DILLINGHAM* S
ITol* 6 No. 1 4-6-55
Disrupting the quiet of the beautiful Saturday afternoon or March 26th, toweling
columns of greasy black smoke and the pitiful wail of the Dillingham Fire Depart**
r.ent*s &iren brought fear into the hearts of all as the pathetically inadequate fire
fighting equipment and willing manpower moved rapidly out of town towards the
biasing Holy Rosary Mission on the Knnakanak-Dillingham Road, just minutes after the
fire, which started in the sohool*s engine room, was reported©
upon arriving at the scene* it was
evident the frame building could not be
saved so concerted efforts were spent to
k«ep the fire from spreading to nearby
buildings.
A few school and ohuroh supplies were
thrown from broken windows before ihe
last of the helpers ran frightenJagJLy from
the burning building. Fr. Endal* parish
priesti Fr. GrdAf, area priestf and Miss
Dorothy Siebel, teaoher, lost all their
personal effects* The missions food
which was entirely stored in the basement
was burned up*
The fire which has been blamed on a
short somewhere in the engine room startec,
shortly after the engine was turned on by
Fr. Grcif.
The extent of th3 1ns* was mirrored in
the faces of those children who knew the
Mission as a refuge where they were al
ways welcome whether they came to play,
pray* learn or get a square meal# The
guidance and kindness of Fr. Endal had be*>
gun to bear fruit as marked by his ever
increasing congregation and the sooial
center which had developed around the
mission#
The extent of the tragio loss reflects
itself, also, in the sad, restrained de
meaner of Fr. Endal whose dream of” a
Catholio center was resolving itself into
reality«
The Mission Sohool is temporarily be
ing taught in two separate buildings,
Fr, Endal is determined that the sohooh
will be built again and is cautiously
approaching this huge reconstruction
task. Meanwhile, friends have rallied to
the the need and sohool supplies, cloth
ing and food are keeping the mission
routine from drastic curtailment of en
deavor. These friends, plus deep faith
and continued sacrifice will be the ©er
ne r stoneforanew Mi s sion.
people from the nearest available sources*
* FATHER OF THREE DIES SUDDENLY
Shooked by the sad news of their fatV
erf s untimely death, Helene, Honneh end
Danny Johansen were called home from
school, Thuifs. March 3.1 * by their uncle,
Mike Hiratsuka, who with difficulty de
livered his sad message and then accom
panied them to Clarks Point to attend
the wake and funeral of their father,
Mr« Dan Johansen, who died following a
stroke on March 30th.
Mr. Johansen is survived by his three:
children and their mother, Mrs. Emil
Sorensen.
LOOKING FOR YIDRK? READ THISt
(Following letter was sent to David
Carlson, from M*G*Ripke, Acting Arcs
Direotor, ANS, on Maroh 28th*)
Dear Mr* Carlsons
Harold F* Brown, a represent at i~e M
the Bankers Life and Casualty Comcsry
Chicago, oailed at my office today. H« .
advised that the BLC Company is r.egctlm
ing a oontract with the Federal Governr.en
covering salvage operations in the Aleu
tian Chain area* They plan to gather rp
all abandoned machinery and equipment x
as well as scrap material in this area*
He indicated that their salvage operation
would extend for a period of about 3 yrs;
They are interested in recruiting a?:.d
employing as naaoh local labor aspossiol''
bringing in only skilled mechanicc end
machine operators, and utilizing as irr'.ah
common labor as possible...They plan to
set up local facilities on some of tho
islands for feeding and housing the work
ers* They will pay transportation f:*oa
place of residence to the place of em
ployment, and return...provided the in
dividual remains on the job for at .le...
three months* Local prevailing wages •
be paid and the company wanns to rsor-:
All applicants will have to be screen-*
medically ior tb or other disabilities*. • since the personnel will be utilizing cc" ;
living facilities* • ••bir* -drown indicated that they will need about (Page Four*PI.■< : i