8-8-8-8* 8- =
High Low Precip.
17 0 Trace
31 7 .54
32 29 .66
. 32 28 .30
. 30 24 Trace
. 34 24 .47
. 34 26 .07
Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
/
$ e a P o r t
■»
RECORD
Seward’s All-fPeather Port is Alaskcts Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
fol. X, No. 32
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1954
Price 10 Cents
I Port of Seward Protests
"Communist" Accusation
The Honorable Douglas McKay
Secretary of the Interior
Washington 25, D C.
Dear Sir:
; A United Press article with a date line, ‘'Washington, February
1, 1954,” has provoked an unwarranted, unjustified and untrue
attack upon the people of Seward, Alaska. We wish to vigorously
protest that article and any subsequent action that might result.
It seems that Governor B. Frank Heintzelman saw fit to appoint
a Mr. Homer Boe of Seward, Alaska to the position vacated on the
Employment Security Commission. A telegram protesting such an
appointment was sent to Washington, D C., by the A. F. of I,, union
representatives, outside of Seward, as the local A. F. of L. repre
sentatives approved of Mr. Boe’s appointment. The cry “Com
munism was raised to the extent that we in Seward are incensed
to the point that we demand an investigation be made. We are
patriotic American citizens here in this town as well as folks to be
found anywhere else in the States and it makes our blood boil to be
thusly accused. This is a downright insult and must be rectified.
Let us look at the facts:
1. Mr. Homer Boe has been cleared by the Coast Guard in their
screening operations of a year ago. In the past ten years he
has held a Coast Guard pass twice and an Army pass once.
2. He now works on government owned docks and on Army,
Navy and commercial vessels.
3. There are responsible agencies to screen out undesirable
elements in these jobs. They have not for one moment
raised the least objection to Mr. Boe. We have no reason to
doubt their capabilities.
4. It being obvious that it isn't the man but all of us who are
being attacked, let us look at the union picture that the
telegram accuses as being "notoriously Communist domi
nated.' The local unions have local autonomy in the port
operations of Seward. They are affiliated with the ILWU
but the national body cannot tell them how to operate their
busipess here. Look at history, when there were West Coast
strikes in which the local men did not go out or vice versa.
Many times the local group has gone contrary to the advice
of the national group. They are a rank and file organization
in which they have no business agent. In fact, one of the two
groups has a law which prohibits any man from holding
office more than one year, in order to keep the voice of the
entire group from being dominated. They are our home
owners, our Church members, every family in Seward is
connected in some way with the operations of the docks.
There are but very few newcomers who have not worked
in the Army Transport Service and a good share of the men
have served their country in the Armed Services. Yet we
are told that they cannot represent "loyal American
workers."
Why in all common sense would anyone wish to discredit the
Port of Seward. Alaska?
Why let a small faction disrupt the present harmony existing
between the various ports of Alaska and the cities they serve? It is
common knowledge that the majority of the ports in Alaska are
served by ILWU unions and we don't think the folks in Juneau or
Ketchikan or elsewhere in Alaskan ports are any more communistic
than here in Seward.
In fact, add this to the picture. The telegram was sent and Mr.
Homer Boe refused the appointment on Friday, January 29th, and
yet the story was given to the newspapers on Monday. February 1st.
Why? It wasn't enough to keep Mr. Boe from having the appoint
ment. THE BLOW HAD TO BE STRUCK AT SEWARD
Now, we ask but one thing, that the proper authorities screen our
folks once more; that every man. woman and child in this town be
made prove their loyalty to the land that we love, for evidently it
isn't enough to have sons and husbands give their lives in battle:
that this insidious charge be held against us no more; that we in
honor can take our place, shoulder to shoulder, with our brother
man in making a united effort to keep our country strong.
Very sincerely yours,
_ SEWARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
DIVER INSPECTS HULL
OF PACIFICUS
George Giardina, local deep
sea diver, was busy all day
Thursday afternoon, and went
down again Friday to look for
a leak in the hull of the Coast
wise ship Pacificus. The liberty
ship is tied up at the City Dock.
Noticing water in the hold,
the ship’s officers could not ex
plain, efforts are being made to
locate a possible crack in the
plates. Nothing definite had
been reported at presstime.
Hank Frost Funeral
In Seattle
Funeral services will be held
for Henry Frost, late resident
of Seward, Saturday, February
6, at 1 p.m. in Seattle.
Interment is in Crown Hill
Cemetary where Mr. Frost’s
parents, a sister and other rela
tives are buried.
WANT TO LEARN
SQUARE DANCING?
Interested in learning to
square dance? Then here is
something you will be glad to
know. The Seward Gateway
Swingers, local square dance and
folk dance club, is planning a
group of instructional sessions
for those who would like to
learn to square dance.
Plans as yet are tentative, but
it is believed that lessons will
begin the last week in February.
Details of time and place will
be announced later.
CONCERT ARTIST CANCELS
SEWARD PERFORMANCE
The worst weather of the year
caused cancellation of the ap
pearance of Miss Frances Mag
nes and Maxim Shapiro Friday
night, and they are forced to by
pass both Seward and Cordova
in their schedule.
Runaway Freight Car
Damages City Dock
A rampaging runaway freight
car went amok on Seward dock
Thursday morning causing seri
ous damage to the heated ware
house and deck.
The car broke away from a
string being hauled off the dock,
rolled down the ramp and plung
ed into the stop which was un
able to resist its weight. It tore
through the end of the ware
house and sank into the deck to
the depth of its wheels. No one
was hurt in the wreck.
Repair crews began immedi
ate work on the damage which
is expected to be finished in a
week.
DEMOCRATS FORM
SEWARD CLUB
The Democratic Club of Sew
ard held a meeting last Thurs
day evening for the purpose of
installing officers and the study
of bylaws of the organization.
Another meeting is planned
for next Wednesday evening to
be held at the Dockside Union
Hall with a social event after
wards. Mrs. Carl Ling is chair
man of the social. Jack Werner
is chairman of the membership
committee and Irwin Metcalf
is chairman of the finance com
mittee.
If the weather permits travel
between Seward and Anchorage
next week, several leading Dem
ocrat candidates will pay a visit
at the Wednesday meeting.
INTERNAL REVENUE MAN
COMING
Notice has been given that a
representative of Internal Reve
nue will be in Seward from
February 17 through February
23 to give assistance to tax
payers in making up income
tax returns.
Office hours will be from
8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the U.S.
Commissioner’s office. No name
was given for the representative.
Call for Bids On
Small Boat Harbor
Reconstruction
Local contractors in the Sew
ard-Cord'Ova-Kodiak areas who
have or can obtain the necessary
barges and equipment are in
vited to bid on reconstruction of
»the north breakwater at the
Harbor of Refuge at Seward, the
Alaska District Corps of En
gineers has announced.
Bids will be opened Feb. 24
at 11 a.m. in the office of the
Alaska District Engineer, Corps
of Engineers, Anchorage.
The job is rebuilding about
600 feet of the seaward portion.
Specifications call for placing
1600 cu. yds. of quarry stone in
suitable fragments and of neces
sary cross section dimensions
and height to provide an effec
tive and permanent breakwater.
Drawings, specifications and
bid forms may be obtained from
the Alaska District Engineer,
Corps of Engineers, Anchorage.
A deposit of $10 is required with
each set to insure return.
Contractor will be required
to start work within 30 days
after he has been notified to pro
ceed. and to complete the entire
work ready for use not later
than 90 days from that date.
Republican Caucus
Called for Feb. 16
Precinct committeeman Mar
vin Viale has given notice of a
Seward city preoinct Republican
Caucus to be held in the Lu
theran Church basement at 8
p.m. February 16. Bartlett pre
cinct and Mile 3' 2 precinct will
also meet although no dates have
been announced.
Seward is entitled to three vot
ing delegates and three alter
nates at the Divisional Conven
tion to be held in Palmer March
19 and 20. Bartlett and Mile
3*2 are entitled to one delegate
and alternate each. These fig
ures are based on the 150 votes
cast for Robert Reeve in the last
general election held October
14, 1952.
At the Caucus registered Re
publicans will elect a precinct
committeeman and committee
woman. Resolutions to be of
fered for consideration of the
divisional convention will also
be passed locally at this time.
Anyone desiring the passing of
a resolution for inclusion in the
party platform must have it
prepared for reading from the
floor at the caucus.
Coastwise Line
Adds Vessel
To Alaska Service
Coastwise Line announced in
San Francisco last week the ad
dition of the.SS James Lick to
the Coastwise-Alaska service.
This will provide four vessels on
that trade route and permit a
consistent regular sailing every
12 days from the entire U.S. Pa
cific Coast range to Alaska. The
increased sailings during the
winter months should facilitate
inventory planning by Alaska
merchants.
The Coastwise-Alaska service
includes calls at Los Angeles
Long Beach. San Francisco Bay,
Portland, Seattle, Seward, Whit
tier. Valdez, Kodiak and An
chorage with direct connections
with the Alaska Railway and
truck lines to interior Alaska
destinations.
The company said at the same
time that immediately every al
ternate vessel sailing northbound
from Seattle will call first at
Valdez to enable merchants us
ing that port to secure expedited
service. Also, alternate vessels
are now calling at Kodiak,
thereby providing service to that
port from all U.S. Pacific ports.
LINCOLN DAY DINNER
POSTPONED ONE DAY
The Republican Lincoln Day
dinner scheduled for Friday,
February 12, has been postponed
one day to Saturday, February
13. It will be held in the Seward
Sanatorium dining room at 7:00
p.m
Club members are warned to
pick up their tickets as the din
ner is limited to 100, and the
sale will soon be open to the
public. By postponing the affair
one day, candidates for election
will be here for the evening.
SEWARD BAKERY CHANGES
HANDS
Ed Renwald has sold his in
terest in the Seward Bakery to
two men formerly of Anchorage,
Leonard Soley and Bob Sims.
This is one of the older busi
ness establishments in Seward.
March of Dimes Dance
Set for Saturday
Joe Sabrowski will play piano
for the March of Dimes dance at
the Civic Center after the Major
Sheffield Amateur show Satur
day night. With Joe, who is a
general favorite with Seward
dancers, will be Ted Bristow,
banjo; Jack Willis, drums, and
Bea Davis, sax. "Hobo Joe” is
also expected to be there with
the accordian. Altogether it
sounds like a full and very good
evening of entertainment for
Seward folks who are seeking
diversion and at the same time
contributing to two worthy
causes.
Members of the sorority Beta
Sigma Phi will sell candy, pop
corn, pop and hot dogs at the
door and in the aisles at the
amateur show. All proceeds for
the Seward, Nebraska trip.
Soft drinks will also be sold
at the dance. ..
Bill On Alaska's
Mentally III
Many Seward clubwomen will
be interested to know that the
Interior Department has prom
ised "fairly soon" its long de
layed report on Delegate Bart
lett's bill to provide a new pro
cedure for the voluntary and
involuntary commitment and
treatment of Alaska’s mentally
ill.
Many individuals and clubs in
Alaska have written Congress
man John P. Saylor, chairman
of the subcommittee consider
ing the legislation, in such a wray
as to make it apparent that
there have been misconceptions
in certain quarters that action
on the bill has been delayed be
cause of his subcommittee. The
delay, however, has been caused
by the Interior Department’s
failure to submit its report to
the subcommittee. Congressman
Saylor stated this week that he
considers the bill "one of the
’must' pieces of legislation in
-the second session of the 83rd
Congress.”
P.-T.A. — and You
Basic Policy: Non-Commer
cial, non-sectarian and non-par
tisan. —
Thru years of trial and error
the Parent-Teacher Association
has found this above stated basic
policy to be best for the welfare
of the organization. It docs not
endorse commercial enterprises
or advertise them at meetings.
It does not permit the names of
members to be used for commer
cial interest. However, some na
tional companies, as a public
service have produced books,
films and other educational aids
on subjects of interset to Parent
Teacher workers, on which they
mention the name of the pro
ducing firm but do not adver
tise specific products or serv
ices. Such material is often used
by the association.
The P-TA recognizes every in
dividual's right to his own re
ligious beliefs. No branch or unit
of the organization supports any
single ciiurch. This does not
mean that there is a lack of
spiritual and ethical values in
the program. It believes that no
individual should be exploitejl
as a means to an end and that
each man’s religious choice is
a fundamental right in the Am
erican way of life. P-TA realizes
the need for spiritual growth
in the child and encourages fam
ily unity in church attendance
and cooperation in interfaith and
intefcultural activities. Care is
taken in meetings to keep them
non-sectarian.
The Parent-Teacher Associa
tion is also non-partisan in poli
cy. Its officers and members
abstain from partisan activities
and discussions in their parent
teacher relationship. They do not
endorse candidates for public
office. The name of the associa
tion or its officers is not used
in connection with partisan is
sues or for any partisan candi
date. However, this policy does
not prohibit action to secure
passage of endorsed legislation:
nor does it bar P-TA officers
or members from membership
on school boards or in political
organizations.
Since the kind of future Am
erica will have depends on the
quality of American homes,
P-TA policies in every way co
operate with the church, com
munity and school to offer the
best in educational services. By
your participation in P-TA you
are best able to show your in
terest in the welfare of your
child, the growth in your com
munity and your faith in the
future of America.
Next week: Membership.
C. of C. Board
Confers With
Postal Authority
Paul Warber, director of pos
tal transportation in Alaska,
came to Seward Thursday for
a conference with the board of
directors of Chamber of Com
merce. The meeting was held at
noon.
The conference was held on
a complaint from Seward busi
ness men that in bad weather,
air mail is delayed for several
days at a time, and with only
one train a week, this delay is
a detriment to business. It was
also noted that newspapers ar
rive daily from Anchorage by
bus.
Mr. Warber agreed that 6 to 8
days often required to deliver
mail from Anchorage to Seward
is too long an interval, and re
marked that there is no such
complaint on the reverse route.
This proves, Mr. Warber said,
that there may be some failure
on the Anchorage end, which
will be investigated.
As to an emergency measure
allowing transportation of mail
by bus the director could do
nothing more than recommend
such a procedure, which must
be OK'd by the district office
in Portland or in Washington.
He stated further that new con
tracts for postal transportation
will be lot in June and that
these contracts will probably in
clude local transportation from
Seward to the interior. Until
that time there seems little that
can remedy the cause of criti
cism here, but Warber promised
relief if possible.
Cordova Celebrates
"Doc Chase Week"
To honor Dr. Will H. Chase,
mayor of the City of Cordova,
the city council has declared
February 7 through 13 as Dr.
Will H. Chase week. The old
timer is now 80 years old.
Dr. Chase has been several
times mayor of the coast city,
and a booster of the town for
over half a centrury. The fam
ous man’s history was promised
for publication in this issue but
failed to arrive.
QUEEN CONTEST MOVES
INTO LAST WEEK
Only one more week of the
Basketball Queen contest, which
ends with Valentine Day. To
date a total of 16, 671 votes have
been counted and 44 girls voted
for.
The list of contestants in order
of the number of votes received
is as follows:
1. Murlene Trevethan
2. Mary Walker
3. Bonnie Lou Douglas
4. Cindy Coleman
5. Ava Jo Doyle
6. Hazel Brossow
7. Carol Ann Trevethan
8. Lura Peck
9. Dodie Doshen
10. Mary Lou Jones
Scouts Honor Leaders
On Anniversary
One of America’s far-reaching
organizations, the Boy Scouts of
America, is making its 44th
birthday during Boy Scout
Week, February 7 to 13. On this
notable milestone we find the
Boy Scout movement at its peak
in membership.
Today 2,440,000 boys are en
joying the "Game of Scouting"
in its three distinct programs.
Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and
Exploring, each appealing to
boys of various age levels.
We seldom stop to think that
this great work is made possible
largely through the active spon
sorship of the church, the school
and other community institu
tions. But perhaps gven more sig
nificant is the fact that some
860,000 adults share their time
as volunteer leaders with the
boyhood of America.
Theirs is a devoted service.
A large number have served for
many years.
Boy Scout Week this year has
been dedicated to honoring the
Cubmasters, the Scoutmasters,
and the Explorer Advisors—the
men who bring Scouting directly
to the boys.
To them has been entrusted
the care and guidance of our
boys and young men. It is their
influence upon the Scouts of
today, with whom they work
and play, that help mould these
boys and young men into better
citizens and better proponents
•of the American way of life.
These unselfish men who give
leadership in Scouting are per
forming an outstanding act of
citizenship. Our nation owes
them much.
Irate Hunters Protest
Proposed Moose Kill
Reporter's
Notebook
Business and Professional Wo
men will meet at Dick’s Diner
Tuesday night at the usual time.
The meeting place was changed
because of the illncs of Mrs.
Phil Harding, who is still in the
hospital.
Another of those good pot
luck dinners is on tap for Sun
day at the Legion Club from
5 to 8 o'clock. $1.00 per plate
for all. Those Legion girls are
sure workers.
Dave Carlson is back in town
after a three months vacation
Outside.
Jack Jeffrey and family have
returned from a trip to sunny
California. Jack says the sun
did shine beautifully on them
until they reached Seattle on
the return trip. From there on
it was worse than Seward is
today.
According to tradition, if there
had been any groundhogs in
Seward they would certainly
have seen their shadows last
Tuesday and gone back for an
other six weeks of winter. The
nearest thing we have to a
groundhog in Alaska is the
whistler. This little animal is a
familiar sight along hillside
sunny streams. Whether the tra
dition had anything to do with
the weather or not, we certainly
all agree that there has been a
change.
By all reports, the highway is
pretty bad around Portage flats.
Five semis were said to be in the
ditch in that area and another
was reported Friday morning.
These heavy vehicles were
chained all around too.
Archie Bindaro. who was ar
rested on a charge of larceny
on the Seward dock last Friday,
was bound over to the grand
jury after preliminary hearing
in commissioner court. He is be
ing held on $2000 bail.
William Dunn, whose hearing
was also last Friday after press
time, was sentenced to eight
months in jail upon pleading
guilty to theft of a boat.
Seward grocers have not been
contacted on the proposition to
buy only Alaska potatoes as
many Anchorage grocers have
agreed to do.
Miss Murrell, superintendent
at Seward General Hospital, to
day warned your reporter not to
fall and break a leg as th°re are
no beds vacant in the hospital.
AGNES SAINDON LOSES
OTHER EYE
Mrs. Agnes Saindon under
went surgery in Anchorage this
week for the removal of an eye.
This leaves the young mother
completely blind, as the first
eye was removed before Christ
mas in a Seattle hospital.
Sympathy for Mrs. Saindon
prompted Seward people to con
tribute generously to the Lions
Club aid to the blind fund in
December, whose campaign was
conducted in her name.
BETA SIGMA PHI
HAS PARTY
Iota Chapter. Beta Sigma Phi
met at the home of Marjorie
Painter Wednesday evening. The
club held a birthday party and
also gave a handkerchief shower
for Dorothy Hassinger, a mem
ber who is moving from town
in a few days.
Almost 200 hunters and
sportsmen crowded into the city
council rooms Thursday night to
hear Ed Chatelain, game biolo
gist, explain conditions of winter
moose feed on the Peninsula, and
the reasons for other areas rec
ommending an open season on
cows and calves.
Prolonged discussion follow
ed Mr. Chatalain’s talk, in which
he insisted that winter graze
for the growing moose herd on
Kenai Peninsula is rapidly be
coming scarce. This, he says,
will cause starvation of the game
animals and wanton waste.
Hunters fear that opening of
the peninsula to cows and calves
would cause such wholesale
slaughter as to deplete the herd.
Such a measure would also call
in hunters from other parts of
Alaska and the States in such
numbers as to make hunting
definitely hazardous, and was
opposed on those grounds by
some present. No method of con
trol over the kill was advanced.
The meeting closed with the
perturbed and dissatisfied audi
ence taking a vote on the ques
tion with the result of 155 votes
being cast against an open sea
son on cows and calves and a
bare handful in favor. The meet
ing was sponsored by the Sew
ard Chamber of Commerce.
Boat Built On
Mountain Top
Headed Here
Jack Ferguson, of Carson City,
Nevada, has defied the laws of
custom by building a little ship
high on a mountain top near
Lake Tahoe. He laid the keel in
Lake Marlette, a small lake at
an elevation of over 8000 feet
17 miles from Carson City, then
trucked it to Sacramento, Cal
ifornia for launching.
Ferguson plans a 3000 mile
trip to the Marquesas and other
South Pacific islands. He will
come north to Seward before
starting the long journey, how
ever. Here, Ferguson and his
wife Iola'will visit their daugh
ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Peter Morelli, who live at Mile
3V£ on the Highway.
The boat, a ketch, has the
fundamental design of a Dutch
vessel brought to the new world
more than two centuries ago. It
is only 35 feet overall length,
draft 5V£ feet, beam 12Vz feet.
It carries 640 square feet of can
vas in jib, main and mizzen
sails. A 10 horsepower auxiliary
engine permits easier handling
in harbor, but the master will
depend entirely upon sail for
the trip. Ferguson has built the
boat himself over a period of
four years.
This will be the second such
long trip for the Nevada sailor.
He is returning to the Marquesas
to greet old friends he made
among the Polynesians after the
war. His first ship was pounded
to pieces on the rocks in a ty
phoon.
Mr. Ferguson’s crew is himself
and his wife, who spent last
summer in Seward where she
worked for Mrs. Charles Lech
ner and made many friends who
wil be glad to speed her on her
unusual adventure.
WOMAN'S CLUB NEXT
THURSDAY
Seward Woman’s Club will
meet next Thursday, February
11 at 8 p.m. in the Community
Library.
Special entertainment for the
evening will be a discussion by
four high school students on the
subject: “If Washington and Lin
coln were here today", and
"What can I do about Commu
nism."
All Seward women are invited
to attend the session.
44Tft ANNIVERSARY 1954
BOY^CP^TS AMERICA