‘Polaris Saloon’ Now Features
Master of Ragtime Melodies Darch
Ragtime Bob Darch, now pro
viding entertainment nightly at
the “Polaris Saloon,” has aspired
to become a ragtime pianist since
his high school days. He is an ex
major in the Army Engineers.
During his 13-year hitch in the
Army he worked toward this
goal, doing research, collecting
ragtime manuscripts* studying
with experts in the field, and
practicing — always practicing —
to acquire that certain touch
which is the hallmark of a rag
tuner.
Following his discharge from
the Army, Darch played numer
ous bistros in Louisiana, Texas,
Arizona and California. In Tomb
stone, Arizona, he was a feature
attraction at the famed Crystal
Palace Saloon. Going from Tomb
stone to uneau, Alaska, he was j
booked mto the Red Dog Saloon.1
a rough and rowdy remnant of I
gold rush days, cmplete with j
sawdust on the floors and snuff j
for the ladies.
Back in the States, Bob became '
a feature attraction at Hotel
Showboat, a colorful resort hotel i
operated on Las Vegas’ lower
Fremont Street by William J.
Moore, Jr. Designed as an au
thentic replica of the river boats
----I
I
MARCH OF DIMES |
A few’ more envelopes from 1
homos aud school have been |
turned in with donations to the
March of Dimes. With the sum
collected from the business ho us- |
es the grand total on the March
of Dimes comes to $540.58, ac- j
cording to Mary Anderson, chair- j
man.
_
Deer Races Police on
Suffolk Downs Track
REVERE, Mass., —The resi
dents of Revere were treated yes
terday to the sight of a deer
taking a few practice turns
around the Suffolk Downs horse
track and later around the Won
derland Dog Track.
The tracks were fast and the
deer easily crossed the finish
lines far ahead of the pursuing
conservation officer and police.
Before romping around the
tracks, the deer' swam across
Chelsea Creek in his efforts to
elude the pursuers.
Conservation and police offi
cers finally roped the deer behind
a gas station.
* ARCTIC SANITARY
SERVICE
PHONE RED 181
which plied the Mississippi dur
ing the golden era of Mark
Twain, the Showboat was a per
, feet complement to the happy
| ragtime tunes. Darch stayed at
I the Showboat for 18 successful
weeks in his first engagement.
Returning to Alaska, Darch
played an extended engagement
at the famous Malamute Saloon
in Anchorage. While there he was
named official piano player for
the celebrated Fur Rendezvous.
With his extensive repertoire,
Ragtime Bob often plays for as
long as 4 hrs. at a stretch, with
out doing the same song twice.
He has committed to memory
most of the songs and rags which
were popular during the 1890
1915 period. In addition, he owns
a valuable collection of sheet
music for 5,000 other composi
tions written during that era.
As is evident to his listeners,
Darch plays ragtime for the sheer
enjoyment of the music, just as
he enjoys the “corny” gags and
elaborate melodrama character
istic of the Gay 90’s.
Darch is currently negotiating
with RCA Victor for recording
dates on his ragtime tunes. He
has been featured in articles ap
pearing in Fortune, Life and Hol
iday magazines. In addition he
has composed ten ragtime tunes,
all of which were published by
the Red Dog Saloon. His best
known number, which he plays
often, is called “Flicker Red
Rag.”
Ragtime Bob will be here thru
Darch will be here through
Sunday and states he would like
to home back next summer for a
couple of months, round up a lot
of stampede-day music and relics
so that Nome can have a tourist
spot like other Alaska towns
authentic of the gold rush era.
He suggests that it could be
built around Tex Rickart and his
Northern and Board of Trade
Saloons.
Pan American Airways
Departing: Ellen Mulvihill and
Pam Mulvihill; Mr. Stewart of
General Electric, who has been
working with the City at the
! Nome Power Plant installation;
I Mrs. Gus Bjornstad, and Eliza
; beth Jolley of the Territorial Wel
! fare Office.
Wien Airlines
From Fairbanks: James Kulick,
Donald Hobbs, Duano Garrett,
Willis Hill, Emil Nissinn.
T Fairbanks: Lee Stevens, Ed
ward Hazelwood, Hawley Pridg
en, Henry Little, John Stowers.
From Kotzebue: C. G. Carlson,
1 Joe Szekeley. To Kotzebue: John
Belobraidich, Leo Lohrman, Ed
ward S. Bertics, Marshall Helton,
Roland Ashley, Billy Lee.
GIRL SCOUT
BAKE SALE and BAZAAR
* -
N. C. STORE
Saturday, Feb. 9, starting at 10 a. m.
ALSO WHITE ELEPHANT
AND GRAB-BAG SURPRISES
BASKETBALL TONITE
This evening at 7:30 in the
school gym the North Stars face
the Air Force Panthers and in the
second game starting at 8:45 the
Nome High School goes on the
flor against the Polar Hornets.
Both games should be well
played and exciting as all the
teams are in top condition and
ready to push the casaba through
the hoops.
Trains Halted By Heavy
Snows in Northwest U.S.
By the Associated Press
A forecast of continued mild
weather and scattered showers
today brought a prediction of
more snow slides along the Idaho
Montana border, where yesterday
cascading snow trapped two
transcontinental trains and closed
highways temporarily. No one
was injured.
A Milwaukee Railroad west
bound streamliner was trapped 11
hours between slides in the St.
Joe Mountains before switching
to Northern Pacific tracks and
continuing to Spokane.
An east bound Milwaukee
streamliner was halted by a slide
just east of Avery, Idaho. Snow
plows pulled the train back to
Avery, where it was rerouted.
Retriever Is Retrieved
i By Girl’s Lasso
WATERTOWN, N. Y., UP) — A
Labrador retriever was retrieved
in dramatic western style.
The dog fell into icy Black Riv
er and was swept away from the
shore.
Fourteen-year-old Bonnie Wes
ton was passing by and carried
a clothes-line she uses to practice
lassoing. Her first toss neatly
looped the rope around the dog’s
I neck. Bonnie and a policeman
pulled him to shore.
1957 PIONEER 1957
CARD SERIES
PIONEER IIALL — 8 p.m. Sharp
SATURDAY, FEB. 9
FEB. 16 MARCH 16
MARCH 2 MARCH 30
APRIL 13
$6.00—Series Tickets Single Tickets—$1.25
WHIST ★ PRIZES
★ Delicious Refreshments ★
COME ONE ir COME ALL
You’ll find it in the Bering Sea
And find it in the ground,
But the Bestest Water of them all
Is the Water BRONSON Hauls Round.
Buy Your Water From The Biggest Drip in Town.
BRONSON WATER DELIVERY MAIN 19
ARCTIC OIL DELIVERY]
Why Worry ? — Call us and Relax 1
Residence Office
Main 52 Black 76
WE CHECK YOUR TANK REGULARLY
i .
You need it now!
You ii use if for years!
lnell!l@ROYAL PORTABLE! I
Use it I
are over! g