WARD
/'//< (iiiit iiuy City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e o P o r t
Record
Seward’s A WAP rather Pori is Alaska’s Greatest Asscl.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
Voi. \ hi. No. (>:;
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 15, 1952
Price 10 Cents
Too many cooks spoil the
broth. That can also be applied
to the many ideas on the forth
coming election on the water
bond issue. This reporter has
heard several stories and some
of them are definitely wrong.
It is the purpose ot this column
to explain as clearly and briefly
as possible the things involved
in the coming election. February
26.
I ho election is for ihe voters
to decide whether or not the
City of Seward will ass;.me a
bonded indebtedness of $400,000
to be used for the rehabilitation
and construction of the water
system. The bonds are to be
revenue bonds to be paid off
from the revenue of the water
system. Revenue bonds are gen
erally consul, red to be better
from a property owner's view
point than general obligation
bonds which are secured by and
usually paid off by assessments
against real property. In case of
default rnitenue bonds may by
the simple expedient of a court
order be changed to general ob
ligation bonds.
Many Sewardites have taken
for granted that this bond issue
is a participating project wher -
by the APW pays half of the
cost as with th •* sewer pro
ject passed at a specia’ election
last fall. This is not the ease.
The $400,000 would be a bonded
indebtedness against the revenue
of the water system and no par
ticipating money .would be tortii
coming from Public Works.
Among reasons given for not
attempting to get the water sys
tem project under Public Works
(at a cost to the city of $200,000
for the $400,000 project) were
that no definite date could be
set for the construction and that
Seward has one APW project
and is. therefore, entitled to only
one more and that paving of
streets, hospital and school also
must be considered.
There is no doubt about the
bonds being paid if and when
they are passed by the voters on
February 2G and due dates ar
rive. It has already been stated
that the water rates for the city
must double in order to carry the
load. If the load becomes too
heavy—well, just double them
again, is the natural supposition.
There are undoubtedly many
residents who believe that the
city needs the new water system
at the earliest possible moment,
regardless of the cost—whether
the water rates be doubled or
tripled, and regardless of
whether our little old water sys
tem has to dig up $10,000 a y:ar
(as in the case of an APW pro
(Continued on Page 5)
OPS Csmlicsnce Drive
In Stales Brings
Price Pot! B&cks
Juneau—The first compliance
drive in the states to bring re
tail service establishments with
in Ceiling Price Regulation 34
has produced gratifying results,
the Territorial Office of Price
Stabilization learned this week.
Edward P. Morgan, national
OPS director of enforcement,
said the drive has not only stim
ulated an awareness of the r:gu
lation but had also resulted in
numerous establishments rolling
back pric'-s and making restitu
tion to their customers, or the
U.S. Treasury.
Sorvic: trades against which
OPS has already taken action
include laundries and dry clean
ing establishments, garages and
service stations, jewelers, watch
repairers and camera supply
firms, shoe repair and hat cl:an
ing shops and radio and televi
sion repair firms.
No drive has yet been made in
Alaska, the Territorial OPS said,
but plans are being made to take
some action along this line in
the near future.
Service establishments eov r
ed are required to post a state
ment of their ceiling prices in a
conspicuous place, and to file a
copy of it with the local OPS
district office. They are also re
quired to ke: p records showing
the nrices. rates or pricing meth
ods used during the base period,
and to make them available to
OPS agents for inspection, in
order that consumers may have
ample protection.
Five Per Cen^ Gaia In
Native Population
Siicwn By Census
Alaska's Native population
gained 1,636 or about iive per
cent between 1939 and 1950, the
Alaska Development Board has
been advised from Washington.
Total Native population as de
termined by the census taken
April 1, 1D50, was 33,334, the
Board was advised.
The breakdown of 1950 popu
lation by race, the Development
Board learned, was: white,
92,783; Alaska Native (Eskimo,
Indian and Aleut), 33,884; other
races, 1,976.
This information, which has
not previously been revealed,
came out last week during th..
debate on Alaska statehood,
when the figures were read into
the record by Senator Joseph
O'Mahoney, chairman of the
Senate Interior and Insular Af
fairs Committee. Senator O’Ma
honey said he had obtained them
from Hoy V. Peel, Director of
the Census.
In 1939, at the time of the
previous census, the Alaska pop
ulation breakdown had been:
white, 39,170: Native, 32,458;
other races, 896.
The white population in Alas
ka gained 53,613 or approximate
ly 137 per cent in the ten and
one-half year period between
censuses. The Territory's total
population gain of 77 per cent
since 1940 was greater than that
ol‘ any state or other territory.
Moose Pass_
Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Pear
son were host and hostess on Sat
urday » vening, February !>, at a
miscellaneous wedding shower
in honor oi’ Mr. and Mrs. Lyle
Heed and Mr. and Mrs. Fleming
Clemson. ih. evening was spent
in visiting and playing canasta
and pinochle with refreshments
of VaLntine cakes and coffee
just before the honor guests
opened their gifts.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Blossom
of Ninilchik were overnight
guests of Kev an \ Mrs. Gene
Elliott on Wednesday and Thurs
day oi iast we i'he Blossoms
had come over to the Pass to
take the boat train on Thursday
io Anchorage.
Mr. and Mrs. ilai Waugh and
D.U..M and Mr. and Airs. Merle
Heed and Paul spent Sunday
wdh Mel Horner at his cabin on
Falls CreeK in honor of Mel’s
73rd birthday, February 11. The
guests surprised Mel with gifts
and refreshments for he had not
expected anyone to bo up his
way for the trip in from the
highway had to be made on
snow shoes.
Kenneth Condit, Glenn Miller
and Max Foster came in Monday
ev ning with eleven beaver pelts
so the families gathered at the
Foster home to stretch the skins.
Mi. and Mrs. Eiwyn Matthews
and sons Jerry and Paul, Nellie
and Christine Brandel, Gladys
BolPnger and Kaclicl Yokel, all
of the «»esse Lee Home .surprised
K.v. and Mrs. Gene Elliott Sun
day evening by driving in with
a fried chicken supper all ready
to be served. The Seward guests
remained for the evening church
service and Miss Bollinger and
Miss Yokel furnished th^ special
music for the occasion.
The girls of the Moose Pass
community plan 1o meet with
Mrs. Kenneth Condit on Wednes
day afternoon to form a 4-H Club
group. This is the first time that
there has been enough girls to
organize such a group as boys
have always outnumbered the
girls in this community. Some
times there has been only one
girl of school age.
MAN HIT BY TRAIN RESTS
IN LOCAL HOSPITAL
Georg. Coop' r, whose light
truck was hit by ,.u Alaska Hail
road switch engine near the
Army dock last Saturday night,
is improving rapidly, according
to hospital authorities.
Cooper, driving back to work
at the Army dock at 7 p.m., is
said to have been following two
cars which crossed the track
safely. He was on the track him
self, however, before noticin'g
that the engine was right upon
him. He turned onto the track
ahead of the train in an attempt
to drive along in front of the
engine, but was struck from tin
rear. Cooper was taken to Sew
ard G neral Hospital. The truck
is said to be a total loss.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Lovett re
turned Sunday by auto over the
highway after several weeks va
cationing in South:rn California.
School Budding Plans
Studied By
Seward School Board
Plans submitted by Bourne
Associates, architects, for tlic*
new high school building were
viewed by the School Board this
week. Several changes were in
dicated by the board and 11 le
plans will be r. turned to the
architect for the corrections.
Great disappointment was ex
pressed on the lack of a gymna
sium. Although the general con
struction plan allows for the ad
dition of a gymnasium as well
as other rooms at a later date,
elimination of a gymnasium was
explained by the fact that Alas
ka Public Works funds are not
being allocated for such con
struction, but must be confin'd
to the building of actual class
rooms only.
Carl R. Carlson, just returned
from the conference of school
superintendents at Juneau, re
ported that several changes will
be presented by the Department
of Education at the next Legis
lature. One of the changes will
recommend the placing of bus
transportation in the hands of
individual school boards, thus
relieving the territorial office of
the administrative burden.
Seward is third highest in the
Territory in point of increase in
growth, Mr. Carlson said. This
school is also one of the four in
Alaska to be fully and unquali
fiedly accredited by tile North
west Educational Association.
Permission was given by
Commissioner of Education Er
ickson. to snlit the Tlh and 8th
grades to make a third class.
Mrs. Elsie Whitmore was added
to the teaching staff to take this
class. Mrs. Whitmore has taught
previously in the Seward High
School.
School enrollment is increas
ing so rapidly in Seward that the
September term will begin with
at least four classes held outside
the school building, the board
was told, thus pointing uo the
absolute need for a n:w build
ing.
RENDEZVOUS QUEEN
CANDIDATE TO ARRIVE
HERE VIA DOG TEAM
An Anchorage Fur Rendezvous
queen candidate is expected to
arrive in Seward with a retinue
of 25 attendants via dog team
sometime Saturday, probably
around noontime.
It is understood here that' the
queen candidate and entourage
are not traveling with the dog
teams all the way. but are to
meet at about Mile 2 at 11 a.m.,
then parade into the city.
Many other Anchorage visitors
are expected over the weekend
to attend the various activities
scheduled.
ANCHOR AGE-SEWARD
BOWLERS MEET SATURDAY
Two men's teams and one team
of woman bowlers from the
Elks of Anchorage will play
matched games here Saturday
afternoon and evening, with
Seward Elks.
T. P. Lorang suffered a broken
ankle this week while at work
as nieht watchman on the dock.
He left the hospital Friday to
recuperate at his home.
Tonight and tomorrow night
the Scahawks will defend their
first place in the Railbelt confer
ence which is now tied with Pal
mer. Two games here with An
chorage will (nd the grind for
Seward’s team until the playoff
tournament, for Western Alaska
championship title to be held in
Fairbanks.
Seward and Palmer are tied
for first place with six wins and
four losses each. If the Scahawks
get two wins this week and Fair
banks upsets Palmer (which is
not considered likely), S ward
will be top dog for the Railbelt.
Coach Ottmar of Anchorage
plans to use the same starting
lineup for the Eagles as last
week when they lost to the Sea
hawks: Pete Nelson, Larry Beck,
Kent Marboe, Earl Craig, and
Phil Kahler.
The Scahawks will line up
with Chuck Van Slyke, Pedro
Denton, Ronnie Lewis, Don San
ders, and Dale Lindsay. This
quintet played a spectacular
game in Anchorage last Satur
day which was attended by
about 50 Sewardites who mo
tored to the Hub City for the first
time to see a basketball game
there.
Fcsifh Chape! To Show
Ninety Minute Film
Faith Chapel presents the
sound film “Reaching from H:a
ven," to be shown at the Odd
Fellows Hall, Tuesday. February
19, at 8 p.m. This film is written
and directed with great depth
and feeling, and is skillfully act
ed. It has a priceless lesson of
Christian charity that is cleai'iy
demonstrated. A noted radio
commentator says, "The world is
crying for such movies today.”
Good reports have been received
from Homer and Kenai highly
recommending the film.
There will be no admission
charge, but an offering w'ill be
taken to help defray expenses.
All are invited to see this film
next Tuesday night.
FHA CONSULTANT TO BE
HERE MONDAY
A representative from the An
corage office of Federal Housing
Authority will meet all persons
interested in FHA home building
Monday, Feb. 18. at 7:30 in the
Methodist Church basement.
Prospective home builders in
this area will be free at that
time to investigate requirements
and possibilities of FHA financ
ing.
C OF C LUNCHEON MEETING
NEXT TUESDAY
Several items of importance
to residents and businessmen of
Seward will be taken up at the
next regular meeting of Seward
Chamber of Commerce next
Tuesday, Feb. 19.
The meeting will be at noon in
Harding's Cafe banquet room.
INCOME TAX TROUBLE?
For all persons who are hav
ing income tax troubles, a Depu
ty Collector wrill be at the U.S.
Commissioner's office in the Fed
eral Building next week every
day February1 18 through Febru
ary 23. His hours will be from
8 a m. to 4:30 p.m.