Valdez News
VOL. 1. NO. 33
VALDEZ. ALASKA. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 27. 1950
PRICE 10c
New Homes, Remodeling, Bring 'Building Boom'
BETTY LU BANKS,
GERALD G. WILSON
WED AT VALDEZ
The wedding of Betty Lu Banks
of Cordova and Herald G. Wil
son, part owner of Club Valdez,
was hel dat Valdez on October 17.
U. S. Commissioner Margaret
K. Harrais performed the cere
mony with Mr. and Mrs. Ray
Hines acting as the couple’s at
tendants.
Following the ceremony the
newlyweds were honored at a re
ception-dance held at the Eagles
hall.
They are now on their honey
moon trip, planning an extended
visit with their respective fam
ilies in the states.
The bride, well known in en
tertainment circles as a pianist,
until recently made her home at
Cordova.
FRANK H. TATRO DIES
AT MEIERS LODGE
Frank H. Tatro, eighty-year-old
grandfather of Hugh Tatro of
Valdez, passed away at Meiers
Lodge, Alaska, October 20.
Mr. Tatro was born in Vermont,
March 17, 1870. He first came to
Valdez when he moved here with
his family in 1938 from Lander,
Wyoming. His wife preceded him
in death in 1945.
He is survived by a daughter
at Sacramento, Calif., two sons
who make their home at Anchor
age and one son at Meiers Lodge
with whom he was living at the
time of his death. He is also sur-:
vived by 11 grandchildren.
KEEN COMPETITION
EXPECTED FOR SCHOOL
MASQUERADE PRIZES
There will be keen competition
for prizes for the best costume
when masqueraders in the first
to sixth grades gather for the big
Hallowe’en party planned at the
school October 31.
There are expected to be some
startling effects when the chil
dren appear as ghosts, clowns and
cowboys at the school at 2 p.m.
on Tuesday for the party which
is being sponsored by the Wom
en’s Civic Club.
In the evening the junior and
senior high school students also
will be guests of the Civic Club
at a Hallowe’en party arranged
in their honor.
The program is to start at 8
p.m., and will include games to
be played on skates. Prizes will
also be awarded for the best cos
tume at that party.
STUDENTS JOYFUL
OVER ARRIVAL OF
NEW JANSSEN PIANO
Students of Valdez are joyful
over a brand new addition to the
school of a beautiful piano.
The new piano is a Janssen. It
is manufactured especially for
school rooms. Small and of light
weight it is easy to move around.
The piano arrived at the Val
dez school from Outside only this
week.
Miss Faye Day Becomes Bride of
Robert P. Harrison This Week
In a pretty autumn wedding at
Valdez this week, Miss Faye Day
became the bride of Robert P.
Harrison. U. S. Commissioner
Margaret K. Harrais officiated at
the single-ring ceremony which
took place in her office October
23.
Attendants for the couple were
Mrs. Herman Sontag and Arthur
S. Day, sister and brother of the
bride.
The bride is a daughter of An
drew S. Day of the Dayville Pack
ing Company of Dayville, Alaska.
The bridegroom is the proprie
tor of the Harrison Arms apart
ments in Valdez. He was former
ly a partner in the Copper Cen
ter roadhouse, Copper Center,
Alaska.
The newlywed couple left im
mediately after the wedding on
their honeymoon trip which will
take them all the way to Mexico
City, Mexico. They are driving
to the states over the Alaska
Highway. They plan to visit
friends at Sauton, Va., before
travelling on to the capital city of
Mexico.
Whites Win Two
Games Oct. 19
The Valdez High School Whites
defeated the Reds twice in hotly
contested volleyball games played
at the school gymnasium October
19. Scores were 28-25 for the first
game and 30-21 for the second.
Despite their two defeats, the
Reds were game and showed good
sportsmanship toward their op
ponents. There was much en
thusiasm shown by the players
on both teams.
The games were well attended
with approximately $30 taken in
as cash receipts.
Volley ball games will continue
every Thursday night at the
school gym until about the mid
dle of February when basketball
will take the sports spotlight.
S.S. Ghena Reported
15 Honrs Late Here
Latest report on the S.S. Chena,
which was due at Valdez Sunday,
is that the boat will be 15 hours
late.
The boat was on its way to Val
dez when a steam pipe on the
freights broke. Although the ves
sel was between Valdez and Sew
ard, because of bad woather it
had to return to calmer waters
so that it could be repaired.
WOMEN'S THURSDAY
CLUB HOLDS MEETS
The regular meeting of the
Women’s Thursday club was held
yesterday at the home of Mrs.
William Mclllroy.
On October 19 the club gath
ered at the home of Mrs. Harold
Jorgensen.
Bridge and pinochle games pro
vide entertainment for the club.
FIRST SNOWFALL
Valdez had its first snowfall
on October 19, which measured
a full two inches and at last
report was still on the ground.
The sight of the feathery
flakes heralding Alaska’s beau
tiful winter inspired . a local
poet to write the following
poem:
Gather ye snowballs while you
may,
While the snow’s a-falling.
For first snow that gleams to
day,
Tomorrow is dissolving.
The first clean snow that
heaven gives,
Creates the earth a-new,
And he that just for this time
lives,
Is sad to bid it adieu.
This time is best of all the
year,
When Winter’s first gift is
given.
The time that all of us hold
dear,
When all the earth’s like
heaven.
Then enjoy this gift, and hold
it dear,
And do not chance to tarry,
For it does come but once a
year,
Winter’s first snow so merry.
—A High School Senior.
MISS CAMPBELL’S
ENGACEMENT TOLD
Mrs. Douglas E. Colyer of Val
dez announced the engagement
of her daughter, Shirley June
Campbell, to Edward E. Overbay.
The date for the wedding has
not yet been set.
Community Hospital
Finds Winter Is Here
Patients and the staff at the
Valdez Community hospital were
well aware for a short time this
week that winter is here. There
was no heat at the hospital fol
lowing an explosion of the fur
nace.
A loud clap of noise caused con
siderable comment about town
on October 22 when the explo
sion occurred. No damage was
reported.
The furnace was repaired and
everyone at the hopital is glad to
have the heat on again.
Skating for Adults
May Be Discontinued
It is rumored that unless there
is a more enthusiastic response
and a greater attendance, skat
ing for adults will be discon
tinued.
For the last few skating nights
there has been only one session.
This program will be continued
until more adults put in an at
tendance.
Palmer Folk
Invited to Valdez
Masquerade Party
A special invitation has been
extended to Palmer folk to at
tend a Hallowe'en masquerade
party to be given by the Eagle
Lodge of Valdez tomorrow night.
The party will start at 10:30
p.m., with good music for dancing
promised.
Everyone is invited to wear
masquerades to the party with
special prizes offered for the best
costume. There will also be door
prizes.
SIDELIGHTS ON
NEW ROAD GIVEN
Interesting sidelights on the
new road are given as follows:
At 9 mile and 12 mile the road
will be changed back to the flats.
It is to be approximately in the
same place as the old road.
The road through the tunnel at
16 mile will be made into a two
lane highway with concrete pave
ment and portals.
The road will no longer go over
16 mile bridge but will follow
the river for three-quarters of a
mile where a new bridge is to be
built. This new section of road
will connect with the main road
between Sheep Creek and 19 mile.
This will eliminate the Bear
Creek bridge.
Work on the inside of the tun
nel and on the road in the can
yon will be continued through
the winter.
CHORAL GROUP MEETS
ON MONDAY NIGHT
FOR REHEARSAL
In preparation for a happy holi
day season here, the Valdez
Choral Group is rehearsing every
Monday on a Christmas Cantata.
The group recently changed its
meeting time to Monday evenings
at 7:30 p.m.
The songfest is held at the home
of Helen Long. New members
are always welcome to attend the
meetings and to become a mem
ber of the Choral Group.
BOATS, JET PLANES
VIE FOR ATTENTION
Boats and jet planes vied for
attention at Valdez this week.
There were two boats that called
at the port during the past week.
On Sunday the S.S. Chena was
due.
The Victoria and the Susitna
were both due to dock some time
this week.
On October 20 jet planes passed
over Valdez. The rapidly moving
planes streaked across Valdez
skies before many of the residents
had a chance to see them. Of
course there is never any diffi
culty in hearing them. Many re
gretted missing the sight of the
jet planes.
“FACE-LIFTING,”
NEW HOMES ADD
TO SCENIC DEAUTY
The city of Valdez is enjoying
a “regular construction boom”
with many new homes going up,
houses being built for rental and
sale, many of the townsfolk re
modeling their residences inside
and out and new business estab
lishments rumored for the town.
Not only are the new buildings
handsome additions but the “face
lifting” of the residences has add
ed greatly to the attractive ap
pearance of the city, which is
known throughout the world for
its scenic beauty.
Improvements of homes noted
here and there include a new red
wood shingle appearance recently
taken on by the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Larry Parker.
Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Erickson
are re-doing both the inside and
outside of their home, with brick
siding added to the latter.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Clem have
been remodeling their home with
asbestos shingles covering the
outside Walls.
Bill Zook’s remodeling consists
of an addition of two new rooms
and a sun porch, with a new rof
and a sun porch, with a new roof
walls.
Mr. and Mrs. Buck Stout have
added a front and back porch to
their home and are now in the
process of building a new garage
with a greenhouse attached.
Highway patrolman E. Alex
ander has made many improve
ments on his new home. A new
foundation was recently put in
with the outside stairway added
and painted green. A new alumi
num roof adds to the attractive
appearance.
Other families improving their
homes inside and out include the
Kelseys, Jarvises, Bakers, Wielers
and Gilsons.
Several buildings now under
construction at Valdez include
new homes for the Blakslies,
Pages, Whytes and Huddlestons.
Four new houses for rental or
sale upon completion are also be
ing built by Gilsons.
Rumors of new business estab
lishments for the town include a
serve-yourself laundry which, it is
said, Valdez will boast in the near
future.
Work Shop Classes
Start at Busy Igloo
For Valdez Students
Ivory cutting instructions and
possibly coping saw work for be
ginners are just a part of work
shop evening classes that will
start for students at Valdez next
week.
Busy Igloo, under the direction
of the Rev. R. J. Teeter has an
nounced definite shop hours,
which have been set for three
nights each week.
Beginning October 30, the Igloo
will be open on Monday, Tuesday
and Thursday evenings. Classes
for grade school boys and girls
will convene from 6 p.m. to 7:30
p.m.
Hours for high school students
will be from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.