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News of cAmertca s Last Frontier’
VOL. 16 NO. 22
KODIAK. ALASKA. JUNE 2, 1956
TMC8 Iff dWfS
Soap Box Derby May
Become Annual Event
The Fourth of July Soap Box
Derby will become an annual event
if the present plans of the Cham
ber of Commerce Fourth of July
Planning Committee are carried
through.
The cost to sponsors buying the
materials for building the racers
would prohibit the event from be
ing put on each year, so the con
testants will be asked to donate
the cars for future races with only
a few new ones being added each
year. ...
Wheels for the racers have al
ready been ordered. Sponsots.. are^
purchasing these, and they are be
ing brought up by PNA free of
charge. _ _
Location of the course for this
year’s races will be deteremined
through early try-outs of the ini
tially built racers. City coopera
tion in the grading of a billiard
table smooth surface has been as
sured if a “dirt” track area is chos
en over a paved surface. Para
mount requisite for a desirable
raceway is one that will generate
safe speeds and place a premium
on “driving” ability.
Walt Muller, Activities Chairman,
offers certan specifications that
must be adhered to in the building
of the racers. “They must not be
less than 42 inches in width, and
forty inches in length.” he said.
“The wheels must be 12 inches in
diameter or less. Gross weight
totalling 250 pounds."
There will probably be four dif
ferent class races. June 25, trial
runs will be held. Sunday, July 1,
it is expected the racers will be
classified.
Horse Race
Looms For
July 4th
Two local horsemen who have
provided the only horseracing in
these parts for several years, will
again compete this year, as a side
attraction on the 4th of July.
However, there will be a slight
change this year. Little Jake
Foley’s horse "Duty” will seek to
nose out John Gibbon’s famed Joe,
the sugar-eating horse that has led
the parade for many years.
This is a challenge match. Jake
Foley, Sr., has sought to win this
grudge race for many a year, and
claims his extra weight had noth
ing to do with the results. This
year, he says, he is willing to ride
four people on his horse, as a han
dicap, in order to make the race a
little more even.
Gibbons, on the other hand, says
he will probably climb Pillar
Mountain first in order to give
Foley’s entry a chance.
The winning stake of an unspeci
fied amount, will go to the 4th of
July Fund. Side-bets are another
matter.
ARMSTRONG VISITING
Karl Armstrong is a visitor in
town this week. He is the nephew
of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Thorsheim.
Armstrong has made application
for the positon of City Clerk-Treas
urer. He expects to return to the
mainland shortly.
Reception At USO
For Top Executive
A reception was held for Mr.
and Mrs. Edwin Bond Thursday
evening at the USO.
Mr. Bond, who is Executive Di-.
rector of the USO, with headquar
ters in New York, spoke briefly
on the work being done by the
80,000 volunteer workers for the
organization throughout the world.
He stated that the USO gave Arm;
, gd Forces personnel a chance to
see the better things in towns, es
pecially in foreign countries.
Bond said, “we can well be proud
.of our youth because they will
choose the best, not the worst,
when given a choice:” He com
mended the people of Kodiak for
the fine work being done here.
Mr. and Mrs. Bond arrived in
Anchorage li^f Saturday from
Tokyo, Japan', and visited the USO
in Anchorage and Fairbanks dur
ing the past week.
They expect to leave today for
Anchorage, then return to their
home in Rye, New York.
Officer Sketches
History Of ACS
The early beginnings and history
of the Signal Corps and ACS were
traced by Major Doug Ross,-in a
speech before the Rotary Club
Tuesday. Ross is the officer in
charge of ACS in Kodiak.
In his speech the officer traced
the history of the Signal Corps.
First used were heliographs and
later balloons. From the latter
signals were sent back by means
of wireless telegraphy. This was
the forerunner of the system used
today, he said.
Lines were built in the West, he
said, until in 1881, 5000 miles of
lines were turned over to commer
cial companies. These lines carried
as high as a hundred million words
a day.
On May 26, 1900 the ACS was
formed, and long distance connect
ing facilities were established be
tween Alaska and the United
States, the connecting link being
through Canada, the speaker said.
“In 1903 a submarine cable was
laid between Juneau and Seattle,”i
Ross stated. This was completed
in 1904. The real growth of the
ACS started, he said, during World
War II. 1900 to 2000 men are in
scattered areas throughout the
territory, some in congested areas
such as Anchorage and Fairbanks
and others in remote stations such
as Kiska, Shemya, Adak, etc.
There are 33 manned stations in
Alaska, Ross said.
Kodiak will receive better facili
ties next year, the speaker pre
dieted, with the installation of
“White Allice.” Coupled with the
new instllations last year, it will
aid in carrying out more effcienUy
the motto of ACS to “get the mes
sage through.”
Visitors at the meeting included
O. K. Kincaid, Ed Purdue, Pat
Lynch, John Gibbons, Herb Spiegel
and Capt R. W. Allen.
City
Council
Briefs
NEW APPLICANTS
Two more applications for City
Clerk-Treasurer were read at the
City Council meeting held Thurs
day. This makes a total of five
seeking the job.
-One new applicant is Karl-Arm
strong, a former resident of Ko
diak, who is now residing in An
chorage.- The other is Boyd Leh
man of Kenai Peninsula. No action
was taken pending further investi
gation. Early action is expected,
however, as Dick Berg, the present
Clerk, is expected to leave the
City’s employ Jdrie 9.
AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT
, .letter relative to the cost of
moving the ACS system from its
present site to make way for the
construction of an airport, wag re
ceived from Herman Porter, Di
rector of Aeronautics, Alaska Aero
nautics and Communications Com
mission. . . .
Porter stated the estimate which
the Council considered too high
was prepared by the firm of Rut
ledge, Johnson and Tryck, and
was based on surveys made. The
major cost, he said, was in Obtain
ing clear zone, approaches at the
north end of the airport site.
He suggested the Council seek
to obtain a reconsideration of the
project when the Commission
meets the last week in October in
Ketchikan. They will then revalu
ate the project, and it may be pos
sible to either reduce the construc
tion cost or the cost of moving the
'ACS equipment.
The Council then decided to ob
tain the land necessary to go
through with the project, especial
ly that held in small tracts.
SCHOOL BUDGET APPROVED
The Independent School District
budget for $80,228.74 was approved
following a discussion. The Gen
eral Fund budget was tabled until
the next meeting.
The site for the proposed Armory
was discussed and tabled. The
City Manager will draw up a map
indicating the sites discussed.
PLAYGROUND SITE LEASED
The playground site at 6th and
Mill Bay Road is being leased
from the ACfj, who have control of
the property. $130 was fixed as the
sum to be paid per year.
Other items to come before the
meeting was the request for a
wholesale beer license from the
Kodiak Bottling Works, which was
approved. The City’s insurance
which comes up for renewal soon,
was tabled for further information
tnd study.
Paper Drive
Boy Scout Troop 625 will con
duct a paper drive June 9.
All citizens are requested to
have old newspapers and maga
zines ready and sitting on porches
marked for the Boy Scouts.
3 Mishaps Occur
In Nearby Waters
On man was killed and another
is missing in a series of imshaps
in Alaskan waters. A fishing ves
sel, a scow and an oil tanker v^ere
involved.
An explosion occurred on the
oil tanker Dulcinea, which went
on a reef as it entered Kodiak Har
bor two weeks ago, killing one
man. The accident happened
Thursday near Shemya. where she
was bound after leaving Kodiak.
Gerald White, 24, of Seattle was
the only one killed. The explosion
occurred in the forward part of
the ship. The cause is unknown
but the damage was slight. The
Dulcinea is proceeding to Shemya,
where It will unload its cargo and
then return to Seattle. The body
of White was taken to Adak, ac
cording to Navy sources.
Tom Collins, a Port Williams
Cannery worker is reported miss
tog after the fishing boat Lynndy
D was found overturned on the
beach near Sutling. Debris and
equipment was found on the beach
but no trace of Collins was evi
dent. The beach has been scanned
thoroughly from a small boat
through binoculars five miles west
and twenty miles east of the scene.
A third accident involved a scow
belonging to Parks Cannery which
was lost near Cold Bay while being
towed to Ifanof Bay.
STEINLAND DIES SUDDENLY
John Steinland, long time resi
dent of Kodiak, died at Cowlitz
General Hospital, Longview, Wash
ington, according to word receiv
ed here.
, Steinland suffered a stroke
about a month ago. He left Kodiak
about two months ago. He was a
carpenter here and is well-known.
He had no family except neices
and nephews. No further details
on his death are available.
ATTENDS AGENTS MEETING
Clarence King, agent for ASC,
was in Anchorage last weekend.
He attended an agents meeting.
Alaskan Salmon Origin
Determined By Studies
An extensive study of the habits
and characteristics of Alaskan sal
mon is being conducted this year
in the waters adjacent to the Aleu
tian chain and Bristol Bay. One
such study will be conducted by
scientists aboard the Tordenskjold,
a 75 foot boat which docked here
over the weekend.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is
conducting the survey. Carl Ser
wold, the skipper, and his Torden
skjold. are under charter, and the
boat will be used as a floating lab
oratory. Tak Myahara, Biologist
employed by the FWS, is in charge
of the survey. He has been here
before, and has made a similar
study of the King Crab. Robert
Dusch of the University of Wash
ington Oceanography department
will assist. Blood samples will be
taken, samples of fish will be froz
en for further study and scale
samples studied. Object of the
study is to determine the plate of
Along The
W aterfrcnt
The D & A dock looked tike a‘
yacht club mooring this past week.
Fishing and other activities are
bringing in some good sized ves-j
sels.
We couldn’t help but visualize,
these fine crafts lying in the smalt
boat harbor, and how much they*
would add to the picturesque quail
ities of Kodiak as a seaport town!
The Tordenskjold, a 75-footer, in
its gleaming white, and the West}
ward, a sturdy, fine looking cruisi
er, and the Northland—all thes^
lying at anchor in the Small Boa{
Basin, along with the many locat
fishing boats ' ana other craft;
would be an excellent boost for
Kodiak’s seaport possibilities.
The Westward is a cruiser used
by the Humboldt Oil Company id
their survey work in the Chignii
area. The Northland is a freezer
ship belonging to the Seldovii
Packing Co. She will operate this
summer at False Pass and in thf
Bering Sea. She is laid up tempor
arily with engine trouble. *
The Garland is still waiting fof
repairs, and is tied up at the Citt
Dock.
Jack Johnson at the City Docfc
expects the Coastal Rambler in
Sunday with about 100 tons oil
freight. Some of this tonnage wiB
be the new 3 ton fork lift, destined
for use on the dock. A new Trax
cavator for the City will also b«
on it. Clarence King says the Ram
bier will go from here to Seward
Anyone having freight for the
mainland has a chance to get it:
there in a hurry. The City Dodk
will be open for business from 2
p. m. Sunday until the ship’s ar
rival, when freight will be accept
ed for shipment to the mainland.
The Alaska Standard tanker is
due in next week.
At Alvine and Gibson’s work on
the fishing and other craft is pro
gressing. Work on the Widgeon, in
for repairs, has been completed
The engine for E. S. Lindholm’s
(Continued to Page 4)
origin of the species of salmon
found here.
Fish will be taken by drifting
Over 9000 fathoms of gear is
aboard. Gillnets are being used
with meshes ranging from 5%
inches to 2inches, mainly made
of nylon. The ship is equipped
with fathometers, temperature
gauges, for a study of ocean bot
tom temperatures has proved an
important factor in studies made
last year.
The Tordenskjold carries a crew
of 9 Stops will be made along the
Chain, but her principal field of
operation will be in the Bristol
Bay area. John Servold, a cousin
of the skipper, is Chief Engineer
aboard. •
The party is one of several mak
ing similar studies in the waters of
Alaska. The U. of W. boat, the
Brown Bear, docked here earlier,
Servold’s boat will remain in
the Bristol Bay area all summer