2E NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—B
/IMtvl
SEE ASSOCIATED PRESS
63rd Year No. 34
NOME, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1962
Per Copy 154
Johnson Asks Gov. Egan Reinstate
Sherard as State Highway Engineer
By Ward Sims
JUNEAU UP) — State Highways
Commissioner Sam E. Johnson has
asked Gov. Wm. Egan to reinstate
Thurman D. Sherard as chief Alas
ka Highway Engineer, it was learn
ed today.
The request was made in a letter
from Johnson, who succeeded
Sherard as chief of Alaska’s high
way program, to the governor. It
was dated March 19.
Egan declined to comment on the
proposal.
Sherard was dismissed by Egan
on Jan. 25, eight days after the
administration announced it would
have to seek a supplemental ap
propriation of $4 million to carry
on the state’s highway program for
the balance of fiscal 1962.
When Egan announced Sher
ard’s dismissal, Johnson was named
to succeed Sherard. Sherard later
became a key witness in a month
long probe of the Alaska road pro
gram by a special Senate commit
tee.
Last week, Egan made the High
ways Division a full-fledged depart
ment.
“There is doubt in my mind,”
Johnson wrote Egan, “that we will
have an adequate Highway Depart
ment, a requirement of the federal
aid law.
“If we are unable to fully staff
our organization to meet these re
quirements, we will lose our federal
aid, a tragic blow to our young State
of Alaska.
“I have reviewed all documents
pertaining to the possibility of ad
vancement of people in our or
ganization to the vacancies which
have occurred, and are bound to
follow because of the circumstances
involved, and there are no qualified
people in our organization to fill
more than perhaps one of a dozen
responsible probable vacancies,
particularly the top positions in our
organization. . .
“In view of this deliberate and
thorough analysis, and in view of
the benefits to Alaska by the con
tinuance of our statewide construc
tion and maintenance program, I
PREDICT LATE BREAKUP
FOR NENANA ICE CLASSIC
By Don Clark
Nenana Ice Classic Manager
NENANA — Well spring begins
today and it is high time for those
of you who want to make your
stake to start figuring out when the
ice will move in the Tanana River
at Nenana. Only 18 days are left
as tickets will not be sold after
midnight April 7.
The famous million dollar clock
will be on display today at Heinz
Borchards, expert watch maker and
jeweler at 303 3rd Ave., Fairbanks,
for those interested in seeing the
8-day wind-up clock that will make
some person or persons wealthy.
There is now 46 inches of ice
under the tripod. Last year at this
time the ice was only 33 inches
thick, so we have much more ice
and snow than we have had in
several years. According to most
of the old timers I have talked
to in Nenana, these conditions mean
a late breakup. As manager of the
classic I am going to stick my neck
out and predict a late breakup
also. I have been misquoted a time
or two by the press so I’ll repeat
its going to be a late one this year.
But don’t forget X have been in
Nenana since 1022 and have yet
to win anything.
wish to request your concurrence
in the reinstatement of Thurman
D. Sherard to his former position.
“I feel that the report of the
Legislative Committee, which has
just been released, indicates no
collusion or dishonesty existed and
is, in fact, an exoneration, if any
was needed, of our struggling young
highway organization.
“I feel that this action will not
only raise morale, but will enhance
the possibility of retaining practi
cally everyone in our department
and will increase the possibility of
recruiting additional help, the need
for which is so great.
“Failing in securing your ap
proval of this recommendation, we
are faced with a most serious situ
ation, one which neither I or any
other in this position could over
come in any reasonable time. Our
program, if it survived at all, would
be delayed beyond any time that
would be tolerated by the people
of Alaska.”
Asked for his comment, Sherard
said he had talked with Johnson
early Monday morning, before the
letter to Egan was written.
“I told Mr. Johnson I would re
turn to state employment,” Sher
ard said. “I would hate to see
something built up over two and
a half years fall to pieces.”
Bill Would
Amend Portions
Borough
JUNEAU UP) — A bill amend
ing portions of the borough act
which was passed by the 1961 leg
islature was introduced in the House
today by the Local Government
Committee.
The measure would set new re
quirements for the number of peti
tioners necessary for the incorpora
tion of an organized borough, and
new reapportionment of borough
assembly seats.
As the borough bill passed last
year, the signatures of 25 per cent j
of the qualified voters in each first
class city in an area, and 25 per
cent of the voters outside of the
first class cities would be required
to petition for formation of a bor
ough.
The proposed amendments would
base the percentage of petitioners
necessary upon the population of
the area as a whole.
For areas with populations of
over 15,000, 10 per cent of the
qualified voters both inside and out
side of first class cities would be
required. For areas with popula
tions of less than 15,000 but more
than 7,000, 15 per cent of the
voters’ signatures would be re
quired. And for areas with less than
7,000 population, 25 per cent would
be required.
The composition of the borough
assemblies also would be based
upon the population of the area.
The composition of the as
semblies, too, would be based on
whether or not there is a first
class city within the borough.
Act
x V
Makes Like a Lumberjack, Boy Diet
BETHPAGE, N.Y. W — Robert
Hughes, 12, and a group of his
pals found a concrete pipe — a
9-foot-long section that rolled like
a log when you got it going.
Making like a lumberjack, Robert
mounted the pipe and tried to re
main atop it. He failed, and died
as it rolled over him.
mmi
ABC Board Files
New Regulations
To Control Minors
JUNEAU t/P) — The Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board has filed
new regulations which put added
teeth in controls on the consump
tion or possession of liquor by
minors.
The new regulations were filed
with Secretary of State Hugh J.
Wade late yesterday. Under the
Administrative Procedures Act,
they will become effective in 30
days.
Bill Ray of Juneau, chairman of
the ABC Board, said under the
concept of control, a minor would
be in violation of the law if liquor
were found in his car or in his room
or if it were concealed by the
minor.
Parents, guardians or spouses
would be subject to prosecution for
contributing to the delinquency of
a minor if the delinquency arises
in whole or in part from their
giving alcoholic beverages to the
minor involved, under the new re
vision.
The Board also rewrote the re
tail liquor license regulation, Ray
said, for clarification.
Under the new wording, a retail
liquor license grants the licensee
the privilege of transferring owner
ship of liquor to a legally qualified
purchaser, “for cash, paid promptly
after the verbal or written solici
tation for purchase has been re
ceived within his licensed pre
mises.”
Ray said the regulation would
permit retail liquor dealers to ship
liquor to qualified purchasers if,
when he receives the order, the
dealer is also paid. COD orders
would not be permitted.
Ray emphasized that the dealer
would be held responsible for all
sales he makes. If liquor is sent to
a person not qualified, under the
law, to possess, consume or control
it, the dealer is liable as well as
the receiver.
Ray said that on the date the
new regulations become final, copies
will be mailed to all licensees and
other interested persons, including
law enforcement agencies.
PATSY LONGLEY IS
WINNER OF SPELLING BEE
Patsy Longley, daughter of Mrs.
Frances Longley, 13, and in 8th
grade, was the finalist in the spell
ing bee last evening and will go to
Anchorage to compete in the state
contest.
Runner-up was Joanna Kukuluk,
13, and in the 6th grade, who went
down on “jeopardize.” Both final
ists went down on the word
“gesticulate.”
Betty Hoogendom placed third,
going down on “fictitious.”
Judges for the contest were Mrs.
Ash Craft and Herb Jenks. Pro
nouncer was Mrs. Charles Rich
mond.
Patsy, who was runner-up last
year, will be the guest of Mr. and
Mrs. Roy Conklin in Anchorage
and should she win the state con
test will go ,to Washington, D.C.,
to compete in the national contest.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
Continued fair with little change
in temperature. In the last 24 hours:
High of 19, low of -2. Max. wind
3? mph from the NE. Sunrise at
5:56 am., sunset at 6:23 pm. Temps,
a year ago today: High of 29, low
of 23. Extremes on this date since
1907: High of 36 in 1924, low of
■*■31 in 1911.
In Nenana today it was clear
and the temp, was 14 above.
STRIKE CALL THREATENS
FRONDIZI’S THIN HOLD
IN ARGENTINA
BUENOS AIRES UP> — A strike
call to two million workers raised
new threats today to Arturo Fron
dizi’s thin hold on the presidency
of Argentina.
The president was remaining in
power as a result of his agreement
to split his cabinet between military
men and civilians, while banning
all political activities by followers
of ex - dictator Juan Peron. The
Peronists won sweeping victories
in provincial elections Sunday, but
Frondizi by decree has nullified
the election of Peronist governors.
Sixty-two powerful unions called
a 24-hour strike for Friday to pro
test cancellation of the Peronist
victories. There were fears the
strike would last longer and lead
to violence.
Andres Framini, the Peronist
textile union boss whose victory
for governor of Buenos Aires was
washed out by Frondizi, told news
men he believed the workers would
act together “not to allow our vic
tories to be taken from our hands.”
The crisis appeared to have
eased early this morning as the
government amiounced the resig
nation of eight civilian cabinet
members to make room for military
men in the new coalition.
1 Will Vole for the First Time
j PITTSBURGH W> — Catherine
Agnes O’Shea, 86, who became an
American citizen in 1947, says sh£
will vote for the first time in the
May primary.
“I would have voted before, but
I worked every election day and
by the time I got home there was
no one to take me to the polls,”
Miss O’Shea said, “But I would like
to vote once before I die.”
Legislators to Entertain Capital j
City With Gourmet Items
JUNEAU UP) — Anybody for
boiled whale meat?
Baked shee fish?
Roast buffalo hump?
Alaska’s legislators will enter
tain the capital city community at
their traditional Resources Ban
quet Friday night and the above
delicacies are on the menu, along
with others.
The gourmet items from the ;
various areas of the state are do- ,
nated by the members of the leg
islature. ;
The menu will also include rein
deer, venison, king crab, king sal
mon, shrimp and clams.
Chairmen of the year’s event are
Sen. Lester Bronson and Rep. Peter
Deveau.
A Fee for Handling Licenses
JUNEAU Wi — Persons or busi
nesses handling the sale of hunting
and fishing licenses or tags would
be permitted to retain a fee of 25
cents for each license or tag, or
five per cent of the fee, under the
terms of a bill which passed the
House 31-5 Tuesday.
*11'* Whale Blubber" . . .
SYDNEY, Australia Ufi — Sen.
J. G. Gorton, minister in charge
of the Australian Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization, said Monday night
pieces of the Tasmanian “mon
ster” confirmed it to be whale
blubber.
Gorton said tests made on pieces
cut from deep within the mysterious
carcass found on the lonely west
coast of the island state of west
Tasmania showed physical and
chemical properties consistent with
blubber.
Nikita Wants to
Cooperate In
Exploring Space
MOSCOW <#> — Soviet Premier
Khrushchev sent a message today
to President Kennedy agreeing to*
cooperate in exploring space.
He said immediate cooperation
was possible in the use of artificial
satellites for long distance com
munication.
Further he proposed close co
operation in the use of space ships
in weather forecasting.
The message was read over Mos
cow radio.
Kennedy had proposed to;
K'nrusnciiev that the two powers
cooperate in various space pro
grams such as communications, the
tracking of satellites, weather re
search and the measuring of the
earth’s magnetic field.
The Soviet Premier said it was
“desirable to have an international
agreement” to bring closer co
operation in use of space ships and
particularly in giving greater se
curity to astronauts.
Khrushchev suggested the two
nations get together in launching:
observation rockets to the moon
and planets.
His letter said all countries should
have equal opportunities for space
exploration.
Khrushchev said Soviet repre
s sentatives in the UH. Space Com
i \ mittee would be instructed to meet
e j the U.S. representatives “to dis
s cuss practical problems of coopera
tion in exploration and peaceful
uses of outer space.”
I
) Shah of Iran to Visil U.S.
! WASHINGTON UP> — The White
House announced today that the
Shah of Iran and Empress Farah
will pay a visit to the United States
next month.
The announcement said the
Iranian head of state accepted with
pleasure an invitation extended by
President Kennedy.
The Shah and Empress will ar
rive in New York April 10 and in
Washington the next day.
WIEN’S NEW SWISS-MADE
BUSH PLANE HERE IN NOME
Richard Wien, youngest son of
'Joel Wien, arrived in Nome yester
lay from Fairbanks as pilot on
Wien Airlines newest airplane, the
Swiss made Pilatus Porter.
Young Wien has been in Switzer
land learning all about the plane,
which was freighted to Fairbanks,
and assembled for bush operation.
The new plane, considered well
adapted to this area will be based
here for about a week and is ski
wheel equipped and has paint deco
rations like the F-27. It has seats
for seven passengers and a space to
handle freight.
It is planned to add more of
these Swiss planes to Wien fleet
next year.
Noel Wien, senior member of
the pioneer organization accom
panied his son on his first flight
of the Pilatus Porter to Kotzebue
and Nome.
Veteran pilot Noel stated that
“this is the best bush plane, with
the biggest door for freight we have
ever had. This door is five feet
high and 3Vfe feet wide. It also
holds the record for short field
landings and takeoffs, so necessary
in Alaska.”
This plane has a Lycoming en
gine he explained, but the next
Pilatus Porter to go into service
will have a turbo-prop engine and
will be the first commercial single
engine plane of its kind to go into
service.