SF. WARD’S
All-Weather
cSf .A PORT
Is Alaska's
Creates! Asset
Alaska Historical Library
and Museum
Seward Seaport Record
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD, ALASKA
Vol. vn, No. 54
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JAN. 5, 1951
Price 10 cents
Governor Requests Unloading
Of Explosives At Seward Port
Radio reports on the confer
ence in Juneau, held Thursday,
Jan. 4. were to the effect that
Governor Gruening, Col. J. P.
Johnson and representatives of
contractors working in the
Kenai Peninsula made the re
quest that the Port of Seward
be kept open for the discharge
of Class-A explosives in amounts
of 500 pounds and over.
The conference, announced in
December, was held by the U. S.
Coast Guard and all interested
parties were invited to be pres
ent or to submit briefs on the
matter.
I Mayor Eugene Lanier was
authorized by the city council
to attend the conference on be
half of the city, but he got away
to a late start Thursday morn
ing, and it is not known here
whether or not he arrived in
time for the conference at 2
p.m.
According to the radio news
.reports, as picked up here, Col.
Johnson, general manager of
The Alaska Railroad, and the
manager of the Suntrana coal
mines registered complaints on
the grounds that without the
necessary explosives, train serv
:ce would be curtailed and the
Suntrana mines would be forced
to close. Construction of the
Seward-Anchorage high w a y,
now partly completed, would
be seriously hampered if not
stopped altogether.
Early in the fall of 1950. Coast
Guard regulations were issued
prohibiting the unloading, trans
portation or storage of Class-A
explosives over any municipal
docks. The ruling further re
quired that in ports not having
specially constructed docks for
the handling of explosives, they
must be unloaded in midstream
‘ and lightered in to land.
It was stated that no port in
Alaska met with such require
ments, and therefore explosives
at Seward would have to be
lightered. Special exemption was
made for the discharge of two
loads of explosives at this port,
a Coast Guard vessel being on
the scene and supervising the
discharge.
Recommendations and re
quests made at the conference
are to be transmitted to Wash
ington for further action, as was
understood by those w'ho heard
the news report.
MASONS INSTALL
1951 OFFICERS
Seward Masonic Lodge No.
219 F.&A.M. installed officers
for the coming year Tuesday,
Jan. 2.
Delbert L. Robbins was in
stalled as Worthy Master; Don
ovan S .Wilson, senior warden;
Chas. S. Lechner. junior warden;
John Ives, treasurer; Thomas
E. Howell, secretary; H. Dexter
Bacon, chaplain; Harold Cam
pen, marshal; Leland Miller,
senior deacon.
Senior and junior stewards
installed are Lawrence T. Kirch
and Troy Bogard; and Phil Hard
ing, tyler.
Installing officers were Robert
Stearns, Worthy Master; Harold
Campen, marshal; Alfred Tor
vanger, chaplain.
Refreshments were served
after the installation ceremony.
OFFICER PUCKETT ILL
Highway Patrolman George
Puckett is on the sick list this
week. He has been in Seward
General Hospital for the last
few days, but expects to return
home soon, where he will spend
a week or so recuperating.
Officer Commends
SVSen for Assistance
Officer Bert Kellogg stated to
day that the splendid coopera
tion of Seward men at the time
of the wreck of Jenkins' plane
last Monday probably saved the
life of at least one of the pas
sengers.
“At least 25 men were on the
scene within a short time of the
crash,” Kellogg stated. “Some
drove out immediately and gave
assistance to Andy Simon, who
extricated the men from the
wreckage of the plane which fell
on Kcnai Lake near his cabin.”
“I could only give escort serv
ice," Kellogg stated, “and I wish
to express my appreciation to
the many drivers of automobiles
who showed such courtesy at the
sound of the siren.”
Harry Jenkins, who was pilot
ing the plane, was most serious
ly injured. His condition is still
critical, although reports from
the hospital are that he is hold
ing his own. His mother is ex
pected to arrive from her home
in Minnesota to be at the bedside
of her son.
Reports that Jenkins was op
erating on a students license
without permit to carry a pas
senger were confirmed today by
Mr. Joynter, CAA represnetative,
and he is still unable to remem
ber anything about the crash.
Officers state that he was car
rying no identification at the
time of the crash,
John Strickland, the other
man in the crash, was not so
seriously injured, and his condi
tion is improving rapidly.
KEATING NEW PRESIDENT
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Clarence Keating, Alaska
manager of West Coast Life
Insurance Company, was elected
president of the Chamber of
Commerce here, at the first
1951 meeting Wednesday night
in City Council Chambers.
First vice president is Leon
Urbach, second vice president.
John Coleman. Win. C. Erwin
was re-elected to the post of
secretary-treasurer and W. W.
Sipprell will serve as chairman
of the Board of Directors.
A vole of appreciation was
given to Mr. Sipprell and Mr.
Erwin, as president and secre
tary-treasurer last year, for
their -efforts on behalf of the
Chamber and the community.
W.S.C.S. ENTERTAINED BY
JESSE LEE STAFF
The Woman’s Society of Chris
tian Service enjoyed a Christmas
party at the Jesse Lee Home on
Thursday evening of last week.
An exchange of gifts with Miss
Anna Martin taking Santa’s
place and Barbara Cole acting
as Santa’s helper was one of
the lively features of the party.
Those taking part in the in
spirational program were Marie
Green, Lois Norton and Mar
garet Mahan. A farewell gift of
a beautiful ivory pendant was
presented to Mrs .Myrtle Wright
by Mrs. Green. Mrs. Wright, who
has been active in local church
and club affairs, plans to leave
for California in the near fu
ture and will be greatly missed
by her many friends here.
The president of the group,
Mrs. Gladys Bogard, introduced
the guests present. Light re
freshments were served by the
hostesses, Ruth Garret, Helen
Case, Patricia Gibson, Myrtle
Wright and Miss Bollinger.
American Red Cross
Home Nursing
Registration Open
Registration is open for ad
J vanced classes in home nursing,
i conducted by American Red
J Cross.
This instruction is specifically
j for those women who have held
! home nursing certificates which
j have become outdated. A cer
tificate runs for five years, then
must be renewed. Graduates
| from this course will be eligible
j for instructing further classes
! locally.
Mrs. Charles Lechner, chair
man of Home Nursing and First
Aid. announced that Seward
| women are not taking advantage
of this opportunity to renew cer
tificates, probably because they
have not been well informed
1 about the necessity for such in
I Struction.
An instructor will arrive about
Jan. 15. from Pacific Area to
conduct classes in Seward and
throughout the Territory wher
I ever certificates have run out
I and there is no eligible teacher
1 available locally.
To register for the Home Nurs
, ing classes, women are requested
to call or contact Mrs. Lechner.
First Aid Classes Later
More people have evidenced
an interest in First Aid than in
' Home Nursing instruction. There
beng no up-to-date certificates
held by instructors in this area,
it will be necessary to wait for
. an instructor from San Francisco
. for first aid classes also. The
| tentative date on the itinerary
! of this instructor in Seward is
some time in March. Efforts are
being made to secure an earlier
date. Registration for first aid
courses will also be made with
Mrs. Lechner. Both these series
. are for the renewal of instruc
tor's certificates.
:
LUKE ELWELL VERY MUCH
ALIVE. HE SAYS
j Luke Elwell claims that the
report of his sudden death this
week has been very much ex
agerated, that quite to the con
trary, he is very much alive.
A rumor spread like wildfire
throughout the area early this
week, that Luke, who with his
wife operates a famous fishing
lodge on Upper Russian Lake,
had died of a heart attack. No
one knows how the rumor start
ed, and like most rumors, it is
quite untrue.
When he heard of it. Mr. El
well asked the radio station to
broadcast a denial of the rumor,
which they did, Thursday eve
ning.
1S-YEAR-OLD STOWAWAY
TAKEN OFF BARANOF
; The SS Baranof was searched
last night before sailing, and a
I 16 year old girl was removed,
to be placed in the custody of
her guardians.
The young lady decided to
leave Seward, and having no
money, took the romantic way
out. She was very indignant at
being prevented from carrying
! out her plans.
COOPER LANDING HALL IS
SCENE OF YULE PARTY
!
: , December 23 was a gala oc
casion at Cooper Landing.
The Community Club enter
tained 56 residents of Cooper
Landing at a Christmas party in
the new hall. Though not the of
ficial opening, the hall was
decked out in traditional holiday
glamour. Nine children, as well
as all the adults, were visited by
Santa.
Members of the club are look
ing forward to their grand open
ing which will be open house for
from Homer to Seward.
4th of July Committee Reports
Planning ’51 Celebration
Baranof Due for
Lively Trip South
The old ship Baranof will be
having a lively trip south this
time, with a number of Seward- j
I ites aboard to keep things going, j
W. W. Sipprell, Alaska Steam- i
| ship Co. agent, is aboard, on a I
t business trip to Seattle. Mrs. I
| Sipprell stayed home to run the :
| office.
| Mrs. Ruth Dufresne and chil-'
! dren are on their way to see j
I Hank, husband and father, who i
is in Marine Hospital in Seattle, j
Mrs. Myrtle Evans, wife of
Patrolman Floyd Evans, is go
ing Outside to stay for a while
where it is not so cold.
Miss Dorothy Marzen and
E. R. Seater make up the Sew
ard complement Seattle bound.
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Wilkin
son and daughter Patricia are |
also aboard the Baranof, but j
will leave the ship at Ketchikan, j
where they will make their
j home.
Miss Sexton Returns
j Of the homing pigeons, among
the first was Sylvia Sexton,
j known to everyone who ever
I visits Seward. Miss Sexton owns
“Sylvia’s,” one of the oldest ;
established business houses in j
town, pictured in "Guide to'
Alaska" and most travel circu
lars. as well as the Sewfard
Chamber oi' Commerce folder.
Miss Sexton drove Outside,;
leaving here Sept. 12, with a j
party of Seward ladies. They :
had lots of fun on the trip, she j
said, and after visiting her bro
ther in Seattle for a while, she
w’ent on to Carlsbad Caverns
with Mrs. R. C. Ingram, one of
the original party.
Sylvia arrived home on the
Baranof at 2 a.m. Thursday, and
by tf o'clock she was at work
on the store inventory.
I LOCAL MAN FINED FOR NEW
YEAR CELEBRATION
Dan Southard pleaded guilty
through his attorney in magis
trate's court Thursday afternoon
to charges of discharging a fire
arm within the city limits, and
resisting arrest. He was fined
$25 on each count.
It was claimed by local police
and highway officers that Mr.
Southard was firing tracer bul
lets, endangering lives and prop
erty. This charge was not made
against him officially, however.
—
: BOMAR BACK IN SEWARD
I AS MANAGER OF
NORTHERN STEVEDORING
! Ralph Bomar returned to Sew
ard Dec. 28 as district manager
1 of the Seward office of Northern
Stevedoring- Company.
Mr. and Mrs. Bomar were Out
side for several weeks on vaca
tion. They visited friends and
relatives in Seattle and Spokane,
and had a wonderful time, Mr
Bomar said.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
OF LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rev. Kent Spaulding announc
es the annual congregational
meeting of the Seward Lutheran
Church will be held Tuesday,
Jan. 9, at 7JJ0 p.m. in the
church.
Election of officers, approval
of the budget and other impor
tant business matters will be
brought before the congregation
at this time.
The Ladies Aid will meet fol
lowing the congregational meet-|
ing.
Seward’s Fourth of July Com
mittee held its regular monthly
meeting Thursday night in the
City Council Chambers.
The secretary-treasurer report
ed that a considerable amount
is still owing on last year’s
celebration, and the committee
expressed amazement that so
many of the underwriters of the
race have failed to pay the
Quarter portion of the amount
for which they originally signed
to pay in backing the race.
The Mount Marathon race it
self is the only part of the three
day celebration that failed to
pay for itself. All concessions,
small race prizes and food stands
paid so well that it was that
money which, thrown into the
general fund, reduced the total
amount of underwriting pledges
to one quarter of their face
value, so that the business or
person who pledged SI00 toward
the expenses, was required to
pay only $25. It was also re
ported that the type of business
which could be expected to
benefit most, and did benefit
most from the crowd in town,
are the persons who have failed
to make good on their pledges.
Those who did the work are
also the ones who paid their
pledges, and had nothing at all
to gain by the celebration ex
cept the three days of extra
hard work.
A different plan is being dis
cussed for the 1951 Fourth of
July Community celebration as
a whole. The Marathon race, it
is felt, must go on as usual, or
lose the value of all the favor
able publicity gained for the
city by last year’s race. There
must be a way found to finance
it, however, if the annual event
is to continue.
Monthly meetings of the Com
mittee will continue until May,
when the meetings will be more
frequent and continue until after
the events of the Fourth of July.
! FUR RENDEZVOUS OFFERS
'bowling prizes
j Wm. G. Lofflin was in town
| Thursday and Friday in connec
tion with the all Alaska bowling
tournament to be held during
the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous
Feb. 19-25.
I While here Lofflin conferred
with A1 and Norine Reed and
Louis Dick, local bowling offi
cials. He highly praised the
j Dreamland Bowl, operated by
Bob and Betty Forsyth,
j Lofflin states that $5,000 in
prize money is being offered to
winning bowlers in the big tour
nament.
eastern star to open
YEAR WITH SUPPER
j The Order of Eastern Star will
I hold its first meeting of the new
| year Monday, January 8, at 8
p.m. The regular meeting will
be preceded by a potluck fellow
ship supper at 6:30 p.m., and fol
lowed by a special program.
This night has been designat
ed as Visitors Night, and any
members of other chapters who
are now living or visiting in
Seward are invited to take this
opportunity to get acquainted
with Seward members.
New officers will begin their
term with this first meeting of
1951 with Mrs. Cecil Horton,
newly installed Worthy Matron,
presiding.
Mr. and Mrs. James Petersen
of Kenai are in town for a few
days. They have their small
nephew with them.