Weather
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
i= I 11 SEWARD
9 .54 43 *
10 53 42 ,io The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
11 . 52 44 .10
ECORD
Seward’s All-ITeather Port is Alaskcfs Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska. /■ \
Vol. IX, No. 50
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1953
Price 10 Cents
Utility Board Advises On
Water Line Service;
Asks Owners’ Cooperation
All water service lines will be
installed from the main to the
property line by the water com
pany for consumers. These serv
ice lines will be ^i-inch copper
tubing and connected to a shut
off valve at the property line.
Present service lines in good
condition five feet in depth or
deeper and not having been pre
viously frozen will be left in
service.
It is the property owner's
responsibility to have his portion
of the water service line in
stalled from the cutoff valve,
six feet in depth to the building.
The contractor will dig your
line to your house at approxi
mately SI.50 per foot. You may
connect your own l:ne to the
service cutoff or have a plumber
do so. Backfilling the ditch after
the line :s >n is included in tha
digging price.
The water company will fur
nish at cost copper wire and
clamp to install a thawing wire
at the main. The wire should be
brought back to the cutoff valve
at the property line or may be
carried on into the house at
the owner's discretion. The cost
is negligible. The wire will
eliminate any possibility of ever
having to dig through six feet
of frozen ground in the winter
to thaw water. The precaution
of having the thawing wire in
stalled cannot be too strongly
stressed. Anyone who has ever
dug to the main in the winter
fully realizes this. The thawing
wire assures you of water in a
few minutes with a thawing
machine should your water
service lino become frozen.
When the d;gg;ng contractor
is in your vicinity on your
street:
1. Ascertain from him how
deep the main and how deep
nearby neighbor service lines
are.
2. Advise him if you wish
him to dig your line in to your
house.
4. You may purchase copper
tubing from the water company
if you w;sh so that you may
have a copper line all the way
from the water main into your
house. Pipe that has been in
service for 12 or 15 years may
be corroded half way shut.
5. It is important that you
advise the contractors the exact
location of your water service
line when they are in your vi
cinity. Your cooperation may
cut in half the time your water
is off while connection is being
made.
SEWARD UTILITY BOARD
Final Rites for
George James
Final burial rites for George
James, former Sewardite. were
performed on Memorial Day
when his ashes were scattered
on the surface of Kenai Lake.
This was done by Charles Lech
ner, Jr., and Father FJussall
Clapp, Master and Chaplain of
the Masonic Lodge in Seward,
in accordance with Mr. James'
last wish.
George James was born in
Bathgate, North Dakota, July
23, 1883. He died in Phoenix,
Arizona last Feb. 11 at the age
of 70. He came to Seward in
1924 and was a member of the
Masonic Lodge in Seward.
Sewardites Say
Farewell As
Johnson India Bound
Col. and Mrs. J. P. Johnson
were guests for a few hours in
Seward Tuesday. Mrs. Johnson
went Outside on the Aleutian.
The Colonel went back tQ An
chorage to wind up his affairs
before leaving Alaska.
Col. Johnson, who resigned as
general manager of The Alaska
Railroad earlier in the year.
Ml - . *4
Col. J. P. Johnson
has accepted commission to
India. He will be going back to
familiar country in India, as he
organized the rail transportation
out of Karchi for movement of
Chinese defense supplies and
U.S. military gear to forward
areas during World War II
under General Wheeler.
Johnson was made Base En
gineer at Karachi for the con
struction of camps, hospitals,
airdromes and other military in
stallations.
In addition to his work in
India, Col. Johnson operated
railroads in Iraq, Iran and other
Asian posts.
Friends here entertained the
Johnsons for dinner at Gabe’s.
POLICE ON LOOKOUT
FOR ESCAPED
FEDERAL PRISONER
All law enforcement agencies
in the Territory have been alert
ed to be on the lookout for Don
ald Riblett, an escaped prisoner
from the federal jail in Anchor
age.
Riblett is probably wearing a
white cap, blue jeans, dark jack
et and carrying a green bedroll
and a man’s suitcase. He is be
lieved to smoke Pall Mall cigar
ettes. He is supposed to have
been in Valdez on June 3.
He has grey eyes, medium
complexion, light brown wavy
hair and thin face. He is five
feet 10 inches tall and weighs
165 pounds. There is a three
inch scar near the hair line on
right side of his face. His left
arm is tattooed with a bathing
girl inside of the forearm and a
cross on the outside of the arm
with words “Roy Lee" above it.
A sabre cut scar is on the inside
of the right forearm.
Anyone seeing this man
should report it immediately to
the police department or Mar
shal Metcalf.
Roths Guests in Seward, Nebraska
Pictured, center, are Mr. and
Mrs. Jacque E. Roth of this city,
who stopped in Seward, Nebr.,
on May 26th, while on a trip to
Wymore. Shown with the Roths
are John Cattle, Sr„ and John
Cattle. Jr„ of the Cattle National
Bank. Shortly after this picture
was taken, the party was joined
by Russell Struthers of Jones
National Bank.
While in Seward, the Roth*
were guests of the two banks at
luncheon and dinner. The Alaska
visitors made brief tours of Me
morial Hospital, Concordia Col
lege, the Hughes Brothers plant,
and other points of interest. Mr.
Roth is manager of the Seward
Branch of the First National
Bank of Anchorage. (Photo cour
tesy Seward. Nebr., Independent)
Harry Morren Found
Dead Near
Country Cabin
Harry Morren, who lived in
the green cabin at Jerome Lake,
was found dead on a trail near
his home last Saturday night,
June 6. The oldtimer had been
missing since May 28. A search
party found him Saturday where
he had evidently been in search
of firewood. The body was
brought into Seward, where Dr.
Norman Hall pronounced death
by heart failure. He had appar
ently been dead from 6 to 8
days.
Not very much could be
learned by the Commissioner's
office concerning the old gentle
man. He was thought to be
about 82 years of age, but no
papers were found to definitely
establish his age or birth place.
Addresses were found of three
women thought to be sisters:
Mrs. Herbert Johnson of Ells
worth, Wisconsin: Mrs. E. H.
Townsend, Superior, Wisconsin;
Mrs. Ed. Lindgrcn, Bay City,
Wisconsin.
The little cabin was found
to be scrupulously clean. Mr.
Morren apparently marked off
the days on his calendar, as the
last day crossed off was May 29.
Although the cabin is near the
new highway, there are no
others very close by, so that the
man was missing several days
before a search party was made
up.
Mr. Morren had been in the
Territory about 42 years, mining
and trapping, and employed for
a while by the Forest Service.
Funeral services will be held
Sunday, June 14 at 2 p.m. in
the Methodist Church.
Reporter's
Notebook
Mrs. Webster Denton left
last week for the summer in
North Carolina. She planned to
spend a couple of weeks in
Fairbanks before going South.
Charles Lechner, Jr., left this
week to attend the Grand Lodge
of Masons at Spokane, Washing
ton June 16, 17 and 18. Mr.
Lechner is Master of the Sew
ard Lodge.
Other Seward members who
will attend the Grand Lodge are
George Green and Leland Mil
ler, Junior and Senior Wardens
of the local lodge.
Before returning on the 25th,
Lechner will attend the Ford
Banquet for dealers at the Olym
pic Hotel in Seattle.
Mr. and Mrs. George Dangler
drove to Anchorage Friday to
meet daughter Phyllis (Mrs.
Claton Hosier) and baby daugh
ter. Son Dick will be arriving
at the same time. Reunion in
the Dangler family!
Phyllis Baker has returned
home for summer vacation from
Pittsburg, Pa.
Gene Snyder had a birthday
Wednesday. Gene’s in the Army
but he still has birthdays!
Juanita Everitt, May Hoy,
Gladys Zentmire and Jean Ryan
drove out to Silvertip on Thurs
day to take birthday greetings
to Helen Croxton.
It was free beer for the quad
rupeds on Third Avenue one
day this week when a truckload
of bottled beverage on its way
to Anchorage slipped its load
and broke three-four dozen
cases!
Rev. Kent Spaulding got back
from the Lutheran Conference
in Washington Friday morning.
Pretty bumpy trip out of Seattle
he said. Head still spinning
when he arrived home via Cor
dova line from Anchorage.
Fellow office friends surprised
Julia McCann with a cake for
her birthday Wednesday. Never
happened before, she says, but
it was a swell idea.
Mrs. B. I. Carpenter and
daughter arrived in Seward
from Ketchikan last week. They
joined Rev. Carpenter to make
their new home here.
Father Edward Turner, for
mer pastor of St. Peter's Epis
copal Chuch is still in Seward
visiting his mother, Mrs Wm.
O’Brien. Rev. Turner, raised in
Alaska, is enjoying the fishing
before getting back on the job.
Rev. and Mrs. Charles Malin
celebrated their tenth wedding
anniversary last Friday, June 5,
with a dinner at Gabe’s.
C. of C. To Ask
Return of
District Court
Action taken Tuesday by the
Chamber of Commerce will be
to request the return of the
Third Division District Court
to this city. With the appoint
ment of a second judge to this
Division, Sewardites feel that
the second j;idge should be
placed here to use the court
facilities in the B’ederal Build
ing which have been empty for
several years. “Cases from the
Chain, Kenai Peninsula and out
lying areas could be heard here
just as easily and with probably
less expense than in Anchorage,”
it was stated.
President Tom Bie reported
on the Cordova meeting of the
All Alaska Chamber of Com
merce. He was appointed with
Bob Baker of Anchorage and
Stan Tatum of Fairbanks on a
committee to raise funds.
"Some uneasiness is felt,” Bie
stated, with maritime contract
date of June 16, but the Seattle
Mayor's Committee assures Al
aska that thefe will be no tie
ups.
Strong letters were sent by
the Alaska Chamber oi Com
merce protesting the policy on
chromite. Bitter teenng was
aroused at the announcement
that the government pays S18
per ton less for Seldovia chrom
ite delivered in Seattle than is
payed for the Oregon product
bought at the mines. This dis
crimination was called to the
attention of Washington in no
uncertain terms, Bie reported.
Of the nineteen Chambers of
Commerce in Alaska, fourteen
were represented, excepting Ju
neau. The pris.dent oi that city s
group passed through Cordova
but did not stay for the meeting.
Two other Southeastern groups
had no representation “because
of the busy fishing season.”
The absence of Juneau and
their repeated rejections of as
sociation with any Western Al
aska organizations was discussed
at the Seward meeting. “They
don't have to join us,” someone
remarked, “Tb°y sit on top of
the Legislature anyway.”
Rev. Malin gave a financial
report of the Seward. Nebraska
week. There is approximately
$900 waiting to start the fund
for the return games when local
players will visit Nebraska next
year, possibly on Memorial Day.
’Thank You'
Rev. Charles Malin and others
on the committee for the Seward
week find it hard to thank the
people of this community for
their wholehearted support of
the program of that week. An
individual acknowledgment
would be impossible, since the
whole town turned out so well
to make the unique event the
success it was.
All we can do is say thanks
to the people who took the
visitors into their homes—they
made many friends. Thanks also
to the businessmen who refused
to allow the Nebraskans to
spend money, but gave their
goods in token of the goodwill
of Seward for Seward.
You know who helped. If you
were one, then please accept
the grateful acknowledgment for
your support and feel proud
with us to be a part of this. Our
Friendly City.
'Critical fcrzc.' Rent
Contro! Lifted Here
The Seward area rent control
board has been advised that as
of July 1, this area is removed
from “critical” designation and
rent controls.
The change in designation was
made by the Office of Defense
Mobilization which ordered the
end of control in 23 critical
housing areas in 13 states and
Alaska. Of the 120 areas now
carrying the designation a large
number are to be dropped, ac
cording to ODM.
Advance notice is being giver
in order to allow states and
cities to set un their own rent
controls if they wish to continue
rent ceilings.
No action has been announced
by the Seward municipal gov
ernment.
Mr. and Mrs. Hal Waugh oi
Moose Pass are headed for e
vacation Outside. They’ll be
back before hunting season. Ha
is a big game guide and hunter
Nebraskans Declare
Northern Hospitality
Tops the South
WE THE UNDERSIGNED are
happy to take this opportunity
to thank all the good people of
Seward, Alaska for the wonder
ful time they have shown us
during the stay we have made
in their fair city. We have al
ways heard of Southern Hos
pitality, but you can believe us
when we say that our respect
for Northern Hospitality is far
more great.
WE WANT TO ESPECIALLY
THANK Rev. Charles Malin Jr.,
Mayor Painter, T. Bie, Don Dal
berg, the entire Chamber of
Commerce, 4TI Club, Lutheran
Women, the good members of
St. Peters Church, Seward Wo
men's Club, Lions Club, the
Jesse Lee Home, Ladies Altar
Society of the Catholic Church,
the Members of the Elk’s Club,
the Business & Professional
Women’s Club, the W.S.C.S.,
Seward Bakery and O’Brien’s.
This is only a partial list to
whom we are deeply indebted.
To give a complete list would
be to name each and every resi
dent of Seward, Alaska.
AGAIN WE SAY THANKS!
ALSO AT THIS TIME we wish
to extend our invitation to all
Seward residents to visit us with
your team next spring, or at
any other time of the year. If
any of you should be coming
our way in the future, please
look us up, we shall be happy
to see you!
(Signed) Ralph J. Bowmaster,
coach, and players Wayne J.
Hennessey, Lloyd Schulz, Jim
Griffin, Delmer Peters, Rex
Owens, Dick Cooley, Dale Batch
elder, Neil Rucksdashel, Ray
Sloup, Jim Hille, Bill Rohren.
Fathers Orville Cooley, Dan
iel F. Schulz, Rex N. Rucks
dashel, Dr. C. S. Griffin.
“Buddy” Harold Davisson, Jr.,
“Chief” Harold Davisson. Eldon
Gruntorad, Tonyes Piening.
A6S G:ves Ttms To
University Program
William J. Wagner, president
of the Alaska Broadcasting Com
pany, of which the local station
KIBH is a part, was a guest of
the Chamber of Commerce this
week.
Mr. Wagner has made a grant
of almost SI 100 of radio broad
casting time to the University
of Alaska to inform the public
of the 400 courses offered on
the campus and to encourage
young people to send for cata
logs of the next scholastic year.
Announcement of the gift was
made by Dr. Terris L. Moore,
University president, in an all
Alaska news release this week.
At the Seward meeting, Mr.
Bie made the announcement of
a further donation by Mr. Wag
ner. which took the form of
•‘writing off” all indebtedness
of the 4th of July Committee
for last year with the local sta
tion. The amount of the bill was
not stated.
Mr. Wagner was accompanied
to Seward by Boy Smith, New
York representative of the firm,
and George Ernst, manager of
the Anchorage station.
Leehners Observe
Double Anniversary
Fifty years of Fords in Am
erica and 30 years as Ford dealer
in Seward will be commemorat
ed by the Lechners of Seward
Machine Shop next week.
Instead of giving Ford's birth
day gifts, their dealer here is
reversing the custom. During
the week of June 15-13 every
one who stops at the gas pump
at Scw'ard Machine Shop will
be given 10 gallons of gas once
through the week.
There also will be favors for
the children.
Charles Lechner took the Ford
dealership in Seward in 1923,
which makes him one of the
oldest continuous dealers in Al
aska. Their gift to the motorists
of Seward, regardless of the
make of car, is therefore in cele
bration of the Ford-Lechner as
sociation.
Cerrsction . . .
It was announced at the pre
sentation of flags during last
week's celebration that the
maker of the flag was Nellie
Brandal. This, it seems, was an
error. The flag, presented by
Benny Benson was actually
made by Mrs. Beth Salit. Ilev.
Malin, chairman of the commit
tee, made the correction today.
Mrs. Salit was a nurse at the
Jesse Lee Home while Benny
was in attendance there.
Fourth of July Committee Plans
One-Day Celebration and
Annual ML Marathon Race
Plans for Nebraska
Trip Underway
Tentative plans are being for
mulated by the local Chamber
of Commerce committee to send
the Seahawks and a team of
bowlers back to Seward, Ne
braska, probably on Memorial
Day next year. The hoopsters
will be accompanied by two
cheer leaders, the coach and a
queen to be chosen from the
high school. Ed Sheppard of
the Alaska Fur Factory has al
ready volunteered to outfit the
queen with parka, mukluks, etc.,
for the education of the Ne
braskans.
Rather than traveling by bus,
the Alaskans plan to charter
a DC-4 plane and will offer
extra seats at a nominal cost to
local enthusiasts who would care
to make the trip.
Although these plans are ten
tative, it is well to begin to look
forw ard to the day, Rev. Malin
commented.
Expect Number of
Tourists To Double
This Year, Says AAA
Edward Coffey, president of
the Alaska Visitors Association,
made the official announcement
Monday that James Beard had
been employed as membership
director by the Finance Commit
tee of the Association.
Coffee said that Beard, form
erly editor of the Daily Alaska
Empire of Juneau, had been se
lected from a list of several can
didates applying for the job and
added that his first assignment
will be to conduct the annual
membership drive throughout
the Territory.
Beard said that he plans to be
gin his campaign in Juneau this
week and will work his way
through the Territory in coming
weeks.
He pointed out that all activi
ties of the Association must be
financed out of membership fees
with the exception of paid ad
vertising in national publica
tions, which can be paid with
Territorial funds allotted to the
Association, and predicted that
with a little exrta investment
the tourist industry would soon
represent Alaska's number one
dollar income.
Fie called attention to the fact
that the American Automobile
Association is predicting Alas
ka's tourist business will double
this year and added that it can
double again next season if the
Territory expands its stateside
advertising and publicity cam
paign.
“The amount of publicity and
promotion we can plan is direct
ly dependent on the size of our
membership and we’re calling
on all Alaskans to invest that ex
tra dollar now to build a lasting
industry for the Territory,”
Beard concluded.
Governor B. Frank Heintzle
man added impetus to the drive
with his proclamation of June
Mt. Marathon Race will be
run on schedule. This announce
ment was made by a group of
local people including Jack
Werner, Sol Urie, Vance Hitt,
Clarence Keating, John Cole
man, Jack Jeffrey, Russell Paint
er, George Werner, ‘Flicker Red’
Stolp, and Sam Romach.
The decision was made after
dozens of inquiries from towns
people and offers of aid from
service organizations. The race
has now become nationally rec
ognized and several magazines
of wide circulation in the States
have publicized the affair.
Plans are for a one-day cele
bration only—Saturday, July 4.
No definite prize money is es
tablished for the runners, who
will share the amount raised for
the race.
The Alaska Railroad has pro
mised as many trains as are nec
essary to bring people from the
railbelt. In the past three years
the number of visitors reached
over a thousand each year.
Plans to furnish food for so
many are still to be perfected,
but it is suggested that clubs
handle the problem individually.
The usual activities for chil
dren and the parade are includ
ed in the day's events.
To add lo the excitement of
the race, people will be able to
guess the lime down to a tenth
of a second this year, which is
considered an improvecent over
the procedure of last year. Tick
ets will be available this week
end.
As this is strictly a town af
fair, it is hoped that everybody
will pitch in to make it success
ful. It closely affects the repu
tation of Seward and concerns
everyone living here. Clubs and
individuals are requested to co
operate in the race celebration
as a civic venture.
The planning group is frank
in slating that it is faced with
a deficit from last year. Every
Alaskan city that has an estab
lished annual celebration has en
countered bad years. This seems
no reason to give up a good
thing, and these businessmen are
willing to assume the herculean
task of pulling the 4th of July
out of the red—with the help
of the townspeople. Only a
little more than three weeks to
prepare for this 26th race, start
ed 40 years ago, means fast
work on the part of everybody
in town.
1 declaring the month of June
as Alaska Visitors Association
month throughout the Territory.
Governor Heintzleman opened
the AVA membership campaign
by proclaiming the month of
June the AVA month in the Ter
ritory. He called upon all Alas
kans to take an active part in
building a constructive tourist
program, and was, himself, the
first to renew his membership
in the Association.
The proclamation coincided
with the opening of the biggest
tourist season ever booked in the
Territory of Alaska.
Governor First '53 Member AVA
Governor B. Frank Heintile
man is shown receiving the first
membership certificate from
James Beard, the new member
ship director of the Alaska Visi
tors Association. Ed Coffey,
president of the Association, and
Jim Chadwick, executive di
rector, stand by to offer their
appreciation. The Governor gave
his support to the new member
ship drive by proclaiming the
month of June as Alaska Visi
tors Association Month in the
Territory of Alaska.
(Photo - Greaney. AVA)