Valdez News
VOL. 1 .NO. 35
VALDEZ. ALASKA. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 1950
PRICE 10c
Housing Problem Solved Ulith Trailers
Basketball Season
Opens Officially
On November 16
Local sport fans are looking
forward to Thursday, November
16, as the date when the basket
ball season will be officially j
opened at Valdez. The game will
start at 7:30 p.m.
With basketball one of the most
closely followed sports in Alaska,
the opening of the season is a spe
cial event in most towns through
out the territory.
The Valdez team looks good
and the “we’re going in there to
win” spirit is all a part of their
good sportsmanship.
Knight Goodrich Plans
Extended Visit Outside
Knight Goodrich left Valdez
last week to spend an extended
visit in the states. He left here
last Friday by car for Anchorage.
From there he planned to fly to
Sacramento, Calif., stopping off
at Seattle for a few days. After
, visiting with his parents at Sac
ramento, his itinerary includes
many of the cities in the states
where he will visit friends. He
plans to return to Valdez next
spring. He was employed here
by the Alaska Freight Lines.
On Thursday evening prior to
his departure, Mr. Goodrich was
honored at a farewell dinner
party at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
James Dolan.
Gar Demolished in
„ Highway Accident
Johnny Clark, manager of
Freight Lines with his office at
Fairbanks, escaped serious injury
when his car was completely de
molished in a highway accident
recently. Mr. Clark, driving a
company pick-up truck, hit the
bank at Lanana bridge.
“I’ve said for the last ten years
that bluff should have been
moved. Now I know they should
have moved it,” Mr. Clark skid in
commenting on the accident.
Arthur Days Return
Here From Dayville
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Day re
cently returned to Valdez from
Dayville. They are temporarily
staying with Mrs. Day’s brother,
Johnny Hanson, but plan to make
their home at Harrison Apart
ments. They expect to be moving
November 16.
The Day’s young daughter, Judy
Ann, enrolled as a pupil at Valdez
i school. She entered first grade on
November 6. The Days have re
sided in Valdez at various times
for the past four years.
Weaver Brothers Join
Families in Portland
Russell and Kenneth Weaver of
Weaver Brothers, Incorporated,
have gone Outside to join their
families for the winter. The
brothers left Valdez November 6,
with Portland, Ore., as their des
tination. They plan to return to
the city this spring to resume
- their work.
EXPRESS GRATITUDE
TO CIVIC CLUB FOR
’WONDERFUL PARTY1
“The boys and girls had a won
' derful time and we are very
! grateful to the Women’s Civic
Club,” was the expression of ap
preciation made by juniors and
| seniors of the Valdez high school
| for a Hallowe’en party given for
them by the Civic Club.
The students enjoyed themselve
very much at the party held Oc
tober 31. Many gay, comic and
unusual costumes were worn as
masquerades. Prizes offered for
the most outstanding costumes
; went to Delbert Terrier, first;
! Wally Schultz, second and Ron
| nie Jurgens, third.
There were games on roller j
skates with prizes also given to j
winners. Delizious refreshments!
of glared doughnuts and apple
cider were served by the ladies
of the Civic Club.
7th Graders Welcome
Jerry Phillips as
New Valdez Student
Seventh graders at the Valdez
school welcomed Jerry Phillips as
a new student this week in its
race to keep up with the ever
growing eighth grade of the
school. Jerry, who enrolled at the
school on November 6, arrived
here with his parents from Fair
banks. He has not lived all of his
life in Alaska though, as he was
born in Spokane, Wash., on April
4, 1938.
The new student’s parents are
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Phillips.
Mr. Phillip’s present occupation
is freighting but both he and his
wife are licensed embalmers.
MRS. STOUT SUBSTITUTES
Substitute teacher at Valdez
school recently was Mrs. Winona
Stout. She took over for Mrs.
Phoebe Johnson, second grade
teacher, on Thursday, October 26.
<
AN EDITORIAL
(Ed. Nole: With driving made hazardous by heavy snowfall;,
ice and general winter conditions, the following editorial, sub
mitted by a Valdez high school student, is considered note
worthy.)
The job is ours to keep the highways safe. Only
we can make it safe for others.
There are many hazards of which we must beware,
such as icy roads, shifting snow and small glaciers.
These things can be seen if the drivers see that
their cars and trucks have the right number of lights
and bright enough illumination.
If cars have chains where needed there will be less
danger of sliding into other cars. Accidents do not just
happen. No one has been seriously injured as yet bul
if we are not careful someone may be.
It is not onlyPatrolman Alexander's job to see that
the roads are kept clear and safe, but ours as well.
When you receive a warning ticket, think about it and
correct your error. Remember others' lives are at
stake, not only yours.
There have been two accidents so far, but, for
tunately, no one has been seriously injured. The roads
can be safe, if we make them that way.
Mrs. McGary Is Hostess
At Thursday Club Meet
Held on November 2
Mrs. James McGary was host- j
ess at the meeting of the Thurs- I
day Club held at her home on No- ,
vember 2. Following games of
bridge and pinochle, refreshments
were served.
Ladies present were the!
Mesdames Jack Antritter, Larry I
Parker, E. R. Alexander, David
Johnson, Lyle Johnston, Bill Mc
Illroy, Jess O’Dell and Lewis
Clark.
The next meeting of the club ;
will be held at the home of Mrs. i
Larry Parker.
Philip Stuart Buchanans, Valdez
Newly-Weds, Honored at Reception
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Stuart
Buchanan, young newly - wed*
couple of Valdez, were honored
at a reception held for them on
October 30 at the home, of the
bride’s parents. They were mar
ried October 26 in a single ring
ceremony performed by U. S.
Commissioner Margaret K. Har
rais. The bride is the former
Miss Oma Lea Schmidt, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. William E.
Schmidt, Alaskan pioneers, who
have made their home in Valdez
for many years. The new Mrs.
Buchanan has also spent most of
her life in Valdez, where she was
born.
Mr. Buchanan has made his
home in Valdez for the past year.
He is employed here at the Ford
garage.
At the reception, Mrs. Herman
Sontag, cousin of the bride v.ho
was matron-of-honor at the wed
ding, Mrs. Gene Seagraves and
Mrs. Larry Burger, assisted Mrs.
Schmidt as hostesses.
'FRANK SIMPSON HAS
TROUBLESOME TRIP
Reports from Tok indicate that
Frank Simpson had considerable
trouble on a recent trip to Mur
phy Dome. His truck is said to
have gone over on its top when it!
hit soft ground on the road. Ac- J
cording to the reports the truck '
was badly damaged but Frank j
escaped unharmed and proceded j
on to Tok for repairs. Frank is ;
the son of a Valdez barber. He |
left Valdez on his trip Sunday ;
morning, October 29.
JIMMY PERSINGEfT IS
YOUNGEST FREIGHTER
The distinction of being the
youngest freighter in Alaska is!
claimed by Jimmy Persinger of
Valdez. Young Persinger has his
own truck and is said to be very
successful in the business.
Community
Calendar
November 14
ROLLER SKATING, school gym,
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
November 16
THURSDAY CLUB meets.
November 17
ROLLER SKATING, 7:30 to 9:30
p.m.
November 20
CHORAL SINGING, 7:30 p.m. at
Miss Long’s.
November 21
ROLLER Skating.
RALPH MATTHEWS
RECALLED BY NAVY
FOR ACTIVE DUTY
Ralph Matthews of Valdez, who
served 13 years as a lieutenant
in the U. S. Navy, has been re
called for active duty. He had
been out of the service for two
years when he received his or
ders the first part of October to
report at Kodiak.
After an indoctrination period
at Kodiak he returned to Valdez
to spend 15 days leave with his
family. He left here on October
30 to report to Naval Headquar
ters at San Diego, Calif.
LEAVES FOR WISCONSIN
AFTER VISITING SISTER
Roger Anderson, who has been
visiting his sister, Mable Ander
son, left Valdez recently for Eau
Claire, Wisconsin. Roger first
came to Valdez in June and ex
tended his stay until November 3.
Miss Anderson, his sister, is first
grade teacher in the Valdez
school.
ANS TEACHER VISITS
Kenneth Brittell, Alaska Na
tive Service teacher at Tatitlek,
was a recent visitor at Valdez. He
spent Thursday. November 2, here j
on business.
'First Shipment cf
House Trailer Homes
Arrive for Engineers
Brand new house trailers which
will serve as homes for Alaska
Road Commission engineers and
their families here in Valdez
started arriving at the port this
week. With the solving of the
housing problem, most of the en
gineers stationed at Valdez have
already made arrangements to
bring their families here.
Other ARC activities at Valdez
recently was the shutting down
for the winter of work on the
Richardson and the Glen High
ways. The McLaughlin Company
is still carrying on operations,
however, with sub - contractors
Fox and Gates working on the
tunnel.
Chapel Addition Now
Under Construction
New construction listed in Val
dez includes an addition to the
Valdez Gospel chapel. The addi
tion is L-shape and will add 25
feet to the length of the church.
The new space will be used for
five new Sunday School rooms.
Reverend R. J. Teeter said that
construction of the new rooms
should be completed in time for
dedication just about at Christ
mas. The work was started on
Tuesday, October 31.
FIRST SKJ PLANE
ARRIVES AT VALDEZ
The first plane on skiis to ar
rive at Valdez this season was a
Cordova Airlines craft which
landed here Friday, November 3.
Valdez also felt winter’s touch
last week when the fir^t deep
snow isolated the city for a few
days.
Mrs. R. L. Deems of Cordova,
a visitor here, found herself
“snowbound.” Mrs. Deems, of the
R. L. Deems Cold Storage Com
pany of Cordova, stayed at the
Golden North Hotel while in Val
dez.
Freight Shipments
Keep Barge in Port
The tug Tilsof sailed from Val
dez for Seattle this week with no
barge in tow. The barge was kept
at Valdez because of the great
amount of freight coming through
the port, according to Arnold Per
singer of the Freight Line Barge.
Mr. Persinger also reported that
the company’s next barge was
scheduled to arrive at Valdez or
Wednesday of this week.
MR. DUMAS IS TO PROVIDE
SLED RIDES FOR CHILDREN
The 'children of Valdez art
looking forward to sled rides
promised by Kenney Dumas. Ac
cording to his plans he will pul
a sled behind his truck for tht
children’s enjoyment. So tha
the sled will be in good condi
tion and as a safety measure, th<
sled is being repaired. It shouh
soon be ready for the rides.