sssriair
VOL. 18 NO. 29
KODIAK, ALASKA, JULY 19, 1958
PRICE 19 CENTS
Bartlett Accorded Hero’s Welcome
Steps Leading To Statehood Told
Pays Tribute
■*>» Benson,
Flag? Designer
E. L. (Bob) Bartlett in his tri
umph, and in the role of conquer
ing hero, captured the hearts of
his listeners, Democrats and Re
publicans alike, as he has done
his partisan followers in years
gone by, when he spoke at the
statehood dinner given in his hon
or by the Democratic Club at Kod
iak Wednesday night. He was in
troduced by Jules Radinsky.
The Elks Club was packed with
more than 200 enthusiastic diners
who listened attentively to the
delegate to Congress relate the
behind-the-scenes maneuvers that
won the fight for statehood.
Prefacing his speech with re
marks directed to Benny Benson
designer of the Alaska flag, who
was seated nearby, Bartlett said:
“That was a grand job you did in
1927. Alaska’s flag is being seen
and admired in many places where
a few weieks ago it wasn’t even
heard of before.”
Bartlett gave credit for passage
of the statehood bill to members
of both parties. “Statehood was
achieved by the joining of many
heads, hearts and hands,” he said,
“and because Alaskans demanded
it, fought for it, and never gave
up, all opposition was beaten
down.”
“With all the talk about Texas,
and comparisons between thal
state and Alaska, it must be borne
in mind that we owe it to twc
Texans, Rayburn and Johnson
who permitted us to have state
hood.”
Bartlett predicted statehooc
will be adopted by the people o:
Alaska by a 6-1 majority. “Then
is no turning back now,” he said
The delegate devoted consider
able of his speech dispelling ru
mors which he said are being con
stantly brought to his attention
One such is the contention tha:
the natives of Alaska will be mov
ed on to reservations. “The state
hood bill specifically protects th<
natives’ rights,” he said. Anothei
rumor that there will be no more
unemployment benefits, is als(
untrue, he said.
In his remarks on the 25 per
cent cost of living allowance foi
government workers, Bartlett stat
ed this rumor is an absolute false
hood. The question came to bis at
Curfew Reminder
A reminder to> all parents tha
the city curfew must be observed
was issued this week by Police
Chief Vickery. “All children un
der 16 must be off the streets be
fore 9:30 p.m. on week nights, anc
before 10:00 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday. Those between 16-lt
must be off the streets before
11:00 pm. during the week, and
before 12 midnight on Friday and
Saturday. This is in accordance
with the city ordinance,” he stat
ed.
tention, he said, in Ketchikan. He
wired Henry Nalden, president of
the Federation of Civil Service
workers at Washington, D.C. and
the answer came back that it
would not be disturbed in any
way. Bartlett then contacted the
Civil Service Commission and this
fact was confirmed.
On the subject of fisheries con
trol Bartlett stated the only way
we can gain ultimate control is
to vote for Alaska statehood. “If
the referendum is defeated, we
will never have another opportu
nity to gain control,” he said. He
gave it as his opinion that state
hood would not be here for long,
before we gain control of our fish
eries and also our wildlife. “Is
that not better than waiting for an
eternity?” he asked.
Bartlett contended that cost of
government under statehood
would not be much greater than
at present, and the additional cost
of government would be offset by
additional revenue. In this connec
tion, he mentioned the Pribilof
seal proceeds. He said Alaska
would receive to percent of them.
Revenue from oil land leases will
be fabulous, he said. Bartlett con
cluded his remarks by a stirring
appeal. He said: “Let us seize this
opportunity to go forward, to
achieve We have but to work as
we are capable of working.”
Bartlett was given a standing
ovation at the beginning and con
clusion of his speech.
The hall was decorated in the
49th state molif, with forty-nine
gold stars hanging from the ceil
> ing. These were taken down by
souvenir hunters, who had them
autographed by Bartlett and Ben
(Continued to page 5)
l
Well-Digging
Strikes Snag
A snag in the city’s plan to se
cure water by well-drilling may
mean Kodiak’s water supply will
have to be augmented from some
other source than that proposed
some months ago. R. P. Safely,
who was to do the drilling on a
200 g.p.m. guarantee, has since
withdrawn his offer.
► .. ........
Safely stated he has had recent
experiences in which the drilling
proved more difficult and costly
than at first expected. Hence his
decision to drill on a footage basis
only.
City Manager Poland offered
the council two possible proced
ures. The first was to contract the
well-drilling on a footage basis, as
[ suggested by Safely. This would
i probably require financing from
. another source other than the wa
. ter and sewer fund, as A.P.W. will
only finance improvements to
proven wells, he stated,
i The other possibility, he said,
was the reactivation of the dam
raising project with modifications
to 'bring the cost withn the alloca
ton of funds.
Council voted to re-investigate
the dannraising project.
Inner Facilities
Contract Awarded
Valley Construction Comnanv
was the lane bidder on the dock,
float-mooring piles, and berthing
niles for the small boat harbor.
The company was awarded the
contract for a bid of $43,700.
A ramp connecting the dock
with the floats, and a 56 foot x
24 foot heavy gridiron were in
cluded as alternates.
The cost of the inner facilities
will be substantially lower than
engineers estimated, according to
city officials.
At the council meeting Monday,
Dick Berg suggested the immedi
ate formulation of a charge scale
for berthing. City Manager Poland
stated this was already being in
vestigated and charges would be
determined before opening date..
City Employees
May Join Union
City employees may become
unionized, according to present
plans of the group.
Eugene Blondin, representative
of local No. 302, Operating Engin
eers, who appeared before the
council Monday, stated that he had
a formal request* from the city
employees for affiliation with the
union. He asked that a committee
be set up to formulate a working
agreement.
City Manager Bill Poland stated
in an interview, he has been mak
ing a survey of wage scales local
ly, particularly of government
agencies. Wages are comparable,
he said, but thought an increase
was justified in some cases.
Poland has requested the em
ployees to have a meeting and de
cide whether they ^ant unioniza
tion. He will negotiate with them
and report back to the council at
th enext meeting.
August 26 Is Referendum Date
Alaskans will go to the polls
August 26 and cast their decision
as to whether this great territory
will become the 40th state of the
union.
Gov. Mike Stepovich issued a
proclamation this week fixing the
date of the historic referendum,
required under terms of the,Alas
ka statehood act signed by Presi
dent Eisenhower on July 7.
The special election—at which
Alaska voters will accept or reject
three propositions relating to
stateside—will coincide with the
first primary election to nominate
candidates for state office.
The general election, at which
Alaska’s first state officials will be
chosen if statehood is approved in
the referendum, wil be held Nov.
25.
To be nominated and elected
are two United States senators and
one U. S. representative, a gover
nor and a secretary of state, and
60 members of the first state
Legislature—including 20 state
senators and 40 members of the
House.
Candidates will have only 13
days to file for office for the pri
mary election. The filing deadline
was set at one minute before mid
night, July 28.
19 year olds will vote for the
first time in Alaska’s history.
Rotary Governor Here On Monday
The Rotary Club of Kodiak
next Monday will be host to Men
tor M. Boney, governor of the
504th district of Rotary Interna
tional. He is making his annual of
ficial visit to each of the 40 Rotary
clubs in the area embracing the
Northwest corner of Washington,
the British Columbia mainland
west of the coastal range of moun
tains and all of Alaska. He will
address the local club and confer
with President R. Holmes John
son, Secretary Jess E. Ballard,
and committee chairman on Ro
tary administration and service
activities.
Mr. Boney is retired from the
management of the Whatcom
County Dairymens Association
which he handled for 23 years.
He developed for Darigold, canned
and packaged American Cheddar
cheese, powderd buttermilk, and
the concentrated fresh milk. He is
a past president of both the Wash
ington and Oregon Dairy Trade
Associations. He was elected as a
district governor of Rotary Inter
national for the 1958-59 fiscal
year at Rotary’s 49th annual con
vention in Dallas. Texas, last June.
He is one of 258 district governors
supervising the activities of more
than 9,800 clubs which have a
membership of 462,500 business
and professional executives in 110
geographical regions thruout the
world.
Eoney will be taken on a tour
of the city Monday afternoon. At
6 p.m. he will be guest at a no
host dinner at the Town Club,
with the officers and directors of
the club, together with their
wives attending.
Rotary assembly will be held in
Continued to page 8
Date Taxes Due
Extended to Sept.
Taxpayers will have an extra
six weeks in which to raise money
for their taxes. Due date is now
set at September 1, 1958, instead
of July 15 as adopted in resolu
tion No. 3-58. Due date for the
second installment is set for No
vember 15 instead of October 15.
In presenting the 1958 tax roll,
City Manager Poland asked for the
extended time. Due to delays en
countered, in preparing the rolls,
the extra time was -necessary, he
said. The total amount of the tax
roll was $10,655,341, which will
be assessed at 20 mills.
Along The
Waterfront
Rumors have been flying heavy
this week, around town, and from
some of them the general impres
sion would be the" certain fisher
man have struck i bonanza the
past few days. Nothing is further
from the truth.
Halfertys and King Crab, Inc.
have been fairly busy with a
moderate flow of fish coming iai.
A big spurt Monday was probably
the cause f<jr rumors. A tender
was on its way from Cordova with
a load of fish but had trouble and
had to turn back.
At King Crab, Inc., tki fish arc
dribbling in. The theory is that
the fish, are schooled up outside oi
the fishing areas, because of
weather. Fishermen hope for a
good ruci next week. “It will have
to be next week, or else,” was the
way one cannery official put it.
The KING was towed in be
cause of engine trouble. Skipper
is Joe Riley;.... .The SUZIE Q
is in port The crew is working
on the engine of the power skiff..
...Several tenders and' a couple
of halibut boats line the docks.
Teenage Group
Here for One Day
One hundred and eighty-six
Navy buddies, said to be a group
of boys from 14-17 years of age,
will arrive aboard the MSTS Funs
ton when she docks Monday, July
21. ‘ ' ■ ' . v.
These teenagers are children of
Navy personnel, and the trip is.,
part of a program to interest them
in Navy enlistment. They will be
here for one day. A full schedule:
of sightseeing, tours of the Nava*
Station and the city is planned for
them.
Miss McCurry
New Director
Arriving here yesterday, Mis*
Ethel McCurry will assume her
duties as director of the Kodiak
USO Monday morning. Miss Mo
Currey replaces Howard Demai
est who is returning to Hoover
Park, Guam as director of tbf
USO there.
Miss McCurry has a fine back
ground of USO experience. Since
March 11153, she has been director
of the USO Club in Augusta, Geor
gia, and previous to that time she
was with the Salvation Army USO,
serving in many different areas
of the USA. She has also served
with the American Red Cross and
has had teaching experience.
Miss McCurry comes froth New
Albany, Mississippi, and took her
college work at the Normal School
of Ashville, North Carolina; at
State College, Starksville, Missisr
sippi, and at Mississippi Colleg«
at Hattieburg. f
A special meeting of the USO
Operating Committee was held 1
last evening so that Miss McCurry
could meet the members. She will
be the guest of honor at a tea to.
be held tomorrow afternoon at
the USO.