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Alaskans Abandon
Open Door Policy
A phase of Alaskan history has
definitely passed. Its passing must
bring sadness to old-time Alaskans
wherever they may be.
Time was when Alaskans could
leave their doors unlocked and re
turn to find everything intact. No
longer is this true.
There was a 31% increase in
the number of burglaries reported
in 1955 over 1954. A considerable
proportion of the increase in this
type of crime is reflected in the
frequency with which outlying
cabins are broken into and rifled
during the summer and fall. In the
past, many Alaskans have custom
arily left their cabins open and un
attended with the understanding
that its contents were available for
the use of any stranger who might
be temporarily stranded in the vi
cinity. During recent years, the in
creasing number of cabin break
ins in the rural areas, accompani
ed by the malicious destruction of
property in many instances has
menaced the cabin owner or rural
householder to the extent that
cabins are very seldom left un
locked.
This fact was revealed in the an
nual Territorial Police report just
received. The report further states
that this is one of the most diffi
cult problems with which the De
partment is faced. 43 persons were
arrested and charged with the
crime qf burglary. This is an in
crease of 42% over 1954.
This and many other facts were
revealed in the Report. The num
ber of crimes reported during the
year decreased 2% as a whole.
This reflected a decrease in the
niimber of reported rapes, rob
beries, grand larcenies and auto
thefts, but there were increases in
the crimes of murder, negligent
manslaughter, burglary, as stated
before, aggravated assault and pet
ty larceny.
There was a decrease of approx i
mately 47% in the total value of
property (exclusive of automo
biles) reported stolen during 1955.
There was a 20% increase in ar
rests for what the Department
lists as Part 1 Class crimes, that
is murder, manslaughter, rape, ag
gravated assault, robbery burglary,
larceny and auto theft, over 1954.
There was a decrease in the
number of arrests made for Part
2 Class crimes. This catagory in
cludes traffic violations, other as
saults, forgery, embezzlement and
fraud, carrying and possessing
weapons, prostitution and com
mercialized vice, sex offenses, of
fenses against family and children,
narcotics drug act, liquor laws,
drunkenness, disorderly conduct,
vagrancy, gambling and others. An
other interesting point brought out
was the decrease in crime activity
in the Anchorage area, but an in
crease in the Fairbanks area over
the previous year.
The control of prostitution, anc!
more particularly commercialized
vice, which the Department links
with the narcotics problem, is held
to a minimum, according to the re
port, despite the large number of
single military personnel here in
Alaska. It further states Alaska
. (Continued on Page 12)
DEMOCRATS TO MEET
The Democratic Club of the Ko
diak Island area will me£t at the
Elk's Hall at 8 p. m. on Tuesday,
February 28.
Jack Hinckel, Delegate to the
Constitutional Convention, will be
the principal speaker. His subject
will be the newly formed Alaska
Constitution.
Refreshments will be served.
Kodiak Teachers
Form Association
The teachers of the Kodiak Pub
lic School system recently and for
the first time have organized into
the Kodiak Educational Associa
tion.
The purpose of this professional
organization is to work for the bet
terment of the teaching profession
by co-operating with the Alaska
Education Association, and the Na
tional Education Association. The
group will study problems pertin
ent to the local school system.
The officers elected were: Betty
Springhill, president; Louise Wal
ker, vice president; Edith Collins,
secretary and Warren Hull, treas
urer.
The KEA (Kodiak Educational
Association) was recently asked to
make a survev of tearhpr tmnrp
with a view toward AEA sponsored
legislation in 19i>7. The request
was accepted and Eunice Neseth
heads the committee.
The group meets the first Wed
nesday of each month. The meet
ing place is the Kodiak public
school.
Chris Poulsen was a visitor in
town this week. He was here on
business in connection with the
local theatre, which is one of a
chain owned by Poulsen and
Schok.
Francis Richardson joined the
local Police force this week. He
replaces Dave Lenhart, who is go
ing to Anchorage, and will work
as a projectionist at the Denali
Theatre there.
No W eather Records Broken This Year
By S. J. D.
Let’s talk about the weather.
You may have thought it was
cold the past week and most of the
winter. Are you one of those who
has said: “This is the coldest wint
er since I have been here.” But
are you sure? A few vital statistics
will furnish you with the facts.
We have it on good authority, in
fact from the weatherman himself
that,
This has not been the coldest
winter.
This has been a record year for
snowfall, as compared to last year.
There has been no more wind
this year than previous years.
Lt. M. C. Graham, weather fore
caster at Fleet Weather Central on
the Naval Station states that fi
gures are tabulated on every
phase of the weather, and a day to
day record is kept of the amount
of rainfall, snowfall, wind velocity,
etc.
In answer to the first question,
this has not been the coldest win
ter. According to records, which
have been kept over a 14 year per
iod, the lowest temperature record
ed here was in January 1947, when
it dropped to 5 degrees below
zero. The coldest day this winter
was the 4th of January when 7 de
grees above was recorded. Febru
ary 18 it was 11 above.
The average temperature for
Kodiak over the 14 year period was
40.4 degrees. Last year it was 39.6.
The maximum temperature record
ed was in June, 1953, when 36 de
grees was chalked up. The highest
it reached last year was 80 de
grees. The record of 1953 still
stands, of course.
Like most of us, you don't have
to consult a chart to know there
has been a heavy snowfall this
year. But the official tabulation
as given by Graham gives a total
of 70 inches for the winter so far.
How does that compare with the
average over a 14 year period?
The average is 51.9 inches. But a
look at comparisons will convince
you that that wasn’t spun glass you
were wading through in January.
The average for that month was
39.4 inches. The average for Jan
uary, 1955 was 10.7. The average
for January for the entire 14 years
was 10.9! DecemDer of last year
contributed considerably to the
high snowfall for this winter.
Winds contributed most to the
discomfort of the average Kodiak
resident. Though we don’t have as
much wind as in some areas, we
do have our share. Despite what
you may think, we haven't had an
abnormal amount of wind this
year, although most of us feel
there has been more than enough.
The maximum wind gust ever re
corded was in November, 1948,
when 92 knots were tabulated. It
came from the Northwest—that’s
the direction the chill-charged
gusts come from. On February 18,
a 60 knot wind gust was recorded.
The prevailing wunds for the year
was Northwest.
We live, of course, in what might
be described as a maritime clim
ate. That usually is temperate, and
(Continued on Page 12)
Memorial Awarded
Admiral K. Craig
Rear Admiral Kenneth Craig was
presented with a memorial from
the Chamber of Commerce, in a
ceremony conducted in his office
yesterday afternoon.
The memorial was in the nature
of a request to the Navy Depart
ment and other agencies of the
government, commending Admiral
Craig and requesting his tour of
duty be extended here in Kodiak
if he so desires. The memorial
cited the 17th District Comman
dant for his efforts in establishing
friendlier relations between the
town and the Naval Station.
Mayor Ole Johnson made the
formal presentation. Naval Station
officers present were Capt. <J. B.
Helmick, Capt. M. W. Graybill, Lt.
Cmdr. F. D. Darnell and Lt, II. R.
Upson of P. I. O. Besides Mayor
Johnson, those present from the
City were Merrill Coon, president
of the Chamber of Commerce, Rev.
John Molletti, president of the Ro
tary Club, and Charles Truitt, City
Manager.
Adm. Craig Expressed deep ap
preciation for the memorial, but
stated he was not certain of an
other tour of duty here.
rna i R.l v r, l, DKlbra
Among the outgoing passengers
this week via PNA were the fol
lowing: Mildred Markham, Ray
Wilson, Clayton Jones, Shirley
Robitaille, Frank Erbes, H. W.
Smith, Leroy Vickers, Ray Shaw,
Shirley Lautaret, Robert and Hel
en Jett, H. R. Stevens, Ralph
Shupp, Robert Landan, Harold
Gall, Bill Nourse, Benny Benold,
George Anderson, Jr., Harold and
Ardis Miller and Helen Durall.
Some of the people who were
incoming passengers this week in
clude: Helen Adams, A1 McCoy,
Ray Martin, Jr., Jean and Luke
Foley and Mrs. Stone.
Also C. W. Guinn, Genrsin
Pestrokoff, Bob Logan, Floyd
Edinger, Robert Parker, Louis
Thomas and Ray Cote.
CRITTENDEN IN TOWN
Ed Crittenden, Anchorage archi
tect, was a visitor in the City this
week. He inspected the Health and
Welfare building in connection
with the drawing up of plans for
enlarging and renovating the pres
ent building.
The Alaska Department of
Health, in conjunction with APW,
is expected to let a contract
sometime this year for the work.
Cushings Arrive
New Phones Soon
John and Martha Cushing arriv
ed Thursday from Sitka, and will
remain for an indefinite stay in
connection with the installation of
equipment at the Kodiak Tele
phone Company plant.
Work has been progressing for
several weks, adding new switch
boards and equipment. The work
is being done by Larry Burke of
Anchorage. 90 more lines will be
added, principally in the Mission
Road area. '
New cable for the expansion is
expected soon, and the work com
pleted as weather and conditions,
permit.
LOCAL ELKS RETURN
Among the officers of the local
Elks Lodge, who went to Anchor
age for the purpose of conducting
the initiation ceremonies at the
Anchorage Elks lodge, earlier this
week, those returning were Dick
Berg, Esquire, Ole Johnson, bist
rict Deputy and Trustee, Bob Daw
son Secretary and Pete Ramaglia,
Esteemed Loyal Knight. Exalted
Ruler John Gibbons and Leading
Knight Bud Metzgar remained in
Anchorage. Tim Gilmore, Club
Steward, also returned.
DAUGHTER IS VISITING
i
Mrs. George F. Lohr and son,
George, Jr., are visiting Mrs. Woll
ing of the Kodiak Hotel.
Mrs. Lohr, daughter of Mrs
Wolling, expects to remain in Ko
diak for an indefinite time. Her
home is in San Diego, California.
Along The
Waterfront
Frank McConaghy of Halferty’s
Cannery was here for a few days
this week, on a preliminary trip
preparitory to opening the local
cannery. He announced the ap
pointment of Mel (Bud) Sholl as
foreman of the cannery this year.
Bud is no stranger in these parts.
He has been a machinist in the
various canneries since he was
knee-high. He came by the trade
naturally. His father, Ben, was ma
chinist and cannery foreman in
Alaska for almost forty years! Bud
has worked as machinist at Port
Bailey, Ouzinkie, was foreman at
the Island Seafoods and last year
worked at Resoff’s King Crab, Inc.
McConoghy has gone to Cordova.
He expects to begin clam opera
tions here about April 1.
Alvine and Gibson report a lit
tle activity. Albert Peterson’s Or
anius has hit the water, after ex
tensive repairs. There is more to
be done on the interior, however.
Hiram McAllister’s Miss Arctic is
now on the ways, and this veteran
fisherman is stomping at the bit,
so to sneak, to eet her bark in thr
water and get back into production
again. The Left Cape, owned oy
Sergei Pestrokoff, Old Harbor, is
still undergoing repairs. Incident
ly Ollie Sanford is back with Al
vine. He worked on the Naval Sta
tion for a time, but returned to his
first love, boat repair. Ollie wants
to get his feet off the ground, and
expects to put the wings on Alvine
and his plane this week-end.
Bob Resoff of King Crab, Inc.,
reports a little activity. Boats are
still hampered by bad weather, but
the following were reported: The
Bonnie, skippered by Abram Pana
maroff, brought in 415 for a total
of 4251 lbs., Roxanna Dawn, skip
per Pat Mullin, came in with 182
weighing 2084 lbs.; Julian Muller
with the Julie M had 120 for 1500
lbs.; GPC 12, Fred Torsen, skip
per, brought in 252 for 2600 lbs.;
GPC 15, 18 and 19, skippered by
Herman Anderson. Jerry Gougle
and Nick Ketelikoff resepectively,
each brought in 236 for 2422 lbs.,
RftO fnr anti fnr ahmil 11TWWL
ibs., in that order. Resoff reports
bad weather at Alitak, and the
rough seas are hampering crabbing
operations. The cannery lost their
scow in the blow earlier in the
week, and it wound up back of
Krafts, which seems to be a haven
for strayed boats and gear.
At the City Pock, the Lucidor
is expected in February 28, with
approximately 500 tons, according
to Jack Johnson, Dock Superin
tendent. All the freight for the
Westward trip of the Expansion
moves across the local dock: which
is brought here by ASC. The
freighter Westward came in a
while back with 5 feet of ice on
her foredeck. She was a much
photographed ship, having the ap
pearance of a floating iseberg.
There are some low tides for you
inveterate clam diggers, today and
tomorrow. You’ll have to borrow
a lantern if you don't already have
one, because they’re at night. To
night at 6:41, there is a -1.5 tide
(Continued to page 12)