Seward
The Cateuay City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
5 e a P 0 r f
Record
Seward's All-IPeather Port is Alaska's Create i Asset.
THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD THAT GIVES A HOOT ABOUT SEWARD, ALASKA
Vol. IX, No. 40
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1953
Price 10 Cents
March 31 Was Busy
Day In U. S.
Comjnissioner's Court
Commissioner Anna B. South
ard put in a busy day March 31,
with an unusually large sched
ule of cases.
Two charges of collecting
unemployment compensation il
legally were made against local
residents. Mrs. Grace Galloway
was fined $100 and sentenced
to 60 days in jail, suspended
contingent upon repayment of
$216 collected in unemployment
while using the name of Gallo
way and working under the
name of Audrey.
Gale (Silver) Smith received
sentence under a similar charge.
He was fined $150 and DO days
jail sentence, suspended upon
repayment o f unemployment
benefits collected illegally.
Two traffic fines were levied
against local men. Fine and li
cense suspensions were meted
out in each case. Arrests were
made by highway patrolman.
A charge of assault and bat
tery upon a woman residing in
the Sanatorium area and em
ployed by the hospital, on the
night of March 17, brought a
fine of $200 for Jim Forth, a
Seward man. The case was tried
in Commissioner's Court March
31.
FIRST AID CLASSES TO
CONTINUE FOR THOSE
INTERESTED
Another first aid class is be
ing organized to begin the course
of study this month. Anyone
who wishes to take the 16 hour
course may get in touch with
Mrs. Roberta Thornton either at
the Mart Variety Store or the
Portland Hotel.
There is no charge for the
class, but the First Aid Manual
may be purchased for 50 cents
each by students of the course.
Instructors receive no pay. The
work is done on an absolutely
voluntary basis. Instructors were
trained by a special Field Di
rector sent out from the Pacific
Area office in San Francisco.
This training instructor was paid.
Thus, Red Cross first aid train
ing is an expense to the organi
zation as a whole, but has proved
well worth the time and money
in the number of lives saved
through knowledge of the prop
er thing to do when encounter
ing an automobile accident, fire,
flood, earth quake, or any other
kind of emergency.
Many people took first aid
during the first years of the war.
A number of methods of treat
ment have been found more ef
fective than those used formerly.
Consequently the course is dif
ferent in recent years. A refresh
er is advised.
LEON URBACH TO RETIRE
AFTER 38 YEARS IN SEWARD
Leon Urbach, proprietor of
‘‘Urbach’s,” men's clothing and
shoe store, has announced that
he will retire June 1 after 38
years in business in this city.
Mr. Urbach remarked that he
and Charles Lechner, Sr., both
came to Seward February 22,
1915, on the SS Alameda. Neith
er knew of the coincidence until
three years ago at a Lions Club
Banquet. They have been close
friends for all the years, but
never happened to discuss the
name of the ship on which they
had made their arrival.
JUNIOR WOMEN MAKE
EASTER FAVORS FOR
SANATORIUM PATIENTS
The Seward Junior Women's
Club will meet Friday evening
at the home of Doris Lamberson.
The special meeting was called
so that members can make East
er favors for the patients at
Seward Sanatorium.
Jop Oysters To Be
Tried In Homer Area
Ten cases of Japanese seed
oysters are sailing today for
Homer, Alaska on the Alaska
Steamship Company steamer
Baranof. The shipment, consign
ed to Browning and Gasperic,
arrived in Seattle Tuesday on
the Canada Mail. It will be dis
charged at Seward and trucked
from there to destination.
The oysters will be carried on
deck of the Baranof and at least
once a day will be given a drink
•of sea water to keep them in
prime condition.
Bast year Browning and Gas
peric imported another shipment
of Japanese seed oysters. This
is their second and since oysters
take three years to mature, there
should be some on tiie market
in Alaska in 1955 and 1956.
After that.all depends on wheth
er or not there are further im
ports, since Japanese oysters do
not reproduce in waters below
68 degrees temperature, accord
ing to oyster authorities, and Al
askan waters do not maintain
that level.
Former Resident Dead
In Seattle Today
Word was received here Fri
day of the death of Mrs. Marie
Abrahamsen, former resident of
Seward. Mrs. Abrahamsen died
at the home of her son Alvin in
Seattle at 4:30 a.m. Apr.l 3. She
was 66 years old.
Mrs. Abrahamsen was born
in Onval, Norway. She came to
this country at the age of 18.
She met her future husband
Albert Abrahamsen and married
him in 1903. During the 30's
the Abrahamsens' came to the
Territory and settled in Seward.
Since that time Mrs. Abrahamsen
has lived here and in Seattle.
She is survived by two daugh
ters and two sons, Mrs. Fran
DuBeau and Henry Abrahamsen
of Seward, Mrs. Willard Dunham
of Fairbanks, and Alvin Abra
hamsen of Seattle.
OPEN HOUSE BY BUDDING
MUSICIANS SOMETHING NEW
Seven music teachers in town
have correlated their annual
public recitals this year into an
"Open House” session. The near
ly 100 music pupils will demon
strate their progress at the one
open house recital Sunday, April
12, in the Methodist Church.
The performance will begin at
2 p.m. with 21 kindergarten
kiddies and rhythm band.
Continuing with more advanc
ed age groups, the show will
progress to the older music pu
pils, the entire program ending
with solo work by young people
of high school age.
During two intermissions, at
3 and at 4 p.m., refreshments
will be served by mothers of
children in the recital.
An attractive program, with
cover design by Audney Horton,
contains names of the teachers
and ail children included in the
"Open House.” As this is some
tiling new in the way of music
festivals in Seward, it is expect
ed to draw a good crowd. There
is, of course, no admission fee.
EASTER BRUNCH AT
LEGION CLUB
Legionnaires, their families
and guests, as well as Legion
Auxiliary members and guests
are invited to take Easter brunch
with tlie Auxiliary on Easter
morning. Brunch will be served
from 11:30 until 2 p.m.
The Army Roc Center will op
en officially about May 15. Capt.
Victor P. Rizzo will be in charge.
City Serves Distraint
Order on A.T.C.
For Delinquent Taxes
An order of distraint for non
payment oL taxes in the amount
of $1060 was served on the Al
aska Telephone Corporation this
week.
The order was served by the
city police department, and the
company’s maintenance truck
was seized for the debt, but an
arrangement was made to keep
it in use so as to maintain tele
phone service in the city as long
as possible.
Utilities Offices Move
into New Quarters
Offices of the Seward Water
System and Seward Electric Sys
tem are being transferred to the
old city building on the corner
of Fourth and Adams Streets.
This building was used for all
city offices until three years ago
when the Fire Hall was com
pleted and the City Clerk and
Electric System offices, as well
as the City Council, took over
the top floor of the new building.
Business has increased so
greatly in recent years that ad
uitional space became necessary.
The move is expected to be
completed over the week end,
and the two departments func
tioning some time next week.
It will be well for people to
check at the log building before
climbing the stairs to pay bills
next week.
John Smith will retain his
real estate office in the building.
TRADITIONAL SOURDOUGH
EASTER BREAKFAST AT
METHODIST CHURCH
For many years, men of the
Seward Memorial Methodist
Church have preoared Easter
breakfast at the church for all
who care to enjoy it.
The meal of sourdough pan
cakes and accompanying condi
ments will be served at 8 a.m.
following an early morning serv
ice at 7:30. Easter breakfast is
traditional in the Seward church.
The whole town is invited. No
charge is made for the meal, al
though a free wrill offering will
be accepted if offered.
Other services at the Metho
dist Church will be held at the
regular times.
LEAH JONES AND BOB ESTES
TO SAY WEDDING VOWS
The beautiful new home of
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Jones will
be the scene of a candlelight
wedding service Saturday eve
ning at 6 o’clock. Leah M. Jones,
second daughter of the Jones',
will repeat her wedding vows
in a double ring ceremony with
Robert R. Estes of Moose Pass,
before the fireplace in the Jones
home.
The reception will be held in
Moose Pass at the Jockey Club,
w'hich is holding open house
from 9 p.m. The young couple
will be at home in Moose Pass
following a brief honeymoon.
SPRING CONFERENCE AT
FAITH CHAPEL
The Semi-Annual Conference
of the Kenai Peninsula Funda
mental Fellowship will be held
at Faith Chapel, April G to 9, in
clusive.
Guest speaker for the four
nights of meetings will be Rev.
Allen Franz, missionary in Alas
ka for over 12 years. He is a
member of the executive board
of the Alaska Missions, Inc., and
also pilots their plane.
All are welcome to attend the
meetings at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
daily Monday through Thursday.
C. of C. Notified of
Waterfront Hearing
Charles Malin, secretary of
the Seward Chamber of Com
merce, at the request of Presi
dent Tom Bie, read an announce
ment from the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce. The letter gave
dates for the hearing on Seattle
waterfront troubles as they af
fect Alaska.
The hearing will be held under
the House Sub-Committee on
Investigations with Representa
tive James I. Dollivcr as chair
man. Because of the expense
and difficulty of Alaskans who
wish to attend, testimony will
be accepted by mail.
Anyone wishing to express an
opinion can get the address and
exact dates of the hearing from
Rev. Malin.
Guests at the Tuesday lunch
eon meeting were Capt. Victor
Rizzo and Frank Blanchard.
Capt. Rizzo addressed the meet
ing.
Red Cross Campaign
Starts Here ApriJ 13
The Board of Directors, Sew
ard Chapter, American Red
Cross, has settled upon the week
of April 13 as Red Cross week
in Seward. Chairman of the
Board. Jack Jeffrey, will act
as campaign chairman. Clubs
are being contacted for aid in
canvassing the town, particularly
for the membership canvass o£
homes.
There was no drive in Seward
last year, us the budget balance
was sufficient to carry the Chap
ter through the year.
The widespread use of gamma
globulin, which is a derivative
of whole blood, used in treat
ment of paralyzing poliomyelitis,
is a new drain on Red Cross
resources. Since there is no op
portunity in Alaska for the do
nation of blood for plasma, peo
ple are being asked to donate
money that is needed in the ex
pensive laboratory process of
obtaining the gamma globulin.
Red Cross donated gamma glo
bulin will be available to fam
ilies exposed to polio this sum
mer in every state and U. S.
territory, rather than be re
stricted only to epidemic areas.
The new formula was announced
by the Office of Defense Mobili
zation, which handles distribu
tion of the life giving fluid after
it is collected and processed by
Red Cross.
Seward has a walking bank,
and has had for several years.
Two years ago, a blood typing
program was put on in Seward,
which, in addition to typing more
than 800 persons, enlisted 90
donors, who, added to the names
already on the roll, have been
giving whole blood to patients
at the Sanatorium and hospital.
For every pint of blood donat
ed here, a pint is saved for our
fighting men in Korea. Quite a
number of the original blood
bank have moved from town.
Other names would be welcomed
by physicians at the Sanatorium.
To get one's name on the list,
it is necessary only to leave a
call at the Sanatorium, and be
typed for record.
Membership in the Red Cross
costs one dollar. Members re
ceive a cord and lapel button.
The card entitles every holder
to vote in the annual election
of officers of the nine member
board of directors and Chapter
Chairman.
Mrs. Helen Brosius is in Ju
neau where she will remain un
til after the inauguration of
B. Frank Heintzlemnn as gov
ernor. Mrs. Brosius is a member
of the inauguration committee.
Nebraska Governor
Pleased With
Seward vs. Seward
Carl R. Carlson received a
letter this week from the Honor
able Robert R. Crosby. Governor
of Nebraska.
“State of Nebraska
Executive Office
Lincoln.
March 26, 1953
Superintendent of Schools,
Seward, Alaska
“Dear Sir:
As Governor of the State of
Nebraska I am very pleased to
see the spirit of good will and
good sportsmanship exemplified
by the game between Seward,
Nebraska and Seward, Alaska.
We in Nebraska are happy to
have this opportunity to become
better acquainted with you in
Alaska.
“May the best team win!
Sincerely,
ROBERT R. CROSBY”
Although the Nebraska visit
is eight weeks away, the Cham
ber of Commerce is making
preparations now. It was thought
at first that the Army Recrea
tion Center would be available
for housing the boys and their
fathers, but the Center will be
opened in May, thus making
other plans necessary.
It has been decided by the
committee that townspeople will
be asked to take one or two of
the 20 guests into their homes.
Anyone who has or will have
room for a guest by.-the first
week in June is asked to notify
Coach Don Dalberg immediately.
District Engineer
Arrives for 8.P.R.
Mr. H. A. Alderton arrived
in Seward on April 1 to assume
the duties of District Engineer
for the Bureau of Public Roads
activities in this area. He has
transferred from Southern Calif
ornia, where he represented the
Bureau in its various functions
for the past several years.
His knowledge and “know
how” of road building activities
is broad as he has completed 27
years with the Bureau in various
phases and functions of its acti
vities. In Southern California
his work was connected with
Federal Aid cooperation with the
States and Counties, cooperative
work with other Federal agen
cies, and supervision of Forest
Highway work. He is a member
of the American Society of Civil
Engineers.
Mrs. Alderton is temporarily
residing in Pasadena and plans
to join Mr. Alderton at a later
date.
Mr. B. M. French, who pre
ceded Mr. Alderton as District
Engineer in Seward, reports that
he is greatly enjoying the cli
mate in Arizona although he has
many fond memories of Seward
and wishes to be remembered to
all of his friends in this area.
BUILDING CONTRACTOR
MOVES INTO SEWARD
Harry Midby, contractor who
did several pieces of work here
last summer, arrived this week
to make his home in Seward.
Mr. Midby brought his young son
John with him. His wife and
•other children will come when
school is over in Nampa, Idaho, *
their present home.
To be associated with Midby
in the general contracting busi
ness is H. F. Henning, also from
Nampa. He and Mrs. Henning
drove to Alaska over the High
way. They arrived Tuesday and
moved into a house on Monroe
Street.