth Avenue, just,
above the Alaska Shop, and next
door to Urbach’s Clothing Store.
Just in case you have missed
the Seaport Record office since it
moved from the Arcade Building,
you'll now find us at home across
the street ‘from the Post Office,
just back of the Ray Building on
Fifth Avenue.
Other new looks along the main
streets of Seward, included the re
decoration of Wally’s Place, next
to the Nobby Club. The popular
eating place has been repainted
inside and out and is a big asset
to the community.
Local stores have all been spruc
ing up for the Christmas season
and have a good stock of decora
tions for your home and tree, so
that won can get in on the Cham
ber of Commerce decorating con
test and maybe win yourself some
money for Christmas.
Mother Nature got in on the act
this week and brought December
in with a very Christmas-like at
mosphere with a light blanket of
snow which trimmed all the trees
and house tops with a blanket of
snow.
Christmas Decorations
May Win Prizes
A special Committee of Cham
ber of Commerce members met last
Saturday evening to lay plans for
the Christmas Decoration Contest [
which is being sponsored this
year by the Chamber.
The idea of the contest is to
get local householders to dress up
their homes in the true Christmas
Fashion of spreading cheer at this
season.
The committee, under the chair
manship of Arnold Anderson de
cided to give prizes of $40, $30,
$20, and $10 for the four best out
door decorations, and honorable
mention awards for a limited num
ber of other displays which were
considered outstanding.
In order to qualify, the display
must be visible from the street
and in place and working by three ,
a’clock in the afternoon of Christ
mas Eve. At that time the team
if Judges will tour the City in
cars and vote their choices for
the best display. Judges will be
[licked from among the Christmas
season visitors, if possible.
Because of the limited budget,
it was decided to restrict the con
test to homes, as business places
generally dress up their windows
is part of their regular advertising
programs.
Truck Loading Limits
Raised For Winter
The limits for loading of trucks
using the Territory’s Highways
were raised this week, it has been
announced by the office of the
Territorial Highway Engineer, Irv
ing Reed.
According to the notice of the
Engineer the restrictions were
raised to allow and an increased
load of one ton for single driving
axels, making the limit 20,000 lbs.
and two tons for tandem axels
making the maximum load 36,000
lbs. No changes in the gross
allowable vehicle load is author
ized by this change.
The change in the permissable
weights was allowed at the request
af the Alaska Road Commission
and will be effective from Decem
ber 1, 1954 to March 15, 1955.
It is felt this change will in
crease traction and aid in the
maneuverability of the. trucking
aquipment on frozen surfaces, the
Engineer's notice said.
Every fifth minute, a new case
af tuberculosis is reported in the
United States.
Every twenty-sixth minute, some
ane in the United States dies of
uberculosls.
RECORD CHUB! MEETING
BEARS ENGINEER’S REPORT
Record crowd was ofi hand Tues
day noon when the Chamber ot
Commerce met at Wally's to hear
the list of nominations for the
Board of Directors and officers for
the ensuing year.
It was recommended that the
President’s chair go to Win Ervin
for a second term. Other nomina
tions for 1st Vice President. Sol
Urle, Paul Nelson; 2nd Vice Presi
ient, Dave Swanson, Tom Reilly;
Corresponding Secretary, Frank
Roberts; Treasurer, Juanita Ever
Itt; Recording Secretary, John Mc
Anerney; and Directors. Jack Roth,
Jack Jeffry, Joseph Deisher, Ralph
Rider, Vance Hitt, Chet Steer,
Hal Gilfillen and Allen Turner.
Nominations from the floor were
open but none were made though
the name of Frank Roberts was
substituted for the job of ^Corre
sponding Secretary and that o t
Charles Malin dropped from con
sideration at Rev. Malin's request.
Next Tuesday will be the last day
:o submit nominations, and at that
time a ballot will be prepared and
sent to all members.
SEATRAINS
Chamber President Win Ervin
reported that he had talked with
Prank Kalbaugh about coming
iown to Seward and this Friday had
been the first date proposed. How
ever it later developed that Mr.
WSCS Meeting Held
Thanksgiving Day
The Woman's Society met at the
Nurses Home Thursday evening,
November 25th. Miss Bertha Mc
Shee led the Thanksgiving devo
tions. Miss Helen Case was in
rharge of the program, the topic
being Christian Women in India
ind Pakistan. She was assisted
by Miss Else Norden, Miss Edna
Sexton, and Mrs. George Green,
rhe India display was loaned by
McMullen's Store.
A Christmas greeting and pic
ture from 1 of our Korean orphans
vas passed around. It was voted
to continue the support of the
wo orphans for the coming year,
rhe Society voted to give a con
tribution to the TB Christmas
?eal Fund and the PTA Christmas
Party. The hostesses were Mrs.
Marie Palmer, Miss Anna Martin,
ind Miss Bertha McGhee.
The next meeting will be held
it the home of Mrs. Arthur Knight
n the Hickel Addition. December
10th. The co-hostess will be Mrs.
loe Edwards.
Dancing Party
\t Coopers Landing
A good time has been promised
text week on Saturday night when
he folks of Cooper Landing have
nvited Sewardites out to enjoy
in evening of dancing. December
llth is the date and the Rifle Club
House is the place.
ANCHORAGE VISITOR
Mrs. Myra McDonald spent the
holidays in Anchorage visiting
friends.
Kalbaugh would not be able to
come until some later date. The
Friday proposal had first been
made by Seward, then because of
a conflict with local activities, Mr.
Kalbaugh was asked to change the
date but no new date has yet been
decided upon.
INDUSTRY
The Chamber President also re
ported that he had heard a rumor
that there was a Portland firm
planning to put a “cracking” plant
in the territory.
Through arrangement with the
City Council, it was agreed that
while outside, Mr. O’Hara, the city
manager, would stop in Portland
to talk with the firm.
It was also reported that Mr.
O’Hara would stop off in Washing
ton and take up matters of local
interest with Delegate Bob Bart
lett.
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
A report was heard from the
Christmas Decoration Committee
in which they outlined the plans
formulated by the group to foster
the decoration of local homes at
Christmas time. A story will be
found elsewhere in this issue out
lining the plans of the contest.
HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT
Mr. Howard Harstad was a guest
of the Chamber Ad «pdfteJf on
his recent findings in connAtion
with an engineering survey f9b the
city of the hydro-electric potential
of the Crescent Lake project.
Harstad told the group that he,
saw the likelihood that in the years
to come all lakes in the Seward
area might be tapped for use as
power sources, but that for a start
er, Crescent Lake was the best for
immediate development because
of its moderate cost.
The source of power would be
Crescent and Carter Lakes which
would be joined together by a canal
so that the water from both lakes
would be used. A penstock or
nineline wouuld be run down the
hill side, near Mile 32 on the Sew
ard Highway, for a distance of
4,000 feet, dropping about 1000
feet in that distance, to a power
house. In the first stage of devel
opment the project would have one
3500 kw turbine driven generator
and with the expansion of the area
the output could be boosted to an
?stimated 10,500 kw with instal
lation of two more generators.
The project which is estimated
to cost between $2,900,000 and
?3,500,000 depending on how far
the distribution system is expand
ed. would be met by the sale of
revenue bonds. Harstad empha
sized that the bonds were only a
ein upon the revenue of the system
and did not mean that the holders
sf the bonds had any hold on pro
perty of the town, taxpayers or
Utilities.
If approved by the-local voters,
the schedule of operations calls
for the construction of a power
and distribution line next spring
and the completion of the project
during the summer of 1956.
Adequate copies of the Harstad
report will be prepared and will
be placed in all local reading rooms
and club houses so that local pe
ople can acquaint themselves with
details of the project.
NEW LOCATION
The Lamplighter
We’re giving a free orchid to the first
500 Ladies visiting our New Store on De
cember 2, 3, and 4th.
214 FOURTH AVENUE
Semi-Formal
DINNER
Dinner 7:00 p.m. — Initiation 8 to 9
Dance following Initiation
ELKS AND THEIR LADIES
SATURDAY
NIGHT