FA A to Modernize
Communication
Throughout State
A projeet to modernize com
munications in Alaska h been
mounced by the Federal Avia
on Agency. The project calls for
xpenditure of $1,573,646, most
it in Alaska, for high speed
■ eletypewriters a n d associated
•decommunications equipment.
The new machines, operating
i.t 100 words per minute, will
almost double the capacity of a
rcuit which now uses machines
typing at 60 words per minute.
FA A operates four telecommuni
cations circuits — three transmit
• rather information, while the
fourth handles flight plans and
traffic information. Many points
,n the FA A telecommunications
.-ystem already are equipped with
100-words-per-minute machines.
Installation of the faster equip
ment will be the first step in
upgrading telecommunications in
Alaska. A total of 76 teletype
writers are scheduled for instal
.ation in Alaskan Flight Service
Stations (FSS) about the middle
cf 1962.
ON FISHERMEN S COUNCIL
Melv?n Charles of Hydaburg to
*%av was -reappointed by Governor
William A. Egan to membership
. l the Fishermen’s Fund Advis
•cjy and Appeals Council.
Charles, has been a member of
" e council for the past year and
was renamed by the Governor for
■ term expiring Oct. 12, 1961.
Members of the council receive
salary but receive per diem
allowance and expenses while par
ticipating in council activities.
I 1
State Legislation
Includes Seven
Bills by Rivers
President Kennedy has signed
into law five hills introduced by
A'aska's Congressman, R a 1 p h
J. Rivers. A sixth Rivers bill,
wnich has cleared both Houses
of Congress, is on the President’s
desk awaiting approval.
Four of the Alaska hills which
became law provided for 1 a n <1
withdrawals for the Defense De
partment located in the Ladd
Eielson area, (256,000 acres); the
Fairbanks area (607,000 acres);
the Big Delta area (572,000 ac
ics): and the Campbell Creek
a.-ea <4,706 acres).
The fifth Rivers bill to have
become law since the last News
letter was issued, eliminated a
discrimination against Alaska
mineral claimants. Under form
er law, mineral claims in Alaska
were allowed to remain open to
contest for a longer period than
those filed in other states.
The purpose of the old law'
was to prevent claim-jumping
during the days when transpor
tation problems prevented fre
quent trips to recording offices
by early prospectors. The Rivers
lows removes the special Alaska
provision and will serve to pre
vent needless delay in proving
mining claims.
Remaining for presidential sig
nature is another public land
withdrawal bill, which will, if
signed, reserve about 51,400 ac
res for military purposes in the
Granite Greek area. It was this
bill which was amended in the
Senate on the motion of Sen. Er
nest Gruening. The Gruening a
niendment modified the bound
aries of the proposed reserve re
ducing acreage withdrawn slight
ly from the reservation land
along the Richardson Highway
to allow possible State selection.
When President Kennedy signs
the (remaining Alaska land bill,
Congressman Rivers will have in
troduced a total of seven bills
during the 87th Congress to have
become law. In August, the Pres
ident signe<i an earlier Rivers
bill to liberalize the law relating
to the public sale of isolated
tracts.
Pribilof Island Seals
The U. S. share of the income
from the fur seals on Alaska’s
Pribilof Islands has to date total
ed more than twice the original
purchase price of Alaska.
The oil industry has paid more
than 23 million dollars into the
state in lease payments, royalties
and other fees in the last three
years.
“Just like uptown”
is
Don Wilson’s
SOLDOTNA STORE
Come in and see for vourself
how we do it with mirrors
in our refurnished and
remodeled completely modern
grocery store.
AND
plan now to come to our
GRAND OPENING
to be held soon
NEW HEALTH DIRECTOR
E. O. Wicks, M.D.. Dr. P.IL,
has been named Director of the
Division of Public Health, Com
missioner Paul L. Winsor of the
Dept, of Health and Welfare, has
announced. The appointment was
effective Oct. 1. Dr. Wicks served
as acting director of the Divi
sion of Public Health for the past
year.
Dr. Wicks since July 1957 had
previously served as Field Health
director in charge of the South
central and Northern Regional of
fices. He has been with the Dept,
since July 1956.
Skin Divers Seek
Salmon Tags in
Alaskan Streams
The recovery of tagged salmon
by skin divers in Alaskan rivers
and streams when the fish come
in from the sea to spawn, is the
latest biological research tool be
ing used by the Alaska Depart
ment of Fish and Game.
Scuba gear is especially effect
ive in larger streams or those
with deep holes where the tagged
salmon cannot be reached effect
ively with a spear from shore.
Guy Powell and Dave Warner,
departmental research biologists,
are spending their spare time in
Kodiak streams flippering after
the brightly colored tags being
borne upstream by salmon en
route to their spawning grounds.
Powell was the first Alaskan
biologist to use scuba gear in the
biological studies of the king crab.
Dr. Howard Tait (director of
biological research for the de
partment, states that direct un
derwater observation is becoming
an essential part of fishery re
search in Alaska and he intends
to promote the training of biolo
gists in the use of this tool.
The two skin diving biologists
have recovered 70 tags so far
during 1961. By spotting and tak
ing the tags immediately when
the salmon enter fresh water, the
biologist can determine approxi
mately how long the salmon have
been enroute from the tagging
site to their home streams.
The diver wears standard neo
prene wet suit, boots, flippers
and a mask covering eyes and
nose. As the diving is done in
relatively shallow water, a com
pressed air tank for breathing is
not necessary.
For safety, the diving opera
tion requires two men; one to
stand guard on the bank armed
with a heavy caliber rifle to pro
tect the diver from brown bears
that may be fishing for salmon.
Also to alert any bounty hunter
who may be hunting for seals
and mistakenl_ shoot the diver
for one.
Alaska has 20,742,224 acres of
national forests, with 5,275,000
acres considered as commercial
timberland.
Sterling Sketches
To Welding School
Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Brewing
ton have gone to Missoula, Mont.,
where Bud will be attending a
welding school. Upon completion
of the course, they will return to
1
live on their place on the North
Kenai road.
At Open House
Norman Jacques, co-owner of
Drileon, spent a few days in
Sterling this past week. He came
by plane from California to at
tend the open house held last
Saturday by the local office of
Drilling Control Corporation.
Visiting in Texas
Mr. and Mrs. Eirnest (Bud)
Rarefield and their two sons have
gone to Pleasanton, Texas, to visit
relatives for six weeks.
Don’t Like to Move
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Gang
loff and children have returned
to Sterling after a stay in Anch
orage They report, ‘‘We hope we
never move again.”
. .
MAC'S —CHARTER & CONTRACT—
FLYING SERVICE
Fully Insured-Licensed Air Taxi
-ooo
Specializing in Oil Field Service
-ooo
Goose & Duck Hunting Charters
Caribou Hunts
“Let us show you thousands of caribou”
Flying 4 place Cessna 180
Take 3 Passengers and Gear
Box 234 Kenai Phone 283-7745
I am not bypassing
Water
Sewer
Schools
Road Systems
Etc.
to give away
dock wharfage
My business is not paid for by
Taxpayers Money.
THE
ARNESS TERMINAL
DOCK WHARFAGE SERVICE
AT FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICES
JIM ARNESS, PROP.
NORTH KEN AI PHONE 283-7724
Did you know that
CITY NATIONAL BANK IN KENAI
offers . . .
1. FHA insured home improvement loans?
2. FHA insured home loans—long terms, low interest rates?
3* Conventional Bank Real Estate Loans?
L Personal Loans?
5. Auto Loans?
6. Pays DAILY interest on savings accounts—
compounded quarterly?
KENAI BRANCH-CITY NAT’L BANK of Anchorage
IN THE TRADE BLDG. PHONE 283-7545