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Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
Record
Seward’s All-Weather Port is Alaska’s Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X, No. 4
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1953
Price 10 Cents
Serviceman Drowns While
Swimming At First Lake
At approximately 6:30 Thurs
day evening a young serviceman
was drowned in First Lake, the
swimming hole in Brownell Ad
dition. The man's name is with
held pending Army notification
of the next of kin.
Little can be discovered of
first hand evidence as to just
what happened. It was reported
that except for the soldier, no
one else was at the lake except
two small children. He had ap
parently been accompanied by
othcr military men, who had left
the spot temporarily. Upon their
return to the lake they missed
their companion. Several stayed
to dive and search for him. while
another ran for aid. The fire de
partment resuscitator was called
for and the rescue truck re
sponded immediately as did
other equipment, including the
ambulance.
The boy's companions had
been unsuccessful in recovering
the body when Alex Petrovich
arrived and upon the second try
brought up the body. Petrovich
is a strong and skillful swimmer
who spent years as life guard
in the States.
Upon being brought from the
water and placed in the am
bulance, the young man was
given treatment of the rescusci
tator, which was continued in
the hospital. Dr. J. B. Deisher
and a visiting Army doctor pro
nounced the boy dead a short
time after arrival at the hospital.
The body was removed to Fort
Richardson by the 10th Air Res
cue plane Friday morning.
Reporters were told that the
man had been in Seward about
three weeks. He was formerly
in the port company at Whittier.
He was attached to the Army
fire department crew of six men
here in Seward. He was well
liked and described as a splendid
soldier.
Enjoy FaciHtses At
Recreation Center
The freshly painted and en
larged Seward Recreate n Cen
ter operated by the Alaskan
Command, reopened July 15 on
a regular schedule. The center
was closed after the Whittier
fire for use by the Port Com
pany quartered here immedi
ately after the fire.
Since that time, however, the
barge "Apple" was moved in
to house the men, thus leaving
the Center free again for its
original purpose.
Visitors this week are warm
in their praise of the facility
and the entertainment provided.
They have the opportunity to
enjoy the finest fishing in Al
aska, both deep sea and swift
water. Playground equipment
for small kiddies, barbeque pit,
dancing and just plain rest are
all parts of the program offered
guests from any unit of the
Alaskan Command.
Transportation by bus is pro
vided for those who do not have
their own means of traveling,
but many servicemen and fam
ilies drive in for the three day
leave.
Seward Library
Reports New Besses
By The Librarian
Walter D. Edmonds has writ
ten a book in a somewhat light
er vein than what he usually
writes. His book, The Boyds of
Black River, is a family chroni
cle which is full of gusto, nos
talgic comedy, horses and wo
men. The story takes place at
the turn of the century in up
state New York. All in all it’s
one you will want to read. Mr.
Edmonds is well known for hav
ing written Drums Along the
Mohawk and Chad Hanna.
Other new books at the li
brary this month are Hedda
Hopper's From Under My Hal,
Martin’s O Rugged Land of Gold
(the story of the woman in
Southeastern Alaska who had
her baby all alone), Gardner's
The Case of the Hesitant Host
ess, and Rex Stout’s Prisoner’s
Base. For the younger set, there
is a new Carolyn Keene book
called The Clue of the Velvet
Mask.
Books loaned in May num
bered 283, and in June 300.
Eighteen people bought new
cards this month.
Little Delle Tressler, 5-year
old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Glenn Tressler, fell off her new
bike and cut her chin Friday.
Four stitches were necessary to
close the wound.
CITY DRIVER’S LICENSE
PAST DUE
The City Clerk again warns
that car owners are not buying
the city driver's license which
is due July 1 of each year and
required for all drivers of ve
hicles in the city.
Licenses can be obtained at
the City Hall at the cost of $1.00.
Washington
News-Letter
July lti, 1953
COST-OF-LIVING
ALLOWANCE
The Civil Service Commission
has joined Delegate Bartlett in
the fight against elimination of
the 25 per cent cost-of-living
allowance for Alaskans hired in
the Territory to work for the
federal government.
In reply to an appeal to the
Chairman of the Commission,
Delegate Bartlett was informed
by Commissioner George M.
Moore that representations were
to be made to the Senate Appro
priations Committee against the
proposal.
"We believe," Commissioner
Moore declared in a letter io
Delegate Bartlett, “Section 640
as approved by the House of
Representatives will result in in
equity among employees at ter
ritorial posts, would be complex
in administration and would add
to the already difficult operat
ing problems of federal activi
ties in territorial areas. I might
add that the Commission is
gravely concerned regarding the
effect of this proposal on federal
employees in Alaska. You may
be assured of my continued in
terest in this matter and if 1
can be of further assistance lo
you please advise me.”
The proposal is contained in
the Defense Department appro
priation bill for the W5t fiscal
year upon which hearings have
now been completed by the
Senate Appropriations Commit
tee. It is expected the conmvtte*
will report the measure'the end
of this week.
ASSESSMENT WORK
The mining assessment work
year would extend i'rom October
1 of one year to October 1 of
the next year through legisla
tion reported to the Senate tills
week by the Senate Interior end
Insular Affairs Committee.
The legislation, sponsored by
Senator Murray of Montana,
would also extend the assess
ment year in Alaska and the
continental United States until
October of this year. Unacr pres
ent law, the work on all un
patented mining claims is re
quired to be performed between
July 1 of one year and July 1
of the next. In other words, if
the legislation should be en
acted into law, those persons
who failed to perform their as
sessment work for the year end
ing July 1, 1953, would have
three more months until Octo
ber 1 to meet the requirements.
WORLD WAR II
CASUALTIES
The Department of the Army
has issued a final report on
Army battle casualties and non
battle deaths in World War II
extending from December 7,
1941, through December 31,
1946, the date hostilities were
declared terminated by presi
dential proclamation.
World War II battle casual
ties, which include persons
killed in action, wounded and
injured in a£tion. captured and
interned in action, totalled
936,259. Deaths among battle
casualties numbered 234.371. In
the Alaskan Department there
were 997 battle deaths, includ
ing 853 killed in action. In May,
1943, 536 were killed in action
in the attack on Atlu.
ALASKA COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM
Construction of living quar
ters, operational buildings and
utilities of the Alaska Communi
cation System would be author
ized under the terms of a mea
sure introduced this week by
Senator’^Saltonstall of Mass.
The legislation, similar to a
companion bill introduced in the
House by Chairman Short of
the Armed Services Committee
some time ago, woukl authorize
$4,517,000 for facilities at 30
stations in the Territory includ
ing Seward.
The bill would cancel existing
appropriation authority in the
amount -of $1,403,255 for the
ACS at Adak, Cane Fanshaw,
Eielson, Mile 33, Mitchell Point,
Narrow Point, Point Agassiz and
Thane.
Public Meeting To
Study Recreation
For Younger Set
A group of parents concerned
over the lack of recreational
facilities in Seward will hold a
public meeting Wednesday, July
29, in the Civic Center at 8 p.m.
All parents and others inter
ested in the problem are asked
to meet and discuss or formulate
plans to remedy the situation.
It is felt by many that lack of
supervised recreation is a con
tributing factor to the trouble
youngsters get into. Ideas and
suggestions from a large num
ber of people may solve a real
problem in Seward.
B!dg, Permit Granted
For 42 Housing Units
A building permit was pur
chased by the Seward Invest
ment Company, Inc., for the
construction of $378,000 worth
of housing in Seward.
The company contemplates
construction of 42 units in the
block north of Madison Street
and east of Fifth Avenue. Ori
ginal plans called for garden
type houses, each with its own
yard. Streets, curbs and utili
ties are to be provided.
This nroject, first proposed in
1951 by Brady Construction Co.,
has been delayed until now for
title surveys and other technical
reasons. I must be completed
by the fall of 1934.
Lord fc'osons Honor
Grand Officers
Seward Masons honored
Grand Master Fred Winkles and
Quentin Herwig, another officer
of the Grand Lodge, Wednesday
night. Preceding the meeting a
banquet was served in the Ma
sonic Temple, prepared by la
dies of the Eastern Star. Moose
meat and baked Alaska salmon
were served.
The •S'-wrrd lodge presented
Leon Urbach, Past Master and
charter member with an ivory
gavel. Presentation was made by
the Grand Master. The visiting
officers, were served fresh straw
berries from the Lechner garden
at breakfast before their depar
ture. Some embarrassment was
felt when the guests were forced
to walk a quarter mile of dusty
road to catch the plane because
of a road block on the highway,
hut the visitors took it good na
turedly as all a oart of Alaskan
travel.
CerirrsereiaJ Fishery
Nearing Set For
Cc'. ii*I)ifer i
The Fish & Wildlife Service
announces an official hearing
on commercial salmon fishing at
8 o’clock p.m., October 1, in the
basement of the Seward Luther
an Church.
The F&WS will hear recom
mendations for desirable changes
in the administration of fishing
regulations. All fishermen are
urged to keep this date in mind.
MRS. KETUF.AH KING
ATTENDING CONFERENCE
Mrs. Kct irah King, Medical
Social Wori er at Seward Sana
torium. left today (Friday) for
Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, to at
tend a symposium on social
work in the field of tuberculosis.
The conference will be held at
tile University of Pittsburg July
27 through August 1.
Mrs. King is the only Alaskan
expected to attend the confer
ence. At the present time she is
also the only trained medical
social worker in Alaskan hos
pitals. She trained at Tulane and
did her field work at Charity
Hospital, New Orleans.
Mrs. King was anticipating
lectures by Dr. Thomas Parran,
former surgeon general of the
U.S. Fublic Health Service and
scientists from the U.S. Chil
dren’s Bureau.
Before she returns home Mrs.
King will spend a few days with
her parents at Ogden, Utah. She
will he away about two weeks
altogether.
MRS. BLANCHARD'S FATHER
DEAD IN KENTUCKY
Mrs. Frank Blanchard was
notified *his week of the death
of her father, J. M. Walson, in
Fulton, Kentucky. Mr. Watson
was 76 years old. He was a re
tired railroad engineer.
He had been ill for a long
time and finally passed away
July 20. Besides Mrs. Blanchard,
Mr. Watson is survived by his
wife and a son. The son lives in
Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Reporter's
Notebook
Eleanor Salit will marry Ben
jamin Parrish of Honey Grove,
Texas, in the Methodist Church
Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock.
Rev. Malin will officiate.
Eleanor is the eldest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. John Salit. She
was born in Seward and gradu
ated. from high school here, but
has been Outside to school for
the past two years.
Jonna Sweat and George N.
Galloway were married last
Saturday. They got their license
here but went to the big city
for the ceremony. Jonna is the
daughter of Gordon Sweat of
this city. George is the son of
Mrs. Audrey. They both went to
school here.
Cecil A. Griffin and Esther
E. Fitch, both of Kodiak, were
married July 21 by Commis
sioner Anna B. Southard in her
office. They returned to Kodiak
after the wedding.
Roberta Thornton and small
son Bobby spent the week in
Anchorage, just vacationing and
seeing the big city. They were
accompanied by Mrs, Bea Bols
magcr of Kodiak who was visit
ing here. Mrs. Bolsmager is a
former resident of Seward.
Fred Kielcheski and Gus
Johnson took a drive to Anchor
age last Monday but didn’t stay
long.
Mrs. Victor Mahan and daugh
ters, Lura and Sandra, visited
in Fairbanks last week. They re
turned in time to open, day camp
at the Girl Scout cabin on Nash
Road.
Mrs. Hazel Muir left Tuesday
for Seattle and California. The
children, Mike and Patty left a
week earlier. Mike went to Cal
ifornia to visit his grandmother,
but Patty stayed in Seattle with
Mis. Alice Picwncll until Iter
mother would arrive.
Ed Renwald, Jr., got back this
week for the summer. He is
helping Ed, Sr., in the bakery.
Rev. and Mrs. V/yburn Skid
more of the Methodist Church in
Ketchikan are visiting in Sew
ard. Mr. Skidmore will take part
in the special services at the
church Sunday when they burn
the mortgage.
The weekly merchandise par
ties of the American Legion
Auxiliary are beginning to swing
into big time. They have one
every Friday night at the Legion
Club with prizes mounting week
by week. The suspense is ter
rible. One has to go just to see
what happens.
Onnalee O'Brien and kiddies
spent some time in Seldovia this
week. Mrs. O'F.rien lived in Sel
dovia before she moved to Sew
ard last year.
Mrs. K. D. (Casey) C'ohban
is visiting her husband and son
in Seldovia this week. Casey is
fishing out of the Inlet town.
Dr. and Mrs. Wagner returned
Sunday from Juneau where they
attended the convention of the
Alaska Dental Association. They
drove back from Haines.
Mrs. George Eustice is visit
ing here from Banning, Califor
nia. She is the mother of Ralph
Fuske. who is living at Mile 13
camp of BPR just now.
Lou Ann Dick will join the
Women's Air Force next month.
She will be sworn in at Butte,
Montana, August 15.
Sorority To Cclebi-vf-s
Third Anniversary
Members of the Beta Sigma
Phi are making final prepara
tions for the visit of a repre
sentative from the International
off:ce in Kansas City, Missouri.
Miss Alyce Vetter will ar
rive aboard the SS Alaska Tues
day, July 28.
The Iota Chapter will be
three years old next week and
a semi-formal dinner is planned
for Tuesday evening at 7:30 at
the Diner. Later the group will
go to the home of the sponsor,
Bonnie Southard, for a birthday
party.
Alyce Vetter has requested
a special meeting at wh;ch she
will present new ideas for all
sorority activities. This will be
held Wednesday evening at 8
o’clock at the home of Velma
Ervin. All members are urged
to attend and meet Miss Vetter.
C. of C. Asked For
Picture Story Of
Kenai Peninsula
Seward’s Chamber of Com
merce has been asked to submit
a picture story of Seward and
the Kenai Peninsula to the Alas
ka Visitors Association for pub
lication.
A committee was appointed to
take pictures and prepare the
project for publication. The
committee plans a tour over the
weekend to Homer, Kenai, and
other villages.
Volunteer Drivers
Kept Hopping With
6 Coils In 4 Days
Six runs in four days kept
volunteers of the Ambulance
Corps busy this week.
On July 19 they had a call to
the Standard Oil dock to carry
an injured seaman to the hos
pital.
July 20 the ambulance made
another run from the Sanator
ium to Seward General Hospital.
July 21 they took Mr. Clayton
from the hospital to the ship
for his return to Seattle and
further medical treatment.
Later that same night the am
bulance responded to a call at
the airport to take a patient to
the hospital. Mr. Louis Steiner,
oldtimer, was brought from
Homer in a CAP plane based
at Kenai. Miss Lottie Hirsch,
Public Health Nurse, had ac
companied Mr. Steiner.
July 23 two men were injured
on a scaffolding at the Standard
Oil building project. They were
taken to Seward General Hos
pital by the ambulance. The men
injured were Kenneth Gilbank
and Harold Schoenenman.
At about 6:15 p.m. of the
same day, the ambulance was
rniictl to the aid of the service
man drowned at First Lake.
Kay McCann, secretary-treas
urer -of the SVAC, reports a
total of S91.06 as the Ambulance
Corps share of the “Days of
’98” event of May 30. The en
tertainment was a share and
share with the Lions Club.
Volunteers are needed to
keep the Corps membership at
a safe number. Persons interest
ed are asked to call Mrs. Mc
Cann, Lincoln 65, for informa
tion.
B*PW Club Decides
Waterfall Itamp
Can Be Hepraced
About sixteen members of the
Business & Professional Wom
en's Club and some husbands
held a picnic or beach party on
Tuesday night near the water
fall south of town.
It was a warm night, the
beach was clean and everybody
had a good time. They made
coffee for everybody and Wilna
Henricksen poured.
An inspection was made of the
hillside where the old wooden
ramp used to be. It was decided
that probably a new ramp or
trail of stone and gravel could
be built at not too great cost.
The project will be undertaken
with the help of other organiza
tions.
JOHNNIE SALIT HOME FOR
SISTER'S WEDDING
Johnnie Salit arrived home
this week on 45 days leave from
the Navy. He is stationed at
Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
Johnnie graduated from Naval
Ordnance School at Jackson
ville, Florida, at the head of his
class and entered Navy Avia
tion Patrol with duty between
Rhode Island and Newfound
land. Upon his return East,
Salit will go to Iceland for
patrol duty.
Johnnie is the twin of Eleanor;
who is to be married Sunday.
The twins were born in Seward,
children of Mr. and Mrs. John
Salit. They attended both ele
mentary and high school here.
Johnnie left two years ago for
the Navy and this is his first
leave.
EQUALIZATION BOARD
FINAL MEETING
The Equalization Hoard of the
City Council has been meeting
this v/eek. If you rre not satis
fied with your tax assessment
a:id failed to consult the Board
about it. you are out of luck
after Friday night.
Methodists To Burn Their
Mortgage Next Sunday
Uniforms for Seward
Police Department
Shall we put our policemen
into uniform, has been the sub
ject of some study by the de
partment and Perry Stockton,
chairman of the police commit
tee.
Stockton brought it up to the
city council Monday night be
fore including it in the budget
for the year. It was generally
felt that wearing of a uniform
will be of considerable assist
ance to officers. “With many
transients in town, a man in
street clothes often has diffi
culty in impressing his authority
upon men when making an ar
rest," Don Balmat, acting chief,
stated to the council.
Balmat has information on
the cost of uniforming, which
seemed reasonable to the coun
cil and he was authorized to
proceed with the project.
According to Balmat, the City
can buy an outfit consisting of
a regulation cap, 3 blue shirts,
dress coat, Eisenhower jacket,
leather police jacket, overcoat,
2 pair trousers and 2 black slip
neckties for approximately $350
each. Other accessories such as
shoes, sox, Sam Brown belt,
holster, etc., to be furnished by
the individual officer.
It was suggested that future
employment of officers might
have to take into consideration
the hiring of a man to fit the
uniform. This was remedied by
a suggestion later that a man
serving less than a full year
would be required to pay for the
uniform upon leaving.
New Patrolman
Oril Lee Bundy, a local man
with police experience, was
sworn in as patrolman July 23.
The force has been operating
with only three men for the
past month. Balmat also asked
the council for a full time jailer
in addition to the patrolmen.
This position has not been filled
to date.
Hitch-Hiker Grandma
Finds Sewcrd "Hot"
Bewildered Sewardites are not
the only ones who are confused
by the weather this summer,
which seems to have been mis
placed from Death Valley.
Mrs. Fern Woods, the hitch
hiking grandmother from San
Diego, California, found it “hot"
in Seward, too. Mrs. Woods, a
woman in her 60’s and grand
mother of 30 children, is making
her third trip to Alaska. She
hitch-hiked. She has seen all of
Alaska except the Kenai Penin
sula which she is seeing this
trip.
Arriving here Tuesday with a
two-wheeled cart on which she
carries camping equipment. Mrs.
Woods prepared camp on Adams
Street near Bear Mountain. Be
sides the cart, fitted out with a
wooden box cabinet, she carries
a sleeping bag and tent in a
pack sack on her back. She also
has a movie camera and canteen
as oart of her traveling gear.
Two years ago, the lady hitch
hiker said, she got clear to Point
Barrow by courtesy of the U.S.
Navy. While there the natives
took her fishing and hunting
and she had a grand time.
Mrs. Charles Chesnut took her
in after the first night here, and
she stayed there for a day be
cause she had eaten some canned
fish that made her ill. On Thurs
day, however, feeling better,
Grandma took off to see Homer.
She made the round trip in a
day. Friday morning she left for
Anchorage again, and home.
She had hoped to hitch-hike
via Alaska Steam to Juneau, but
the ship was filled to capacity.
Grandma had some idea of stow
ing away on the Aleutian, but
was talked out of it.
Mother of 12 children, Mrs.
Woods raised them all herself.
She was so busy with the big
family, she said, that she never
had time to go anywhere or see
anything for herself. After mar
rying off the youngest, but with
out money except for a very
small fixed income, the deter
mined old lady decided that the
only way to satisfy her longing
to see the country was just in
the way she finally adopted.
The family is quite upset
about her wanderings, but eager
ly await her return with stories
galore about the strange land to
the north.
She is taking notes for a book
which she hopes to write some
time under the title “Tfie Lady
Hitch-Hiker in Alaska.”
Members of the Seward Me
morial Methodist Church have
the great satisfaction of burning
the mortgage on their church
building next Sunday morning,
July 26.
This is the third and largest
building the church has occu
pied in the 48 years of its ex
istence as a congregation. Oddly,
the first building was moved
this week to be remodeled as
a home. It was owned and oc
cupied by the James Construc
tion Company as a shop, imme
diately across from the fire sta
tion on Fourth Avenue.
The first Methodist service ,
was held in Seward in an empty
saloon on Fourth Avenue in
August 1905. according to rec
ords of the Church. Service was
held by Rev. John Parsons, D.D.,
Superintendent of Alaska Mis
sions. In his report to the Second
Annual session of the Alaska
Mission held at Ketchikan, he
states:
“. . . I went to the Westward
as far as Seward, a new town
on Resurrection Bay. It is 900
miles from Juneau, as the steam
er goes. It is the terminus of the
Alaska Central Railroad, which
is to traverse the central part
of Alaska. . . I secured the use
of a vacant saloon building and
preached to the people. There
was no minister nearer than
Valdez.”
A minister was appointed to
the Seward charge. Rev. Louis
H. Pedersen arrived on the
steamer Portland on the night
of July 31, 1905. He purchased
a 20 by 30 foot tent which was
erected on the lot given by John
Ballaine for that purpose, and
now owned by James Construc
tion Company. In November of
that year the tent was sold and
proceeds used to erect the small
frame building which is now to
be used as a house in another
part of town.
A letter from Rev. Pedersen's
daughter several years later,
states that lumber for this first
building was obtained by the
minister by tearing down an old
bunkhouse on the waterfront
and using the lumber. In a few
months a leanto was added for
a reacting room.
Mr. Pedersen stayed with the
Reward congregation until 1913.
His daughter speaks of the first
parsonage. It was a “shanty”,
she says, and in her own words,
“The shanty was our living room
and bedroom combined. I vivid
ly recall that in winter my folks
kept a broom beside the bunk
at night. First thing in the morn
ing was to sweep the snow off
the floor after first having care
fully shaken the blankets before
getting up.”
Between 1905 and the present
pastor. Rev. Charles Malin. Jr.,
the church has been served by
16 ministers. The story of the
building of the second church
and purchase of the present
building is a long and interesting
one, paralleling the history of
the town.
The present building was built
as an Army chapel at Fort Ray
mond on the edge of town. It
was moved to the Fourth Av
enue site in 1946. It is the mort
gage on this building that has
now been paid off. In addition,
several thousand dollars have
been expended on the building
and on the parsonage. Methodist
work has grown to include the
Jesse Lee Home, Seward Sana
torium and Seward General Hos
pital. The congregation now is
looking forward to a college in
this vicinity.
Rev. Wyburn Skidmore, now
serving the church in Ketchikan,
will take part in the ceremonies
Sunday. It was under his leader
ship that the building was pur
chased and moved into town.
Dr. Peter Gordon Gould, sup
erintendent of Alaska Missions
of the Methodist Church of
America, will also take part in
the services with the present
minister. Rev. Malin.
CLARENCE LARSON IN
^LUTHERAN PULPIT SUNDAY
Postmaster Clarence Larson
will fill the pulpit of the Luth
eran Church this Sunday, July
26.
Until the regular pastor ar
rives in the fall services will be
conducted each Sunday by lay
men or visiting ministers.
The Ladies Guild of St. Peter's
Episcopal Church will meet at
the Jack Ives home at Mile 71$
next Tuesday at 8 p.m. Anyone
needing transportation may call
Father Clapp at Adams 67 be
fore 7:30 Tuesday evening.