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rrNews of oAmencas Last Frontier”
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Auui/iiv, iirniL
PKICU 10 tEMs
Large Crowd Attends
Small Tract Hearing
An overflow crowd attended the
Bureau of Land management hear
ing Tuesday night at the Elks Club
and voiced their desires and com
plaints before the officials of the
Bureau who conducted the hearing.
The principal order of business
related to the desire of the public
for small tracts in the area of Ist
mas Cove and Chiniak, and opposi
tion voiced by the cattle ranchers
for use of the land for cabin sites.
Dave Henley, cattle rancher in
the Kalsin Bay and Chiniak area,
objected to the use of the land for
cabin sites, stating the land in
question was part of his choice
winter range. Joe Zentner and Joe
Beaty also spoke in opposition to
a small tract division of the area.
Beaty stated the cattle rancher
must be taken into consideration
in the Bureau’s future action. “The
raising of livestock on Kodiak Is
land,” he said, “represents a heavy
investment. The cattleman has
spent a hundred or a thousand
times as much as a small tract
owner will ever spend.”
Cattlemen have a twenty year
lease on property on which they
are situated. It was brought out by
both Zentner and Beaty, lease
agreement does not protect the
cattleman. In reply to questions,
Harold Jorgensen pointed out the
actual buildings and physical im
provements made were the only
tangible assets the cattleman had,
besides his cattle. Zentner asked
for clarification of a clause in a
land act enabling three people in
an area as all that is necessary to
secure a restricted lease. Jorgen
sen said that was in effect true.
Beaty voiced the opinion the lease
cattlemen have isn’t worth the
paper it is printed on, unless the
cattleman has some assurance
from the government his heavy
investment will be protected. Jorg
ensen gave assurance the leases
will endure, so long as compliance
is made to the terms of the leases.
Moe Kimes, Anna Mae Vokacek,
Carl Huer and others expressed
the desire to acquire land in the
area in question for homesite pur
poses. Paul Stover of the Alaska
Road Commission stated that the
more people that make use of the
area, the more funds will be allo
cated for road maintenance.
vuigeuseu spoite ai lengm on me
Bureaus policy in regard to land
management. He said the Bureau
iff not interested in land in Kodiak
other than a desire to improve
the land already surveyed. The
Bureau has to work within the con
fines of law laid down by Congress.
The attempt is being made to sat
isfy the livestock owner and the
people who wish to develop certain
lands. “Land not adapted to home
steads,” he said, “should be used
for grazing.” He felt that with
so much land available here, a re
concilliation could be effected.
“That is why we are here,” he said.
John Gibbons voiced a vigorous
protest of the land act and the
manner in which it is administer
ed. “I have studied existing leases,
in which I have found inconsistan
cies of policy. I have had many in
quiries from cattlemen, qualified
to succeed, who expressed a desire
to settle here, but after a study of
the leases, they lose interest. They
throw up their hands and say they
want no part of it. It doesn’t offer
them security for the investment
involved. In reply Frank Meeks
stated, “We are bound by regula
tions .... according to acts pass
ed by Congress.”
Gibbons-replied that’he sincere
ly believed the aot was-due for re
vision. “As it now reads, it will
not enhance the economy of Ko
diak Island,” he said.
The hearing was presided over
by Mayor Ole Johnson, with the
Council in attendance. The remain
der of the meeting was taken up
with townsite land problems, addi
tional homesites nearer town and
land for recreational purposes.
Considerable interest was shown
by the public for land in the
Spruce Cape area, around Island
Lake, Dark Lake, Potatoe Patch
Lake, and the East Addition.
Meeks stated it is expected much
of the land within the City with
held for various reasons will be
disposed of by sale this summer.
Criticism was voiced by Gibbons
as to the methods of conducting
the sale of land. “ Why couldn’t
the land be sold outright, rather
than the present method of two
year lease with the improvement
stipulation. It would do away with
much paper work. If the buyer was
no longer interested he could then
dispose of the land.”
Norm Sutliff asked for a clarifi
cation of the status of the propos
ed site for Boy Scout use, anci
what steps are necessary for ac
quiring the land at Island Lake,
and the cost. Meeks replied that
the Alaska Council of the Boy
Scouts had to make the purchase.
There would be no difficulty in
securing the land, he felt. Purchase
price would be based on a “fair
market price,” less 60 per cent.
The bureau men in attendance
were Harold Jorgensen, Frank
Meeks, Don Griffiths, Dale Saun
ders, Lloyd Toland, and Mrs. Mal
vina Price, Secretary. The group
spent several days in Kodiak con
ferring with interested parties.
Toland will be here for about two
weeks in connection with Bureau
land problems.
REPUBLICAN PARTY
TO MEET WEDNESDAY
The Republican party will meet
at the home of Charles Edris next
Wednesday, when election of of
ficers will take place.
At their meeting Thursday at
the Elks Club, the Republican
Party Division Committee report
was read by Emil Knudsen. It was
announced the Territorial Conven
tion of the party will meet in Ju
neau, May 11. Jack Hinckel stated:
“It is very important this area be
represented at the convention.”
CHIEF OF POLICE
RECOVERING AT HOME
Chief of Police Roland Vickery
is recuperating at his home fol
lowing surgery. He expects to re
turn to his duties next week.
Russian Church
Parsonage Burns
The parsonage of the Russian
Orthodox Church, and one of the
City’s oldest landmarks, was bad
ly gutted, by fire in an early morn
ing blaze, lest.Monday. Rev. Roman
Sturmefv suffered burns about the
face and, hands when he attempted
to put out,the fire, and save some
personal papers.
The fire occurred about fifteen
rainuteq,,jo five., The .Sturmers,
asleep at(flje time, were awakened
by smoke, which filled the ho.use.
It is presumed a heavy downdraft
momentarily put out the fire in
the oil heater in the front room.
Oil cont'ihiied to flow into the hot
stovh,"1 causing it to smoke and
burst lnt6 flame. The heat caused
adjacent" papers and inflammable
material to burn, and the fire
spread throughout the house.
Father Sturmer was the first one
up, arid he' attempted to put oiit
the fire'. Failing this, as he and
Mrs. Sturmer were about to
leave the premises, he sought to
phone the fire department, but
quickly dropped the receiver,
which he said, was too hot to hold.
It was then he went out on the
back porch and yelled for help.
Mrs. Sturmer went to the Heit
mans nearby to phone.
Meanwhile, Les Sorum, who lives
next to the Russian Church, was
awakened by the calls for help,
looked out the bedroom window,
saw the red glow in the windows
of the parsonage and immediately
turned in the alarm. It wasn’t
(Continued to Page 4)
Vandalism Prevalent
In Island Lake Area
The U. S. Marshal’s office here
is investigating complaints of mal
icious damage to private homes
and cabins in the Island Lake area.
Six cabins have been examined
and all have been ramsacked and
personal property thrown on thb
floors. Windows have been shot
and glass broken. Locks have been
broken and pried off.
U. S. Marshal Clarence Dizney;
in reporting the incidents, asks
that his office be contacted by any
one having any information that
m'ight lead to the arrest of the van
dals. Parents of children who go
into the area are asked to advise
them of the penalties involved in
breaking and entering and destroy
ing propetry. “Anyon^who breaks
into a cabin and destroys property
is subject to a penitentiary sen
tence not to exceed three years,”
he said.
The latest report of unauthoriz
ed entry is in the Monaska .Bay
area, where the lock was broken
on a concrete shed belonging to
the ACS. Dizney announces a re
ward of $50 will be given for infor
mation leading to the arrest and
conviction of persons found break
ing into any cabin or building.
KNUDSEN ON STATESIDE TRIP
Emil Knudsen left yesterday
morning for Ketchikan, with a stop
over in Anchorage. He will be in
Ketchikan on Housing Authority
business until next week-end.
He plans to go on to Seattle for
another week or ten days before
returning to Kodiak.
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Twelve F89D jet fighter-interceptors of the 10th Air Division
fly over Elmendorf Air Force Base, headquarters of the Alaskan Air
Command. Elmendorf, near Anchorage, is one of the principal bases
in support of Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line radar net under
construction across Canada and Alaska. When completed in about
two years, DEW Line will provide a plane tight screen to give Am
erican cities four to six hours warning of hostile planes coming
across the Arctic. (U. S. Air Force Photo via AP Wirephoto)
Along The
Waterfront
Happenings almost fateful, c’.h. n
amusing ocurred along the water
ways this past week. Seems there
, is, pever a dull moment when "dat *
ol’ debil Sea,” cows boats and
people get mixed up together.
First, we will give you the crab
^itjiation. There has been fair at .
tivity in this industry, but catchc
have been spotty due to interval .
of bad weather. The Totem came
into Resoffs King Crab Cannery
with 3900 crab for a total wei^
of 37,052 pounds. Kory Ka..at.:J i". .
skipper. Nick Ketelikoff broviV"
in the GPC19 with 700 of the purr „
le-backed crustaceans. They weigh
ed 8527. The Jo Ann, Archie Hubr
ley, skipper, brought in 96 for 1070
pounds. John Anderson and his ,
GPC20 unloaded 377 crab with a
weight of 4382 pounds. 561 crab
were brought in by Paul Jensen
oi} his Falcon. They weighed 6023
pounds. The Sue's catch, hauled i>».
by the Eldorado, totaled 1547 for
a weight of 14,483 pounds. The.
total week handled by this can
nery was 37,237 pounds, a lot of ‘
crab.
mviu OJUUlg, 111., WHU WdS IMMJ
iy burned on his arm, side and leg
by steam at the cannery over the
week ago, is still in the hospital
Pete Deveau of the Island Sea
foods reports the Eldorado in with
38.000 pounds. Oscar Dysen docked
the Suzie Q with a load which
weighed in at 28,000 pounds. The
Oranius had 10,500 pounds. Goog
an Petersen is skipper. Fritz De
veau is due in today with about
18.000 pounds and the Reliance is
due Monday with 35,000 pounds.
The Oranius had a mishap which
could have proved fatal, but for
the timely efforts of the Suzie Q
and the Navy craft, the 161. Her
engine blew a manifold gasket off
of Cape Barnabas. The Suzie Q
took her in tow with two half in, h
cables, and the cables parted ns
the boats were positioned to the
right of Ugak Island. The Suzie Q
stood by as the Navy effected a
rescue. The boats battled high
waves, and a rough sea, which- j»
turn damaged the 161. The lattei
had to pull into shelter to make a
welding repair. The fishermen
were high in their praise of the
Navy men, and expressed the be
lief that the incident could have
been disastrous, but for their help
Pete Walkoff is changing en
gines in his Attu at Alvine anil
Gibsons boat works. He is also
copper painting the bottom and
giving it a paint job.
The Driftwood Products repert
4000 processed, from Hiram McAl
lister’s catch.
Cows apparently are now going
to sea, according to a report of an
incident on Woody Island. Metcalf
an employee of CAA, had his boat,
an 18 foot cabin Cruiser, on the
beach for the winter.
When he went to look it over re
cently, a big hole had been knock
ed out of the bottom. Cows winter
ing on the island had managed to
get the lock off, and entered the
cabin for shelter. (Don’t ash us
how) Bill Stone, Superintendent
of the Baptist Mission, had a herd
(Continued on Page 14)