Weather
High Low Precip.
Mar. 12 35 28
Mar. 13 37 28
Mar. 14 . 34 25
Mar. 15 .32 16
Mar. 16 . 32 26
Mar. 17 . 28 20
Mar. 18 30 16
.05
.11
.22
Seward
The Gateway City of Interior /Alaska Since 1903.
Record
Seward’s All-Weather Port is Alaskafs Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. 10, No. 38
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1954
Price 10 Cents
GOVERNOR HEINTZLEMAN
PLEDGES SUPPORT
TO SEWARD
A message was received from
Governor B. Frank Heinizleman
last Friday, too late for publica
tion, pledging his continued sup
port to rehabilitation of the
Seward-Portage rail line and
dock facilities here.
The Governor has been in
Washington, D.C., for several
weeks on Territroial business
and has given his very active
support to the railroad and dock
appropriation as well as to the
improvements on the shelter har
bors of Seward and Valdez.
DEVEL. BOARD IN SUPPORT
OF ARR APPROPRIATIONS
Alaska Development Board in
dicated its full support of ap
propriations for Seward-Portage
rehabilitation and docks in a
telegram received Wednesday by
Win Ervin, president Seward
Chamber of Commerce. Full text
of the message is as follows:
"Alaska Development Board
fully supports requested appro
priations by Alaska Railroad and
recommendations of Bureau of
Budget and Department of In
terior for rehabilitation of Sew
ard dock facilities and Alaska
Railroad. We wish to emphasize
that when Ralph Browne was
quoting from reports published
by Alaska Development Board
he was in effect in most cases
quoting himself and that work
which he performed was not
done under supervision of pres
ent Board management. Alaska
Development Board will do ev
erything possible to see that
necessary funds for Seward are
appropriated."
Signed: A1 Anderson. ADE
CORDOVA WIRES SUPPORT
Dr. Will Chase, mayor of Cor
dova, wired Seward's Mayor
Painter this week "in complete
accord and support of Seward
and the Record's editorial of
March 12.”
Editorial
By MEK
IT HAS NEVER BEEN our
policy to be vindictive. It is,
however, necessary occasionally
to shock people into a realization
of public danger in order to alert
them to their own defense.
That the powerful newspapers
of Anchorage recognized the im
portance of our case and the im
pact of our denunciation to the
extent of editorializing on the
Record’s blast of last week (for
which we thank them!) was proof
its effectiveness.
They have been unable to
deny, however, that the pub
lished report of an official mun
icipal agency put into print the
attitude of many Anchorage citi
zens that it would not only be
necessary but right and advis
able to destroy the economic fu
ture of a neighbor in order to
guarantee to some extent their
own security.
A rather cryptic paragraph
from the Times editorial March
16 states, "'Word comes from
Washington that all is not well
with that appropriation. Some
Senators are said to be question
ing the wisdom of the invest
ment (ARR rehabilitation and
Seward docks). It maV have
been because of these reports,
that the Seward newspaper was
so quick to attack Anchor
age. . . .”
Mr. Times was wrong. Until
reading this editorial we had no
knowledge that any Senators had
been questioning the wisdom of
the appropriation. Our anger
was directed solely against the
writers of the Pori Commission
report. Thanks to this tip, how
ever, we can now believe that
the report is being used in Wash
ington to conceal the true situa
tion in the Railbelt. If so, we can
only hope that the report is be
ing used in its entirety, contain
ing the several repeated state
ment that Anchorage must . . .
“exercise every means at their
disposal to thwart the rehabili
tation of the Seward-Portage
line.”
The Times remarks that Sew
ard flew off the handle, or in
the editor's words, “the Seward
newspaper was so quick to at
tack Anchorage without clearing
with city officials to see what
official status the Port Commis
sion’s report would have.” And
also, "It is interesrting that the
city council disposed of the rail
(Tum to Page 2)
Seward Delegates Off
To GOP Convention
Seward delegates are making
history this week among the 83
delegates and 65 alternates at
the first Divisional Republican
Convention of elected delegates.
Candidates for office on the
Republican ticket and delegates
left Thursday for Palmer, the
convention city. They are pre
pared with resolutions to be pre
sented for incorporation in the
party platform in the coming
Territorial election this year.
Seward delegates are Win Er
vin, Tormod Bie and Leon
Lewis. Alternates are David
Carlson, Charles Malin and
Mark Walker. They are accom
panied by Phil Durant, precinct
committeeman, and Mrs. Fran
ces Hodson, committeewoman.
Dr. Francis J. Phillips and Mrs.
Paul Nelson are delegate and
alternate for the Bartlett pre
cinct. Win Ervin and Paul Nel
son are candidates for election
to the legislature.
Mrs. Helen Brosius, who was
announced as a speaker at the
convention, did not go to Pal
mer. She had thought to attend,
she said, but changed her mind
and cancelled her reservation
last week.
More "Irish" Here
This Year Than
Ever Dreamed Of
St. Patrick's Day last Wednes
day brought out more “Irish
men’’ in Seward than was
dreamed of. Just everybody, re
gardless of his name or heritage,
was wearing the green that day.
Sam Komack, who invited the
whole town to his annual cele
bration of the day, served home
made saurkraut, pickled salmon,
ham and potato salad to hun
dreds of friends during the day.
Catholic Party Crowded
The annual St. Patrick's Day
party held by the Sacred Heart
Church in the Civic Center was
a tremendous success, judging
from the vast crowd that
thronged the place.
No report is available yet on
the financial success of the af
iair, but it is expected to mea
sure up favorably, as the games
•offered are very popular. The
American Legion and Elks both
suspended their activities in sup
port of the church affair.
Mrs. Melvin Anderson, who
lives on Nash Road is now the
lucky owner of the handmade
bedspread which was on display
in Werner’s window. Dennis
Kieleheski sold the most tickets
for the affair and was awarded
a S25 savings bond.
So many people contributed
to the success of the annual St.
Patrick's Day party that it would
be impossible to thank each one
separately, the chairman said
today, so they offer publicly
grateful appreciation of Father
Arnold Custer, members of the
Parish of Sacred Heart Catholic
Church and of the committees
in charge of the party, for all
the kindness and generosity
shown them by the people and
organizations of Seward.
ADULT NIGHT SCHOOL
OPENS HERE
Night school pre-registration
has revealed enough interest in
rr nmercia> subjects to warrant
classes in typing and bookkeep
ing.
An eight-week course is being
organized, with classes to start
March 22 and continue through
May 13. The schedule of classes
is as iollows:
Typing: Mon., Turt., Thurs.,
7 - 8 p.m.
Bookkeeping: Tues., Thurs.,
8 - 9:30 p.m.
The fee for each course will
be $15, and may be paid next
week at the organizational meet
ing of each class. The first ses
sion of typing will be held next
Monday, March 22, at 7:00 p.m.
in the high school commercial
room. Bookkeeping will meet
for the first time next Tuesday
at 8 p.m., also in the high school
commercial room.
Considerable interest was
shown in shorthand, but it was
felt that an eight-week course
would not allow sufficient time
for satisfactory acocmplishment.
It is hoped that night classes in
shorthand can be offered next
fall, at which time it mfly be
possible to conduct sessions over
a sixteen-week period.
Mrs. Erwin Seward's
Choice As
"Mother of the Year"
Mrs. W. C. Erwin was named
as Seward's candidate for Alas
ka’s Mother of the Year by the
membership of the Seward Wo
man’s Club this week.
Mother of three sons, two of
whom attained the honor roll in
college this year, and the other
succeeding eminently in his
chosen profession, Mrs. Erwin is
well known among women of
Seward as a steady, vitalizing
influence for culture and good
home life. She was president of
the Woman’s Club for several
years, and a member of the orig
inal board of directors which
established the Community Li
brary, which project she has
continued to support actively for
more than 25 years.
The search to find the Alaska
Mother was launched in Janu
ary. Nomination blanks have
been distributed throughout the
Territory to national women’s
religious groups and individuals.
A larger number of nominations
than ever before are anticipated.
Mrs. Elmer Sellin, Alaska chair
man, states.
When the “Alaska Mother of
the Year” is finally chosen, her
name, together with a complete
biographical portfolio, is sub
mitted to the national headquar
ters of the American Mothers
Committee in New York for se
lection of the National Mother.
The choice is made by a well
qualified board appointed by the
National Council of the Ameri
can Mothers Committee of the
Golden Rule Foundation. She is
then honored nationally on
Mothers’ Day.
DISTRAINT ORDERS FOR
TAXES OUT NEXT WEEK
Information from the City
Hall is to the effect that uncol
lected taxes on personal proper
ty in Seward will be served on
orders of distraint next week.
By distraint, the city is per
mitted to seize and sell personal
property for non-payment of
taxes due.
ELKS PLAN PARTY FOR
SATURDAY NIGHT
All Elks and their ladies are
invited to a party at the Elks
Club Saturday, March 20. Danc
ing will begin at 10:30 and con
tinue until 4 a.m.
Admission will be on mem
bership card only with no local
guests. Jules Radinsky and his
orchestra will furnish the music.
A buffet lunch will be served.
Jesse Lee News
By Tommy Dillard
Everyone blossomed out look
ing like the first branches of
Spring Wednesday. March 17—
Saint Patrick's Day. Seems the
custom is that anyone not wear
ing green gets pinched, Irish or
Eskimo! No fatalities were re
ported, even though typhoid shot
day happened to coincide (mak
ing pinching doubly unwelcome)
and many professed "color-blind
ness,” mistaking green for all
shades of blup and red.
During the Spring holidays,
the “B” girls had a supper party
in the library, complete with a
program including singing, dance
routines, a skit and an acrobatic
number. Also as part of holiday
festivities the Liberty Theatre
invited the children to a mati
nee.
A snow family appeared in
front of the girls' building fol
lowing the mysterious comings
and goings of Miss Dolliver and
her “A” girls. The four snow
people were easily identifiable
as Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Shawn and
Eric, complete with caps and
mittens.
A recent addition to the "fa
mily" is Miss Mary Evelyn Don
ham, a teacher from Illinois who
has been studying at the Univer
sity of Alaska this year. She is
temporarily helping out in the
boys’ building before continuing
her travels thi-ough the Terri
tory.
Two birthdays are prominent
parts of activity. Alex Giaco
metti celebrated his 11th year
with a party Tuesday night,
March 16. Jacob Sheldon will
have his seventh birthday party
Sunday, March 21,* with cake
and ice cream furnished by Mrs.
Betty Palmer at whose wedding
he served as ring bearer. •
Vespers on Wednesday, March
10, consisted of a “trip” to
Puerto Rico, as conducted by
Mr. Dan Boehm, via slides which
he took during his* three-year
stay there. Something was learn
ed of the culture and activities
in a land of far different climate
and environment.
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Alaska Crip
pled Children’s Association has
carried on a most praiseworthy
work in rehabilitating unfor
tunately stricken persons; and
WHEREAS, children as well
as adults suffering from paraly
sis and other crippling diseases
have been given hospitalization
and needed treatment through
the efforts of the Alaska Crip
pled Children’s Association; and
WHEREAS, during the period
from March 18 to April 18, the
Association will conduct its an
nual Easter Seal sale, funds thus
derived going toward the further
work of helping the crippled;
NOW THEREFORE, I, Harold
Russell Painter, Mayor of the
City of Seward, hereby pro
claim the month of March 18 to
April 18 as dedicated to the crip
pled children of Alaska and urge
the people of Seward to pur
chase Easter Seals in support of
a worthy cause so that this hu
manitarian work may be con
tinued.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I
have hereunto set my hand and
caused to be affixed the Seal of
the City of Seward, Alaska, this
19th day of March, in the Year
of our Lord, 1954.
Harold Russell Painter,
(Seal) Mayor, City of
Seward, Alaska
OCEAN FREIGHT RATES
UP MARCH 15
Alaska ocean freight rates
were raised 7 Vi percent effec
tive March 15 as the result of
the Federal Maritime Board’s
decision on tariffs filed by mem
bers of the Pacific Coast-Alaska
Freight Conferance, according to
word received in Seattle today
by Alaska Steamship Company.
However, recent reductions in
many Alaska Railroad tariff
items have the effect of nullify
ing this increase to Alaska Rail
road points, it was pointed out.
A 10 percent increase was ask
ed by the conferance — Alaska
Steamship Company and Coast
wise Line: the first general in
crease in froi-gi.i rates since
March, 1952.
•This increase was essential to
cover increased operating costs
and permit us an opportunity to
earn an allowable return,' D. E.
Skinner, president of The Alaska
Line, said. ‘By the decision of
the Board to reduce the increase
to percent, w'e have lost 25
percent of the required addition
al revenue plus the loss sustain
ed due to the Board's suspension
of the tarriffs since February 12.
their original effective date.
However, despite this loss of
revenue, Alaska Steam will at
tempt to maintain the frequency
of service heretofore provided,’
Skinner said.
B&PW TO MEET AT
DINNER MARCH 23
The Business & Professional
Woman’s Club of Seward will
meet for dinner at 6:15 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 23, at Dick's
Diner.
Chairmen of committees will
make their annual reports, and
it is hoped to have ready a dis
cussion group on “Common
wealth status for Alaska,” as
brought up in Congress this
week.
Members are invited to bring
guests, but if doing so, are asked
to notify the president, Juanita
Everitt, so that reservations can
be made. Regular members not
expecting to attend are also
asked to notify the club of then
intended absence.
SS TONSINA SCHEDULED
FIRST TRIP MARCH 25
The Seacoronet, Liberty-type
ship purchased by the Alaska
Steamship Company for the A1
aska trade last November, is-re
named “Tonsina” and scheduled
to make her first trip to Alaska
March 25, D. E. Skinner, presi
dent of the company announced
this week.
Tonsina is the name of an Al
askan river tributary to the Cop
per River which flows into
Prince William Sound.
On her initial voyage to Al
aska, the Tonsina will call at
Valdez and Seward. Captain Gus
Goetz will be in command.
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
SUPPORTS PUBLIC WORKS
Alaska Development Board
is actively supporting and push
ing for extension of the Alaska
Public Works Act and the ap
propriation of necessary funds,
and is requesting members of
Congress to appropriate special
funds for the Bureau of Mines,
Bureau of Reclamation and the
U. S. Geological Survey so that
data essential to the develop
ment of the Territory will be
available to new industry.
Penalty Notices To Be
Mailed To
Late Filers
Notices of $5.00 penalties as
required by law will soon be
mailed to land owners who filed
their statement of ownership
after December 31, 1953. Land
Commissioner W. A. Chipper
field, who has spent the past two
weeks in Juneau conferring with
members of the Governor’s of
fice and the Attorney General,
states that if the penalty is not
paid before July 1, 1954, the
name of the owner with a de
scription of the property will be
included in the list that he must
send to the Clerk of the Courts
for further action on July 1.
Thereafter, the Courts allow 60
days for the owner to make set
tlement. If settlement is not
made within that period, the
foreclosure action follows.
Chipperfield said that al
though insufficient funds were
appropriated to administer the
land registration law, he will
endeavor to give all property
owners who filed the required
statement of ownership after De
.cember 31, 1953, ample time and
instructions for preventing any
foreclosures. He estimates that
2,000 statements of ownership
were filed after the required fil
ing date expired. Most of these
are from the Third Division.
Until additional funds are ap
propriated, the office of the De
partment of Lands will be un
able to compile a list of all land
whose ownership has not been
filed. However, such land is sub
ject to the $5.00 penalty and
lien. Chipperfield said that it is
unlikely that a clear abstract of
title or title guarantee can be
given for land in Alaska unless
ownership statements are filed
according to the law. He said
that the law may be amended or
repealed during the next session
of the legislature, but owners
who plan to sell their land dur
ing the period the law is in ef
fect. should make sure that the
required ownership statement
has been filed and that there are
no penalties or liens against the
land.
Chipperfield states that the
penalties should be paid through
his office, Box 368, Anchorage,
Alaska, and that the notices of
penalty due will contain instruc
tions for making payment. Own
ership statements should con
tinue to be filed in the office of
the Recorder of the Precinct
where the land is located.
NEBRASKA CHICKS ON WAY
TO GUS JOHNSON
In reply to Harold Davisson’s
rather rash promise to ship 100
baby chicks to the first person in
Seward to ask for them, Gus
Johnson of Seward Hardware
has been notified that the chicks
are on the way to him, all 100 of
them.
Mr. Davisson, of Seward, Ne
braska, made the offer on his
weekly radio program over
KIBH. Gus, after hearing the
program, jokingly sent off a
wire. Now he is awaiting the
chicks, but doesn’t quite know
what he is going to do with
them. Seward, Nebraska is fam
ed for its chicken hatcheries.
Mr. Malin reports that 25 per
sons have paid for their plane
tickets for the Seward, Nebras
ka basketball trip. Only 10 seats
remain for sale and it is first
come first served, with money
on the line for a ticket!
NURSES TURN OVER ACCA
TO FOREST ACRES LADIES
At the regular meeting of
Alaska Nurses' Association, Dis
trict 2, last Tuesday night, the
Seward nurses turned over spon
sorship of the Alaska Crippled
Children chapter to the women
of Forest Acres. Mrs. Beth Mul
ler is the new chairman. ACCA
has been sponsored by the nurses
for the past three years, and they
now feel that their own profes
sion compels them to be relieved
of the responsibility.
“The women of the rapidly
growing area of Forest Acres
should do well with this work,”
a nurses’ spokesman said.
After an intensive business
session the nurses’ group was
entertained by Mrs. Maurer,
technician at the Sanatorium, by
showing moving pictures of her
travels in the South Pacific and
Australia. Mrs. Sue Brown, wife
of Lt. Brown, a new member of
the staff of the Naval Control of
Shipping Office here, was a
guest. Mrs. Brown is a* graduate
of the Stanford University Hos
pital, Palo Alto, California.
District No. 2 will hold a baka
sale on Saturday, the day before
Easier, April 17. The sale will be
held in the Blue Shop.
City Officials Refute Claims
Of Former Police Chief
City Mayor Denies
"Re-Open" Order
Mayor Russell Painter denied
categorically today that he had
ever instructed former police
chief Don Balmat to "re-open
the line," in contradiction to the
statement made by Balmat to
Anchorage newspapers.
‘‘Balmat never received such
instructions either by the City
Council or myself,” Painter stat
ed. He also declared that he
“stands absolutely in complete
support of the actions of City
Manager Raymond O’Hara and
Police Chief Burke in perfect
confidence of their ability and
intentions.”
He believes, the Mayor said,
that the same expression of con
fidence would be given by every
member of the City Council.
Standard Announces
Scholarship Program
Standard Oil Company of Cali
fornia’s program in support of
higher education in the United
States will amount to more than
$275,000 for the 1954-55 school
year, President T. S. Petersen
announced this week.
The amount is 38 per cent
greater than the company gave
in the preceding year, Petersen
reported, reflecting the increas
ed financial requirements of col
leges and universities.
The program will take the
form of grants-in-aid to the
schools, as well as fellowships
and scholarships.
The grants to schools amounts
to $150,000 and are primarily
for fundamental scientific re
search. Eight universities will
participate in the program. In
addition, the program includes
thirty graduate fellowships with
payments to the students and the
schools totaling $72,000, twenty
three general scholarships total
ing $15,000, fifty leadership
scholarships amounting to $20,
000, and seventy agricultural
scholarships to 4-H and Future
Farmers of America groups to
taling $19,000. In all cases, the
selection of scholarship winners
is handled by the schools or the
farm groups and not by Stan
dard.
Sponsors are Standard and
four subsidiaries, California Re
search Corporation, Standard
Oil Company of Texas, The Cali
fornia Company and The Cali
fornia Oil Company.
BARTLETT WILL NOT
CAMPAIGN FOR PRIMARY
Delegate Bartlett last week an
nounced that he -will not return
to Alaska for the primary cam
paign.
“This decision,” he said, “was
reached only after much thought
and careful consideration. My
every instinct and desire is to
return home and meet with the
people. But a campaign trip such
as this through the Territory
takes several weks. If I were to
leave Washington for that length
of time to engage in a party pri
mary contest it would mean de
serting the job for which I have
been hired. Congress is in ses
sion. Matters concerning Alaska
are constantly being taken up in
the Congress and in the execu
tive departments. Every day
many Alaskans write me for as
sistance in their dealings with
the federal government.
“The people of Alaska elected
me to do these things. In good
conscience I cannot now desert
these responsibilities in seeking
nomination. If it were a matter
of free choice then I should be on
my way to the Territory before
the day is over. I should like
nothing better. The decision,
however, has been made not on
the grounds of personal prefence
but of responsibility to the of
fice for which I was chosen.
Therefore, it is my intention to
stay right here in Washington
doing my job from day to day.”
WILD HORSES BROUGHT
TO ALASKA
Early last week the SS Chena,
Alaska Line Freighter, docked
in Seward carrying three wild
horses, a very scarce item in
Alaska.
The horses, trapped in eastern
Washington by Roland Grover
who has a homestead south of
Palmer, are saddle and pack ani
mals.
The Grovers met the boat at
Seward with a truck, loaded the
wild cargo and took off for Pal
mer. The Grovers are originally
ffom Utah.
Speaking for the City, Ray
mond O'Hara, city manager, re
futes the signed statement of
former police chief Don Balmat
in which he claims to have re
signed as of March 15 and to
have been paid to April 1, The
statement was made to Anchor
age newspapers ?nd published
by them. No statement was of
fered the local press.
“It is a matter of reeord,”
O'Hara states, “that the City
Council met with Mr. Balmat on
February 27 and that he resigned
that day. Official announcement
of the resignation was made to
the City Council in regular ses
sion on March 1, and at the same
time, announcement was made to
the council that Michael J.
Burke had taken the oath of of
fice as chief of police, admin
istered by acting magistrate R.
E. Baumgartner on the evening
of February 27.” This was re
ported by-Frank Roberts in his
radio brief on council doings on
March 3’.
By agreement with the city
manager, Balmat accepted two
weeks pay in lieu of two weeks
notice and his severance check,
dated March 1, included that
pay, as well as accrued annual
leave pay, overtime pay and reg
ular wages. He picked up his
check on March 2 or 3, turned
in his uniforms March 4, from
which time he was absolutely
not on the city payroll, the city
manager said.
As for the charge that Balmat
was forced to hire Burke, O’Hara
offers the report of Balmat him
self on the application, which
reads, “Officer application ap
proved for six months probation
ary assignment, examination to
be given at a later date.”
"As for the ‘incident’ of Feb
ruary 27, which Mr. Balmat
treats as insignificant, and a
purely civil matter,” O’Hara
states, “officer Burke did no
‘breaking in’ to a private house,
but arrested Jimmy Hayes for
confronting him and a woman
with a gun in his hand. Hayes
was subsequently bound over
for grand jury action on this
charge. Mr. Balmat was a volun
tary witness on his behalf at the
preliminary hearing in Commis
sioner’s Court, according to the
records of that court.”
It was after this incident and
his replacement as chief of po
lice that Mr. Balmat placed
charges against the city on
“legalized prostitution” in Sew
ard and tolerating operation of
“the line” here.
“The City Council pledged co
operation with the District As
torney's office in abatement of
the line,” the city manager says.
"Talking to District Attorney
Plummer last Wednesday, he in
formed us that abatement papers
would be here ‘in a day or two’,”
he went on to say. “When they
did not arrive after two days,
Chief Burke was not willing to
take responsibility for a condi
tion that existed before his ap
pointment to office and moved
in to close the ‘line’ on Friday.
He had no time since his recent
appointment to conduct investi
gations for evidence to substan
tiate arrests, but proceeded on
the grounds of 'common know
ledge’.
“There was on intent to ‘white
wash’ alleged prostitution in
Seward in any given area, nor
was it our intention to deliber
ately thwart any move by fed
eral law enforcement agencies
or the District Attorney's office
by moving ahead of them. We
were not given any specific-date
nor time • for the agents’ visit.
Mr. Balmat's statements as given
in Anchorage papers contain
some definite errors, if not down
right falsehoods,” O’Hara re
marked today.
What action, if any, the city
will take has not been indicated,
and little will be done until the
hearing on the abatement order,
now set for March 22.
SURPRISE PARTY FOR
RAYMOND TRESSLER
About 25 friends assembled at
the newly completed home of
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Tressler
in Forest Acres Monday night.
They were having a double cele
bration of Mr. Tressler’s birth
day, and a housewarming.
It was a surprise party, and
the guests took their own re
freshments — iCe cream, cake,
coffee, etc. They also took many
gifts for the birthday and for
the new house.