library & Museum
Juneau^ Alaska
VOL. 18 NO. 11
KODIAK, ALASKA.MARCH 15, 1958
PRICE 19 CENTS
Cattle Ranchers Seek CofC Aid
BLM Lease Changes Prompts Move
Cattle ranchers in the Kodiak
area have appealed to the Kodiak
Chamber of Commerce for assis
tance in combating a recent de
cision of the Bureau of Land
Management, which they claim
will be detrimental to their opera
tion.
The enactment of the new rul
ings, the ranchers claim will work
a hardship on them and will, in
some cases, force them out of busi
ness. Jim Beaty, Secretary of the
Kodiak Livestock Association, read
a resolution before the group, at
its meeting Thursday. The resolu
tion, which was adopted by an
overwhelming vote, called upon
the Chamber to “protest vigorou
sly” action of the Bureau of Land
Management, in changing the
terms of the present leases be
tween it and the ranchers.
DeWitt Fields spoke to the
group, and gave the views of the
ranchers and himself, and said he
would be unable to continue under
the new terms. “It would require
an expenditure of about $100,000,
which I haven’t got” Fields stated.
The resolution adopted reads as
follows:
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS the industry of live
stock-raising is recognized as being
basic and important to the econ
omy of the community, and
WHEREAS the men engaged in
stock raising have been diligent in
their efforts toward animai hus
bandry, courageous in their in
vestments and versatile in their
Updfeavprs to overcome the pro
blems of breeding, foragiir and
Marketing, and
WHEREAS the Office of Land
Management representing the LJ.S.
Government has entered into graz
ing leases with the aforementioned
slack-raisers, and
WHEREAS the leases were
deemed by both parties to be equit
able in essence and the terms and
consideration in keeping with the
hazards of a pioneer industry, and
WHEREAS the Office of Land
Management now seeks to alter
the conditions of said leases in mid
term without consideration for the
investments, hazards or original
intent of the leases, thereby in
ducing additional expense and
hardships upon the stock-raisers to
the extent that this all-important
basic industry may suffer and per
ish.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLV
ED that the Kodiak Chamber of
Commerce protest vigorously such
action to the Office of Land
Management, urging them to de
part from such questionable ac
CG SHIP EVACUATED
ELEVEN MONTHS OLD BABY
An eleven months old baby, the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ras
topsoff, was evacuated from Lar
sen’s Bay and brought to Kodiak
Friday.
The baby had been unconscious
lor 45 minutes. Its breathing was
labored, but it responded to ox
ygen. The Coast Guard Cutter
BITTERSWEET effected the res
cue. Commanding officer of the
BITTERSWEET is LCDR Bernard
gnlkhorst.
%
tions of insincerity which may well
discourage further venture capital
in this essential industry.
AND BE IT FURTHER RE
SOLVED that this protest be plac
ed before the Honorable E. L.
Bartlett, Delegate to Congress
from Alaska, together with the re
quest that he intercede on behalf
cf the stock-raisers of this area.
Council Considers
Pat Lynch Claim
The City Council was made cog
nizant of the claim of Pat Lynch,
road materials contractor, who
seeks payment for use of a road
into the quarry site from which
the rock'is now being hauled for
the breakwaters of the small boat
harbor. Councilman Dick Berg
read a letter from Pat Lynch’s at
torney. Paul Robison, and other
data pertaining to the claim.
Lynch had a quarry site in the
area, and presented data establish
ing his right thereto. The Bureau
of Land Management gave the City
a “free use” permit to haul rock
from the site, which is said to be
adjacent to that worked by Lynch,
and asserted the latter’s claim in
valid, on the grounds the land in
question was a government reser
vation and no permit could be is
sued him. Another government
agency, the Bureau of Mines up
holds Lynch’s claim to the quarry
site.
City Council members expressed
the be ief the pity is not involve*!
in the dispute, but Berg stated he
wanted the members of the Coun
cil to become versed in the_ facfc
of the case.
City Cannot Lease
Waterfront Land
The City is not in a position to
lease land within the small boat
harbor, it was pointed out in a
letter read to the Council mem
bers Monday. The land, which is
along the waterfront,, is presently
held in trust by the Federal gov
ernment.
Legislation is now pending to
transfer tidelands to the Terri
tory, following which it will then
be transferred to the municipali
ties. Until the legislation has be
come law, John E. England, Chief,
Construction Division, Corps of
Engineers, stated a lease would
appear to be out of order.
Permits issued will pertain to
buildings rather than the land.
The Council is presently gather
ing data on policies of other sea
port towns in Alaska as regards
levies for berthing of boats and
moorage, and general overall
policy for small boat harbors.
Letters were received from City
Manager Bob Sharp of Ketchikan,
and Seward and Petersburg as to
polices pursued. Petersburgh re
ported it has no land adjacent to
the small boat harbor; .Seward has
a very limited amount. Ketchikan
has no land abutting on its two
harbors.
4 Business Firms
To Sponsor Queens
Four queen candidates will be in
the running to reign as Queen of
the King Crab Festival, to be held
May 2 and 3, according to Jess Bal
lard, Chairman of the Chamber of
Commerce Committee handling ar
rangements.
Tickets will go on sale this week
end, according to Eldon Lester,
who is in charge of this phase of
the promotion. According to John
Gibbons, President of the Chamb
er of Commerce, a Bell Boy Ex
press Cruiser, complete with a 35
h.p. Outboard, nas been ordered
and will soon he in Kodiak. This
will be given away May 3rd.
C of C Votes Down
Airport Proposal
An effort to allocate money
from the Chamber of Commerce
small boat harbor fund for the
purchase of lots needed for the
municiple airport site, was defeat
ed, when the question came up at
the Chamber of Commerce meet
ing Thursday
Purchase of land* controlled by
BLM in the area is sought, and
approximately $500 is needed. The
suggestion that this amount be
taken from the $1030.48 in the
small boat harbor fund came up
for vote and was defeated. Pat
Cannon opposed it on the grounds
it would not be fair to the fisher^
men contributing to the fund,
which was for the purpose of pro
moting action on the small boat
harbor const auction. ■ ' ' *
The money needed will be rais
ed by popular subscription.
Auto Tax Levy
Declared Invalid
Taxing a* v^tiiripc a? set forth
by a previous action of the City
Council was declared invalid by
the City Attorney, according to a
letter received recently.
The Council had set a minimum
tax of $5.00 and a maximum of
$15.00, on all vehicles, using the
Blue Book table of values for
assessment purposes. This is in
violation of Chapter 174, S.L.A.
1957, according to City Attorney
Arnett. He quoted the session laws,
which contains the following pro
vision: provided, however,
all assessment shall be equal and
uniform and based upon the act
ual value of the property assess
ed ... ”
No action was taken following a
decision to consult further with
the City Attorney.
In another letter the City
Attorney called attention to Sec
tion 2 of the Session laws which
provides that the City Council, by
general ordinance, shall provide
the rate of levy, date of equaliza
tion, date when the taxes become
delinquent, and provides that the
Council shall fix the levy for
school and municipal purposes
separately.
Lutheran Speaker
Due Here Friday
Dr. Oswald Hoffman, well
known Lutheran minister, is
scheduled to arrive in Kodiak Fri
day, March 21. He is making a
tour of Alaskan bases.
Plans are not yet complete for
his stay according to the Naval
Station Protestant Chaplain, Com
mander H.D. Buckingham, who is
handling arrangements here. An
itinerary for Dr. Hoffman will be
announced over AFRTS when
firmed.
It is believed, however, that Dr.
Hoffman will conduct services at
the Base Chapel Annex to which
all Kodiak Lutherans will be invit
ed.
Dr. Hoffman, International Luth
eran Hour speaker, arrived in
Alaska March 13, for a 11 day visit
to installations of Lt. Gen. Frank
A. Armstrong, Jr’s Alaskan Com
mand. As speaker on the famed
radio program, he is heard over
1250 radio stations of more than
60 lands in over 50 languages.
Dr. Oswald Hoffman of New
York City began his services as
Lutheran Hour Speaker at the
inauguration of the 23rd season
in 1955. Recognized as one of the
outstanding personalities in the
Protestant world today.
Tax Appeal Board
To Meet In May
Wednesday, May 14 is the, date
set for the Board of Equalization
to begin its sessions, when tax
payers will be heard.
The date was decided on recom
mendation of the City Manager.
After all appeals have been heard,
the City Council will fix the rate
of tax levy.
The first installment of tav
will fall due on July 15, 1P58 and
the second installment on October
15, 1958. Following considerable
discussion, the tax year was de
termined as the calendar year.
Mrs. E. Knudsen
Hostess To BPW
Mrs. Emil Knudsen was hostess
to the Kodiak Business and Pro
fessional Women’s Club at their
March Business meeting last Mon
day night, March 10. Mrs. Muriel
Valen, Bertha Hamann, and Grace
Pecore assisted.
It was announced that the pro
gram for the next dinner meeting,
March 17, at the Island Fountain
would be presented by the Career
Advancement Chairman, Carolyn
Floyd. Dr. A. Holmes Johnson will
be the guest speaker, with the
topic “Goals of Education”.
Arthur Brooks, as recently ap
pointed Civil Defense Chairman,
for Kodiak, will also speak to the
members on much needed infor
mation on the important Civil De
fense issues.
President Fostina Johnson an
nounced that the week of March
16 through 22 would be “Library
Week” in the town of Kodiak and
urged that every one take advan
tage of the chance to join the As
sociation.
Along The
Waterfront
Small Boat Harbor
Progress Report
Work on the small boat harbor
is ahead of schedule, according to
“Jiggs” Tice, Resident Engineer.
Prospects are for completion by
the middle of June, which would
be well in advance of the original
date set.
However,, there are many “ifs’’
to a prediction of this kind
weather, breakdowns, road con
ditions, nature of rock drilled, etc.
But it appears certain Kodiak
boatmen will enjoy the new facili
ties by late summer at the latest.
The Southwest breakwater is
projected out to about 975 feet,
which is well along on the 1225
feet when completed. With trucks
rolling as they have been—478
loads dumped last week—this
phase of the work will soon be
complete. How many truck loads
are hauled a day? This question is
asked many times. Here are some
typical figures for loads per day:
Monday, 88; Tuesday, 78: Wednes
day, 83. One day there were 161
loads hauled, which appears to be
tops.
We don’t have to tell residents*
adjacent to the harbor that drill
ing and blasting continues on a
round-the-clock basis. The crew,
under the guidance of Art Molvar.
are now operating near the chan
nel entrance. They drill holes 5
feet apart, sometimes three holes
and sometimes a dozen or more bey
fore blasting. This Accounts part^
ally tor the variation in the noise
made by the blasts, but not alto
gether. According to Tice, the tide
changes affect the noise, as water
is a good sound conductor.
According to waterfront observ
ers, the Union Oil tanker, SANTA
MARIA, which came in Sunday
morning with fuel, is one of the
largest, if not the largest ship, to
dock at Kodiak. Length was 562
feet. Capt. Dale Montgomery is
her skipper.
Jap fishing to the Westward now
comes under the scrutiny of the
State Department and John Foster
Dulles is seeking action to curb it
Bringing this to the State Depart
ment level may result in somt
favorable action, it ■ is not al
ready too late.
EXPANSION was in over the
weekend, but otherwise very little
doing at the City Dock.
Alf Madsen’s EXPLORER is now
in Alvine's Boat Works for repair
of damage occasioned by the wind:,
last Uw.k. Harry Gottschalkv
MARIE N also in for repair. Harry
purchased her from Oscar Nelson
recently, when he took over the
latter’s guide business. He hit a
submerged object on her first trip,
and bent the prop shaft.
Seattle W. The Fishermen's
Union voted last r.ight on the
recommendation made by Albin L.
Peterson, Federal Labor Concilr
ator, the negotiating committee of
the Union, and the Alaskan Sal
mon Industry, Inc. for: wage in
crease. Union voted last night, but
no repor t at p’ e ss Mm a of results.