M £ R R y M CHRISTMAS
Record
Seward* s All-JPeather Pori is Alaska's (Greatest Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD. ALASKA
lol. VIII. No. 55
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DEC. 21, 1951
Price 10 Cents
he Story of
5EWARD
By Jay Siauter
XXVIII
SEWARD AND
IDITAROD GOLD
During 1905, 1900, and 1907,
id prospecting in the Yentna
ver region northwest of what
now Anchorage, h.ui added to
' eariy prosperity of S. ward,
ce supplies could be landed
ni steamers at Uesurrection
y, then taken part way by tne
tska Central Railroad, then
ighted overland by dog-team
the late surma b.j.oro the
v thawed. This enabled tne
peclor to get earliest pos
? start in the spring. Al
tgh it was possiLue to land
jht Irom small steamers in
upper part at Cook ltnet and
approach nearer to the gold
is, this alternative required
.ing till the ice was gone
1 ttie northern arms of the
t, and by that time it was too
for dog team operation.
_> Seward was the iavorcd
of entry for the Yentna gold
i, while it remained the ac
centor for the Kenai Penin
mines as well. Of course.
promoters Gf the .A las’- a Cer
Railrocid gave full and fa
ble publicity to all gold
;es aong its proposed rail
and the Seward newspaper
playing up "Central Alas
as a vast region of limitless
■ral possibilities.
irth from Turnagain Arm, a
1 of roadhouses came into
ence, the better-known of
h were Scotty Watson's at
Knik; Henry M. Kinnon's
house, and the Yentna Res
nt, located at “New Knik."
chain of stopping points was
easily reached from the
)f the partially-built Alaska
jiern Railroad, and the route
vhole was muc.n easier and
iangerous than the Valdez
or the older Dyea Trail
during the Klondike rush,
w millionaires result d
the Yentna gold rush,
seems mainly to have
of benefit to the outfitters
ransportation firms. Like
other Alaska gold stam
it cost more than it pro
but offsetting this was the
aat a goodly share of the
spent by the unsuccessful
ctors remained here in
i, and helped to build up
round business in a hith.r
ettlcri region,
ss the summit of the Alas
ge, the part forming the
n rim of the Susitna River
lay the Kuskokwim
country, accessible in
by a long dog-team trip
Insurrection Bay, Prince
Sound or the harbors of
if Straight or lower Cook
ia the Alaska Peninsula,
of the few settlers of this
prior to 1907 was a fur
named Pete McGrath,
ated a post at small In
llage on the upper Kus
near the Takotna and
("Turn to Page 4)
Mew Lows Face
Drivers as 1952 Cjr
Licenses Due
Tin re are .several tn vv wrin
kles in the motor veiiiele law as
it affects the issuance of license
plates for the year 1952 and
Mrs. Stearns of the Territorial
Licensing Department of Sew
ard. urges motorists today to
study the new provisions care
fully to avoid last minute con
fusion and delays.
For example, it was pointed
out, the signature of the regis
tered owner of a car is neces
sary tor the procurement of
license plates. Heretofore, au
thorized agents could obtain a
license without the owner's sig
nature. Dealers could sign for
customers.
All cars not previously regis
tered in till' Territory must be
physically inspected for 1952
license plates. '1 no Alaska High
way Patrol or other peace offi
cers may make la inspection.
New plates went on sale Dec.
15 at the office of the City Li
censing Officer in S.iu.ui.
la a as..it *. u i.w ijticsuon,
“Can a car owner obtain 1952 li
cense pi.tLs if the car carries an
out-of-state title'.’" Mrs. Stearns
replied. “Yes. Alaska plates can
be issued providing the out-oi
s.ate title is surrendered at the
time of application. However, if
the out-oi-state title is Imld by a
lienholder in the States, the
Alaska plates cannot be issu d.
We can issue a permit which is
good for 30 days and costs si.UO
which will serve in lieu of the
license plates."
“Where joint ownership of a
car is held by husband and wife,
can either sign the registration
certificate?” Mrs. Stearns was
asked.
“Yes," she replied. “On joint
ownership either the husband or
wife can sign, but this is the reg
istration only. On the title,
where joint ownership exists,
both husband and wife must sign
the application for title."
Last year many trucks carried
passenger* car plates. This will
not be permitted during 1 a2.
according to ih Alaska High
way Patrol. Trucks must carry
plates designed for that type of
vehicle.
Sie Elected President
Seward C. os C.
Captain Tormod Die, district
manager for Northern Stcvedor
ing and Handling Corporation,
was elected president of the Sew
ard Chamber of Commerce at
the meeting held at noon Tues
day.
Hal Gilfilen was elected first
vie:-president; Tom Bennett,
second vice-president, and Rev.
Charles Malin, Jr., was named
secretary-treasurer by unani
mous consent.
The membership passed a
unanimous resolution of appre
ciation to retiring president
Clarence P. Keating for his great
work in building up the organ
ization through the past year.
Christmas Parties Are
Word-of-the- W e e k
fii Seward
Many Christmas parties are
scheduled in Seward for next
week, beginning with Saturday
night. December 22.
The American Legion and
Seward Elks partus will be held
in their respective club rooms.
'1 he Alaska Railroad employees
are holding a party in the Ro
maek building, which is an ex
clusive all’air for ARR employees
and their guests.
A huge crowd attended the
school party Wednesday night,
there was music, dancing and
exercises by the children. The
usual Christmas treat was to be
distributed in school today. This
is a contribution of ihe Seward
Parent-Teacher Association.
Pat's Christmas .m riy
Piubably too biggest and most
popmar of the public celebra
tions, among tun small fry, is tne
parly given to tne children every
j ear uy Pat ! r.t ce at Pat s Cla
ra 'O' AH eiiildi n bei..c n the
ages of one unu 12 years \ ears
a;w 1 ..... d to Pat’s G:tr . ‘gun
day aitern.ioi. between 1:00 and
4:00 o'clock.
Price Adjustments
(regional
O.P.S. Office
Juneau—In a s rics of ‘‘over
riding regulations," the Office
of Price Stabilization delegated
authority to its regional offices
throughout the nation to act up
on applications for ceiling price
adjustments under ihe Capeiiart
Amendment.
An “overriding" regulation is
a regulation that cuts across all
existing i egulations.
Under tile Capeiiart Amend
ment, mmuiiaetarors, producers
and processors may apply for
ceiling price adjustments based
upon increases or decreases in
their costs of labor, mat rials
and overhead from pre Korea to
July Lit), 1951.
.vitaough there is little manu
facturing in Alaska, any adjust
in' nls under t h e Capehart
Amendment undoubtedly will be
fi It by Alaskans. Fred G. Han
ford, Territorial O.P.S. Director,
said.
“Under our Alaska regula
tions, retailers may pass through
any cost increases," Hanford
said. “Since most merchandise
sold in Alaska is shipped in from
the States, any increases guaran
t ed by Congress and granted
unri'-r th. Capehart Amendment
may eventually be reflected in
increased costs to Alaska con
sumers.”
SEA HAWKS vs. WHITTIER
SATURDAY MIGHT
The Seward Sea Hawks will
meet the Post Army team from
Whittier in a basketball game
Saturday night, Dec. 22, in the
Seward Civic Center.
The preliminary game will be
between the junior and senior
class teams, starting at 7 o'clock.
Christmas Greetings
From Gen. Kepr.er
"On behalf cf all the members
of the Armed Forces in Alaska I
wish xo extend to ltie people of
the Territory a heart-felt wish
tor a very merry Christinas and
a new year filled wiih prosperity
and happiness.
"Let us give thanks to God.
who nas kept our shores tree of
armed conflict, and pray that in
the years to come he, in his wis
dom, will guide people of aii na
tions along the path of under
standing to the end that there
will truly be peace on earth and
good wiil among all men."
LT. GEN. W. E. KEPNEH
Report Strange Craft
in kesisrrection Bay
Considerable curiosity and in
terest with much speculation was
caused by the sighting o£ a
strange erait or object in Resur
rection Bay early this morning.
At about b:30 several men
wu,,.!...; on the dock noticed
some ooject which uiey could
not identity, heauing out the oay
at “fairly good spe.d." Men
stopped work to watch the ob
ject, but as no binoculars were
available it could not be idenii
iied as anything other than
“strange."
That it looked more like the
conning tower or superstructure
o£ a submarine than anything
else seems to be the consensus
of opinion.
Local authorities have made
no comment on th report.
SPORTSMEN TO HEAR
F&WS BIOLOGIST
FRIDAY EVENING
Mr. Fid Chatelain, F&WS bi
do.Mst in charge of the Cook
Inlet and Kenai areas, who is
also in charge of dispensing the
monies accrued through the
Pittman-Robinson Bill and th
DhigJe-Johnson Bill in this area,
will lm et with local sportsmen
at Harding's at f> pan. this v
nn :Vday. Dec. ?,1, to answer
any ciuestions pertaining to ins
work.
Mr. Chatelain is here under
the auspices of the local Isaac
Walton League, and all soorts
men and other interested parties
are invited to attend.
COUNCIL TO DISCUSS
WATER SYSTEM
REHABILITATION
A special meeting of the City
Council, called for Dec. 28, will
be given to the discussion of fi
nance for tho city water system
recently acquired from the Sew
ard Water Company.
The matter to be decided is
whether to proceed with private
financing for the rehabilitation
project or wait for Federal par
ticipation funds.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Crone
of Fairbanks, formerly of Bend.
Oregon, were visitors in Seward
from Tuesday until Thursday of
this week.
Seward Democrats
Elected To
Divisional Committee
Clarence P. Keating, Harry
West and Don Carlos Brownell
were elected to membership and
office in the Divisional Commit
tee of the Democratic party at
the Third Division Convention
in Anchorage last Saturday and
Sunday.
Keating was elected as secre
tary of the Divisional Commit
tee, v. i111 West as treasurer. Mr.
Brownell is also a committee
member. Steve McCutcheon of
Anchorage is committee chair
man.
It was a completely harmoni
ous meeting, according to Mr.
Keating, who states that there
was perfect cooperation on every
issue.
The three Seward delegates
have now returned to Seward to
take up the work of the Divi
sional Committee here.
Weather Keeps GOPs
From Attending
Reeves Dinner
Although a delegation from
Seward had plann d to attend
the testimonial dinner for Bob
Reeves, held in Anchorage on
Wednesday night of this week,
bad weather prevented the trip.
Planes Could not make the trip
that day. and several cars were
stuck on tiie Seward-Anchorage
highway.
Reeves, well known Alaska
bush pilot and air pioneer is the
first candidate for either party
to file his intentions to run for
delegate to Congress. He is presi
dent and superintendent of op
erations of Reeves Aleutian Air
ways, Inc. It is felt in Republi
can circles that his knowledge of
Alaskan problems qualifies him
for the position, and his official
declaration has filled party mem
bers with jubilation.
THREE FREIGHTERS DUE
NEXT WEEK
The Alaska Line announces
freighters due next week: Ring
Splice, Dec mber 24; Victoria,
December 26. and John Quick,
December 27.
Mi's. Cal Brosius returned
Thursday aboard the Baranof.
Mrs. Brosius has been Outside
on an extended visit of several
months.
n SHOPPING
Sutf Christmas Seal?
SEWARD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
7th Annual Masked
YEAR'S EVE. DEC, T,, 1951
CIViC CENTER — 9:30 P.M.
III cill!
Admission $1.00