Eodiak idtrror
“chfe-cus of cQmerica.’ s Last ‘frontier
Published Every Saturday at Kadiak, Alaska
Yearly Subscription Rate $5-00
Entered :n the Postoifice at Kodiak, Alaska as Seci nd
Class matter under act of CongVess of March 3, 1878.
MIRROR PUBLISHING COMPANY
Melton L. Crawford, Editor and Publisher
Jeanne R. Crawford, Associate Editor
Candace Crawford, Executive Editor
“ . . . that government of the oeople, by the people,
for the people shall not perish from the earth.’—Lincoln
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thv» Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use
for republication of all news dispatches credited to it
or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the
local news published herein.
We Need One
The big fire in Fairbanks last week which claimed the
lives of four persons is a tragic illustration of the inadequate
fireproofing and fire safety measures in many of Alaska’s
buildings.
Kodiak has been fortunate, comparatively, in that no
great loss of life has occured here due to fires. However, in
the past six years at least five persons have died as a result of
burns, suffocation or shock when fires occured.
The city council has iong discussed adopting a na
tionally approved code regarding wiring in public buildings
and residences and basing a city ordinance on it. It has also
talked of appointing a fire marshal to inspect all public build
ings, periodically, and have him make regular reports and
recommendations to the council for fire prevention measures.
We strongly favor the appointment of a fire marshal.
If a competent man is hired the entire community would
benefit by such action. Dangerous heating units in many
public buildings would be eliminated; improper electrical
wiring would be replaced. Result, fewer fires. Net result,
lower fire insurance rates and less loss of lives and property.
New Engineer
For City
The City of Kodiak has
hired the consulting engineer
ing firm of Thomas Bourne
Associates to replace Hub
bell and Waller Engineering
Corp. which has been em
ployed for the past several
years on water and sewer
projects.
Carl Caldwell of Anchorage
arrived here Sunday to serve
as consulting engineer for the
water and sewer project,
which has already been
started.
j Caldwell will also represent
j the city on the building of
i streets in the housing project,
i Aleutian Homes, sponsor of
[the project will do the actual
' construction of streets in its
| limits.
I The city council held a
;special meeting Moncay night
with Caldwell. His arrival
1 here postponed Mayor Lee C.
: Bettinger’s proposed trip last
(week to Portland.
j Royal Blair was a passen
ger aboard PN A for Anchor
age and Seattle Monday.
t
BANKING BY MAIL
More and more people save their
time by mailing deposits and note pay
ments.
We cooperate by furnishing forms
that are easy to use and by paying post
age both ways.
Try this convenient service. Ask
any’teller for forms, or mail a deposit with
a request for instructions.
snrvios at N. O. n„ Fridays, Old Administration Building, 6:00 •:*() P. M
EH FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
Closed every Thursday
UTTER TO EDITOR
United States Post Office
Kodiak, Alaska
■July 22, 1952
>ea.’ Editor:
In view of the fact that you
iave seen fit to make a front1
page story of the withholding
of your July 12 issue of Ko-1
diak Mirror from the mails!
but have given only what you j
saw fit, ot the true facts con-j
nected therewith, I ask you to
give the same publicity to
this letter.
In your item you stress the
point that a five year old boy
was involved. You know that
the law does not designate an
j age limit on the individuals
| who ar.e mentioned in con
nection with a raffle. It is the
raffle information that is for
bidden in the mails—not the
naming of an individual.
You stated that the issue
was withheld because “Briggs
thought” a short item violated
some Postal Laws and Regu-,
lations. You knew when you'
printed that item, that it vio
lated the mailing laws. Why j
_3__ I
j. u
of the
UIUI1 1/ J UU l/Cll JUU1
that you had a copy ui j
law in your office but chose to |
defy it? Why didn’t you tell J
your readers that the Solicitor j
stated, “July 12th Kodiak
Mirror may be dispatched AT
SENDER’S RISK FOR ANY
VIOLATION OF LAW IN
VOLVED”, there-hy relieving
the Postmaster of responsi
bility for unlawful mailing of
that particular issue but still
holding you liable for fine or
imprisonment or both.
Why didn’t you tell your
readers that a year or two
ago, something you had
printed in your paper was sent
in for an opinion and you were
then told by the Solicitor that
the item in question was not
mailable and you were asked
by him to write a letter stat
ing if you intended to include
such items in your paper in J
the future and that you wrote ’
a letter stating that you cer-!
tainly did not intend to print;
anything that was against the
law and that you would not do ,
• 9 1
so again: ^
Why didn’t y«u tell your,
readers that you printed some'
things in your paper, shortly
before July 4th, that
not mailable but rather
wrere
than
I hold up the issue, the Post
j master let it go through there j
I by making himself liable for i
} fine and imprisonment, then 1
I sent the issue in question in j
I for an opinion and was told by
the Solicitbr that it violated
the law and was not mailable, I
' and that the Postmaster let
you read this decision and
told you that he would be
forced to withhold further
issues from the mails, pending
j a decision from the Solicitor,
if they contained similar items
i and that if it was withheld it
! would probably be three weeks
! or longer before an opinion*
: would come through, and if so
j the issue might be a total loss.
! All the Postmaster was
j obligated to do was to mail a
I coDy of the questionable mat
‘ ter to the Solicitor, then wait
for results. Instead I gave yu
undue consiaeration and dug
down in my pocket and seal
in a telegram to Washington,
to speed things up. Now yoi
growl about your paper being
held up four days, when yoi
knew when you printed il
that it would be held for ar
opinion.
Why didn’t you tell your
readers that the Solicitor
stated in his rrmst recent com
munication, that the [ ublishei
should be warned that such
announcements are non-mail
able and that if any future
issue contains such matter, it
will be necessary to consider
whether to treat the entire
issue as non-mailable matter.
He also requested that a state
ment in writing be obtained
from the publisher for sub
mission to the Solicitors office;
as to whether it is his inten
tion to continue to mail an
nouncements concerning lot
teries.
Now, Mel. let’s come out in
the open and give the whole
truth and face the facts. This
is not a controversy between
you and me but between you
and the Post Office Depart
ment. You know what the
regulation is. For the good of
every-one concerned, abide by
it until it is repealed.
Yours truly,
Maurice L. Briggs
Postmaster.
Territorial Fishing
Licenses Required
Sport fishermen who have
not purchased a territorial
fishing stamp were warned
that the law which requires
them to have it will be en
forced.
The stamp, known as a
territorial sport fishing
license, is available at the U.
S- Commissioner’s office. Cost
is $1 for residents and $3 to
non-residents plus a 25 cents
fee on each license.
Mrs. Ray Slaidins, who
was Astra Antons, former
Donnelley and Acheson clerk,
is employed in Kraft’s dry
goods'department.
FROM THE BOX
by
Lefry Craft, JOC 1JSN
The ink stained wretches
who eke out their living by
reporting sports events have
several times been polled on
this question—
“What is the most colorful
sports activity of them all to
cover?’’
First place, a world’s heavy
weight championship fight. It
is strange that a prize fight
I would get more votes than the
great Olympic Games, Rose
Bowl football, the world series
and other less ribald and row
dy activities.
But for grim, savage drama,
a battle of the titans under
the blazing lights with the sur
rounding mob calling for the
i kill is really a tingling sight.
I Having seen the Joe Louis
I versus Ez Charles fight in
J1950, your old neighbor would
' vote with the rest of the
! scnbss.
However, it would take a
stretch of the imagination to
class Monday nights New York
bout with the exciting cham
pionship matches that have
gone on before. Rocky Marci*
! ano, 27 year old brawler who
knocked out Joe Louis last
October, has won all 41 pro
starts since he came winging
out of the army to start a box*
i ing career. And Harry Mat*
thewes of Seattle will both be
fighting for their lives and
tiie right to fight Charles for
j the Title come September or
| when Ez gets hungry again.
Of course there won’t be
any Dempseys or Firpos a
round Monday night.
I Concensus of the writers is
that the meeting of Jack Dem
psey and the Wild Bull of the
Pampas was the most savage
and violent sports affair of all
| time. It was strictly a Pier 6
ibrawl, the like of which box
; ing has never seen before or
; since.
I In contrast, the New York
i story Monday evening isn’t
j likely to give anybody in the
I press section high blood pres
! Continued on page 12
HOUSES
For Sale
BRAND NEW 2 Bedroom house, drivedn
garage, large lot, close to salt water, fully
furnished. This is an exceptional value at
$12,000.00
ONE BEDROOM HOME, immediate occu
pancy. Full basement can be converted to
living quarters. Down town location. Fur
nished. $7500.00
EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY. One bedroom
home, fully furnished. Huge thermopane
picture window, sweeping view. $9000.00
COMFORT AND SPACE. Three bedrooms.
Richly furnished- Large picture windows.
Hot water heat. Ready to move into.
$18,000.00
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
Rank of Kodiak - Phone 2233