EWARD
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
2 e o P o r f
Record
Seward’s All-fVeather Port is /.flaskets Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
■Vol. X. No. 34
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1954
Price 10 Cents
I City of Seward To Be Under
"Attack" Next Week
At some undisclosed hour be
tween February 21 and Thurs
day, February 25, next week,
Seward will be under “enemy
attack,” as part of the war ma
neuver North Star now in pro
gress.
Civil Defense organizing here
has been stepped up to a degree
of efficiency that will be tested
during the maneuver. The fol
lowing instructions are given for
the benefit of area residents.
Alarm
A “yellow” alert will be re
ceived by the director. Col. C.
E. Johnson, and his headquar
ters staff will be notified of the
alert. These members have been
instructed as to their activities.
Temporary headquarters will be
set up in the newspaper office
for this maneuver.
The “Red" alert will be sound
ed by a three minute blast of the
air raid siren. That means that
the town is under “attack." Peo
ple are advised to memorize in
structions given in the Civil De
fense poster, on page two of tins
issue of the Record.
Children
School children have been
given special attention by the
local defense planners. Thev are
to REMAIN INSIDE the build
ing. sit or lie on the floor under
their desks or tables until the
“all clear” is sounded. Under no
circumstances are children to be
on the streets during an alert!
There is danger from moving ve
hicles of the fire, police, and am
bulance sendees.
Medical and rescue groups
have received instruction as to
their place of duty They will go
to their posts upon sounding of
the “Red” alert or air raid siren.
DO NOT use the telephone!
All lines will be clogged with
orders for carrying out of de
fense procedures.
Radio Station
Station KIBH will go on tlie
air upon being notified of the
“Yellow” alert. It will remain
on the air to give instruction? to
residents throughout the “at
tack” and until the “ail clear" is
sounded.
When the siren blows TURN
ON YOUR RADIO to station
KIBH and wait for instructions,
if you have not been assigned to
duty.
If a program is in progress, the
station will remain silent except
for momentary intervals to keep
in contact It will also announce
the “all clear” in case the siren
cannot be heard in all parts of
town.
This test is being made in co
ordination with the Army
Airforce, Navy, and National
Guard maneuvers. It is a little
earlier than was expected and all
Civil Defense material for Sew
ard may not be on hand. It will
be an ooportunity, however, to
test communications, transporta
tion, police, fire and rescue units
and will be a time test to show
how long it would take to get
the organization into oneration
under emergenev conditions.
Your Civil Defense staff has
been working diligently to per
feet an organization for your
protection. Your cooneration is
necessary to make it work. Much
is still to be done. Loral re
sponsibility extends to Mile 53.
It includes evacuation if neces
sary, feeding, shelter, and all
possible needs under disaster
conditions or war emergency.
Remember, your children are
safer in school than on the
streets, or in manv homes of
frame construction. Thev will be
taken care of—leave them there'
Above instructions and com
ments are given bv Headouar
ters Staff. Greater Reward Area.
SQUARE DANCE PRACTICE
SESSIONS START MONDAY
The first of the square dance
practice sessions will get under
way Monday evening. February
22, at 7:30 p.m., in the Jesse Lee
Recreation Center, under the
sponsorship of the Seward Gate
way Swingers.
If you are interested in these
sessions, be sure to call Beryl
Wagner at Lincoln 43, Barbara
Bedford at Adams 410, or Joanne
Lind at Adams 31, in order to
register. Cost of the group of six
lessons is $2.50 per person, and
may be paid at the Monday night
meeting.
It is hoped that those who re
quire a refresher course, as well
as those who have never danced
before, will avail themselves of
the opportunity to become a part
of the enjoyable recreational ac
tivities of the Seward Gateway
Swingers.
TAX ASSISTANT NOW AT
COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE
C. A. Herring, Internal Reve
nue Department tax assistant, is
in Seward to assist in making
■out income tax forms.
He can be consulted in the
U.S. Commissioner’s office thru
next Tuesday between the hours
of 9 a.m, and 5 p.m.
Mr. Herring stated that even
though Monday is a legal holi
day, he will be in the office if
there is enough business to war
rant ids staying.
Alaska Grant-in-Aid
Reached $6 Million
Last Year
Alaska received $9,916,841
from the various federal grant
in-aid programs during the fiscal
year 1953, according to a report
just issued by the Council of
State Governments, and released
from the office of Governor
Heintzleman.
This sum amounted to $39.41
per capita compared with an av
erage of $17.65 per capita for
all states, territories and posses
sions. Grants on a per capita
basis ran from a low of $7.98 in
Puerto Rico to a high of $92.89
in Nevada.
In computing per capita grants
for Alaska, it is noted that the
Council used a population figure
of 182,000. This figure includes
50,000 military personnel, ac
cording to the Bureau of Census.
Use of civilian population figures
would raise the per capita rate
for Alaska to approximately $50.
Of the 48 states receiving
grant-in-aid funds for every $100
collected in state revenues, the
low \v. s Connecticut which re
ceived only $17.10 for each $100
of state collections. High was
N. vada with $97.40 oi federal
funds for each $100 collected by
tile state.
Comparing figures for aid
received in 1953 and amount ap
portioned to Alaska for fiscal
1954 it is noted that the school
lunch program has been in
creased from $13,920 to $30,794.
Other programs increased to a
smaller degree are cooperative
agricultural extension work; re
search and marketing: mainten
ance and operation of schools
(increased by $529,707); hospital
construction and a new program
of defense community facilities
and services set up at $800,000.
A notable decrease is noted in
some programs, particularly in
the field of healtli and welfare.
Civil Defense was cut down ma
terially: and no appropriation
was made for survey and school
construction aid.
All federal grant-in-aid funds
are made on a matching basis
witii funds appropriated by the
states or territories.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 5
ELECTS OFFICERS
A regular meeting of Seward
Post No. 5, the American Legion,
Department of Alaska, was hold
February 17 at the Legion club
rooms. The main feature of the
meeting was election of officers
for the 1954 Legion year. Those
elected to office are as follows:
Albert Trump, Commander;
William Ferguson. First Vice
Commander: Edgar Johnson,
Second Vice-Commander; Arlee
W. Hayne, Adjutant; Irvin Tress
ler. Finance Officer: George N.
Galloway, Sergeant - at - Arms;
Willian Green, Chaplain; Floyd
Johnson, Service Officer; Eugene
Breitenbach, Historian: and Ma
rion R. Stevens. Judge Advocate.
This is another in a series of
keeping our members and com
munity informed through the ef
forts of our local news outlets.
Just some of the work to be done
as a Legion Post.
—Arlee W. Hayne, Adj.
ADDITIONAL JUDGESHIP
RAISED AGAIN
Stating his belief that legis
lation which cleared Congress
earlier this month does not meet
all requirements in the country
for additional federal judges,
Senator Pat McCarran last week
introduced a measure to provide
more judgeships throughout the
country, including an additional
judge for the Third Division
in Alaska.
The measure signed by the
President does not provide for
the long awaited second judge
ship to relieve the court situa
tion at Anchorage, a deletion
which would be remedied under
the bill now introduced by the
Nevada Senator.
Public Works Bill
Goes To
Subcommittee
Delegate Bartlett reports that
his bill to extend the life of
Alaska Public Works program
for four years won subcommittee
approval this week.
Alaskan communities, plan
ning improvements and expan
sion under A.P.W., Chamber of
Commerce and League of Alas
kan Cities, as well as club
groups and individuals have
been urging extension of the
program to allow for completion
of projects planned in nearly
every city and village.
In taking action, the territor
ies subcommittee of the House
Interior and Insular Affairs
Committee, voted to amend the
bill so as to bring the original
law approved in 1949, into con
formity with actual practice.
Termination of the present law
in June, 1955, would delete 54
projects in the territory includ
ing Seward's hospital and pav
ing program.
Since the start of the A.P.W.
program, authorized in the a
mount of S70 million. Congress
has appropriated $41,208,200
with contracts awarded for 58
projects, 33 of which have been
completed. 10 substantially com
plete, 15 now under construct
ion, and 54 applications are
still unprocessed.
Governor Heintzleman a p -
peared before the subcommittee
in behalf of Bartlett's bill.
Child Drowned At
Cooper Landing
Tragedy struck at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Sherman C. Smith
of Cooper Landing Wednesday
afternoon when their little son
fell into Kenai River and was
drowned.
The little boy, Sherman Clay
ton Smith, III, eldest of three
children, was with two others,
who are cousins, and running
ahead of the two from one house
to the other, he ran onto the ice
at the river's edge, slipped and
plunged into the water. His
aunt, whose name was not avail
able at press time, rescued the
child and began artificial res
piration while someone sped to
Moose Pass for a doctor and res
pirator. Dr. Francis Phillips of
Seward Sanatorium, responded
to the call, but by the time he
arrived at the scene, approxi
mately 50 miles from Seward,
the child was dead. Temperature
at the time was 10 degrees be
low zero.
The Smiths, who live near the
Cooper Landing bridge over
Kenai River, have two other
little boys, Larry Lee, aged 1V6
years, and an infant son, Joseph
Daniel, born in Seward General
Hospital the day before the acci
dent. Mrs. Smith was a patient
in the hospital when told of the
death of her son.
Funeral services were held
from tire Smith home with burial
at Cooper Landing.
JOHN GORSUCH GUEST
SPEAKER AT
LINCOLN DAY DINNER
John Gorsuch, Third Division
senator, was keynote speaker at
the Lincoln Day dinner held in
the dining hall of Seward Sana
torium last Saturday night.
Local Republican candidates,
Win Ervin and Paul Nelson,
were present, as well as Barbara
Dimock, candidate for Delegate
to Congress. Dorothy Prior and
Mr. and Mrs. Wharton.
Mrs. Dimbck was making the
opening speech in her campaign
for Delegate. Gorsuch remarked
that “it was aporopriate to fire
the opening gun against Bartlett
in Bartlett,” and that if she wins,
it might not be too much trouble
to change the last four letters of
the name making it Barbara,
Alaska.
EVANGELISTIC CRUSADE
CONTINUES THRU SUNDAY
Rev. Clarence M. Ball and Dr.
George W. Pomeroy, members
of the nation-wide evangelistic
crusade preaching in Seward,
will continue their services here
at the Methodist Church through
Sunday.
As a result of the crusade and
the regular church program, the
local church will receive 50 new
members Sunday, February 21.
Infant and adult baptism will be
given at both morning and eve
ning services. Rev. Ball will con
duct morning service and Dr.
Pomeroy will officiate at the
evening service.
Sunday School is announced
for the regular hour at 9:45 a m.
Youth Fellowship meets at 7 p.m.
A radio broadcast is scheduled
for 6:15 p.m., Sunday over sta
tion KIBH.
Reporter's
Notebook
Palmer Malemutes arrived in
Seward Friday morning for the
games Friday and Saturday
nights. Our Seahawks need vis
ual support against this strong
team. For that reason, it is hoped
that a large turnout will be in
the gymn to root for Seward.
Gene Majors will be acting
city clerk for the next two
months. Mrs. Sigrid Stearns and
husband Bob Stearns plan a
two months vacation Stateside.
They hope to leave town on the
26th.
Word was received that Pete
Ogle, former resident, has un
dergone surgery in Washington
and is now back at his home in
Puyallup.
We hear that Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Sheldon plan on driving
up to Seward, arriving sometime
in M#v.
Many friends walked in on
the Irving Tressler's for a sur
prise house warming party last
Saturday night. The new Tres
sler home is located on the
Bear Lake road at Mile 7Vz.
Tressler completely remodeled
the old house that formerly
stood there, and now has a mod
ern and beautiful home.
Hal Gilfilen fell on the icy
sidewalk near his place on
Fourth Avenue last week suf
fering a broken wrist and other
injuries to the arm.
Lady Elks have submitted a
petition to start an Emblem
Club in Seward. Charter must be
granted from national head
quarters, but the local group
expects to organize soon.
Beta Sigma Phi met at the
home of CcrA* Ruth Stubble
field February 17.
That robin that wandered
into town on the heels of a
thunderstorm two weeks ago,
must be badly disillusioned by
now, if lie has managed to sur
vive the unusual zero tempera
tures of the past week. One
could write a book about the bad
judgement of poor little robin
in coming to Alaska.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Adkins
went out for a ride last Sunday,
and found the roads so good,
scenery so wonderful that they
ket on going and landed in An
chorage. They visited the Jack
Barretts for a while, watched
Alaska television for the first
time, then made the return trip.
Donna Johnson anti Dick Neitz
(Murphy) were married last Fri
day evening. February 12 by
Commissioner Anna B. Southard
in her home. The couple was at
tended by Pat Friede and Bobbie
Lou Garrett. After the wedding
there was a reception in the cou
ple's new home.
An Anchorage bowling team
will be here Sunday for a
matched game with some Sew
ard team. The game is set for the
afternoon and should draw a
good crowd.
Business & Professional Wo
men will meet Tuesday evening
at (i:15 for their usual dinner
session at the Diner. A special
program of interest has been ar
ranged.
Two classes in first aid now
being conducted at Seward San
atorium will finish next week.
CHARLES MALIN RESIGNS
AS SECRETARY OF C. OF C.
Reverend Charles Malin, Jr.,
secretary of Seward Chamber of
Commerce for two years, ten
dered his resignation this week.
"Both the church and the cham
ber are suffering,” Rev. Malin
stated, “because the work in
both organizations requires more
attention, than it is possible to
give. Chamber of Commerce cor
respondence is increasing so rap
idly that it has become a full
time job if it is to be done prop
erly, and the pastorate of a large
church is always a full time job.”
He can continue in committee
work for the Chamber of Com
merce, Mr. Malin told the mem
bership, but asked to be relieved
of the secretaryship. Action will
be taken by the board of direc
tors to find another secretary
who can give a great deal of
time to the work.
Alaska Freight Lines
Wants Freight
Rate Cut
Alaska Freight Lines, Inc.,
has filed reduced freight rates
with the Federal Maritime
Board to become effective Mar.
5, according to information giv
en Delegate Bartlett by the Fed
eral Maritime Board.
‘‘The any-quantity rate from
Valdez and Sc-ward, to Seattle
and Tacoma,” L. Tibbott, Chief
of the Regulation Office of the
Federal Maratime Board stated,
‘‘has been reduced from $4.50
to $3.50 per 100 pounds; from
Anchorage and Palmer to Se
attle and Tacoma from $5.00 to
$4.00 per 100 pounds, and from
Fairbanks to Seattle and Tacoma
from $6.50 to $5.00 per 100
pounds.”
In addition, Alaska Freight
Lines has established a $3.50
per 100 pound rate on minimum
quantity of 20,000 pounds from
Anchorage and Palmer to Se
attle and Tacoma, as well as a
S4.00 per pound rate on a mini
mum quantity of 20,000 pounds
from Fairbanks to Seattle and
Tacoma.
Hodson, Durant Head
G.O.P. In Seward
Mrs. Frances Hodson and Phil
Durant were elected precinct
committeewoman and commit
teeman in Seward precinct by
Republican in caucus Tuesday
night. ,
The Seward precinct caucus
was well attended and accomp
lished plans for the coming cam
paign.
Three delegates were elected
to the Third Division convention
slated for March 19 and 20 at
Palmer. Win Ervin, candidate for
Alaska Legislature; Tommy Bie,
manager Northern Stevedoring
& Handling Corporation; and
Leon Lewis, manager Kenai Co
op, were the three elected.
Alternates chosen wer$ Charles
Malin, Mark Walker, and David
Carlson.
The group passed three resolu
tions. One, to abolish fish traps
immediately; to divide the Third
Division into precincts for elec
tion of representatives by dis
trict; and to create a utilities
commission for supervision of
utility rates and service.
Bartlett precinct and that
known as Mile 6 have not re
ported caucus results, but they
are entitled to one delegate each.
E.P.R. OFFERS BUILDINGS
FOR SALE
The Bureau of Public Roads
announces that it is offering for
sale certain excess buildings lo
cated at Mile 18 on the Scward
Anchorage Highway. Details of
the buildings and arrangements
for an inspection of the premises
may be made by contacting Mr.
A. K. Neeley, Highway Engineer,
in Room 2 of the Federal Build
ing.
Bid forms provide for propos
als on single units and may be
secured from the Bureau of Pub
lic Roads office in the Federal
Building. The date of bid open
ing is set for March 15, 1954 and
successful bidders will have 120
days to remove the buildings
from their present location.
Girl
Scout
News
The regular monthly meeting
of the Adult Girl Scouts was held
Monday evening at the home of
Mrs. J. Deisher. Plans for the
cookie sale were completed.
The cookie sale will start the
first of March and is under the
direction of Mrs. Phil Durant
and Mrs. Elsie Whitmore.
Plans are being made to form
a group of Senior Girl Scouts in
the near future. Mrs. Alice Chris
tiansen is a new leader for
Brownie Troop 3. This troop will
meet every Wednesday after
school in the basement of the
Lutheran Church.
Troop 3 had Mrs. Minnie Coul
ter as a guest at the last meeting.
She showed them handcraft
pieces from her native country
of Latvia. She told them some
of the interesting customs and
sang some Latvian songs. The
troop completed and sent tray
favors to the Sanatorium and the
hospital.
Troop 2 had a party to cele
brate their birthday. The girls
made favors, played games and
(Turn to Page 4)
Win Ervin, president Seward Chamber of Commerce, displays
the key to the City of Homer, presented by the "mayor" upon
arrival of 22 Sewardiles in the Cook Inlet city February 8 on
a good will tour. The trip to the "other side" was made by plane.
P.-T.A. — and You
The Parent-Teacher Associa
tion, both locally and nationally,
cooperates with other organiza
tions but does not join them. It
works with other groups whose
program is based on a common
interest in child welfare. It does
not, however, subscribe to dues
to such groups or assume any fi
nancial responsibility to them.
Cooperation may be simply an
interchange of ideas or a pooling
of resources and materials to
carry out a given project. It may
mean undertaking of an entire
new program. All members of
the P.-T.A. must approve par
ticipation in cooperative pro
grams. Most such programs are
usually carried on by a special
committee and this committee is
dissolved on completion of the
project.
P.-T.A. has always endeavored
to utilize the services provided
by the community agencies. It
secures from and gives to them
information and help as best
serves their mutual interest. Per
haps the most familiar tax sup
ported agencies are the Depart
ment of Health and Division of
Public Education. Through co
operation w’ith local, state and
often federal programs, P.-T.A.
is able .to better promote im
proved educational opportuni
ties.
In many communities cooper
ative programs have done much
to improve recreational facilities
and provide more wholesome
recreational activities. They
have helped equip and extend
library services, planned and
promoted study groups, work
shops and classes. They have
studied and trained with local
groups to help in specialized
health examination in many
schools that might otherwise be
impossible. By the same cooper
ative participation they do rou
tine work to relieve doctors and
nurses in regular school health
examinations. They actively co
operate with police in safety pro
grams. In this field they have
helped establish driver schools.
Officers and members work
closely with Civil Defense offi
cers in protective training pro
cedures. They cooperate with the
Red Cross in all programs of
home nursing and first aid.
Join the Parent-Teacher Asso
ciation and support it. It will
give you the opportunity to co
operate with the organization in
its own progressive program and
with other interested groups to
promote the most desirable pro
jects for the children and youth
of our community.
CARD PARTY AT CATHOLIC
PARISH HOUSE
The regular monthly public
card party will be held Wednes
day, February 24, at 8 p.m., in
the Parish House of Sacred
Heart Church.
Bridge, pinochle and canasta
will be played. Refreshments fol
low the party.
PHOTOGRAPHY ASKED
UNDER ADULT
EDUCATION
Response to the proposed
classes in adult education in
Seward schools has brought out
a request for classes in amateur
photography. It is noted that
there is a good supply of equip
ment in the high school for such
study, although there is no dark
room.
Anyone interested in this sub
ject is requested to contact Mr.
Carlson at Adams 126 or call
Kathy Ryan at Lincoln 123.
For a chart of air raid instruc
tions in case of disaster or emer
gency, see page 2 of this paper.
RECORD FISHING LICENSE
SALE IN 1953
Alaska reports the sale of
54,732 fishing licenses, which
brought in revenue of $102,347
in 1953, according to the report
of Fish & Wildlife Service.
Resident licenses numbered
36,227; non-resident, 18,505. In
the previous year the sale of
43,495 fishing licenses (29,826
resident, 13,669 non-resident)
brought $74,938 to the Territory.
One half of the revenue re
ceived from fishing and hunting
license sales in Alaska is requir
ed by law to go into “miscel
laneous receipts” of the United
States Treasury, the remainder
is credited to the Territorial
school fund.
Editorial
By MEK
City manager O'Hara makes
an appeal this week to the bus
iness men of Seward on full col
lection of the city sales tax.
There has been an indication of
laxity in collections or failure to
collect from purchasers who live
outside the city limits.
According to the sales tax ord
inance, everything is subject to
the 2 percent tax except certain
wholesale commodities and items
on which delivery is not taken
in Seward. In other states and
communities which have been
using the sales tax for many
years, no ^exemptions are made
to persons living outside the
limits of the tax area.
In Seward, the tax is limited
for use of education, public
health and sanitation. It is kept
in a separate fund, and cannot
be diverted to general fund pur
poses. To date it has been used
almost entirely for school main
tenance.
To come down to cases, this
tax problem can be reduced to
figures. The total school budget
this year was (in round numbers)
$250,000, of which the Territory
paid $147,000. Current operating
cost of city schools cost the peo
ple of Seward $71,000. This is
over and above the capital in
vestment in buildings and equip
ment. The figure boils down to
$120 per child per year, on the
basis of present enrollment. Of
this $120, the Territory paid $75,
leaving city taxpayers (who have
already bonded themselves and
paid for buildings and equip
ment) to raise $40 per child in
Seward schools, and with the
present enrollment, one child
out of every four lives outside
the city limits.
The five-room addition to the
main school building made in
1949-1950, was done by general
obligation bonds of the people
of Seward. No aid was received
from either territorial or fed
eral funds. Tobacco tax funds
which were set up since that
time, are now being used to pay
off the bond issue, but the fact
remains that taxpayers within
the limits of the city corporation
would have had the entire bill
to pay had it not been for the
tobacco tax fund. Tobacco tax
money, however, is limited to
construction and rehabilitation.
It cannot be used for general
maintenance and operation.
Everybody buying tobacco in
any form in Alaska is paying
the tobacco tax. It is then ap
portioned by the Territory to
schools on the basis of school
enrollment. Funds paid by the
Territory for school operation
and maintenance are obtained
from general taxation and other
special taxes. Everybody in the
Territory contributes through
these taxes, and it is quite prob
able that people living and doing
business in cities are paying
more in general taxes on income
than those living outside city
limits. They, then are forced to
pay a much larger share of ed
(Turn to Page 2)