The Kenai Peninsula
ed kerrhahn
H 3 i ORY MUSEUM t LIBRARY
JUttEA'J ALASKA i-l-U
THIRD YEAR
September 1, 1961
10c a Copy
Number 44
■uauiy wortnmgton, daughter of Sgt. lc and Mrs. Richard N.
Worthington of Wildwood Station, was runner-up in the recent
Kenai Days Queen Contest. Kathy also was the central figure in
the Wildwood float which won first prize in the most beautiful
classification in the Kenai Days parade.
New Union Welt May Make
10 Million Cu. Ft. Gas
Union Oil Company’s SCU
243-4, a gas well drilling of which
has just been completed, was still
on test Thursday and is expected
to make between 7 and 10 million
cubic feet of gas, according to
company officials. The well is
located in the Soldatna Creek
Unit in the south portion of the
Swanson River Field.
Gas well SRU 222-27, still be
ing drilled and down to about
4000 ft. when reported, ran into
a “thief sand” at a depth of 2890
ft., and has picked up approxi
mately one-quarter million bar
rels of oil that were lost through
a leak in the casing from well
SRU 14-27.
Although SRU 11-27 continued
to produce, it was discovered
there was a leak in the casing
through which oil was escaping
into a “thief sand.” Casing was
cemented in December and re
drilled through the cement. The
well has been producing good
ever since.
In other news qf the field, it
was announced that clearing of
ground began on Aug. 29 at SRU
12-15 location for the erection of
a gas injector station, purpose
of which is to extend the life of
the field.
For the benefit of persons not
connected with oil field opera
tions, it was explained that the
letters “SCU" in oil reports mean
Soldatna Creek Unit. Letters
“SRU” signify Swanson River
Unit.
Otis Webb is field manager
and production foreman of local
operations. Walter E. Schultz
and Clarence M. Waite are as
sistant production foremen. Rod
Smith is assistant maintenance
and construction foreman.
Ken a is Power Problem
To Be Aired Tuesday Night
A public meeting; to attempt to
solve power problems for the
city of Kenai has been called for
8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the
Civic Center Building.
Two proposals are to be
brought before the people for
discussion, according to Mrs.
Frances Torkilsen, city clerk. One
is a proposition from Peninsula
Power Co., and the other is from
Kenai Power Corp.
City officials met Monday night
with Frank Rowley of Kenai
Power Corp., which concern is
currently supplying the city with
power. Tuesday night a confer
ence was hail with John R. Con
nally, attorney for Peninsula
Power. The city now plan? to
present both proposed plans for
furnishing power to the public
for discussion.
Adequate power is vital to the
city if growth is to continue,
Mrs. Torkilsen pointed out. In
adequate power, including dim
out, black-outs and other power
failures, not only is a problem
for present residents but until
the problem is solved it is useless
to expect new industry to be in
terested in coming into the area,
she said.
Standard Oil to Erect Seven
Buildings on Swanson River
Clearing of land began this
week for the erection of five
homes, a company office and a
maintenance building on Standard
Oil’s Block 4 in the Soldatna
Creek Unit, northeast of Kenai,
it was announced Tuesday.
Approval for the construction
passed through all the necessary
channels, including Standard Oil
offices, Fish and Wildlife and
the State of Alaska. The go
ahead signal was given about 10
days ago.
The five houses are to be occu
pied by Otis Webb, field mana
ger; Jim Bost, elec'rical mainten
ance engineer; Clarence M.
Waite, production engineer; Ren
Demaray, electrician; and Ken
Slater, mechanic, and their fam
ilies, acording to Rod Smith,
maintenance foreman, Soldatna.
Seven New Teachers Will Greet
Kenai Students Tuesday Morning
Winiford A. Hoover, new sup
erintendent of schools in Kenai,
has announced his teaching staff
for the coming school term. Hoo
ver came to Kenai on July 1, re
placing Frank Cordrey, who had
been here two years. The Cord
reys recently moved to Califor
nia.
The new superintendent, Mrs.
Hoover and two children, a
daughter, Lucretia, age 13, and
a son, Elwin, age 9 years, for
merly were in Kodiak, where he
was connected with schools for
three years. Prior to that he was
at Wyandotte, Mich.
Hoover has been in the teach
ing profession for approximately
10 years. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Arkansas at Fay
etteville in 1949 and in 1952 re
ceived a master’s degree in edu
cation and administration from
the same university. Mrs. Hoover
will teach in Soldatna schools.
Six teachers are new to Kenai
schools this year in addition to
the superintendent and another
teacher is to be hired soon to
teach Spanish in the high school.
Newcomei-s include Rolland V.
Thomas, who will be the elemen
State Taxes
Over 31 Million
The Bureau of the Census has
published figures of state tax
collections for fiscal year 1961
for all 50 states. The State of
Alaska collected the least, in
total amount, at $31,571,000, al
though it is described as a pre
liminary figure only. The next
lowest state collections were
made in Wyoming, with $-11,000,
000.
Alaska’s state tax collections
show an increase of 16.5 per cent
from I960 to 1961. Increases in
some other states were higher,
h wever, ranging from Virginia’s
IS per cent to Kentucky’s whop
ping 31.9 per cent.
In the category of amount of
taxes collected per capita, Alaska
figures are among the highest,
at $138.47, but six other states
show higher figures: Louisiana,
$140.40; California, $141.55; Ne
vada, $161.28; Washington, $166.
91; Delaware, $172.59 and Ha
waii, $205.92.
1st P-TA Meeting
Set for Sept. 11
The Parent-Teacher Association
of Kenai Schools will usher in
activities for the new school year
at a get - acquainted meeting
scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 11, in
the Kenai school gymnasium.
All parents of school children
and the public in general are
invited to meet the new teachers,
principals and superintendent as
well as to join the P-TA in or
ganizational plans for the year.
Running Cafe
Bill and Josephine Mertz, for
merly of Seattle, Wash., are man
againg the Mertz Cafe and Gro
cery in Sterling during the ab
sence of Bill’s parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Otto Mertz, who are vaca
tioning in Phoenix, Ariz. Bill and
Jackie were in Seattle four years
but previously were Alaskans,
Bill since 1948 and Jackie since
she was a child of 8 years, in
Anchorage. Since- their return,
they have been busy painting
and redecorating the cafe in addi
tion to waiting on customers.
tary school principal. He is from
Oregon and formerly taught in
Alaska schools at Dillingham.
Other new teachers are Mrs.
Claudine Coray. first grade; Rich
ard Ruberg, sixth grade, and his
wife, Katherine Ruberg from
Ohio, fourth grade; and Mr. and
Mrs. Dennis Rehder. Mrs. Rehder
will teach high school English
and have charge of the library.
Rehder will teach seventh grade
in elementary school. They are
from Minnesota. Mrs. Coray and
Richard Ruberg have previously
taught in Alaska schools.
Additional teachers, all of
whom are returning to Kenai
schools after varied years of
teaching here, are as follows:
J. Vonn Phillips, high school
principal; and other high school
instructors, Miss Sonja Alexan
der, home economics and girl’s
physical education; Mrs. Irene
Anderson, commercial subjects;
Frank CTine, social studies; Mrs.
Shirley Dennison, science and
math; Jim Evenson, boy’s P. E.
and art; Mrs. Helen B. Pickett,
band and instrumental* music;
Francis Hall, industrial arts;
Eugene Morin, science (biology);
Car) Moser, mathematics, and
Mrs. Betty Sundt, English and
social studies.
Elementary teachers returning
for another term and the grades
they will teach are:
Mrs. LaVonne Hall, first; Mrs.
Elsie Seaman, second; Mrs. Jli,
dred James, second; Mrs. Mary
Cline, third; Mrs. Doris Puckett,
third; Mrs. Mina Sample, fourth.:
Mrs. Coral Allen, fifth; Mrs.
Catherine Henne, sixth; Mrs,
Dorothy Morgan, seventh; Mrs.
Mary Willetts, eighth; Robert
Puckett, eighth; and Mrs. Jessie
Munson, music.
Members of the Board of Edu
cation hosted a get-acquainted
reception honoring the teachers
Thursday night at the high
school. Additional guests were
the respective wife or husband
of all teachers and board mem
bers.
Ed Hollier is president of the
Board of Education. Other mem
bers are Ken Jordan, treasurer;
Mu'S. Glenn (Clarice) Kipp, clerk;
Jetret Petersen, and J. G. "Bur.'’
Dye.
Superintendent Hoover said he
would release registration figures
next week. Classwork begins on
full-day schedule Tues., Sept. 5.
Cordova Airlines Begin
First Daily DC-3 Flights
Into Soldatna Saturday
First regularly scheduled daily
DC--' flights into the Soldatna
airport will be inaugurated by
i va Airlines at 7:55 a.rn. this
Saturday, Sept. 2, it was an
nounced Friday by M. L. Red”
Grange, member of the City of
Soldatna Airport Commission.
Grange and Mr-. Joanna Holder
ate Soldatna agents for Cordova
Ait lines.
"This daily run by a DC-3 into
Soldatna airport is finally a real
ity after two years of work and
planning," G;ange said. “The
flight will provide freight and
passenger service every day ex
cept Sundays and soon will be
carrying the mail,” he added.
The flight will originate in An
chorage and will terminate at
Seward with the plane pausing
at Seward for 10 minutes before
turning around for the return
flight hack to Anchorage. Stops
at Soldatna will he made on both
incoming ami returning flights.
One-way fare from Soldatna t »
Anchorage ‘.ill be $6, plus tax,
Grange said.
Tickets may be obtained at
Cordova's ticket office from -
a.m. to noon and from 4:30 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m. During hours the
office is closed a call to his home,
phone 202-4461, will provide 24
hour a day service to customers,
Grange said.
The complete daily schedule is
as follows:
Leave Anchorage-—7:30 a.nr.;
arrive Soldatna—7:55 a.m.
Leave Soldatna—8 a.m.; arrive
Seward—S;25 a.m.
Leave Seward—8:35 a.m.; ar
rive Soldatna—9 a.m.
Leave Soldatna—9:05 a.m.; a:
rie Anchorage—9:30 a.m.
Library and Police Chief
Move to Civic Center
Kenai’s chief of police, Charles
“Red” Peavley, now has an office
of his own. Changes also have
been announced for the Kenai
Public Library. Both will be in
the Civic Center building.
Peavley’s new office is located
in a small room, previously used
for storage, on the north side of
the Civic Center building. He
previously had a desk in the of
fice of the city clerk, Frances
Toiikilsen.
The library is being moved into
the big west room in the same
building. The ambulance previ
ously was kept in this room.
The double doors were removed
and big windows were installed.
New tiling and a repainting job
has freshened and brightened up
the place. An alcove next to the
furnace will be used for process
ing books and for storage of sup
plies. This space also is avail
able to homemakers clubs and
other small groups for meeting'.
Funds foi library tile, pair.!:
and other supplies were obtained
through the Alaska Department
of Library Service in Juneau.
In the Groove Again
Maurine Jones returned Aug.
26 from a >ix week’s vacation in
California. Four of those weeks
were spent in Bakersfield, where
she welcomed a new granddaugh
ter. Having two sons and a
daughter there, three grandsons
and another granddaughter made
for a wonderful visit. The last
two weeks were spent in north
ern California, at Woodland near
Sacramento visiting Mr. Jones’s
sister, Mrs. Howard Thomas.
Side trips included a trip to
Knotts Berry Farm, Buena Park,
also Oakland and San Francisco.
She is now getting settled back
in the old groove as roving re
porter for Cheechako News.