NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
64th Year No. 152
NOME, ALASKA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1963
Per Copy 15c
Bartlett Discloses Plans for $20-Million j
Housing Construction at Military Sites
.TITNEAU — The Department
of Defense has approved the con
struction of $20,378,000 in housing
at five military sites in Alaska,
Sen. E. L. Bartlett said today.
Bartlett, here for the holidays,
said the Defense Department ad
vised him it has given tentative
approval to the construction of 290
housing units at Elmendorf Air
Forse Base, Anchorage, at an esti
mated cost of $9,135,000.
Nome Chamber
Meeting News
Nome’s Chamber of Commerce
met on Monday noon at the North
Star Seaview Room. Guests were
Billy and Stubey Cameron, Anita
Fenstermacher and Kathie Schulz.
Minutes of the Board of Direc
tors meeting held on December 16
reflected the fact that member
Dick Galleher had attended that
meeting to explain and ask sup
port for an application to amend
his certificate for air transporta
tion between Nome and Bethel.
The board agreed to support
Munz-Northem Airlines in their
quest for this amendment which
would provide transportation by
way of his airline between Nome
and Stebbins, St. Michael, Em
monak, Alakanuk, Cape Romanzof
and St. Mary’s.
Sen. Les Bronson was welcomed
back and after much prodding and
coaxing was induced to describe
his operation. He spoke briefly on
several points of political interest
such as the juvenile detention fa
cility problem at Anchorage and
Fairbanks and the recent legisla
tive council meetings at Juneau
and Sitka.
Sen. Pearse Walsh was wel
comed back also and he de
scribed the inaugural flight of
“that well known airline” (Wien’s)
between Fairbanks and Juneau.
He advised the Chamber group
on several matters such as the
forthcoming Centennial, the Nome
Teller road job, and the rebidding
of the Savoonga airfield.
The Defense Department ap- j
proved the construction of 100
housing units, including 90 four
bedroom and 10 two-bedroom
units, at Ft. Richardson, to cost
an estimated $3.6 million. All
would be for company grade of
ficers.
At the Kodiak Naval Station,
the Defense Department approved
the constructon of 170 replace
ment units to cost an estimated
$5.1 million. The units would all
contain four bedrooms and all
would be assigned to enlisted
personnel.
The department approved the
construction of 19 units at Tok, for
civilian personnel employed on the
Haines-Fairbanks military pipe
line, at a total estimated cost of
$475,000.
The construction of 62 new
housing units was approved for
Ft. Greely. The units, all to con
tain four bedrooms, will cost an
estimated $2,068,000.
Disaster At Sea
A British aircraft carrier has
sent a radio message, saying that
57 bodies have now been recov
ered from the Greek cruise ship
“Lakonia,” which burned and ex
ploded in the eastern Atlantic.
There are varying reports on
the number still missing in the
disaster at sea. A radio message
from Casablanca has said the num
ber of rescued will total 935. This
would mean that considerably less
than 100 still are missing.
Some survivors of the sea dis
aster charged today — on arrival
in Madeira — that the crew of
the “Lakonia” panicked when fire
broke out. They said there was
no discipline and passengers had
to take charge of the lifeboats.
Members of the crew could tell
nothing about the cause of the dis
aster. One of them said: “We were
sleeping and were awakened by
a tremendous explosion which
made all of us panic stricken.” The
crewman said: “Some passengers
plunged into the sea. Many others,
weeping and crying, waited for
the lifeboats to be lowered.”
• • •
On This Day
December 22nd ended the official period of national mourning
for our beloved President, John F. Kennedy. But this does not
mean that the world can ever forget or relinquish pursuance of
John F. Kennedy’s dedicated effort toward ending all indignities
directed at men and women of any color, race or creed.
And it does not mean that the world can or will try to diminish
the lively flame which was beginning to emerge from the spark
generated by John F. Kennedy to the end that there will be on
earth — peace.
And so, on this day, as Governor of Alaska, I humbly ask
that each Alaskan, regardless of race, creed or color or political
affiliation, and in his own way, lend a moment of silent prayer
for the soul of John F. Kennedy and for peace on earth, to
men good will.
I also ask that we pray God grant to the President of the
United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, the wisdom, courage and good
health necessary to lead our nation in securing lasting peace and
in guaranteeing to man, human dignity. —William A. Egan
Coot Mountain Renamed
For Andy Simons
JUNEAU UD — The U.S. Board
on Geographic Names has ap
proved the renaming of a 6,210
foot mountain on the Kenai Penin
sula after the late Andrew A. Si
mons 1 of Seward, the office of
Sen, E. L. Bartlett said today.
In a wire to the Associated
Press from Washington, Bartlett’s
office said the mountain, former
ly known as Coot Mountain, will
be known in the future as Andy
Simons Mountain.
The peak lies just east of Kenai
Lake, between Victor Creek on
the south and Ptarmigan Creek
and Ptarmigan Lake on the north.
Simons, an early settler and big
game hunting guide who served
for 27 years as a member of the
Alaska Game Commission, died in
1962.
ALASKA'S HOLIDAY TOLL
TOPS '62 PERIOD COUNT
JUNEAU Iff! — The Department
of Public Safety reported today
that Alaska’s traffic death toll
through last Friday was 40, com
pared with 33 through the same
date a year ago.
Fires had claimed 32 lives in the
state through Dec. 20. During the
same period last year, fires re
sulted in 22 deaths.
ALASKA FREIGHT LINES TO
CHANGE HANDS AGAIN
The New York Times says Sea
Land Service, a major truck trail
er-ship operator, is apparently
ready to enter the Alaska trade.
, The paper said President M. R.
I McEvoy of Sea-Land has confirmed
reports that his company holds an
option to buy control of Alaska
Freight Lines. He was quoted as
saying the deal could go through
at any time.
DEMOS CANCEL CONFAB
The Northwestern Alaska Dis
trict Democratic Convention,
slated for December 27, has been
cancelled. According to Mr. Stan
Harhut, secretary, the new con
vention date is January 7. Cancel
lation was out of respect to Gov
ernor Egan’s proclamation where
in he asked that no political acti
vity be carried on until after the
first of the year.
Weather Report
Variable high cloudiness today
and tonight. Little change in tem
perature. Low tonight 8. High to
morrow 20.
Nome data last 24 hours as of 7
»-rr>. today: Precipitation—trace.
Month total—.88 inches. Tempera
tures: highest 22, lowest 12. Max
imum wind 14 miles an hour flom
the North. Sunrise at 10:04 am.,
sunset at 1:59 pm.
Comparative Data — Tempera
i tures year ago today: high 6, low
! -9.
Egan Keeps Tally on
State Employe Total
JUNEAU UPi — State employ
ment as of Monday totaled 4,937
persons, Gov. William A. Egan
said today.
Included in the figure, Egan
said, are 190 Employment Secur
ity Division and Department of
Military Affairs employes whose
salaries are paid by the state but
reimbursed in full by the federal
government.
Egan said the 4,987 figure in
cluded 254 individuals who were
employes of the State Court Sys
tem, the Legislative Audit Divi
sion and the Legislative Council
during the Nov. 15 pay period.
The Governor said the figures
were supplied by department
heads at his request for current
employment data.
BETA SIGS' DOLL AWARDED
Katherine Scott was the lucky
recipient of the Beta Sigma Phi’s
Christmas doll.
Alcan Pacific Gets In
Under Wire to Beat M-K’s
Low Bid on Teller Road
JUNEAU UP> — The State De
partment of Highways said today
it had received a low bid of $3.
296,762 from Alcan Pacific of Se
attle for construction of the
Sinuk-Tisuk section of the Norne
Teller road.
Alcan Pacific’s bid was received
after the Thursday 10 a.m. bid
opening deadline, but Commission
er A. D. McKinnon said it was
found that the offer had been
mailed in time to reach Juneau
before the deadline.
The only offer read at the
Thursday bid opening was a $3,
543,316 bid by Morrison-Knudsen,
Inc., of Seattle. McKinnon said
at the time three other firms had
indicated they entered bids which
were not received.
The work involves the construc
tion of 20.877 miles of new road
way and six bridges. The state
estimate was $3,268,674.
A HOLIDAY MESSAGE
From Our Friend General Jensen
As Commander of the Alaskan Air Command, I am
privileged to pass on to you the heartfelt thanks of the men of the
command who have enjoyed the hospitality of your wonderful
city while performing their official duties.
As an individual I add my own gratitude for the excellent
manner in which I was received on my recent visit and for the
enjoyment which the people of the area provided.
On behalf of the officers and men of the Alaskan Air
Command, I extend a sincere Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year to our many friends in Nome.
MAJOR GENERAL JAMES C. JENSEN
Commander of Alaskan Air Command.
Poor Old Soles
Welcomed Here . . .
“Speedy’s” is the word in Nome.
Dick Strom has finally put shoul
der to the wheel and moved his
shoe repair equipment into the
shop location.
Moved by Q Trucking and as
sisted by Freddie Pushruk, Glenn
Tate, Willie Willoya and Bob
Morris, the equipment was moved
in and set up yesterday. There
will be about two weeks’ delay
while Strom figures out how to
put the machines together and
what they are all for. He says
he found some glue with the help
of his first patron, and has already
pasted a pair of heels on, however.
There is a good quantity of stock
in the new shop — located behind
Wiens downtown office on First
Street — and an announcement
will be forthcoming as to the date
of grand opening and shop hours.
Selawik Goes City
From 50 votes cast in an election
at Selawik on Dec. 18, 43 were in
favor of incorporation and 7
against. The voting turnout was
light considering that there are
147 residents eligible to vote in
that village
The following persons were
elected to Council seats:
Roy A. Smith, 38; Roy Foxglove,
29; William Sheldon Sr., 28; Ros
coe Ballot, 27; Leslie Barnette, 26.
Air Force Opens New TV
Station in Western Alaska
JUNEAU ?JP) — The first tele
vision station on the Alaska Penin
sula, operated by the Air Force,
will start broadcasting Christmas
Eve, Senator E L. Bartlett said
yesterday.
Video signals from the station,
located at King Salmon Air Force
Base, will be received in King
Salmon, Naknek, South Naknek
and elsewhere in the area, Bart
lett was advised by the Alaska
Command.
Bartlett, in Juneau for the
Christmas holidays, said film from
Kodiak and Los Angeles, head
quarters for the Air Force’s
worldwide television operations,
was rushed to King Salmon for the
opening of television service.
LES BRONSON RETURNS
Sen. Lester Bronson returned
to Nome Sunday from Seattle. He
had undergone an operation last
Tuesday in the Virginia Mason
Hospital, but he is now looking
hale and hearty and getting about
town as usual.